Sports category, Page 2490
With Penguins defense in flux, Brian Dumoulin could be leaning right
With Kris Letang still out with an upper-body injury, Olli Maatta very close to returning from a shoulder injury and left-handed Brian Dumoulin potentially switching to the right side, the blue line is in a state of flux at the moment for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Letang was on the ice...
Lonnie Chisenhall joins 6 other Pirates on injured list with broken finger
CINCINNATI — The Pittsburgh Pirates’ first moves of the season Thursday were not what the front office had in mind for Opening Day. The Pirates placed seven players, including starting right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall and starting pitcher Jordan Lyles, on the injured list prior to their game against the Cincinnati...
Penguins’ Matt Cullen nominated for Masterton Award
On Thursday morning, Matt Cullen was chosen as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is given annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.” Cullen has two of those criteria down pat. As a 42-year-old...
ESPN’s Keith Olbermann: Sorry for threatening hunter for rare kill
JACKSON, Miss. — ESPN broadcaster Keith Olbermann has apologized for insulting and threatening a Mississippi turkey hunter who killed a rare white turkey. The Clarion Ledger reports the former MSNBC political commentator tweeted Wednesday that he was sorry for his earlier tweet that threatened 22-year-old Hunter Waltman. The threatening tweet...
Penn State podcast: Talking another NCAA wrestling title, Creamery ice cream and March Madness
Another year, another national title for Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling (the program’s fourth straight and eighth in the past nine years). In this week’s installment of “The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show,” Mike the Mailman and Kevin regale Chris and Brandon with tales of their weekend in Pittsburgh for...
NASCAR’s winners/losers from radical schedule changes
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An entire generation of NASCAR has spent its life tuned to a schedule so predictable events could be planned years in advance and race dates marked milestones. Daytona meant the beach — a week out of school in February, the Fourth of July for vacation — and...
New-look Reds await Pirates in season opener
CINCINNATI — The MLB commissioner is grand marshal of the pregame parade. All major league teams are wearing patches commemorating Cincinnati’s first all-professional team. A new manager and an overhauled lineup provide intrigue. The Reds haven’t been in the Opening Day spotlight this way for years. The last time Cincinnati...
MLB moves into new era: No players left from 20th century
Four-man outfields. High-tech anti-spying rules. A starting pitcher facing just one batter in a playoff game. But beyond all the shifts, analytics and social media outreach, here’s the best way to tell MLB has zoomed into a new era: There’s not a single active player left from the 20th century....
Cameron Reddish coming up clutch for Duke
DURHAM, N.C. — When Duke needs a clutch 3-pointer, the best option might be Cameron Reddish. The freshman has been solid overall, hitting one-third of his 3s, but that number jumps to 42 percent in the second halves of games that are either tied or within a possession. And as...
IUP women fall in semifinals
Another thrilling run through the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament finally came to an end for IUP Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio. The Crimson Hawks were stopped in the Final Four for the second straight year as Southwestern Oklahoma used a strong fourth quarter to register a 66-57 victory...
Tiger returns to Match Play with a win
AUSTIN, Texas — Tiger Woods made a successful return to Dell Technologies Match Play with a victory. Jordan Spieth found some success with a tie. The most unpredictable tournament in golf began Wednesday with only a few surprises as only four of the top 16 seeds in group play failed...
Kevin Gorman: If Pirates want a new narrative, playoffs are only answer
Neal Huntington knows as expectations have changed for the Pittsburgh Pirates, from ending a two-decade losing streak to wanting to win a World Series, so have the never-ending narratives. The Pirates general manager buys into neither the notion that the baseball club would be satisfied with finishing above .500 nor...
Houston’s resurgence rekindles memories of Phi Slama Jama
HOUSTON — When the Houston Cougars were last in the Sweet 16, Hakeem Olajuwon starred and coach Guy V. Lewis stalked the sideline in his trademark plaid jackets. Thirty-five years later, a new generation of Cougars led by Houston native Galen Robinson Jr., Armoni Brooks and Corey Davis Jr. finally...
