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.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had 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.
AP
BOSTON - The champagne had a brief wait and a short trip after the New York Yankees clinched the AL East at Fenway Park.
A day later, across the diamond, the Boston Red Sox joined their longtime rivals in the playoffs.
“Both of these teams went through a lot this year,” said Curt Schilling, who shut the Yankees down long enough for the Red Sox to win 10-1 on Sunday and grab the AL wild-card berth. “To be where we are says as much about the people as it does about the talent.”
Reigning World Series MVP Manny Ramirez hit a three-run homer and also threw out Derek Jeter from the outfield to put Boston in the playoffs for a franchise-record third consecutive year. The Red Sox open on Tuesday at Chicago with Matt Clement facing Jose Contreras.
New York’s loss meant it will start the postseason Tuesday in Anaheim rather than at home against the Los Angeles Angels.
Schilling (8-8) held the Yankees scoreless for five innings; by that time, the Cleveland Indians had already lost 3-1 to the Chicago White Sox and assured Boston of the AL’s last playoff spot. The outfield message boards posted matching congratulations — one for the Red Sox and one for the Yankees, who celebrated in Fenway Park’s visitor’s clubhouse on Saturday after clinching the AL East.
“That’s got to be a first, huh?” Jeter said. “Two teams playing each other, clinching in the same stadium.”
The Red Sox and Yankees each finished the year 95-67, though the Fenway scoreboard listed them alphabetically, with Boston ahead of New York. But the Yankees actually took the division title because they beat the Red Sox 10-9 in the season series.
“Co-division champs. That’s what I’m calling it,” Red Sox owner John Henry said. “I can understand why there isn’t (a playoff), but frankly, I would have liked to have had one. It would have been nice to settle the division championship.”
The Angels also finished 95-67 and earned the home-field advantage against the Yankees because they won the season series 6-4.
Cleveland’s game ended when Jason Varitek was at-bat in the bottom of the fifth. Red Sox management hugged in their box seats next to the field, and Henry passed the word along to the dugout.
After Varitek singled, the Fenway video screen showed a shot of the manual scoreboard at the base of the Green Monster. The “9” next to the White Sox and Indians score came out, indicating a final, and the sold-out crowd stood and cheered.
“In my whole career, I’ve never seen this type of race that you had to wait for the last day,” said David Wells, who will follow Matt Clement in the playoff rotation against the White Sox. “There’s so many teams that are involved. You’ve got to smile because we’re in it.”
By the time this one was over, the starters were out of the game and the much-anticipated season finale had the look of a spring training game, except for the chill in the air and the anticipation of a possible playoff rematch.
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The Red Sox counted down the last three outs with giant numbers on an outfield scoreboard. Many of the fans had left because of the blowout, but they cheered each pitch to Bubba Crosby. When he struck out looking to end the game, the team that dubbed itself the “idiots” last year poured out of the dugout for a mild celebration on the mound.
“Even idiots can grow up a little bit,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. “It should be a bit more subdued. ... The first celebration should be subdued, and the fourth one should be crazy.”
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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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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
