December 19, 2022 2:16 am
LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi made his strongest case yet to be considered soccer’s greatest player of all time after finally winning the World Cup. It will never be possible to say definitively even after Argentina’s 4-2 penalty shootout victory over France in the final at Lusail Stadium. No one will ever surpass Pele for some. The Brazil great won the World Cup three times. Even in Messi’s homeland there is Diego Maradona. He remains for many the country’s ultimate soccer icon after captaining his national team to the 1986 World Cup title. And Messi has even had a personal rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo for the past 15 years or so. He also now has a World Cup.
December 18, 2022 7:55 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Federiko Federiko scored 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting, Blake Hinson scored 18 points, and Pittsburgh wrapped up non-conference play by beating North Florida 82-56. Federiko’s jumper two minutes in gave Pitt a 2-1 lead and the Panthers held the lead for the remainder. They pushed the lead to 16-7 midway through the first half on Jamarius Burton’s layup before the Ospreys closed to 19-15 on Jose Placer’s 3. But Pitt took control 6 1/2 minutes before halftime and outscored North Florida 20-10 to head to intermission up 39-25. Jarius Hicklen scored 15 points for North Florida.
December 18, 2022 7:54 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mitch Trubisky will start at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they travel to Carolina. Trubisky will get the call with starter Kenny Pickett out with a concussion. Trubisky began the season as Pittsburgh’s starter before losing the job midway through a Week 4 loss to the New York Jets. He has come on in relief twice for Pickett, helping secure a win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 16 and throwing for 276 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions last week against Baltimore. The Steelers (5-8) need a win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.
December 18, 2022 7:53 am
The Pittsburgh Pirates and veteran catcher Austin Hedges have agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the deal to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move is pending a physical. The 30-year-old Hedges played for Cleveland last season, batting .163 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in 105 games. Hedges helped the Guardians win the AL Central. Pittsburgh went 62-100 this year in its fourth consecutive losing season.
December 17, 2022 12:19 pm
NFL Week 15 continues Saturday on WJPA-AM (1450) with a tripleheader featuring Colts/Vikings, Ravens/Browns and Dolphins/Bills. Airtime is 12:30 pm.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts this week. The Vikings are 10-3 and favored by 4 points according to FanDuel Sportsbook odds. They will clinch the NFC North with a win after losing 34-23 at Detroit last week in their first chance at the division title. The Colts are 4-8-1. They had their bye last week after losing 54-19 to Dallas the week before. Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson leads the NFL with 1,500 receiving yards. The Colts have won six straight games in the series they lead 18-7-1 all time. The Vikings last beat Indianapolis in 1997.
CLEVELAND, OH (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson finally makes his home debut against the AFC North-leading Ravens, who are having major QB issues. Watson will be playing his third game since returning from an 11-game suspension for alleged sexual misconduct. He played better last week in a loss at Cincinnati, but has only led Cleveland’s offense to one touchdown in eight quarters. The Ravens will again be without star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is dealing with a knee injury. His backup, Tyler Huntley, suffered a concussion last week but is expected to play. The Ravens beat the Browns 23-20 in their Oct. 23 matchup.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa believes the Miami Dolphins’ recent losses have taught them lessons their early season success didn’t. Ahead of Miami’s pivotal division matchup against Buffalo, Tagovailoa said the Dolphins are learning the importance of putting bad drives behind them and not letting incompletions or miscommunication dictate how a game progresses. Miami will travel to face Buffalo on Saturday night after two losses and poor offensive performances.
December 18, 2022 1:58 am
Longtime West Greene wrestling coach John “Buzz” Walters died Friday at Waynesburg Health & Rehabilitation. A graduate of Mapletown High School and Waynesburg College (University), Walters had 28 winning seasons in his career with the Pioneers, Beth-Center and Clay-Batelle (WV). His teams won 300 dual meets, coming out on top in two of every three matches. That success lead to Walters’ induction into the following Halls of Fame: Washington-Greene Sports, WPIAL Coaches, Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches. Walters served in the US Marines and later in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard unit out of Waynesburg. Coach Walters is survived by three children, four grandchildren and two sisters. He was 88 years old. (photo courtesy of Waynesburg University Facebook)
Arrangements are under the direction of Kesterson-Rush Funeral Home, Rogersville.
December 17, 2022 4:31 am
UNDATED (AP) – It has been three years since the the last time that every postseason college football game was played. The pandemic made a shell of the 2020 postseason. Last year, the pandemic caused five games to be canceled. There should be a full slate of bowl games over the next month, 42 of them in all. AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo is picking Georgia and Michigan to reach the national championship game.
December 17, 2022 4:29 am
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – The Denver Broncos are holding quarterback Russell Wilson out of this weekend’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, even though he passed concussion protocol Friday. Coach Nathaniel Hackett said the organization decided it was best to keep him out until the Broncos play the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day. Wilson suffered a head injury at the end of a 14-yard scramble toward the goal line in the Broncos’ 34-28 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend. Hackett said Wilson wasn’t pleased with the decision, but the organization wanted to take every precaution with Wilson’s health.
December 17, 2022 4:28 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Tiger Woods and his 13-year-old son share more than a fundamentally sound golf swing. Both are limping at the PNC Championship. Woods is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot that has him in a cart. Charlie rolled his ankle and was hobbling along during the pro-am Friday. It’s not enough to keep either of them from playing this 36-hole tournament. They were runner-up a year ago. Woods says playing with a severe limp might set his recovery back a little. But he says it’s worth it to be able to play in a tournament with his son.
December 16, 2022 4:04 am
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang scored in his third game back since having a stroke and the Penguins beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 on Thursday night. Letang had the stroke Nov. 28, returned to practice 10 days later and got back in the lineup Saturday against Buffalo. In the second period against Florida, Letang scored a short-handed goal off a breakaway pass from Bryan Rust to tie it at 1. Jake Guentzel scored twice and Evgeni Malkin added a power-play goal for the Penguins. They won for the seventh consecutive time and are 12-1-1 in their past 14 games. áTristan Jarry made 32 saves to win his sixth consecutive start. Ryan Lomberg and Sam Reinhart scored for Florida.
