Sports category, Page 1525
18 ex-NBA players charged in $4M health care fraud scheme
NEW YORK — Eighteen former NBA players were charged Thursday with pocketing about $2.5 million illegally by defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan in a scam that authorities said involved claiming fictitious medical and dental expenses. “The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception,” U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss told...
Baylor, West Virginia trying to get run games going again
Baylor wants to regain its swagger in the run game. West Virginia would be satisfied with any progress. The Bears and Mountaineers meet Saturday in Waco, Texas, after both lost games in which they failed to score in the first half. Baylor had averaged 272 rushing yards in its first...
Canada’s NHL teams embrace return to normal divisions
TORONTO — Tyler Toffoli had just filled the net on back-to-back nights against his former team. The Montreal winger registered a hat trick in a 6-5 shootout loss to Vancouver and followed that up with two goals and an assist 24 hours later in a 7-3 victory. Toffoli then spent...
Tim Benz: Perceptions of Steelers and Broncos set to be tested Sunday
The better the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing, the more likely coach Mike Tomlin is to discuss the opposing team during his weekly Tuesday press conference. You know, talk up the opponent. Especially if that team is an underdog. Don’t let the locker room get too high on its early accomplishments,...
Penguins goaltender Louis Domingue rebounds after 2 rough years
Louis Domingue looked completely out of place at the outset of Penguins’ training camp last month. After all, he was still wearing his Calgary Flames gear. The journeyman goaltender joined the Penguins late in the offseason, signing a one-year, two-way contract on Sept. 2. So the logistics of getting Penguins-themed...
U mad, bro?: Steelers, Pirates, Ben Roethlisberger, Ben Cherington, Gerrit Cole feel fan wrath
With the state of affairs surrounding the Steelers of late, it’s a wonder how any other sports made the cut for this week’s “U mad, bro?” But with a 101-loss season and a smooth-talking general manager who just can’t seem to answer a question directly, the Pirates made the cut...
First Call: Steelers’ odds going in wrong direction; NFL.com is showing no faith in Ben Roethlisberger
Thursday’s “First Call” shows us how long the odds have gotten for the Steelers. Some harsh projections for Ben Roethlisberger. Honors for a Duquesne Duke. And yet another former Pirates pitcher is ticketed for a postseason start. Riding the wave If it has been an up and down ride for...
Former 1st-rounder Nick Gonzales among 7 Pirates prospects to play in Arizona Fall League
Seven Pittsburgh Pirates prospects, including 2020 first-round pick Nick Gonzales, will play for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League. Gonzales is one of 17 top-100 prospects who will play in the AFL. He will be joined by middle infielder Ji-hwan Bae, outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba and right-handed pitchers Bear...
Chris Taylor hits walk-off HR, Dodgers beat Cards in wild-cardVideo
LOS ANGELES — Chris Taylor hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Wednesday night in the NL wild-card game. The 106-win Dodgers advanced to a best-of-five NL Division Series against the rival Giants. Game...
Montreal star goaltender Carey Price steps away for mental health help
MONTREAL — Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has voluntarily entered the NHL/NHL Players’ Association joint player assistance program, a stunning announcement Thursday less than a week before start of the season and just three months after the former NHL MVP backstopped Montreal to the Stanley Cup Final. The league and players’...
IndyCar rookies Jimmie Johnson, Romain Grosjean take first laps on Indy’s famed ovalVideo
Jimmie Johnson’s “childhood dream came true” Wednesday when he drove an Indy car on the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for the first time. Next up the Indianapolis 500? Not quite yet. “I’m as close as I’ve ever been,” Johnson said. “The racer in me is taking a real serious...
QB, line questions haunt No. 14 Notre Dame ahead of game at Virginia TechVideo
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Coach Brian Kelly knows who No. 14 Notre Dame’s starting quarterback is and he doesn’t plan to reveal it before Saturday’s game at Virginia Tech. “We know exactly who it is,” Kelly said Monday. “We’re going to have one guy, and we’re going to let him...
