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.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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.
USC begins its national title defense in less than three weeks, but All-American quarterback Matt Leinart just gave the Trojans security into 2005.
One of college football's best players and one of the NFL's top draft prospects, Leinart told the Sporting News on Tuesday that he will pass up potential millions and stay in school through his senior season in 2005. A junior, Leinart last year led the Trojans to their first national title since 1978, and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
"I haven't really said anything, but mark it down — I'm staying all five years," Leinart says. "I'm not going to change my mind. Why would I want to leave what we have here? The NFL will always be there; my life as a college student won't. I want to soak it all in because there are only so many games in a career and so many chances to run out of that tunnel at the (Los Angeles) Coliseum."
Leinart was eligible for last year's draft as a third-year sophomore, and likely would've been selected in the late first or early second rounds. Should he continue to progress at his current pace, he could be a top 10 pick next April. The War Room NFL scouting service lists Leinart behind Arizona State's Andrew Walter as the top quarterback on next spring's draft board. Leinart could vault past Walter — and into the top five picks — with another big season.
Leinart followed 2002 USC Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer last year and led the Trojans to a 12-1 record and a share of the national title. The Trojans begin this season Aug. 28 against Virginia Tech in the Black Coaches Association Kickoff Classic at FedEx Field outside Washington D.C. That game can reintroduce Leinart and the Trojans to the country.
"There's still that West Coast bias that every team from the Pac-10 has to deal with," Leinart says. "But this is our chance, against a high-caliber program like Virginia Tech, to show everyone on the East Coast what kind of football we play."
USC began last season with a big win at Auburn, a game in which Leinart's first career throw was a touchdown pass to Mike Williams. He finished with 3,556 yards and 38 touchdowns — numbers similar to Palmer's Heisman season (3,942 yards, 32 touchdowns).
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.
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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 Memphis fulfills BCS dream Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013. |
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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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
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.
