Sports category, Page 1734
Todd Frazier opts out of contract with Pirates, elects free agency
Once expected to platoon at first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Todd Frazier instead exercised the opt-out clause of his minor league contract and elected free agency less than a week before the start of the season. Jon Heyman of MLB Network first reported the news. The 35-year-old Frazier, a...
Shaka Smart leaves Texas for Big East’s MarquetteVideo
MILWAUKEE — Shaka Smart is leaving Texas to coach Marquette. Marquette announced the hiring Friday. It comes a week after Marquette fired Steve Wojciechowski and Smart’s Texas team was upset 53-52 by Abilene Christian in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. “Throughout the search, one individual continued to rise...
Thanks to Syracuse and others, Midwest Regions puts madness in MarchVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — It is the region that has caused more busted NCAA Tournament brackets than any other, the quadrant where No. 1 seed Illinois was sent packing by Loyola Chicago, West Virginia was dumped by a team that barely made the field, and Tennessee and Oklahoma State failed to survive...
Florida State charts course for ACC as its ‘new blood’Video
INDIANAPOLIS — North Carolina is long gone. Duke never made it. To find the ACC’s biggest threat at March Madness this year, look past Tobacco Road and into the panhandle of Florida. That’s the home of Florida State, a school where hoops has moved out from the shadows of the...
Tyler Anderson stretched out but Derek Shelton mum on Pirates’ Opening Day starting pitcher
If Tyler Anderson is lined up to be the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Derek Shelton isn’t saying. When asked if he was ready to name his starter for the April 1 opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, the Pirates manager gave a quick “no”...
Pitt secures commitment from Hawaii transfer wide receiver Melquise Stovall
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi, who lost one transfer wide receiver when D.J. Turner opted to enter the NFL Draft, picked up a commitment from another Friday when Melquise Stovall announced his plans to enroll this year. Stovall (5-foot-9, 190 pounds) played the past two seasons at Hawaii under wide receivers...
Sacrifices paying off for foreign players in NCAA women’s basketball tournament
Michigan’s Hailey Brown says she came very close to opting out of this women’s basketball season. The 6-foot-1 senior forward from Hamilton, Ontario, was struggling with a fear of covid-19 and the travel restrictions she faced as a Canadian with the border being closed. “She’s battled with that, with her...
Flyers make ugly plunge from contenders to a mess in MarchVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Shayne Gostisbehere came out swinging on the state of the Flyers, and the maligned defenseman sprinkled profanities in his R-rated critique of the team. Seems appropriate these days in Philly. The Flyers are certainly NSFW: Not Suitable For Watching. A crowd of about 2,800 inside a dreary Wells...
Sabres begin overhaul by trading Eric Staal to CanadiensVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres’ overhaul has begun, with the spiraling team trading veteran center Eric Staal to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. Buffalo acquired the Canadiens’ third- and fifth-round selections in the 2021 draft. The Sabres also agreed to retain $1.625 million of the final year of Staal’s...
Penguins’ Casey DeSmith emerging as one of NHL’s top backup goalies
Casey DeSmith’s jersey number (No. 1) is as reminiscent of hockey from a past generation as his height (6-foot) and weight (181) are. DeSmith’s path to the NHL, to borrow a cliche, also came the old-fashioned way: He earned it. Undrafted, DeSmith toiled in the American Hockey League before finally...
Duquesne gets verbal commitment from prep school point guard Primo Spears
Duquesne added a second commitment to its class of 2021 on Friday when point guard Primo Spears told coach Keith Dambrot he plans to enroll this year. 110% Committed ?❤️ pic.twitter.com/ItjWPQrrl0— PrimSpears3 (@primo_spears) March 26, 2021 Spears, 6-foot-2, 188 pounds, played this season at Mt. Zion Prep School in Lanham,...
AP source: 49ers trade up for No. 3 pick from Dolphins
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have made a big move to grab their quarterback of the future by trading up with Miami for the No. 3 pick in next month’s draft. Two people familiar with the deal say the Niners are trading their No. 12 pick along...
RMU’s Williams selected for national 3-point competition
Jon Williams can light it up from long range. The Robert Morris guard led the Horizon League in 3-point field goal percentage (.440) for the 2020-21 season. Now, Williams will get a chance to show what he can do on a national stage as he will take part in the...
