Sports category, Page 1084
Analysis: Loss in bitter cold leaves Browns outside playoffs once againVideo
CLEVELAND — There’s nothing left for the Cleveland Browns to accomplish this season, another failed one in a long line of malfunctions for one of the NFL’s most inept franchises. Since 1999, they’ve had three winning seasons. Count ’em, three. They are masters of dysfunction, however, and coach Kevin Stefanski...
Randy Gregory, Oday Aboushi suspended 1 game for punchesVideo
NEW YORK — Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory and Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi were suspended one game each for exchanging punches after Los Angeles’ 51-14 win over Denver on Sunday. NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspensions Monday for violations of unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness...
Defensive resurgence for Steelers to be tested in rematch with Ravens
The way the Pittsburgh Steelers defense has played since the bye has mirrored the success of the team and the way it has staved off elimination in the AFC playoff picture. The defense held opponents to fewer than 310 yards just once in the first half of the season, a...
Steelers notes: Elijah Riley called upon off practice squad; Connor Heyward on savvy final play
When Mike Tomlin walked into the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room about a half hour after the conclusion of Saturday night’s win against the Las Vegas Raiders, he had dozens of players he could greet. The one Tomlin made a bee line to first was … Elijah Riley. Called up that...
No. 1 South Carolina women reach milestone in AP Top 25
South Carolina maintained its hold on top of The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll Monday, reaching a milestone in the process. The Gamecocks have held the No. 1 spot for 27 consecutive weeks, which is the fifth longest run all-time. UConn has three of the top four streaks,...
Denver Broncos fire rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos fired first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday with two games left in the season. Team owner and CEO Greg Penner said he’ll lead the search for a new coach with assistance from GM George Paton, in whom he expressed confidence while announcing Hackett’s dismissal....
No. 1 Purdue headlines AP Top 25; Miami leaps, UNC returns
Purdue remained atop The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week, while preseason No. 1 North Carolina returned to the rankings and New Mexico cracked the poll for the first time in eight years. The Boilermakers earned 40 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s...
Mark Madden: You think the Steelers are close, but close to what?
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ win on Franco Day was dramatic, inspirational and happy. It was cool more than cold. That’s saying something given game-night temperatures. Despite the frigidity, it might have been better in person than on television. The crowd at Acrisure Stadium was small but rabid. It deserved that victory....
Madden Monday: ‘I just don’t see the progress’ after narrow win against Raiders
It’s really not that hard to break down the Steelers-Raiders game that took place on Christmas Eve. The Las Vegas Raiders had a dominant drive to start the game. The Pittsburgh Steelers had a dominant drive to end the game. In between, the Steelers won 6-3. That’s it. That’s the...
Springdale grad Rachel Halapchuk provides versatility, leadership for John Carroll swimming
Coaches often talk about leadership qualities in certain athletes. That might entail demonstrating a strong work ethic in practice. It might mean sacrificing individual glory for the good of the team. Or it could mean offering words of wisdom. John Carroll senior swimmer Rachel Halapchuk checks all of those boxes....
Greensburg Salem grad Malia Anderson enters track season on heels of making XC nationals for Cal (Pa.)Video
Malia Anderson called it “falling back in love” with running. The Greensburg Salem grad earned a scholarship to run cross country and track at Georgetown, and after a handful of cross country meets and her indoor track season, the pandemic shut down school and athletic activities. She spent her second...
How the Penguins have fared in outdoor gamesVideo
In the 19 years since the NHL first began playing regular-season outdoor games, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been a regular presence in such showcases. After all, it’s more of an event manufactured for television than a mundane, ordinary game. And the Penguins have long been a safe, reliable choice for...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: GCC grad Tatum Gretz transfers to Youngstown State
Tatum Gretz changed lanes in her college soccer career. The former Greensburg Central Catholic standout is transferring from Villanova to Youngstown State. She saw limited time as a freshman and sought a change of scenery. “We are excited to add a player like Tatum to the Penguin family,” Penguins coach...
