Sports category, Page 1102
Mark Madden: Steelers should fight neutral-site conference championships
The Pittsburgh Steelers must make sure the NFL doesn’t play its conference championship games at neutral sites. Because the NFL surely wants to. The NFL mooted the concept because of the Damar Hamlin near-tragedy, which caused cancellation of the Week 17 game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. Because...
Analysis: Defense still wins in the NFL playoffs
Defense stills wins in the playoffs. The San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals advanced to the conference championship games with excellent defensive performances Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles also had a standout defensive effort Saturday night. While high-flying offenses led by star quarterbacks get most of the attention, defense matters. It...
Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul give U.S. 3 men in quarterfinals at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia — Ben Shelton’s concerns leading into his first Australian Open had less to do with playing tennis and more to do with everything else associated with the trip. His first time outside of the United States. His first time using a passport. The jet lag. The time difference....
3 takeaways: Penguins lose another Metropolitan Division game
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the New Jersey Devils, 2-1, in overtime at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Sunday. The result dropped their record against Metropolitan Division foes to 5-4-3. The only other team in the Metropolitan Division with fewer divisional wins this season are the Columbus Blue...
First Call: Ex-Steeler calls out Ben Roethlisberger; Brian Flores’ Arizona interview; the cash Lamar Jackson rejected
In Monday’s “First Call,” an ex-Steeler is starting up some Twitter beef with Ben Roethlisberger. We are getting some financial details about Lamar Jackson’s contract situation. Steelers assistant Brian Flores has a job interview today. And the Ravens may be trying to poach an assistant from the Cleveland Browns’ staff....
Madden Monday on long-range NHL playoff prospects: ‘I don’t think the Penguins will make it’
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest overtime defeat came Sunday afternoon in New Jersey. It was a 2-1 loss to the Devils, courtesy of a Doug Hamilton game-winning goal. The shot that won it for the Devils came on a power play after the Penguins were busted for too many men on...
Tim Benz: Where Andrew McCutchen’s presence may best benefit the Pirates — if he’s willing to go there
When Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen made the comment, I figured it was simply the right thing to say. “I want to win,” McCutchen said during a press conference to announce his return to Pittsburgh after a five-year absence. “Specifically, I want to win here. I know what it feels...
49ers beat Cowboys to advance to NFC title game
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Christian McCaffrey scored on a go-ahead 2-yard run in the fourth quarter and San Francisco’s defense did the rest, sending the 49ers to their second straight NFC title game with a 19-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The 49ers (15-4) used back-to-back long scoring...
Rahm outlasts rookie Thompson to win AmEx by 1 strokeVideo
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Jon Rahm took advantage of mistakes by rookie Davis Thompson over the adventuresome final three holes and closed with a 4-under-par 68 to win The American Express by one stroke Sunday, his second PGA Tour win in as many starts this year. The Spanish star pumped...
Transfer WR Dante Cephas bringing ‘the complete package’ to Penn State
Daequan Hardy was the star four years ago in Hershey. Now a starting nickel back at Penn State, Hardy led Penn Hills to a 2018 PIAA championship win over Manheim Central with four touchdowns, three interceptions and 340 all-purpose yards. His incredible individual effort helped secure Penn Hills’ second state...
Bengals return to AFC championship after 27-10 rout of BillsVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals threw a big wrench into the highly anticipated travel plans of the Buffalo Bills, their fans and perhaps even the NFL offices. Burrow threw two touchdown passes, and Cincinnati’s defense swarmed Josh Allen on a snow-slicked field in a 27-10...
Minor league report: Nailers snap losing streakVideo
A goal and an assist by defenseman Davis Bunz led the Wheeling Nailers to a 3-1 road win against the Indy Fuel at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis on Sunday. Goaltender Brad Barone made 22 saves on 23 shots for Wheeling (18-16-4-0) which snapped a four-game losing streak while...
