Sports category, Page 840
Secondary takes shape in preseason as Steelers mix in blend young, old faces
On the day the Pittsburgh Steelers reported to Saint Vincent College last summer, coach Mike Tomlin took exception when asked whether his team might experience a learning curve on defense given the amount of turnover in the offseason. “I’ll be very blunt,” Tomlin said July 26. “I’m not concerned about...
Spanish soccer player says kiss on lips with federation president was not consensualVideo
BARCELONA, Spain — The embattled president of Spain’s soccer federation defiantly refused to step down Friday after insisting a kiss on the lips with women’s soccer player Jenni Hermoso was consensual, an assertion Hermoso strongly denied. Meanwhile, all 22 of Hermoso’s fellow world champions, and 58 other Spanish players, announced...
Tim Benz: Reestablishing ‘the standard’ for ascending Steelers — and let’s remember it all the way through January
Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers are giddy in anticipation of the opening game for the 2023 season on Sept. 10. Based on how the preseason went, they should be. Not only did the club win all three of its games, but the first-team offense sparkled under the direction of the...
Why Penn State QB Drew Allar might be college football’s most important player
The expectations for Drew Allar are even bigger than the Penn State quarterback himself — which is saying something about a guy who sees eye-to-eye with the star offensive tackle who protects his blindside. Allar’s pregame warm-ups have made grown men swoon. He played one series in a competitive game...
Mark Madden: Injuries to Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, Pirates’ Oneil Cruz raise major concerns
A tale of two injuries: Shohei Ohtani’s bum elbow is devastating to so many on so many levels, not least Ohtani himself. Oneil Cruz’s stalled-out rehabilitation for his broken left ankle might diminish the ability of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ projected best player, or even worse. Ohtani’s torn UCL could necessitate...
First Call: Ex-Steelers QB could start in Arizona; pricey Roberto Clemente bat auction; Aaron Donald’s new ring trend
Friday’s “First Call” sees a former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback on the move. John Lynch’s real opinions on the Nick Bosa situation may be shining through in San Francisco. A piece of Roberto Clemente memorabilia is up for auction. And Penn Hills product Aaron Donald may have started a very unique...
To the river!: Pirates OF Joshua Palacios flashes power at the plate with homer into the Allegheny
Joshua Palacios knew the moment his bat connected with Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele’s 2-1 fastball in the third inning Thursday night that it was a home run to tie the game for the Pittsburgh Pirates. “Yeah, knew we got that one,” Palacios said, flashing a confident smile to match...
Feats of Strength: Perfect Pickett delivers unbeaten preseason
I’m not going to be the one to remind you that the Steelers went 3-0 in the preseason last year, too, and missed the playoffs. Wait, I did that already. This feels different, though, doesn’t it? The Steelers sparkled in all areas, sweeping through their three-game preseason. It culminated with...
Stock up, stock down for Steelers after concluding 3-0 preseason
After getting out to leads of 27-7, 27-0 and 24-0 in their preseason games, the result actually will matter for the Pittsburgh Steelers the next time they (using Mike Tomlin parlance) “go into the stadium.” But in the 16 days in between, they’ll cut 37 players, assemble a practice squad,...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 24, 2023: Canaan Smith-Njigba homers twice in Indy victory
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 57-64) defeated Iowa (Cubs), 10-9, when 2B Nick Gonzales was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth. LF Canaan Smith-Njigba (.252) went 2 for 4 with a pair of solo home runs, his 12th and 13th. SS Chris...
Kenny Pickett, Steelers cap perfect preseason by routing Falcons
ATLANTA — It was another perfect start for the first-team offense and quarterback Kenny Pickett, who capped his preseason with a perfect passer rating. Pickett engineered two more touchdown drives in the two series he played, and the Pittsburgh Steelers showcased their big-play offensive capabilities once again in a 24-0...
Cubs beat Pirates as Ian Happ provides heroics with winning single in 10th
Ian Happ has made a habit of providing heroics in his hometown, and the Mt. Lebanon alum came through again for the Chicago Cubs with the winning hit in the 10th inning. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Happ hit a single to shallow right field to score...
