Sports category, Page 2311
First Call: Pirates’ Melky Cabrera’s rising trade stock; Antonio Brown embraces ‘Hard Knocks’
For “First Call” Wednesday, is Melky Cabrera getting traded? How about Derek Dietrich? Antonio Brown seems pumped for “Hard Knocks.” High praise for a Pitt product in the NFL. And the Pirates first-round pick insists his arm is fine. Will Melky move? MLB.com posted a list of 10 players whose...
Pitt’s Qadree Ollison could be ‘dangerous’ with Falcons’ offense, NFL analyst says
It wasn’t the strongest NFL draft class for running backs. But Pitt’s Qadree Ollison may be one of the most impactful of the bunch. That’s according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. Here’s what he said about the Falcons’ fifth-round pick. “In a perfect world for the Falcons, Devonta Freeman and Ito...
Kevin Gorman: Penguins GM playing with poker face on trading Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel pulled a page out of the playbook of another Pittsburgh sports superstar, using his leverage like Antonio Brown to kill a trade before it could be finalized. Difference is, Jim Rutherford didn’t cave like Kevin Colbert. Where the Steelers general manager stayed true to his word about trading...
NHL competition committee recommends expansion of instant replay
After several controversial calls sparked outrage during the Stanley Cup playoffs, the NHL/NHLPA competition committee has recommended an expansion of instant replay. The committee called for changes to the coach’s challenge system as well as the expansion of a referee’s ability to review calls on his own. The committee did...
Steelers’ Sutton Smith, ex-hockey player and Blues fan, breaks down Stanley Cup Final
It’s Blues vs. Bruins on Wednesday in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. So I turned to the best possible hockey expert in Pittsburgh for analysis for our podcast today. Look out, Bob Errey and Phil Bourque. Step aside, Colby Armstrong and Mike Rupp. This is Sutton Smith’s time...
Tim Benz: Can ‘Sweet Feet’ Shaun Sarrett fill Mike Munchak’s shoes with Steelers?
Everybody is in on the joke now. Not just the offensive linemen. “There you go, ‘Sweet Feet,’ ” Ben Roethlisberger hollered as he walked past a throng of media waiting for new offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett. “Uh, I mean, coach Shaun.” It’s been the running joke of Steelers spring...
Chris Archer gives up 5 homers as Pirates fall to Braves
ATLANTA — Now that his knee is healthy, Brian McCann showed he has plenty of power left at 35 years old. McCann hit one of four Atlanta homers in the second inning and took Pirates starter Chris Archer deep again with a tiebreaking, three-run shot in the sixth to help...
Tim Benz: 10 years after 1st Cup, expectations change for Crosby, Malkin
Penguins fans have had a lot of fun anniversaries to celebrate lately. • The 35th anniversary of drafting Mario Lemieux was Sunday. • The end of this season marked the 30th anniversary of Lemieux’s 199-point campaign in 1989. • Today is the 10th anniversary of the 2009 Stanley Cup championship...
Kevin Rabbitt podcast part 3: Facing Michigan’s Fab 5 as a freshman at Rice
Kevin Rabbitt knows what it’s like to guard Jalen Rose. Rabbitt, then a guard at Rice, faced Michigan’s Fab Five team that entered the 1992-93 season ranked No. 1. “My very first game at Rice … this was a big moment, we played (our) opening game (on ESPN), we played...
Pirates minor league report: June 11, 2019
Pirates INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 35-27) lost 2-0 to Buffalo (Blue Jays). RHP Luis Escobar (1-1, 2.19) went 51/3 innings with a run allowed on two hits, five strikeouts and two walks in the loss. RHP Christian Kelley (.216) doubled once for the Indians’ lone extra-base hit. Next: Wednesday vs. Buffalo, 1:35...
Pirates sign six more draft picks, including three first-day selections
One day after signing first-round pick Quinn Priester, the Pittsburgh Pirates came to terms with six more draft choices. The Pirates signed their second-round pick, Indiana outfielder Matt Gorski; Houston infielder Jared Triolo, their Comp B pick; and third-rounder Matt Frazier, an outfielder from Arizona. 2nd-rder Matt Gorski signs with...
Amid appeal, Braves’ Josh Donaldson starts four-homer splurge against Pirates
Playing amid an appeal of a one-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing incident, Josh Donaldson made the Pittsburgh Pirates pay in a big way. The Pirates were leading, 2-0, when the Atlanta Braves third baseman hit a 365-foot homer off Pirates pitcher Chris Archer that bounced off the...