Damian Dunn scores 16, Temple defeats No. 1 HoustonVideo
HOUSTON — Damian Dunn scored 16 points and made the go-ahead free throw as Kur Jongkuch blocked Houston’s go-ahead attempt in the final seconds as Temple held on and defeated the top-ranked Cougars 56-55 on Sunday. Temple improved to 3-18 against No. 1 ranked teams. The Owls (12-9, 6-2 American...
Defense propelling IUP, the nation’s top-ranked Division II men’s basketball team
Just before Christmas, the Indiana University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball team moved into the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Division II rankings. It looks like the Crimson Hawks intend to stay there. As each opponent turns on a spit, IUP (17-0) continues to look like the best team in...
Penguins fall to Devils in overtime despite improved defense
Having surrendered at least 40 shots in each of their previous two games, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a distinct pursuit in mind for Sunday’s road contest against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center in Newark. Don’t let them shoot that much. “The opportunity, moving forward, is to make sure...
Chiefs’ Chad Henne delivers with Patrick Mahomes hobbled in playoff win
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The experience is evident in the salt that peppers the beard of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne. The 37-year-old journeyman has hung around the league for nearly 15 years, his days as a starter in Miami and Jacksonville long distant memories. For the past five...
AP source: Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes suffered high ankle sprain
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes suffered a right high ankle sprain in the Kansas City Chiefs’ divisional playoff win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, a person familiar with the nature of the injury told the Associated Press on Sunday, but the All-Pro quarterback expects to play in next weekend’s AFC...
Bills’ Hamlin attends 1st game since collapse, waves to fansVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his first public appearance since going into cardiac arrest after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals three weeks ago, waving to fans from a stadium suite on Sunday as the teams met again for an AFC divisional playoff game...
‘That’s Andrew McCutchen’s number’: The Pirate who protected No. 22 until his return
When the Pittsburgh Pirates wanted to hype the return of Andrew McCutchen, their creative team asked clubhouse and equipment manager Scott Bonnett if he had any leftover jerseys. There would be no Catch-22 with Cutch’s 22. Bonnett only had to open his own locker. Hanging alongside an autographed Francisco Cervelli...
Penguins activate forward Ryan Poehling from injured reserve
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ryan Poehling was activated from injured reserve Sunday afternoon, shortly before his team faced the New Jersey Devils in a road game at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. An undisclosed ailment has caused Poehling to miss 13 of the past 14 games and landed him on...
Matriculating from the Canary Islands, Diaz Graham twins make Pitt their 2nd home
He attacks from behind, always with a weapon in his hands. Every day. And gets away with it. “When he has that blocking pad in his hand, you better be ready for anything,” Pitt freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham said of associate head coach Tim O’Toole. It’s all part of how...
Jennifer Bruce Scott honored to have jersey retired at Pitt
Jennifer Bruce Scott has worn several hats in the game of basketball over the years, from a high school and collegiate competitor to high school coach at Winchester Thurston, Penn Hills, Gateway and Plum and now as a high school referee. Her standout four years on the hard court at...
Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff lose at Australian Open; Sebastian Korda in 1st Slam quarterfinal
MELBOURNE, Australia — It all came so seemingly easy for Iga Swiatek last season — two Grand Slam trophies, eight titles overall, a 37-match winning streak, a lengthy stay at No. 1 in the rankings. Those accomplishments made everyone else expect constant greatness from Swiatek, which she can’t do anything...
Marcus Carr’s strong 2nd half lifts No. 7 Texas over West Virginia
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Marcus Carr waited for his chance to score. Those opportunities came rushing to the Texas guard in the second half. Carr scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half to lead No. 7 Texas to a 69-61 victory over West Virginia on Saturday night. The...
Jalen Hurts, Eagles pound Giants early, coast to NFC title game
PHILADELPHIA — All it took was one throw. Jalen Hurts let it fly on his first pass attempt of the game and suddenly the unease that crept into that often worrisome Philly sports psyche — yeah, but how is his banged-up right shoulder, really? — seemed to dissipate. Hurts’ shoulder...
