Sports category, Page 848
Penn Hills grad Daequan Hardy playing key role in Penn State’s deep cornerback room
When Penn State’s defense forces opponents into long-yardage situations this season, the spotlight will fall on veteran corners Kalen King and Johnny Dixon. King is a potential first-round pick next year, and Dixon intercepted two passes and was credited with 10 pass breakups in 2022. PSU corners coach Terry Smith...
First Call: Steelers vet backs Ryan Clark’s claim about George Pickens; injury concerns at corner for Ravens
Thursday’s “First Call” has quite a comparison for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. We track some news and notes about the Steelers’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. And the Baltimore Ravens are getting depleted at one specific position. Is Ryan right? Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings...
Tim Benz: Former Steelers nemesis offers high praise, big predictions for a specific player
A former Pittsburgh Steelers-killer is all in on the Black and Gold for 2023. Also rookie tight end Darnell Washington is getting high praise from one of the best ever at his position. All of that is coming from the same guy. It’s former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay...
U mad, bro?: While Steelers look good after preseason opener, there’s still plenty to make Pittsburgh sports fans angry
When the Pittsburgh Steelers win their first preseason game, the first-team offense looks smooth, the defense makes a few plays, and none of the stars get hurt, there is very little to complain about. Because we had plenty of angst and agitation from readers this week, but very little of...
Steelers’ Hawaiian, Samoan players plan efforts to aid Maui following tragic wildfires
Shortly after his eye-opening debut in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game, rookie linebacker Nick Herbig got on Instagram to celebrate the win and his 1.5 sack, three-tackle performance. But Herbig also made sure to subtweet the NFL’s efforts to raise funds for wildfire relief on Maui. Please help my...
Rotating cast of leadoff hitters make mixed 1st impression atop Pirates lineup
An end-of-year performance review of Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton still is some time away. One area bound to draw discussion is how Shelton has handled the leadoff spot in the batting order. As a result of injuries, performance issues and the ever-changing composition of the Pirates roster, Shelton has...
Riverhounds suffer road loss at Orange County
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds saw a three-game winning streak come to an end on the West Coast on Wednesday night, falling 1-0 to Orange County FC. Milan Iloski scored late in the second half to send Orange County (11-9-4) to its fifth straight win. The Riverhounds (13-5-8) remain in first place...
Plum youth football players get VIP treatment at Steelers training camp
Alex Highsmith is typically gracious with his time when it comes to signing autographs or mingling with Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Thursday, though, Highsmith went overtime, making the rare double-back for a second extended period of autograph-signing at Saint Vincent College. After all, this group of young fans was different. About...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 16, 2023: Nick Gonzales homers, collects game-winning hit for Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 54-60) beat St. Paul (Twins), 4-3, when PH Mason Martin (.278) singled to lead off the ninth and scored when a single by 2B Nick Gonzales (.271) was misplayed by the left fielder for an error. Gonzales went 4 for 5 and hit his seventh homer. CF Ji...
Knapp claims 2nd Westmoreland County senior golf title
Oakmont native and Hannastown Golf Club member Sean Knapp continued his excellent play Wednesday by winning the Westmoreland County Golf Association’s Senior Championship for the second time in four years. His first title came in 2020 at Latrobe Elks Golf Club. Knapp, who won the West Penn Amateur last month...
U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski resigns after early World Cup exit
U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski has resigned, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The move comes less than two weeks after the Americans were knocked out of the Women’s World Cup earlier than ever before. The person spoke to the AP on...
Pat Narduzzi teaches ball security by sticking it to Pitt’s ball carriers
During a typical practice, Pitt coaches conduct a wide variety of drills on as many as three fields. Coach Pat Narduzzi walks from one station to another, sometimes just observing, but often offering advice and loud admonishments if something displeases him. Unlike legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant, who used to...
The cup that matters to some Americans at BMW Championship has nothing to do with moneyVideo
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — The BMW Championship is the final event that decides who reaches the FedEx Cup finale, and it’s all about position in the standings. For the Americans, it has nothing to do with money. “The one spot I want to be on is on that Ryder Cup...
