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ideal, how it's all about taking part, not winning, can often seem like so much hot air, rendered hopelessly quaint and outdated by the ultra-competitive and mercenary world of modern sport.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.
Reuters
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Moments after brushing aside Marshall 45-7, Ohio State's players could finally say what they've been thinking about for a while.
And there's no question that the Buckeyes have had Miami on their minds and the Sept. 11 showdown against the 13th-ranked Hurricanes.
"It'll be wild to be in that game," wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. "It's a relief that finally we can talk about Miami."
At about the same time Miami was dispensing with Florida A&M 45-0 on Thursday night, the second-ranked Buckeyes were putting on a show before 105,040 at Ohio Stadium.
Rose Bowl MVP Terrelle Pryor picked up where he left off in Pasadena, Calif., with three touchdown passes, Brandon Saine ran for 103 yards and two scores and Ohio State coasted past the error-prone Thundering Herd on Thursday night.
Next up: The first meeting between Ohio State and Miami since the 2002 national championship game.
The Buckeyes won that one in the Arizona desert, upended the top-ranked Hurricanes 31-24 in double-overtime for Ohio State's first national championship in 34 years.
"It's not 2002," wide receiver DeVier Posey said. "We're wearing the same colors, but now it's our teams and our time."
Against Marshall, Pryor completed 17 of 25 passes for 247 yards and TDs covering 6 and 11 yards to Posey and 65 yards to Sanzenbacher. The last time Ohio State fans saw Pryor playing, he was having the game of his career and leading the Buckeyes to a 26-17 win against Oregon in January.
"Every game is about maturity," said Pryor, whose maturity has frequently been questioned during his two previous years as the Buckeyes signal-caller. "It's 12 weeks in a (season). Let's see what happens next. I'm excited to play Miami."
Sure the competition wasn't as good Thursday night, but the Heisman Trophy contender was Rose Bowl sharp against the Thundering Herd.
"The reality is we've got a tremendous challenge next weekend," coach Jim Tressel said. "If we're willing to learn a little bit from this weekend and get rested and get healthy, it will be a lot of fun."
The Buckeyes had a lot of fun at the expense of Marshall.
It was a bleak debut for new Marshall coach Doc Holliday, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant at West Virginia. The Thundering Herd fumbled the opening kickoff and were down 14-0 before running their first play in Ohio State territory.
"It's a hell of a way to have your first game, isn't it? Against a team like that?" Holliday said. "They're No. 1 or No. 2 in America, picked by everybody, and they showed it tonight. They have a hell of a player at every position."
Ohio State's defense limited Marshall to 44 yards on the ground and 199 total. Brian Rolle picked off Brian Anderson's pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter.
Anderson, who completed 17 of 28 passes for 135 yards, was harassed most of the night. He had an interception and the Herd also lost two fumbles.
"As good as their front four is, they don't have to bring a lot of people," Anderson said.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes' offense amassed 529 yards.
The first play was telling for the Thundering Herd.
Andre Booker took the opening kickoff and was hit hard by Dorian Bell and Dominic Clarke. The ball came loose and Nate Oliver recovered at the Marshall 22 for Ohio State.
Four plays later, Posey was open by a mile in the left corner and Pryor hit him for a 4-yard score.
After a punt, the Buckeyes were right back in business.
Pryor hit Posey for a 5-yard gain before Saine raced 40 yards off left tackle, breaking two tackles on the way to the 4. He then took a pitch untouched around right end for another score.
The Buckeyes had run seven plays, taking 2:13, and were up 14-0.
The offense continued to click.
Pryor hooked up with Sanzenbacher on a 65-yard bomb and Saine added a 45-yard scoring run on a quick burst up the middle.
The Buckeyes did have some problems with special teams, but those will get a lot of attention over the next few days.
And so will the Hurricanes.
"It's a big game and if you're not ready to play, they'll hit you right in the mouth," defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "But we can't let our emotions get the best of us."
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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.