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.
SAN FRANCISCO - Texas Rangers pitcher Frank Francisco pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to a work program and anger management classes.
Francisco, 25, was accused of tossing a chair at an Oakland Athletics fan last Sept. 13.
Superior Court Judge Michael Gaffey sentenced Francisco to 30 days in jail, which can be served in a work detail. Francisco received 10 days off for good behavior. Gaffey also ordered that Francisco attend 26 anger management cases, one class a week for six months, according to prosecutors.
“I think the judge gave this a lot of consideration. This was a thoughtful sentence,” Alameda County deputy district attorney Erin Kingsbury said.
Francisco was also placed on three years probation and ordered to perform 500 hours of community service, according to prosecutors.
Kingsbury said Francisco will be able to satisfy the terms of the sentence in Texas, which should allow him to continue his baseball career. Francisco is sidelined for the remainder of this season with an injured right elbow.
The judge also imposed a 179-day suspended sentence, meaning Francisco could serve jail time if arrested again.
Defense lawyer Rick Minkoff said he was “not pleased” with the sentence.
“Under the circumstances I understand what the judge is doing,” Minkoff said. “I think the work time is excessive and I said that in court.”
Minkoff said he had not spoken to Francisco yet.
Francisco’s lawyer, Rick Minkoff, did not return several phone messages requesting comment.
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Francisco was not required to appear in court because the case was a misdemeanor. Bueno has filed a lawsuit against Francisco, teammates Doug Brocail and Carlos Almanzar, and the Rangers.
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.
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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.
