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.
Getty ImagesQuestion of the day: Was Joey Logano's rookie season in Sprint Cup a success or a failure?
First, the background and data.
It's tough to remember the last time a Sprint Cup debut season was more anticipated than Logano's. (Earnhardt Jr.'s?)
Thanks to a word-of-mouth campaign if not started by, then boosted by, hyper respectable racing guy Mark Martin, the racing world began watching Logano's every start as he made his way up the ladder.
Along the line, the nickname “Sliced Bread” was applied — somewhat tongue-and-cheek — to the young guy with the even-younger looking mug. We in the media started interviewing Logano, his father, Martin, Earnhardt Jr. about the kid and soon the expectation level reached an unfair level.
Logano made the jump to Nationwide just days after his 18th birthday in 2008. In the Nationwide cars that season, Logano showed well as he posted 14 top-10 finishes in 19 starts.
The scene, and hook, was set for 2009 and his debut as a full-time Sprint Cup driver.
How did it turn out?
Eye of the beholder.
Is the fact that Logano started all 36 races, got one victory, had three top-five finishes and ended the season ranked 20th in points a good season or a bad season?
Some will point to the victory and the improvement and the age and the laps led as the basis of an argument for it being a successful season.
Others will point the fact that he was driving top equipment – championship-winning equipment – from Joe Gibbs Racing and the fact the victory was weather-aided as demerits for the resume.
And his winning of Rookie of the Year? Well, that can be shuffled to the side as the result of anemic competition.
I am going with the opinion that Logano's debut season was successful but disappointing.
I am not of the opinion that his career will follow that path.
Logano was incredible in the Nationwide Series in 2009. He won rounds handily in on-track punch-outs with the best driver in NASCAR, Kyle Busch.
|
The only thing that kept Logano's 2009 season from being a raving success was the curse which was unintentionally laid upon it by Martin what now seems many years ago.
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. |
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.
