Sports category, Page 2159
Afterthought as it is, Pro Bowl has rich historyVideo
With James Lofton’s rookie season off to a strong start in 1978, another member of the Green Bay Packers casually tossed some praise his way in the locker room one day in early December. Keep up the production, his pal said, and he might find himself in the Pro Bowl....
Kevin Gorman: Trading Starling Marte might force the Pirates to finally use the R-wordVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates touted their unveiling of new road jerseys at PiratesFest on Friday at PNC Park as “rewriting the script,” which is one way to use an R-word without using the R-word. Refresh. Recalibrate. Rewrite. Anything but rebuild. The Pirates have a new management team attempting to create a...
Pirates OF Gregory Polanco at ‘100%’ physical health in return from shoulder injuryVideo
Ben Cherington tapped the knuckles of his clenched hand onto a table not once but twice Friday as he was discussing the status of Pittsburgh Pirates starting right fielder Gregory Polanco. The first time Cherington knocked on wood was when he declared Polanco “at 100% right now from a basic...
Pirates’ Derek Shelton gushes about pitcher Chris Archer
In his 59-day reign as Pittsburgh Pirates manager, Derek Shelton ate a Primanti’s sandwich with Joe Musgrove. (Musgrove bought.) Shelton spent some time discussing Broadway songs with pitcher Steven Brault. (“I don’t really know any,” Shelton said.) At the end of a 21-minute chat with reporters Friday, Shelton said he...
Hempfield grad Maddie Holmberg sets season high, wins pentathlon in New York
Hempfield grad Maddie Holmberg continues to do amazing things on the track. A Penn State senior and two-time first-team NCAA All-American turned in her best performance of the season, scoring 4,171 points in winning the pentathlon at the Dr. Sander Invitational in New York City. Competing in five events, the...
GM Ben Cherington: Pirates expect to add another catcher before spring training
Ben Cherington acknowledged Friday the Pittsburgh Pirates went into the offseason knowing it needed to add catchers. Even after signing two with major league experience, Cherington said he isn’t done. “We are continuing to look for more catching,” the Pirates general manager said while speaking to reporters Friday at PNC...
Mt. Lebanon’s Don Kelly’s job safe with Pirates, despite ties to AstrosVideo
Don Kelly’s status with the Pittsburgh Pirates was not impacted by his ties to the Houston Astros, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Friday. Kelly, a former Mt. Lebanon and Point Park standout, was named the Pirates’ bench coach Dec. 7, five weeks prior to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred disciplining...
Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi in midst of hectic offseason
If you think the life of a college football coach slows down when the shoulder pads are packed away, you haven’t had to keep up with Pat Narduzzi this month. Pitt’s coach has been busy since a 34-30 victory against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 26 in the Quick Lane Bowl....
LSU rewards Ed Orgeron with 6-year, $42 million contract extensionVideo
BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU coach Ed Orgeron agreed to a contract extension worth more than $7 million annually that runs through the 2026 season, the university announced Friday. The six-year agreement comes on the heels of the Tigers’ 15-0 national championship season that concluded earlier this month with a...
How former Hempfield wrestler Jarod Verkleeren found success at Penn State in spite of Type 1 diabetes
Penn State wrestler Jarod Verkleeren won’t motion to the crowd to make noise. He doesn’t flex after a victory. And you won’t often find him yelling into the stands — all for good reason. The 149-pound wrestler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 4. If Verkleeren...
3-on-3 overtime in NHL has evolved over past 5 seasonsVideo
ST. LOUIS — Victor Hedman fondly recalls the NHL’s first 3-on-3 overtime because it was madness. “It was probably a minute and a half of just breakaways,” the Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman said. “Jason Garrison scored the goal — beat the D-man (and scored) five-hole.” Trading breakaways and playing at...
Pitt freshman Justin Champagnie could be key in disrupting Syracuse zone
The Pitt men’s basketball team faces a tough task. The Panthers (13-6, 4-4 ACC) play at Syracuse on Saturday for a matchup with the notoriously zone-heavy Orange (12-7, 5-3). In years past, Pitt has struggles for an answer for the extended 2-3 zone that has stifled so many teams. The...
