Sports category, Page 1781
Tim Benz: If Pens fans are skeptical of Hextall-Burke duo, praise from Philadelphia may help
Some Penguins fans may be a bit slow to fully embrace Ron Hextall as the team’s new general manager because of his history with the Philadelphia Flyers. Or, perhaps better phrased, quicker to turn on him if he’s not an instant success. That said, some of the loudest approvals of...
First Call: Jets and Raiders for JuJu?; TE draft prospect for Steelers; boozin’ Tom Brady; cussin’ Bruce Arians
Thursday’s “First Call” gives us a potential destination for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Two, actually. And some money projections as well. Also, a tight end draft projection for the Steelers. Remembering the departure of a Steelers legend. And Tom Brady may have been overserved at the Super Bowl party in Tampa. JuJu...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans defend Big Ben, City of Champions rep, rip Tom Brady
So let me get this straight, Pittsburgh sports fans. The Penguins just hired their boogeyman from the 1980s to be their new general manager. His new boss is a guy who openly jabbed the franchise on two different occasions. The power play is a mess. And Tristan Jarry is about...
Previewing the Pirates: Finding a starting center fielder key to completing outfield
Where the Pittsburgh Pirates once had an outfield filled with All-Stars and Gold Glove winners, they now can only dream about fielding one who can stay healthy and hit above the Mendoza line. That a light-hitting shortstop who switched positions in summer camp last July had the highest batting average...
This date in sports history: Feb. 11Video
1878 — The Boston Bicycle Club, the first bicycle club in the United States, is formed. 1949 — Willie Pep becomes the first boxer in the history of the 126-pound class to regain a lost championship with a 15-round unanimous decision over Sandy Saddler at Madison Square Garden. 1950 —...
Red Sox deal OF Andrew Benintendi to Royals in 3-team trade
BOSTON — The Red Sox sent Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in a three-team trade that also included the New York Mets, parting with the final member of the outfield trio that helped Boston win the 2018 World Series. The Red Sox traded Benintendi along with...
Minor league report: Nailers fall to Fuel in overtime
Goaltender Francois Brassard made 21 saves on 23 shots for the Wheeling Nailers in a 2-1 road overtime loss to the Indy Fuel at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis on Wednesday. Forward Austin Fyten scored the only goal for Wheeling (3-8-4), which has lost three consecutive games. Highlights: The Nailers’...
Alex Bowman, William Byron take Daytona 500 front row
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — New number, new day, new time, same result for Hendrick Motorsports. Alex Bowman and William Byron swept the front row Wednesday night in qualifying for the Daytona 500, giving Hendrick its 14th pole and sixth in the last seven years. Hendrick’s engine-building wing has seven straight...
Trevor Lawrence to have surgery before NFL DraftVideo
CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will have surgery on his left, non-throwing shoulder before the NFL Draft. Lawrence’s representative, Kyle Strongin of MGC Sports, said Lawrence scheduled a workout for NFL personnel on Friday instead of waiting for Clemson’s pro day March 11 because of the upcoming...
Daytona 500 highlights chasm between NASCAR’s haves, have-nots
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Josh Bilicki has a plan for his first Daytona 500. He wants to ride around with his Rick Ware Racing teammates near the back of the field in an attempt to avoid the inevitable multi-car melee that almost always happens in “The Great American Race.” Maybe...
Penguins eager to work with Ron Hextall, Brian Burke
Having been captivated by the game for most of his life, Sidney Crosby was well aware of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rivalry with the Philadelphia Flyers well before he was directly involved in it. So the remarkable notion of a Flyers villain like Ron Hextall now being the Penguins’ general manager...
Franklin Regional grad Summers staying with Villanova football team
Hold the phone, Villanova. Todd Summers is staying. Summers, a tight end who played at Franklin Regional, has decided to finish his college career at Villanova. He had planned to attend Duquesne and play one last season, but Villanova offered him a full scholarship to cover his time in the...