Highly productive college RB Xazavian Valladay out to show Steelers he’s NFL-worthy
When Xazavian Valladay sped past linebacker Tanner Muse during a one-on-one passing drill and dove to extend for a Mason Rudolph pass 30 yards down the sideline Wednesday, it was less than 25 hours after his signing was announced by the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was just one play during a...
For Ian Happ, vision of Wrigley Field comes to life through partnership with artistVideo
CHICAGO — Not long after Ian Happ got called up to the majors in 2017 by the Chicago Cubs — a boyhood dream realized with a storied franchise coming off a historic championship run — he was looking for pictures to hang in his apartment. From that simple desire came...
Steelers’ inside the ropes: George Pickens wows again with one-handed reception
It was only a one-on-one drill that featured wide receivers starting at the 5-yard-line and running routes into the end zone against a single defensive back in coverage. Still, George Pickens made the type of jaw-dropping catch for the Pittsburgh Steelers that has become standard this camp, whether it’s in...
Just 3 weeks into Steelers tenure, Kwon Alexander has brought energy, ability vs. run and pass
On the first snap of team drills during Tuesday’s Pittsburgh Steelers training camp practice, Kwon Alexander shot the gap and tackled running back Najee Harris for a loss. During the final team period of the 2 ½-hour practice, Alexander was deployed in the dime package and used in coverage. Finding...
Steelers practice report: With one session left, Tomlin reflects on time at Saint Vincent
As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to hold their final practice of the summer at Saint Vincent College, coach Mike Tomlin reflected on his team’s three-week stay Wednesday afternoon. Training camp, the 56th held by the Steelers at the Unity Township campus, will conclude Thursday with a workout that starts at...
Pick Six: Freshmen who could have an impact for big-name college football programsVideo
As one of the top-rated quarterbacks in this year’s class of incoming freshmen, Dante Moore might have been thought of as a lock to start for UCLA. Coach Chip Kelly isn’t making it so easy, not with transfer Collin Schlee from Kent State arriving on campus with ample starting experience,...
Conference realignment shakes up recruiting landscape as Big Ten, Big 12, SEC widen footprintsVideo
Conference realignment has widened the recruiting footprint for Power 5 college football programs long before many teams open play in their new league homes. The Big Ten has seen the most significant shift, at least in terms of geography. With Southern California, UCLA, Washington and Oregon leaving the Pac-12 for...
Former Steelers coach Buddy Parker chosen as Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist
Buddy Parker, who coached the Steelers for eight seasons in the 1950-60s, was selected as the lone finalist in the coach/contributor category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024 balloting. The Steelers had two candidates among the final 12 under consideration. Art Rooney Jr., the team’s long-time...
Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey to have foot surgery, timetable for return unclear
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was set to have foot surgery Wednesday, a potentially significant blow to the team’s defensive backfield. Coach John Harbaugh said it isn’t a long-term injury, but he didn’t give a more specific timeline and the start of the regular season is...
DJ Stewart homers twice as Johan Oviedo has short start, Mets beat Pirates to win series
The Pittsburgh Pirates were full of mishaps against the New York Mets, with the most damage coming when DJ Stewart was at the plate. He also was dangerous in right field, helping to prevent a couple of runs. Stewart hit a pair of home runs and was involved in a...
Splash plays make highlight reels, but Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi more interested in consistency
After two weeks of hanging around Pitt’s summer training camp, you get the impression that everything is great and there are, perhaps, a dozen big plays every day. That may be true, but coach Pat Narduzzi is looking for more than splashes of production. He wants consistency, and the coach...
Former WVU coach Huggins enters diversion program after drunken driving arrest
Former West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins has entered a 12-month diversion program to resolve a drunken driving arrest. Huggins had been scheduled for a formal arraignment on Thursday. According to court records in Pittsburgh, that hearing was canceled last month after he was accepted into the program. Under...