With trade nixed, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford says he’s content keeping Phil Kessel
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has found trading winger Phil Kessel to be a difficult proposition. So for now, he says he’s given up. “It looks like he’ll stay here,” Rutherford said Tuesday. According to reports, Rutherford worked out a deal to send Kessel to the Minnesota Wild for...
Burrell’s Scherer finding spot with Pitt track team
Nikki Scherer enjoyed a prolific high school track and field career in which she produced championship performances at both the WPIAL and state levels. The Burrell graduate made a transition to the women’s team at Pitt last spring, and by her own admission, it took some time to get used...
Josh Donaldson appeals 1-game ban for Pirates-Braves dust-up
ATLANTA — Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson has appealed a one-game suspension for shoving Pirates catcher Elias Díaz in the first inning of Monday’s game. Donaldson can continue to play until his appeal is heard and was in his customary cleanup spot in the Atlanta batting order Tuesday night. The...
Much at stake in a last NBA Finals trip to Oracle ArenaVideo
TORONTO — The NBA Finals are making one last trip to Oracle Arena. For the Toronto Raptors, it’s a second shot at a first championship. For the Golden State Warriors, it’ll be a night to play for a fallen teammate and the fans they’re leaving behind. Game 6 is Thursday,...
Brooks Koepka faces long odds as he pursues history at U.S. Open
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Brooks Koepka already should have enough motivation for this U.S. Open. At stake is a shot at a U.S. Open record not touched in 114 years: three straight victories by Willie Anderson. On his mind was a Fox Sports preview that Koepka interpreted as another example...
Raiders, Antonio Brown chosen for HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ this season
The NFL sideshow that is Antonio Brown will play out on subscription television this summer. The Oakland Raiders, who acquired the mercurial wide receiver in March after he forced a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be this year’s participant on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” the NFL announced Tuesday night. The...
Alex Morgan scores 5 goals as U.S. routs Thailand, 13-0, at Women’s World Cup
REIMS, France — Alex Morgan tied a tournament record with five goals, and the defending champion U.S. national team opened the Women’s World Cup with a historic 13-0 rout of Thailand on Tuesday night. Samantha Mewis and Rose Lavelle each added a pair of goals for the United States, which...
Pirates Josh Bell leads NL All-Star voting for first basemen
Josh Bell’s eye-opening first half hasn’t gone unnoticed. Bell, who is among the National League leaders in batting average, runs, RBIs, doubles and homers, topped the list of NL first basemen when MLB released its initial All-Star Game voting totals Tuesday. Bell leads the NL in RBIs (58) and doubles...
List of top NFL rookie running backs includes Pitt’s Qadree Ollison
An NFL.com ranking of the top five projected rookie running backs this season includes someone who has spent time working out on the fields at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Hint: It is not Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie Benny Snell Jr. Rather, former Pitt running back Qadree Ollison made the list compiled...
Pirates promote Dovydas Neverauskas, demote Alex McRae in bullpen swap
The Pittsburgh Pirates continued their revolving door with relievers, making a pair of moves to bolster their bullpen. The Pirates recalled right-hander Dovydas Neverauskas from Triple-A Indianapolis. Neverauskas has an 18.90 ERA in five appearances with the Pirates this season. To make room on the 25-man roster, they optioned Alex...
Blues hoping for 1 last bit of road magic in Game 7 at Boston
BOSTON — If the St. Louis Blues beat the Boston Bruins in Game 7, perhaps Steve Hatze Petros should get his name on the Stanley Cup. He is the NHL schedule-maker, making him the most responsible for a January-March stretch when the Blues didn’t play more than one consecutive home...
David DeCastro can ‘feel’ changes in Steelers’ locker-room atmosphereVideo
After missing three weeks of voluntary organized team activities due to the birth of his second child, Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro guard David DeCastro arrived for minicamp and noticed an immediate difference in the locker-room atmosphere. “You can feel it,” DeCastro said. Gone was the drama that permeated over the franchise...
Legislation to split public, private school sports ‘poorly crafted,’ PIAA exec says
Legislation introduced Tuesday to split public and private high school athletics was “poorly crafted” and an “end-around of the (State Athletic) Oversight Committee,” said PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi. Lombardi said he watched state Rep. Aaron Bernstine’s press conference announcing the “Parity in Interscholastic Athletics Act,” legislation created in conjunction...
