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.
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CINCINNATI - One day after the death of teammate Chris Henry, the Cincinnati Bengals tried to focus on the field as they prepared for a key game at San Diego.
Meanwhile, police in Charlotte, N.C., continued their investigation Friday after they said Henry died of injuries from falling out of the back of a moving pickup truck during a domestic dispute with his fiancee.
Music was playing in the Bengals’ locker room as players packed up to leave for California. The team also held a 90-minute afternoon practice.
With a win over the 10-3 Chargers, the Bengals (9-4) will clinch the AFC North title and grab the inside track for the second seed in the conference playoffs.
It’s the second time the team has had to deal with a death this season. Vikki Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, died unexpectedly at the couple’s home in October. Three days later, Zimmer coached the defense in a 17-14 win in Baltimore that put the Bengals in control of the AFC North.
Offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, one of the team captains, said it was good for the team to be together to deal with Henry’s death. The team held its holiday gathering as scheduled on Thursday.
“We had enough motivation already and now it’s added with the guys trying to live up to his legacy,” Whitworth said. “Things go on. We went on with it with Coach Zimmer. It hurts but you have a job as a man and professional and you have to move forward.”
In Charlotte, police have yet to file charges or clear his fiancee, Loleini Tonga, of wrongdoing. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police spokeswoman Rosalyn Harrington confirmed that his fiancee stopped after Henry “came out of the back” of the pickup truck she was driving on the curvy stretch of a residential road near the Tonga family home.
“She pulled the vehicle over to get out and assist,” Harrington said late Friday.
One 911 caller said she saw a shirtless man with a cast on his arm in the bed of a yellow pickup “beating on the back of this truck window.” A later 911 caller told dispatchers he saw an unresponsive man laying in the road.
Harrington said there was “no new info” in the case on Friday. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner determined Henry died of blunt-force trauma to the head.
Henry, a talented receiver who had a history of off-field problems, was away from the team after being placed on injured reserve last month with a broken forearm.
Greg Guthrie, general manager of the Alario Center in Westwego, La., confirmed Friday that a service for Henry, a native of Belle Chasse, La., is tentatively scheduled to be held there Tuesday.
The Bengals are expected to attend as a team after playing in San Diego.
“It really wouldn’t matter where we were at, we’re going to pull it together as a family,” offensive guard Bobbie Williams said. “Coaches and players included. We’re going to ball that fist up and try to deliver a good, solid punch to whoever. If we were here or on the road it doesn’t matter. We’re going to be that unit.”
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.
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.
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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.
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.