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 for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
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.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
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 fileThe amusing part of this whole Maurice Clarett ordeal is you just know he thinks his difficult days are over. His legal dance with the NFL is behind him -- pending appeal -- and his long-awaited future of cashing in is ahead of him. Just give him the ball, and time runs clockwise again.
Forget that when NFL camps open this summer, nearly 20 months will have passed since Clarett last felt contact. Or that he had injury problems in high school and during his only season at Ohio State. Or that he wasn't the best running back in college football in 2002, when he helped lead the Buckeyes to the national title. Or that he has an Airbus full of emotional baggage.
There's also this possibility: NFL teams might decide together not to draft him, sending a message to other young players looking for a quick payday. Of course, that would be collusion and would lead to another fight for the NFL's high-priced lawyers, who already lost the biggest case they'll ever try.
Clarett might be the Curt Flood of amateur football, but at least five other players who could decide to enter the April draft if the NFL's appeal isn't upheld would be safer picks -- and offer more upside -- than Clarett.
1. WR Mike Williams, sophomore, Southern California. He would be the first wide receiver taken in the draft and a top five pick overall. He was the most dynamic player in college football over the last two seasons and is physically and emotionally mature enough to handle the longer NFL season. He's 6-5, 230 and has terrific body control even when the ball is in the air. In two seasons, he had 176 catches and 30 touchdowns and made All-Americans of quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. An NFL scout's view: "It wouldn't shock me if he were the first pick overall."
2. LB Ahmad Brooks, freshman, Virginia. He's 6-4, 250 and runs a legit 4.5 40. By the end of last season, Brooks was the best defensive player in the ACC. He has the size to play inside but could be better suited for an outside spot in a 3-4 scheme, or he could bulk up and move to end in a 4-3. One potential character issue: He was arrested for marijuana possession before the season and pleaded no contest. Scout's view: "A lock for the first round."
3. QB Aaron Rodgers, sophomore, California. He didn't begin the season as Cal's starter, but he quickly won the job from Reggie Robertson and could be coach Jeff Tedford's best quarterback yet. That's saying plenty, considering Tedford has coached first-round picks Trent Dilfer, David Carr, Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller. Rodgers' lanky frame (6-2, 195) might scare some teams, but his arm strength and athleticism overshadow most negatives. Scout's view: "Someone would take a chance on him in the first round."
4. LB A.J. Hawk, sophomore, Ohio State. He played behind Cie Grant on the national title team, then moved into the starting lineup last season and quickly developed into the best linebacker in the Big Ten. Hawk runs well (sub-4.6 40), is a big hitter and has natural instincts in coverage. A terror in blitz packages, he's an ideal NFL weakside linebacker. Scout's view: "He would be one of the top weakside linebackers in the draft."
5. CB Brandon Browner, freshman, Oregon State. The Pac-10 freshman of the year, Browner has size and potential that likely would push him into the top 40 picks. He has good recognition when the ball is in the air but still is learning technique. Browner used his size (6-4, 200) to play physically in man situations, hiding coverage flaws and a lack of recovery speed. He reminds many scouts of Eagles cornerback Bobby Taylor. Scout's view: "Once he understands the game, he'll be scary good."
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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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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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.
