Stress-inducing moments from Pitt sports
By Trent Leonard, Staff Writer
April 22, 2019
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Finals week is one of the most stressful times of the year, but you might feel more at ease after revisiting some of these anxiety-inducing Pitt games.
Column: A requiem for Pitt Athletics’ old online layout
By Trent Leonard, Sports Editor
April 16, 2019
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Along with drastic new changes to its color scheme, logo and uniforms, Pitt Athletics also made some new changes to its website. But in this case, newer doesn’t mean better.
Take 5: WWZD: What Will Zion Do
By Pitt News Staff
February 28, 2019
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
No one knows for sure what any athletes’ futures hold, but people can speculate. Morant will make it, Zion should come back, the Phillies should walk away from Bryce and Murray needs to throw.
WWE needs to let Kofi Kingston fly
By Alexa Marzina, Staff Writer
February 18, 2019
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
WWE superstar Kofi Kingston is in his late 30s and still has as much dexterity and agility as an Olympic gymnast, but has yet to hold a world title in WWE.
Top storylines heading into Super Bowl LIII
By Andrew Kelly, Staff Writer
February 1, 2019
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Top Stories
The game, featuring two of the league’s most highly touted coaches and some of its most prominent players, is sure to make headlines around the globe.
Navigating college football’s bowl season
By Stephen Thompson, Staff Writer
December 5, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Top Stories
The sport is dominated by the playoff discussion around this time of year, but there are plenty of other marquee matchups that are worth your attention during this bowl season.
Take 5: Browns, Buckeyes, Basketball
By The Pitt News Staff
November 29, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The Browns and Bengals faced off in a revenge game, while the previously struggling Buckeyes suddenly looked like one of the nation’s best teams once again versus Michigan.
Column: Sweet 16 on the horizon for Pitt volleyball
By Kate Hall, Staff Writer
November 29, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
This will be the team’s third consecutive appearance in the tournament and 14th appearance in team history — and fans can expect the Panthers to go further in this tournament than ever before.
Rousey takes the belt in WWE’s Survivor Series
By Alexa Marzina, Staff Writer
November 19, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Uncategorized
In a controversial match, Charlotte Flair was ultimately disqualified from the WWE's Survivor Series and Ronda Rousey snatched the belt.
Take 5: Bell, Butler, Brees
By The Pitt News Staff
November 14, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Does Pitt football deserve to be ranked? Did Le’Veon Bell make the right decision? Our staff answers these questions and more in this week’s Take 5.
Take 5: Bama, Blue Devils, Bryant
By The Pitt News Staff
November 8, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Two dominant college programs staked claims as the best in their sport, while polarizing wide receiver Dez Bryant finally found a home. Read the full range of topics in this week’s Take 5 column:
Take 5: NFL, Le’Veon Bell, Hue’s farewell
By The Pitt News Staff
November 1, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
This week’s Take 5 column features two Pittsburgh-centric football storylines, including the Panthers’ quest for an ACC Coastal title and the Steelers’ success without Le’Veon Bell. In other news, a dark-horse Cy Young candidate has emerged for the 2019 MLB season and the Browns are still the Browns.
Column: WWE women thrive at ‘Evolution’ despite backstage politics
By Alexa Marzina, Staff Writer
October 29, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
WWE’s first all-women pay-per-view — properly dubbed “Evolution” to signify the transformation from divas from superstars — was a success, highlighted by Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch’s electric Last Woman Standing match.
Take 5: Los Angeles, Le’Veon, no LeBron
By The Pitt News staff
October 17, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
As the NFL season nears its halfway point, Los Angeles’ two teams seem to be destined for a cross-city clash, while the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell continues to divide public opinion.
Column: Riverhounds strive for success as Pittsburgh’s pro soccer team
By Ben Zimmer, Staff Writer
October 17, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Top Stories
As the Riverhounds prepare to host a first-round playoff game Saturday — the first home postseason game in the club’s history — their achievements shouldn’t go unnoticed. How much success will it take for soccer to be among Pittsburgh’s sources of pride?
Take 5: Fultz, Futility, Finance
By The Pitt News staff
October 11, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The Pitt News staff takes a look at each of America's three ongoing professional sports, from Markelle Fultz' improvement to the Bengals' false hopes.
Column: Josh Gordon provides ‘Flash’ of inspiration
By Stephen Thompson, Staff Writer
October 10, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Josh Gordon has received criticism for his inability to maintain an NFL roster spot, but his continuous effort to overcome personal demons is nothing short of admirable.
Column: ‘Super Show-Down’ confuses roles of WWE’s top women
By Alexa Marzina, Staff Writer
October 8, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The way the WWE has cast the Charlotte Flair - Becky Lynch feud doesn’t make sense to the multi-talented women involved in it.
Column: New Philly Flyers’ mascot ‘Gritty’ is more fearsome than friendly
By Michael Nitti, Staff Writer
October 1, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Uncategorized
Nobody’s sure what animal or interdimensional being new Flyers' mascot 'Gritty' is supposed to be, but we can all agree he’s ugly.
Column: New Pitt show has yet to go ‘Beyond the Script’
By Dominic Campbell, Staff Writer
September 27, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Sports, Sports Columns
Pitt Athletics says it's looking to expose fans to every Panther sports team with its new television show “Pitt: Beyond the Script," but it could do better.
Column: Universities should recognize student athletes as employees
By Brian Gentry, Contributing Editor
September 13, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
It's time for Universities to recognize athletes as student employees and mitigate the exploitation of players under demanding sports programs.
Louis Vuitton looks forward with new head of menswear design
By Charlie Garcia-Weger | For The Pitt News
March 29, 2018
Filed under Culture
The once-stuffy world of couture will soon collide with the world of streetwear as Virgil Abloh adds yet another project to his list of accomplishments. The high-end clothing brand Louis Vuitton announced Abloh as its next head of menswear design Monday, in a move that signals major progress within the already shifting fashion industry. Abloh — founder of b...
Column: Men’s basketball season one for the record books
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
February 8, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Let’s party like it’s 1993. Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson and Meat Loaf top the Billboard Hot 100 nationwide. Michael Jordan is striking out in minor league baseball for the Birmingham Barons after his first three-peat and subsequent retirement from the NBA. Bill Clinton is named the 42nd pre...
Column: Hating on the Super Bowl is so last year
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
January 31, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The biggest mistake I continually make, over and over, is logging onto Facebook during a huge sporting event. This year, I’ll probably slip up again with the 2018 Super Bowl. It isn’t memes about Tom Brady’s bizarre-looking — but also somehow handsome — face or general trash talk from eith...
GOP tax plan threatens grad students the most
By Maggie Durwald | Columnist
December 7, 2017
Filed under Columns, Opinions, Uncategorized
The Republican Party has once again proven itself to be an enemy of science and higher education — this time in the form of its new tax plan, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. With a vote of 51-49 during the early hours of Dec. 1, the Senate passed the GOP’s latest plan — a draft riddled with last-minute revisions scribbled in its margins — just ho...
Column: Feeding you the truth about Thanksgiving
By Jaime Viens / Contributing Editor
November 20, 2017
Filed under Culture, Food & Drink, Top Stories
Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November — we eat turkey, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes to commemorate the 1621 feast at which Pilgrims and Wampanoags peacefully gathered in Plymouth, Massachusetts. And every year since, Americans have put aside their own family...
Column: Tarps a temporary cover for Pitt’s attendance problem
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
November 15, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns
As the game clock at Heinz Field ticked down on the Panthers Thursday night, the already prevalent splotches of bright yellow seats grew as the paltry crowd dispersed. The team’s chances to beat a 1-6 North Carolina team were beginning to dwindle, and so was their present fan base. The idea to work on...
When the whole world collides: global music hits the charts
By Levko Karmazyn | Columnist
November 8, 2017
If you turned on your car radio during the summer of 2016, chances are you came under the influence of the tropical pulse of Drake’s “One Dance.” As the first song to hit one billion plays on Spotify, it marked one of the 2010s’ biggest music stars hitting a viral peak. But it wasn’t just Drake’s magical touch that made the song a success — sweeping sample...
Column | Bye-bye, Barstool: Sexist site does not deserve a serious platform
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
October 25, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
If you’re a sports fan who appreciates quality writing, in-depth coverage and analysis, you may follow ESPN, Sports Illustrated and FiveThirtyEight. If you’re a sports fan who loves lukewarm memes, ridiculous hot takes and articles and photos that degrade women, you might follow Barstool Sports....
PA ‘Right to Try’ bill: who is it really helping?
By Ana Altchek | For The Pitt News
October 11, 2017
Several years ago, my next door neighbor was diagnosed with stage four cancer — within six months she tragically passed away. Not only was this an agonizing experience for her, but it was painful for her devoted husband, children and grandchildren. While she was too sick to consider any options, the...
Ending whitewashing is simple: just look at Ed Skrein
By Thomas Wick | Columnist
September 28, 2017
Hollywood has a complicated relationship with racial injustice in America, and for good reason — minority actors still struggle for representation in the industry. But when I heard controversy brewing about whitewashing yet again, I couldn’t believe that our nation hasn’t made more progress. ...
Column: NCAA transfer rules unfair to student athletes
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
September 27, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Nick Saban, head coach of Alabama football and four-time national championship winner, is poised to be paid an astounding $11 million this year and has an eight-year deal that will pay him $65 million through 2025. These lucrative contracts are highly desired by all college coaches, and you can’t b...
The American prison system: justice or exploitation?
By Vaibhavi Patria | For The Pitt News
September 27, 2017
In Washington, Pennsylvania, a county jail captain was charged this week with stealing more than $2,000 from inmates. Charges like this are nothing new — especially in Pennsylvania. According to Prison Legal News, at least 14 Pennsylvania prison and jail guards were arrested between 2012 and 2014. Som...
Column: Watching sports forges connections, unites in history
By Abbot Zuk | For The Pitt News
September 20, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Whether it was my mother or father taking me to a ball game, or everyone in Catholic grade school sporting Steelers jerseys on Fridays before pivotal games — sports have been ingrained in me since the start. Like most decisions made at a young age, my sports-rooting interests were predetermined by...
Maduro vs the world: Venezuela’s hopeless crisis
By Saket Rajprohat | Senior Columnist
September 20, 2017
Filed under Columns, Opinions, Uncategorized
The streets are filled with protesters. The shelves at grocery stores are empty, and pockets are even emptier. Right now, Venezuela looks bleak — and Veronica, a Venezuelan immigrant living in Pittsburgh who requested that her last name be withheld for her family’s safety, said the country is f...
To understand injustice, listen to the lawyers
By Henry Glitz | Opinions Editor
September 7, 2017
In most American courts of law, a raised voice or an opinion stated too aggressively will typically earn you the censure of the presiding judge. But that certainly wasn’t the case Tuesday night in the Teplitz Memorial Moot Courtroom, nestled deep within Pitt’s Law School. A panel of five memb...
Analysis: How a 1999 NATO operation turned Russia against the West
By Christian Snyder, Assistant Opinions Editor
September 7, 2017
The name Boris Yeltsin should ring a bell, whether it brings to mind images of him leaping upon a tank during a coup in 1991 Moscow or standing drunk in his underpants in Washington, D.C. in 1995. Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation, may be remembered for his drinking habits, but...
Column: Poetry now: why today’s world makes poetics shine
By Christian Snyder, Assistant Opinions Editor
August 29, 2017
Filed under Columns, Opinions, Uncategorized
I remember the first time a line of poetry caught me by surprise. I was sitting in the Cathedral of Learning mouthing the words of Ross Gay’s poem “catalog of unabashed gratitude” to myself. The poem turns when he addresses the reader, and says thank you, “for moving your lips just so as I s...
Dr. Who takes on a new enemy: sexism
By Elise Lavallee, Contributing Editor
August 21, 2017
Dr. Who has faced many adversaries over the past 54 years — daleks, cybermen, weeping angels — all of which the Time Lord has defeated. But this season, the 13th Doctor is up against a new kind of rival — sexism. The character will take its first female form this year, as Dr. Who will be played b...
Column: U.S. shows hypocrisy toward Puerto Rico
By Christian Snyder / Opinions Editor
July 12, 2017
Since the Spanish claimed Puerto Rico for their own in 1493, the land saw independent rule from July 17 to July 25 1898. Eight days. The American invasion of Puerto Rico on July 25, 1898, changed the land, politics and people forever. And today, it’s for the worse. Puerto Rico is in serious eco...
