Sports category, Page 425
Freshman Brandin Cummings scores 30 off bench to lead Pitt past Eastern Kentucky
Pitt’s 96-56 victory against Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday night was special for freshman Brandin Cummings long before he scored 30 points and became only the fourth Pitt player to reach that benchmark in school history. Seated courtside at Petersen Events Center, almost close enough to block one of Cummings’ shots,...
In season filled with close games, nobody wins more than Chiefs
In a season on pace for a record number of close games, no team has been better at pulling them out late than the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs tied an NFL record last week by winning their 10th game this season by seven...
Report: Bill Belichick agrees to become North Carolina’s football coachVideo
Six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick has agreed to a five-year deal to become the next coach at North Carolina. The school announced the hiring Wednesday night, roughly a week after the 72-year-old Belichick’s name surfaced as an unlikely candidate to replace the program’s winningest all-time coach in Mack Brown....
Pitt wide receiver Konata Mumpfield declares for ’25 NFL Draft
After three seasons at Pitt and one at Akron, wide receiver Konata Mumpfield has decided to end his collegiate career and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Mumpfield’s decision further depletes the Panthers’ passing game for the GameAbove Sports Bowl on Dec. 26 after wide receiver Daejon Reynolds and quarterback...
Luke DeCock: Bill Belichick ready to cut sleeves off an Alexander Julian blazer as UNC football coach
RALEIGH, N.C. — Bill Belichick, cutting the sleeves off an Alexander Julian plaid blazer. Bill Belichick, responding to boosters’ grinning back-slaps with a scowl and, “We’re on to Georgia Tech.” Bill Belichick, trying on Mack Brown’s old sideline puffy coat for size. Bill Belichick, being asked to shake the hand...
Kyle Louis, Desmond Reid named 2nd-team All-Americans by The Athletic, CBS Sports
Kyle Louis and Desmond Reid, who were Pitt’s most consistent performers during the football season, were named second-team All-Americans on Wednesday by The Athletic and CBS Sports. Louis, a first-time All-American, offered a little bit of everything from his outside linebacker position, compiling 96 tackles, 15½ for a loss, seven...
Stopping Saquon: Steelers focus on minimizing damage by dynamic Eagles star running back
The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen their share of elite running backs this season, but coach Mike Tomlin described Saquon Barkley as both dominant and dynamic because the Philadelphia Eagles star has created a degree of separation from his peers in highlight reel-caliber plays. Barkley’s backwards bounce over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback...
Mike Tomlin ‘enamored’ with his run D, but Elandon Roberts says he’s more than that for Steelers
A day after Mike Tomlin recalled how he and former general manager Kevin Colbert were “enamored” with him after attending his 2016 pro day at the University of Houston, Elandon Roberts playfully admonished Tomlin for not acting more on it. “I always mess with Mike T,” Roberts said Wednesday, “‘Man,...
George Pickens, Larry Ogunjobi, DeShon Elliott sit out Steelers practice because of injury
Receiver George Pickens, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and safety DeShon Elliott did not practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, according to the league-mandated injury report. Pickens is nursing a hamstring injury suffered late last week that caused him to miss this past Sunday’s win against the Cleveland Browns. Coach...
Blocking, ‘splash’ on special teams help Ben Skowronek settle into role with Steelers
Amidst Zoom-directed training at the height of the pandemic, Ben Skowronek jotted down something that his position coach at Notre Dame had told him. “He said, ‘Look, man, you can be the best in the world at this,’ ” Skowronek said of what Fighting Irish wide receivers coach Del Alexander...
Beach volleyball is king in Dan Fisher’s hometown, but he has carried collegiate version to great heights at Pitt
Dan Fisher grew up in Santa Barbara, Calif., where residents play beach volleyball like Pittsburgh kids play Wiffle ball or Little League. “It is mainstream there,” he said. But it wasn’t on the beach where he learned the collegiate game of volleyball that has lifted him to the top of...
Could forward prospect Filip Hallander re-join Penguins?
On Wednesday, Swedish outlet Expressen reported Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Filip Hallander is expected to sign a new contract with the team after this season. Currently a member of Timra IK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), Hallander — as well as his agent, Patrik Aronsson — declined comment to...
