Sports category, Page 710
Florida State moves closer to potential lawsuit to get out of ACC
The Florida State board of trustees on Friday cleared the way for a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging a contract that binds the school to the league for the next 12 years and creating a potential path to leave without paying more than $500 million in penalties. “I...
Dodgers agree to sign prized pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to $325 million deal
LOS ANGELES — Prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract, according to multiple reports. Yamamoto is set to join Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record $700 million, 10-year deal last...
Mark Madden: Easy to root for Mason Rudolph, who never got fair shake from Steelers
Here’s my dream scenario for Saturday when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium: Mason Rudolph throws for 350 yards and three touchdowns. Steelers put up 40-plus points, which seems impossible but also necessary because their defense has zero legit safeties and just one real inside linebacker. Steelers...
First Call: Joey Porter Jr. dismisses Tyler Boyd’s criticism; Bill Cowher encourages 1 specific Steelers change
In our final “First Call” before Christmas weekend, Pittsburgh Steelers corner Joey Porter Jr. didn’t have a lot of holiday cheer after hearing Tyler Boyd’s comments this week. Bill Cowher has some advice for the Steelers offense. We look at the full slate of games that impact the AFC wild-card...
Football Footnotes: Who could the Steelers get to replace Mike Tomlin? Let’s try Santa
I feel strongly that Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II is going to keep Mike Tomlin as head coach beyond this season. Yes, even if they lose out and wind up 7-10. That said, the conversations about firing or trading Tomlin sure have picked up as the 2023 campaign has...
Minor league report: Sam Poulin scores 2 power-play goals as Penguins winVideo
Two power-play goals by forward Sam Poulin helped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeat the Belleville Senators, 5-1, at CAA Arena in Belleville, Ont. on Thursday. Forwards Rem Pitlick and Colin White each had a goal and an assist for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (15-9-3-0) while forward Alex Nylander and defenseman Ty Smith both contributed...
Matthew Stafford’s Rams start strong, hold off Saints 30-22 to surge forward in NFC playoff raceVideo
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Matthew Stafford passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Puka Nacua had nine catches for a career-high 164 yards and a score and the Los Angeles Rams surged forward in the NFC playoff race with a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night....
Penguins turn to Alex Nedeljkovic again and finally beat Hurricanes
The Pittsburgh Penguins needed their best Thursday against one of their nemeses in the Metropolitan Division, the Carolina Hurricanes. And with regard to their own crease, backup Alex Nedeljkovic was deemed a better option than starter Tristan Jarry. That proved to be a sound decision as Nedeljkovic, starting for the...
Former N.C. State offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper commits to Pitt from the transfer portal
After veteran guards Jake Kradel and Blake Zubovic exhausted their eligibility and tackle Matt Goncalves declared for the NFL Draft, Pitt needed help on its offensive line. Coach Pat Narduzzi looked inside the ACC to find it. Former N.C. State guard/center Lyndon Cooper announced Thursday night on X his decision...
Kanye Clary scores 20 as Penn States rebounds to beat Le Moyne
UNIVERSITY PARK — Kanye Clary scored 20 points as Penn State bounced back its one-point loss to Georgia Tech in overtime by cruising to a 72-55 win over Le Moyne, a first-year Division I member of the Northeast Conference, on Thursday night. The Nittany Lions needed to stage big second-half...
Oregon State, Washington State agree to revenue distribution deal with 10 departing Pac-12 schools
Oregon State and Washington State announced Thursday they reached an agreement with 10 departing Pac-12 schools on revenue distribution for 2023-24 that puts an end to a legal battle sparked by conference realignment. Last week, Oregon State and Washington State were given control of the Pac-12 and assets when the...
RB Saquon Barkley, Giants aim to end road skid in Philadelphia
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Saquon Barkley enjoys taking the trip down the New Jersey Turnpike to play the Philadelphia Eagles. Facing the Eagles (10-4) is always a challenge. Driving into Lincoln Financial Field, the fans will scream and throw things at the New York Giants team bus, and that’s just...