Young voters: Lead by example to fight nationalsim
By Christin Snyder / Opinions Editor
June 27, 2017
“I mean, I voted, but why does it matter? London will never listen.” When I asked my new Scottish friend about the United Kingdom’s recent election, he responded with pure ambivalence. He truly cares about the issues at hand, but he, like many other Scots, has long struggled with misrepresent...
Column: When abortions could save lives, Catholic hospitals fail women
By Christian Snyder / Opinions Editor
June 7, 2017
When Tamesha Means entered labor with her first child in 2016, she was only 18 weeks pregnant — not even halfway through her pregnancy. So she did the logical thing and rushed to the nearest hospital. When she arrived at the Mercy Health Partners hospital, doctors diagnosed her with preterm prem...
Dixon, Pitt basketball need to up recruiting game to compete in ACC
By Jeremy Tepper / Senior Staff Writer
September 30, 2015
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
There was a time when Pitt basketball could compile northeastern-focused recruiting classes. Unfortunately for Jamie Dixon and the Panthers, that time has passed. For the majority of Dixon’s tenure as Pitt’s head basketball coach, becoming a regular season force and faltering in the postseason w...
Guilty or not guilty, do not hold star athletes above reproach
By Stephen Caruso / Assistant Sports Editor
September 25, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
One year ago, ex-NFL running back Ray Rice was all over the news. Now, another league’s star is embroiled in an equally ugly case, with little to no media backlash. Rice was a star athlete in the NFL, but Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks is the absolute star of the NHL. Kane was the first overal...
College athletes require a union
By Dan Sostek / Sports Editor
September 11, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
You don’t have to scour the landscape of collegiate athletics to find examples of malpractice and mistreatment. Recently, the Virginia Tech Hokies football team’s fine implementation system became a peak point of the college athletic terrain, as defensive coordinator Bud Foster revealed in an...
Time to shine: James Conner has the makings of a program great — now he has to win
By Stephen Caruso / Assistant Sports Editor
September 4, 2015
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns
Whenever a young football player starts making an impact, the hyperbole emerges just as fast as the knock-off jerseys. From the most serious journalist to the biggest homer, everyone jumps to proclaim “He’s the next Dan Marino” or “the next Larry Fitzgerald.” But to be contrary, in junior runni...
2015 marks monumental year for Pitt athletics
By Dan Sostek / Sports Editor
August 30, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Change comes in waves, particularly in college athletics. The University of Pittsburgh is not immune to those shifting tides. One year ago, Pitt’s athletic program boasted a third-year head football coach for the first time since 2010 and a men’s basketball team coming off of an appearance in the R...
Keep an eye on Tiger in this weekend’s Masters
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
April 9, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The slow torture begins in February — 10-second clips of the lushest green grass you’ll ever see, accompanied by the soothing sounds of chirping birds and soft running water as a yellow flag waves in the wind.Now, the anticipation is over. The Masters is here.Golf’s most visually appealing tourna...
Destroyed bracket falls to intriguing Final Four
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
April 1, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
And then there were four.Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke and Michigan State have advanced to the Final Four in what has been one of the most exciting NCAA tournaments in recent memory.Looking back on the last few weeks, we’ve seen upsets, heat checks, tight finishes, walk-ons dancing, coaches falling off of s...
An open letter to Urban Meyer: Stop complaining
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
March 25, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
There’s an old adage in sports that having depth is a “good problem.” If that’s true, then Ohio State University head football coach Urban Meyer has more than just a problem on his hands.Dear Mr. Meyer, You have a good crisis: too many talented quarterbacks.Just for fun, we’ll have this exc...
World’s worst soccer team finally scores shot at World Cup
By Chris Puzia / Sports Editor
March 24, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Exciting things are happening in Bhutan.Its national soccer team won a game.This may not typically be world news, as countless international and club soccer teams play and win games every day, but Bhutan’s national soccer team — ranked No. 209, out of 209, in the world — beat Sri Lanka on March 1...
Deserving mid-major teams left out of NCAA field
By Brandon Duerr / Staff Writer
March 18, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
As the NCAA Tournament approaches each year, some teams are nervously tapping their feet as they hope to break into the Big Dance. They heard analysts debate for weeks about whether their team would make the tournament or not, yet they were stuck sweating it out until Selection Sunday when they saw if t...
Top-seeded Kentucky faces strongest region in NCAA Tournament
By Jeremy Tepper / Staff Writer
March 18, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Usually, the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament is rewarded for its success in the regular season and given the easiest path to the final four. In this year’s case, however, the selection committee gave Kentucky the top seed after going undefeated, though it is tasked with the toughest region....
Dixon’s extended tenure should not go unappreciated
By Dan Sostek / Assistant Sports Editor
March 17, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Jamie Dixon could have gotten out of dodge, if the slew of reports two springs ago gained any credence.The then-48-year-old Pitt men’s basketball head coach could have escaped the frigid winters of western Pennsylvania for the warm coastline of the University of Southern California, a short drive from his birthplace in Nort...
Fans cannot defend NBA’s lack of defense
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
March 5, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
I do not like the NBA — at all.I’d rather watch paint dry or grass grow or any other clichéd, boring thing you can think of than watch professional basketball. Basketball’s competitive nature makes it one of the most popular sports, as it highlights individual performance and one-on-one dominance.Ho...
Rose’s latest injury does not mean end of career
By Jessica Boddy / Staff Writer
March 3, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Derrick Rose’s knee problem on Feb. 24 spurred a range of reactions as varied as it has been the past two times that one of his knees failed him.Some thought the doctors had perfectly sutured the Chicago Bulls’ star point guard, sending him back on the path to reclaim MVP. These people are filled...
Kansas State’s court storm raises issues
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
February 25, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Storming the court is obnoxious. Storming the court is harmless. Storming the court is dangerous. Storming the court is fun. Storming the court is unsportsmanlike. Storming the court is exciting.Pick an opinion, any opinion.After unranked Kansas State University’s home win over No. 8 University of Kansas ...
Gibbs learned his lesson in face of two-game suspension
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
February 18, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Everybody knows how it feels to be frustrated. We all handle that frustration in different ways, and it often doesn’t represent who we actually are. Some curse. Some give up.Seton Hall junior guard Sterling Gibbs, younger brother of former Pitt guard Ashton Gibbs, handled it with violence.With less ...
NBA trade deadline still provides entertainment for fans
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
February 17, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Slam dunks and long shots brought Madison Square Garden to its feet over the weekend, but that is the last NBA action it will see until Thursday.NBA All-Star festivities wrapped up on Sunday night, and it was a memorable event in New York City. NBA fans rejoiced while panicked New York Knicks fans briefly...
Oakland Zoo should add new exclusive tradition to arsenal
By Logan Hitchcock / Staff Writer
February 12, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Let me start by saying I do not condone throwing thousands of rolls of toilet paper onto the court of the Petersen Events Center.But one university’s student section does just that, and it tells me that Pitt’s Oakland Zoo could use a new and exclusive tradition of its own.John Brown University, loc...
Uphill battle: Pitt faces gauntlet in upcoming schedule
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
February 10, 2015
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Six days, three games against top-ranked opponents.That’s what awaits the Pitt men’s basketball team over the course of the next week. The Panthers get a rematch with No. 9 Louisville on the road before a home tilt with No. 12 North Carolina in the Petersen Events Center’s final marquee matchup o...
Dust in Pitt, PSU recruiting battle settles on National Signing Day
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
February 4, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Another year, another National Signing Day in which Pennsylvania received little national attention. Maybe it’s the media’s way of punishing us non-Ohio State-loving northerners for our crazy notion that life exists outside of football.Locally, however, the brewing recruiting rivalry between Pitt a...
NBA should revamp All-Star selection process, remove fan vote
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
February 3, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The NBA All-Star selection process is exciting. The ultimate unveiling of which collection of superstars will showcase their talents always entertains. And, most of the time, the most deserving players are selected.Sure, there are a couple of snubs every year, and “NBA on TNT” analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smi...
‘I’m just playing so I won’t get fined:’ Super Bowl predictions
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
January 28, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
I’ve never been good at traditional predictions — you know, the probable winner and the score and all that basic stuff. But I did predict before the World Cup that Luis Suarez would bite somebody, which gives me the credibility and the confidence to make some more bold guesses as to what will happ...
‘Deflategate:’ Did Brady and the Patriots break the rules?
