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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On the Saturday edition of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to sort through the week in mock draft picks for new coach Mike McCarthy's team.
How much stock should we put in early first-round receiver picks, given the franchise's historical preference to select them on Days 2 and 3 under Mike Tomlin? Will Omar Khan follow that precedent, or look to add a viable threat across from DK Metcalf? If the Steelers do go receiver on Day 1, are Washington's Denzel Boston and USC's Makai Lemon the early favorites? And where to names like Jordyn Tyson, Malachi Fields, Zachariah Branch and Ja’Kobi Lane fit into the equation?
Our duo tackles those questions, then studies the need at tackle and cornerback. Could Khan look at a young standout like Kadyn Proctor as a replacement for Broderick Jones? Or is it too early to give up on the former first rounder? And could Avieon Terrell be a first-round option? Or will they continue to prefer bigger corners in the mold of Joey Porter Jr. despite Tomlin's departure?
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On the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko to analyze Mike McCarthy's assistant coaching staff hires under DC Patrick Graham and OC Brian Angelichio.
Will James Campen satisfy the fan base's clamoring for a Mike Munchak-type hire at offensive line coach? What does long-time NFL veteran and potential Hall of Famer Jahri Evans add as Campen's assistant? And which linemen from the group of Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Troy Fautanu, Broderick Jones and Dylan Cook will be the biggest beneficiaries of learning under a new staff?
Our duo tackles those questions, then pivots to defense. How can Domata Peko help the development of names like Yahya Black, Derrick Harmon and Keeanu Benton along the defensive line? Do those players still have upside that Peko can bring out of them? And is C.J. Ah up to the task of replacing Denzel Martin and coaching the team's vaunted outside linebackers, including C and Nick Herbig?
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Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Jason Mackey and Colin Beazley react to the week of offseason moves and non-moves from GM Ben Cherington's front office. This show is presented by FanDuel.
How much will new signing Jose Urquidy boost the starting pitching depth around names like Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Bubba Chandler and others? Will his relationship with new pitching coach Bill Murphy yield fruit? Were there ever any legs to the rumors surrounding star pitcher Framber Valdez, who ultimately signed with the Detroit Tigers this week? And what are some of the top spring training storylines with report day looming next week? Could Konnor Griffin prove he belongs on the opening day roster? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
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