Author: Mike Prisuta
For the Pittsburgh Penguins: Seeing is Believing
What Mike Sullivan’s bunch has demonstrated thus far isn’t definitive, but it’s been revealing.
From Crafton to Canton: Bill Cowher’s Eye-of-the-Beholder Journey
The former hometown hero and Super Bowl-winning head coach isn’t immune to criticism. But the fruits of his labor still resonate, and his passion and presence on the sideline remain unforgettable.
What Steelers Will Need to Do to Return to the Playoffs
A healthy Ben Roethlisberger will certainly help, but the team will need more than that.
Steelers’ Dilemma: It’s Showtime for the Defense
No matter who’s playing running back, wide receiver or QB, to make it to the playoffs the Steelers are going to need even more from their defense, not just more of the same.
Edmund Brothers Raised on Faith, Family and Football
In an NFL rarity, brothers Trey, Terrell and Tremaine Edmunds are poised to celebrate Sunday Night Football in Pittsburgh by all appearing in the Steelers-Bills showdown.
Fitzgerald is the Anti-Antonio Brown – Always Has Been
Even without a Heisman Trophy or a Super Bowl ring, Steelers fans should appreciate all the Cardinals wide receiver has done and stood for since arriving at Pitt.
Pirates New Faces Facing the Same, Old Dilemma
New General Manager Ben Cherington likes what he sees in Pittsburgh and thinks he can make a difference. But nobody in the new-look Buccos' front office is talking about increasing the payroll. And in Pittsburgh, it’ll always come back to that until it doesn’t.
Keeping up with the Basketball Joneses in Pittsburgh
Pitt has its refurbished house in order, RMU has a spectacular new home and Duquesne is working on one. That should get the local programs back in the game of NCAA Tournament contenders and participants.
Was Beating the Colts Luck or Beginning of a Steelers’ Turnaround?
Will the Steelers be able to parlay their good fortune against Indianapolis into contending status in the second half of the season? That’s still a reach based on what we’ve already seen.
Which Evgeni Malkin will Return to the Penguins?
After a bad season last season, the Russian superstar vowed to be better this season. But the Penguins have been a better team in the early going, even with Malkin unavailable due to injury. Once he returns, will he get with the program or rock the boat?
At RMU, Best Man for the Job is a Woman
Robert Morris goes where no NCAA school has gone before by adding Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle to the men’s hockey staff.
Despite Challenges, Steelers Keeping the Faith with JuJu
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, like most Steelers, isn’t having the best of seasons. But he isn’t letting circumstances or his devastating fumble against the Ravens defeat him.
Duck’s Calling a Reminder that Dreams Can and Do Come True
Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges is one of three athletes with Pittsburgh connections whose backstories might not survive the believability meter had they been written into a Hollywood script.
Pirates have a Major Hurdle to Overcome
Clint Hurdle's successor better be a lot like the guy he's replacing in terms of refusing to give in to ownership’s self-imposed shortcomings.
Steve Blass’ Legacy: Under-Appreciated and Unforgettable
The broadcaster who is retiring on Sunday seemingly never got his proper due for what he did as a pitcher. But what he did on the mound for the Pirates in 1971 is on the short list of the best Pittsburgh has ever seen in any sport.
Steelers All-in on Minkah, but at What Cost?
Their trade for a top-end safety in the wake of losing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may not be enough to salvage their season. And if it isn’t, it’s a trade the Steelers might ultimately regret, no matter how well Minkah Fitzpatrick pans out.
Steelers React to Loss of Roethlisberger for the Season
The next man up at quarterback is Mason Rudolph, who will be bringing two quarters of NFL experience and a conviction to “step up to the plate” with him to San Francisco this Sunday.
Pitt, Penn State Ready to Turn Out the Lights on a Rivalry
A historic series that’s lost its steam is seemingly poised to run its course. That’s bad for Pitt, bad for Penn State, bad for Pennsylvania and bad for college football.
Steelers’ All-for-One Approach in the Eye of the Beholder
JuJu Smith-Schuster and the wide receivers insist they’re more about the team than themselves, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suspects they’re sincere. But head coach Mike Tomlin will need to be convinced in the regular season.
What the Steelers lost and gained while bracing for the Patriots
Training camp and the preseason were many things for the Steelers. They’ve emerged with a confidence and an identity that’s about to be tested, beginning with the regular-season opener on Sept. 8 in New England against the Patriots.
Pirates’ Epitaph: July 2019 – The Bucs Stopped Here
Clint Hurdle’s team was respectable, and in a contending position at the All-Star break. Then the bottom fell out, and the Pirates have looked like Little Leaguers ever since. All that remains now is to see how far they can actually sink.
Steelers Challenge: Making the Most of Big Ben’s Final Years
The Steelers couldn’t find a franchise quarterback between Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger. Now, with Roethlisberger as the sole remaining link to the team’s Super Bowl success, the time for another championship run is now — or it might not be for a while.
Coach Mike Tomlin Confronts Sorrow from the Heart
The Steelers’ head coach dug deep while leading his team through its grief over the loss of beloved assistant coach Darryl Drake. The words were hard to find but Tomlin found them while revealing a side of himself the fans and media don’t always see.
