Tim Benz: Penguins’ massive line combination provides unique challenge for opponents
With Bryan Rust injured and scoring options limited in 2025-26, new Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Muse is going to be challenged to distribute wingers up and down his lineup. For now, Sidney Crosby is skating with established veteran Rickard Rakell and rising prospect Ville Koivunen. That means Muse has to...
U mad, bro?: Readers skeptical of Steelers’ standing in AFC North, miffed about I-79 cow
The Pittsburgh Steelers just had a bye weekend. Nothing bad happened. In fact, it went pretty well. Every other team in the AFC North lost while the Steelers were idle. Pfft! I know, I know. I see where this is going. They are just setting us up for the inevitable...
First Call: Browns make a 2nd trade before facing Steelers; another ex-Pirate starts in MLB playoffs
The Cleveland Browns continue to tweak their roster in advance of their visit to Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Penguins are going to be part of a spotlight moment Thursday night. Another former Pirate is about to take the mound in a Major League Baseball playoff game. And there is an...
Kyle Schwarber homers twice as Phillies stay alive vs. Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Kyle Schwarber homered twice, his first towering shot clearing the right-field pavilion in a three-run fourth inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided a sweep with an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Wednesday night. It was the...
Blue Jays’ bullpen shuts down Yankees, seals ALDS in Game 4
NEW YORK — Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider made seven pitching changes on Wednesday. A few hours later, Schneider gave a short speech in the clubhouse and launched the celebration by yelling “Start spreading the news!” while the Blue Jays doused each other with champagne and beer after wrapping...
Bullpen carries Blue Jays to ALDS victory over Yankees
NEW YORK — Jeff Hoffman finished off a four-out save as the Toronto Blue Jays used eight pitchers in a bullpen game and beat the New York Yankees, 5-2, on Wednesday night to win their American League Division Series three games to one. Toronto advances to the American League Championship...
Cubs make 4-run 1st inning stand up to stave off elimination by Brewers in NLDS
Pete Crow-Armstrong ripped a two-run single to highlight a four-run first inning, helping the host Chicago Cubs stave off elimination with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday in Game 3 of their National League Division Series. The Cubs trail 2-1 in the best-of-five series. Game 4 is...
Steelers notes: Offensive line finding its way, ILB Windmon added, new return man?
They were making expressive first-down gestures. Clapping their hands demonstratively. Jawing with defenders. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen had the look of being as engaged as they have all season during the second half of their most recent game, Sept. 28 in Dublin. After a rough start to the regular season,...
Tigers rally from 3-0 deficit to even ALDS with Mariners
DETROIT — Riley Greene, Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres hammered home runs to help the Detroit Tigers to a 9-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Division series Wednesday. Baez, who homered in a postseason game for the first time since 2017, also drove...
Bengals offensive linemen getting up to speed on blocking for new QB Flacco
Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras was taking a nap Tuesday, his day off from work. When he woke up and checked his phone, he saw 15 missed calls. He slept through the news that he would be snapping the ball to a new quarterback at practice Wednesday. The Bengals traded...
Jaylen Warren full participant, Alex Highsmith partial, Jalen Ramsey out at Steelers practice
Mirroring what coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday, Wednesday’s league-mandated status report indicated a trio of starters are on track for a return to the Pittsburgh Steelers gameday lineup. Two others who suffered injuries during the team’s most recent game, though, continue to appear unlikely to play Sunday. Cornerback Joey Porter...
Short passing game that has worked for Steelers will be tested by Browns defense
No quarterback has released the ball quicker this season than Aaron Rodgers. No team has gained more yards after the catch than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have used the short pass efficiently enough to craft a 3-1 record coming out of their bye week. Rodgers, for one, sees no...
Giants hunt for 1st Thursday win in a decade with Eagles in town
The Philadelphia Eagles look to rebound from their first loss since last December when they visit a New York Giants team that hasn’t won a Thursday game in a decade. The Eagles (4-1) have won their last three Thursday night contests under coach Nick Sirianni, while the Giants (1-4) are...
