Sports category, Page 2214
Bob Baffert: Justify’s positive test came from contaminated food
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert denied giving 2018 Triple Crown winning horse Justify a banned substance that caused a positive test prior to last year’s Kentucky Derby and blamed the result on contaminated food. Baffert said in a statement Thursday that he “unequivocally” rejects the implication he would give...
Maurkice Pouncey again sits out Steelers practice because of ankle injury
With one practice to go before the Pittsburgh Steelers’ home opener, Maurkice Pouncey has yet to step on the field at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex this week. The former All Pro center sat out Thursday’s practice, just as he did the day before after he had left Sunday night’s...
Steelers approved for multimillion-dollar retail store addition to Heinz Field
The Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County on Thursday unanimously approved a request by the Steelers to build a two-story addition to the FedEx Great Hall at Heinz Field that will include a merchandise shop along Art Rooney Avenue. Team spokeswoman Heidi Edwards told SEA board members...
Being Steelers’ new defensive ‘green-dot helmet’ designee no big deal to T.J. Watt
By the time he’d reached the seventh of nine questions about it from media Wednesday, T.J. Watt couldn’t help but laugh. “Way too much on the green dot,” the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker said of being the new designated defensive player equipped with the special helmet that carries the coach-to-player...
Fantasy sports podcast: Concerns about Steelers players, loading up versus Dolphins
It’s our weekly fantasy sports podcast with Jeff Erickson of Rotowire. Some people are worried about Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in fantasy play after Week 1. Jeff tells us why you shouldn’t buy into that concern. How many Patriots should you play against Miami? And how heavy should you invest...
Tennessee fan bullied for self-made T-shirt offered scholarship
One dedicated young fan just earned a college education for showing his true colors. After some unfortunate events for a University of Tennessee supporter, the school is offering honorary admission to UT and he has been awarded a four-year scholarship to the university. The fourth-grade Altamonte Springs, Fla., boy drew...
Concord names football locker room after late coach, GCC grad Dawson
Concord football players and coaches will remember Pat Dawson each time they step foot inside their locker room. The university has christened the “Pat Dawson Locker Room” inside Callaghan Stadium to remember a former assistant coach. Dawson, who played at Greensburg Central Catholic and Toledo, died in 2017. He had...
Troy Polamalu heads list of 122 nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame
Safety Troy Polamalu, who graced the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary for 12 seasons with his fierce play on the field and soft-spoken nature off it, is among the eight first-time nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame unveiled its list of 122 modern-day nominees Thursday, and...
Pitt’s Tre Tipton honored for community leadership
Pitt wide receiver Tre Tipton received an honor Thursday that only five other Panthers have earned in the history of the program. Joining linebacker Mike Caprara (2016), running back James Conner (2015) and quarterbacks Tyler Palko (2006) and Alex Van Pelt (1992), the 2015 Apollo-Ridge grad was named to the...
Sean Clifford, Penn State’s big-play QB, looking to hit another gear
Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford has launched a quick start to his career, compiling the nation’s fourth-highest passer rating through the season’s infancy. That said, Clifford finds no time for back-patting as the Lions prepare to host Pitt on Saturday. Further, the redshirt sophomore said he’s not interested in it....
Kevin Gorman: Steelers center B.J. Finney ready to put snap-count snafu behind himVideo
B.J. Finney can laugh now at the false start that was because of the snap that wasn’t, and how a penalty became a punch line. All of the linemen, the referee announced after rolling his arms to indicate the infraction, except the center. “As soon as everybody moved, I knew,”...
Military helps transform W&J senior Mike Williams from equipment manager to feared D-lineman
At 6-foot-1 and a muscle-bound 245 pounds, W&J’s Mike Williams looks the part of a ruthless pass-rusher. In the Presidents’ season-opening win over No. 18 Wittenberg, Williams had two sacks among his 10 tackles. The second sack — midway through the fourth quarter — caused Tigers quarterback Blake King to...
