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.
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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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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.
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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.
LOS ANGELES - Southern California coach Pete Carroll has named two assistants to take over the duties of departed offensive coordinator Norm Chow, splitting the job between assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian and new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
Sarkisian will be in charge of the offense, while Kiffin will handle most of the play calling from the booth for two-time defending national champion USC.
Carroll made the new assignments Thursday, a day after Chow left to become offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. Four other USC assistants also moved on to new jobs, although one — Dennis Slutak — already is returning as director of football operations.
Sarkisian, 30, was USC’s quarterbacks coach during Carroll’s first three years at the Trojans’ helm, from 2001-2003. Sarkisian spent last season on the Oakland Raiders staff.
He formerly was a quarterback at BYU when Chow was an assistant on the Cougars’ staff.
Carroll, who handles the Trojans’ defense, said Sarkisian “will have an overview of our entire offense.”
“This is a great opportunity for us to keep our philosophy intact and our style and concepts,” Carroll said. “Sark grew up under Norm Chow and played for him. We’ll be able to keep our continuity.
“It’s a big role to fill as Norm leaves. But Sark will be the guy you’ll go to now with questions on the offense.”
Kiffin, 29, son of longtime pro and college coach Monte Kiffin, also was a member of Carroll’s first USC staff. He coached the wide receivers the past three years, and last season added the duty of passing game coordinator. He will continue to work with the wide receivers and serve as recruiting coordinator.
“He’ll do all the duties Sark needs,” Carroll said. “Sark will administer the game on the field and have the last say on the plays. Lane will be upstairs calling the plays. But Sark has the final say-so, unless I enter in.”
Sarkisian’s and Kiffin’s combined ages are just one year less than the 58-year-old Chow.
“The confidence Sark and Lane developed over the three years they were together here will make it a great setup for us,” Carroll said. “I’m not worried about it one bit.”
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.
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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.