Matchup between Browns and Texans will likely be Flacco vs. Keenum with Watson and Stroud injuredVideo
HOUSTON — When the NFL schedule was released in May, the game between the Browns and Texans on Sunday was expected to be an intriguing matchup. Deshaun Watson, Houston’s former star quarterback, would square off for Cleveland against rookie C.J. Stroud, the Texans’ new franchise signal caller. As these teams...
Report: New England footballs deflated, but don’t blame Patriots this time
The special teams footballs used in Sunday’s game between Kansas City and New England reportedly were underinflated — not by the Patriots, this time — an ironic throwback to the Deflategate scandal that captivated the football world for parts of three seasons and led to penalties against the team and...
Old Dominion men’s basketball coach Jeff Jones hospitalized after heart attack
HONOLULU — Old Dominion men’s basketball coach Jeff Jones was hospitalized in Honolulu after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday, the school said. “He is resting comfortably and expecting a full recovery,” Old Dominion said in a statement Thursday. The 63-year-old Jones is being held for observation for the next...
Penn State, Penn Hills CB Daequan Hardy declares for NFL Draft
Penn State will have to replace a longtime staple in its secondary. Daequan Hardy (Penn Hills), a cornerback and electric punt returner for the Nittany Lions, has declared for the NFL Draft. He will play in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Hardy, a five-year contributor at...
Baltimore’s defense faces its biggest test yet when the Ravens take on Brock Purdy and the 49ersVideo
It’s one of the biggest debates of the 2023 NFL season: Brock Purdy, superstar or game manager? His next opponent already sounds convinced of the answer. “Seems like he gets a lot of hate from the stuff that I see. I don’t know why,” Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “You...
MLB is widening the runner’s lane to first, changing a rule that has caused World Series controversyVideo
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is widening the runner’s lane approaching first base to include a portion of fair territory, changing a more than century-old rule that caused World Series controversy over interference calls. MLB also is shortening the pitch clock with runners on base by 2 seconds to...
A top rookie CB, Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. unwilling to alter play that tends to draw flags
They vary in their methodology or calculation, but no shortage of metrics tend to agree that Joey Porter Jr. is having a standout season as a rookie NFL cornerback. The top pick of the second round in April by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Porter ranks second in reception percentage (45.5%) and...
Former Penguins forward Jordan Staal remains stout defensively with the Hurricanes
Jordan Staal saw some familiar faces Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Any time the former teammates square off in a game, Staal, captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, typically is deployed against one of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ franchise centers. “They’re both great competitors,” Staal said after...
Steelers safety Trenton Thompson out, Elijah Riley questionable to play vs. Bengals
Already without the safeties taking spots Nos. 1-3 on their depth chart this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers learned Thursday they also will have to make do without No. 4. Trenton Thompson missed the entire week’s worth of practice and was ruled out for Saturday’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals...
T.J. Watt explains Rich Eisen’s version of his comments on Steelers practice habitsVideo
Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt sought to clarify comments NFL commentator Rich Eisen made on his talk show this week that Eisen attributed to Watt from the prior week’s television production meeting. “It wasn’t attacking anybody. It was a general statement of, as a leader on this team, I feel...
Joe Flacco giving the Browns a steady presence and leadership with a playoff spot in reach
BEREA, Ohio — Joe Flacco looks much different, younger and a little less like his new coach. The beard is gone. “It was a mess,” said the Browns’ freshly-shaven quarterback. While his facial hair may have been a bit unkempt, and made him a taller lookalike to Browns coach Kevin...
Kenny Pickett out, Mason Rudolph officially to start for Steelers against Bengals
On the night before Christmas Eve, Mason Rudolph will guide the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense. Coach Mike Tomlin made it official after practice Thursday that Rudolph will start at quarterback for Saturday’s 4:30 p.m. home game against the Cincinnati Bengals. A day after characterizing Thursday as “a big day” in evaluating...
Penguins tab Alex Nedeljkovic as starting goaltender for 3rd time in 4 games
The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic in Thursday’s home game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Nedeljkovic’s status following an optional morning skate. Nedeljkovic has appeared in each of the past three games, starting two of those contests. He replaced...
