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.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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.
AP
NEW YORK - Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett was suspended six games Thursday for throwing high-and-tight to Texas' Nelson Cruz earlier this week.
Burnett appealed the penalty, which had been set to take effect immediately. He can continue to pitch until a hearing is held.
"You kind of expect something to happen when the ball comes that close," Burnett said before New York played the Rangers in the series finale.
Burnett said it was the first time he'd been suspended. He seemed a bit surprised by the severity, and said his first reaction when told was: "Really?"
Burnett sailed a fastball near the head of Cruz during a 12-3 win Tuesday night. Earlier in the game, Texas' Vicente Padilla twice hit Mark Teixeira with pitches.
Both Burnett and Padilla were fined undisclosed amounts by Major League Baseball.
Cruz had homered earlier, and plate umpire Doug Eddings warned both teams after Burnett's pitch sailed past Cruz.
"That's a fastball in, man, whether it got knocked down or not," Burnett said after the game. "I mean, that's where it's going.
"Warnings are warnings, man. ... You've still got to go about your business and pitch in, don't pitch in."
Said Teixeira after it was over: "I think there was a little message sent."
Padilla said he did not mean to plunk Teixeira.
"The answer is that it's stupid if he thinks it was an intentional pitch," he said through a translator after the loss.
Burnett is 4-2 with a 4.69 ERA in 11 starts.
Padilla is 3-3 with a 5.57 ERA in nine starts. He has hit seven batters, second in the AL to Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.
There were reports Wednesday night that the Rangers had released Padilla, but Texas assistant general manager Thad Levine said no move had been made. Padilla was in uniform before the game, and is scheduled to start Sunday at Boston.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
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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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
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.