Sports category, Page 313
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...
Where did Penguins radio broadcaster Mike Lange get his memorable calls?Video
Editor’s note: This story was originally published on May 15, 2017. A guy walked into the former Wren Haven bar in Scott Township where Penguins announcer Mike Lange was having lunch and said to the bartender “Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one, too.” “It made me smile...
Memories, sympathies shared following the death of Penguins broadcaster Mike LangeVideo
Condolences, sympathies and memories were being shared on social media following the death of Mike Lange, who will forever be remembered as the voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lange died Wednesday. He was 76. “The Penguins organization joins the family, friends and fans of legendary broadcaster Mike Lange as we...
Mike Lange’s legacy with the Penguins goes beyond his phrases
When Mario Lemieux joined the Penguins as the franchise’s savior in 1984, there wasn’t an abundance of ways to watch the team’s games outside of the Pittsburgh area. After all, this was decades before the Internet made virtually every sporting contest on Earth viewable through streaming services. But you could...
U mad, bro?: Early Pirates injuries, constant Steelers QB confusion have Pittsburgh fans grumbling
Some quarterbacks just aren’t going to come to Pittsburgh. Other quarterbacks may never leave. And certain Pirates may take a little longer to put on the uniform than we all hoped. All these topics have our readers simmering in this week’s “U mad, bro?” Someone calling themselves “Pirate Crusher” (so...
College baseball future may see greater imbalance in competition
The Division I baseball season is less than a week old, and coaches already are planning for 2026 when it’s all but certain scholarship limits will be removed, rosters downsized and players will have opportunities to make more money. They expect the fallout to be fewer opportunities for high school...
West Virginia survives final frantic seconds to beat CincinnatiVideo
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Amani Hansberry scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and West Virginia pulled out a 62-59 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night after nearly blowing a nine-point lead in the final seconds. Trailing by six midway through the second half, the Mountaineers (16-10, 7-8 Big 12) went...
Legendary Penguins broadcaster, Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Lange dies
Mike Lange didn’t think he would make it in Pittsburgh. Beyond the first week. After arriving in Western Pennsylvania to begin his new job as the play-by-play voice of the Penguins, Lange took up temporary residence with a co-worker and the two went out to a local establishment on his...
Duquesne drops Fordham at home to stay in A-10 race
David Dixon raised the roof multiple times Wednesday night at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse to the delight of a home Duquesne basketball crowd energized by the sounds of the Mt. Pleasant High School marching band, which was making a guest appearance alongside the Duquesne pep band. The Dukes, led by Dixon’s...
Bets pour in on 4 Nations Cup final between U.S., Canada
LAS VEGAS — The players have been emotionally invested in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and sports bettors have noticed and followed suit. Money has been pouring in on the tournament, and the championship on Thursday night in Boston — a rematch between the United States and Canada — is drawing...
NFL projects salary cap between $277.5M and $281.5M in 2025, rising by as much as $26MVideo
NEW YORK — The NFL salary cap will be between $277.5 million and $281.5 million for the 2025 season, rising as much as $26 million from last year. The bump is great news for Cincinnati, which is hoping to sign receiver Tee Higgins to a long-term contract. It also means...
Konan Niederhauser, Hicks each score 19 and Penn State routs Nebraska to end 7-game skidVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Zach Hicks each scored 19 points, D’Marco Dunn added 17 and Penn State routed Nebraska 89-72 on Wednesday night to end a seven-game losing streak. Penn State (14-13, 4-12 Big Ten) won its first game since topping Rutgers 80-72 on Jan. 20. That...
