Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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.
And who knows who Manuel will turn to in the last inning, if the Phillies have a lead to protect? The guess is Brad Lidge again, as Manuel said of Lidge on Tuesday: “I'll always have confidence in him.''
Manuel also professed his unwavering faith in Cole Hamels, the erstwhile Phils ace with the reality show star of a wife who has been living a terrible reality of his own lately.
While stopping short of actually naming Hamels as his choice to start a potential Game 7, Manuel's comments made you know which way he will go. Hamels will get his shot at retribution for a quote he'd like to forget — that he wishes this season would end.
Manager and pitcher had a 15-minute conversation after Game 5, and Manuel said he was convinced that Hamels spoke out of frustration when quoted after his Game 3 loss, and really wants the ball if the title is on the line.
“I felt real good about (the conversation),'' Manuel said. “I've been a Hamels guy since he pitched (in the minors). I want you to listen to this — I never, ever questioned his mental toughness. There's definitely no quit in him.''
Besides, Hamels really is the only choice for Manuel. J.A. Happ hardly has pitched in the postseason, and couldn't go more than three innings. Joe Blanton on three days shouldn't be an option — if Manuel won't pitch Lee on three days rest, why would he start Blanton?
But that said, while the soap opera surrounding Hamels the last few days was blown out of proportion, his ineffectiveness throughout the postseason (1-2, 7.58 ERA) can't be understated.
So you also could see Blanton, Happ for a few left-handed hitters, and even Cliff Lee for two or so innings in a Game 7.
Meanwhile, Sabathia would be pitching his third game in eight days, and was effective but hardly overwhelming in his Game 1 and Game 4 starts.
That's in part why Girardi said: “Any time you have a close-out game, you want to close it out.''
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
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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.
The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.