Tim Benz: Star players help stars align in latest edition of Penguins-Capitals
Bryan Rust saved the game. The other star players saved the storyline. As of Wednesday afternoon, Thursday night’s Pittsburgh Penguins versus Capitals matchup had all the makings of a showdown jam-packed with celebration and sentiment. Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin had the potential to score his 900th goal in Pittsburgh while...
Mark Madden: Sidney Crosby is sizzling, Ben Kindel brings power-play brilliance and more Penguins thoughts
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 9-4-2, top of the NHL. Sidney Crosby is the league’s leading goal-scorer at 11. The (unexpected) situation fairly begs for refreshing Penguins notes! • Crosby is also just two points off the NHL’s points lead. Even for him, he’s sizzling. If Crosby drags this rag-tag Penguins...
Deion Sanders will start freshman QB Julian Lewis against West Virginia in effort to rescue Colorado’s season
BOULDER, Colo. — Deion Sanders is turning to freshman quarterback Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis in an effort to salvage Colorado’s sinking season. The Buffaloes coach said the decision to start Lewis on Saturday at West Virginia was based on “common sense.” Colorado (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) has been outscored by...
After ‘flyer’ vs. injured Justin Herbert in ‘24, Steelers brace for challenge of Chargers QB
It’s been less than 14 months since the Pittsburgh Steelers faced Justin Herbert. But it’s been a lot longer than that since the Steelers had to deal with the real Herbert. “I feel like we caught a flyer a year ago,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Herbert, the Los...
No. 2 Indiana looking for 1st win in Happy Valley against sinking Penn State
Terry Smith wants to give the Penn State football program something to feel good about, but he knows he’s running out of chances. The team’s interim coach will lead the Nittany Lions (3-5, 0-5 Big Ten) as they try to snap a five-game losing streak against No. 2 Indiana (9-0,...
Big-school rematches highlight WPIAL playoffs — 5 things to watch in Week 11
Pine-Richland coach Jon LeDonne is already familiar with the Rams’ next opponent and not just because he spent three seasons as Shaler’s coach. The two teams played one another only two weeks ago in the regular-season finale. This time, they’ll meet in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal at 7 p.m....
Football Footnotes: Sorting through variables to predict ‘good on good’ Steelers-Chargers matchup
A lot of Pittsburgh Steelers fans and media members looked at the team’s current three-game stretch between Cincinnati Bengals contests as a real measuring stick. Especially after that gut-punch of a loss in Cincy on “Thursday Night Football” last month. At that point, the Packers, Colts and Chargers were all...
First Call: Kendrick Green responds to Ben Roethlisberger’s jab; big early season upset for RMU hoops
In Friday’s “First Call,” Kendrick Green responds to Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast shot, the Pittsburgh Penguins look to hold onto first place in the Metropolitan Division, and we check out what is on the college football slate while Pitt is off. Robert Morris’ basketball team makes a big early season splash....
Robert Morris knocks off Drake in eye-catching early season win
Hit hard by trasfers, the Robert Morris basketball team lost its entire starting lineup after reaching the NCAA Tournament last season. Two games into this season, a new cast of Colonials already has a signature win. Nikolaos Chitikoudis had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds and Darius Livingston...
Garrett Wilson hated to see trades but trusts Jets’ vision and excited to return after knee injury
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Garrett Wilson is fired up to be back on the field for the New York Jets. This week has been anything but normal, though, for the star wide receiver. Not when he no longer sees Sauce Gardner lined up against him in practice. Or Quinnen Williams...
Honor Huff scores 23 points to lead West Virginia over Campbell for 2nd straight win
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Honor Huff scored 23 points to lead five in double-figure scoring and West Virginia held off Campbell for a 73-65 victory on Thursday night. West Virginia never trailed but Campbell stayed within single digits for most of the second half and pulled to 64-60 with 1:31 remaining....
Power play helps Penguins steady ship, beat rival Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward Ben Kindel doesn’t have strong memories of how the enduring rivalry between his captain, Sidney Crosby, and Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin began. And for good reason. Kindel was born in 2007, approximately two years after Crosby and Ovechkin first encountered one another on an NHL...
