With hockey season on hiatus, football a thing of the past, and baseball only just in the infant stages of spring training, Pittsburgh is left with less than usual to pay attention to on the national sports scene. Sure, Pitt Panthers basketball is in full swing, but the team is struggling of late in conference play and only generally plays about twice a week in advance of the conference and national tournaments.
The typical fan is left to watch the 2014 Winter Olympics, covered from midnight to midnight for two and a half weeks on the NBC family of networks from nine time zones away. Team USA has hovered around the top of the medal count standings and still has hopefuls in several remaining events. Some of the athletes participating have ties to western Pennsylvania, well worth the watch even if you may not necessarily be interested in the sport they play.
PSN’s Gar Bercury profiled bobsledder Lauryn Williams yesterday. Williams is a native of Beaver County’s Rochester neighborhood and is participating in her first Winter Olympic Games, and third overall. She competed and medaled in track and field at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens (silver) and the 2012 Summer Games in London (gold). After the first day of women’s two-man bobsled competition, she and partner and pilot Elana Meyers are in first place following two runs. They have two runs to go and are currently in position to win another gold for the United States. Their final runs will be televised live tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11:15 a.m.
While Williams is the only Pittsburgh-area native in these Olympics, there is also focus on the top two women’s hockey teams, which each have a western Pennsylvania connection on the roster. Robert Morris University graduate Brianne McLaughlin is expected to be on the bench as backup goalie to starter Jessie Vetter and reserve Molly Schaus. For Team Canada, forward Meghan Agosta-Marciano is a graduate of Erie’s Mercyhurst University, where she and the Lakers were extremely successful and annually on the national championship radar. Agosta-Marciano was named MVP of the 2010 Vancouver Games, where Canada won gold. Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in round robin play last week and the teams will meet again when the United States plays Canada for the gold medal on Thursday at noon (EST).
Finally, in the men’s hockey tournament, there are numerous Pittsburgh Penguins representing their various countries. For Team USA, head coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Ray Shero brought along defensemen Brooks Orpik and Paul Martin. The hosting Russians feature Evgeni Malkin on their top line, the defending champion Canadians named Sidney Crosby captain and he has been grouped with Penguins teammate Chris Kunitz at times by head coach Mike Babcock. Finland brought along veteran Jussi Jokinen and 19 year-old rookie Olli Maatta.
All seven Penguins players on these four national squads remain in contention for a gold medal and will certainly be followed here in Pittsburgh, where NBC had its highest television ratings during the USA-Russia showdown last Saturday. Not only are Pittsburgh folks cheering on Team USA, they can enjoy all of the local ties as the Games continue in Sochi.
Photo Credit: Reuters News
