Sports category, Page 1128
Penn State’s Brenton Strange declares for NFL draft, will play in Rose Bowl
Two weeks ago, Brenton Strange acknowledged he had a “life-changing decision” on his hands: come back to Penn State for the 2023 season or declare for the NFL draft. “I haven’t really made any decisions yet,” Strange said at Penn State’s Rose Bowl media day at Beaver Stadium. “But I’d...
3 takeaways: Penguins’ power play stifled by Islanders
Three takeaways from the Penguins’ 5-1 road loss to the Islanders on Tuesday night: Streak ends The Penguins were blanked on their lone power-play opportunity of the game, which began at 9:50 of the first period. Their lone shot during the opportunity was recorded by forward Sidney Crosby at the...
Wisconsin beats Oklahoma State in Guaranteed Rate Bowl
PHOENIX — Wisconsin had a new coach on the sideline, with the interim coach still calling the shots. The Badgers had several new players in key positions, including quarterback. A long, sometimes-difficult season came to a conclusion with more adversity — and, eventually, a win. A 17-point lead nearly erased,...
Katie Ledecky earns AP female athlete of year for 2nd time
A change of scenery worked out just fine for Katie Ledecky. Shifting coasts and coaches after last summer’s Tokyo Olympics, the American swimmer turned in another stellar performance at the world championships, set a pair of world records and capped 2022 as The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year,...
Mark Madden: Steelers are flawed in assembly, administration but blessed by perception
As the Pittsburgh Steelers cling to their 2% chance of making the playoffs, it might be more fun to look ahead to next year. On second thought, maybe not. Their problems are great, and they are many. This space has mentioned how rallying to 7-8 will enable the Steelers’ failures...
Duquesne ready to test pre-conference, home court success on the road in A-10 play
The Duquesne Dukes are set to begin their Atlantic 10 schedule Wednesday night. Their first conference game will be in Dayton at 7 p.m. It’s also the conference debut for the Flyers. Despite incorporating 10 new players into the mix, the Dukes had a very successful non-conference season, winning 10...
John Rooney, son of Steelers founder, dies at 83
John Rooney, son of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Arthur J. Rooney Sr., has died. The brother of former Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, and a minority shareholder in the team, John Rooney was one of five children of Art, who founded the team in 1933. John Rooney was 83. Late Wednesday morning,...
Tim Benz: Why Mike Tomlin is so enthusiastic about flexed kickoff vs. Baltimore
Of course, Mike Tomlin is going to hop on a chance to leverage an emotional advantage in his team’s favor. Especially against the Baltimore Ravens. Especially with his franchise’s playoff fate hanging by a thread. When word broke that the Steelers-Ravens game got flexed from a 1 p.m. start into...
First Call: Odds on Brian Flores getting Broncos job; T.J. and Derek Watt react to J.J.’s retirement
Wednesday’s “First Call” has the odds on Pittsburgh Steelers assistant Brian Flores landing the Denver Broncos’ head coaching job. A former Steelers rival is getting a coaching position in the college ranks. Steelers players T.J. and Derek Watt are reacting to their brother J.J.’s retirement. We also preview the Penguins’...
East Carolina QB throws Birmingham Bowl-record 5 TD passes to beat Coastal Carolina
BIRMINGHAM, Ala — Holton Ahlers threw a Birmingham Bowl-record five touchdown passes and accounted for a game-record six TDs to help East Carolina beat Coastal Carolina, 53-29, in the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium. Ahlers, selected the game MVP, threw for 300 yards on 26-of-38 passing, rushed for 37...
Minor league report: Penguins’ losing streak reaches 4Video
Goaltender Dustin Tokarski made 38 saves on 39 shots in regulation and overtime for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 2-1 home shootout loss to the rival Hershey Bears at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. Tokarski stopped one of two shootout attempts while the Penguins were blanked on all...
Canceled flights to Las Vegas ground Saint Vincent women’s basketball team
The Saint Vincent women’s basketball team was set for a road trip west for a holiday tournament, but the Bearcats — and their plans — were grounded at the last minute. “The trip was a nightmare,” coach Jimmy Petruska said. “It was a mess from the start.” The Bearcats (7-3)...
