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?
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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.
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.
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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.
Martinez acknowledged players realize the pressure on Torre “for his job being on the line, so to speak.”
“We all think it shouldn’t be, because he’s done such a great job here,” Martinez said.
Torre said he isn’t managing this final week of the regular season as if his job is at stake. He is owed $6.1 million next year and $7 million in 2007 as part of a $19.2 million, three-year deal, so there is financial protection. And with four World Series titles, he probably will be voted into the Hall of Fame — every other manager with three or more is in.
“I think a manager always feels his job is on the line,” he said. “I am happy to say I’ve never concerned myself in the course of a game about what this move means to my future. We’re trying to accomplish something. I certainly would not be able to do it in an honest way if I was thinking that that stuff was at stake. I always felt that way even with far less security than I have now.”
His routine hasn’t changed much since he was hired.
There are still racing forms all over his desk, and actor Billy Crystal calls him before most games to wish him luck. Since prostate cancer surgery, which caused him to miss the first 37 games of the 1999 season, he has up to 10 cups of green tea mixed with juice and what he calls “other stuff” during each game — plus a soy shake if he can squeeze it in.
But this season, more than most, he likes to get away.
“I really cherish my times away from the ballpark, because I do not think about the game when I’m away from the ballpark,” he said.
He acknowledges feeling a little drained, but says he feels that way at the end of every season. But with the Yankees, seasons are supposed to end in the waning days of October, not at the start of that month.
“Where I get my satisfaction is to see how important it is to these guys — nobody wants to go home, they all want to play for another month,” he said. “Even though their manager is tired, it doesn’t matter. They still want to play for another month.”
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.