Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Lewis Grant lost his job nearly a year ago, but that didn’t stop him from going to America’s most famous horse race. The unemployed auto worker staked out a spot on the Churchill Downs infield Saturday, scraping together enough money to have a good time at the Kentucky Derby.
“You’ve still got to do little things for yourself,” said Grant, 36, of Shelbyville, Ky. “You cut back where you can, but there’s just some things that you’re not willing to give up.”
Money flowed like mint juleps on a cool, overcast day as the massive crowd assembled for the 135th Run for the Roses angled for their own economic stimulus at Churchill’s betting windows. Race fans like Debbie Oberle shrugged off the nation’s stubborn recession and spent freely while soaking in the festive scene.
“I’m keeping the economy going, said Oberle, 51, of Walton Hills, Ohio, who was betting with “zeal” and had already bought $150 worth of souvenirs. “This is my first time here, and I’m going to enjoy it.”
This year’s Derby featured its usual glitz as women sported snazzy dresses and brightly plumed hats. Celebrities paraded along a red carpet entrance.
Fans screamed at the arrival of stars like Aretha Franklin, Kid Rock, country singer Travis Tritt and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Among others in attendance were singer Gretchen Wilson with her 8-year-old daughter, Grace; Brooke Shields with her family; chef Bobby Flay and his wife, actress Stephanie March; and actress Doris Roberts.
But the revelry — and a surprise win by Mine That Bird who went off at 50-1 odds — also unfolded against the backdrop of a dramatic U.S. economic slowdown, and the anxiety of a worldwide outbreak of swine flu.
Don Meier, 55, of Louisville, said he was taking “commonsense precautions” against the illness such as washing his hands, but he wasn’t going to let publicity about the virus hamper his 35th straight Derby.
“I’m not going to stay in a bunker somewhere,” he said, “I’m still going to go out.”
Churchill Downs turned somber briefly when eight bells tolled in tribute to the filly Eight Belles, a year after her fatal breakdown following the Run for the Roses.
Owner Rick Porter was presented a U.S. flag along with a portrait of the filly who was runner-up in the 2008 race.
“Down in the paddock you could’ve heard a pin drop,” said race patron Jennifer Butler of Tampa, Fla., who called it a “heartwarming and emotional” tribute.
Attendance was 153,563, the seventh largest in Derby history but down from 157,770 last year and the lowest since 2004.
Mine That Bird’s longshot victory followed an unexpected turn Saturday morning when morning-line favorite I Want Revenge was scratched. The colt was knocked out of the Derby after trainer Jeff Mullins discovered a left front ankle injury that was causing inflammation.
The sluggish economy was the big concern for fans like Grant, who was more restrained with his money.
Grant, a Derby regular since 2001, put himself on a tight budget. Last year, when still employed with Ford Motor Co., Grant plunked down $600 on Derby Day wagers and amassed a big beer tab.
This time, with no job prospects on the immediate horizon, he put a strict $150 limit on wagers.
“That’s from gifts from people — birthdays and Christmas and just what I scraped and saved,” he said.
Grant, draped in festive beads, already had plans for any big winning tickets.
“I would pay off some more bills,” he said.
Meier was among fans who packed a cooler with sandwiches, cookies and soft drinks.
“It’s kind of a low-budget operation,” he said.
Churchill lifted its Derby ban on coolers in the infield. The track had prohibited coolers for its biggest day after reviewing security policies following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Churchill Downs also froze most Derby ticket prices this year as a result of the struggling economy.
Lifelong horse racing fan Charles Pelley, 70, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., was fulfilling a promise made to his father by attending his first Derby. Pelley said the economy was no factor.
“I lost 40 percent of what I’ve worked for my whole life last year,” Pelley said. “That didn’t matter to me. It’s just less for my kids. You can’t take it with you.”
Tracy Beebe, a 37-year-old stay-at-home mom from Winston-Salem, N.C., said her family was celebrating her father’s 30th trip to the Derby. Beebe said the sour economy had only a minimal effect on their trip.
“We’re still betting on every race, but we’re not betting as much,” she said.
Linda Elliott said her Derby debut wouldn’t be inhibited by money concerns. Elliott, attending the race with a group of friends, wagered several hundred dollars the day before at Churchill Downs, and came out slightly ahead. She planned to bet with gusto again Saturday.
The 57-year-old Canton, Ohio, woman was fulfilling a long dream.
“It’s awesome,” Elliott said. “I think everybody needs to do this, once in their life.”
The first of three pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager begins its three-day run on Friday and the bet's opening scenario is very similar to each of its opening pools since the wager was created in 1999.
It's first time that Classic will be broadcast in primetime on Nov. 3.
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 | Slideshow |
 | Derby celebs Plenty of stars from the entertainment and sports world attend the 136th Kentucky Derby. more photos |
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 | Triple Crown winners The horses that have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in the same year. |
What's in a horse's name? |
Pioneerof the Nile? Is that a typo? No, it’s run together purposely to conform with thoroughbred naming rules laid down by the Jockey Club. The Jockey Club registers approximately 37,000 thoroughbreds annually in North America and records their names, pedigrees and identification number (tattooed on the inside of the upper lip) in the American Stud Book. Thoroughbred names are submitted by the owner of breeder and assigned by the Jockey Club, which limits them to 18 characters, including spaces and punctuation. That forced breeder and owner Ahmed Zayat, to run “Pioneer” and “of” together when naming the son of Empire Maker. — Michael Brunker |
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put No. 1 Kentucky ahead to stay, and the Wildcats took a big step toward a Southeastern Conference regular-season title by beating Vanderbilt 69-63 Saturday night for their 17th straight win.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.