Sports category, Page 2059
Mike Tomlin ready for James Conner to resume ‘featured runner’ role in 2020Video
Mike Tomlin’s preference to have a workhorse runner in the Pittsburgh Steelers backfield was tested last year because of injuries to starter James Conner. As he prepares for his 14th season as coach, Tomlin sounds like he’s ready to stick with his tried-and-true approach — with Conner again leading the...
Penguins forward Dominik Simon out 6-7 months following surgery
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Dominik Simon underwent surgery on his left shoulder April 29 to repair a torn labrum. He is expected to be sidelined six to seven months because of the injury. The team announced the surgery with a release Thursday. Simon was injured during a 5-0 road loss to...
PGA Tour Champions will combine 2020, 2021 seasonsVideo
The PGA Tour Champions, which already has canceled eight tournaments because of the covid-19 pandemic, decided to combine 2020 and 2021 into one season. Tour president Miller Brady says combining two seasons into one is the best solution. The 50-and-older circuit, on which Greensburg’s Rocco Mediate plays, is scheduled to...
WVU president promises football, ‘even if I have to suit up’Video
West Virginia University president E. Gordon Gee vows that the Mountaineers will play football this fall “even if I have to suit up.” “I’ve got my ankles taped, I’m ready to go in,” the 76-year-old Gee joked in an interview with WOWK-TV broadcast this week. “But I think again, with...
Inside linebacker help for Steelers will come from within, says GM Kevin Colbert
In the two months since the Pittsburgh Steelers released Mark Barron, the organization has done little in the way of adding candidates to replace him at inside linebacker. The position was ignored in free agency and in the recruitment of former XFL players. It wasn’t addressed in the NFL Draft,...
Akron drops 3 sports as pandemic inflicts financial painVideo
With its athletic budget being stretched and future funding uncertain, Akron dropped three sports Thursday in a cost-cutting move necessitated by the covid-19 pandemic. The Ohio school announced it will discontinue men’s cross-country and golf and women’s tennis at the end of the academic year. Akron plans to reduce financial...
Rays’ Blake Snell won’t play if pay cut further
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays All-Star pitcher Blake Snell says he will not take the mound this year if his pay is cut further, proclaiming: “I’m not playing unless I get mine.” “I’m not splitting no revenue. I want all mine,” the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner...
NBC to highlight ‘Immaculate Reception’ during airing of NFL’s greatest plays
Voted the greatest play in NFL history, “The Immaculate Reception” will get some screen time this weekend on NBC. As part of the network’s “NFL 100: Greatest” series, the immaculate catch made by Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris in a 1972 playoff game against the Oakland Raiders will be...
Dukes AD, Keith Dambrot sound off as City Game between Pitt, Duquesne not on schedule
The City Game, which used to be an annual grudge match between Pitt and Duquesne, has been kicked off the area sports calendar again. Pitt coach Jeff Capel said Thursday the Dukes won’t be on his nonconference schedule for the second year in a row. When asked if Pitt will...
Steelers announce dates, times for preseason games
The NFL’s two all-time leading passers are scheduled to be at Heinz Field in August. Not that they are expected to play, though — if the games are played at all. The Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday announced the dates and times for their full preseason schedule. The two annual home...
Joe Buck says Fox will pump in crowd noise, add virtual fans to NFL broadcasts
If NFL games are played in stadiums without fans, “Here we go” and “Renegade” might not blast in Heinz Field, but those songs might be pumped into your home on the TV broadcast. According to Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck, networks are planning to add crowd noise and virtual fans...
Ken Macha on Pitt Hall of Fame, almost managing Pirates, Dave Parker legends
For nearly 70 years, baseball has been tied to Ken Macha. At age 69, the former Major Leaguer is still coaching with Westmoreland County Community College. His path on the diamond saw him roam as far as Venezuela, Montreal and Japan. But it so often threaded its way back through...
First Call: Ranking all 10 of Steelers first round picks of 2010s
NFL.com posted this ranking of the No. 1 overall picks in the draft from 2010-19. That’s what you do when you are in the midst of a coronavirus shutdown and you have no content to speak of. Hey, I’m not hatin’. I’m praising! Good job, Ali Bhanpuri. The check is...