Pirates add 5 players, lose 3 in minor league phase of Rule 5 Draft
With the eighth overall selection in this year’s Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates passed on making a pick. However, in the minor-league portion of the draft, the Pirates added five players: righty reliever Franck De La Rosa (Athletics), left-handed relievers Randy Labaut and Steve Hajjar (both from...
5 reasons why Penn State’s offense is averaging almost 450 yards per game
When you put up 518 yards of total offense against the No. 1 team in the country, defenses tend to notice. SMU (11-2), which visits Penn State (11-2) on Dec. 21 in a first-round playoff game, no doubt will be focusing on the Nittany Lions’ foursome of quarterback Drew Allar,...
Tyson Fury vows less clowning and more punching Usyk in the face in heavyweight championship rematch
Tyson Fury promises less clowning and more punching Oleksandr Usyk in the face during their upcoming rematch for boxing’s heavyweight championship. Usyk won a split decision in May in Saudi Arabia, and they get back in the ring there Dec. 21. Fury doesn’t plan to change much from his first...
Pirates announce 2025 home game times, promotional schedule
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their 2025 promotional schedule and home game times Wednesday afternoon. The New York Yankees will be the Pirates’ first opponent at PNC Park, with the two clubs set for a 4:12 p.m. first pitch April 4, 2025, which will be the Pirates’ home opener. That marks...
Mark Madden: Mark Gastineau was cheated by Brett Favre, and the NFL should make it rightVideo
There’s an ESPN “30 for 30” premiering Friday about the “New York Sack Exchange,” the New York Jets’ pass rush of the ’80s. It’s narrated by Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan, so you know it’s good. One of the issues featured in the documentary is the theft of the NFL...
Avs’ stars not the only factor in Penguins’ loss to Colorado
Better editions of the Pittsburgh Penguins than this year’s model certainly would’ve had trouble with the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night. That’s a team with recent Stanley Cup pedigree, and the Avs played like it at PPG Paints Arena en route to a 6-2 win. Two-time All-Star Mikko Rantanen had...
Freshmen Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey help Rutgers fend off Penn State
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Dylan Harper finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, fellow freshman Ace Bailey totaled 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Rutgers held off Penn State, 80-76, on Tuesday night. Harper buried three straight 3-pointers to finish off an 11-0 run for a 13-7 lead and...
Tim Benz: Lots to be gleaned from Steelers’ 3-game gauntlet
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, their long-awaited mid-winter slog through three playoff-quality opponents begins this weekend. Three games over 11 days. Three opponents that have combined for 31 wins. The first game is Sunday in Philadelphia against the 11-2 Eagles. Then the Steelers face their arch-rivals from the AFC North on...
First Call: Who Big Ben likes more than Mike Tomlin for Coach of the Year; Eagles DB says he was almost a SteelerVideo
The Philadelphia Eagles head coach is attempting to quell concerns about locker room discord heading into Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A Philadelphia defensive back discloses he almost wound up in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger has some interesting NFL Coach of the Year thoughts. And the Duquesne men’s basketball team...
Cody Glass, embracing new penalty-killing role, scores 1st goal with PenguinsVideo
Over the last three games since returning to action from a concussion, Cody Glass has been deployed at a different spot in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup. “That’s just the NHL for you,” Glass said regarding the frequent changes to his linemates and responsibilities of late. Glass, who was sidelined for...
Pirates trade for 1B Spencer Horwitz, sending RHP Luis Ortiz, 2 lefties to Cleveland
The Pittsburgh Pirates pulled off their first major offseason trade Tuesday night by sending right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz and a pair of lefty prospects to the Cleveland Guardians for first baseman Spencer Horwitz. The 27-year-old Horwitz is a left-handed hitter who batted .265/.357/.433 with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and...
Scottie Scheffler wins PGA Tour player of year for 3rd straight time
Scottie Scheffler added another trophy to his awesome display Tuesday when he won the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour player of the year in a landslide, joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win the award three straight times. Scheffler won 91% of the vote from players and...
Pirates sign righty reliever Elvis Alvarado, formerly of Marlins farm system
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed right-handed relief pitcher Elvis Alvarado to a major league split contract, a source confirmed to TribLive on Tuesday. The deal with Alvarado, 25, is pending a physical. Split contracts are different from guaranteed deals and feature varying financial compensation for players based on whether they are...