Steelers Rookie Getting His Ducks in a Row
Off-the-radar, out-of-nowhere quarterback candidate Devlin Hodges is making a name for himself at Saint Vincent College. Can the NFL really be his true calling?
Next Man Up: JuJu is Looking like He’s Up to the Task
In the wake of a disappointing season and a tumultuous offseason, the Steelers have a new look, a new attitude and a new approach. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has been personifying all three while turning Saint Vincent College into his personal playground.
How Steelers Arrive at Camp Means Nothing Beyond Today
Grand entrances or relatively quiet arrivals at Saint Vincent College mean little to the Steelers. Their best hope at redemption initially involves working on the details of their game, a few of which ought be ironed out rather easily in the event the players are dedicated to such tasks at training camp.
Pirates’ Possibilities Include Contention in Surprising Season’s Second Half
It hasn’t gone according to the original script, but the Pirates have found a way to stay relevant — and may yet be capable of finishing what they started.
Pens’ Conundrum: The Coach and the Culture
Try as he might, General Manager Jim Rutherford has so far been unable to change the makeup of his team as intended. It may, thus, ultimately fall on head coach Mike Sullivan to adjust the attitudes of players with a recent track record of resisting change for the greater good.
DeCastro’s Preferred Order: Fries with That, Hold the Drama
The Steelers have emerged from their offseason sessions confident they’re capable of playing better. They also maintain a new atmosphere and culture have been established. But they won’t know for certain until they actually start playing.
Pittsburgh Steelers' No. 1 Pick Makes a Lasting First Impression
Devin Bush will still have much to prove once the pads come on and the hitting commences. But the presence and purpose he brought to OTAs justified the hype on draft day.
Rookie Reynolds an Unanticipated Hit for the Pirates
The Bucs have stayed afloat through the first third of their season despite a myriad of injuries. An outfielder they received in the Andrew McCutchen trade has contributed mightily toward that end and might be just getting started.
7 Storylines Which Will Define and Determine Steelers' Season
An unfamiliar underdog status may help the Steelers get back to the playoffs and beyond.
Pirates’ First Quarter Record Defies Logic if Not Description
The 21-19 record the Bucs took to San Diego doesn’t add up given all they’ve had to overcome. Perhaps there’s more to this team than meets the eye.
Steelers' Rookie Impressions Destined to Excite If Not Convince
“Football in shorts” won't solve the Steelers' kicking woes, but for a team on the rebound, the rookie workouts are an opportunity to take another step in the right direction.
Steelers Draft Yields Reinforcements and a Reassuring Swagger
They no longer have Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, but they now have options aplenty after what they managed to land in the NFL’s annual three-day talent-grab.
Steelers’ Draft Should Start with a Devin, After That, Who Knows?
Sifting through the prospects and trying to determine the significance of Batman suits, Hall-of-Fame relatives, The New Yorker and Whataburger is all a part of the annual challenge facing Steelers GM Kevin Colbert and company.
Penguins’ Lament: ‘To an Extent We Beat Ourselves’
The answer to a self-inflicted postseason sweep must begin with getting the players and their coach back on the same page regarding what’s required for survival in the playoffs.
Pens Don't Need to Overwhelm Islanders, Just Outlast Them
Patience, persistence and taking what the game gives is critical in Round One.
Will Pens Find a Way to Score Consistently as Playoffs Loom?
It's an unfamiliar question to a team that rarely worries about getting the puck in the net.
2019 Pirates will Be Intriguing, Even Though We Know the Ending
Despite the lack of a competitive payroll and established stars, the players aren't listening to the naysayers.
Duke’s Williamson Transcends the Madness
Freshman Zion Williamson makes this year’s NCAA Tournament, always fascinating on its own merits, even more of a can’t-miss event.
Brown and Bell are Gone – What the Steelers Need to do Next
Whether the Steelers are better or worse off, whether they’re culpable or deserve to be applauded for finally resolving two of their biggest problems remains to be seen.
‘The Most Exciting Sporting Event in the Country’
“March Madness” is as cruel as it is compelling. Just ask Robert Morris Head Coach Andy Toole, who has been there and hoping to go back again.
Penguins’ Plight Not as Perplexing as Many Seem to Perceive
Recognition of their situation should pave the way to the playoffs.
Steelers' GM Kevin Colbert Clears the Air on Big Ben
As a franchise QB with Hall-of-Fame credentials and as the only player in the locker room that’s actually won a Super Bowl in a Steelers’ uniform, Roethlisberger is perfectly positioned, Colbert insists, to run the show.
Pens Need More from Malkin More Than Anything
Given what he’s capable of, and what we’ve too often seen instead, Evgeni Malkin has been the Pens’ most under-achieving player.
Even Brady, Belichick Still Take a Back Seat to Lombardi
Appreciating the Patriots requires a healthy dose of historical perspective.
Time For Penguins to Change Their Game or Their Makeup
Head Coach Mike Sullivan wants “urgency” and “enthusiasm” from his players and he wants it on an every-game basis in advance of the playoffs. The players have been a little slow to get with the program.
