Sports category, Page 1917
Pitt women’s soccer team off to best start in program historyVideo
As the coronavirus pandemic continued to alter the status quo, athletes spent much of their spring and summer wondering what would become of their seasons. Members of the Pitt women’s soccer team were no different. Sophomore forward Amanda West called the wait “anxiety-inducing” — mostly because the Panthers were so...
Mark Madden: Titans need to treat covid like an injury; game against Steelers should be played
At Monday’s media session, coach Mike Tomlin said the Steelers were told to proceed as if Sunday’s game at Tennessee will be played despite the Titans’ covid outbreak. It may yet take place. But it will be played Monday or Tuesday, not Sunday. Further postponement via juggling bye weeks seems...
Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger to unable-to-practice Titans: Deal with it
The Tennessee Titans might be forced to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday without the benefit of a practice in the week leading up to it. Some have suggested this puts the Titans at an unfair disadvantage, but Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sent a subtle yet unmistakable message for his...
Seattle, Las Vegas set for WNBA Finals matchup
For the fourth time in five seasons the best two teams in the WNBA will square off for the championship when Seattle and Las Vegas play in the finals. The best-of-five series begins Friday night. Las Vegas needed to beat Connecticut in a decisive fifth game of the semifinals Tuesday...
Curses! Postseason losses continue for long-suffering teams
It was not a good start to the Major League Baseball postseason for those who don’t believe in curses. The Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics extended their string of postseason futility Tuesday with losses in the openers of their respective best-of-three, wild-card series. If they don’t win Game 2 on...
Offensive numbers off the charts 3 weeks into NFL season
The NFL has never had a start to a season like this one when it comes to offensive production. Through three weeks, teams have combined for 51 points per game, 738.2 yards per game and a 96.3 passer rating, the most ever at this juncture of an NFL season. Only...
Serena Williams pulls out of French Open with hurt Achilles
PARIS — Saying she is “struggling to walk,” Serena Williams ended her latest bid for a 24th Grand Slam title and withdrew from the French Open before her second-round match Wednesday because of an injured Achilles heel. Williams hurt herself during her semifinal loss at the U.S. Open three weeks...
Even if Titans’ game is delayed, Sunday could still be impactful for Steelers
Even if their game against the Tennessee Titans is rescheduled because of coronavirus concerns, there are lots of key AFC games Sunday with direct implications for the Steelers. With or without the local team in action, it’s going to be an NFL-viewing buffet. If they do move the Steelers’ 1...
First Call: T.J. Watt’s historic pace, John Harbaugh not happy after K.C. loss, Gerrit Cole in playoff form
Wednesday’s “First Call” puts T.J. Watt’s hot start in a statistical perspective. John Harbaugh doesn’t have answers for his team’s defeat versus the Kansas Chiefs. Gerrit Cole is off to a hot start in the playoffs. And some unbelievable numbers about sports gambling. What’s Watt? How good has T.J. Watt...
Tim Benz: Covid-19 infection may not be Titans’ fault, but it’s also not the Steelers’ problem
Unless we find evidence to the contrary, Steelers fans shouldn’t blame the Tennessee Titans for being the first NFL team to become a covid-19 hotspot. Even if that news results in Sunday’s game between the clubs getting postponed or forfeited. At least three players and five others within the Titans...
No debate: Aaron Judge, Yankees pound Bieber, Indians in openerVideo
CLEVELAND — Aaron Judge smashed a tone-setting, two-run homer on Shane Bieber’s fourth pitch, Gerrit Cole struck out 13 and the New York Yankees opened the AL playoffs with a resounding 12-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night. Just a few miles from where the Trump-Biden presidential debate...
LeBron James, Heat together again at the NBA FinalsVideo
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — LeBron James wants to beat the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat want to beat LeBron James. These shouldn’t be surprising notions to anyone, not with a title at stake. Those looking for more acrimony than that, well, they may be disappointed. The NBA Finals start...
