Sports category, Page 780
Only 2 years removed from 100 losses, World Series teams should inspire Pirates’ playoff hopes
The World Series matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers should provide a glimmer of hope for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and not only because a pair of wild-card teams are four wins away from winning the world championship. The inspiration goes beyond Arizona and Texas winning Games 6 and...
Coming off 1st career sack, Nick Herbig knows his role still mostly special teams for Steelers
In crediting Pittsburgh Steelers fans, rookie Nick Herbig let it slip the confidence he has in himself to beat NFL offensive tackles. An outside linebacker the Steelers drafted in the fourth round in April, Herbig explained his takedown of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford during the second quarter of...
Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon remains in awe of Penguins forward Sidney Crosby
The comparisons between Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon are always going to be present. After all, there are only so many dynamic All-Star franchise centers who can label the small Canadian maritime town of Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia, as their home. And on the scant occasions their respective teams, the...
Veteran Steelers CB Levi Wallace does not practice because of foot injury
Could the seeming gradual transition from Levi Wallace to Joey Porter Jr. as a Pittsburgh Steelers outside cornerback be hastened by an injury this week? Wallace, the six-year veteran who’s in his second season with the Steelers, did not practice Wednesday. According to the league-mandated injury report, Wallace has a...
Steelers’ Najee Harris: NFL officials ‘a little too soft’ in throwing taunting flags
Early on during Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Rams, Najee Harris’ mouth evoked a warning from the officiating crew that was verbalized to Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Late in the game, the Steelers receivers George Pickens and Diontae Johnson each drew taunting penalties for their actions at the...
Penguins recall goaltender Magnus Hellberg from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled goaltender Magnus Hellberg from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Wednesday after placing incumbent backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on injured reserve. Nedeljkovic suffered an undisclosed injury during a 4-1 home loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. Hellberg, 32, was signed as an unrestricted free...
Kenny Pickett: Steelers ‘moving in right direction’ despite slow starts to gamesVideo
Kenny Pickett can’t explain why he is so much better in the fourth quarter than he is in the first three. He’s just thankful his play in those 15 minutes has helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win back-to-back games and three of their past four. Pickett had the sixth winning drive...
Behind leading scorer Blake Hinson, Pitt hoops enters season with a standard of expectations
When Jeff Capel was welcomed by the ACC Network on Wednesday, the Pitt men’s basketball coach was asked what is different for the Panthers entering this season compared to last year. “It feels great to still have a job,” Capel said, with a laugh. “I probably couldn’t have said that...
Next on the Tee: Hal Sutton discusses his time on PGA Tour, course design, Ryder Cup
On this episode of Next on the Tee, host Chris Mascaro is joined by authors and Golf TV broadcast producers Keith Hirshland, PGA Tour legend Hal Sutton, host of “Grilling at the Green” and BBQ aficionado Jeff Tracy, and sports psychologist Dr. Bob Winters. Hirshland has written six books, including...
Will the 73rd version of Pitt/Notre Dame add to the legend of the longtime series?
From Jock Sutherland’s cold shoulder to Conor Lee’s right toe to those two No. 2 Irish jerseys appearing illegally on the field at the same time, Pitt-Notre Dame games almost always offer storylines worth retelling. Pitt hopes to write more history Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.,...
Penguins defenseman John Ludvig suffers concussion; goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic also injuredVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman John Ludvig will be sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with a concussion he suffered while making his NHL debut Tuesday in a 4-1 home loss to the Dallas Stars. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Ludvig’s status Wednesday following a practice at PPG Paints Arena. Ludvig was injured at...
Mark Madden: How many of the Penguins’ problems can be corrected?
Going into the season, there were a few things that could possibly go wrong for the Penguins. Right now, lots of them are: • They’re defensively vulnerable in every way possible. That’s because the Penguins play loose, and not necessarily to be blamed on their defensemen. • Their physicality is...
Penn State players trying to move on from Ohio State loss: ‘Everyone’s being accountable’
It’s only been a few days since Penn State’s frustrating and disappointing loss to Ohio State. The Nittany Lions, previously unbeaten and hoping to topple the Buckeyes in a highly-anticipated top-10 matchup, came up painfully short yet again in a series full of heartbreak. That pain doesn’t go away with...
