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 three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
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.
Angel Villalona had his U.S. work visa approved and the Giants expect him to arrive to spring training on time.
Villalona, 21, hasn't stepped foot in the U.S. since being arrested and charged with murder in his native Dominican Republic in September of 2009. He was eventually cleared of the charges and was added back to the Giants' 40-man roster late last year after settling a lawsuit with the team. His star was fading even before the charges, so it's doubtful he can get his baseball career back on track.
Giants designated OF Justin Christian for assignment.
He was cleared as the Giants made room for Ryan Theriot and Guillermo Mota on the team's 40-man roster. Christian batted .255 (12-for-47) over 18 games with the Giants down the stretch last season after hitting .294/.376/.459 between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Fresno. He has some speed and can play all three outfield positions, but turns 32 in April. There's a chance he'll slip through waivers.
Bill Hall wrote on his personal Twitter account Tuesday that he has signed with the Yankees.
There's been no confirmation yet from the organization. Hall, 32, batted just .211 with a .575 OPS in 199 plate appearances last season between the Astros and Giants. But he's claiming to be in improved shape, and slugged 18 home runs in 2010 for the Red Sox. The Yanks will presumably use him as a utilityman.
Brett Pill was held out of the Mexican League this year due to being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his hip.
Pill lacks power for a first baseman, but should have an outside chance of making the Giants' 25-man roster. He'll look to compete for a bench job in spring training.
The Giants have discussed the possibility of moving Buster Posey to first base ''at least once a week,'' according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Posey is ''uncertain'' how his surgically repaired ankle will respond this spring and the Giants are now expressing concerns about his durability. Barring any setbacks, the 24-year-old is expected be ready for the start of the season.
Pablo Sandoval said Friday that he might undergo LASIK surgery on his right eye.
Sandoval underwent LASIK surgery on his left eye during the offseason and is seeing the ball well so far, though the real test will come during game action. Assuming he's satisfied with the results, he'll likely get the procedure on his left eye next winter.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that he's going to look at Melky Cabrera in the leadoff spot.
Angel Pagan figures to be his primary competition. While Cabrera is coming off the better year, both players have a .333 career on-base percentage and Pagan has stolen at least 32 bases in each of the past two seasons. Bochy is also toying with the idea of using Cabrera in the third spot and sliding Pablo Sandoval down to fifth, but we hope it doesn't come to that. As of now, Nate Schierholtz figures to start in one of the corner outfield spots while Aubrey Huff and Brandon Belt will compete for at-bats at first base.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put No. 1 Kentucky ahead to stay, and the Wildcats took a big step toward a Southeastern Conference regular-season title by beating Vanderbilt 69-63 Saturday night for their 17th straight win.
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.
