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.
Getty ImagesI used to throw the opinion that there ought to be a Chase road race into the pot just to add flavor to the debate. Now, after watching Martinsville last week, and pondering Talladega this week, I throw it in with a solid conviction.
The Chase would be better with a road race. It would then have X, Y and Z factor events.
Yes, it could very well have been the fact that Jimmie Johnson appeared ready to — for the fourth year in a row — help the NFL with its October television ratings that had me eager to see the Chase move to Martinsville last weekend. Johnson was again maneuvering his way into his accustomed position of unassailable dominance and even though he has this uncanny success rate at the .526-mile cattle chute of Martinsville, you had to figure that one of these days, he would get bit there.
He didn't, of course. Not bit hard enough, at least, to turn the Chase back into a chase.
Now, Talladega. And again, the Chase is at a place which could neutralize with extreme prejudice Johnson's single-handed efforts of scuttling one of NASCAR's best-ever ideas.
You have just got to figure that one of these years (the guy is only 34) Johnson will get caught up in a Big One. A Medium One would provide some relief at this point.
Which brings us to road racing.
As with Martinsville and Talladega, a road race should not be viewed as a penalty levied upon Johnson — I genuinely like him and Chad Knaus and harbor nothing but respect for their talents and efficiency — or any future driver or team which races well enough to dominate NASCAR's version of the playoffs.
It should be viewed as another test of skill sets. Another curveball to challenge the sport's biggest hitters.
It would be a race which would help ensure that the driver and team that wins the Chase are not simply the best oval racers in Cup.
People this week are rubbing their hands together and thinking Talladega is the last best chance for Johnson to suffer what mortal drivers suffer on a weekly basis — mistakes and misfortune.
A road race would do that in spades in the Chase. The weekend would start with an intense practice, a very intense qualifying session, more practice and then a race which would feature a dozen or more individual tests per lap instead of just four.
|
Bring the ferris wheel back out, bring the fans back down to Daytona, bring the season full circle and give Knaus and his robots something more to worry about.
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. |
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.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings