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
January 21, 2015
Of all the things I expected to hear incessantly in the weeks leading up to a New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl – “Tom Brady’s experience,” “Bill Belichick,” “Legion of Boom” – I can’t say I imagined the level of football inflation to haunt my eardrums. But, here ...
Lynch’s postgame ‘answers’ receive media criticism
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
January 21, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
You may have seen one of the postgame interviews with the eloquent Marshawn Lynch. If you didn’t, don’t worry. It was over before it even started.“Yeah,” said Lynch, a running back, regarding the performance of the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line after a win against the Arizona Cardinals. “Yeah,” Lynch said again when ano...
Looking back on the college football championship
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
January 13, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The experts picked Oregon to win.But, by beinga little noncommittal, they left themselves just enough room for error.“It’s tough for me to say this, and it’ll be close,” they said. One regretful skipping of “The Bachelor” and four quarters of football later, the Ohio State Buckeyes are nationa...
Making adjustments: A look back on Pitt’s season so far
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
January 7, 2015
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Just before the start of the college basketball season, I looked at the Panthers’ schedule, took the optimistic approach to a few games and decided that 25-7 would be an achievable mark. Fifteen games, a loss to Hawaii and a homecourt nail-biter against Oakland University later, I would like to am...
An analysis of what makes a quarterback ‘elite’
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
January 6, 2015
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Turn on ESPN, or any similar sports channel, and you’ll hear an NFL analyst say it: “You need an elite quarterback to succeed in the National Football League.”Upon hearing it, you’ll nod your head, and you’ll say to yourself, “Yeah, that makes sense. You do need an elite quarterback to win games...
A 6-6 record is just what we do: Six takeaways from Pitt’s football season
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
December 8, 2014
Filed under Specials / Fallfinals2014, Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Sports Columns
College football’s regular season is over and — for the fourth time in as many years — Pitt finished the season with an even .500 record. On the bright side, the Panthers showed promise and can now rely on a quarterback with a year of experience and an arsenal of weapons at his disposal. On the do...
Pitt brings script helmets back for Homecoming
By Joey Niklas / Staff Writer
October 28, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Oh what a day Friday, Oct. 24 was — all due to an announcement from Pitt athletics. Based on the Twitter and media reaction, it seemed like Pitt had won the National Championship that Friday. But the announcement was quite different — Pitt would wear formerly-retired script decals on its helmets Sat...
Fan confessional: The struggles of inconsistency
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
October 28, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
I used to be a Cincinnati Bengals fan. Before Steelers supporters hunt me down, let me explain why I stopped being a fan. It happened during the 2005 NFL playoffs.For much of my early childhood, I lived in a small town in New Mexico, which didn’t have a professional football team, and I didn’t kno...
Pitt should stay away from WVU in non-conference
By Ryan Bertonaschi / Senior Staff Writer
October 27, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Last Tuesday, the University of Notre Dame announced its football games against ACC opponents through the next decade. The Fighting Irish will now play Pitt in the century-old rivalry just five times over the next 11 years, even though they appeared on Pitt’s schedule all but three times the last ...
What rivalries? Pitt’s relationship with PSU, WVU changing
By Joey Niklas / For The Pitt News
October 24, 2014
Filed under Specials / Homecoming2014, Sports, Sports Columns
Rivalries have helped build college football into the financial machine that it is today. The Red River Shootout between Texas and Oklahoma — played in Dallas — and the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party between Florida and Georgia — played in Jacksonville — come to mind as two notable ri...
Expanded playbook improves Voytik’s offensive production
By Dan Sostek / Assistant Sports Editor
October 19, 2014
Chad Voytik’s first six career starts have been inconsistent, to say the least. There have been flashes of potential thrown alongside ill-advised decisions and overthrown passes, as well as plays that broke down because Voytik was trying too hard to create high-risk plays when no clear pass existed.D...
Georgia’s big win shouldn’t distract from Gurley suspension
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
October 14, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The Georgia Bulldogs beat the Missouri Tigers on Saturday. But I wanted them to lose. Actually, I wanted them to get blown out. It’s not because I’m against the Bulldogs or anything. Their dominant 34-0 win just took away from something much more important.Bulldog star running back Todd Gurley was...
Donald earning more playing time with Rams
By Alex Fischbein / for The Pitt News
October 14, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Pitt’s name has stayed relevant in the football world beyond college for a number of years now. NFL fans have seen Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka and Larry Fitzgerald — just to name a few — enjoy a great deal of success at the professional level. Now, it’s the latest Pitt player’s turn to...
