Sports category, Page 1344
FIFA, Qatar prepare for unprecedented World Cup finals draw
DOHA, Qatar — A World Cup like no other in its 92-year history will take shape this week at an unprecedented tournament draw. When FIFA and host nation Qatar stage the draw ceremony show Friday, three of the 32 entries will be placeholders because the three-year qualifying program was delayed...
Mark Madden: Changes are needed for Penguins to beat the Rangers
There were disturbing takeaways from the Penguins’ 3-2 home loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday. • The Penguins are built on speed, but the Rangers are clearly faster. That was evident Tuesday and in each of the Penguins’ three games vs. the Rangers. The Rangers’ forecheck overwhelmed. The...
Specific matchup issues emerging for Penguins in potential playoff series against the Rangers
Even though Tuesday was “Ben Roethlisberger Night” at PPG Paints Arena, the Penguins couldn’t finish off a late comeback. The Penguins were beaten by the New York Rangers 3-2 despite a heart-stopping onslaught of 6-on-5 shots against New York goalie Igor Shesterkin. All the while, the Rangers were narrowly missing...
First Call: Steelers scouting under-the-radar QB prospect; Browns holding on Baker Mayfield; Ravens extend coach, not QB
Wednesday’s “First Call” introduces us to an off-the-radar quarterback that may be of interest to the Steelers. We’ve got updates from Baltimore and Cleveland on their QB situations. Eastern Conference chaos wasn’t restricted to the Penguins and Rangers Tuesday. And a familiar football name is coming back to Pittsburgh to...
Without a doubt, former OLSH, Moon star Puff Johnson ready to confront Duke, Final Four
When he was a freshman at Our Lady of Sacred Heart, Puff Johnson made 11 consecutive 3-point shots. A year later, he was named second-team all-state six months before his 18th birthday. Then, as a junior, he averaged 22.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while leading Moon to a...
After watching Braves win World Series, Bryse Wilson eyes spot in Pirates’ starting rotation
BRADENTON, Fla. — Bryse Wilson was only 22 when he started Game 4 of the 2020 NLCS, outdueling Clayton Kershaw as the Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to take a 3-1 series lead. So it was hard for Wilson to swallow that the Braves traded him to the...
Tim Benz: Something to love, something to hate about NFL’s overtime rules change
I suppose Steelers coach Mike Tomlin won’t be happy with the NFL rule change altering overtime in the playoffs. Then again, based on his comments Monday, Tomlin wasn’t all that happy with the rule as it stood last year anyway. Tomlin wanted to go back to old-fashioned, pre-2010 “sudden death”...
Saints sign veteran QB Andy Dalton as possible Jameis Winston backupVideo
METAIRIE, La. — The Saints signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, giving New Orleans a second experienced signal-caller behind returning starter Jameis Winston. Dalton, whose signing was announced Tuesday by Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, is a former starter in Cincinnati and is now with his fourth team in four years...
Marshall, ODU, Southern Miss get OK to exit C-USA for Sun Belt
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Conference USA has agreed to allow Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss to expedite their move to the Sun Belt. The resolution announced in a brief, joint statement Tuesday allows the three schools to withdraw from Conference USA by the end of the current academic year. Marshall,...
Penguins fall to Rangers, slip to 3rd place
The Penguins were bound to have trouble scoring goals Tuesday. After all, they were facing the New York Rangers, who have one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders in Igor Shesterkin. And not the Detroit Red Wings. Sure enough, the 3-2 win by the Rangers at PPG Paints Arena was a...
Kansas heads to Final Four with 2020 still on its mindVideo
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Christian Braun’s eyes opened wide when he learned that after Kansas had beaten Miami to return to the Final Four such a raging party had broken out back in Lawrence that authorities had to shut down Massachusetts Street, the popular bar and restaurant district near campus. It...
North Carolina, Duke set for 1st NCAA Tournament meeting in Final FourVideo
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Duke and North Carolina are taking their much-talked-about and often-debated men’s basketball rivalry on the road to a place it has never been. The neighboring schools are preparing for another first in a series filled with big-name players and intense finishes: playing each other in the...
