Mike Johns of Canfield, OH is a sports contributor to several local publications. Below, Mike Johns recaps some of the latest news in sports out of Pittsburgh.
It takes dedication, tenacity, talent, and smarts to join the coaching team of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Mike Johns of Canfield reports that Caitlyn Callahan has all four — and then some. Last month, she became the team’s first female coach in its 135-year history. She’s already leaving her mark. General Manager Ben Cherington says Callahan is everything he was looking for in a coach.
She displays a natural curiosity for new coaching practices and fully understands the complexities of player development. She’s passionate. Most of all, she puts players first, says Cherington.
Callahan never thought it would be possible to coach, but she never wavered from her dream. She played softball in college, but always loved baseball. Before joining the Pirates, Mike Johns of Canfield explains that she put in the work, serving in various positions in the Cape Cod League, including a stint as assistant general manager with the Brewster Whitecaps.
She moved up fast, eventually serving as a video and technology intern with the Cincinnati Reds and an operations assistant for the Staten Island Yankees.
Mike Johns of Canfield reports that with the Pirates, Callahan has found her calling: helping the team get just a little bit better every day. We’d offer good luck to Callahan, but something tells us she doesn’t need it.
Steelers add Flores
Mike Johns of Canfield notes that in other coaching news, the Pittsburgh Steelers have hired Brian Flores, an NFL coaching veteran, as the senior defensive assistant/linebackers.
Flores brings an impressive resume to Pittsburgh. He was most recently the head coach of the Miami Dolphins for two winning seasons, and before that was a valuable member of the New England Patriots coaching staff.
He has also been a divisive figure in the NFL. Mike Johns of Canfield explains that he recently filed a lawsuit against the league and other teams alleging that the coach hiring process is rife with racial discrimination (all parties involved deny wrongdoing).
The Steelers are focusing on the positive. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Flores for his long track record of expertise in teaching and developing defense players.
A Major Milestone
Mike Johns of Canfield reports that Sidney Crosby has accomplished something that only one other Pittsburgh Penguins player has done in franchise history: score 500 goals.
Crosby did it in thrilling fashion, breaking a 1-1 tie in the first period of the Feb. 15 game versus the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins eventually won 5-4 in overtime.
The only other player to hit 500? Mario Lemieux, the current Penguins owner who led the team to two Stanley Cup wins as a player. Crosby said it was difficult to convey in words what hitting the milestone means to him, according to Mike Johns of Canfield.
Instead, he said it is a privilege to be among hockey’s all-time leading scorers.
How did Lemieux react? He said to expect plenty more goals from Crosby in the future as he looks toward 600.
Pitt Football Gets Major Support
Mike Johns of Canfield reports that former Pitt football standout Aaron Donald is the gift that keeps on giving.
Donald, fresh off leading the Los Angeles Rams to a win in Super Bowl LVI, recently donated $200,000 to the Pitt Football Championship Fund during the college’s annual Day of Giving.
It’s not the first display of generosity for Donald. In 2019 he donated $1 million to the program, and the college’s athletic practice facility now bears his name. Mike Johns of Canfield explains that Donald was a standout defensive player for Pitt in 2013.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is also in the giving mood. He and his family donated an undisclosed amount to the fund during Pitt’s Day of Giving. Last year, the Narduzzi family also made a six-figure donation.
At just 30, Donald is the youngest seven-figure donor in university history and his $1 million gift was the largest made by a former football player.
Steelers Prep for Draft
Mike Johns of Canfield notes that the NFL draft will be here before you know it. Before the event, scheduled for April 28-30, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has been monitoring and compiling draft selection predictions from a range of national sports journalism outlets.
Mike Johns of Canfield says there are some intriguing choices. For example, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah sees Liberty quarterback Malik Willis as a top pick, but CBS.com’s Chris Trapasso is going with Matt Corral, the quarterback at Ole Miss. And then there’s Josh Edwards of the same network who likes North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell.
It’s not even certain that Pittsburgh will draft a quarterback at all.
Whoever is chosen has big shoes the fill, of course, since they’re replacing Ben Roethlisberger. For what it’s worth, Mason Rudolph, now in his sixth season with Pittsburgh, is widely seen as the frontrunner for the starting quarterback position.
Rudolph is far from a done deal, however. His previous starting performances have been mixed. That’s why many believe backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins is also in the mix. In a rebuilding year, whatever choice the team makes will be an exciting one.
