Sports category, Page 1443
Inside look at how pieces of cowhide are transformed into NBA game balls
CHICAGO — The noise on the ground floor of the Horween Leather Co. is a deep, constant rumble pierced by the shrieks of blades inside machines that have split leather to within fractions of an inch for more than 120 years. The smell is so pungent that first-time visitors to...
Mark Madden: Steelers produce another discouraging win but still lack momentum
If there’s such a concept as a “discouraging win,” the Steelers might perfect it. That mess against Tennessee on Sunday was more about the Titans being determined to lose, not the Steelers deserving to win. The Steelers got four takeaways, turned them into just four field goals and could have...
Saints frustrate Tom Brady again, beat Super Bowl champ Buccaneers
TAMPA, Fla. — Nobody hounds Tom Brady like the New Orleans Saints. Cameron Jordan and the New Orleans defense gave Brady fits again, shutting down Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense Sunday night as the Saints put the Buccaneers’ division-title celebration plans on hold with a 9-0 victory over the reigning Super...
Blue Jackets, Canadiens shut down, 9 of 32 NHL teams paused
More than a quarter of NHL teams have been shut down through at least the weekend, after the Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens became the eighth and ninth to have activities paused because of several positive covid-19 test results among players. The Blue Jackets had games scheduled for Monday...
Steelers vs. Titans: What they’re saying in Tennessee after loss
They can’t be happy in Nashville Monday morning. The Tennessee Titans controlled the time of possession against the Steelers, rushed for 201 yards and had 22 first downs. And they lost, 19-13. Four turnovers played a major role. Here’s what the sports writers are saying in Tennessee. “The Titans somehow...
First Call: James Harrison on T.J. Watt setting Steelers’ sack record; Le’Veon Bell wants to box; Ravens miss another 2-point try
In Monday’s “First Call,” James Harrison congratulates T.J. Watt on breaking his Pittsburgh Steelers single-season sacks record. Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel had some interesting comments on the Steelers’ rushing game. Antonio Brown will be back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Le’Veon Bell wants to try celebrity boxing. And Baltimore...
Madden Monday: Steelers’ win over Titans was ‘discouraging’; Penguins’ Teddy Blueger shines
The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to grind out a 19-13 victory against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Heinz Field. But it did little to impress Mark Madden from a big-picture point of view. In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark said don’t let the victory fool you into thinking...
Ravens slipping further with each 2-point failure
BALTIMORE — In the past three weeks, the Baltimore Ravens have gone for three big 2-point conversions. If they’d converted any of them, they might be in a much safer spot right now in the playoff chase. Instead, coach John Harbaugh and his team were left to lament another missed...
Penguins hold off Devils, extend winning streak to 7
On the surface, a road game against the New Jersey Devils in mid-December is usually a pretty ho-hum affair. For Mike Sullivan, Sunday’s contest was important. Because all of them are important to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ coach. “I always love that question that you guys (media) ask me,” Sullivan said...
Covid issues force Red Wings to shut down through at least Dec. 26Video
DETROIT — Given recent developments it seemed inevitable. On Sunday it came to pass. The Red Wings have shut down team operations until at least after the NHL’s holiday break that concludes Dec. 26 due to an uptick in positive covid cases, the league announced Sunday. Sunday, the Wings placed...
Bengals get important victory on road vs. Broncos
DENVER — Khalid Kareem snatched the ball from backup quarterback Drew Lock on second-and-goal early in the fourth quarter, and the Cincinnati Bengals stayed in the thick of the logjammed AFC playoff race with a 15-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The Bengals (8-6) won despite star rookie...
Olympics looking less likely for NHL playersVideo
With another round of games postponed in the NHL on Sunday because of covid-19, it became more and more likely that the league will not participate in the upcoming Olympics in Beijing in February. The NHL and the NHL’s Players’ Association (NHLPA), in a combined release issued Sunday evening, indicated...
