Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Jason Mackey and Colin Beazley report from the first day of spring training in Bradenton, Fla. They recap a busy day of comments from players and coaches as well as on-field action with the Grapefruit League opener looming later this month. How is starter Jared Jones looking in his return from injury? What changes has Mitch Keller made to his routine amid offseason MLB trade rumors? What did Paul Skenes think of the moves GM Ben Cherington made this offseason to acquire bats like Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O'Hearn, Jake Mangum and Brandon Lowe? What did manager Don Kelly have to say at the start of his first season at the help? Did top prospect Konnor Griffin look big-league ready? And what should we make of fellow prospect Termarr Johnson working out at third base? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
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On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Christopher Carter to discuss potential winners and losers in the transition between former coach Mike Tomlin's staff to new coach Mike McCarthy's.
Could Pat Freiermuth finally see an elevated role at tight end, given McCarthy's success at the position elsewhere? Will he see more targets not only relative to fellow tight ends Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington but other receivers and backs as well? Will McCarthy find ways to use DK Metcalf more effectively? And could an interest in finding a viable No. 2 receiver like USC's Makai Lemon in the NFL draft potentially help in that pursuit? And could Jaylen Warren find better opportunities in the running game in McCarthy is able to open up the pass game more relative to former OC Arthur Smith?
Our duo tackles those questions, then analyzes which names may lose prominence. Will Derrick Harmon still be seen as a key piece of the future and the heir to Cam Heyward's role along the defensive line? Or could a coaching change disrupt his development? Will Patrick Queen retain his role as the signal caller of the defense? Or could his contract price him out of that role under new DC Patrick Graham? With other linebackers like Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb in the fold? And what is Jalen Ramsey's future in the secondary? Are the Steelers willing to pay him elite DB money for an uncertain role? Or could the new staff prefer to build around younger players like Joey Porter Jr. and invest Ramsey's big salary elsewhere? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
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Post-Gazette Pitt insiders Stephen Thompson and Abby Schnable react to the Panthers' 70-54 loss to No. 4 Duke on Tuesday night at Petersen Events Center. This show is presented by FanDuel.
Were there any positives to take away from the loss? How was Jeff Capel's team able to keep it close with Duke in the first half? How were they able to force turnovers and play tough defense, and what changed as the game went on?
Was Roman Siulepa's tight defense on top NBA draft prospect Cameron Boozer a sign he can be a stopper for Pitt? Was Barry Dunning Jr.'s performance (17 points, six rebounds) a sign he can step up with leading scorer Brandin Cummings still out injured? And are we past the point of moral victories this deep into ACC play? Stephen and Abby tackle those topics and more.
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The WPIAL basketball playoff brackets have been released! Now it's time for our WPIAL insiders — high school sports editor Keith Barnes, writer Brad Everett and the incomparable Mike White to break them down and give their predictions on which teams will stand alone at Petersen Events Center.
Did the committee make the right calls in seedings? Who are the players to watch in the tournament? Will some of last year's champions repeat? Or will new ones be crowned? Our trio tackles those topics and more!
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On the Tuesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel, host Noah Hiles welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to ponder the team's decision at QB in 2025.
Did GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin make the wrong call in pursuing Aaron Rodgers over Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold? Could Darnold have replicated his championship success with the Steelers, surrounded by big names like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Jalen Ramsey? Or was Rodgers still the right choice to get the most out of an offense that included names like DK Metcalf, Kenneth Gainwell, Jaylen Warren, Roman Wilson, Darnell Washington, Pat Freiermuth and Calvin Austin III?
Our duo tackles those questions, then ponders the future of Drake Maye and the Super Bowl-losing Patriots in the AFC. Will they become a dominant force in the conference again? Or were there vulnerabilities shown in the big game a sign that the conference remains wide open moving forward if new coach Mike McCarthy can shake things up as new Patriots coach Mike Vrabel did?
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Live around 5 p.m., Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl victory and wonders if the Steelers got it right in hiring Mike McCarthy as Mike Tomlin's replacement.
Will McCarthy's offensive background improve the Steelers enough overall after many years of struggles in that area? Or will they regret breaking tradition and passing on a young defensive mind like Mike McDonald or Chris Shula? How far are T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr. and their unit from replicating the dominance the Seattle defense showed? And is the NFL trending more toward the Seahawks model? Or that of Sean McVay and the Rams. Or Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers? Paul tackles those questions and more.
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Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Jason Mackey and Colin Beazley report from sunny Sarasota, Fla., on the team's signing of slugger Marcell Ozuna and what it means for the lineup, the defense and Andrew McCutchen's future. This show is presented by FanDuel.
What was Jason and Colin's reaction to the Ozuna signing? Does he fill an obvious need in the Pirates' lineup? Did GM Ben Cherington get a good deal on the 35-year-old designated hitter? What will this mean for other pieces of the Pirates defense like Ryan O'Hearn? And what does this mean for team legend Andrew McCutchen? Does this mark the end of his contributions as a Pirate? Our duo tackles those topics and more.
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Post-Gazette Penguins insider King Jemison welcomes Keith Barnes to break down the team's win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday and take stock of the team's position heading into the Olympic break. This show is presented by FanDuel.
Did Avery Hayes stake his claim for a permanent spot in the lineup with his historic two-goal debut? Does another big performance from Ben Kindel, who also scored twice, signal a youth movement alongside names like Rutger McGroarty? And is Arturs Silovs gaining momentum in the Penguins' net heading into the Olympics, during which he'll participate with Team Latvia? Our duo tackles those topics and more.
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In this clip from the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bitner welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to react to the Seattle Seahawks' victory in the Super Bowl.
Did Sam Darnold show that GM Omar Khan and new coach Mike McCarthy can win big with free agent QBs? Could 2026 free agents like Daniel Jones, Zach Wilson, Malik Willis or Mitch Trubisky repeat Darnold's success? Or was he a unique option for Seattle last offseason? And how should Darnold's victory impact the view the Steelers should have of in-house options like Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
Later, the guys react to the way Seattle won with elite defense and a strong running game. Can McCarthy and new coordinators Patrick Graham and Brian Angelichio mimic that success? Why haven't the Steelers been able to play great defense consistently under former coach Mike Tomlin with top talents like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Jalen Ramsey on the roster? Does GM Omar Khan need to been up his secondary around Joey Porter Jr. with more elite players like Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori? And are Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and/or Kaleb Johnson capable of a big-game performance like we saw from the Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
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No, it's not Christmas. But there will be an unwrapping of sorts Monday when the WPIAL unveils its brackets for the 2026 basketball playoffs!
Our WPIAL insiders, high school sports editor Keith Barnes and the incomparable Mike White give their take on which teams should be the top four in each classification for the boys and girls.
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