Sports category, Page 698
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes to sit regular-season finale vs. Chargers with AFC West secured
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Kansas City Chiefs’ regular-season finale against the Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles with their eighth straight AFC West title secured and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs already locked up. The Chiefs can do no better or worse...
Former Ohio State wideout Julian Fleming transferring to Penn State
Julian Fleming, after rejecting Penn State years ago, is coming to Happy Valley. Fleming, the former Ohio State wide receiver and Southern Columbia star, is transferring to Penn State, according to an On3.com report on Wednesday. Fleming, who entered the NCAA transfer portal when it opened in early December, has...
Joey Porter Jr. wins Joe Greene award as Steelers’ top rookie, Patrick Peterson gets nod as Chief recipient
It took seven games before Joey Porter Jr. made his first start at cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Once he got in the lineup, however, nobody could keep him out. Porter has started the past 10 games heading into the season finale Saturday at Baltimore. His accomplishments in those games...
Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves remains honest but optimistic over struggles
Ryan Graves would be a terrible politician. He is way too honest. As it is, things aren’t going great with his actual vocation as an NHL defenseman with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the moment. During a 4-3 home loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, Graves was directly involved in...
Winless in ACC, Pitt men seek better point production
Jeff Capel was proud of the effort his team displayed in Pitt’s 70-57 loss to No. 8 North Carolina on Tuesday. He repeatedly has praised his players’ attitude and togetherness, hoping those three traits eventually will lead to victories in the ACC. So far, however, Pitt (9-5 overall) has lost...
Return of PiratesFest to feature All-Star players, alums
The return of PiratesFest will feature All-Star players Andrew McCutchen, David Bednar, Mitch Keller and Bryan Reynolds and Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes, as well as Pirates alums Andy Van Slyke, Jason Grilli, Neil Walker and Bob Walk. The event, which will be held Saturday at the David L. Lawrence...
Mark Madden: Staying with Steelers the best bet for Mason Rudolph amid Kenny Pickett’s struggles
T.J. Watt was voted the Pittsburgh Steelers’ MVP for the fourth time in five years. Very well deserved. Leads the NFL in sacks. (Still hasn’t won a playoff game.) But in today’s high-octane NFL, you won’t accomplish much if a defensive player keeps getting team MVP. More specifically if your...
Penguins place defenseman John Ludvig on long-term injured reserve, recall Ryan Shea
Less than 12 hours after their loss at home to the Washington Capitals, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed rookie defenseman John Ludvig on long-term injured reserve Wednesday morning. In a related transaction, fellow defenseman Ryan Shea was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. The Penguins have recalled defenseman Ryan...
Duquesne hopes to build on positives from pre-conference schedule as Atlantic 10 play begins
As their Atlantic 10 Conference schedule begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday night at UMass, the Duquesne basketball team should feel like it is on familiar ground. And in an appropriate spot. The Dukes made it through the two-month pre-conference schedule at 9-3. Their only losses came on the road at...
Djokovic struggles with wrist injury as Australia stuns Serbia in quarterfinals of United Cup
PERTH, Australia — Novak Djokovic continued to struggle with his wrist injury as Australia stunned Serbia with a 3-0 win in the quarterfinals of the United Cup on Wednesday. Poland also qualified for the semifinals with a 3-0 victory over China, while France and Greece completed sweeps of Italy and...
The 49ers have a rare quartet of 1,000-yard players. Dolphins and Lions could do the same.
The San Francisco 49ers and their deep group of playmakers accomplished a rare feat. They soon could have company from the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. Tight end George Kittle became the latest Niners player to eclipse 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season, joining Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo...
Founder of retirement thoroughbred farm in Kentucky announces he’s handing over reins to successor
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Michael Blowen’s love for horses stretched far beyond the racetrack and spurred him into starting a mid-life career as founder of a retirement farm in Kentucky, where older thoroughbreds could spend their remaining years in dignity and security — long after their earning days were over. For...
