Sports category, Page 378
Steelers positional analysis: Time for organization to restock defensive line
This is the sixth in a series examining the Pittsburgh Steelers roster, position by position, heading into the offseason. Today: Defensive line As the string of seasons without a playoff victory extended to eight for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the longest-tenured player on the roster struggled to make sense of the...
Three Periods: Penguins pairs have their moments during difficult defensive season
Elite defensive statistics should not be expected of teams that lead the league in goals allowed per game. The Pittsburgh Penguins owned that unfortunate distinction through 49 contests, giving up 3.59 goals per contest. To be sure, Penguins goaltenders haven’t showered themselves in glory this season. Tristan Jarry, at the...
Duquesne resets after big loss to Dayton
The question seemed simple enough for David Dixon, one-third of Duquesne’s primary rim patrollers: “Does a result like that last game make you realize that maybe there was some complacency setting in?” His answer, too, referring to the Dukes’ state of mind following their shocking 82-62 loss to Dayton on...
Pitt fends off Syracuse, snaps 4-game losing streak
Earlier this week, while acknowledging his team’s frustrating four-game losing streak, Pitt senior guard Ishmael Leggett insisted the Panthers’ goals remained within grasp. “I definitely think our goals are still attainable,” Leggett said Thursday after practice at Petersen Events Center. “At this point in the season, I think we’re just...
Penguins recall forward Boko Imama from Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Boko Imama from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Saturday. In a corresponding transaction, rookie defenseman Owen Pickering was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Imama, 28, is in his first season with the Penguins organization after signing a one-year, two-way contract with a salary cap...
Australian Open: Madison Keys upsets 2-time champion Aryna Sabalenka in women’s final for 1st Grand Slam title
MELBOURNE, Australia — When Madison Keys stepped into Rod Laver Arena at 7:37 p.m. on Saturday night ahead of the Australian Open final, she strode right past the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, the trophy that goes to the women’s champion and was placed on a pedestal near the entrance to...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers’ draft focus should be on scoring, quarterback, not defense
The NFL Draft takes place April 24-26. Since we’re going to debate ad nauseam whom the Pittsburgh Steelers should pick from now till then, here’s two early suggestions. • Don’t take a defensive player in the first round. Sure, the Steelers badly need help on the defensive line. But the...
Minor league report: Penguins, Tristan Jarry fall to CometsVideo
Goaltender Tristan Jarry made 22 saves on 26 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-3 loss to the Utica Comets at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, N.Y. on Friday. As had become habit this season as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jarry allowed a goal on the...
Cowboys say offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will be next coachVideo
DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys say offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has agreed on a deal to become the storied franchise’s next coach. The somewhat surprising choice announced Friday night is a familiar one for star quarterback Dak Prescott, who worked closely with Schottenheimer the past two seasons when former coach...
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce says he ‘used to dream’ of playing QB the way Bills’ Josh Allen does
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There are a lot of people who would love to be living Travis Kelce’s life these days. He’s a bona fide NFL star for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. He’s appearing everywhere from TV shows to advertisements, and he just happens to...
Harris English makes a late charge to the take 3rd-round lead at the Farmers Insurance OpenVideo
SAN DIEGO — Harris English finished his 6-under-par 66 with three straight birdies Friday, charging into a one-shot lead over Andrew Novak at 9-under 207 heading into the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open. English capitalized in the third round after Torrey Pines’ brutal wind calmed down and the...
Ivy League won’t join NCAA antitrust settlement, clings to academics and amateurismVideo
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Ivy League will not join the antitrust settlement that will allow schools to pay their players directly, a decision that leaves the conference of eight elite academic institutions clinging to college sports’ amateur model even as it is increasingly abandoned by the NCAA’s biggest powers. Ivy...
