Super Bowl XLVI
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.
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
Pavel Datsyuk and Todd Bertuzzi scored shootout goals to give Detroit a 2-1 win over Anaheim on Friday. The victory was the Red Wings' 19th consecutive at home, one shy of the NHL record.
Jeremy Lin had the most astounding performance of his remarkable week, scoring a career-high 38 points and outdueling Kobe Bryant as the New York Knicks held off the Los Angeles Lakers 92-85 on Friday night.
Arc's weekend preview: The way you beat Kentucky is by getting physical with their big guys, and the Wildcats don’t have much depth up front.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Despite an injury scare and a few missed opportunities at Monterey Peninsula CC, Tiger Woods remains in contention at the AT&T.
John Isner jolted Roger Federer with his big serve and booming groundstrokes Friday, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2 to give the United States a 2-0 lead against Switzerland in the first round of the Davis Cup.
Manchester City will find at least three highly motivated players in its way Sunday when it tries to improve upon its flagging away form in the Premier League at Aston Villa.
All that stuff about the Olympic ideal, how it's all about taking part, not winning, can often seem like so much hot air, rendered hopelessly quaint and outdated by the ultra-competitive and mercenary world of modern sport. Until, that is, you speak to Kieran Behan.
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
PHILADELPHIA - Wilson Valdez showed off his sparkling defensive skills before delivering a clutch hit.
Valdez's RBI single with one out in the 11th inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to their eighth straight win, 3-2 over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night.
Hours before the first pitch, the Phillies improved their chances at winning a fourth straight NL East title by acquiring three-time All-Star Roy Oswalt from Houston for J.A. Happ and two prospects.
Oswalt is scheduled to start for the two-time NL champions at Washington on Friday night.
After the Diamondbacks tied it in the ninth, the Phillies rallied against Esmerling Vasquez (1-4) in the 11th.
Vasquez struck out Jayson Werth before Cody Ransom walked. After Carlos Ruiz singled, Valdez lined a single to center and Ransom slid in safely ahead of center fielder Chris Young's throw.
"I feel happy to help the team," said Valdez, who was filling in for the injured Jimmy Rollins. "We're doing what we have to do to win."
The Phillies closed within 2½ games of division-leading Atlanta. They have made up 4½ games in the past week.
Jose Contreras (5-3) tossed a scoreless 11th for the win. Passed over in a save situation in the ninth, closer Brad Lidge pitched a perfect 10th. Lidge threw 64 pitches and struggled while earning two straight saves earlier in the week.
Joe Saunders gave up two runs and nine hits in seven innings in his first start since the Diamondbacks acquired him in the trade that sent Dan Haren to the Los Angeles Angels.
"Saunders pitched great," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said.
Kyle Kendrick allowed one run and four hits, striking out a season-high five in 6 1-3 innings. He's 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two starts since a brief demotion to the minors last week.
"I want to pitch here," Kendrick said.
Miguel Montero hit a solo homer for the last-place Diamondbacks, who have lost seven straight.
The Diamondbacks rallied to tie it in the ninth, but blew a chance to take the lead. After Ryan Madson tossed a perfect eighth, manager Charlie Manuel kept him in instead of turning to Lidge. But Justin Upton led off with a double and J.C. Romero entered to face Adam LaRoche, who lined a single to right.
Upton scored the tying run on Montero's slow chopper to shortstop. After Mark Reynolds was intentionally walked, Romero walked Stephen Drew on four pitches to load the bases.
But second baseman Placido Polanco and shortstop Valdez turned an outstanding double play on Gerardo Parra's grounder to second. Valdez made a strong throw to barely beat Parra at first. Parra was ejected by first-base umpire Adrian Johnson after slamming his helmet in disgust.
It was the second time Parra hit into a double play in a clutch spot. With runners at first and third and one out in the seventh, Polanco and Valdez made an even better turn on Parra's slow bouncer.
"I tried to turn it as fast as I can," Valdez said.
Manuel said he was planning to use Lidge to finish after Romero pitched to the left-handed LaRoche if the Diamondbacks had used a right-handed pinch-hitter.
"He's our closer," Manuel said. "We definitely trust him."
Ibanez gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the sixth with a drive into the seats in right-center. Ibanez is batting .391 with two homers and 10 RBIs in the second half, raising his average to .263 from .243 at the All-Star break.
Ransom hit a one-out single in the fifth and scored when Ruiz lined a double into the left-field corner.
Notes: Rollins sat out his third straight game with a bruised left foot. The Phillies are also missing 2B Chase Utley and CF Shane Victorino. Phillies RF Domonic Brown wasn't in the starting lineup a night after going 2 for 3 with two RBIs in his major league debut. Ben Francisco started instead of the left-handed hitting Brown against the lefty Saunders. Brown got a standing ovation when he pinch-hit in the seventh and flied out. ... Upton extended his hitting streak to 14 games. ... A crowd of 45,232 was the 91st straight sellout at Citizens Bank Park.
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
Castrodale: The Yankees are introducing his and her fragrances? What's next?
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Jeremy Lin had the most astounding performance of his remarkable week, scoring a career-high 38 points and outdueling Kobe Bryant as the New York Knicks held off the Los Angeles Lakers 92-85 on Friday night.
Plenty of people are telling the Jeremy Lin story, because it's just a good story. The underdog, the unexpected and the first player since LeBron James nearly a decade ago to put up at least 20 points and eight assists in his first two NBA starts.
Chris Paul had 24 points, including the game-winning 17-footer with 3.2 seconds left, Blake Griffin added 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 78-77 on Friday.