Sports category, Page 1051
Mets’ Edwin Díaz expected to miss season with torn patellar tendon
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz has a torn patellar tendon and is expected to miss the entire season after hurting his right knee while celebrating a victory in the World Baseball Classic. Mets general manager Billy Eppler said Díaz would undergo surgery Thursday. Without...
SEC vs. Sun Belt in opening round of NCAA tourney: Best bets for March 16
BY JIM DERRY | Home Field Sports Each day, one of our experts will offer up a best bet (or two or three) that mobile sportsbooks are offering. It might be a traditional spread bet, a player prop or one of the various odds boosts that books offer. Here are...
Pitt associate athletic director Chris LaSala to speak at Westmoreland Sports Club
The next featured speaker for the Westmoreland Sports Club will be Chris LaSala, the associate athletic director for football administration at Pitt. LaSala, who will tackle the ever-changing college landscape that now allows athletes to make money and transfer freely with the use of a portal, will talk March 21...
Penguins activate forward Ryan Poehling from long-term injured reserve
The Pittsburgh Penguins activated forward Ryan Poehling from long-term injured reserve on Thursday. Poehling has missed the past 15 games due to an undisclosed injury. Appearing in 38 games this season, Poehling has 11 points (five goals, six assists) while averaging 10:57 of ice time per contest. Primarily deployed on...
Report: 4th Alabama basketball player who is from Pittsburgh was at scene of fatal shooting
When Alabama hits the hardwood Thursday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the NCAA tournament it could mark the start of a run to a national title for the Crimson Tide. The team is 29-5, and with star Brandon Miller leading the way, they are a favorite to win it all....
Pitt, Duquesne involved in talks to play football game at Acrisure Stadium
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Pitt and Duquesne officials are in the midst of talks that could bring their football teams together for the first time since 1939, possibly in one of the next few seasons at Acrisure Stadium, Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke said Thursday. Duquesne has played Power 5 schools...
Titans release OLB Bud Dupree after 7 sacks in 2 years
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans released outside linebacker Bud Dupree two years into a five-year contract, parting ways with the big free agent they acquired in 2021 to boost their pass rush, the team announced Thursday. Dupree signed a contract worth up to $82.5 million contract in March 2021...
Penn State honors its football history with creation of Legacy Plaza at Beaver Stadium
Beginning this fall, Penn State fans will have an opportunity to walk down memory lane and dive deeper into the 136 prior seasons of Nittany Lions football. The university announced Thursday that ahead of the 2023 campaign, a new Legacy Plaza would be completed at Beaver Stadium to pay homage...
Tim Benz: Tournament expansion is a bad idea — but if the NCAA can’t resist, here’s how to do it
Thursday and Friday mark what many feel to be two of the best days of the sports year: the first two days of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. Perfectly timed on the sports calendar. Perfectly formatted with its fan-friendly three-week-long bracket system. Perfectly packaged with its survive-and-advance drama, and David...
Pitt adds verbal commitment from Ohio defensive tackle Francis Brewu
Pitt upped its number of verbal commitments for the Class of 2024 to five Thursday morning, as three-star defensive tackle Francis Brewu announced a pledge to the Panthers on Twitter. #BLESSED I am extremely excited to announce that I am 100% committed to play football and continue my academic career...
Steelers sign LB Elandon Roberts from Dolphins, cut LB Myles Jack in cap-saving move
The musical chairs at inside linebacker continued Thursday when the Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to terms on a contract with a second free agent at the position and cleared salary cap space by releasing Myles Jack. The Steelers agreed to a two-year deal with former New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins...
NCAA Tournament: First-round schedule, TV info, times, betting lines
BY JIM DERRY | Home Field Sports March Madness begins Thursday morning, and if you’re trying to map out your watching – and betting – schedule, we have you covered. Here’s the full list for the first round – both Thursday and Friday – and the spreads from FanDuel Sportsbook...
2023 fantasy baseball relief pitcher rankings: Is an elite closer worth drafting?
BY SPENCER URQUHART | Home Field Sports The Home Field Sports fantasy baseball rankings conclude with relief pitchers, a position that’s become tricky to navigate with fewer teams having a set closer. It’s important to note that designated closers aren’t the only relief pitchers worth drafting, as oftentimes it’s better...
