Sports category, Page 1774
Ex-Pitt football player says he never knew about concussion lawsuit, withdraws claim
Craig Bokor remembers talking to an attorney about seven years ago when lawsuits were being filed regarding the likeness of college football players being used in video games. “There were a handful of us who were interviewed,” he said. Bokor, a defensive lineman at Pitt from 2005-09, said afterward that...
AG: Olympics gymnastics coach John Geddert dies by suicide after charges
LANSING, Mich. — A former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar died by suicide Thursday after being charged with two dozen crimes, including forms of human trafficking, the state attorney general said. The announcement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel came about three hours...
Penguins forward Jason Zucker out longer term with injuryVideo
Penguins forward Jason Zucker will be sidelined “longer term” due to an undisclosed injury, according to coach Mike Sullivan. On Thursday, the team placed him on injured reserve. Zucker, the team’s left wing on the second line, was injured during the third period of Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime road win against...
Pitt’s Au’Diese Toney leaves under ‘mutual agreement,’ 2nd starter to depart in 2 days
The destruction of Jeff Capel’s first Pitt recruiting class is complete, and it took barely one day to complete the job. Au’Diese Toney, who was Pitt’s best defender and second-leading scorer and rebounder, has left the men’s basketball program under what Capel described as a “mutual agreement.” There are now...
Tim Benz: Jason Zucker’s injury may provide peek into mindset of new Penguins brass
The injury to Penguins wing Jason Zucker is a blow to the roster at a time when things have been going well. Head coach Mike Sullivan’s team has won five of six and has another important game looming against the Washington Capitals Thursday night. Plus, with Evgeni Malkin finally showing...
First Call: JuJu Smith-Schuster insists he wants to stay in Pittsburgh; Steelers out on J.J. Watt?; ‘Big Al’ to Indy?
Thursday’s “First Call” finds JuJu Smith-Schuster beaming with hope about staying with the Steelers. A few destinations are emerging for J.J. Watt, and Pittsburgh isn’t on the list. An AFC playoff suitor is mentioned for Alejandro Villanueva’s services. The Flyers are back on track. And it seems like big money...
U mad, bro?: Lots of heat on Mike Tomlin, Art Rooney II, Big Ben, Pens fans, Pirates expectations
This week’s “U mad, bro?” turns ugly for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and owner Art Rooney II. Penguins fans take a little slap. We get a 2021 Pirates reality check. There’s a thorough examination of Cold War-era Europe. And I call out one of my TribLive...
Pirates’ Todd Frazier embraces chance to serve as a sounding board
One of the newest Pittsburgh Pirates never imagined being the oldest guy in spring training. That didn’t stop Todd Frazier from dropping an indicator of his age while reminiscing about his rookie year. When talking about accepting a role as a corner infielder who can back up both first and...
This date in sports history: Feb. 25
1940 — The first telecast of an American hockey game is transmitted over station W2XBS in New York. The viewing audience watches the New York Rangers battle the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden. 1957 — The United States Supreme Court rules that pro football, unlike professional baseball, is subject...
Minor league report: Radim Zohorna leads Penguins past BearsVideo
Forward Radim Zohorna had two goals and an assist for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-2 home win against the rival Hershey Bears at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Wilkes-Barre Scranton (2-2-1) also got a goal and an assist each from forwards Anthony Angello and Nick Schilkey. Goaltender...
Michael Hughes ejected in Duquesne’s loss to La Salle
When a coach who has led teams through 731 games in 23 seasons bares his soul after a loss, his words probably matter. Especially when he says, “It’s probably as poorly as I’ve had a team play.” Painful honesty from Duquesne’s coach after the Dukes’ 85-65 loss Wednesday night at...
Roger Goodell: NFL learnings from 2020 technology here to stay
One of the major benefits of playing a full season pretty much on schedule during a pandemic is what the NFL learned technologically from 2020. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league has found new avenues of communication that will be common in future seasons. “Virtual meetings have now become standard...
Robert Morris basketball teams set for 1st Horizon League playoffs
As the Robert Morris men’s basketball team prepared to enter the sudden death portion of an unpredictable first Horizon League season, one theme pressed coach Andy Toole’s psyche. “Focus.” Toole’s bluntness spoke volumes as the seemingly outmanned Colonials, who have lost four of five overtime games in their first year...