Packers clinch division after Ravens’ 2-point try failsVideo
BALTIMORE — Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes — tying Brett Favre on Green Bay’s career list — and the Packers became the first team this season to clinch a division title, wrapping up the NFC North with a 31-30 win over Baltimore. The Ravens missed another big 2-point conversion...
‘Joe Money’ — Haden’s return instrumental in big day for Steelers defense
Joe Haden is among a dwindling few NFL players whose official weight is less than 200 pounds. Haden, though, proved big Sunday — both in his physical strength and his sage-like presence in returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers. “We let everyone know that Joe lifts weights with that last stop,”...
Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances: Steelers defense manages to make both during nail-biting win over Titans
As we told you Friday at “Breakfast With Benz,” Sunday’s showdown against the Tennessee Titans (9-5) lined up as exactly the kind of game the Steelers (7-6-1) always win. Well, they did. By a final score of 19-13. But, wow, did they try hard to get in their own way...
Steelers notes: T.J. Watt breaks team sacks record, Pat Freiermuth in concussion protocol
T.J. Watt ended up breaking the Pittsburgh Steelers’ single-season sacks record roughly 45 minutes before anyone knew he did. Watt was announced as the Steelers’ season sacks king after a 10-yard takedown of Ryan Tannehill 7 minutes into the third quarter of Sunday’s 19-13 Steelers win against the Tennessee Titans....
Tiger & son’s 11 straight birdies fall short of Daly duo at PNC ChampionshipVideo
ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods might not be ready for tour-level golf. He can still deliver quite a show. In a remarkable return from a car crash 10 months ago that badly damaged his right leg, Woods and 12-year-old son Charlie set a tournament record with 11 straight birdies and...
Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger now 5th in all-time passing yards, has 1st rush TD in 3 years
On a day in which he became the NFL’s fifth all-time leading passer, Ben Roethlisberger instead was cracking jokes about his … running? “I thought I broke the all-time Heinz rushing record,” he said when asked about a shot of him caught CBS cameras during Sunday’s game, “so I was...
NFL Week 15 roundup: Cardinals lose chance to clinch, fall to LionsVideo
DETROIT — Kyler Murray had a shaky performance and that helped the Detroit Lions stun the Arizona Cardinals 30-12 on Sunday. The Cardinals (10-4) started the day tied for the NFL’s best record and were undefeated on the road. While the Lions (2-11-1) were mired at the bottom of the...
Bud Dupree ‘emotional’ playing Steelers; Titans’ Kevin Byard calls officiating ‘complete B.S.’Video
Before the game, Bud Dupree shared long embraces and what appeared to be warm conversations. After it, Dupree was all smiles posing for a photo with former teammates. In between, he sacked an old friend — but left with a loss. It was an eventful return to Pittsburgh for Dupree...
Robert Morris drops road game against Bowling Green
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Daeqwon Plowden and Joe Reece scored 19 points apiece as Bowling Green romped past Robert Morris, 100-74, on Sunday. Matt Mayers had 15 points for the Colonials (1-9). Michael Green III added 14 points and five steals. Kam Farris had 13 points. Brenton Mills and Chandler...
Steelers eke out victory with rally against Titans
The running game was nonexistent — again — and the run defense was even worse. As usual. The Pittsburgh Steelers failed to score a first-half touchdown for the fourth game in a row, and they trailed after three quarters for the sixth consecutive week. The difference Sunday against the Tennessee...
NBA postpones 5 more games because of covidVideo
The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven. Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia....
Duquesne rolls past UC Irvine in LeBron James’ high school gym
AKRON, Ohio — Somewhere, “King James” probably was smiling. Some 6 hours to the west, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were preparing to play an NBA game Sunday night in Chicago against the Bulls, while at his old high school stomping grounds, James’ former coach at St. Vincent-St....
Cooper Legas comes off bench to lead Utah State past Oregon State in LA Bowl
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Utah State third-string quarterback Cooper Legas had a breakout performance Saturday night in the inaugural LA Bowl. The sophomore came off the bench to throw a touchdown pass on his first collegiate attempt and helped lead the Aggies to a 24-13 victory over Oregon State. Legas came...
