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.
AP
MIAMI - Slain University of Connecticut cornerback Jasper “Jazz” Howard was talented, yet humble, played football with swagger and heart and deeply loved his family.
Hundreds of mourners heard those words at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Miami about the 20-year-old former South Florida high school football standout who was fatally stabbed during an altercation on campus in Storrs, Conn., early on Oct 18. No one has been charged in his death.
“He was someone who had a tremendous heart, and for the people here in this community, and for the family, he was on track for greatness,” said Huskies coach Randy Edsall, his voice at times wavering. “He was going to graduate. He was going to have his degree. He was doing everything to make himself the best student, the best person and the best athlete that he could be.”
It was Edsall who called Howard’s mother to tell her of her first-born’s death and the coach identified Howard’s body.
“I can’t describe (my feelings) right now, but I’m going to make it,” Howard’s mother, JoAngila, said at the cemetery. “I’m hurting, but I’m going to make it.”
Edsall was among those who stood in praise of Howard at his funeral, along with UConn players, friends and former coaches, including Corey Bell, the director of football operations at the University of Miami.
“He was the ultimate son, he was the ultimate brother,” Edsall said. “He was the ultimate teammate. He was the ultimate friend. They didn’t come any better than Jazz.”
Howard’s teammate and wide receiver Kashif Moore told mourners, “Jazz loved to have fun, make people laugh. He had a good strong heart. I think he got that from his mother.”
The UConn football team arrived at the church in white buses, many players staying stone-faced throughout the day. They shuffled quietly inside, each picking up a single white rose with a blue ribbon along the way.
“Jazz would never back down from a challenge. That’s how Jazz was. ... Jazz had a lot of swag,” Moore said.
Edsall said he’s coached special young men in his 30 years and that Howard was “right there at the top.”
“He had that smile, he had that charisma,” Edsall said. “He could make me mad, you know? Especially when he tried to catch those punts over the shoulder. But he was always trying to make a play.”
Howard, who wore jersey No. 6, averaged 11.8 yards per punt return last season to lead the Big East, according to the UConn Web site.
Just hours before he was killed, the junior had a career-high 11 tackles on Oct. 17 and made perhaps the game’s biggest play, forcing a fumble as Louisville was about to score with UConn up 21-13 in the third quarter. UConn won 38-25, but lost in an emotionally charged game Saturday to No. 22 West Virginia 28-24. Through six games, Howard had 35 tackles.
One man faces charges of breach of peace and interfering with police in the stabbing but is not charged in the killing. Police this weekend searched storm drains and a lake on campus near the area of the stabbing but wouldn’t say what they were looking for.
|
Some members of Howard’s family, including his mother, wore pale blue clothes that matched the lining of Howard’s dark blue casket. He was dressed in a light blue suit and had on a pair of gray and blue football gloves.
Howard’s casket, covered in red roses, was closed after the ceremony began. It was taken to the cemetery in a horse-drawn glass hearse, and he was interred in the bottom corner of a tan mausoleum. Friends and family surrounded the casket as it was pushed inside the vault. Some left flowers afterward and others stopped to snap pictures.
Howard’s mother did not speak at the funeral, nor did his pregnant girlfriend, Daneisha Freeman. A letter to Howard from Freeman was included in the service program, however, as were pictures of the couple together.
“I know you may not be here physically, but you will always live in me and our daughter,” the letter read. “It hurts me so much to know that Ja’Miya will never have the chance to meet her father.”
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
 | Video |
 |
UConn football star mourned Oct. 26: Family and friends gather to remember University of Connecticut cornerback Jasper Howard. Howard was fatally stabbed during a fight outside of a dance on UConn's campus. No one was been charged in Howard's death. Msnbc reports. |
CollegeFootballTalk headlines |
 | Video: Football from NBC Sports |
 Memphis fulfills BCS dream Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013. |
 | Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 | Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 |
The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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.