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.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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.
APThe Yankees’ best chance at a comeback against Santana was ended on a disputed call in the fifth inning. With runners on first and second and two outs, Robinson Cano swung at a third strike in the dirt. Cano ran to first and catcher Bengie Molina’s throw got past Erstad, apparently loading the bases for Williams. But plate umpire Joe West called Cano out for running inside the baseline, prompting an unsuccessful argument by Torre.
“The rule states that he has to stay in that running lane during the last half of the distance, which he was not,” West said. “So whether the ball hit him or not, he interfered with Erstad trying to catch the ball.”
Anderson’s second-inning home run started the comeback against Game 1 winner Mike Mussina after New York had taken a 2-0 lead in the top half.
Kennedy, the No. 9 hitter who was MVP of the 2002 ALCS, lined a triple to right-center with two outs in the second. Sheffield, in right, and center fielder Bubba Crosby collided hard and hit the wall trying for the catch. Two runs scored as the Angels went ahead 3-2, and the Yankees never recovered.
“I don’t think either one of us could hear each other call it. I don’t think either one of us knew we could catch it until right at the last minute,” Crosby said. “It was one of those gray areas. He put it right in the right spot. Sheff is aggressive, I’m aggressive and we collided.”
Anderson added a sacrifice fly in the third, and Erstad’s infield grounder also drove in a run. One out later, the 42-year-old Johnson relieved to face Steve Finley — the first relief appearance for the Big Unit since beating the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series for Arizona.
Mussina lasted only 2 2-3 innings for his shortest career postseason outing.
“It’s not the three-run homer, it’s the little stuff that happens,” he said.
Colon, who returned to California on Saturday, got out of his first-inning trouble when he struck out Matsui with two on. But he was replaced after 23 pitches by Santana, who hadn’t pitched since winning 7-4 at Texas on Oct. 2, the final day of the regular season.
Santana had some control problems at the start and allowed an RBI single to Crosby and Jeter’s sacrifice fly, but “had flashes of brilliance,” Scioscia said.
“He’s our secret weapon,” Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera said.
New York stranded 11 in the game, continuing its yearlong problem of hitting with men on base.
A-Rod, just 2-for-17 in the final four games of last year’s ALCS collapse against Boston, went 2-for-15 (.133) with no RBIs. Sheffield, 1-for-17 during last year’s final four games, finished the series 6-for-21 (.286) with no extra-base hits and two RBIs.
While the Yankees headed home to pack for another early winter, the Angels hurried to get organized for the next round.
Los Angeles was the first AL team to clinch a playoff berth — a Sept. 27 win by Santana at Oakland — and was determined to forget about losing three straight to Boston in the ALDS last October. This team hasn’t been as strong offensively as the 2002 Angels, but Los Angeles has made up for it with strong pitching and defense — the best Scioscia’s had during his six seasons as manager.
“This one,” Kennedy said, “definitely has a little more talent.”
Notes: The Angels are 14-5 in postseason play at home since 1982. ... Williams appeared in his record 120th postseason game. ... Doctors think LHP Jarrod Washburn, scratched from his Game 4 start because of a throat infection and a high fever, has strep throat and his status for the next round was unclear. ... Anderson’s homer was the fourth of his career off Mussina. ... Colon will be re-evaluated Tuesday and Scioscia hopes he can pitch in the ALCS. “It’s too early to tell,” Scioscia said.
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.