contender

Mark Hughes is the leading contender to replace Steve Bruce as Sunderland manager, BBC Sport understands.

Carson Palmer wanted to play for a contender, and now he's got it in Oakland. But whether he can turn the contending Raiders into champions remains a big 'if,' writes Peter King.

Formula One leader Sebastian Vettel held off closest championship contender Lewis Hamilton for his fourth victory of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday.

A Super Bowl hangover? The stats don't lie when it comes to the Saints. The struggling champs slip again in Don Banks' Power Rankings, but they're not the only contender with concerns.

Clint Bowyer's race-winning car from New Hampshire has failed inspection and NASCAR is penalizing the championship contender 150 points.

It would have been easy to return to a contender. But Johnny Damon could not feign forgiveness, and that's why he turned down the Red Sox to stay with the Tigers, says Lee Jenkins.

Andy Murray recognises he must find ways to improve his game before making the transition from grand slam contender to champion.

Forget about the early flops of recent years, Duke has officially regained its status as a formidable power, and yes, favorable contender for the national title, writes George Dohrmann.

If this team played in any other division besides the American Least East the off season, they just had would probably make them a contender.

In the AL East they still have a lot of work to do. However they had a great off season, and nothing can take that away from them.

They added four veterans, to a roster containing several in the prime of their career hitters, and they have a few ready for prime time youngsters.

I am very high on the Baltimore Orioles, and I hope they can at least take a run at the AL wild card.

*Scott Boras is at it again. This time he is luring Johnny Damon to both Detroit Tigers General Manger Dave Dombrowski and Tigers owner Mike Illitch.

It seems the main argument for signing Damon is his ability to hit leadoff. Since the Tigers roster does not contain a legitimate contender to take over the #1 spot in the batting order.

However, don't the Tigers already have a surplus of this kind of player?