Decision on medical redshirt looms for Duquesne guard Jake DiMichele
Jake DiMichele’s unwavering faith in God has carried him through the challenges of a tough childhood while growing up in the gritty Pittsburgh suburb of McKees Rocks. It’s helped him during a championship-caliber high school experience in the classroom and on the basketball court at nearby Our Lady of the...
Eagles’ Saquon Barkley running his way into record book, possibly his 1st Super BowlVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley is unsure why exactly, over the final 30 yards of a 78-yard scoring burst through the playoff snow in a run that whipped Philadelphia Eagles fans out of their frigid state and into a frenzy, he cradled the football in his left hand and repeatedly smacked...
Commanders coach Dan Quinn is on the verge of returning to the Super Bowl 8 years after Falcons lossVideo
ASHBURN, Va. — Brian Robinson Jr. was in a bit of a rut. He ran for a combined 26 yards over the Washington Commanders’ previous two games bridging the end of the regular season and start of the playoffs. Dan Quinn had just the idea. The experienced coach called the...
Steelers positional analysis: Future at QB seems like either/or decision — for now
This is the fifth in a series examining the Pittsburgh Steelers roster, position by position, heading into the offseason. Today: Quarterbacks As Pittsburgh Steelers fans discovered last year, predicting the team’s starting quarterback in January is an exercise in futility. Twelve months ago, Kenny Pickett appeared to be poised to...
11-year-old collector to sell Paul Skenes’ 1-of-1 Pirates rookie card at auction
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offer wasn’t enough to sway an 11-year old card collector who found the coveted Topps Paul Skenes 1-of-1 Debut Patch rookie card and has decided to sell it at auction. The Los Angeles youth and his family will make the card available in the Fanatics Collect “March...
Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom out 4-6 weeks with knee injuryVideo
NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom will be out 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL in his knee, the team announced Friday. Markstrom was injured in the second period of the Devils’ 5-1 win over the Bruins on Wednesday when Boston forward Justin Brazeau crashed into him....
Jaguars hire Bucs OC Liam Coen as head coach after making necessary moves
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Liam Coen as the eighth head coach in franchise history Friday, capping a covert operation that included owner Shad Khan moving on from general manager Trent Baalke and Coen reversing course with the Buccaneers. The sides officially agreed to...
Las Vegas to host 2027 College Football Playoff national championship game
LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas will host the 2027 College Football Playoff national championship game. The CFP made the announcement Friday, saying the title game will be played Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority celebrated the news by releasing a video of...
Vulnerable Syracuse defense presents favorable matchup for Pitt
Syracuse living up to its defensive reputation Saturday afternoon at JMA Wireless Dome would bode well for Pitt snapping its frustrating four-game losing streak. The Orange should not be proud of that reputation. This season, Syracuse (9-10, 3-5 ACC) is allowing opposing shooters to make 45.8% of their field goals,...
Las Vegas Raiders negotiating deal to hire Pete Carroll as head coach, AP source says
The Las Vegas Raiders are negotiating a deal to hire Pete Carroll to be their new head coach, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract hasn’t been finalized. The 73-year-old Carroll returns to the...
Mark Madden: Justin Fields has better options than staying with Steelers
This space recently floated the largely accepted notion that starting Justin Fields at quarterback next season makes sense for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fields is 25 and has pedigree, having been selected 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s mobile and athletic: Lamar Jackson Lite. If Fields blossoms, perhaps he’s...
Duquesne’s coach, players see no need for Dayton loss to start any trends
After Duquesne’s 82-62 loss to Dayton on Tuesday night, coach Dru Joyce III was asked if he was going to have his players study the tape or if he was going to just “burn” it. “You can burn it. You can take a look at it. We’ll see,” Joyce said....
Australian Open: Madison Keys can win her first Slam title and stop Aryna Sabalenka’s 3-peat
MELBOURNE, Australia — The Madison Keys who will play two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title at the Australian Open on Saturday night is not the same Madison Keys who was the runner-up at the U.S. Open back in 2017, the one other time the American participated in a...
