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ideal, how it's all about taking part, not winning, can often seem like so much hot air, rendered hopelessly quaint and outdated by the ultra-competitive and mercenary world of modern sport.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.
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NEW YORK - Even Rafael Nadal felt compelled to applaud when his second-round opponent at the U.S. Open hit a spectacular, full-sprint winner and was left doing the splits at the net.
The shot put Denis Istomin within two points of tying the match at a set apiece. He couldn't manage to close the deal, though — a recurring theme for Nadal's game-but-outclassed foil in the No. 1-seeded Spaniard's 6-2, 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory Friday night.
Eight-time major champion Nadal is seeking to complete a career Grand Slam, and he reached the third round at Flushing Meadows for the sixth consecutive year. He's never been past the semifinals, where he lost in 2008 and 2009.
"I don't want to talk about (winning a title) here now," Nadal said, "because I am five matches away. Is a lot."
He served at up to 134 mph and saved 7 of 7 break points against Istomin, a rare example of an ATP player whose mother is his coach.
"I'm working on my serve all my life. Sometimes, (it) works well. Other times, not working that well," said Nadal, who has saved all eight break points he's faced in the tournament after recently changing the grip he uses on his racket. "A few days ago, I started to feel very well with my serve. First two matches, I've served very well. Didn't lose a serve, and that does good for the confidence."
Two of those break points Friday came when Nadal served while leading 3-2 in the second set. Four came at 1-all in the third set. And the last was at 4-all in the third set, constituting Istomin's final true stand.
He appeared to be on the way to making things more interesting earlier in the match.
The 39th-ranked Istomin took a 5-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker with the shot of the evening: After playing some solid defense, he charged up from behind the baseline to get to a drop shot and, leaving a 10-foot skid mark in his wake on the blue court, slid into the splits while stretching for a backhand winner.
Istomin dropped his racket, pumped both fists and screamed, "Come on!" Some spectators reacted with a standing ovation, and Nadal saluted the effort, too.
"A great point," Nadal said.
That, though, was pretty much that for Istomin, who lost the next six points, the set — and any momentum he appeared to gain.
"I was a little bit lucky in the tiebreak of the second set," Nadal said. "That's the truth."
Istomin pushed a backhand wide on the next point, then Nadal hit a volley winner to cut it to 5-3. Istomin netted a forehand, and Nadal hit a forehand that clipped the net and landed in. Nadal went up 6-5, earning a set point, with a service winner at 134 mph, and Istomin sailed a backhand long on the next exchange, ending the tiebreaker.
During the break between the second and third sets, Istomin got his right thigh taped by a trainer.
Nadal went on to wrap up his 17th consecutive Grand Slam match victory, following titles at the French Open and Wimbledon. Still only 24 years old, he already has won five championships at Roland Garros, two at the All England Club and one at the Australian Open.
If he can add a U.S. Open trophy to his collection, he will become the seventh man with at least one title from each Grand Slam tournament.
Next up for Nadal is a third-round match against former top-10 player Gilles Simon of France, who eliminated 29th-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Nadal is one of seven Spanish men who won matches Friday, giving the country a tournament-high nine representatives in the third round.
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.
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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.
