Sports category, Page 456
Steelers’ Nick Herbig out vs. Commanders, but Zach Frazier and Cordarrelle Patterson to return
It’s official: Zach Frazier is returning to game action Sunday. But the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to wait another week for Nick Herbig. Friday’s injury report did not list a status designation for Frazier, meaning the Steelers starting center is cleared to play in Sunday’s game at the Washington Commanders....
George Pickens embraces addition of Mike Williams to Steelers WR corps
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 6-foot-3, 200-plus pound No. 1 wide receiver is eager to play with the Steelers’ newest 6-foot-3, 200-plus pound wide receiver. “Adding another big receiver (is beneficial) not only for me but (quarterback Russell Wilson) as well,” George Pickens said Friday after wrapping up a week’s worth of...
Mark Madden: Penguins are done winning and shouldn’t be afraid to rebuild
With Nashville off to a 4-9-1 start and sitting last in the NHL’s Central Division, GM Barry Trotz said, “If we don’t get it going, then I’m going to start our rebuild plan.” Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas needs to say the same, then follow through. The Penguins are 5-8-2...
Pitt Take 5: Loss to SMU doesn’t end hope for Panthers to finish season strong
Simple math tells you Pitt can lose Saturday to Virginia and still maintain hope for getting to the ACC championship game. Reality, however, tells you that’s not the case. Yes, conference co-leaders Miami and SMU could stumble, creating opportunity for Pitt or Clemson, but that’s not happening. The Hurricanes and...
Tim Benz: If you didn’t like Erik Karlsson’s performance in Carolina, you’re going to hate his own analysis of itVideo
The only thing worse than the performance of Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson on Thursday night was his own assessment of it. The Penguins lost to the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-1. He was held without a point, was a minus-3, and was the only defenseman on the team who failed to register...
New defensive coordinator, West Virginia face improved Cincinnati teamVideo
West Virginia (4-4, 3-2 Big 12) at Cincinnati (5-3, 3-2) Time: Noon Saturday (FS1) Odds: Cincinnati by 4 1/2. Series record: West Virginia leads 17-3-1. What’s at stake? Cincinnati can clinch bowl eligibility. A win would also double the Bearcats’ overall win total from a season ago. Cincinnati hasn’t beaten...
First Call: Paul Skenes, Livvy Dunne to appear on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’; key Ravens injury before Steelers gameVideo
Friday’s “First Call” features some fun for Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Skenes. The Ravens may have lost a key player in advance of their game against the Steelers next week. Najee Harris shares his thoughts on Saquon Barkley’s jaw-dropping highlight last week. We look at bounceback opportunities for Pitt and...
Penn State looks to rebound, avoid another setback vs. Washington
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State players know their goal is still within reach. The No. 6 Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten, No. 6 CFP) also realize a College Football Playoff berth could slip away if they let last week’s humbling loss to No. 3 Ohio State snowball. They’re determined...
Football Footnotes: Beyond trying to slow Jayden Daniels, here are 5 other matchups to watch during Steelers-Commanders
Without a doubt, Sunday’s feature matchup during the Steelers-Commanders game is going to be how the Pittsburgh defense handles Washington rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. The first-year quarterback has a passer rating of 106.7 — the fifth-best in the NFL. His 71.5% completion percentage is third-best. That said, the Steelers have...
Lamar Jackson throws 4 TD passes, Ravens stop 2-point conversion to beat Bengals
BALTIMORE — Lamar Jackson threw for three fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the Baltimore Ravens stopped Cincinnati on a 2-point conversion with 38 seconds remaining to hold off the Bengals, 35-34, on Thursday night. The Ravens (7-3) rallied from a 21-7 third-quarter deficit, overcoming a huge game from Cincinnati receiver Ja’Marr Chase....
Penguins fall to Hurricanes on road again
Up until recently, a Pittsburgh-rooted institution had owned the naming rights to the home venue of the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C. for 12 years. But in August, the PNC Arena morphed into the Lenovo Center. Yet, regardless of the corporate logo affixed to the front of the building, the...
Robert Morris drops 2nd in row to open season, losing to Delaware
NEWARK, Del. — Niels Lane had 19 points in Delaware’s 81-77 win over Robert Morris on Thursday night. Lane also contributed seven rebounds and three steals for the Blue Hens (1-1). Trent Middleton scored 13 points, going 3 of 4 from the floor and 6 of 6 from the free-throw...
