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.
The bottom line on Roger Clemens' astounding request for $22 million was this: The Astros never should have exchanged salary-arbitration figures with one of the greatest pitchers of all-time.
They should have reached a financial agreement with Clemens by Dec. 7, the deadline for teams to offer arbitration to their free agents.
Clemens, 42, almost certainly was not ready at that point to decide whether he wanted to retire or play another season. But the Astros could have bought more time by making him the formal offer of arbitration, with the two sides agreeing that he would reject it. Clemens then would have been required to make his decision by Jan. 8, or the Astros would have been unable to sign him until May 1.
If a deal had been in place — the Astros could have given Clemens the $13.5 million that they eventually offered in arbitration, plus incentives — the only remaining question would have been Clemens' desire to play.
Perhaps Clemens could not have made his decision by Jan. 8; he was still uncertain about his plans. But at least the Astros would have had cost certainty at a time when they need to replace center fielder Carlos Beltran and face arbitration with four other players, including right-hander Roy Oswalt and outfielder Lance Berkman. If such a strategy had offended Clemens, well, too bad.
"If his decision is to play or not to play, there's no reason they couldn't have signed him," an executive with another club said before Friday's signing. "They could have signed him (on Dec. 7); if he wanted to retire later, OK, he doesn't get the salary. But there's no reason it should have ever gotten to this point."
Which raises the question: Who is determining the Astros' negotiating strategy? General manager Gerry Hunsicker resigned at the start of the off-season, remaining as an advisor. Tim Purpura, Hunsicker's former assistant, is the new G.M. The team's front office also includes Tal Smith, an expert on arbitration. Yet, this is the second time this off-season that the Astros have failed to be pro-active in talks with a major star.
Owner Drayton McLane drove the Beltran pursuit, insisting upon negotiating with the player and his agent, Scott Boras, until Jan. 8. A better solution would have been to set a mid-December deadline for signing Beltran, a move that would have allowed the Astros to move on if no agreement was reached. By the time Beltran made his decision, most of the better players no longer were available. And with Clemens receiving an enormous salary it further complicates the Astros' restructuring.
It's was almost impossible to imagine the Astros going to arbitration with Clemens, but any agreement they reached with him figured to be close to the arbitration midpoint of $17.75 million. Maybe Clemens would have held out for such a number even if the Astros had approached him earlier. Maybe they did approach him and were rebuffed. In any case, as they did with Beltran, they've left themselves in a terrible spot.
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.
HardballTalk headlines |
 | Interactive |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 | Unbreakable records in baseball A look at the most unbreakable records in baseball including Nolan Ryan's seven no-hitters. |
| Slideshow |
 | The top tools of baseball You hear a lot about the tools of baseball, but who are the best hitters, fielders and pitchers? We break it down. more photos |
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.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings
