Sports category, Page 312
Penguins forward Sidney Crosby expected to be ‘game-time decision’ against Capitals
Fresh off of helping Canada win the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-off tournament on Thursday, forward Sidney Crosby is expected to be a game-time decision for the Penguins’ home contest against the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Coach Mike Sullivan — who guided the United States in the tournament — announced Crosby’s...
For Team USA, let this one sink in before moving on to the Olympics
Every now and then, you can read a quote from an athlete, and it can be 100% true but still be wrong. After Team USA lost the 4 Nations Face-Off final to Canada, 3-2, in overtime Thursday, forward Dylan Larkin was asked about America’s chances to grab gold in 2026...
‘That’s what we need’: Pirates pitchers have positive reaction to adding LHP Andrew Heaney
BRADENTON, Fla. — Paul Skenes grew up a Los Angeles Angels fans, so he’s watched Andrew Heaney pitch for years. When the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to terms with the veteran left-hander, Skenes saw it as a sign that they are committed to creating a winning culture. Heaney has pitched in...
Mark Madden: 4 Nations Face-Off generated buzz that NHL cannot maintain
The afterglow of witnessing such hotly contested action duly noted, the 4 Nations Face-Off (and international hockey in general) is oddly counterproductive to the NHL. The league sabotages its own product via epic confrontations like both U.S.-Canada games. The resumption of the NHL regular season will seem lackluster. Even the...
First Call: Steelers ‘very much interested’ in Nick Chubb; update on Justin Fields’ future; Super Bowl X Steeler dies
Friday’s “First Call” remembers a former Steeler from the 1970s. There’s some belief that the Steelers may want Nick Chubb. Speculation continues about Justin Fields’ status in Pittsburgh. Plus, we set the table for the upcoming weekend of action in college hockey and college basketball. Missing Mike A member of...
Pitt Take 5: Slumping Notre Dame next for Panthers, and they can’t afford to lose
There are five games remaining in Pitt’s regular season, but the last four might be beside the point. If Pitt loses to Notre Dame on Saturday at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Ind., that would be loss No. 11 for the Panthers (16-10, 7-8 ACC). Worse, it would be against...
Tim Benz: Between ‘Arnold,’ ‘Loretta,’ ‘Sam’ and ‘Michael, Michael’ is what made Mike Lange a legend
Hockey on the radio can have a hypnotic effect. When there are extended stretches without goals, big hits, acrobatic saves or penalties, you can get lulled into a passive serenity by swooshing skates, clacking sticks and the low murmur of a crowd. That’s where Pittsburgh Penguins play-by-play voice Mike Lange...
Connor McDavid scores in OT to give Canada win over United States in 4 Nations Face-Off final
BOSTON — When they played “O Canada” for the second time, there were no American fans left in the arena to boo. Instead, the Canadian team stood at the blue line, arm in arm, player and coach, wearing their championship hats while the maple leaf flag was lowered behind the...
Germany’s Paul and Norway’s Ventura part of international leaderboard in Mexico OpenVideo
VALLARTA, Mexico — Six of the seven PGA Tour events this year had international winners, and the Mexico Open kept up with trend Thursday when Jeremy Paul of Germany, Kris Ventura of Norway and Harry Hall of England shared the lead at 7-under-par 64. Hall played early and handled the...
ESPN, Major League Baseball will end their national television deal after 2025 season
ESPN’s coverage of Major League Baseball games — at least in its current form — will conclude at the end of the 2025 season. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro informed baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday morning that the network was opting out of the final three years of its contract,...
Pirates add lefty starter Andrew Heaney to rotation
The Pittsburgh Pirates added a World Series champion left-handed pitcher to their starting rotation by signing veteran Andrew Heaney to a one-year contract, pending physical, a source confirmed to TribLive. Heaney, 33, is 51-62 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 185 career starts over 11 seasons. The 6-foot-2,...
Fran Dunphy retiring at end of La Salle’s season. He’ll leave as winningest coach in Philly’s Big 5
PHILADELPHIA — La Salle’s Fran Dunphy, who has won more than 600 games and made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances in 33 seasons as coach at three of Philadelphia’s Big 5 schools, said Thursday he would retire at the end of the season. The 76-year-old Dunphy will become special assistant to...
4 Nations Face-Off is the latest in a long line of memorable international hockey competitionsVideo
The 4 Nations Face-Off already has delivered an instant classic international hockey game with the fight-filled preliminary-round matchup between the United States and Canada last week in Montreal. The U.S.-Canada rematch on Thursday night in Boston could be another memorable country vs. country showdown for a sport with deep roots...
PIAA eliminates transgender athlete policy, changes language to comply with Trump’s executive order
The PIAA eliminated its one-sentence transgender athlete policy and changed language in its handbook to no longer ask member schools to determine those students’ “gender” but rather their “sex.” The changes were approved Wednesday by the PIAA board to comply with an executive order signed Feb. 5 by President Donald...
‘Brutally honest,’ Pitt’s Ishmael Leggett’s message may be what team needs
Most everyone playing major-college basketball can shoot reasonably well, and most have the requisite strength and size to compete for rebounds and loose balls. And everyone on both sides wants to win. So, what can set Pitt apart from its opponents, especially now in the final two weeks of the...
NFL Draft analyst: Fans would be ‘pretty pumped’ if Steelers got Michigan DT Kenneth Grant in 1st round
In his first two mockups, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah had the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting an offensive playmaker with the No. 21 overall pick. It was understandable considering the Steelers never exceeded 17 points during the five-game losing streak that ended their season. It also wasn’t surprising considering the...
‘It’s overwhelming’: Sudden cardiac arrest survivor Ernie Withers visits Pirate City
BRADENTON, Fla. — Ernie Withers found it surreal to be back at Pirate City on Thursday, almost two years to the day after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest while watching a workout in the outfield. This time, Withers was content to stand outside the fences and chat with Dr. Patrick...
No, it’s not the circus. Acrobatics and tumbling, a mashup of gymnastics and cheer, is booming
PITTSBURGH — Abby McDermott has grown accustomed to the looks she gets whenever she starts talking to someone about her chosen sport. The slight turn of the head. The brief pause in the conversation. “When you say ‘acrobatics and tumbling,’ especially ‘acrobatics,’ people think of the circus,” McDermott said with...
‘Ready to roll’: After season of struggles, David Bednar aims at reclaiming Pirates’ closer role
BRADENTON, Fla. — Being booed off the field in his hometown was humbling for David Bednar, as Pittsburgh Pirates fans voiced their displeasure with his blown leads in late-game situations. The two-time All-Star believes that how he dealt with the criticism would define him more so than the struggles last...
Remembering some of Mike Lange’s most iconic catchphrases, goal callsVideo
Mike Lange’s iconic goal calls weren’t a string of undefeated success. The ones that stuck emerged from a trial-and-error process. “People gave him ideas and he would try some of them,” former Penguins executive Tom McMillan said. “Some didn’t work and he didn’t try them again. Some caught on and...
Penguins-Flyers game time rescheduled
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ home game against the rival Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 27 has a new start time. That contest will now begin after 7:30 p.m. It was originally scheduled to open shortly after 7 p.m. The time change was made as the contest became exclusive to the ESPN+ streaming...
Robot umpires are getting their first MLB test during spring trainingVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — A computerized system that calls balls and strikes is being tested during Major League Baseball spring training exhibition games starting Thursday after four years of experiments in the minor leagues. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is an advocate of the Automated Ball-Strike System, which potentially as early as...
Victor Wembanyama expected to miss remainder of season after blood clot diagnosis, Spurs announce
San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder, the Spurs announced Thursday. It is a massive blow to the Spurs, who are contending for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. And...
Former Pirates relief pitcher Scott Sauerbeck dies at 53
Scott Sauerbeck, a late-blooming left-handed reliever who spent five of his major-league seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, died Wednesday in Bradenton, Fla. Sauerbeck was 53. Former Pirates teammate Dave Williams wrote on Facebook that Sauerbeck died of a heart attack, and the Pirates confirmed Sauerbeck’s death in a social media...
On Sports: Sidney Crosby’s remarkable history in international championship games, tributes pour in for Mike Lange
Thursday night is the championship of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NHL-sponsored international tournament that is the first to feature top NHL players in nine years. The matchup between Canada and the U.S. is highly anticipated, and the Americans won the meeting in pool play five days ago. That remains...
