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.
Details MagazineFOXBORO, Mass. - Down here to see Patriots QB Tom Brady, and come to find out that the best way to see him speak candidly is to pick up a magazine.
Check out what he said in the latest issue of Details, which goes on sale Aug. 18, about his coach, Bill Belichick:
"Sometimes, during practice, you throw a bad ball -- That's the way it goes. But the video comes up and (Belichick) says, 'Brady, you can't complete a goddamn hitch.' And I'll be sitting there thinking, 'I'm a (bleeping) nine-year veteran, I've won three goddamn Super Bowls -- he can kiss my ..."
And then there was this, which probably won't help him in the locker room, on modeling vs. football:
"When I'm out on the football field, I have so much confidence in what I'm doing. (With modeling), I don't know what I'm doing. I'm at the whim of the photographer."
OK, enough of the grab-ass. Brady was asked about Thursday's preseason opener in Philly on Tuesday morning, and while saying "I'm ready," he added that he doesn't know if he'll play yet.
"I hope (I do)," he said. "We haven't talked about it, but (Belichick) told the guys everybody needs to be ready to play. I'm expecting to play, there's no reason why I wouldn't."
That was followed up with a question about not just "wanting" to play, but "needing" to, given the 11-month layoff since his last live snap. As he continued to do over the 10-minute conversation, Brady tried to cast himself not as a player hitting the field for the first time with a reconstructed knee, but a guy just like anyone else.
"It's the same for everybody, there's a lot of things you can simulate in practice, but in the games, they're just very different," Brady said. "The way it takes place in the game, when there's the threat of a run, when you're not tackling out here, it becomes different for the play-action passes. We certainly have a very diverse game-plan. I expect us to execute well."
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.
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.
 | Timeline |
 | Tom Brady's missed season It's been a long road back for the Patriots' quarterback. See all the key dates in his knee injury and rehab. NBCSports.com |
 | Slideshow |
 | Super Bowl XLVI shots See the best moments before, during and after the Giants' win over the Patriots more photos |
 | Video: Football from NBC Sports |
 Getty Images |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
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.
