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...
Former Steelers safety Mike Wagner, key member of Steel Curtain defense, dies
Four-time Super Bowl champion Mike Wagner, a ballhawk at safety and a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Hall of Honor, has died. He was 76. The Steelers, for whom Wagner played all 10 of his NFL seasons, announced his death Wednesday night. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of...
Joe Starkey: Sidney Crosby’s injury should not have happened
Who was officiating the Canada-Czechia Olympic hockey game Wednesday, Jerry Meals? Actually, it was three NHL officials and a Swedish one, and their incompetence might have altered the course of the tournament, not to mention the Penguins’ promising season. As of this writing, Sidney Crosby was to undergo imaging for...
Rutgers rolls past Penn State men’s basketball team
STATE COLLEGE — Tariq Francis had 22 points and seven assists, and Rutgers led the entire game in an 85-72 victory over Penn State on Wednesday, the Scarlet Knights’ first road win of the season. Francis scored 15 points to help the Scarlet Knights take a 39-20 halftime lead, its...
Lawsuit: Chiefs WR Rashee Rice assaulted former girlfriend
DALLAS — The former girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice alleges in a lawsuit filed this week that he physically assaulted her multiple times over a year-and-a-half, causing injuries that included bleeding and bruising. The lawsuit filed Monday in Dallas County by Dacoda Jones comes after she...
Aliquippa wins appeal, will play Class 3A football for next 2 years
The ongoing saga between the PIAA and Aliquippa over what football classification the Quips should play in took another turn Wednesday. On appeal, the PIAA overturned its earlier decision to keep Aliquippa in Class 4A, thus allowing the Quips to play the next two football seasons in Class 3A. “Yes,...
Dog on the course! Canine makes cameo during Milan Cortina Olympics cross-country skiing event
TESERO, Italy — A surprise participant in Wednesday’s action at the Milan Cortina Olympics had four legs and zero concern for race times. As elite cross-country skiers pushed to the finish in the women’s team sprint heats, a dog wandered onto the course and ran with athletes down the straightaway....
Quinn Hughes’ OT goal lifts U.S. past Sweden in Olympic quarterfinals
MILAN — When the U.S. gave up a tying goal to Sweden with 91 seconds left in the quarterfinals at the Olympics, even the most seasoned players were on edge. “That’s as nervous as I’ve been ever in a hockey game,” American forward Dylan Larkin said. After plenty of nerves,...
American Alysa Liu sits within 2 points of lead heading into Olympic free skate
MILAN — Alysa Liu will try to end a 24-year drought for American women in Olympic figure skating Thursday night when the “Blade Angel” attempts to chase down Japanese rivals Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto in the free skate at the Milan Cortina Games. The 20-year-old Liu scored 76.59 points...
Hilary Knight gets dream matchup as U.S. faces Canada for Olympic hockey gold
MILAN — Before the puck dropped on the U.S.-Canada Rivalry Series three months ago, before the Americans romped through their first six games at the Milan Cortina Olympics, and before her engagement Wednesday, Hilary Knight looked ahead to the gold-medal final with hope and anticipation. How fitting it would be,...
New special teams coach Mike Priefer brings 2 decades’ worth of NFL experience to Pitt
In terms of personnel and oversight, Pitt enters a new era on special teams in 2026. That’s the result of former coach Jacob Bronowski departing Pitt for a job at Auburn in early December, coupled with the Panthers losing their starting kicker to the transfer portal and long snapper, punter...
Penguins uncertain as to Sidney Crosby’s status after being injured at the Olympics
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice Wednesday in Cranberry was a highly energetic affair. Coach Dan Muse skated his players fairly hard for a session that lasted approximately an hour and a half. Even with that demanding pace, those on the ice were upbeat and buoyant as they attended to their tasks,...
Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame to induct 10 in Class of 2026
The Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame will induct 10 athletic greats in its Class of 2026. Laina Walker Connor (Elderton, softball and volleyball), Tom Edgington (Worthington, archery and bowhunting), Jim Kunst (Kittanning, basketball), Richard McKernan (Ford City, sports officiating/football coach), Stephen Predebon (Leechburg, basketball), Matt Myers (Ford City, football),...
Going deep: Pirates top prospect Konnor Griffin hits 1st batting practice homer against live pitching
BRADENTON, Fla. — Konnor Griffin’s batting practice has become must-watch viewing, as the teenage sensation puts on an air show by hitting balls onto the metal roof of the batting cages at Pirate City. The 19-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop offered a different display of power Wednesday, when he drilled his...
Recapping the 2025-26 WPIAL boys and girls basketball 1st roundVideo
It took five days, starting with six preliminary round games, but the first round of the 2026 WPIAL boys and girls basketball playoffs are in the books. Some opening round eyebrow-raisers included victories by the Ringgold boys, Deer Lakes boys, Shady Side Academy boys, Ligonier Valley boys and Peters Township...
Canada rallies to beat Czechia in OT to avoid a stunning quarterfinal exit at the Olympics
MILAN — Nick Suzuki tied it on a deflection with 3:27 left, Mitch Marner scored in overtime and Canada avoided what would have been a stunning quarterfinal exit at the Olympics by rallying to beat Czechia, 4-3, on Wednesday. Canada fell behind with 7:42 remaining when Ondrej Palat scored on...
