Mike McCarthy prepares for ‘both scenarios’ as Steelers await Aaron Rodgers’ decision
As the Pittsburgh Steelers await a decision from Aaron Rodgers, coach Mike McCarthy is making plans for an offense with and without him. The first-year Steelers coach didn’t reveal any news about Rodgers’ future while appearing on a Wisconsin radio station Friday. But McCarthy said he is building variables into...
Pitt to face Notre Dame as Panthers cling to hopes for ACC Tournament berth
With five regular-season games remaining, what does Pitt still have to play for? Players may well be wondering that, while coach Jeff Capel contemplates how to motivate them. “I don’t know what I’ll use,” Capel said. “I haven’t thought about that as much. We’ve tried different things this year. They...
Nathan MacKinnon scores late as Canada beats Finland to reach the Olympic gold-medal game
MILAN — Falling behind for a second consecutive game at the Olympics after never trailing throughout group play, Canada dug itself an even deeper hole in the semifinals against Finland. Down two goals against an opponent also full of NHL players, the tournament favorite did not look the slightest bit...
New Pitt linebackers coach Joe Bowen looks to develop new stars, maintain high standard vs. the run
Frequent movement is often a prerequisite for college coaches looking to ascend to the best positions and highest levels. But switching roles or programs isn’t done without consideration. Joe Bowen, Pitt’s new linebackers coach and run game coordinator, felt the conditions were just right to join Pat Narduzzi’s staff. “When...
‘We’re still looking for gold’: Hempfield grad Jasmine Jones in 3rd after 2 bobsled heats at Olympics
Watching her daughter sprint and push a bobsled 50 meters, jump inside, tuck under and bullet down a winding ice track — at the Olympics — is enough to make Christine Vincent Graves clutch her pearls. She watched from the bleachers Friday at the Cortina Sliding Centre and could feel...
Penguins prospect Tanner Howe looks good so far following knee surgeryVideo
It wasn’t exactly a work of art. Then again, Tanner Howe isn’t exactly Vincent Van Gogh. He’s more of a Francis Harrington Glidden. That’s to say the Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect plays something of an ugly game. But an effective one. His first professional goal is testament to that axiom....
Norway wins its 17th gold medal, breaking record for most golds won in a single Winter Olympics
ANTERSELVA, Italy — Johannes Dale-Skjevdal of Norway was the only biathlete to hit all 20 of his targets in the 15-kilometer mass start race Friday and skied his way to gold — Norway’s 17th gold medal of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — breaking the record for the most gold...
Injured Sidney Crosby misses Canada’s win over Finland, not ruled out for gold medal game
MILAN — Sidney Crosby did not play in Canada’s 3-2 victory over Finland in the Olympic semifinals Friday because of an apparent right knee injury suffered in the quarterfinals against Czechia on Wednesday. In the aftermath of the injury, Canada coach Jon Cooper has consistently refused to rule the 38-year-old...
Confidence key as Bubba Chandler tries to win spot in Pirates starting rotation
BRADENTON, Fla. — Bubba Chandler cruised through his first three major-league games, earning a four-inning save in his debut and wins in his next two appearances before the Milwaukee Brewers dealt the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher his first blowout. The Brewers scored nine runs on nine hits and three walks in...
Sidney Crosby’s injury spotlights many Olympic hockey debates. Let’s get into all of them
Sidney Crosby’s injury has not yet cost him a game as the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It may not even cost him a game as the captain of Team Canada. For now, his status is uncertain heading into Friday’s semifinal game against Finland after getting hurt in the quarterfinals...
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...
