Joe Starkey: My unforgettable afternoon with the Miracle on Ice team
The icy glares had long since melted. Herb Brooks was no longer the fiery tyrant of 1980. He was no longer the mad man who’d ordered his players to skate sprints in the dark after a lazy performance against Norway, telling them if they kept smashing their sticks on the...
First Call: Aaron Rodgers decision ‘could take months;’ draft analyst questions QB idea for Steelers at No. 21
Friday’s “First Call” tells Pittsburgh what it may not want to hear about Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. One draft analyst has some advice for the Steelers when it comes to the idea of picking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. A Duquesne basketball player just set an individual mark that reflects team...
High school basketball referee still running the floor at age 80
Once an avid runner, Bob Saxman went from full speed to a jog before finally slowing down. “Knees got creaky,” Saxman said. But he can still get up and down the basketball court. Being a referee is something he just can’t give up. Who’s to say he has to? Saxman,...
Rory McIlroy handles rain, then wind to share clubhouse lead at Riviera
LOS ANGELES — Rory McIlroy would have preferred playing in the rain compared with the wind that followed Thursday at Riviera. He handled both well enough for a 5-under-par 66 to share the clubhouse lead with Jacob Bridgeman in the Genesis Invitational. Scottie Scheffler couldn’t get off the course fast...
Wideout transfer Malik Wright aims to be downfield threat for Pitt this fallVideo
Heading into 2026, Pitt will be looking for new playmakers at wide receiver. With the majority of last year’s performers graduating, including leading receiver Poppi Williams and Deuce Spann, plus Kenny Johnson transferring to Texas Tech, it remains to be seen who develops into a regular target for quarterback Mason...
A rare 4-year, 1-school player, David Dixon sets record for most wins in Duquesne uniformVideo
When Duquesne senior big man David Dixon grabbed his 10th rebound Wednesday night against La Salle and flipped a short pass to Tarence Guinyard, little did he know he was about to become the winningest player in the school’s long basketball history. Down a point, the Dukes (16-10, 8-5 Atlantic...
Kyle Busch won all the time until the checkered flags dried up. Can he find NASCAR success again?
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Busch’s feisty spirit surfaced late at the end of another empty Daytona 500 for the perennial race loser. The Daytona pole sitter, Busch was running outside the top 20 in the final laps when he let off the gas and faded to the back of...
NFL Draft analyst: Trading picks might be right move for Steelers
As the owners of 12 draft picks, the Pittsburgh Steelers can add premium players to the roster, but those newcomers might not all arrive in this April’s draft. General manager Omar Khan could trade some picks, possibly to add a veteran player or additional selections in a deep 2027 draft,...
Alysa Liu gives U.S. its 1st women’s figure skating Olympic gold in 24 years, bests Japanese rivals
MILAN — Alysa Liu had just delivered a near-flawless Olympic free skate Thursday night, one that left a packed crowd inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena standing and roaring, when a television camera zoomed in on the American star as she was heading off the ice. “That’s what I’m (expletive)...
United States wins 3rd Olympic gold in women’s hockey
MILAN — Megan Keller backhanded in a shot 4 minutes, 7 seconds into overtime, and the United States won its third Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey, beating Canada, 2-1, at the Milan Cortina Games on Thursday night to close another thrilling chapter of one of sports’ most heated rivalries....
Pitt leading scorer Brandin Cummings ruled out for season following ankle surgery
Pitt sophomore guard Brandin Cummings will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing ankle surgery, the Panthers announced Thursday. The team’s leading scorer at 12.5 points per game won’t be available for the Panthers’ five remaining contests and the ACC Tournament, should Pitt qualify. Through 19 games, Cummings shot...
Preparing for World Baseball Classic, Pirates ace Paul Skenes shines in simulated gameVideo
BRADENTON, Fla. — It was a simulated game but one that Paul Skenes treated like a warm-up for the World Baseball Classic, considering the lineup of hitters he was facing. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace tossed three impressive innings against Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales before a...
U.S., Canada, Finland go into the semifinals at the Olympics fresh off knockout-round scares
MILAN — Three of hockey’s international powerhouses are in the semifinals at the Milan Cortina Olympics after getting a scare at the start of the knockout round. The United States, Canada and Finland all won in overtime in the quarterfinals to move one victory away from playing for the gold...
