Sports category, Page 471
Penguins’ Jason Spezza, Amanda Kessel earn promotions
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced several hockey operations staff promotions and hirings Monday afternoon. • Assistant general manager Jason Spezza has additionally been named general manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. • Amanda Kessel, entering her third year with the Penguins, has been promoted to manager, minor league operations, and will serve...
Steelers believe center Zach Frazier ready to handle challenge of starting as a rookie
In interview settings, Zach Frazier is a man of few words. If he were paid by the sentence, he wouldn’t be able to afford a cup of convenience store coffee. Frazier is polite, courteous and professional around reporters. He also is uncomfortable. A sampling from the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie center...
From gridiron to groundstrokes, Kyle Murray uses athleticism to tackle 2 sports at Saint Vincent
When asked about Kyle Murray’s skills as a tennis player, Saint Vincent coach Brian Niemiec readily admits the rising junior isn’t the most polished. Murray admits it, too. And yet, what Murray might lack in technical proficiency, he makes up for with athleticism and tenacity. Niemiec recalled a match last...
Deer Lakes grad Madison Friess named captain for Pitt-Greensburg women’s volleyball after huge freshman season
Pitt-Greensburg women’s volleyball coach Kevin Conroy didn’t wait long to name one of his captains for the 2024 season. Immediately after the 2023 season concluded — the Bobcats went 6-21 overall and 3-6 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference — he pulled freshman Madison Friess aside. The job was hers,...
SMU buries the painful ‘death penalty’ aftermath for good as its ACC debut draws near
DALLAS — SMU athletic director Rick Hart gets goosebumps pretty easily these days. Whether it’s reflecting on the nearly year-old celebration of getting into the Atlantic Coast Conference or what’s about to happen on the football field his office overlooks, Hart’s emotions flow freely. Even then, Hart says he can’t...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ offense is in preseason disarray
It’s convenient to say exhibition play has no bearing on the NFL regular season. It’s even more convenient to expect a switcheroo in form from exhibition games to real ones by remembering that Kenny Pickett had a passer rating of 158.3 in the 2023 preseason, then fell apart when live...
First Call: Latest on what Steelers are willing to give 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk; Mason Rudolph’s comeback win for Titans
Monday’s “First Call” has the latest scuttlebutt coming out of San Francisco about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ level of interest in 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk. One ex-Steeler was a standout in a preseason game, another has been released, and a third is retiring at a young age. Plus, we preview the...
Tim Benz: Ben Cherington is living in 2 worlds at once when it comes to Oneil Cruz’s future at shortstop
At least Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington acknowledged it at one point during his weekly 93.7 The Fan radio show. “I’m not answering your question,” Cherington admitted Sunday as he tried to segue between multiple points during an answer that lasted almost four minutes. The extended response came after...
Madden Monday: With Steelers’ 0-2 preseason start ‘there’s every possibility this team could stink’
It may only be August, but Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive has some alarms going off about the Pittsburgh Steelers. So far, the team has lost both of its preseason games and has scored just 15 points over eight quarters. “There’s every possibility this team could stink,”...
Cruz control: Pirates weigh what to do on defense with error-prone shortstop Oneil Cruz
Oneil Cruz already has surpassed every statistical mark from his rookie season and is one shy of tying the franchise record for home runs by a shortstop, set 91 years ago by Hall of Famer Arky Vaughan. Although Cruz leads the Pittsburgh Pirates with 27 doubles and ranks among the...
With 5 All-Americans in lineup, Pitt women’s volleyball ranked No. 4 nationally in preseason poll
The American Volleyball Coaches Association released its annual preseason rankings, and it’s no surprise that the Pitt women are again among the top 10. Pitt is ranked No. 4 in the nation (after No. 1 Texas, Nebraska and Wisconsin), making it back-to-back appearances for the Panthers in the top 5...
Brooks Koepka wins LIV Golf Greenbrier in a playoff over RahmVideo
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Brooks Koepka picked up his second LIV Golf League victory of the year Sunday when he shot 7-under-par 63 at The Greenbrier and beat Jon Rahm with a par on the first playoff hole. Rahm, who lost a four-shot lead on the back nine at...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 18, 2024: Matt Gorski’s homer helps Indy sweep St. PaulVideo
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 57-59) swept St. Paul (Twins) with a 7-6 walk-off victory. CF Matt Gorski (.244) was 3 for 5 with two RBIs, including a double and solo home run in the bottom of the ninth. He now has 53 RBIs this season. 1B Seth Beer (.295) was 3 for...
