Sports category, Page 1035
Steelers conduct visit with former OLB Bud Dupree
A potential reunion between Bud Dupree and the Pittsburgh Steelers became one step closer to being a reality Thursday when the 30-year-old outside linebacker and the team met at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Dupree, who spent the first six of his eight NFL seasons with the Steelers, became a free...
Women’s Final Four betting preview: South Carolina heavy favorite, LSU odds and expectations
BY ZOE COLLINS RATH | Home Field Sports The women’s Final Four is here, and the action kicks off on Friday night. LSU takes on Virginia Tech in the first national semifinal Friday night in Dallas. Of course, South Carolina, the reigning champion and still unbeaten this season, is the...
West Mifflin native Logan Cooley one of 3 finalists for Hobey Baker Memorial Award
University of Minnesota forward Logan Cooley, a native of West Mifflin, was named one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, an honor that recognizes the top men’s player in college hockey. Joining him are fellow Minnesota forward Matthew Knies and Michigan forward Adam Fantilli. The award’s foundation...
Penn State OL Juice Scruggs taking off as a ‘riser’ in the 2023 NFL draft class
Juice Scruggs made a prediction after pro day. Penn State’s stalwart offensive lineman said he will be selected in the second or third round of next month’s NFL Draft. That’s not where the draft community has him pegged. Scruggs said he’s seen mostly fifth- or sixth-round projections, which tracks. ESPN’s...
Final Four: Last year’s bluebloods are this year’s no-names
A year ago, college basketball was getting ready for the game of a lifetime: North Carolina vs. Duke at the Final Four. And this year? Well, to put it kindly, who the heck are these guys? The NCAA Tournament, the annual event that has told and sold and made marketing...
Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. visits with Steelers, who seek potential CB in 1st round of draft
One of the top college prospects who is quite familiar with the Steelers’ practice facility on the South Side is on site for a pre-draft visit Thursday. North Allegheny grad and Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is a visitor at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex as the Steelers continue...
World Series odds: Will the Astros repeat as champions or will the field step up?
BY GABE HENDERSON | Home Field Sports Dusty Baker’s Houston Astros lifted the Commissioner’s Trophy in triumph at Minute Maid Park less than six months ago. It’s now time for the dynasty to defend its crown as Opening Day is finally upon us. The offseason was filled with a ton...
NL MVP race more wide open than AL according to betting odds: See our best values
BY SPENCER URQUHART | Home Field Sports Major League Baseball is stocked with superstars in 2023, and there’s no higher individual award than MVP in both the American League and National League. World Series odds are still the go-to for most MLB futures bettors, but both the AL and NL...
Penguins assign defenseman Owen Pickering to Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned defenseman Owen Pickering, their first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in last year’s draft, to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). Pickering’s junior team, the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Swift Current Broncos, just completed its season on Saturday and did not qualify for the postseason....
Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry to start against Predators
The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Tristan Jarry for Thursday’s home game against the Nashville Predators at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Jarry’s status following a morning skate. In 40 games this season, Jarry has a 21-10-6 record, a 2.98 goals against average, a .908 save...
Opening Day: 5 things to know before Pirates’ 1st pitch in CincinnatiVideo
At just after 4 p.m. today, the Pittsburgh Pirates will embark on their 142nd season, hoping to improve on back-to-back 100-loss campaigns behind a new group of veteran voices and a talented pool of young players. Bucco fans’ expectations again are a mix of cautions optimism for a new season...
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark wins AP Player of the Year
DALLAS — Caitlin Clark has put together one of the greatest individual seasons in NCAA history with eye-popping offensive numbers. Iowa’s junior guard, though, saved her best performance for the game’s biggest stage, recording the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA history to get Iowa to the Final Four for the...
500 winner Ericsson intends to stay in IndyCar title pictureVideo
In the days leading up to the IndyCar season-opening race, Chip Ganassi made clear that Marcus Ericsson was a valued member of the organization. “I want him here beyond this year,” Ganassi said of the Swedish driver. Ericsson then went on to win the March 5 race on the downtown...