NBA gets help from ‘Sopranos’ actor to promote in-season tournamentVideo
LAS VEGAS — The NBA enlisted an actor from “The Sopranos” and borrowed the central theme of the film “Ocean’s Eleven” — a Las Vegas heist — to hype the inaugural In-Season Tournament that begins Nov. 3. The latest marketing move, released Wednesday, is a nearly 2-minute spot featuring actor...
Diamondbacks vs. Rangers in World Series is a Fall Classic few saw coming
Tell the truth: How many people picked Arizona and Texas to meet in the World Series? A Rangers-Diamondbacks matchup had 1,750 to 1 odds when wagering opened last fall. But in an era when 12 teams make the playoffs, sustained excellence over the six-month regular season has become a boarding...
Tim Benz: Different issues, same result for Penguins vs. Dallas
Just about everyone on the Pittsburgh Penguins seemed to feel that the team’s 4-1 loss Tuesday to the Dallas Stars was a better effort than their 4-2 defeat in St. Louis on Saturday. But it still wasn’t good enough. And frankly, it still wasn’t all that good. Parsing different degrees...
NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore says officials got it right on 2 calls that went against Steelers in win vs. Rams
Even though the Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams, there were a pair of calls Sunday that went against the Black and Gold that had Pittsburgh fans scratching their heads. But in both cases, former NFL referee and current CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore said the officials on the field...
First Call: Ben Roethlisberger criticizes Steelers’ penalties, team’s tight end use; Deshaun Watson health update
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some critical comments from Ben Roethlisberger about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ tight end usage and their post-whistle penalties. We also look at the history of the team’s rivalry with Sunday’s opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars. And we get an update on Deshaun Watson’s health in Cleveland. Clean it...
Diamondbacks stun Phillies in Game 7 of NLCS to reach first World Series in 22 years
PHILADELPHIA — Corbin Carroll went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and the Arizona Diamondbacks advanced to the World Series for the first time in 22 years Tuesday night by stunning the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Arizona will play...
List of first-year starters in the Big Ten still changing
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Kyle McCord sat behind Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Stroud for two seasons before taking over the pressure-cooker responsibility of being the starting quarterback at Ohio State. Under the tutelage of quarterback whisperer Ryan Day, McCord has earned his stripes, thanks in part to being able to throw...
The Dolphins’ utilization of ‘cheat motion’ takes the NFL by storm
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Coach Kyle Shanahan saw the new wrinkle his former assistant Mike McDaniel added to the Miami offense by putting speedster Tyreek Hill in short motion at the snap and immediately added it to the San Francisco offense. The opportunity to give a playmaker a running start...
High school roundup: Freeport stops Beaver in 1st round of WPIAL girls soccer playoffs
Freshman Camryn Woods scored two first-half goals, and the second one was the difference, as No. 4 Freeport defeated No. 13 Beaver, 2-1, in a WPIAL girls soccer Class 2A first-round match Tuesday. Freeport (15-1-1) advances to the quarterfinals Saturday against No. 5 South Park (14-5). Woods’ first goal, her...
Penguins’ skid hits 3 after loss to crease-crashing Stars
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Stars at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday was unsightly for a variety of reasons. • It was their third consecutive loss. • They yielded a lead they earned after a strong first period. • Their power play once again...
Penguins rookie defenseman John Ludvig injured on violent hit in NHL debutVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman John Ludvig appeared to suffer a potential head injury during his team’s home contest against the Dallas Stars at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday. A frightening scene unfolded at 10:41 of the second period when Ludvig struck Stars forward Radek Faksa with a violent check in the...
Faced with injuries, improving AL West, Astros were ‘playing from behind the whole season’Video
HOUSTON — Coming a win shy of reaching the World Series would be considered a successful season for most teams. Not for the defending champion Houston Astros, who lost all four home games of the AL Championship Series to the Texas Rangers and came up short in their quest for...
