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.
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.
Getty Images for NASCARI'm sitting on the fence this morning, and it's Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team that put me there.
While I have not declared them winners of the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship just yet, one cannot help but begin pondering the thought of that.
The dilemma: Is it a good ponder or a bad ponder?
Forcing the emotional angst is the way the Chase is shaping up. Johnson and Knaus and their bunch have won three of the five Chase races, they have won two in a row and they are heading for their best track.
They are in first place, they are ahead of second-place Mark Martin by an efficient 90 points and they could be headed for Halloween all-but-clinched.
That clinch, of course, would be the fourth in a row for Johnson. It would be unprecedented. It would be historical.
Would it be good for NASCAR?
On the yes side is the fact that having a driver in the series who is indisputably one of the most successful ever should be viewed as exciting. It should be a selling point.
Hate to raise the most-raised name in sports when it comes to domination, but I will anyway: Tiger Woods. He is so skilled, so efficient, so impressive that when he decides he does not want to compete in that week's tournament, that week's tournament has its very existence threatened. True fact.
He has redefined the term "major tournament." Instead of the Masters, the British, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship being the majors, it is now tournaments in which Woods plays that are considered major.
The Yankees. You can hate them for the way they purchase their success rather than earn it, but when they are in the World Series, up goes the interest level.
On the no side is the fact that for some reason, Johnson and his accomplishments seem to be turning people off rather than on.
It's tough to understand this one. It's not the sport. We know that because when Dale Earnahrdt was winning everything in sight, the result was fascination and adoration among fans. Same thing for Jeff Gordon, though not as much adoration, obviously.
But the thought here is that if Johnson wins again this weekend, or doesn't suffer severe misfortune at Talladega, this year's Chase will become a golf tournament without Tiger Woods.
|
Whatever it is, it seems there is something about Johnson that is not connecting with NASCAR fans.
The goofy part, of course, is that 20 years from now, the same people who are turned off by the guy will be calling him the greatest ever and telling their kids how exciting it was to watch him dominate.
But, pull for Johnson to make history or hope he remains tied with Cale Yarborough in the consecutive-championship category? That's the dilemma.
Think I'll remain on the fence for at least one more week. It feels oddly comfortable up here right now.
Jim Pedley is managing editor of Racin' Today. Read more NASCAR news at racintoday.com.
 | Slideshow |
 |
NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | Earning a trip to victory lane Take a look at every NASCAR driver who has claimed a checkered flag this racing season. NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | Revved up for racing Take a look at how some NASCAR fans express their dedication to the drivers and to the sport. NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
 | INTERACTIVE |
 | NASCAR wives and girlfriends They're fixtures in pit row, but they don't drive on the track or work on the cars. Take a look at some notable NASCAR wives and girlfriends. |
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.