U mad, bro? Readers fume over coverage of Ben Roethlisberger, Barry Bonds, NHL return
This week’s “U mad, bro?” has a little of everything. Angry hockey fans. Miffed Barry Bonds defenders. Football historians in a snit. Even a good ol’ fashioned case of mistaken identity. “B Byrnes” goes hard after Fox’s Jay Glazer for his shot at Ben Roethlisberger’s history of offseason fitness. Or...
Senior offensive linemen Michal Menet, Will Fries don’t second-guess decision to return to PSU
When school was in session, Michal Menet’s days were structured almost like he was back on Penn State’s campus. “You can roll out of bed, make some breakfast, sit down and do your class,” the Nittany Lions’ fifth-year senior center said Wednesday. But the semester has ended, exams are finished,...
NFL teams eyeing West Virginia resort as training facility, despite reports of ghostsVideo
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Several NFL teams are eyeing a resort owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice as a potential training facility during the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesman for the retreat said Wednesday. The Greenbrier, a lavish resort in southern West Virginia, has previously hosted training camps for New Orleans...
Nassar-related case dismissed against ex-Michigan State presidentVideo
DETROIT — A judge dismissed criminal charges Wednesday against former Michigan State president Lou Anna Simon, who was accused of lying to investigators in 2018 as they tried to learn what she knew years earlier about sexual assault complaints involving Larry Nassar. Simon last year was ordered to trial in...
Kevin Colbert on Ben Roethlisberger: ‘I’ve never worried about his conditioning’
NFL insider Jay Glazer’s supposed joke about Ben Roethlisberger being “allergic” to offseason conditioning may have ruffled the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, but it didn’t cause a stir in the organization’s front office. General manager Kevin Colbert, in fact, did what he usually does when such controversial statements are made in...
Vince McMahon defends firing Oliver Luck just before shutting down XFLVideo
STAMFORD, Conn. — Lawyers for XFL owner Vince McMahon argued in court filings Wednesday that the wrestling magnet was justified in firing league CEO Oliver Luck last month just before the football operation shut down. Luck filed a federal lawsuit last month over his April 9 termination, alleging McMahon breached...
Senior Spotlight: Mitchell, Freeport baseball seniors still finding ways to bond
Editor’s note: Each day, Trib HSSN will spotlight WPIAL spring athletes whose senior years were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Although their final high school season was canceled, the seniors on the Freeport baseball team have still found a way to bond during the coronavirus pandemic. Jarrett Heilman started...
Florida governor says his state is willing to be restart site for pro sportsVideo
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida is willing to be a restart site for professional sports leagues, just like Arizona, when play resumes after shutdowns caused by the new coronavirus. “One thing I am going to do, probably this week, is all professional sports are welcome here for practicing and for playing,”...
Georgetown guard Mac McClung transferring to another schoolVideo
WASHINGTON — Georgetown guard Mac McClung plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal so he can switch schools after taking his name out of consideration for the NBA Draft. “Mac was an integral piece of our program, and when he let me know his decision, I was disappointed, but he...
Evander Holyfield responds to Mike Tyson with training videoVideo
Not to be outdone by the fighter he bested twice during the duo’s heyday, Evander Holyfield responded to Mike Tyson’s training video by posting one of his own. Holyfield, 57, a former undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion, announced last week that he’d make a comeback to the ring with a...
NBA now up to 10 teams back for voluntary workoutsVideo
MIAMI — The NBA is now one-third of the way back, at least in terms of voluntary workouts. With Miami re-opening its doors Wednesday, 10 of the league’s 30 teams have gone forward with on-court individual workouts — the first permitted sessions since the league ordered teams to close their...
Chargers center Mike Pouncey cleared to play whenever NFL returnsVideo
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Mike Pouncey said he is ready to go whenever NFL teams are allowed to return to their facilities to hold workouts or training camp. The Los Angeles Chargers center said during a conference call Wednesday that he has been cleared to return by doctors who did...
