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.
APThe Arizona Diamondbacks haven't asked Randy Johnson to waive his no-trade clause yet, but that doesn't mean they're not shopping him.
The Diamondbacks asked the New York Yankees if they would include catcher Jorge Posada in a deal for Johnson, the Newark Star-Ledger reported Wednesday, citing an unnamed baseball official familiar with the talks.
The Yankees said they "weren't inclined to do so," the newspaper report said, so the team is seeking a second partner in a potential trade to make sure the D-Backs get a major leaguer.
Possible names include Angels starter Ramon Ortiz, the Star-Ledger reported. The Yankees also could consider dealing either Jose Contreras or Jon Lieber, the newspaper reported.
Posada, who can exercise an option to become a free agent after the season, is one of three Yankees without a no-trade clause. Gary Sheffield and Kenny Lofton are the others, the newspaper reported.
Johnson's agent, Barry Meister, told the Arizona Republic last week that the team hasn't asked Johnson to waive his no-trade clause and he doubts the team is shopping the lefty. What's more, Johnson has not asked for a trade, he said.
"And he has certainly not presented a list of teams he would be willing to play for, nor has the team asked him to present a list," the agent told the paper.
The Diamondbacks seconded Meister's proclamation.
"There is nothing going on," team CEO Jerry Colangelo told the Republic. "I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow, so if something happens, let me know, will you?"
That's a direct contradiction to earlier reports that said Johnson had narrowed his choices. Johnson's agents told major-league teams that the southpaw pitcher wants to be traded to either the Yankees or Cardinals, ESPN reported last week. But the Cardinals likely won't be able to afford the $24 million remaining on Johnson's contract, so that makes the Yankees the most likely destination.
Arizona's East Valley Tribune, citing "a person who speaks often with Randy Johnson," reported that the long, tall left-hander wants to go to the Yankees, and only the Yankees.
However, the Yankees, who officially told Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. on last week that they'd like to have Johnson, do not have the prospects the Diamondbacks seek, and may need a third team to get a deal done.
Earlier, there were reports that the Diamondbacks had informed the Yankees and Red Sox, along with the two Chicago teams and the Angels, that the Big Unit is available.
The deadline to make trades without waivers is July 31. After that, given the competition between the Yankees and Red Sox, it would be hard to imagine Johnson slipping through waivers without being claimed.
Johnson is making $16 million this season and has a $16 million contract for 2005, the last year of his deal.
Last week, the 40-year-old lefty said he would consider waiving his no-trade clause if Arizona wants to send him to a contender.
At 31-58, the Diamondbacks had the worst record in the majors at the All-Star break.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
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.
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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.
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.
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