Sports category, Page 599
Former Altoona Curve teammates unsurprised by Pirates prospect Braxton Ashcraft’s ascentVideo
Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Braxton Ashcraft had a workmanlike attitude at the start of the season when weighing potential promotions and whether his immediate future was as a starter or reliever. “It’s my job to play, not to play (general manager),” Ashcraft said. “I’m going to go out and get outs...
On Sports: Ex-Pirates pitcher Roansy Contreras starts for Angels; Canucks do deals with 2 ex-Penguins
Would a 24-year-old recent former top prospect with 30 career MLB starts be an adequate fit for addressing the Pittsburgh Pirates’ depleted depth at starting pitcher? Too bad the right-hander in question made his first start for the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. Forty-one days after he was acquired —...
Steve Gleason to receive Arthur Ashe Courage Award at The ESPYS for his work on ALS awareness
LOS ANGELES — Retired NFL safety Steve Gleason, who has been fighting ALS since 2011, will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at The ESPYS on July 11. The 47-year-old Gleason spent eight years in the NFL before retiring in 2008. Three years later, he went public with his...
Penguins A to Z: Lukas Svejkovsky has plenty to prove in the final year of his contract
With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2023-24 season coming to an end without any postseason action, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 52 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from fourth-line...
U mad, bro?: Pirates’ lineup, Steelers concerns, Skenes’ future
We are taking a few days off here at “Breakfast With Benz.” But even if an off day falls on Thursday, we will make sure “U mad, bro?” gets posted. One can’t keep all that rage pent up for an extra seven days. Especially with so much agitation bubbling up...
Understanding the assignment: For Pirates’ veterans, rehab a chance to pay it forward
That Martin Perez was packing a bag at his locker in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ clubhouse was a telltale sign the veteran left-hander was leaving for the minor leagues. And it was anything but a demotion. After throwing a live bullpen session last week, Perez told the Pirates he wanted to...
Steelers A to Z: After playing tackle in college, Anderson Hardy trying to adapt to interior spots
Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day...
Pirates farm report for June 26, 2024: Henry Davis begins rehab assignment in Altoona
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 33-41) and Rochester (Nationals) were rained out. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Thursday. Next: Thursday at Rochester (Nationals), doubleheader, 1:05 p.m. ALTOONA (Double-A, 29-42) gave up five runs in the ninth lost 11-6 to Akron (Guardians). C Henry Davis, on a rehab...
Americans favored to finish 1st in overall medal count at Paris Olympics
The United States is strongly favored to win the most overall medals when the Paris Olympics open in a month. The big question is this: will the Americans also top the gold-medal tally in a close race with China? The United States is projected to win 123 medals overall —...
Pitt’s Bub Carrington goes to Wizards 14th overall in NBA Draft
After nine consecutive years without a Pitt player’s name being called in the NBA Draft, the drought ended Wednesday night. Guard Bub Carrington, who played only one season at Pitt, was drafted 14th overall in the first round by the Washington Wizards, who acquired the selection in a Wednesday night...
Sha’Carri Richardson back on track in 200 as Olympic trials enter homestretch
EUGENE, Ore. — Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles are coming back for Part II. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas are joining the show. The second half of U.S. Olympic trials for track and field kick off Thursday, and the final four days at Hayward Field will feature the full complement...
Increased transparency and golden retrievers: How USA Gymnastics came back from brink
MINNEAPOLIS — USA Gymnastics was a house afire five years ago, the massive fallout surrounding the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal rendering one of the U.S. Olympic movement’s marquee programs radioactive. Lawsuits. Bankruptcy. Potential decertification. A revolving door at the top as CEOs incapable or unwilling to find a path...
Hawks take Zaccharie Risacher with No. 1 NBA Draft pick
First, Victor Wembanyama, now Zaccharie Risacher. These days, American college players have to wait their turn in the NBA Draft. It’s someone else’s time at the top. Vive la France! The Atlanta Hawks took Risacher with the No. 1 pick Wednesday night, and France landed three players in the top...