Robert Morris picked 4th in Horizon League men’s basketball preseason poll
Defending champion Robert Morris is predicted to finish fourth in the Horizon League men’s basketball standings, according a preseason poll released Wednesday. The Colonials earned the conference’s regular-season and tournament championships last season, finishing with a 26-9 record (15-5 Horizon) and advancing to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10...
Browns’ Stefanski says Joe Flacco trade to Bengals ‘took us by surprise’
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters one day after the team traded quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals that he was not expecting the Browns to send the 40-year-old to their division rival. “The Joe (Flacco) trade took us by surprise,” Stefanski said. “That was, uh, not...
‘This team fights, no matter what’: Penn State players vow unity vs. Northwestern
This Penn State football team cannot afford to break apart now, of all times. That’s the message two of its leaders gave Tuesday to how these Nittany Lions can possibly fix their myriad of problems and push ahead to save their season. It’s new territory, of course. Only a handful...
Report: Global basketball league set to launch next fall
The international basketball league that includes several high-profile athletes as investors does not have an official name but is set to launch next fall, Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday. Headed by former Facebook executive Grady Burnett and Skype co-founder Geoff Prentice, the league will include 5-on-5 men’s and women’s...
Pitt safety Kavir Bains-Marquez sees role, snaps increase with matchup against Florida State looming
Pitt’s coaches had a hunch that Kavir Bains-Marquez, a first-team all-conference safety at UC Davis of the FCS, would be a useful addition from the transfer portal last winter. But a starter? There probably was less certainty on that front, given the Panthers returned Javon McIntyre and Cruce Brookins at...
Penguins forward Bryan Rust resumes practicing
The start of the 2025-26 season is pretty similar to how Bryan Rust began the 2024-25 campaign. Injured. Rust missed the first two games of last season and all he managed to do was set career highs in goals (31) and points (65). As the Pittsburgh Penguins forward recovers from...
Mark Madden: Penguins mix old, new in sharing-the-torch season opener
Some strange things happened Tuesday night when the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their season at Madison Square Garden with a 3-0 win against the New York Rangers. For example, Erik Karlsson played a responsible, mistake-free game. (Except for one gratuitous turnover.) That’s been a rarity during his Penguins tenure, now entering...
Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs: ‘I just want to seize it and do my best’
Watching Arturs Silovs warm up requires a bit of commitment. When the Pittsburgh Penguins rookie goaltender takes to the ice, he engages in a lengthy and elaborate process to get ready for a practice session or morning skate. First, he will slowly skate the length of the rink with gentle...
Mike Tomlin sees need for offensive improvement ‘in all areas’ before facing Browns’ tough defense
It’s not just teams in the AFC North that are struggling to find traction. Frankly, it’s the whole NFL. • There are no unbeaten teams left in the entire league, and it’s only Week 5. • The Eagles are 4-1 with the 30th-ranked offense in the NFL. Buffalo is 4-1...
First Call: Joe Flacco ‘welcomed’ trade to Bengals; Steelers and Ravens make roster moves
“First Call” for Wednesday has some roster moves for the Pittsburgh Steelers. We get Joe Flacco’s reaction to his trade away from Cleveland to Cincinnati. The Baltimore Ravens are trying to press some buttons. And a pair of former Pirates pitchers are squaring off in the Major League Baseball playoffs....
Tim Benz: From ‘big picture’ to little details, new Penguins coach Dan Muse shows promise in Game 1
During his weekly Tuesday press conference, Mike Tomlin got a few chuckles out of the Pittsburgh media when he proclaimed “I’m not a big picture guy” after being asked about the Steelers’ place within the suddenly rocky landscape of the AFC North. After just one game as the Penguins’ new...
Aaron Judge belts clutch homer as Yankees stave off elimination vs. Blue Jays
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge hit a tying homer and drove in four runs during a clutch performance for the ages, and the New York Yankees staved off elimination by rallying from five runs down to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays, 9-6, on Tuesday night in Game 3 of their...