Top-seeded Rays beat Blue Jays to open seriesVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Blake Snell took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays opened the playoffs Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Manuel Margot hit a two-run homer, and Randy Arozarena tripled and scored on a wild pitch to give...
Astros win Game 1, extend Twins’ record postseason losing streak to 17Video
MINNEAPOLIS — Jose Altuve drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning for Houston after a two-out error by shortstop Jorge Polanco, and the Astros beat Minnesota, 4-1, on Tuesday to open their AL playoff series and stretch the Twins’ all-time record postseason losing...
Rookie RB McFarland makes most of opportunity in Steelers debut
Anthony McFarland used his 4.44 speed to split the seams and make big plays while playing at Maryland. McFarland averaged 6.7 yards per carry — the third-best mark in program history — during his two years with the Terrapins. His coaches, though, would tell him not to get down if...
Derek Watt out, Marcus Allen doubtful for Steelers’ game against Titans
Two of the top special teams players for the Pittsburgh Steelers could be missing from the lineup Sunday if their game at the Tennessee Titans is played as scheduled. Fullback Derek Watt already has been ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury, and safety Marcus Allen is doubtful...
Pitt’s Charlie Partridge sees defensive linemen develop in moments of accountability
The moments that make Charlie Partridge love coaching keep popping up, but funny thing about that: They have more to do with how he’s developing Pitt’s defensive linemen than minutiae such as the Panthers’ ACC-leading 17 sacks or the fact they lead the conference in total defense. Partridge will say...
White Sox ace Lucas Giolito shuts down A’s, dazzles in postseason debutVideo
OAKLAND, Calif. — Lucas Giolito dazzled in his postseason debut, stymieing the Oakland Athletics through six perfect innings and sending the Chicago White Sox to a 4-1 victory in the opener of their best-of-three wild-card series Tuesday. Giolito (1-0) yelled in delight after striking out the side in the sixth,...
Ravens shift into bounce-back mode after humbling lossVideo
BALTIMORE — It has been a year since the Baltimore Ravens had to shift into bounce-back mode after absorbing a lopsided regular-season defeat at home. The Ravens (2-1) thought they had something special brewing before a 34-20 loss to Kansas City on Monday night drastically altered that perspective. Fortunately, there’s...
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin discusses Week 4 matchup with TitansVideo
The undefeated Steelers are scheduled to play the undefeated Titans in Tennessee at 1 p.m. Sunday. But Tuesday morning’s news of positive cases within the Titans organization could put that game in jeopardy. The Titans closed their facility and suspended in-person activities and will evaluate the situation as the week...
Lightning wrap up marathon season by lifting Stanley CupVideo
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh was preparing to answer one last question regarding the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup championship when teammates Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn crashed the room, putting an abrupt and celebratory end to the news conference. “Who’s next? Next question,” Kucherov said, looking into the camera. With McDonagh...
Oklahoma’s upset loss to Kansas St. opens up Big 12 raceVideo
It took one week for the Big 12 to bring just a little more strangeness to 2020. Five-time defending conference champion Oklahoma opened league play with a shocking home loss to Kansas State, perhaps opening the door for another program to finally to step in and claim the title. Iowa...
On the Fringe: Shortened season creating extra year of opportunityVideo
Three weeks into the new PGA Tour season, Tyler McCumber might be the first example of how the covid-19 pandemic that shut down golf for three months can provide second chances. McCumber had the best Sunday of his young PGA Tour career at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. He...
USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms scheduled to open season Nov. 6
The United States Hockey League (USHL), the top junior league in the United States, announced it is hoping to open its 2020-21 season Nov. 5. The league has a regionally-based schedule of 54 games for each team with the goal of concluding the regular season by April 24. The Youngstown...
DQ forgotten, Djokovic leaves French Open foe ‘suffocated’Video
PARIS — Novak Djokovic’s backhand clipped the net and landed wide, so he shook his head. That was it. Later, a too-soft drop shot found the white tape and bounced back on his own side, finally ceding a game in a dominant debut performance at the 2020 French Open. Djokovic...
