Take Four: Pennsylvania sports stars front and center in this week’s heated sports opinions

There will never be another Marc-André Fleury // Alex Kiger, Staff Writer

Tuesday night marked ex-Penguin goaltender Marc-André Fleury’s final visit to Pittsburgh. The almost 40-year-old Fleury put together 29 saves on 32 shots and picked up the win in a 5-3 Penguins loss. 

The game was less about the results on the ice, though, and more about the man occupying the away team’s net. Fleury was honored with a video during the game’s first TV timeout and received a standing ovation from the crowd at PPG Paints Arena. Chants of “Fleury! Fleury!” also broke out several times during the night. 

The cheers only got louder as Fleury met up briefly with longtime teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang and took one final lap in the city he called home for 14 years. 

One can not overstate the impact that Fleury had not just on this team — where he contributed to three Stanley Cups — but to this fanbase and city. His effect on everyone in this tahn has remained even as he has come back wearing three different jerseys in the following years. 

Merci and au revoir, Flower. 

Russ has unlimited talent to offer // Joshua Prescott

Russell Wilson is no spring chicken in the NFL, and at 35 years old, the former Seattle Seahawks star still has it. Replacing Justin Fields, Mr. Unlimited has shown he has the experience to kickstart a stagnant Steelers offense.

Featuring in just two games since replacing Fields, the Steelers have let Russ cook, and he shows early signs of vast improvement.

Passing for 542 yards in two games, Wilson has already thrown for nearly half of Fields’ total across six games — 1,106 yards. If Wilson started the season and maintained this form, he’d sit in the top three for passing yards in the NFL, which suggests he’s a “DangeRuss” addition to the Steelers.

Despite this, Wilson has provided just 10 rushing yards. Although he’s efficient through the air, his quarterback style is one-dimensional and could act ineffectively against better defenses.

Facing New York’s not-so-finest in the Giants and the Jets — No. 26 and No. 24 — Wilson is currently picking low-hanging fruit. Steelers nation will now have to prepare for back-to-back games against the No. 4 Baltimore Ravens and No. 5 Washington Commanders. This will provide a real test for Wilson, who needs to reach into his bag of tricks to provide for Pittsburgh.

Embiid’s recurring injuries hurting the Sixers’ success // Lily Goldstein, Staff Writer

Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers’ star center, is facing another challenging season due to recurring knee injury concerns. These types of injuries often lead to extended recovery periods and impact his availability for crucial games. 

Embiid’s injuries have the potential to take him out for a significant portion of the season, and past injuries still remain a concern. A history of knee, foot and ankle injuries can contribute to a higher likelihood of re-injury, as lingering issues often manifest again under the intense play of the NBA. It was announced Embiid would sit on the sidelines for the 76ers’ season opener and additionally for the game against the Pistons. The 76ers will likely exercise caution to ensure Embiid’s long-term health. 

This could mean Embiid will miss a significant portion of the season. This sort of deficit not only affects team dynamics but also puts added pressure on teammates to step up in his absence. As the season unfolds, will the 76ers maintain their competitiveness in Embiid’s absence, or will his injuries hinder the playoff hopeful team once more?

Ilia Malinin is on track to become the greatest figure skater of all time // Ashley O’Doherty, Staff Writer

At just 19 years old, American skater Ilia Malinin just won the 2024 Skate Canada International and his third consecutive Skate America title. Not only did he win both titles with incredible scores, but he ended his routines with a bang, landing a backflip on ice — a once illegal skate move. The Virginia native became the first man to sweep Skate America and Skate Canada International in the same season in 25 years.  

The current World Champion is smashing records left and right and is revolutionizing the technical side of figure skating. Back in 2022 — and at just 17 years old — Malinin became the first person ever to land the quadruple Axel, figure skating’s most difficult jump, in competition. Two years later at the 2024 International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championships, he scored the highest free skate score, 333.76, in figure skating history by landing six quadruple jumps.  

Malinin, now known as the “Quad God,” has figure skating in his blood. His parents, Roman Skorniakov and Tatiana Malinina — both distinguished figure skaters in their own right — coach him on and off the ice. He began skating at just six years old and hasn’t stopped since, partaking in his first competition back in 2015.  

At one of his most recent competitions, Skate America, the George Mason student proved he has what it takes to become the GOAT of figure skating — not only because of his record-breaking scores but rather his grit on the ice. After two early mistakes in his free skate, Malinin changed up his routine on the fly by landing a quad Salchow in sequence with a triple Axel, which pushed his scores ahead of the competition.  

The 19 year old still has a long career ahead of him, but he has the talent, artistry and grit to skate all the way to the top of the history books.