Oilers coach: Stars Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl played through injuries in playoffs
EDMONTON, Alberta — Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said Wednesday that some of the team’s top stars were playing through injuries during their Stanley Cup playoff run. The Oilers lost 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers on Monday night. “It’s obviously disappointing. It’s...
Guardians slugger Jhonkensy Noel homers in 1st MLB at-bat
BALTIMORE — Jhonkensy Noel became the fourth Cleveland player in franchise history to homer in his first major-league at-bat, going deep Wednesday night against the Baltimore Orioles just hours after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus. Noel launched a 1-1 pitch from Grayson Rodriguez in the second inning to put the...
Bethel Park’s Justin Meis enjoying life with Altoona Curve, patiently working toward promotion
Altoona is by no means the preferred final baseball destination for relief pitcher Justin Meis. Meis, a Bethel Park graduate drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021 (10th round, No. 283 overall), is in his second season with the Curve, during which time he’s transitioned from a starter to the...
Penn State lands commitment from 2025 4-star edge rusher Jayden Woods
James Franklin and Penn State’s coaching staff are on a recruiting heater, bolstering their 2025 class with yet another high-profile, four-star prospect. Jayden Woods, a consensus four-star edge rusher from Mill Valley High School (Kan.), verbally committed to Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class Wednesday. Woods, ranked as the No. 167...
Gymnastics stars Lee, Jones and Blakely battle health issues as Olympic trials begin
MINNEAPOLIS — Reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, six-time world championship medalist Shilese Jones and national runner-up Skye Blakely are facing health concerns ahead of the U.S. Olympic trials. Lee, who has spent the better part of two years fighting multiple kidney issues, felt ill while training Wednesday, though longtime coach...
JuJu Watkins enjoying summer, dreams of playing in 2028 Olympics
NEW YORK — JuJu Watkins already has thought about how special it would be to play for the U.S. in 2028 at the Olympics in her hometown of Los Angeles. “That’s definitely a long-term goal of mine when I get done with my college career,” Watkins said in an interview...
Steelers A to Z: Massive tackle Devery Hamilton looking to get NFL career back on track
Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day...
Hall of Famer Glen Sather retires after 6 decades highlighted by Oilers dynasty
NEW YORK — Hockey Hall of Famer Glen Sather, who built and coached the NHL’s last great dynasty with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s and helped resurrect the New York Rangers in the early 2000s, is retiring after six decades in the sport as a player, coach and executive....
Luis Ortiz ties career best with 7 strikeouts, delivers quality spot start as Pirates beat Reds
Just as Luis Ortiz was adjusting to life in long relief out of the bullpen, the Pittsburgh Pirates asked the 25-year-old right-hander to make a spot start with the series against the Cincinnati Reds on the line. “I was excited, obviously,” Ortiz said through interpreter Stephen Morales on the SportsNet...
NHL announces draft order; Penguins currently have 6 picks
On Wednesday, the NHL announced the formal order of the upcoming draft this weekend. In total, the Penguins are currently slated to have six picks. Their selections by round and overall number: Second round — No. 44 (from the Philadelphia Flyers via Carolina Hurricanes) Second round — No. 46 Fourth...
Penn State open to selling ads on field but ‘it’s always going to be Beaver Stadium’
Recent NCAA rule changes have opened the door for schools to put logos on fields, opening sponsorship opportunities for programs across the country. With Beaver Stadium already in the early stages of renovations, that gives Penn State a chance to add an extra revenue stream to help pay for those...
Al Michaels returns to the Olympics — as the AI voice of Peacock
As legendary sportscaster Al Michaels would say, you can’t make this up. Or maybe you can. NBC Sports announced Wednesday that it will use the voice of Michaels, re-created using artificial intelligence, in a personalized daily recap of Summer Olympics events delivered to NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service subscribers. Peacock users...