MLB 2021: NL West team-by-team previewVideo
Capsules of National League West teams, in order of finish last year: Los Angeles Dodgers 2020: 43-17, first place, World Series champions. Manager: Dave Roberts (sixth season). He’s Here: RHP Trevor Bauer, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Garrett Cleavinger, RHP Corey Knebel, 3B Sheldon Neuse, RHP Gus Varland. He’s Outta Here:...
MLB 2021: NL East team-by-team previewVideo
Capsules of National League East teams, in order of last year’s finish last year: Atlanta Braves 2020: 35-25, first place, lost to Dodgers in NL Championship Series. Manager: Brian Snitker (sixth season). He’s Here: RHP Charlie Morton, LHP Drew Smyly, RHP Carl Edwards Jr., SS Ehire Adrianza, 3B Jake Lamb,...
MLB 2021: NL Central team-by-team previewVideo
Capsules of National League Central teams, in order of finish last year: Chicago Cubs 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Manager: David Ross (second season). He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Jake Arrieta, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Brandon Workman, INF Eric...
The lost year: Minor leaguers reflect on a canceled season
Matt Seelinger sat in the visitor’s bullpen at Surprise Stadium, waiting for his turn to pitch. The San Francisco Giants right-hander had never played above Class A. Now, in a Cactus League exhibition against the Texas Rangers, he was in line to toe a major league mound for the first...
Carlos Correa turned down $120M, 6-year deal from Astros, says deadline stands
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa says he turned down an offer for a $120 million, six-year contract covering 2022-27 and is not sure whether there will be a deal before his deadline of opening day next week. Correa has an $11.3 million salary this year...
Penn State men’s basketball guard announces he’ll remain with Lions after entering transfer portal
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State men’s basketball guard Izaiah Brockington announced he’ll remain with the Lions after entering the transfer portal earlier this month. On Thursday night, new Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry said he told the roster inherited, one that features a half-dozen players in the transfer portal, that...
Franklin Regional Junior Olympics team qualifies 12 wrestlers for state championships next week
When the Franklin Regional Junior Olympic wrestling team walks onto the floor April 1 for the state championships, it will do so with more wrestlers than any other school in its region. In the KeyStone State Southwest Qualifier, held March 22-23 in Monroeville, FR’s team qualified a dozen wrestlers, and...
Soccer star Thierry Henry to quit social media, says racism unchecked
LONDON — Thierry Henry is quitting social media to protest online racial abuse and bullying that he said goes unregulated. The former France great said Friday that social media companies haven’t done enough to stop abusive behavior, which regularly targets Black athletes. “From tomorrow morning I will be removing myself...
Post players having big impact on women’s NCAA Tournament
Post players are having a big impact on the women’s NCAA Tournament. Teams that have reached the Sweet 16 teams are getting major contributions from their “Bigs.” The impressive list includes: • Aliyah Boston. The South Carolina All-American has had 39 points and 25 rebounds in her first two career...
Mark Madden: Penguins will be getting bigger, forcing Mike Sullivan to change style of play
The Penguins are going to get bigger. GM Ron Hextall likes big. President of hockey operations Brian Burke likes big. The NHL has been trending big for several years. Where will that leave coach Mike Sullivan? Sullivan likes speed, as did former GM Jim Rutherford. Sullivan made his preference clear...
‘Dad’s play’: Beyond Big Ben and Santonio Holmes, meet the man who helped make this play part of Steelers Super Bowl lore
I can always tell when the NFL Network is replaying the Steelers’ Super Bowl XLIII victory over the Arizona Cardinals. My text messages start to ding. I get a random bump in Twitter interactions. “Is that you right behind Santonio Holmes in the end zone during the game-winning catch?!” Yup....
Pirates’ Derek Shelton has ‘very challenging decision’ with starting shortstop
The Pittsburgh Pirates promised a competition for the starting job at shortstop and, after narrowing a three-way battle down to two players, Derek Shelton is days away from making a decision. Whether he selects Kevin Newman or Erik Gonzalez to be the starter, the Pirates manager has found both players...
