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.
Getty ImagesSamuel L. Jackson returned for the fourth time as host of the show taped at the Nokia Theatre. He targeted Phelps in his opening monologue.
“You know something special must have happened this year when a swimmer has got as good a seat as Kobe,” Jackson said, noting Phelps’ front-row seat next to his mother Debbie. “You must be glad to be back in the pool, nobody gives you a hard time when you smoke the competition.”
Phelps, his mother and coach Bob Bowman all laughed at the reference to the swimmer being photographed using a marijuana pipe, which resulted in a three-month suspension.
Jackson noted the recent spat between Los Angeles Galaxy teammates David Beckham and Landon Donovan.
“First you beat Spain, then you take Brazil to the brink, then most shocking of all, you call David Beckham an (expletive),” Jackson said as a bemused Donovan looked on.
Jackson took shots at rookie quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
He told Sanchez: “I admire you for leaving USC so early to go to the NFL. Most people wouldn’t want to take a pay cut like that.”
Jackson encouraged Stafford to “enjoy yourself tonight. Once you actually start playing for the Lions, they stop inviting you.”
The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers were honored in the best game category for their title win over the Arizona Cardinals. They also won for best play, when Ben Roethlisberger connected with Santonio Holmes for the game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds.
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The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance went to Northern State men’s basketball coach Don Meyer, who battled cancer after surviving a near-fatal car accident.
“There’s a lot of people who got it a lot tougher than I do,” said Meyer, who uses a walker and wheelchair to get around since his left leg was amputated.
Winners in all but the Jimmy V, Arthur Ashe and comeback categories were determined by online and mobile phone fan voting.
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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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.
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.
