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 for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
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.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
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.
New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson has brought an Arena Football League expansion franchise to the city. The New Orleans VooDoo are scheduled to kickoff play at the New Orleans Arena in February of 2004.
BENSON IS HOPING the AFL’s exciting brand of football and economical pricing will make the VooDoo a fan favorite in New Orleans.
Benson, Owner of the Saints for the last 18 years, committed to the purchase of an AFL club for New Orleans in 1998, making him the first NFL owner to do so.
Since then, several NFL owners have followed Benson’s lead and purchased Arena franchises.
After Benson’s commitment, the AFL officially awarded the Saints’ owner an expansion franchise on March 7, 2002.
Last spring, fans voted to name the new club the “VooDoo” in an online poll.
“I remain committed to the greater good of the sports scene in New Orleans, as well as to this city and the Gulf South region as a whole, and bringing in a new Arena Football League franchise is another positive step forward for our community,” Benson said.
“The AFL is exciting to me as an owner, and will certainly bring excitement to sports fans in and around New Orleans.
We were drawn to the AFL because of its quality ownership, its national television contract with NBC and its strong leadership on top in the form of Commissioner David Baker.”
Said Baker: “Tom Benson was the first NFL owner to step forward and join the Arena Football League in 1998. I am thrilled that his vision and support are coming to fruition and that he will be fielding a team in 2004.
The VooDoo represent the cornerstone of AFL growth for the 2004 season.”
That growth is evident in the new teams that are entering the league.
Nashville — owned by Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams — has already been approved to play next season pending it secures an arena-lease agreement.
Rock star Jon Bon Jovi will be co-owner of the expansion Philadelphia Soul, which will begin play next season.
Other NFL owners involved in AFL ownership are Dallas Cowboys/Desperados owner Jerry Jones and Denver Broncos owner/Colorado Crush part-owner Pat Bowlen, who is joined by former Broncos quarterback John Elway in the venture.
Former Saints Director of Regional Sales & Marketing Mike Feder will head the VooDoo as Executive Director.
Rita LeBlanc, a Saints employee and Benson’s granddaughter, has been named Director of Marketing and Special Events for the VooDoo.
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.
NEW YORK (AP) - As the glow fades from the Giants' Super Bowl triumph, some New York sports fans are tuning in to basketball and hockey, with the Rangers in first place and the Knicks' overnight sensation, Jeremy Lin, sparking "Lin-sanity.''
Robins: This year, six new breeds will be making their debut on the green carpet for the Westminster Dog Show, which begins Monday.
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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.
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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.