Whether he’s speaking English or Spanish, Pitt’s Guillermo Diaz Graham happy to embrace leadership role
Guillermo Diaz Graham is 21 years old now, no longer a newcomer to the rigors of ACC basketball like he was in 2022. He’s a Pitt junior, entrusted by coach Jeff Capel to shoot 3s, rebound and launch his 7-foot frame off the dribble and toward the basket. Diaz Graham...
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott has hamstring tear; surgery is option
FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott’s injured hamstring is partially torn away from the bone, and surgery for the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys is possible, a person with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. The injury, known as a partial avulsion, is likely to lead to an absence longer...
NASCAR’s championship weekend shrouded in off-track drama
AVONDALE, Ariz. — NASCAR heads into its championship weekend locked in a federal antitrust lawsuit with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Its officiating has been under months-long scrutiny, and this week it issued a wave of hefty fines for alleged race manipulation in the final playoff qualifier. And Truck...
Pitt’s 7-1 record, No. 18 CFP ranking increase the urgency to win
Compared to other sports, college football seasons are short — 12 games and three months for a team to state its case amidst the pressure of often-unreasonable expectations. For Pitt, they became great expectations after the Panthers started the season 7-0. There is a school of thought, however, that the...
Russell Wilson eager for reunions with Dan Quinn, Bobby Wagner when Steelers face Commanders
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will be making acquaintance with a couple of old friends before, during and after Sunday’s game at the Washington Commanders. Washington head coach Dan Quinn was on the defensive staff of the Seattle Seahawks for Wilson’s first three seasons in the NFL and with that...
Ex-Giants German player Markus Kuhn owns slice of NFL history
MUNICH — From touring U.S. colleges with a highlights DVD to scoring a historic touchdown in the pros, Markus Kuhn blazed a trail for German players in American football. Now he’s helping the NFL catch on in his home country. Kuhn felt like a fan whose dream came true when...
Steelers lead NFL in red zone defense
You’ve heard of “Tomlinisms.” Thursday, one of Mike Tomlin’s top lieutenants dropped a colorful idiom of his own. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was explaining why the players on his unit have been so successful this season in stopping teams once they drive inside the Steelers’ 20 yard-line. “They,”...
Steelers show caution with Mike Williams, hoping new wide receiver is ‘value added’
The Pittsburgh Steelers who will have the most to do with getting the ball to Mike Williams — the one calling the plays and the one throwing the passes — did their best Thursday to downplay the immediate impact their newly acquired wide receiver could have on the offense. While...
Penn State still seeking offensive improvement, particularly in setting up splash plays
Penn State’s receiving corps entered the season with something to prove. Harrison Wallace, Omari Evans and Liam Clifford looked to step up and assume larger roles. Julian Fleming, after transferring from Ohio State, aimed to make an impact after the Nittany Lions lost two key wideouts from last year —...
Baseball Digest selects Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes as NL rookie of the year
Paul Skenes was named Baseball Digest’s National League Rookie of the Year, one of many postseason honors expected for the Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher following a phenomenal season. Skenes joins American League winner Luis Gil of the New York Yankees to mark the third time in the 53 years that...
Duquesne refuses to use lack of continuity as an early season excuseVideo
There were a few obvious on-court reasons why Duquesne lost its home opener to Lipscomb on Monday night 77-72. • The Dukes missed nine free throws that could have made a difference, and 14 3-point attempts, going 6 for 20 beyond the arc. • They struggled to convert some open...
First Call: Mike Williams heard calls from Steelers fans; Commanders’ plan to balance Terrible Towels in D.C.
New Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Williams talks about his recent exposure to Acrisure Stadium. We get some background on Diontae Johnson’s trade to Baltimore from Carolina’s perspective. The Washington Commanders have a plan to counterbalance a potential influx of Steelers fans populating their stadium on Sunday. And the Penguins are running...
U mad, bro?: Fans unload on plodding Penguins and Steelers’ trade deadline coverage
In terms of crafting “U mad, bro?” for this week, I’m in the wrong line of work. If I was a political reporter, I’m sure my social media mentions and emails would be overflowing with rage and anger in the wake of the election. But for the purposes of this...