Leaving high school early gives Pitt freshmen head start on college
Gavin Bartholomew graduated early from high school to jump-start his career as a Pitt tight end. He is excited about the opportunity — even the 6:30 a.m. workouts — but he understands reality is staring him in the face. “Your parents aren’t here to help you,” he said. Jake Renda,...
Phillies finalize $28M, 2-year deal with Didi GregoriusVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Shortstop Didi Gregorius and the Philadelphia Phillies finalized a $28 million, two-year contract Wednesday. Gregorius, who turns 31 next week, batted .284 with 10 homers, 40 RBIs and an .827 OPS in 60 games in his first season with the Phillies. He hit .274 and averaged 20 homers...
Super Bowl champion Buccaneers celebrate with boat paradeVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Even on the water, it seems the connection between seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and his receivers cannot be denied. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held a boat parade Wednesday to celebrate their first NFL title in 18 years on a sun-splashed day with thousands of...
Remembering Three Rivers Stadium: a Trib roundtable discussion
Can you believe it’s been 20 years since Three Rivers Stadium came crashing down? The stadium on the North Side (now in section called North Shore) was home to the Steelers and Pirates when they made Pittsburgh the City of Champions, the scene of the Immaculate Reception and Roberto Clemente’s...
Mark Cuban stops playing anthem at Mavericks’ home games; NBA responds
DALLAS — The NBA said Wednesday the national anthem will be played in arenas “in keeping with longstanding league policy” after Dallas Mavericks owner and Mt. Lebanon native Mark Cuban revealed he decided not to play it before his team’s home games this season. The league’s initial reaction to Cuban’s...
Atlantic 10 postpones 2nd Duquesne basketball game this week
Duquesne’s men’s basketball game at George Mason, scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday in Fairfax, Va., was postponed by the Atlantic 10 because of continued covid-19 concerns within the Dukes’ program. It is the second Duquesne game postponed or canceled this week, and the fifth this season. The Dukes also were...
Penguins forward Jared McCann sidelined on a week-to-week basis
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jared McCann will be sidelined on a week-to-week basis, coach Mike Sullivan said. He has not been on the ice with his team since suffering an undisclosed injury during Saturday’s 4-3 road loss to the New York Islanders. Primarily used as a left winger on the third...
Pirates’ minor league talent in middle of MLB, but analyst calls it a ‘system on the rise’
After adding an influx of prospects since Ben Cherington was hired as general manager, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league talent ranks in the middle among MLB teams. One baseball analyst, however, called it a “system on the rise” upon releasing new farm system rankings Wednesday. New post for @TheAthletic subscribers...
Mark Madden: Brian Burke will bring no-nonsense approach to Penguins
Van Halen (David Lee Roth version) had a motto: “W.D.F.A.” We don’t mess around, or words to that effect. Brian Burke, the Penguins’ new president of hockey operations, operates under the same principle. Read his autobiography, “Burke’s Law.” Burke has been involved in hockey management for 34 years. If you...
Why did the Penguins hire Brian Burke?
The final 10 months of Jim Rutherford’s tenure as Penguins general manager were exhausting. With covid-19 crippling seemingly every walk of life on the globe, the NHL adjusted much of its business not only to stage an unprecedented postseason tournament in August and September to complete the 2019-20 season but...
Unique season forges new bonds among NHL officials, players
NHL referees and linesmen are holding pre- and postgame meetings virtually, not eating meals with each other and taking all the necessary precautions to limit time spent together. They’re seeing each other less but players much more, the result of a unique schedule with teams almost always facing off multiple...
Kyle Busch streaks past Elliott, Blaney to win Busch Clash
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Busch snagged the first win of the new season, streaking past NASCAR champion Chase Elliott after Elliott spun leader Ryan Blaney in the final stretch of the exhibition Busch Clash. Blaney had chased down Elliott on the road course at Daytona International Speedway to take...
No. 14 West Virginia sweeps No. 7 Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas — Sean McNeil drew the start when a groin injury sidelined Taz Sherman, who was coming off a career high in scoring, and the West Virginia guard hit his first shot 15 seconds into the game. The junior kept it going from there. McNeil scored a career-high 26...