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington ‘always planned’ to give Alex Ovechkin his 900th goal puckVideo
BUFFALO — St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington insists he always planned to hand over the puck Washington star Alexander Ovechkin scored in becoming the NHL’s first to reach 900 career goals. Binnington tucked the puck into his pants as the Capitals’ bench cleared celebrating Ovechkin’s milestone goal in a...
Coach Zac Taylor believes in-house options can improve Bengals defenseVideo
CINCINNATI — While the Cincinnati Bengals enter their bye week with the worst defense in the NFL, coach Zac Taylor is sticking with the coaching staff the Bengals have in place on that side of the ball. “I trust those guys,” Taylor said. “Those guys have been really successful everywhere...
Coordinator Tommy Rees faces tough challenge in reviving Browns’ struggling offenseVideo
BEREA, Ohio — Tommy Rees will be the latest to take on what could be one of the toughest tasks in the NFL — reviving the Cleveland Browns offense. The 33-year old Rees was given play-calling duties from coach Kevin Stefanski this week as the Browns came off their bye....
Best bet for top 10 MLB free agents? Big markets
As the light turns green to signal the open of MLB free agency, the looming threat of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers casts a larger shadow than ever over the other 29 teams. Most of them are dealing with a level of wallet envy as Los...
MLB-worst Rockies hiring Paul DePodesta after a decade in NFL front office
The Colorado Rockies kept telling everyone they were going to not only hire from outside, but go outside the box when hiring a new president of baseball operations. Who knew they would be looking outside the confines of their own sport? The Rockies are hiring Paul DePodesta, who has been...
Alex Highsmith, Darnell Washington return to Steelers practice; Connor Heyward absent
Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and tight end Darnell Washington returned to Pittsburgh Steelers practice Thursday, but tight end Connor Heyward sat out because of a knee injury. Highsmith (ankle) and Washington (foot) missed Wednesday’s practice because of injuries suffered during Sunday’s win against the Indianapolis Colts. That each returned Thursday...
Ex-Steelers WR Antonio Brown in custody for attempted murder
Former Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown is back in the headlines, and will now potentially be behind bars for a good chunk of time. The 37-year-old had been in Dubai, United Arab Emirates prior to his extradition, which came over four-and-a-half months after a warrant was issued for...
Pirates clean up 40-man roster, lose 2 players on waivers
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced changes to their 40-man roster Thursday, making room for five players who were activated from the 60-day injured list. Right-handed pitchers Dugan Darnell and Jared Jones, catcher/first baseman Endy Rodríguez, outfielder Ronny Simon and infielder Enmanuel Valdez were activated. To make room on the 40-man roster,...
Stat sheet shows Aaron Rodgers not playing favorites in Steelers passing game
Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have the most dynamic and productive group of pass catchers in the NFL. He might have the most diverse, however. Halfway through his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rodgers has thrown passes to 13 players. Nine have caught touchdowns, giving the Steelers the type of depth...
Padres hire former reliever Craig Stammen as managerVideo
The San Diego Padres hired former reliever Craig Stammen to be their manager. Stammen got a three-year contract Thursday to begin his first managerial job at any level of the sport. The longtime right-handed reliever retired from his playing career with the Padres in August 2023, and he spent the...
Pirates announce details for PiratesFest 2026
PiratesFest will return to a single-day event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Jan. 24, 2026. The fan event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include interactive games and attractions for all ages. Pirates players, alumni, coaches, broadcasters and mascots will be in...
Pitt challenging ‘really nice guy’ Barry Dunning Jr. to play angry on hardwood
Jeff Capel holds the character and personality of Barry Dunning Jr. in very high esteem. During his brief time at Pitt so far, Dunning has proven to be easygoing and unproblematic. But if Dunning is to help the Panthers get where Capel wants them to go this season, the transfer...
Aaron Rodgers, Cam Heyward form leadership bond with Steelers
Perhaps recognizing that Aaron Rodgers is the only other player on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster who was born in the 1980s, Cameron Heyward takes every opportunity to needle Rodgers because of his age. “He’s old,” the 36-year-old Heyward said of Rodgers on Wednesday. Moments later, Heyward delivered a zinger, “He’s...
