February 21, 2025 4:33 am
ESPN’s coverage of Major League Baseball games — at least in its current form — will conclude at the end of the 2025 season. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro informed baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday morning that the network was opting out of the final three years of its contract, two people told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss financial matters. ESPN and MLB both made statements Thursday night confirming the end of the current rights deal. There was a March 1 deadline for MLB and ESPN to opt out of the final three years of their contract. The sides agreed to a seven-year deal in 2021 that averaged $550 million per season.
February 20, 2025 4:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Lange, whose imaginative goal calls made his raspy voice immediately recognizable to Pittsburgh Penguin fans for decades, has died. He was 76. The team confirmed Lange’s death. No cause was given. Lange spent nearly five decades chronicling the franchise’s rise from also-ran to Stanley Cup champion five times over. His unique delivery and quirky sayings served as the soundtrack for iconic moments from Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux and longtime running mate Jaromir Jagr to current stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Lange, a California native, began calling Penguin games full-time in 1976, a job he held until August 2021.
February 20, 2025 4:32 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL salary cap will be between $277.5 million and $281.5 million for the 2025 season, rising as much as $26 million from last year. The bump is great news for Cincinnati, which is hoping to sign receiver Tee Higgins to a long-term contract. It also means more money for Minnesota to re-sign quarterback Sam Darnold or Kansas City to bring back guard Trey Smith or Super Bowl champion Philadelphia to keep linebacker Zack Baun. It’s also significant for teams projected to be over the cap when the new league year begins in March.
February 18, 2025 12:01 am
Peters Township boys, Chartiers-Houston and Fort Cherry girls were the only winners among 10 Washington/Greene County teams Tuesday night as the opening round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs ended. The winners join Canon-McMillan, Peters Township and West Greene girls, and Chartiers-Houston boys in the quarterfinals with games set for Wednesday-Friday. The WPIAL championships return to the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center Feb. 27-March 1. First round scores are listed along with the upcoming schedule for teams from the two-county area. Click for WPIAL Brackets
WPIAL First Round
Tuesday, Feb. 18
Boys 5A #6 Peters Township 63, #11 Penn Hills 30
Boys 3A #2 South Allegheny 61, #15 Charleroi 32
Boys 3A #9 Shady Side Academy 51, #8 McGuffey 31
Boys 3A #3 Mohawk 59, #14 Waynesburg 40
Girls 2A #5 Fort Cherry 59, #12 California 29
Girls 2A #8 Laurel 44, #9 Beth-Center 32
Girls 2A #3 Winchester Thurston 62, #14 Burgettstown 28
Girls 2A #6 Chartiers-Houston 51, #11 Brentwood 28
Girls 2A #2 Aliquippa 79, #15 Carmichaels 6
WPIAL Quarterfinals
Wednesday, Feb. 19
Girls 5A #6 Thomas Jefferson vs. #3 Penn-Trafford at Norwin, 5:45 pm WJPA-AM (1450) Watch/Listen Here
Girls 5A #2 Peters Township vs. #7 Indiana at Norwin, 7:25 pm WJPA-AM (1450) Watch/Listen Here
Thursday, Feb. 20
Girls 6A #4 Canon-McMillan vs. #5 Butler at Canon-McMillan, 5:45 pm WJPA-AM (1450) Listen Here
Girls 1A #7 West Greene at #2 Geibel Catholic at Geibel Catholic, 7 pm
Boys 2A #7 Chartiers-Houston vs. #2 Sewickley Academy at Peters Township, 7:15 pm, WJPA-AM (1450) Listen Here
Friday, Feb. 21, sites/times to be announced
Boys 5A #6 Peters Township vs. #3 Uniontown
Girls 2A #6 Chartiers-Houston vs. #3 Winchester Thurston
Girls 2A #5 Fort Cherry vs. #4 South Side Beaver
WPIAL First Round
Monday, Feb. 17
Boys 2A #7 Chartiers-Houston 55, #10 Shenango 35
Boys 2A #8 Union 70, #9 Fort Cherry 49
Boys 2A #2 Sewickley Academy 59, #15 Bentworth 26
Girls 1A #7 West Greene 59, #10 Eden Christian 29
February 19, 2025 4:23 am
PITTSBURGH — This article originally appeared on PGHHockeyNOW.com. As expected, Tristan Jarry’s return to the NHL roster was merely to create space at the AHL level so netminder Joel Blomqvist could play games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and remain sharp for the resumption of the NHL’s regular season this weekend. With the team scheduled to resume practice Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux Complex, the Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Blomqvist and forward Emil Bemstrom, who is the second-leading scorer in the AHL with games in hand on the leader. Blomqvist, 23, has played in 11 NHL games this season, posting an .896 save percentage and 3.54 goals against. However, the numbers belie the quality of play he’s provided. A couple of low shot-total games and the Penguins’ troublesome attitudes toward defending have also been problems.
February 18, 2025 4:27 am
Auburn is No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the sixth consecutive week. The Tigers claimed 59 of 60 first-place votes in the latest poll after beating then-No. 1 Alabama on the road. Florida claimed the other first-place vote and broke last week’s tie with Duke to move up to second. The Southeastern Conference has a national-best nine ranked teams. No. 25 Louisville returned to the poll for the week’s only new addition.
February 18, 2025 4:38 am
It should be another emotional game in the 4-Nations Faceoff as the U.S. and Canada collide for the championship. The U.S had already clinched a spot in the title game after its win against Canada Saturday night in Montreal. The American’s fell to Sweden 2-1 Monday night. The Canadians, meanwhile, beat Finland 5-3 to earn the rematch. Nathan McKinnon scored twice and Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist.
February 17, 2025 4:30 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry has captured MVP honors at the All-Star Game in front of his home fans, in his arena. Curry earned all this well-deserved fanfare in what has been a remarkable run from Oakland to San Francisco for the Golden State Warriors star. Curry scored the first points of the final on a 3-pointer and later connected from half-court, running down the other way to chest-bump rapper Mistah Fab along one baseline. He helped Shaq’s OGs beat Chuck’s Global Stars 41-25, scoring 12 points on four 3-pointers.
February 17, 2025 4:29 am
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla (AP) — William Byron raced to his second straight Daytona 500 victory, dodging a string of late-race wrecks that knocked out a chunk of contenders and sent the Hendrick Motorsports driver into victory lane Sunday night at Daytona International Speedway. Ninth in the No. 24 Chevrolet with one lap left, Byron became the first back-to-back winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019-20. Byron took advantage of another wreck on the final lap — NASCAR did not drop the caution and let the field race to the finish — and took another, familiar burnout in Daytona International Speedway. The 27-year-old Byron held on to win after two weather delays totaling more than 3 1/2 hours.
February 17, 2025 4:31 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ludvig Aberg left Torrey Pines feeling as bad as possible with a stomach bug that caused him to lose 10 pounds. He returned three weeks later as a winner. The Swede birdied four of the last six holes for a 66 to track down Maverick McNealy and win the Genesis Invitational. The tournament normally is held at Riviera but moved to Torrey Pines because of the LA wildfires. Torrey had everything in place from the Farmers Insurance Open last month. McNealy shot 64 and had a three-shot lead until Aberg rallied. Scottie Scheffler shot 66 and tied for third.