WWE star Bray Wyatt dies at 36
Professional wrestler and WWE star Bray Wyatt has died at the age of 36. The news was announced on social media by Triple H (real name Paul Michael Levesque), the company’s chief content officer. “Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the...
Collin Morikawa goes from 9 back to tie for Tour Championship lead
ATLANTA — Collin Morikawa faced a tough road at the Tour Championship, starting the tournament nine shots behind but knowing he had 72 holes — and an example from Rory McIlroy last year — to make up ground in the FedEx Cup finale. He managed to do that in one...
Big week for Pitt punter Caleb Junko as he earns scholarship, starting job
After participating in some light stretching and then booting a couple of balls high into the air at the onset of Thursday’s Pitt football practice, Caleb Junko took a timeout and headed to a familiar spot occupied by his grandfather, legendary former Pitt assistant Bob Junko. “How are you doing?”...
Kendrick Green gets start at right guard for Steelers’ preseason finale against Falcons
ATLANTA – Kendrick Green was in the starting lineup Thursday night for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Just not at the position he spent much of training camp practicing. And, no, he was not at fullback, either. The third-year offensive lineman, getting one last...
Penn State football’s academics rank at the bottom of Big Ten after worst score in a decade
This story first appeared in Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA’s State College regional bureau featuring the most important news and happenings in north-central Pennsylvania. STATE COLLEGE — Penn State’s football team’s academic rating plummeted to its lowest point in more than a decade, placing the...
‘Do our best to get back’: Despite setback, Oneil Cruz hopes to play for Pirates this season
Oneil Cruz hasn’t closed the door on a return to playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season, despite the soreness in his surgically repaired left ankle that forced him to stop a running program. “You don’t want it to happen, but it’s normal with the kind of surgery we had...
Trib HSSN don’t-miss high school football matchups for 2023 Week Zero
As Billy Preston sang in his 1974 hit song Nothing from Nothing, “Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’.” That still holds true today, unless we’re talking about zero. In the case of a high school football schedule, zero means a whole lot. This is the eighth season that the PIAA has...
Browns trade backup QB Joshua Dobbs to Cardinals
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns shook up their quarterback room Thursday, trading backup Joshua Dobbs to the Arizona Cardinals, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press. The Browns are getting back a fifth-round selection in 2024 from Arizona for Dobbs and a seventh-round pick, said the person...
High school teams go high tech: Local football programs invest in innovative tools
North Allegheny’s Art Walker has coached long enough to remember when filming practice required a bulky camcorder and tapes. “When I started, it was VHS and then the smaller tapes and then DVDs,” said Walker, who is entering his 26th season as a head football coach. “Now the video is...
Vikings’ Jordan Addison admits to lesser charge, will lose license for driving 140 mph
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison agreed to plead guilty to driving his luxury sports car 140 mph in St. Paul last month, an admission that will cost him a fine and the loss of his driving privileges. Terms of the agreement filed Wednesday in Ramsey County...
Former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman joining ‘Fox NFL Kickoff’ studio showVideo
LOS ANGELES — Julian Edelman is joining “Fox NFL Kickoff” for the upcoming season. Edelman, who won three Super Bowl titles in 12 seasons with the New England Patriots, is replacing Sean Payton on the show, which airs at 11 a.m. Sundays during the season. Payton did television for one...
Broncos top receiver Jerry Jeudy carted off field with apparent hamstring injuryVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos top receiver Jerry Jeudy was carted off the field with an apparent right hamstring injury after pulling up during an 11-on-11 play against the Los Angeles Rams in a joint practice Thursday. Jeudy was running an end-around when he pulled up near the right sideline...
Reports: Nationals pitcher, World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg to retireVideo
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg has decided to retire, ending a career that began as a No. 1 draft pick, included 2019 World Series MVP honors and was derailed by injuries, according to multiple reports. Strasburg is expected to hold a news conference before a game at Nationals...