Penguins routed by Islanders in miserable return from Christmas break
The Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders met for the first time this season on Tuesday at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. And it was the first meeting with the Penguins for Lane Lambert as the Islanders’ head coach but not his first against the long-time Metropolitan Division rivals....
Ed Reed agrees to become Bethune-Cookman’s football coachVideo
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed agreed to become the football coach at Bethune-Cookman and is leaving his job with the Miami Hurricanes, the schools announced Tuesday night. Reed played at Miami and spent the last three years in an administrative role with the Hurricanes,...
Georgia’s RB depth big part of run toward repeatVideo
ATLANTA — Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s plan for a deep running back corps was based on more than making it through a 12-game regular season. Smart wanted his backs to be fresh for the College Football Playoff. The No. 1 Bulldogs will take a group of four running backs, led...
Power vs. speed: Michigan, TCU present unfamiliar challenges in Fiesta BowlVideo
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Asked to consider what previous opponents were similar to Michigan, TCU’s defensive players and coordinator mention Kansas State a lot. A bigger Kansas State. “We see that they have a pretty huge O-line,” Horned Frogs linebacker Dee Winters said Tuesday. As for the Wolverines, they don’t have...
Sun Bowl notebook: Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. no stranger to west Texas
EL PASO, Texas — Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. is no stranger to West Texas or to the UCLA coaching staff he must try to outwit Friday in the Sun Bowl. Cignetti was part of Pitt’s coaching staff in 1989 when the Panthers came to El Paso and defeated...
Pitt’s Jake Kradel, Brandon George eager for Sun Bowl, but they respect teammates who choose to skip game
EL PASO, Texas — Jake Kradel grew up in Butler, probably never dreaming he’d have two attractive career choices within reach of his massive hands before he turned 24. NFL or MBA? The former offers the eventual possibility of a nice paycheck. Draftcountdown.com ranks Kradel among the top 30 guards...
Seth Henigan’s 3 TD passes lead Memphis past Utah State in First Responder Bowl
DALLAS — Seth Henigan passed for 284 yards and three touchdowns — two of them to Eddie Lewis — and Jeyvon Ducker ran for two touchdowns to give Memphis a 38-10 win over Utah State in the First Responder Bowl on Tuesday. Henigan’s touchdown passes all were thrown in the...
UTEP basketball coach Joe Golding steps up when Pitt football players needed a friendVideo
EL PASO, Texas — Before their Good Samaritan showed up Christmas night, Pitt football players Jake Frantl, Sam Okunlola and Hudson Primus had no reason to follow the Texas-El Paso basketball team. But they’re fans now, after UTEP coach Joe Golding came to their rescue. Victimized by a flight delay...
Snyder, Buffalo top Georgia Southern 23-21 in Camellia Bowl
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Cole Snyder passed for 265 yards, and Tajay Ahmed took over the fourth quarter with 14 carries to lead Buffalo to a 23-21 victory over Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl on Tuesday. The Bulls (7-6) chewed up the clock with runs from Ahmed on 11 consecutive...
Mike Tomlin sees intangible qualities become tangible for Steelers rookie QB Kenny Pickett
For the second time in five games, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett directed a fourth-quarter comeback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. When he led a 10-play, 76-yard drive Saturday that ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens with 46 seconds left in a 13-10 victory against Las Vegas, it was...
Pirates add lefty to rotation by signing 42-year-old Rich Hill to 1-year, $8 million deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates found the left-hander they were looking to add to their starting rotation, agreeing to a one-year, $8 million contract with 42-year-old Rich Hill, pending a physical. Hill, who turns 43 on March 11, has an 82-59 career record with a 3.85 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 350...
Cardinals’ J.J. Watt indicates he’ll retire at end of season
TEMPE, Ariz. — J.J. Watt could be a terrifying presence on a football field, hunting opposing quarterbacks with unparalleled ferocity, particularly during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans. But the 6-foot-5, 288-pounder also could be a joyful fan favorite, playing catch on the sideline with young fans in the...
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin focused on Ravens, not potential playoff scenarios
Entering Week 17 of the NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers remain mathematically alive for a wild-card berth in the AFC playoffs, a concept that three weeks ago seemed about as unlikely as snow in July. Back-to-back wins have moved the Steelers within one game of .500, leaving them with a...