3 things Pirates pitchers will need to happen in 2019
Oddsmakers and media analysts aren’t overly bullish on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ chances to make the playoffs. But if the Pirates qualify for the postseason for a fourth time since 2013, it will be a sneaky-good pitching staff that carries them there. MLB.com recently named the top 10 starting rotations and...
Phil Cofer on minds of Florida State players, coach
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Phil Cofer is not with Florida State, but he was very much on the minds of his teammates as they practiced Wednesday. The Seminoles are in the Sweet 16 for the second straight year, but the senior forward is in Georgia preparing for his father’s funeral Saturday....
Get ready for a Sweet 16 filled with favorites, star players, great matchups
Last year’s NCAA Tournament was an epic ride for the underdogs, from UMBC’s historic takedown of No. 1 Virginia to Loyola-Chicago’s march to the Final Four. This year, Cinderella stayed home to get some beauty sleep. Top seeds and power programs only, please. The top three seeds are still alive...
MLB hopes to gain control of local broadcast deals
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball hopes to gain control of local broadcasting agreements involving its teams, the reason behind its bid to purchase regional sports networks from The Walt Disney Co. Disney acquired 22 RSNs as part of its $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment business this...
Western Pennsylvania sites announced for Drive, Chip & Putt
The Western Pennsylvania Golf Association announced local qualifiers for the 2020 Drive, Chip and Putt competition that culminates in a year at Augusta National Golf Club. Registration is underway. Local qualifying sites include: Willowbrook Country Club, Allegheny Township — June 12 Green Oaks Country Club, Verona — June 13 JC...
Hempfield product Harrell to play in national 3-on-3 tournament
Now that his college career is over, Kason Harrell has every intention of playing professional basketball. The wheres and whens have yet to be worked out, but the Purdue Fort Wayne senior knows he’ll be playing against some of the country’s best players in the interim. Harrell, a Hempfield graduate,...
For Penguins, playoff picture brightens as regular season winds down
When a Pittsburgh Penguins player takes a gaze at the NHL standings with 10 days left in the regular season, he has two choices. He can look up, or he can look down. Looking up means pondering the possibility of a Metropolitan Division championship. Mathematically speaking, there’s about a 1...
Cowboys’ Michael Irvin reveals health scare on Instagram
A Dallas Cowboys legend landed in the hospital over the weekend. Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin spent Sunday and Monday getting tests in a Los Angeles hospital because of some throat issues he’s been dealing with over the past few months. The problems began after Irvin’s postgame celebration...
First call: Landry Jones reunites with Antonio Brown; LeSean McCoy not done in Buffalo
In “First Call” Wednesday, you’ll never figure out where Landry Jones signed. There’s still hope for “Shady” in Buffalo. Making sense of a busy night in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. This should be good Guess where Landry Jones is going. I mean, it’s not the Raiders, right? Well, of course,...
Robert Morris Andy Toole handicaps Sweet 16, talks 2019 matchup vs. Pitt
Robert Morris basketball coach Andy Toole joins us once again for our “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. He is our unofficial bracketologist for the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Both of our Final Fours are still intact after the first weekend. But this is where it gets dicey. RMU coach Andy Toole handicaps...
U mad, bro? Raiders fans clap back, Steelers accused of racial bias
In “U Mad, Bro?” this week, suggestions of racism are levied against the Steelers. Charges of whining are wielded by Raiders fans. And I was sent the best email I have ever read. Let’s start with this jackwagon. For the record, he didn’t send this tweet to me directly, but...
Tim Benz: Who looks good and bad in released Antonio Brown trade conversation
I have no idea why Antonio Brown would send out the audio that he allegedly did from his trade conversations with Drew Rosenhaus. He sounds moronic in the process and makes some other parties look bad. Oh, well. He apparently put it online anyway. If you haven’t heard it yet,...