Pirates trade cash to Oakland A’s for outfielder Dustin Fowler
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired outfielder Dustin Fowler from the Oakland A’s in exchange for cash considerations Wednesday. The 6-foot, 198-pound Fowler is a left-handed hitter who last played in the major leagues in 2018, when he batted .224 with three doubles, two triples, six home runs and 23 RBIs in...
While others tried to flip him, West Mifflin’s Nahki Johnson remained committed to Pitt
When Nahki Johnson committed to Pitt in the early days of the summer of 2019, he was barely removed from his sophomore year at West Mifflin. Two more seasons of high school football lay ahead. There were still 18 months before he could sign a binding letter of intent with...
Analysis: Golf without Tiger Woods? Leg injury brings it closer to realityVideo
The PGA Tour without Tiger Woods always was inevitable purely because of age. His shattered right leg from his SUV flipping down a hill on a sweeping road through coastal Los Angeles suburbs only brings that closer. Golf wasn’t ready Wednesday to contemplate the future of its biggest star after...
Canadiens fire coach Claude Julien amid losing stretchVideo
MONTREAL — The struggling Montreal Canadiens fired coach Claude Julien and associate coach Kirk Muller on Wednesday after a three-game skid. Assistant coach Dominique Ducharme was appointed interim coach, and Alex Burrows was added to the Canadiens’ coaching staff. After a one-week break in their schedule, the Canadiens have lost...
No injury restrictions for Pirates RF Gregory Polanco, SS Kevin Newman in spring training
Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco, who fractured his right wrist while sliding in winter ball in the Dominican Republic, reported to spring training in Bradenton, Fla., with no restrictions. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk proclaimed Polanco “100% ready to go” on Wednesday while delivering the first injury...
Penguins notes: Evgeni Malkin ‘trending the right way;’ Juuso Riikola practices fully
Is Evgeni Malkin — finally — emerging from his season-long slump? His coach saw signs of that during Tuesday’s Pittsburgh Penguins victory. “I do think his game is trending in the right way,” Mike Sullivan said Wednesday. Sullivan cited, in particular, Malkin’s work during the first period of Tuesday’s 3-2...
Penguins prepare for apparent stretch without injured forward Jason Zucker
Among the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top-six forwards, Jason Zucker ranks sixth in points, fifth in goals, fifth in plus/minus and sixth in attempted-shot percentage metrics. But his lofty spot in the lineup remained secure, in large part, because of the lofty stature he has held in the locker room since the...
Xavier Johnson leaves Pitt, enters transfer portal
An idle week turned into a tumultuous week for Pitt basketball Wednesday when point guard Xavier Johnson left the program. With three games remaining in the regular season, Johnson came to a mutual agreement with coach Jeff Capel to leave and enter his name in the NCAA transfer portal. “The...
Penguins claim D Mark Friedman off waivers from Flyers
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ new management team made its first external player acquisition, claiming defenseman Mark Friedman off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. The 25-year-old, right-handed-shooting Friedman appeared in four games for the Flyers this season and 11 games since his NHL debut in April 2019. He has one...
Date set for WVU football spring game
Spring football is in the air at West Virginia, and the Mountaineers will host their annual Gold-Blue Spring Game at 1 p.m. April 24, at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Because of ongoing covid-19 protocols in place, and for the safety of the spectators, the WVU athletic department announced...
Mark Madden: With Ben Roethlisberger returning, Steelers’ next priority is run game
Ben Roethlisberger’s agent, Ryan Tollner, says his client will play for the Steelers in 2021. But owner Art Rooney II didn’t exactly confirm that. Given how the situation has lingered in limbo after optimistic proclamations three weeks ago, it would be good if he did. Rooney says he wants Roethlisberger...
Column: Tiger Woods survives but his career might not
The sheared-off front of the wrecked SUV told part of the story, and the officers on the scene filled in the rest. Tiger Woods was lucky to be alive, they said, thanks to modern safety technology and a big dose of good luck. Alive and well, no. But alive nonetheless....
