Sports category, Page 551

The NASCAR season is underway, with 38 races to determine another stock car racing champion in the 76th season of the top motorsports series in the United States. There is a serious problem for NASCAR and its teams: Negotiations on a new revenue-sharing model have deteriorated. In mid-February, representatives from...

There’s no doubting the reality that confronts the Pitt basketball team, game after game. Without Blake Hinson’s points, Pitt is a different team and victory is nearly impossible against the best opponents. That was proven in Littlejohn Coliseum on Tuesday night when Clemson’s Jack Clark followed Hinson anywhere he went...

The Kansas City Chiefs are weighing whether to use the franchise tag on All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones or star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, though general manager Brett Veach said Tuesday he is hopeful both will be back next season. The two stalwarts of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning defense would otherwise...

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani stepped into the bright Arizona sun, carrying the weight of a $700 million contract and the expectations that go with it, before launching a two-run homer in his first exhibition game for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not a bad way to endear himself to his...

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t have any success against Atlanta left-hander Chris Sale through the first two innings, so they welcomed a pitching change. When the Braves turned to 20-year-old righty Owen Murphy, a 2022 first-round pick, the Pirates took advantage in the third inning. Jack Suwinski doubled,...

INDIANAPOLIS — Quarterbacks dominated the conversation Tuesday on the first day of the NFL Combine, and most of the talk had little to do with the incoming class of passing prospects. The future of two quarterbacks loosely connected to the Pittsburgh Steelers — Chicago’s Justin Fields and Denver’s Russell Wilson...

The Pittsburgh Penguins, still feeling the sting of losing top winger Jake Guentzel to injury, received more bad news Tuesday afternoon as coach Mike Sullivan informed reporters in Vancouver that forward Bryan Rust is out week-to-week with an unspecified upper-body injury. Guentzel, currently on long-term injured reserve, is unable to...

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Horse racing’s federal oversight body says racetracks under its jurisdiction experienced 1.23 racing-related equine fatalities per 1,000 starts in 2023, a much lower rate than at tracks outside its watch. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority report, released Tuesday, also stated that its fatality rate was lower...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sean Payton isn’t providing anything definitive on Russell Wilson’s time in Denver but he did hint at the Broncos moving on from him when he suggested the team cannot afford to miss on “the next one” at quarterback. Payton met with the media at the NFL scouting...

INDIANAPOLIS — The late-season rumors about Mike Tomlin leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers with a year remaining on his contract turned out to be unfounded. Tomlin’s longtime rival in the AFC North didn’t believe the speculation anyhow. Like a lot of people, John Harbaugh didn’t think Tomlin was going anywhere, and...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ole Anderson, a professional wrestler whose tough, no-nonsense style led him to become a founding member of the famed collective known as The Four Horsemen, has died, the WWE said. He was 81. Anderson’s death was disclosed Monday by the wrestling organization’s website, which described Anderson’s approach...

You can keep your cups. Saint Vincent hockey is playing for belts. For the first time in program history, Saint Vincent won the College Hockey East Division 3 championship belt. It was the program’s first title since the 1976-77 team won the WPIHA championship. The Polar Bearcats skated past IUP...

INDIANAPOLIS — Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic promised his players a tasty reward when they finally strung together a three-game winning streak. Now it’s time to pay up. With All-Star Scottie Barnes logging his fourth triple-double of the season and RJ Barrett scoring 24 points in Monday night’s 130-122 victory,...

South Florida started the year with a new coach in Amir Abdur-Rahim and a roster picked to finish in the bottom half of its league, then had a rough start that seemed to justify that status. Instead, the 25th-ranked Bulls are closing February in far different position: armed with their...

MANCHESTER, England — Brazil international Antony was assured on Tuesday that he still has a future at Manchester United despite plunging down the pecking order of wingers at the English club. The 24-year-old Antony became the second most expensive player in United’s history when he arrived for $95 million in...

For as enjoyable as Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers was, the Pittsburgh Penguins won’t be able to count on scoring seven goals every night moving forward. But, for the offensively challenged Pens, knowing they’ve got that club in their bag may certainly come in handy for the rest of...

As manic as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ (60 points) 7-6 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers (67 points) was Sunday, it’s precisely the kind of win the Penguins needed to have. It was a win over a hated rival. It was two points gained on the Metropolitan Division’s third playoff team. And...

After a rare three-day weekend, “First Call” is back at “Breakfast With Benz” with plenty of Pittsburgh Steelers conversation. The franchise has signed a former Baltimore Ravens linebacker. We get an update on Ryan Clark’s status at ESPN. A couple of former Steelers have options on a potential draftee at...

DUNEDIN, Fla. — The closer Jared Triolo got to the major leagues, the more he realized his future might be at a position other than third base because of Ke’Bryan Hayes’ presence on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Triolo proved he could fill in at the hot corner when the NL Gold...

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Tylor Perry scored 29 points and made six 3-pointers, Cam Carter added 19 points and Kansas State let a 25-point lead slip away before beating West Virginia 94-90 in overtime on Monday night. Kansas State (17-11, 7-8 Big 12 Conference) set an NCAA single-season record with its...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — With his coach and general manager set to address reporters — and likely his employment situation — at the NFL scouting combine Tuesday, Russell Wilson reiterated over the weekend that he hopes to return to the Denver Broncos in 2024. Wilson said he still aims to win...