Sports category, Page 461

PINEHURST, N.C. — Pebble Beach has the Pacific Ocean. Oakmont is the brute with its church pew bunkers. Pinehurst No. 2 has the cereal bowls turned upside down. The greens at Pinehurst No. 2 are the signature of this Donald Ross course that hosts the 124th U.S. Open starting Thursday....

Sonny Gray seemed off at the start as the St. Louis Cardinals right-hander allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base. After walking Andrew McCutchen and giving up a double to Bryan Reynolds, Gray struck out the next three Pittsburgh Pirates on his way to recording nine strikeouts...

Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas failed in her challenge against rules that stop her from competing in elite women’s races because judges ruled she did not have standing to bring the case. The Court of Arbitration for Sport panel of three judges dismissed Thomas’ request for arbitration with the World Aquatics...

EDMONTON, Alberta — Connor McDavid on the ice is an electrifying, must-watch sensation fit for the big screen. Off the ice, he does not think there is much “Hollywood” to him. “Just a Canadian kid,” McDavid said. A Canadian kid who has led the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup...

Midway through the three-day mandatory minicamp, two of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ highest-profile players are sitting out drills. Coach Mike Tomlin on Wednesday confirmed neither defensive lineman Cameron Heyward nor running back Najee Harris was participating in team drills at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Not anything that is going to be...

As much as he enjoyed having three veteran starting options at inside linebacker to open last season, Teryl Austin isn’t planning on the rotation system returning in 2024. Not after the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41 million contract in free agency. Queen played 97% of the...

Pitt coach Jeff Capel’s wish to improve the competitive level of the Panthers’ nonconference schedule might have received a boost Wednesday when matchups were announced for this season’s SEC/ACC Challenge. Pitt will play at Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., on Dec. 4. All 16 matchups were revealed by ACC and...

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder-outfielder Cavan Biggio from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league pitcher Braydon Fisher on Wednesday. Biggio was designated for assignment last week after batting .200 with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBI in 44 games for the...

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Jac Caglianone grabbed a Florida teammate to help carry the bucket of ice water and tried to sneak up on coach Kevin O’Sullivan moments after the Gators advanced to the College World Series for the second consecutive year. “I saw him coming the whole way,” O’Sullivan said...

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed coach Mike Tomlin to a three-year contract extension Monday. It runs through 2027. I’m not angry, because it was inevitable. I’m just dumbfounded. Because everybody says retaining Tomlin is the obvious and correct move. But I don’t see one good reason to do so. When Tomlin...

Paul Skenes appreciated the love he received Tuesday night from St. Louis fans. When the Pirates starter was pulled from the game with one out and a man on second in the seventh inning, he did so to a standing ovation from Cardinals fans. Paul Skenes got a standing ovation...

Mike Sullivan flashes a smile about as often as he divulges the identity of his starting goaltender the day before a game. That’s to say each is rare. But there are exceptions. Like on the occasions Sullivan is asked about his friend, David Quinn. Such was the case in January...

Wednesday’s “First Call” has a hunch about what Mike Tomlin is making from the Pittsburgh Steelers on his newest coaching contract. Diontae Johnson is talking himself up in Carolina. And we celebrate another happy Penguins anniversary. What it took We know Mike Tomlin signed a contract extension on Monday to...

There is so much uncertainty about how the NFL’s new kickoff rules are going to play out, that NFL game officials have been informally calling special teams coaches on their own, just to make sure certain interpretations are being viewed the same way between the coaches and the men in...

A boost in classification and the ability to offer athletic scholarships for the first time is allowing Westmoreland County Community College to cast a much wider net in the local basketball recruiting game. Players who once were untouchable are now willing to give the junior college path a look. “It...

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy doesn’t even let the question end. What does he remember about Max Talbot’s game-winning goal in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final in Det… “I was wide (expletive) open,” Kennedy blurted out during a phone call Tuesday evening. On the 15th anniversary...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 26-36) was edged out by Jacksonville (Marlins), 2-1. RHP Daulton Jefferies (6.10) started and allowed one run on four hits in 5.2 innings. He walked none and struck out two. LHP Geronimo Franzua (6.47) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings. LHP Brady Feigl (3.24) allowed one run on two hits...

Only seven NFL teams had a lower yards-per-play average last season than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Only five had fewer passing plays of at least 20 yards. One of the team’s new quarterbacks believes that will change in 2024. “That’s just how our offense is built, to be honest with you,”...