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.
Getty ImagesAL Rookie of the Year
1) Huston Street, Oakland: It’s no coincidence that the A’s posted the best record in the league once he became the closer. The numbers are very impressive: 5-1, 1.72 ERA, 53 hits and 72 strikeouts in 78.1 innings, .194 opponents’ batting average, 23 saves. 2) Tadahito Iguchi, Chicago: He was an invaluable part of the White Sox’s great season, especially with his situational hitting and occasional power in the No. 2 spot behind Scott Podsednik. Don’t be surprised if he moves down in the order and his home-run total rises next season. 3) Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay. You can flip a coin among Kazmir, Oakland’s Joe Blanton, Toronto’s Gustavo Chacin and Texas’ Chris Young. But Kazmir’s numbers came under more-trying circumstances.
NL Rookie of the Year
1) Ryan Howard, Philadelphia: His 22 homers and 63 RBI in 88 games project to 40 and 116 over a full season -- to go with a .288 batting average. That’s more than enough, especially considering the fact that he replaced Jim Thome in the midst of a wildcard race. 2) Willy Taveras, Houston: Yes, you can make the argument that he did it over a full season. But 70 infield hits don’t add up to Howard’s monumental blasts hit in key games down the stretch. 3) Garrett Atkins, Colorado: A .287 average, 89 RBI and 31 doubles have more meaning now that Coors Field is playing bit more fairly due to balls being stored in a humidor. Jeff Francouer’s 70-game totals are impressive, but not quite enough.
AL Manager of the Year
1) Ozzie Guillen, Chicago: He’s colorful. He’s controversial. He speaks his mind. But you know what? He can manage, too. He set the emotional tone for his team, and successfully remade it in his image and style of play. 2: Eric Wedge, Cleveland: He would be the winner if his team had been able to hang on and grab a playoff spot. But a final-week collapse leaves him as the runner-up. 3. Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles. You can’t give this guy enough credit for the quality program he has put together. His team won a division title by a comfortable margin, and did it with about half the payroll of the Yankees, so he gets the edge over Joe Torre.
NL Manager of the Year
1) Bobby Cox, Atlanta: As we’ve said before in this column, only the regular season counts in the balloting. That makes this one a no-brainer, as he was forced to break in more rookies than the record number of consecutive division titles his team has strung together. 2) Phil Garner, Houston: He didn’t let his team quit despite the deep hole it had dug through the first month and a half. The patience he showed with the Astros’ young regulars was rewarded with a second consecutive playoff appearance. 3) Ned Yost, Milwaukee: A Cox protégé, he has learned his lessons well. His team improved by 14 games and three spots in the standings, and he’s as big a reason why as all their young talent.
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.