Hideki Matsuyama avoids collapse and rallies to win FedEx Cup playoffs opener
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hideki Matsuyama could feel the tournament getting away from him, an odd sensation considering he had gone 27 holes without a bogey and had a five-shot lead just an hour earlier. Even more improbable was how it ended Sunday. On the verge of a collapse, Matsuyama rolled...
Raiders name Gardner Minshew starting quarterback: ‘Our team’s behind it’
LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Raiders, looking for a spark to begin the season, named Gardner Minshew their starting quarterback Sunday. Minshew got the nod over second-year pro Aidan O’Connell after a long battle between the two. The veteran was not decidedly better throughout the competition, but still emerged...
Stock up, stock down among Steelers after 2nd preseason loss
The bad news? Anything relating to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense during Saturday night’s 9-3 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. The good news? If anything at all can be learned from last year’s preseason, it’s that there is little correlation between results from the first-team offense in the preseason and...
Mariners pound Pirates, prevent 1st series sweep at home
After ending a 10-game losing streak, the Pittsburgh Pirates took the first two games of their series against the Seattle Mariners and were seeking their third sweep of the season and first at home. But the Pirates’ inability to finish off opponents persisted. Cal Raleigh, Josh Rojas and Dominic Canzone...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington takes responsibility for ‘difficult stretch,’ says goals won’t change
Ben Cherington accepted responsibility for the 10-game losing streak that derailed the Pittsburgh Pirates’ postseason hopes but said it hasn’t changed the team’s goals. The Pirates general manager said Sunday afternoon on his weekly radio show that, after a 14-game jump in their win total last year, the expectation remains...
Not just ‘Mister August,’ OLB Nick Herbig poised to take 2nd-year leap for SteelersVideo
Call him Mr. August. Nick Herbig’s skills, though, by all accounts, translate to when the football really matters. After a sack-and-a-half during Saturday night’s preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills, Herbig is up to five sacks in five August NFL games. Of course, that calendar identifier signifies that his production...
Penn State notebook: Despite injury, North Allegheny’s Khalil Dinkins expected to play key role in offense
James Franklin offered some positive news on Penn State’s wide receiver room a few days back. A couple of fourth-year players have emerged in August. There have been other interesting revelations with the West Virginia opener two weeks away. Here are a few updates on the progress of Penn State...
In his 6th season at Pitt, Brandon George leads a young group of linebackersVideo
To hear Brandon George spread the word, Pitt’s linebackers bring the complete package to the field. “We have some athletes,” he said. “We have guys who, for all intents and purposes in other defenses, might be fast enough and quick enough to play safety. It’s not something you see all...
Feats of Strength, Airing of Grievances as Steelers offense sputters during Russell Wilson’s preseason debutVideo
Pittsburgh football fans have been waiting for months to see Russell Wilson in a Steelers uniform at Acrisure Stadium. Maybe the next time they see him, he’ll actually lead a scoring drive. No, the Steelers’ shortcomings on offense certainly weren’t all Wilson’s fault, as the team’s first unit stumbled through...
Stoppage time goals lead to draw between Riverhounds, Colorado Springs
In about five minutes of second half stoppage time the Pittsburgh Riverhounds went from jubilation to the sensation of a gut punch. Sean Suber’s header into the net 25 seconds into the five minutes of added time gave the Hounds the lead, but they couldn’t see it out. Colorado Springs’...
Steelers DB Thomas Graham Jr. embraces chance to start, make impression during preseason
Looking to take advantage of an opportunity to make an impression so he can make the team, Thomas Graham Jr. certainly wasn’t intimidated by having to face one of the best at his position in the NFL. A spot starter at nickel/slot defensive back because of a pair of injuries...
Penn State’s Adisa Isaac shines before exiting Ravens debut: ‘He was a factor’
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens have had two rookies suffer injuries in as many preseason games. Last week, it was cornerback Nate Wiggins who exited early with a shoulder injury against the Philadelphia Eagles before returning to practice Thursday. On Saturday, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac went to the medical tent...