Pine-Richland grad, Duquesne guard Amanda Kalin posts rare triple-double
After dealing with an injury-shortened freshman season and making measured contributions during her sophomore year, Pine-Richland alum Amanda Kalin finally has emerged as a junior for the Duquesne women’s basketball team. Kalin’s development into a versatile contributor for the Dukes (13-6, 3-3 Atlantic 10 through Jan. 23) was on display...
The script is back: Pirates unveil updated road jerseysVideo
It was met with great fanfare and well received when Pitt went back to the Script five years ago. Now, the Pittsburgh Pirates are doing the same. The Pirates unveiled updated road jerseys Friday, and the new aspect is actually an old one. The word “Pittsburgh” across the chest of...
Giants’ Eli Manning retires after 16 seasons, 2 Super BowlsVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning retired from the NFL after 16 seasons just the way he wanted, as a hard-working, career-long New York Giant who did it his way in leading the franchise to two Super Bowls. Saying he had no regrets, the 39-year-old Manning officially ended his career...
Mark Madden: Surprising developments have kept Penguins in the hunt
The Pittsburgh Penguins are as fast as they were in their Stanley Cup-winning years of 2016 and ’17. GM Jim Rutherford saw to that by trading for Jared McCann and John Marino, signing Brandon Tanev and promoting Teddy Blueger from the minors. That was by design. But the Penguins have...
Cleveland Browns’ Kareem Hunt cited for speeding, marijuana in car
CLEVELAND — Browns running back Kareem Hunt was cited for a traffic violation, and police say they found marijuana in his car. He was pulled over Tuesday afternoon in Rocky River, Ohio — on Cleveland’s west side — while driving on Interstate 90. An incident report said officers smelled marijuana...
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger pens retirement post to Giants’ Eli Manning
Ben Roethlisberger bid farewell Friday to Class of 2004 member Eli Manning, who retired after 16 seasons with the New York Giants. Roethlisberger and Manning were two of the three high-profile passers selected in the memorable 2004 NFL Draft, with Philip Rivers rounding out the trio. On his web site,...
What happened to the NHL’s All-Star Game?
When it was first reported in fall of 2015 that the NHL was considering adopting a three-on-three format for the stagnant All-Star Game, Sidney Crosby’s reaction was mostly indifferent. “Yeah, why not?” Crosby said, with a shoulder shrug, when asked about the proposed change. His reaction was far more upbeat...
Pirates to replace Steve Blass with Kevin Young, Matt Capps, Michael McKenry on broadcasts
Following Steve Blass as Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster would have been a tough act for any individual. So three former players will do it. Former Pirates players Kevin Young, Matt Capps and Michael McKenry will rotate as color commentator analysts for games on television and radio this season, the team announced...
Antonio Brown ordered to seek mental health evaluation, drug and alcohol testing
A judge has ordered former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown to seek a mental health evaluation within 10 days of his release from jail. ESPN reported the former All-Pro’s bond was set at $110,000 for charges including felony burglary with battery. Brown made an appearance in front of a judge...
Youth served: Gauff wins, Serena loses at Australian OpenVideo
MELBOURNE, Australia — Perhaps Serena Williams, now 38, will win a 24th Grand Slam title someday. And maybe Coco Gauff, still just 15, never will earn her first major championship. Sure felt, though, as if a generational shift was being signaled Friday at the Australian Open, with a pair of...
First Call: Video of Antonio Brown turning himself in; NFL draft tight end emerges
For Friday’s “First Call,” you can watch Antonio Brown turn himself in as he goes to jail. Maybe the Steelers should pay attention to a small conference tight end who is emerging at the Senior Bowl. Pitt and Duquesne hit the road in college hoops. Robert Morris has a big...
Stan Savran reflects on 45 years of broadcasting Pittsburgh sports
After four-and-a-half decades in Pittsburgh sports media, Stan Savran has done it all. Yes, yes. Even this podcast. Twice now! In honor of Savran’s 45th anniversary on the air in our city, he joined me to discuss some of his many memories of covering sports in the Western Pennsylvania market....
Tim Benz: Ben Roethlisberger, his draft peers and QB mortality
On Wednesday, I got this text from someone who covers another NFL team besides the Steelers. He was at the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala. “(Mike) Tomlin is standing right here watching quarterbacks pretty closely.” Sure. I admit it. Upon reading that, my brain went places for a cheap...