Seydou Traore, Utah hold off West Virginia, putting a dent in Mountaineers’ NCAA Tourney hopes
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Seydou Traore scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Utah held off West Virginia’s desperate rally and beat the Mountaineers, 61-56, on Wednesday night. Terrence Brown and Don McHenry each scored 16 points for the Utes, who never trailed and ended a seven-game losing streak. Utah...
Sidney Crosby’s Olympic injury sparks debate over NHL player participation
Uncertainty continues to surround the status of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, who was injured in Wednesday’s Olympic quarterfinals contest between Canada and Czechia. Canada coach Jon Cooper provided a limited update to reporters in Milan following his team’s optional practice Thursday, in which Crosby did not partake. “Sid is...
Mark Madden: The Pirates’ fate rests with 2 familiar bats
Optimism abounds with the Pirates, mostly because of a few shiny new toys and not least because 19-year-old phenom Konnor Griffin is hitting bombs at spring training. Griffin will be in Pittsburgh sooner, not later, and the sooner the better. But it feels like the fate of the Pirates in...
Beyond the Bylines: Joe Starkey, Tim Benz on Sidney Crosby’s injury, NHL in the Olympics, Steelers PodcastgateVideo
This week’s “Beyond the Bylines” streamed on Thursday instead of Friday because Joe Starkey already needs a vacation, and he’s only been back at TribLive for about a month. So he is going to Florida to play golf on Friday. We did not discuss Joe’s golf game. We did, however,...
First Call: Trade rumors about Minkah Fitzpatrick in Miami; questions about Aaron Rodgers’ return
Thursday’s “First Call” includes rumors about a former Steelers star who may get traded. Apparently, there are some who doubt that Aaron Rodgers will return to Pittsburgh. A Hall of Fame wide receiver doubts Hines Ward’s credentials for induction to Canton. And the Robert Morris women’s hockey team begins postseason...
Gold Glove winner Jared Triolo comes out swinging for Pirates’ starting job at third base
BRADENTON, Fla. — On the eve of the first full-squad workout at Pirate City, Jared Triolo didn’t know which position he would be playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates in spring training. “I’m not sure,” Triolo said Sunday. “I’m just going to go where I’m instructed.” The Pirates value Triolo’s versatility,...
U mad, bro?: Ex-Steelers players are mad at each other, and Steelers fans are mad at them
In case you lost track, James Harrison got mad at Mike Tomlin’s coaching late last season. Ben Roethlisberger seemed to agree that it was time for a change. Joey Porter fired back at Roethlisberger and Harrison. Maurkice Pouncey launched a volley back at Porter. Steven Nelson reignited the debate and...
Chiefs restructure Patrick Mahomes’ contract, lowering 2026 cap hit
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs restructured Patrick Mahomes’ contract, freeing up $43.56 million for the upcoming 2026 season, a source confirmed to The Kansas City Star. Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald first reported the news. Before the restructure of Mahomes’ contract, the 30-year-old carried a $78.2 million...
Minor league report: Avery Hayes’ hat trick lifts Penguins past ThunderbirdsVideo
A hat trick by forward Avery Hayes led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 7-2 win against the Springfield Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center on Wednesday. Forwards Tanner Howe and Ville Koivunen each scored two goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (33-13-3-2) while forward Rutger McGroarty contributed two assists. Deployed on a conditioning assignment...
Penguins’ Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell eliminated as Sweden loses to United StatesVideo
A look at how members of the Pittsburgh Penguins are performing in the Winter Olympics: Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Rickard Rakell were each eliminated from the tournament as Sweden lost in overtime to the United States, 2-1, during a quarterfinal game at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena...
9-time WPIAL champion Bob Palko returns to West Allegheny as football coachVideo
Nine-time WPIAL champion Bob Palko is returning to the sideline at a place he knows well: West Allegheny. The school board rehired Palko on Wednesday night, bringing one of the WPIAL’s most successful football coaches back to a program he led for 24 years. Palko won more than 200 games,...
Duquesne scores thrilling last-second win over La Salle
Pay attention, something special just might be shaping up again on The Bluff. It’s madness. March must be just around the corner. Tarence Guinyard scored on a coast-to-coast layup with three-tenths of a second remaining to lift Duquesne to a dramatic 62-61 victory over upset-minded La Salle on Wednesday night...
