That a sleepy Squirrel Hill neighborhood celebrating Shabbat became the scene of a deadly shooting at a synagogue on a dreary Saturday morning left residents in a state of shock.
Scenes I didn't write about in Squirrel Hill on Saturday: A SWAT responder returned in full combat gear to his truck, only to discover that he'd left his emergency flashers on for hours and his battery was dead. A resident had to give him a jump start. 1/2
The celebratory scene at the Moon Township home of Cameron Johnson as he learns he was selected with the 11th pick of the
#NBADraft2019
, making the OLSH, Pitt and North Carolina product the first WPIAL player to be a first-round pick since 1997.
When you are blessed to do what you love for a living, you never work a day in your life.
It’s been my pleasure to tell stories, from preps to pros, in my hometown for two decades. Today is my last day in my dream job as sports columnist for
@TribSports
.
Thanks for reading.
Derek Dietrich crushes HR off Alex McRae — He took his time admiring it AND running the bases. He did that at
#PNCPark
and it led to benches clearing —it was Archer back then
My sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone in
#SquirrelHill
for their kindness amid tragedy, not only in allowing me to do my job but offering to help in any way possible.
#loveconquershate
The Steelers just lost a playoff game at home to a team that didn’t have its head coach or offensive line coach, left guard, top cornerback and didn’t practice until Friday because of covid issues. And it wasn’t even close.
Let that sink in.
The Super Bowl window has closed.
Perhaps the most remarkable part, at least to me, was the patience and understanding members of the Squirrel Hill Jewish community showed in explaining intricacies of their faith to an Irish-Catholic reporter to help me write my columns this weekend.
Counting my blessings and celebrating the miracle that is my son on
#WorldPrematurityDay2021
. Kieran, now 17, was born at 29 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 6.5 ounces, and spent 6 weeks in the care of wonderful doctors and nurses at West Penn NICU. (That’s my ring 💍 on his left arm).
#Steelers
WR Ryan Switzer said the group photo he posted from the WR room with Darryl Drake was taken on the first day of training camp: ‘Coach Drake always called us his sons.’
Excited to return from a one-month layoff to writing for
@TribSports
, where I’ll be primarily covering the
#Pirates
. Thankful to everyone who reached out for your positive thoughts and well wishes. Looking forward to more storytelling.
Stan Savran was so appreciative that I took this photo of him interviewing Mario Lemieux.
We lost a sportscasting legend in Stan, who shared his love and passion for Pittsburgh sports on air.
And he was even better in person.
Stan, we didn’t just love the show.
We loved you.
New Pirates IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa on his family relation to Hall of Famers Ralph Kiner, whose No. 4 is one of nine jersey numbers retired by the franchise.
The family whose house was on the corner where the media awaited updates from officials offered use of its bathroom, offered to make coffee and breakfast for anyone who was hungry, anything to help. Ran a 50-foot extension cord from their home for a local TV station.
I wish the Steelers would stop whining about a teammate being snubbed for an individual award and start celebrating the individuals elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I remember a time when the only thing the Steelers (and their fans) cared about was winning Super Bowls.
A family situated at another corner home also offered its bathrooms, and even allowed a television station to use the hatchback trunk of her car to keep its camera from getting wet. Unbelievable, the kindness amid crisis by Squirrel Hill residents only blocks away from synagogue
Andrew McCutchen on Aroldis Chapman both wearing black and gold this spring: “If someone would’ve told me 10 years ago that you and Chapman would be teammates on the Pirates, I would’ve laughed.”
A woman and her young son dropped off food at the Zone 4 police station and fire house on Northumberland, saying that the police officers and firefighters who responded to the shooting shouldn't have to worry about what to eat.
A resident, an Orthodox Jew, received a phone call from family in Israel checking to see if he was safe. He recognized the caller ID but couldn't answer the phone, in observance of not using electricity until after sundown on Shabbat. He was waiting until 7:04 pm to call back.
The Immaculate Interception was one of the greatest plays in NFL history. Thank you James Harrison (
@jharrison9292
) for everything you brought to the game.
@steelers
#HereWeGo
What a season for the Pitt Panthers, who were a couple players/plays away from winning the Peach Bowl. I’ve watched/covered a lot of Pitt football over the years. Nice to see the city rally around the Panthers’ success this season.
Pirates second-round pick Anthony Solometo said he's a huge Steelers fan, converting from Seahawks to Steelers after Super Bowl XL.
Big Franco Harris fan. "That's one of the reasons I wear 32 in baseball, because I loved him so much. ...
"They're my favorite team."
The flag flying at half-staff at Chuck Noll Field at Saint Vincent College, where the
#Steelers
canceled practice Sunday following the death of WR coach Darryl Drake.
OF Billy Cook, acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline, has a locker in the Pirates clubhouse. Cook hit a grand slam for Triple-A Indianapolis last night in a 9-4 win over Toledo, and has seven RBIs in his past two games.
Scary scene to see a Steelers player motionless on the field. One of those hold-your-breath moments. After taking a helmet shot to the chin, Mason Rudolph finally is able to get up and walk off the field with assistance.
Confirmed: The Pirates are signing OF Andrew McCutchen to a one-year contract, pending a physical.
Cutch is coming back to the Bucs, almost five years after being traded to the Giants for Bryan Reynolds and Kyle Crick.
Penguins goalie Matt Murray’s response says everything about what he thought of the crowd reaction at PPG Paints Arena after the Boston Bruins scored two goals in the first two minutes.
The Pirates pick Atlanta Mays HS middle infielder Termarr Johnson No. 4 overall. Johnson is considered the best pure prep hitter in decades. He played shortstop but is projected to move to second base.
“They’re getting the best player in the draft,” Johnson told MLB Network.
Per
@Pirates
game notes: According to Stats by Stats, last night the Pirates became the 1st team in the modern era to play on the road while facing a 1st-place team while getting no-hit through 6 innings while trailing by 4-plus runs through 6 innings and come back and win.
Pat Bostick just called this Pitt-Duke game the “most poorly officiated game I’ve ever seen.” And he was QB for Panthers at Rutgers for Oderick Turner’s OPI and at West Virginia, when Big East officials tried to give the Mountaineers the game.
Fans made a roadside memorial for
#Steelers
WR coach Darryl Drake near fan parking entrance on Brouwers Road near Saint Vincent College. Said Eileen Smalley of Stahlstown: “This is the road the players drive through, so hopefully this memorial will help them.”
Looking forward to the day the Steelers honor Tunch Ilkin, not only for his playing/broadcasting career but his tireless work with Light of Life Rescue Mission, with fans twirling Terrible Towels at Heinz Field. It will be so richly deserved.
Keep fighting the good fight, Tunch!
It was a perfect Pittsburgh moment, as Heinz Field served as a sanctuary for a city in mourning. The Steelers gave fans something to celebrate, a 33-18 victory over the Cleveland Browns. It was a temporary reprieve.
Pirates lefty reliever Ryan Borucki will head to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday for a rehab assignment, hopes to return to Pirates before All-Star break.
Lefty starter Marco Gonzales will throw a live BP on Wednesday at Altoona, which could be followed by a rehab assignment.
Ke'Bryan Hayes was not available for interviews after missing first base on his home run against the Dodgers, just like Will Craig wasn't available until the following day after his error on the Javy Baez rundown against the Cubs. That's an accountability issue for the Pirates.
Working with the wide receivers is Ray Sherman, a longtime NFL assistant who last coached in league with Rams from 2012-15. He was Steelers offensive coordinator in 1998. Coaching assistant Blaine Stewart, son of former WVU coach Bill Stewart, also is helping run position drills.
As Pirates and Cardinals players hold black fabric as a symbol of unity during national anthem, Pirates center fielder Jarrod Dyson takes a knee and manager Derek Shelton moves to stand behind him before season opener at Busch Stadium.
Asked on
@ATTSportsNetPIT
who’s the most Pittsburgh out of Donnie Kelly (Mt. Lebanon), David Bednar (Mars) and John Wehner (Carrick), Wehner goes for the jugular: “You guys aren’t from Pittsburgh. ... You grew up with grass on your baseball fields.”
I totally felt that. 💯
#Steelers
GM Kevin Colbert to KDKA on Joe Haden: "What I can say is we'd love to see Joe Haden finish his career with the Steelers. We've still got some time to try to maybe work something out but I think Joe would love to finish his career here, as well. ...
Just saw OF Jack Suwinkski and IF Tucupita Marcano walk onto the field at PNC Park and receive congratulatory handshakes. Roster moves are coming. This would be the MLB debut for Suwinski.
In the past month, the Pirates have traded their past two Opening Day starters (Jameson Taillon 2019, Joe Musgrove 2020) and their lone returning All-Star in 1B Josh Bell for 11 prospects: seven pitchers, two outfielders, a catcher and an infielder. Nine are 22 or younger.
Another angle of Paul Skenes throwing to Jason Delay, with pitching coach Oscar Marin, bullpen coach Justin Meccage and minor league pitching coordinator Justin Hopper watching.
A couple postgame Pirates notes:
* RHP Jared Jones (right lat), who turned 23 Tuesday, had his bag packed and is headed to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin a rehab assignment
* 2B Nick Gonzales (groin) will join Indy in Nashville later this week and starts rehab next week.
The Pirates are promoting C Henry Davis to Double-A Altoona, C Carter Bins to Triple-A Indianapolis and 1B Jacob Gonzalez to High-A Greensboro, farm director John Baker said, though he made it clear that all are based on merit, not a chain reaction from MLB catching situation.
After Andrew McCutchen was just introduced to a nice ovation by Phillies fans at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, he turned and tipped his cap to the Pirates and manager Clint Hurdle.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington on workload management plan for Paul Skenes and Jared Jones : “….the goal was to put them in a position to be active pitchers for a full season, to contribute for a full season…” 1/