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.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
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
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Joey Elliott did what no Purdue quarterback since Bob Griese had done at Michigan Stadium.
He won.
Elliott threw for a career-high 367 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, leading Purdue to a 38-36 comeback win over the Wolverines for its first win at the Big House since Griese did it in 1966.
“He’s an Evansville (Ind.) native, just like myself,” Elliott said with a grin.
While the Boilermakers were smiling, the Wolverines were crying because their 4-0 start might turn into a 5-7 flop.
“Anytime you invest so much time and effort into something, you’re bound to cry,” Michigan punter Zoltan Mesko said.
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez got very emotional after his news conference when retiring athletic director Bill Martin tried to share him some encouraging words.
The Boilermakers (4-6, 3-3 Big Ten) trailed 24-10 at halftime. The Wolverines collapsed in the third quarter again, allowing 21 points for the second week in a row.
Purdue took the lead for good with on Elliott’s 54-yard pass to wide-open receiver Cortez Smith with 5:04 left in the third, one play after surprising Michigan with an onside kick.
“We had that play greased up all season long, but never used it,” coach Danny Hope said. “You have to wait for the right moment.”
Michigan (5-5, 1-5) pulled within two points with 2:10 to go on Brandon Minor’s third TD, but Tate Forcier was sacked on a 2-point conversion it was forced to attempt because of a missed extra point.
Purdue recovered the onside kick, punted and held on to end its 11-game road losing streak that was tied with Utah State for the longest active skid on the road. The Boilermakers, who beat Michigan and Ohio State in the same season since 2000, can rally to a bowl bid from a 1-5 start if they close with wins against Michigan State and at Indiana.
“It’s huge for our football team,” Hope said.
The loss might prove to be devastating for Michigan, which is in danger of going two straight seasons without a bowl for the first time since the 1973-74 seasons.
“The season is not over,” Rodriguez said.
It will be finished if the Wolverines don’t win at Wisconsin or against Ohio State at home.
“We can handle this mentally,” Minor insisted. “I don’t think none of us need to see Dr. Phil or Oprah.”
Rodriguez, though, probably could use somebody to talk to about his frustrations.
He endured a school-record nine losses last year in his debut season with college football’s winningest program.
This season started strong, but might end awfully and potentially could be compounded by more problems. The NCAA is investigating the Wolverines to find out if they violated rules regarding practice hours and offseason workouts.
|
“I don’t have a magic wand,” he said.
Rodriguez would need one to fix his defense.
In the past three games, the Wolverines have been outscored 75-12 in the second half by Purdue, Illinois and Penn State.
“It’s embarrassing,” Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham said. “But we know we’re better than that. We’re just trying to prove it.”
Forcier showed he could win as a freshman in September, but he and the Wolverines are 1-5 since going undefeated in the first month.
He threw a TD pass and ran for a score, but fumbled on an option pitch that Purdue recovered early in the second half to sparked its comeback.
“It hurts,” Forcier said. “I’ve never lost this many games in my life. It’s going to be my job to get this team back to play like it did before.”
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
 | Slideshow |
 |
NBCSports.com |
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 |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
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.