Penn State favored again at NCAA wrestling championships
Penn State is favored to claim another team title and Cornell’s Yianni Diakomihalis and Iowa’s Spencer Lee, a Franklin Regional grad, will seek their fourth national titles at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships, which start Thursday in Tulsa, Okla. Penn State has won nine national championship in the past...
Are Penn State’s WRs good enough to reach the College Football Playoff? James Franklin thinks so
There are certainly exceptions. But one constant among College Football Playoff teams in recent years has been game-changing wide receivers. Alabama is the best example, climbing to the mountaintop with Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy and Calvin Ridley. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson helped...
Mets’ Edwin Díaz hurts knee as Puerto Rico tops Dominicans in World Baseball Classic
MIAMI — New York Mets star closer Edwin Díaz injured his right knee celebrating a win Wednesday night that advanced Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and eliminated the Dominican Republic. Díaz was taken off the field in a wheelchair in Miami soon after pitching a perfect ninth inning...
U mad, bro?: Steelers free agency, Pitt coverage, Tristan Jarry, Pens roster decisions put the ‘mad’ in ‘March Madness’
March Madness is upon us, but Pittsburgh sports fans don’t seem that mad about Pitt. They’re mainly mad about the Steelers, the Penguins and my coverage of both teams. OK, and a little mad about Pitt too. Here’s this week’s “U mad, bro?” Tim sent me an email after Penguins...
First Call: Ex-Patriot unhappy with JuJu Smith-Schuster’s signing; colorful assessment of new Steeler Nate Herbig
Thursday’s “First Call” has an interesting assessment of new Pittsburgh Steelers guard Nate Herbig. There’s been some shade thrown at the Patriots for signing former Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. What’s the ripple effect of Cincinnati’s big contract for Orlando Brown? The Steelers have scheduled a top-30 visit with a center....
Ryan Vilade found friendly competition in Pirates outfield with teammate Canaan Smith-Njigba
Ryan Vilade was standing within earshot when Canaan Smith-Njigba was asked about his old teammate becoming his new teammate with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith-Njigba raised his voice, making sure Vilade heard every word. “That’s my brother for life. I love my man Ryan Vilade,” Smith-Njigba said, with a smile. “Ryan...
Carson Briere, son of Flyers GM, apologizes after pushing woman’s wheelchair down bar stairs
Mercyhurst University college hockey player apologized Wednesday after video surfaced of him pushing a woman’s empty wheelchair down a set of stairs as she was away from it using the restroom. Carson Briere, 23, who competes in Division 1 with Mercyhurst in Erie, said he was “deeply sorry” for the...
Minor league report: Nailers snap losing streakVideo
A hat trick and an assist by forward Brooklyn Kalmikov led the Wheeling Nailers to an 8-4 road win against the Norfolk Admirals at the Norfolk (Va.) Scope Arena on Wednesday. Forward Tyler Drevitch had two goals and an assist for Wheeling (24-30-5-0) while forward Gianluca Esteves contributed a goal...
Fairleigh Dickinson rolls past Texas Southern in First FourVideo
DAYTON, Ohio — Ansley Almonor scored 23 points, and Fairleigh Dickinson beat Texas Southern, 84-61, on Wednesday night to earn its first NCAA Tournament win in four seasons. The Knights held a 14-2 lead after a 12-0 run in the opening 3 minutes, 29 seconds and never gave up the...
Panthers add RB Miles Sanders, TE Hayden HurstVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers added two significant offensive weapons to help out their incoming rookie quarterback. The Panthers announced Wednesday they agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders (Penn State, Woodland Hills) and former Cincinnati Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst, both unrestricted free agents....
AP source: Browns, safety Juan Thornhill agree to 3-year deal
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns went to the Super Bowl champions for a new safety. Cleveland reached an agreement with former Kansas City Chiefs free agent safety Juan Thornhill on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Wednesday night. Thornhill is getting a...
Pitt’s Guillermo Diaz Graham likes the flavor of his first taste of March Madness
When Guillermo Diaz Graham walked onto the UD Arena floor for Pitt’s First Four NCAA Tournament game Tuesday, he was startled by the enormity of the crowd. Born in the Canary Islands 20 years ago, Guillermo and his twin brother, Jorge, had been playing basketball for years. Why such a...