Throw reason out the window in the MLB playoffs
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
October 7, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
It was past midnight, and the game was tied 1-1. The San Francisco Giants and the Washington Nationals were in the 18th inning of Game 2 of the NLDS. Nothing particularly exciting had happened over the past few innings — a few hits here and there, a few one-two-three innings. The pressure mounted, b...
Pirates have several holes to fill during offseason
By Jeremy Tepper / Staff Writer
October 6, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Man, was that a letdown. After the utter joy of the Pirates season, it’s all over after an undeniable failure: an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco Giants in a one-game playoff. After 88 wins and fantastic individual seasons by Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison, Russell Martin and Starling Marte, it...
Dallas Cowboys benefitting from parity in NFL
By Imaz Athar / Staff Writer
October 2, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The boys are back. The Dallas Cowboys, that is.Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys decimated the New Orleans Saints’ defense on Sunday night. Perfect passes, powerful rushes and strong protection carried the 3-1 Cowboys to a lopsided 38-17 victory in what was expected to be a close game.In th...
Volquez leads Pirates in team’s second straight one-game playoff
By Jeremy Tepper / Staff Writer
September 30, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Baseball fans are a stubborn bunch. Some will stick to long-held beliefs forever. Others will embrace new logic and won’t accept anything to the contrary. And almost all of them are uncompromising in changing their predisposed beliefs on a player or team.I’m like any other baseball fan in most w...
Derek Jeter epitomizes the best of Major League Baseball
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
September 24, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Last week, Gatorade released an advertisement to pay tribute to the career of longtime endorsement partner Derek Jeter, the legendary Yankee shortstop whose career will draw to a close within the next week. I watched the video for the first time with my roommates, one of whom isn’t a baseball fan. H...
Russell Martin should be the offseason priority
By Jeremy Tepper / Staff Writer
September 23, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Do you hear that sound? No, that’s not the screaming fans in a sold-out PNC Park. That’s the cha-ching of a cash register after every clutch hit by Russell Martin.Two years ago, the Pirates signed the catcher to a two-year, $17 million deal. Coming off a .211 average and .714 OPS year with the Ya...
Large payrolls do not always translate to playoff success
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
September 23, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
I grew up thinking I didn’t hate the Yankees. Then, around age 12, I realized what a moron I’d been and thought about the amount of time I wasted not hating the Yankees. So, I blindly hated the Yankees. And then I learned how the world works and how money works — what difference is there, re...
Pitt football should utilize all of its weapons on offense
By Dan Sostek / Staff Writer
September 21, 2014
After a 24-20 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes, Pitt head football coach Paul Chryst described the contest in one sentence.“I don’t think anybody in this game was trying to fool anybody,” said Chryst, whose Panthers fell to 3-1 on the season after being outscored 17-3 in the second half of Saturday’s...
Transformation of Pirates remains a sight to behold
By Jeremy Tepper / Staff Writer
September 18, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
It occurred to me about three weeks ago. I was watching the Pittsburgh Pirates play the Cincinnati Reds in front of a sellout crowd at PNC Park. The fans were loud, passionate and raucous, and, much to their delight, the Pirates were winning, moving their way up the wild card standings and seemingly bo...
Lasting change will result from collective boycott of NFL
By Mark Powell / Staff Writer
September 18, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
I grew up a die-hard NFL fan. I knew every statistic, and I collected football cards from the age of six until I was 12. I had Pittsburgh Steelers posters all over my room.As young fans, we all notice the bright lights and hard-hitting action. As we get older, we drop everything to watch “our team...
Despite world title, basketball viewership still down
By Imaz Athar / for The Pitt News
September 16, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The United States men’s team won the FIBA World Cup on Sunday when it beat the Serbian men’s team 129-92.Not the FIFA World Cup that happened months ago — I’m talking about the FIBA World Cup, for basketball.The International Basketball Federation, known as FIBA, held an international basketb...
Latest NBA scandal raises questions about prejudice
By Imaz Athar / for The Pitt News
September 9, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
We’ve seen all of this before.Just months ago, a phone recording revealed former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making extremely demeaning remarks about minorities. The story dominated headlines, and it was an uncomfortable and sickening reminder of a fact that many know to be true but don...
