Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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.
LSU
Say goodbye to ... Nick Saban
Coaching record: 48-16 in 5 seasons.
Reason for leaving: Took Miami Dolphins' job
Saban wasn’t there long enough to be a legend, but by leading the Tigers to a pair of SEC championships and the national title in 2003 – their first since 1958 - his accomplishments were nonetheless legendary.
His 48 victories in his five years at LSU were the third most in I-A, and he won at least 8 games every year in Baton Rouge. A total of 21 of his players were taken in the NFL draft. He also held up his end of the bargain on the other end, highlighted by 25 members of the ’03 national championship team being named to the SEC academic honor roll.
Hello ... Les Miles
Bill Haber / AP fileLes Miles
Coaching record: 28-21 in four years at Oklahoma State.
2005 prediction: 9-2
Miles’ rep was built by turning around an Oklahoma State program that had 11 of 12 losing seasons prior to his arrival. Beating mighty Oklahoma twice raised his profile even higher.
But now he’s at a program that figures it’s entitled to reside in the top 10 in the country and compete for a national title at least every other year.
There will be no grace period, either. Saban left the cupboard full, and then some. Some key contributors from the ’03 national title team remain and three of his last four recruiting classes were ranked in the top four nationally by SuperPrep magazine.
Long-term outlook: Miles must do at least as good a job as Saban of keeping the in-state talent home. That alone will enable him to keep this train on the tracks. How he responds to this pressure-cooker environment he now finds himself in is impossible to tell. But he must respond immediately, for he will be on a very short leash.
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.
New coaches |
23 Division I-A schools start the 2005 season with a different sideline boss. Click on a school below to learn more. |
College football |
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.
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.
The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.