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.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had 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.
APSabathia, who’s tied with St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright for the most wins in the majors, was trying to win 20 for the first time in his career. He also won 19 with Cleveland on the way to earning the 2007 AL Cy Young Award.
The left-hander lost for only the second time in 13 decisions since the All-Star break. Both defeats came at Tropicana Field, where the Rays also beat Sabathia 6-2 on July 28.
The three-time All-Star allowed nine runs in a game for the fifth time in his career. He finished 0-2 in four starts against Tampa Bay this season, allowing 21 runs in 23 1-3 innings and failing to get beyond the sixth inning in either of his two outings in St. Petersburg.
“I think part of the dynamic tonight was the fact that they’re in (the playoffs) and they’re not really playing for anything right now. They’re just trying to get ready,” Maddon said.
“I don’t know exactly what that meant for him, although I know he probably wanted to win that 20th game. ... We just came out and ambushed him a little bit early on, and that’s pretty much what caused the game to go the other way.”
During a stretch of 11 starts without a loss from Aug. 2 until Friday night, the left-hander went 9-0 with a 2.04 ERA.
A lack of timely hitting has cost Tampa Bay all season, however the Rays took advantage of virtually every opportunity to put this one out of reach early.
Sabathia walked Gabe Kapler to force in a run after Tampa Bay loaded the bases in the first inning on a single, first baseman Mark Teixeira’s fielding error and a walk. Upton followed with his triple to right field that made it 4-0.
Ben Zobrist had an RBI single in the second, then added another in the third, when the Rays scored four times to finish Sabathia, who allowed eight hits and matched a season high with five walks.
“These games are going to happen,” New York’s Nick Swisher said. “But it’s nice to get them out of the way when they really don’t mean anything.”
Notes: Yankees owner George Steinbrenner spent three hours on Thursday in his office at the team’s spring training complex, spending time with his sons, managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner. The 79-year old Steinbrenner, who has kept a low profile the past few years, may make the trip from his Tampa home to see the team play this weekend. ... Upton has struggled at the plate this season, but he’s always been tough on Sabathia, going 6 for 14 lifetime with two homers. ... Teixeira’s first-inning error was only his fourth of the season in 1,263 chances.
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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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.
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.