First Call: Are Bill Belichick, Tom Brady already tired of Antonio Brown attention?; New home run record
In “First Call” this Thursday, we see how New England is reacting to the news about the lawsuit against Antonio Brown. The helmet saga surrounding Brown may be resurfacing, too. An MLB home run record. And a significant horse-racing scandal. Fed up already? When we found out Antonio Brown was...
U mad, bro? Readers rip Steelers, Antonio Brown; vent about Pirates’ fight
A ton to choose from for “U mad, bro?” this week! I had so much material from you folks about the Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the New England Patriots, I could’ve gone entirely down that path. But with Antonio Brown’s defection to New England, the Pirates bullpen fight, and the...
Tim Benz: Steelers go back to school on defending ’rub routes’
“Jet streaming” and “tailpipe.” Get used to those terms. You’ll be hearing them a lot this week from the Pittsburgh Steelers defenders. And probably a lot during the rest of the season. Maybe the better they perform those techniques, the less you’ll hear these terms: “pick plays,” “rub routes” and...
Pirates top Giants, Felipe Vazquez earns save 2 days after clubhouse fight
SAN FRANCISCO — Through a long, losing season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have learned to celebrate each other for even the small accomplishments and try to push forward from the times of turmoil — like this week’s embarrassing clubhouse fight between a pair of relief pitchers. Felipe Vazquez earned his 27th...
Seahawks DE, Woodland Hills grad Quinton Jefferson ready for SteelersVideo
RENTON, Wash. — The arrival of Jadeveon Clowney in Seattle was bound to create opportunity for others. The amount of attention opponents will need to direct toward Clowney should give someone else on the Seahawks defense a chance to shine. For Week 1, it was Woodland Hills graduate Quinton Jefferson....
Bengals receiver A.J. Green running again after ankle injury
CINCINNATI — A.J. Green stood at his locker with his left foot free of the black, protective boot that finally rested behind him, taking up space instead of limiting his stride. The Bengals’ top receiver took a noteworthy step Wednesday in his recovery from ankle surgery. He abandoned the protective...
Report: Justify failed drug test before Triple Crown run
NEW YORK — The New York Times said Justify won the 2018 Triple Crown after a failed postrace drug test at a California track that could have kept the horse out of the Kentucky Derby. The newspaper reported Wednesday that Bob Baffert-trained Justify tested positive for the drug scopolamine after...
Pat Narduzzi, James Franklin play nice in days leading up to Pitt/Penn State
Although it might be stylish for rivals to trade barbs on social media, Pat Narduzzi and James Franklin have done the opposite in the days leading up to the Pitt/Penn State game Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Each coach had good things to say about the other, and they didn’t even...
Former Steelers teammates remember ‘beloved and respected’ guard Sam Davis
On a team full of stars, MVPs and Hall of Famers, he was simply a four-time champion. He never was an All-Pro selection or invited to the Pro Bowl, yet he was named a team captain and owned as many Super Bowl rings as his more decorated teammates. Sam Davis,...
Penguins prospect Zach Lauzon retires due to concussion-related issues
Zach Lauzon, a defenseman chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2017 NHL draft, has retired due to concussion-related problems, TVA Sports in Quebec reported Wednesday. Lauzon, 20, did not play last season because of the injury. The Penguins did not offer him an NHL contract...
Kevin Gorman: It’s time for Pirates to clean house, top to bottomVideo
Bob Nutting might be more of a businessman than a baseball man, but the Pittsburgh Pirates owner should be smart enough to recognize a failing entity when he sees one. If the Pirates weren’t pleased with an 82-win season last summer and truly are committed to winning a World Series...
Youth all-star golf team to compete at regional tournament
A co-ed all-star team of junior golfers ages 13 and under will tee off Saturday and Sunday at a PGA Jr. League Regional at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort for the right to advance to October’s national finals in Arizona. The Southern Conference 1 All-Stars, a group of 10 representing Valley Brook...
Sean Davis returns to Steelers practice, Terrell Edmunds added to injury report
Safety Sean Davis returned to Pittsburgh Steelers practice Wednesday, three days after he sat out the regular-season opener because of an ankle injury. “We took a forward step today, definitely progressed,” Davis told media after the session at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I was out there, got to be joined...