Pickleball Slam: Roddick, Agassi, McEnroe, Chang take swings
When Andy Roddick agreed to join John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Michael Chang at the Pickleball Slam, the 2003 U.S. Open champion figured he had two distinct advantages against the three other International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees participating in the made-for-TV exhibition in Hollywood, Florida. At age 40, Roddick...
AL West Preview: Can Shohei Ohtani, Angels unseat the Astros?Video
Once Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout for an epic finish to the World Baseball Classic, the former AL MVPs quickly returned to being teammates again for what could be their last chance together to lead the Los Angeles Angels to the playoffs. For the Athletics, this might be their...
AL Central Preview: Guardians trying to defend lackluster divisionVideo
Guardians ace Shane Bieber was musing about Cleveland manager Terry Francona’s importance to the club earlier this spring when he made a somewhat surprising acknowledgement of what baseball’s youngest team had done a year ago. “We kind of maximized our input,” Bieber said, “and our output.” Indeed, that young bunch...
MLB preview 2023: New rules, big-money Mets, Shohei Ohtani’s walk yearVideo
Baseball has transformed in the 145 days since Dusty Baker and the Houston Astros sealed the franchise’s second title in six seasons. As New York Mets owner Steve Cohen dominated an offseason that saw billions spent, the sport braced for a new world that includes pitch clocks, bigger bases, limits...
NL West Preview: Padres eager to take title from DodgersVideo
The San Diego Padres don’t feel like little brother anymore to the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. Buoyed by a stunning victory against the 111-win Dodgers in the NL Division Series and owner Peter Seidler’s fearless offseason spending, the Padres are poised to make a run at the NL West title...
AL East Preview: Aaron Judge, Yankees lead MLB’s deepest divisionVideo
From 1998-2003, the five AL East teams finished in the exact same order every season. Back then, the New York Yankees were dominant, the Boston Red Sox were contenders and everyone else was left chasing those teams — and that remained the status quo for a while. Consider this a...
U mad, bro?: Penguins fans seeing red, Steelers fans in a funk, Pirates fans ticked even before 1st pitch
Pittsburgh Penguins fans have reached peak angst. Steelers fans are languishing. And Pirates fans are already ticked off — even though the season hasn’t even started yet. Here’s something else to get mad about. There will be no “U mad, bro?” next week as “Breakfast With Benz” is on vacation....
NL Central Preview: Cardinals seek repeat without Albert Pujols, Yadier MolinaVideo
Two familiar faces from St. Louis’ run to the NL Central title last season aren’t around anymore as the Cardinals attempt to become the division’s first repeat champion in six years. The retirements of Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols leave the Cardinals having to replace two likely Hall of Famers....
First Call: Another cornerback Steelers may consider in draft; bad night for Penguins in playoff race; Pirates bets
With the draft about a month away, we keep surfing through potential cornerback picks for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Penguins had a tough night when it came to their playoff chances. A former Pitt basketball rival now seems to have interest in transferring to the Panthers. And we look at...
NL East Preview: Braves, Phillies, Mets to duke it out againVideo
The National League East made a strong argument as the majors’ toughest division in 2022 and lines up as perhaps even better this season. The NL East boasted two 101-win teams: the Atlanta Braves, who won their fifth consecutive division title, and the New York Mets. A third playoff team...
Reports: Minor leaguers reach 5-year labor deal with MLB
NEW YORK — Baseball minor leaguers reached a historic initial collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. As part of the five-year deal, MLB agreed during the contract not to reduce minor league affiliates from the current 120. The sides reached the deal two...
Minor league report: Ty Smith returns in Penguins lossVideo
Forward Valtteri Puustinen scored two regulation goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-3 home shootout loss to the Providence Bruins at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Defenseman Ty Smith returned to the lineup after being sidelined since Feb. 18 due to facial bone fractures and recorded two...