Indians manager, New Brighton native Terry Francona confident he’ll return in 2022Video
CLEVELAND — Indians manager Terry Francona is confident he’ll return next season after missing most of the past two because of serious health issues. Francona, a New Brighton native, was forced to step away from the club in late July to undergo hip replacement surgery as well as a procedure...
Scrappy defending AL champ Rays poised to open ALDS against big-market Red SoxVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have won more games than any other team in the American League over the past two seasons, going about their business with a quiet confidence that has the full attention of the Boston Red Sox. The AL East rivals meet in a...
77-year-old Tony La Russa back in MLB postseason with White Sox against AstrosVideo
HOUSTON — A three-time World Series winner, Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa certainly couldn’t be nervous as his team prepares for the opener of a best-of-five AL Division Series against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Except he is — and it has nothing to do with the Hall...
MLB finalizing policy to mandate vaccine for minor leaguers
Major League Baseball is finalizing a policy that will mandate covid-19 vaccines for minor league players for the 2022 season. While the league could face legal challenges in requiring vaccination for major leaguers without the cooperation of the players association, minor leaguers are not included in the big league union....
Mike Sullivan: Penguins’ penalty kill must improve
There was quite a bit to like about the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2020-21 regular season. The East Division banner they will get to hang from the ceiling of PPG Paints Arena is evidence of that. But there were some blemishes. And arguably, the biggest wart was the penalty kill. With a...
Steelers injury notes: Starting offensive tackles practicing fully, starting guards not
For the first time during the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers starting offensive tackles were together for a full practice Wednesday. Chuks Okorafor was designated as a full participant on the injury report for the first time since entering NFL concussion protocol during the Sept. 26 loss to the Cincinnati...
NHL investigates Evander Kane for fake vaccine card
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane is being investigated on allegations that he used a fake covid-19 vaccination card. A person familiar with the investigation says the league is looking into whether Kane submitted a fake card. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition...
No. 4 Penn State committed to running back timeshareVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State coach James Franklin has always liked to use a lot of running backs, and he’d like to see one assert himself eventually this year. Not only would more big plays in the running game help balance out the No. 4 Nittany Lions’ offense, they’d certainly...
Penguins recall 4, announce lineup for preseason game against Red Wings
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their expected lineup for Thursday’s road preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. It will include: Forwards — Anthony Angello, Brian Boyle, Kasper Bjorkqvist, Jonathan Gruden, Filip Hallander, Sam Lafferty, Nathan Legare, Drew O’Connor, Sam Poulin, Valtteri Puustinen, Dominik Simon, Radim Zohorna,...
Padres fire manger Jayce Tingler after second-half collapse
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres have fired Jayce Tingler, who presided over the biggest collapse in franchise history just a season after finishing second in voting for NL Manager of the Year. General manager A.J. Preller announced the move Wednesday, three days after the Padres finished 79-83 and...
Pacers sign former Pitt star Brad Wanamaker to dealVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers signed former Pitt star Brad Wanamaker to a training camp deal Wednesday. The 32-year-old guard split his time with Golden State and Charlotte last season with combined averages of 5.5 points, 2.9 assists and 1.7 rebounds. Wanamaker played for Pitt from 2007-11 and was an...
Panthers acquire CB Stephon Gilmore from Patriots for 6th-round pick in ’23Video
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stephon Gilmore is headed home. The Carolina Panthers acquired the veteran cornerback and 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year from the New England Patriots for a 2023 sixth-round draft pick. The move comes after Gilmore and the Patriots failed to come to terms on a new...
QB Teddy Bridgewater might return Thursday from concussion as Broncos prep for SteelersVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos coach Vic Fangio said concussed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was able to lift weights and attend meetings Wednesday and might even be back at practice Thursday. “He’s getting better,” Fangio said before backup Drew Lock ran the offense at practice. The Broncos (3-1) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers...