Analysis: NFL playoff picture tightens up after Week 16
Minshew Mania is on hold. The Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t wrap up the NFC East and the No. 1 seed with their backup quarterback, tightening the playoff picture in a wide-open conference. The Eagles (13-2) need only one more win to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs but a 40-34 loss...
Buckeyes defense motivated to limit big plays against Georgia
COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.T. Tuimoloau stood in front of the Buckeyes before practice the week after Ohio State’s second straight loss to Michigan. As the sting of defeat began to set in and the prospect of missing the playoff remained a possibility, the second-year defensive end offered a reminder to...
Rams, Bucs, Packers earn wins on same day in upside down NFC
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins, and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos. It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl...
NFL flexes schedule for Week 17, moves Steelers-Ravens game to prime time
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are heading to prime time for their New Year’s Day matchup at M&T Bank Stadium. The NFL announced Sunday that the game has been flexed to 8:20 p.m. and will be televised by NBC. It originally was supposed to be played at 1 p.m....
Duquesne men aim to continue strong start to the season into Atlantic 10 league play
Keith Dambrot likely is tired of having to juxtapose his team’s success this season with Duquesne’s abysmal performance last year, which saw the Dukes drop their final 17 games en route to a 6-24 overall record. After all, who wouldn’t want to put such a rough year-long performance completely out...
Florida wide receiver DayDay Farmer verbally commits to Pitt, Panthers’ 2nd from class of ’24
Ric’Darious “DayDay” Farmer has nearly 12 months before he can sign a letter of intent, but the junior wide receiver from Cocoa, Fla., told Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi on Saturday that he plans to enroll in 2024. COMMITTED????‼️ #H2P #LONGLIVEDAD @CoachHooksCOCOA @Cocoa_Schneider @TiUnderwood @CoachDuzzPittFB pic.twitter.com/cTUPXzVccq— Ric’Darious Farmer 4⭐️WR (@Dayday_F7) December...
Former Penguins forward Matt Cooke finds fulfillment coaching in Minnesota
There are a lot of things you can call Matt Cooke. And if you happen to be in Boston or Ottawa or New York, a lot of those things would not be suitable for publication. One thing you definitely can’t call him these days? A hockey player. At 44, the...
Steelers vs. Raiders: What they’re saying in Las Vegas after loss
Immaculate this was not. A struggling quarterback. No points in the second half. Dimming playoff hopes. We’re talking about the Las Vegas, who came into Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Immaculate Reception and lost to the Steelers 13-10. Quarterback Derek Carr orchestrated a touchdown drive...
Kenny Pickett proving he has some Big Ben in him in leading Steelers’ late-game heroics
It was a phrase accounting for less than 10% of a 64-word answer Cameron Heyward gave in response to a media question related to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ winning drive. “We needed 7 at the end.” Taken out of context, many Steelers fans had spent the better part of the past...
Feats of Strength: Dormant Steelers offense delivers late; defense responds to bad start
Hey, the Steelers’ win over the Raiders in the Immaculate Reception game wasn’t exactly a thing of beauty either, was it? That game was 13-7 Steelers on Dec. 23, 1972. And they looked to be in trouble until the very end. The game between the clubs on Christmas Eve 2022...
From ‘Franco!’ cadence to wearing ‘32’ jerseys, Steelers players relish honoring Harris with win
It wasn’t ugly Christmas sweaters that Pittsburgh Steelers players, en masse, wore while walking in and out of Acrisure Stadium before and after their Christmas Eve night victory. Instead, it was a pullover with much more meaning. Steelers players, coaches and even front-office members were adorned with No. 32 Franco...
Middle Tennessee beats San Diego State in Hawaii Bowl
HONOLULU — Zeke Rankin kicked four field goals, including a 37-yarder for the go-ahead score with 2:05 left, and Middle Tennessee State beat San Diego State, 25-23, in the Hawaii Bowl on Saturday night. The Blue Raiders (8-5) overcome a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to turn back the Aztecs (7-6) in...