Close to reaching World Cup, U.S. looks to avoid last-day flopVideo
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — American soccer’s harrowing memory of the loss in Trinidad 4 1/2 years ago remains omnipresent, if no longer raw. Denied a berth in the 2018 World Cup by a 2-1 defeat to an already-eliminated opponent, U.S. players try not to think about the fact they...
Analysis: Pirates pass on star power to prioritize development of ‘unicorn’ prospect Oneil Cruz
That Oneil Cruz won’t be on the Opening Day roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates might have stunned a frustrated fanbase but shouldn’t come as a shock, given their history of treating prized prospects with kid gloves. When the Pirates optioned the 6-foot-7 shortstop, ranked their No. 1 prospect by Baseball...
Ex-Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger drops puck for ceremonial faceoff before Penguins-Rangers game
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff before Tuesday’s game between the Penguins and New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby “won” the faceoff against Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow. During warmups, all the Penguins wore No. 7 jerseys in recognition...
Back to work with a new contract, Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi demands consistent effort
The ink was barely dry on Pat Narduzzi’s new nine-year contract Tuesday when he decided to blame himself for his players’ subpar effort at Pitt’s 10th practice of the spring. “I wasn’t as excited about it, compared to what we did Saturday (in a scrimmage, won by the defense),” he...
Albany investigating men’s hoops coach Dwayne Killings
ALBANY, N.Y. — Albany coach Dwayne Killings is away from the program while the school investigates a report of a physical confrontation with a player early in the season. A release from the university said its Office of Employee Relations was made aware of the allegation in February. School officials...
Penguins sign Western Michigan forward Ty Glover
For the second consecutive day, the Penguins signed an undrafted college free agent. Former Western Michigan forward Ty Glover agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract Wednesday. The deal will begin with the 2022-23 season and carries a salary cap hit of $859,000. Glover, 21, just finished his sophomore season at...
Pirates option top prospect Oneil Cruz to Triple-A Indianapolis in latest round of spring cuts
Oneil Cruz won’t be on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Opening Day roster. The Pirates optioned the 6-foot-7 shortstop, ranked their top prospect by Baseball America, to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday afternoon. Cruz batted .333 (5 for 15) with a 1.066 OPS in five Grapefruit League games this spring, hitting two home...
Pirates’ Mitch Keller stretches scoreless streak in win over Red Sox
Mitch Keller gave up back-to-back singles, putting Boston Red Sox runners on first and second with one out in the top of the fourth inning. It was the type of scenario that saw the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander go into meltdown mode the past three seasons. This time, Keller heated up....
Twins add former Pirates pitcher Chris Archer as potential rotation boostVideo
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Right-hander Chris Archer and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract Monday, a potential boost for their rotation with a two-time All-Star who is coming off an injury-ruined season. The former Pittsburgh Pirate has a $2.75 million salary, and the deal includes a...
Woods arrives at Augusta National as Masters talk mountsVideo
Tiger Woods flew to Augusta National on Tuesday, sparking even greater speculation the Masters next week could be his first time competing against the best since a car crash 14 months ago severely injured his right leg. Various plane-tracking websites showed a Gulfstream registered to Woods leaving South Florida at...
After testing waters in free agency, Ahkello Witherspoon embraces return to Steelers secondary
Ahkello Witherspoon took a patient approach to his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it led to a starting job at cornerback by the end of the season. Things worked out so well for the 27-year-old cornerback that he used the same tactic in free agency. Witherspoon bided his...
Column: Scheffler’s desire to compete takes him to the topVideo
AUSTIN, Texas — Scottie Scheffler only ever wanted to play. That started with watching. Six years before Scheffler won the Dell Technologies Match Play to become the No. 1 player in the world, he felt lucky just to get tickets to Austin Country Club during his sophomore year at Texas,...
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk dies from illness at 62
OTTAWA, Ontario — Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has died from an illness, the team said Monday night. He was 62. The team announced Melnyk’s death with a statement from his family that mentioned “an illness he faced with determination and courage.” The statement did not explain what the illness...
