Sports category, Page 1135
5 things to watch in Week 10 of high school football
In WPIAL Class 5A, is eight enough? Consider, Gateway and Upper St. Clair each lost only once in conference play, yet they’re matched head-to-head in the first round of a brutal WPIAL Class 5A bracket that was reduced this season to eight teams. “It’s hard to complain wherever you ended...
Friday Football Footnotes: Pittsburgh native in charge of Bears’ plans for Chase Claypool; Steelers’ next opponent faces Ravens
Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye this Sunday. But there is plenty of NFL action to keep you intrigued this weekend. For this week’s “Friday Football Footnotes,” we tell you what the plans are for Chase Claypool’s debut in Chicago. Monday night’s game has lots of Steelers implications. And...
First Call: Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones mocks newest Steeler; Mitch Trubisky backs up Kenny Pickett’s concerns
A hated rival of the Pittsburgh Steelers is mocking their recent acquisition of William Jackson III. One Steelers quarterback is backing up the opinions of the guy who took his job. Speaking of quarterbacks, which one will Pitt see from Syracuse when the Orange visit Acrisure Stadium on Saturday? We...
Indiana considers QB change with No. 16 Penn State up next
Indiana coach Tom Allen intends to keep No. 16 Penn State guessing. He might stick with Connor Bazelak as the starting quarterback. Allen could go with experienced backup Jack Tuttle, who plans to transfer at the end of the season. Or, with Indiana’s postseason hopes fading, perhaps he’ll get a...
West Virginia, Iowa State each need win to keep bowl hopes alive
GAME CAPSULE West Virginia (3-5, 1-4 Big 12) at Iowa State (3-5, 0-5), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+) Line: Iowa State by 7 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Series record: West Virginia leads 6-4. WHAT’S AT STAKE? Iowa State and West Virginia need three wins each to achieve bowl eligibility,...
Justin Verlander gets World Series win, Astros lead Phillies 3-2Video
PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander overcame an early jolt to grit out the World Series win that long eluded him, rookie Jeremy Peña hit a go-ahead home run and the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 Thursday night to head home with a 3-2 lead. Buoyed by late defensive gems...
Jalen Hurts, Eagles beat Texans for their first 8-0 startVideo
HOUSTON — Jalen Hurts threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, and the Philadelphia Eagles overcame a slow start to beat the Houston Texans 29-17 on Thursday night for the first 8-0 start in franchise history. Hurts lost a fumble in a forgettable first half and game was tied at...
Nets suspend Kyrie Irving for at least 5 games without pay
NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay, saying they were dismayed by his failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.” Hours after Irving refused to issue the apology NBA commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting a link to an...
Quite the catch: WR Cooper has been everything Browns hopedVideo
CLEVELAND — Amari Cooper has been everything the Cleveland Browns hoped, providing leadership and high-quality play from the moment he arrived via trade from Dallas. He has been a standard of unquestioned excellence. Except for about eight seconds. At least Cooper was able to laugh late Monday night after his...
Louisville escapes major sanctions in hoops bribery case
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After five agonizing years, Louisville finally gets to look forward. An independent panel placed the Cardinals’ basketball program on two years of probation and fined it $5,000, but spared the school major penalties from NCAA allegations leveled in the aftermath of a federal investigation into corruption in...
Chastain’s video game-inspired ride puts more eyes on NASCARVideo
PHOENIX — Ross Chastain’s video game-inspired ride along the wall at Martinsville carried him across the finish line, into the NASCAR championship finale and around the world. Like it or not — there’s plenty on both sides — the hands-free, foot-to-the-floor Chevy slingshot ride catapulted Chastain and NASCAR into the...
Pitt defensive backs will seek redemption when Syracuse comes to town
There is no questioning the athleticism of Pitt’s defensive backs. The five who sweat and stress the most when the opposing quarterback puts the football in the air have enough experience, dating to the 2018 and ‘19 seasons, that nothing should surprise them. But speed, smarts and seasoning don’t always...
Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman opts for surgery, out for the season
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore receiver Rashod Bateman is out for the season after deciding to have surgery on his injured foot. Coach John Harbaugh announced Thursday that Bateman opted for Lisfranc surgery after consulting with his family and agent. “We support him on that. We understand what he’s doing,”...
Jaromir Jagr gives thumbs up to Penguins winger Jason Zucker’s salute
When they took on the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins debuted their new “Reverse Retro” jerseys featuring the logo the team wore from 1992-2002. When Jason Zucker scored on a two-on-one with Evgeni Malkin in the first period, he broke out a celebration from the logo’s heyday....
Penn State’s run game leans on talented freshmen with Keyvone Lee ailing
Keyvone Lee led Penn State in rushing last season with 530 yards. Yes, it wasn’t a banner year for the Nittany Lions’ ground game, which averaged 3.2 per attempt. Lee, a third-year back, has been limited this year due to an undisclosed injury. His status for No. 16 Penn State’s...
Ray Guy, first Pro Football Hall of Fame punter, dies at 72
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Ray Guy, the first punter to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died Thursday. He was 72. Southern Mississippi, where Guy starred before becoming the first punter ever taken in the first round of the NFL draft, said he died following a lengthy illness. He had...
Penguins forward Jason Zucker finding more success with healthVideo
Jason Zucker didn’t have a problem setting screens last season. Even when a core muscle injury — an all-encompassing-term that involves but isn’t limited to a groin — hindered him for the bulk of the campaign, the Pittsburgh Penguins forward never was hesitant to go to the blue paint and...
Tim Benz: Sharper goaltending would help, but Penguins’ pattern of blown leads goes well beyond that
After the Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest loss, a 6-3 defeat in Buffalo on Wednesday night, head coach Mike Sullivan tamped down any suggestion that second-string goalie Casey DeSmith was to blame. As he should have. “I thought Casey competed hard for us tonight,” Sullivan insisted. “I thought the goals they got...
Steven Sims, others jockey to replace Chase Claypool for 2022 Steelers
As the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday went through the final practice before a four-day break, there was a void on offense. A void that measures about 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds worth. For the first day, at least, the void was filled by someone who measures 6 inches shorter and 62...
3 takeaways: Penguins penalty kill continues to struggle
Three takeaways from a 6-3 Penguins loss at Buffalo on Wednesday night: PK problems The Pittsburgh Penguins’ penalty kill continued to struggle during a 6-3 road loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. The Sabres’ second goal of the contest was a power-play score by forward Tage Thompson at 3:21...
Former Pitt player Xavier Johnson could be X-factor for No. 13 IndianaVideo
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Pitt transfer Xavier Johnson faced the stark reality his basketball days could be over when an April police chase ended in his arrest in a Bloomington parking lot. Indiana coach Mike Woodson was willing to forgive his starting point guard if he agreed to some conditions. Johnson’s...
College basketball preview: NCAA portal chaos puts pressure on hoops coaches in lower levelsVideo
There is growing fear among college basketball coaches at the lower levels of the sport, the vast majority of whom do not make seven-figure salaries, fly around the country in private jets or hang out with rich and famous boosters and fans. It’s a fear that comes with success. It...
College basketball preview: Loaded No. 8 UCLA tops resurgent Pac-12 ConferenceVideo
UCLA’s bid to reach consecutive Final Fours fell short last season in a rash of injuries and a tough Sweet 16 matchup. With two of the Pac-12’s best players back and a sterling freshman class, the No. 8 Bruins have their sights set on a second Final Four in three...
NCAA transfer portal causing ripple effect across college hoops recruitingVideo
Eric Musselman has been one of the nation’s best at dipping into the transfer portal at Arkansas and at his previous stop in Nevada. Musselman is still adept at landing elite high school recruits — his 2022 class was second nationally — but adding quality transfers was a big part...
SEC’s 6 new men’s basketball coaches prepare for a grindVideo
Mike White has an advantage over about a third of the other men’s basketball coaches in the SEC this season. He may be in a new place, but the Georgia coach is at least in the same conference. That should give White, who moved on from Florida after last season,...