First Call: Unpopular choice to officiate Steelers-Ravens; fine for David Tepper’s drink toss
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some unfortunate details about the officiating crew for Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game. One former Pittsburgh Steeler is looking for work, while another one is on a new roster. The Penguins are helping out Cameron Heyward. Marc-Andre Fleury is still working to catch Patrick Roy. And a former...
Tim Benz: If Kenny Pickett is being honest with us, I hope Steelers coaches weren’t being honest with him
A dust-up has been swirling around the allegations that Kenny Pickett refused to be a backup quarterback Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Seattle. Pickett addressed that storyline Tuesday and denied it. Something else he said is the bigger story, though. “There was no talk of me being a backup...
Penguins can’t complete rally vs. Capitals as 3-game winning streak ends
Having worn the colors of both sides of the rivalry, Lars Eller can articulate the decades-long feud between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals with an educated perspective. “It’s a divisional game,” said Eller, currently the Penguins’ third-line center. “A rivalry game. There’s going to be high emotions on both...
Cold-shooting Pitt remains winless in ACC after loss to No. 8 North Carolina
The missed shots hurt – badly – and Pitt had plenty of those in its 70-57 loss to No. 8 North Carolina on Tuesday night. Shots that go awry create opportunities for rebounds and second-chance points. But that was no advantage for a Pitt team that lost the battle of...
Forward Bryan Rust rejoins Penguins’ lineup
Bryan Rust burst into 2024 with a pretty buoyant attitude. At least that’s what one could surmise when the Pittsburgh Penguins forward took to the ice at PPG Paints Arena for a morning skate Tuesday waving to the handful of media members there to watch. His quips and one-liners to...
Dolphins to host Bills with a chance to win AFC East, start playoffs at homeVideo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins will be in the playoffs no matter what, but there’s plenty at stake in their showdown with AFC East rival Buffalo on Sunday night. The Dolphins’ chances at earning the AFC’s top seed ended when they were blown out at Baltimore last weekend....
Analysis: Surprising Colts control playoff destiny entering showdown with Texans
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts weren’t supposed to be here, playing a prime-time game in Week 18 with a chance to make the playoffs. Not with a rookie quarterback who then suffered a season-ending injury that forced Indy (9-7) to rely on a veteran backup for its final 12 games....
Analysis: Bills overcome deficiencies, missteps to set up showdown at Miami for AFC East title
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Don’t count the Buffalo Bills out of — or into — the playoffs just yet. This has, after all, been a team that’s not made much appear easy this season. It’s remarkable that the Bills (10-6) have made made it this far. They’ve won four straight...
NFL fines Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 for tossing drink at Jaguars fansVideo
The NFL has fined Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 for tossing a drink at fans in Jacksonville toward the end of a game on Sunday. The league called Tepper’s conduct “unacceptable” in a statement released Tuesday. “All NFL personnel are expected to conduct themselves at all times in ways...
T.J. Watt voted Steelers’ MVP by teammates for record-tying 4th time
Seven seasons and 100-plus games into his NFL career, T.J. Watt finally is allowing himself to, at times, stop and smell the proverbial roses. “I’m able to more live in the moment a little more and be present,” Watt said after Pittsburgh Steelers practice Tuesday. “I am able to enjoy...
Luke Littler, 16, reaches final of world darts championship in one of the sport’s most unlikely storiesVideo
Luke Littler reached the final of the world darts championship at the age of 16 on Tuesday, extending one of the most unlikely stories in the history of the sport. Littler, an unseeded player from Runcorn in northwest England who started throwing darts as a toddler, beat 2018 champion Rob...
John Harbaugh has reason to dance after another dominant performance by the RavensVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The more grueling the task, the better the Baltimore Ravens have looked this season, so it was only fair that coach John Harbaugh decided to let loose with a little dancing in the locker room. “I thought I was smooth, rolling. Then, my daughter showed me...
Penguins assign Vinnie Hinostroza, Ryan Shea to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned forward Vinnie Hinostroza and defenseman Ryan Shea to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. These transactions allowed the team to formally activate forward Bryan Rust from long-term injured reserve. Hinostroza (Dec. 16) and Shea (Dec. 19) each cleared waivers recently, allowing them to be...
