Sports category, Page 319
After brief opt out, Gerrit Cole says he always intended to stay with Yankees
TAMPA, Fla. — Gerrit Cole says he always intended to remain with the New York Yankees. The 34-year-old former Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander exercised his right to opt out of his contract on the third day after the World Series, giving up $144 million over four years and starting a two-day...
World Cup of Hockey is set to return in 2028, NHL and NHLPA say
MONTREAL — The World Cup of Hockey is returning in 2028, setting the stage for the sport to get on a routine of international competitions with the world’s best players every other year. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association unveiled plans Tuesday to host a tournament officials hope to stage...
Quick return to Torrey Pines brings familiar setting with a lot more of golf’s best playersVideo
SAN DIEGO — The corporate boxes around the 18th green at Torrey Pines are just like they were three weeks ago except for the color — black instead of blue — and the logo. The rough is thicker from recent rain. Otherwise, the South Course looks to be every bit...
Kadarius Toney charged with assaulting woman
DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — NFL wide receiver Kadarius Toney was charged with assaulting a woman in Georgia and preventing her from calling for help. Toney, 26, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Jail on Feb. 6 on charges of aggravated assault and obstructing or hindering an emergency call, according...
Wearing coaches’ headsets during bowl game helped Pitt freshman QB Mason Heintschel
The only perk missing from Mason Heintschel’s first two months at Pitt was a microphone for the headset he wore while standing on the sideline during the Panthers’ appearance in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Did Pitt’s freshman quarterback offer coaches any suggestions? “I wish. Boy, that would have been a...
Monty the giant schnauzer wins Westminster dog showVideo
NEW YORK — This time, the giant schnauzer went the full Monty. After coming close in the last two years, Monty the giant schnauzer won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night, leaving handler and co-owner Katie Bernardin almost too emotional to speak. “He always...
NCAA committee recommends flag football as emerging sport for women amid growing popularityVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has recommended that Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. The committee’s recommendation Wednesday gives all three divisions an opportunity to sponsor legislation that would move the fast-growing sport through...
4 Nations is another chance for Jack Eichel to show elite status
BROSSARD, Quebec — Jack Eichel is not the most well-known American in hockey. He’s not even the most famous center from his country, thanks to captain Auston Matthews and his star power. He’s just the United States’ best and most important player, less than two years removed from keying the...
Ohio State is hiring former Lions coach Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator, AP source saysVideo
Ohio State is hiring former Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement had not been announced. Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who led the Buckeyes to...
NASCAR’s lone Black Cup driver, Bubba Wallace, ‘couldn’t care less’ if Trump attends Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — Bubba Wallace said he “couldn’t care less” if Donald Trump attends the Daytona 500 on Sunday, nearly five years after the president accused the NASCAR Cup Series’ only Black full-time driver of perpetrating “a hoax ” when a crew member found a noose in the team...
Key to being healthy: Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes hopes he conquered chronic back issues
BRADENTON, Fla. — On a day where the attention is typically focused on the first workout for pitchers and catchers, all eyes were on Ke’Bryan Hayes taking grounders and making throws across the infield. The 2023 NL Gold Glove third baseman showed positive signs Wednesday morning at Pirate City, smiling...
King Charles gets QB lesson at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
LONDON — King Charles III learned how to throw an American football like a quarterback. Thankfully, there was no tush push. The 76-year-old monarch visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London as part of a community event sponsored by the Premier League club and the NFL on Wednesday. The king...
UNLV senior offensive lineman Ben Christman dies
LAS VEGAS — UNLV senior offensive lineman Ben Christman, who transferred after last season from Kentucky, has died, the university announced. Christman, who was 21, was found dead in an off-campus apartment on Tuesday morning. The university said it didn’t have other details and a cause of death would later...
Former Pirates OF Michael A. Taylor agrees to 1-year deal with White SoxVideo
CHICAGO — Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and the Chicago White Sox have agreed to a $1.95 million, one-year contract. Chicago announced the agreement Wednesday. Taylor spent last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, batting .193 with five home runs, 21 RBIs and a .543 OPS in 113 games. He struck...
If the Steelers are following the Eagles’ model, are they capable of putting it together?
It’s been three days since the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl, and I keep hearing that’s good news because it means the Pittsburgh Steelers are “on the right track” toward building a team in their image. Since, you know, the Eagles are all about defense and running the football....
Education Department rescinds Biden memo that threatened to upend college NIL payments
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Education Department is scrapping last-minute guidance issued by the Biden administration that threatened to upend colleges’ plans to pay athletes for their name, image and likeness by making those payments subject to federal Title IX rules. In a move that was largely expected, President Donald Trump’s...
Eagles’ roster overhaul between 2 Super Bowl titles is NFL rarity
NEW ORLEANS — Seven years after Doug Pederson and Nick Foles delivered Philadelphia its first Super Bowl title, Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts did it again with a 40-22 win over Kansas City in Super Bowl 59. Winning multiple titles in that short a time period is far from rare...
Mark Madden: Enjoy Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh’s only hope for a winner
Only one exciting thing is on the horizon for Pittsburgh sports: When it’s Paul Skenes’ turn to pitch. The Pirates’ phenom/ace will take the mound every fifth day or so, with longer breaks occasionally finagled so he starts at PNC Park as much as possible. No sense in Skenes selling...
Penn State football’s spring session could look different
James Franklin covered a wide range of topics Tuesday in his first appearance with local media of the offseason, ranging from hiring Jim Knowles to Drew Allar’s confidence heading into 2025. After all, the offseason has been a busy one, with multiple coaching searches on top of typical responsibilities. Asked...
Chibuzo Agbo’s 7 3-pointers pace USC in win over Penn State
LOS ANGELES — Chibuzo Agbo scored 21 points with a career-high seven 3-pointers and Desmond Claude scored 16 points and USC broke it open in the second half and beat Penn State, 92-67, on Tuesday night. USC (14-10, 6-7 Big Ten) shot a blistering 67.3% (33 for 49), including 75%...
With Spencer Horwitz out after wrist surgery, Pirates explore internal options at 1st base
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates suffered a serious setback before spring training started, as newly acquired first baseman Spencer Horwitz will miss six to eight weeks after undergoing wrist surgery. Horwitz’s absence, possibly for the entirety of spring training, forces general manager Ben Cherington to go back to the...
First Call: Jets tried to ban Aaron Rodgers from Pat McAfee’s show; Steelers DB lashes out at idea of Rodgers in Pittsburgh
“First Call” for Wednesday has some interesting news about Aaron Rodgers’ demise in New York. We also tell you which Steeler is aggressively opposed to the notion of Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh. It might not take very much for the Steelers to pry Deebo Samuel loose from San Francisco. Also,...
Tim Benz: Hey, new Pirates, it’s not your fault
I feel like I’m channeling Robin Williams from “Good Will Hunting” on this one. But with Pittsburgh Pirates players reporting to spring training this week, I think it needs to be said. Hey, Adam Frazier. It’s not your fault. There are going to be times this year when you think...
After losing 4 games in a row, Pitt confronts injuries, issues on offense
The hard truth Pitt’s players and coaches must face after six days of travel — from Pittsburgh to North Carolina to Texas and back home — is that they are a beaten team in more ways than one. The Panthers (14-10, 5-8 ACC) have lost four in a row for...
Danton Heinen offers Penguins a flexible option up and down the lineup
It was a routine enough question, a copy-and-paste inquiry applicable to many players Mike Sullivan has coached over the years. Sullivan had been asked simply what makes winger Danton Heinen a viable option to move up and down the lineup on a given night. However, Sullivan went on to offer...