Big Ten conference already in poor playoff position
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
September 9, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
With the BCS era behind us and the College Football Playoff era now underway, every college football game is crucial to the initial legacy of the new system. Every Power-5 conference program is giving its all to be one of the teams left fighting for a shiny new trophy at season’s end.It’s evident...
Rush to compare new and old college players irritating
By Alex Wise / Staff Writer
September 3, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
As a self-proclaimed healthcare professional, I’ve been trying to think of a clever name for the medical condition that’s crippling college football.This condition has caused frustration and rage to build inside of me. The disease is symptomized by the inability to stop comparing a new player to the o...
U.S. Soccer youth movement is a relief
By Jasper Wilson / Sports Editor
September 3, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
A change was evident from the last time the U.S. men’s soccer team played.Only two starters, Fabian Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya, from the World Cup squad that lost to Belgium in a dramatic fashion in July, began their Wednesday night on the field of the Generali Arena in Prague to face the Czech nationa...
New NFL domestic violence penalties may still not be enough
By Dan Sostek / Staff Writer
September 2, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
While most of the country views football as its prized national pastime, the National Football League has its problems. The one at the forefront of national conversation recently is player health and safety as well as how the sport’s inherent risk of concussions is destroying retired — and some ...
Casual American soccer fans need British dynasties
By Chris Puzia / Assistant Sports Editor
September 2, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
This summer’s FIFA World Cup Brazil inspired some Americans to become more invested in rooting for professional soccer worldwide.Now, at the beginning of the English 2014-2015 Barclays Premier League season, that newfound fandom comes in at an interesting time: There is no dominant dynastic team, an...
For Chryst, emphasis on run game
By Ryan Bertonaschi / Senior Staff Writer
September 1, 2014
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns
Since Pitt football coach Paul Chryst joined the Panthers in 2012, he’s preached to his players many blue-collar expressions, which have become part of the daily locker room dialogue.One of the most popular phrases among players is “just do your assignment.”Pitt’s offense did exactly that in Sat...
Column: With season approaching, a few Pitt football storylines to track
By Dan Sostek / Staff Writer
August 26, 2014
Filed under Football, Specials, Specials / Footballpreview2014, Sports
A football coach’s worst enemy is turnovers, both on the field and off. This offseason, Pitt head football coach Paul Chryst faced the latter type often, losing a large number of key players to graduation. Heading into the 2014 season, Chryst and the Panthers are without the dominant force of All-American defensive lineman Aaro...
Column: FIBA World Cup needs to change in order to truly matter
By Jasper Wilson / Sports Editor
August 25, 2014
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
When Indiana Pacers star Paul George broke his right leg during a USA Basketball scrimmage in Las Vegas at the beginning of the month, one of the most popular reactions by sports fans was that it’s too risky to send top players to the upcoming FIBA World Cup in Spain.NBA commissioner Adam Silver disagr...
Welcome Back: Summer proves to be anything but dull for sports fans
By Alex Wise / For The Pitt News
August 19, 2014
Filed under Specials, Specials / Welcomeback2014, Sports, Sports Columns
To the average sports fan, summer is typically a boring period of the year. Baseball is the only “big four” sport in season and, though it’s America’s pastime and the sport of summer, we can pay only so much attention to it. But this summer has been anything but typical. The humdrum that occup...
Summer Guide: Pirates navigate unexpected issues in season’s first half
By Nate Barnes / Senior Staff Writer
July 15, 2014
Filed under Specials / Summerguide2014, Sports
One of Clint Hurdle’s often-repeated mantras is to do “the best you can with what you’ve got at the time.” He’s had to follow it himself this year — he will likely need a hip replacement at the end of the season and he currently manages the Pittsburgh Pirates while enduring pain such that ...
Freshmen, don’t neglect exercise while on campus
By Alex Wise / For The Pitt News
May 28, 2014
Filed under Specials, Specials / Newstudentguide2014, Sports, Sports Columns
You’d never guess it if you looked at me now, but I used to be semi-athletic. I could dunk with ease and I contributed a respectable amount to a few district championship-caliber basketball teams. I have three gold medals hanging on my wall at home to prove it.But I grew tired of basketball. As a f...