Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Top storylines to watch for as Pirates start spring training
The Pittsburgh Pirates have endured seven consecutive losing seasons, finishing either in last place or tied for last in six of them, so it’s not often they are associated with consensus or unanimous in a positive way. But the Pirates enter spring training with the unanimous winner of the National...
Meloni condemns anti-Olympics actions in Milan, calling demonstrators ‘enemies of Italy’
MILAN — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni condemned recent anti-Olympics protests in Milan and alleged sabotage of train infrastructure, calling those responsible “enemies of Italy and Italians” early Sunday. The protesters “demonstrate ‘against the Olympics,’ causing these images to end up on televisions around the world. After others cut the railway...
Breezy Johnson wins Olympic downhill on day marred by American teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — American ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill Sunday with a hard-charging run on a day marred by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash that saw her being taken off the mountain in a helicopter. Johnson was the sixth racer and found speed with a risk-taking trip...
Before Vonn’s crash, Iranian coach called the American her ‘superhero’ — and hoped to get her pin
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Before U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn’s startling crash on Sunday while racing on a badly injured left knee, Iran’s Alpine women’s skiing coach shared words of admiration for the American. “She’s my superhero,” Mitra Kalhor told The Associated Press in the Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Village on...
Lindsey Vonn clips gate and crashes in Winter Olympic downhill, taken away by helicopter
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn’s defiant bid to win the Winter Olympic downhill at the age of 41, on a rebuilt right knee and a badly injured left knee, ended Sunday in a frightening crash that left her with a broken leg and saw her taken to safety by...
Joe Starkey: Malik Willis is the kind of quarterback the Steelers should be courting
It’s not like we didn’t know already, but Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy finally made it plain. Asked by KDKA’s Bob Pompeani last week if he’d like to try to recreate his Green Bay magic with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, McCarthy replied in no uncertain terms. “That’s the plan,” he said....
Seth Trimble hits late 3 to lift No. 14 UNC past No. 4 Duke in stunning finish
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Seth Trimble made a corner 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift No. 14 North Carolina past No. 4 Duke, 71-68, in a stunning finish Saturday night, which included fans storming the court prematurely before having to clear out for the Blue Devils to get one...
Minor league report: Avery Hayes’ hat trick leads Penguins to overtime winVideo
Forward Avery Hayes completed a hat trick with an overtime power-play goal and gave the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins a 4-3 win against the rival Hershey Bears at the Giant Center in Hershey on Saturday. During regulation, Hayes scored another power-play goal as well as a short-handed goal. Forwards Ville Koivunen and...
Robert Morris follows familiar script to beat Youngstown State
Grab a lead, fall behind and finally rally to win, 72-66. For Robert Morris, it happened that way earlier in the week, and it happened that way Saturday. Almost to a tee. DeSean Goode scored 24 points as the Colonials for the second consecutive game rallied from a second-half deficit...
Patriots assistant, North Allegheny grad Robert Kugler soaks in Super Bowl moment
Robert Kugler didn’t live in Western Pennsylvania for long, but the North Allegheny graduate was here enough to know there aren’t many New England Patriots fans. Still, he’s optimistic some folks from his adopted hometown will root for him Sunday night. The 33-year-old is the assistant offensive line coach for...
Seahawks’ Sam Darnold, Patriots’ Drake Maye take unique paths to Super Bowl 60
SAN FRANCISCO — Nobody on the Seattle Seahawks has supported Sam Darnold quite like Ernest Jones IV. When Darnold threw four interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams in a 21-19 loss in Week 11, Jones had his quarterback’s back. The second-team All-Pro linebacker wouldn’t allow Darnold to take the blame....
Tarence Guinyard’s scoring spurt helps Duquesne hold off George Washington
Back and forth they went. This one was going to the wire. Even with Duquesne’s Tarence Guinyard scoring 16 of his 27 points in succession during a crucial stretch late, the Dukes struggled to break free from George Washington. In the end, they survived Trey Autry’s potential game-winning 3-pointer as...
