Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Arc: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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.
Getty ImagesWhat is Joba Chamberlain’s best role?
One thing the Yankees have to decide is what role is best for Joba Chamberlain. Do they want him as a reliever or a starter? Frankly, I think he should stay in the bullpen as a potential future closer.
Mariano Rivera will soon turn 40. How long can he continue to pitch at such a high level? They keep going back to the well with Rivera, but I’m sure that the well is starting to dry out a little bit. If Rivera disappears via talent drop-off or injury, or if he decides to retire, I’m sure the Yankees can go out and get a free agent, but Chamberlain might be the smart option there.
Chamberlain is a guy who can go four or five good innings, but I don’t believe he really has the stuff to be a strong starting pitcher in the long term.
He doesn’t have Sabathia’s changeup, or Pettitte’s cutter or control, or Burnett’s curveball. He’s just a strong young kid who can throw the heck out of the ball. He has a good fastball and a decent slider. He reminds me a little bit of Goose Gossage, though his slider isn’t as good.
I also don’t think Phil Hughes is the answer as a future starter, as he gets a little too nervous in that situation. I think he looks much better in the bullpen.
If you’re looking for a potential starter, I personally think Dave Robertson might be a better bet than either Chamberlain or Hughes. He has a nice curveball, changeup and fastball. Once he learns to control the fastball he could be a successful starter.
Back to stay?
I don’t know if the Yankees are kings of baseball again, but they are getting closer to being the dominant force in the sport once again. A lot of credit has to go to the management of Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner family. Spending money is one thing, but you have to spend money to get the right players. Not just expensive free agents, but the right free agents.
Sabathia, Teixeira and Burnett have panned out – at least so far – and they are the building blocks the Yankees want to keep their control over the American League.
With a stable of stars in place, the Yankees have a lot of flexibility. They have their main guys so they can give their young players time to develop, give them the opportunity to mature in the minors and make sure they’re ready when they get to the bigs.
But if they find they have a particular need, they can trade that young talent for immediate help. It’s a nice situation to be in.
Do the Yankees have the best team money can buy? Maybe they do, especially this year. But they’re simply playing within the system, and they’re doing it the right way, the successful way.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
HBT: Prince Fielder is gone and Ryan Braun will likely miss a third of the season because of a failed PED test. Can Milwaukee stay in contention until he gets back?
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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.
The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.