Short-handed Pitt can’t hang with SMU in 2nd half, drops to 2-9 in ACC
Trailing Southern Methodist by two at halftime was hardly a bad spot to be in for Pitt on Saturday afternoon. But when play resumed in the second half, the Panthers’ competitiveness all but evaporated. From the first possession, Pitt had few defensive answers for an SMU squad that hit 70%...
Olympics roundup: Italians collect medals on feel-good 1st day for hosts
MILAN — Francesca Lollobrigida led a tricolor day for Italy at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The speedskater won gold in the women’s 3,000 meters after Giovanni Franzoni took silver in the men’s downhill ahead of Italian teammate Dominik Paris for bronze on the same slope Saturday. Swiss skier Franjo von...
Hilary Knight ties U.S. Olympic goal record in women’s hockey team’s rout of Finland
MILAN — Hilary Knight scored to tie the U.S. Olympic women’s hockey career goal record, and the Americans wore down a Finland opponent that spent much of the week dealing with a stomach virus in a 5-0 win at the Milan Cortina Games on Saturday. With U.S. Vice President JD...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: First ballot or not, Ben Roethlisberger’s accomplishments are undeniable
Mario Lemieux once dispensed these words of wisdom: “I judge myself by Stanley Cups and scoring titles, because nobody votes on those.” Lemieux has again been proven correct in the wake of the Pro Football Hall of Fame having announced its latest class. The primary conversation is about who didn’t...
Ex-MLB player Yasiel Puig found guilty of obstruction and lying to federal officials
LOS ANGELES — A jury has found former major league outfielder Yasiel Puig guilty of obstruction of justice and lying to federal officials investigating an illegal gambling operation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday. The verdict came after a multiweek trial that featured testimony from Major League Baseball officials and...
Pirates by Position: Whether a 1-man job or rotation, designated hitter could be different
Despite their pursuit of pop in free agency, the Pittsburgh Pirates have maintained their position that the designated hitter doesn’t necessarily have to be a one-man job. The DH spot has been occupied the past three seasons by Andrew McCutchen, but the 39-year-old franchise icon remains an unsigned free agent...
Tim Benz: A New England Super Bowl win wouldn’t be a wake-up call for the Steelers
I was listening to my TribLive “Beyond the Bylines” colleague Joe Starkey on his 93.7 The Fan radio show Friday. He mentioned that some callers to the station stated that they were actually rooting for the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Their theory was that if...
Minor league report: Matt Dumba’s hat trick leads Penguins past PhantomsVideo
Defenseman Matt Dumba recorded his first career hat trick as a professional as well as an assist for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 6-5 win against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center in Allentown on Friday. In his past four games, Dumba has erupted offensively, posting 11...
Former Jets 1st-round pick Darron Lee charged with 1st-degree murder in Tennessee
OOLTEWAH, Tenn. — A former New York Jets first-round draft pick was arrested in Tennessee and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend. Darron Lee was identified Thursday as the suspect and taken into custody at the scene, according to the Hamilton County sheriff’s office. The victim’s...
Special-teams play has been critical to Seahawks’ success en route to Super Bowl
SAN JOSE, Calif. — When Jay Harbaugh was hired as special teams coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks in February 2024, long snapper Chris Stoll initially didn’t like him because of his college ties. Jay, the son of Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, coached for nine seasons at Michigan,...
Paul Goldschmidt and New York Yankees working toward 1-year contract
NEW YORK — Paul Goldschmidt and the New York Yankees are working toward a one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press, another move by New York that makes its 2026 roster resemble last year’s team. The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the...
Roethlisberger leads list of ex-Steelers eligible for Hall of Fame next season
As a two-time Super Bowl champion who ranks among the NFL’s all-time leading passers, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger seems destined for Canton. Will he be a first-ballot hall of famer? That will be answered a year from now. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced a 2026 class Thursday...
Hisatsune chips in for birdie after water ball, shoots 63 to take 2nd-round lead at Phoenix Open
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ryo Hisatsune chipped in for birdie after driving his ball in the water on the par-4 17th hole and shot a bogey-free 8-under-par 63 on Friday to surge into the lead in the second round of Phoenix Open. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler closed out a 65 with a...
