About Dejan Kovacevic

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Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong Pittsburgher, is an award-winning sports columnist who has covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, Pitt and, recently, his fourth Olympics in Sochi, Russia. For 2011, he was named one of the country's top four columnists by the AP Sports Editors. For 2012, he was named one of the country's top three columnists by the National Headliners. For 2013, he was named the state's top columnist by the Keystone Press Awards and top columnist in Western Pennsylvania by the Golden Quills.

Posts by Dejan Kovacevic:

Morning Java: Stanton, Steelers, sad about Saad

by • Videos • , , ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC AND JOSH YOHE

Live from PNC Park — OK, not really, it was during the Marlins’ batting practice last night — here’s the latest from two guys just randomly shooting the breeze.

Ben Roethlisberger does some light tossing while his teammates stretch Tuesday. -- DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Ben Roethlisberger does some light tossing while his teammates stretch Tuesday. -- DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Column: Big Ben fends off Steelers’ issues

by • Columns •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

There’s irony, there’s mad irony, and then there’s Ben Roethlisberger resolving off-the-field crises for the Steelers’ stars.

But oh, yeah, there was the franchise quarterback Tuesday morning, upon the opening of OTAs on the South Side, with plenty more on his plate than showing up Landry Jones in shorts once he faced the cameras and microphones.

What about Antonio Brown’s widely reported holdout threat?

“There was never a doubt in my mind he’d be here,” Roethlisberger responded when that was raised. “Because I talked to him, we joked about it … he didn’t know where it came from, but he said it wasn’t him. I believed him when he told me that. I know AB. I know where AB’s heart is. He took a lot of heat from the fans and the media, and that bothers him because he’s a fan guy. I think the passion he plays with shows that. He doesn’t want anybody, the fans or you guys, to think he wasn’t going to be here.”

What about Le’Veon Bell being set to miss the first three games of 2015 for that DUI?

“I’m not worried about Le’Veon. I know what he’s all about as a person, and I know he can be the league’s best running back.”

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Corey Hart is 7 for 17 as a pinch-hitter, 1 for 20 as a starter. -- GETTY

Corey Hart is 7 for 17 as a pinch-hitter, 1 for 20 as a starter. -- GETTY

Tuesday 10 Qs: Hart, Charlie, J.R., Dri, Mexico

by • Tuesday 10 Qs • , ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Every week in Tuesday 10 Qs, your questions are collected beginning on Monday night, then assembled here at 9 a.m. Tuesday with answers ‘n at.

Changed things up a bit this week, in going with two separate files, one with all your questions in the comments section and this final version that comes with a clean sheet for your responses. Several readers had asked for this, and I thought it was a wonderful idea.

Tuesday12Qs-1

CRW Yinzer: DK, could you just answer this one simple question: Why is Corey Hart still on this team? He brings next to nothing offensively, and even less in the field. Seems to me, between Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Jung-Ho Kang and Sean Rodriguez, there’s more than enough talent to spell your regulars or “let the bat play”, so why not cut our losses and add some depth that actually might help?

DK: There are a lot of folks piling onto Hart of late, presumably because so much has gone right for the Pirates the past few days that the 25th man is the last target standing. But wow, your answer is right here.

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Radhames Liz allowed 20 hits in 17 1/3 innings of relief for the Pirates. -- GETTY

Radhames Liz allowed 20 hits in 17 1/3 innings of relief for the Pirates. -- GETTY

News/views: Pirates quickly give up on Liz

by • News/views •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

News: The Pirates just designated for assignment reliever Radhames Liz to clear roster space for the reinstatement of Charlie Morton, tonight’s starter against the Marlins.

Views: This is mildly surprising and, in that same context, mildly disappointing.

Liz, 31, was signed by the team this offseason — one year, $1 million — because of his 97-98 mph fastball and was to be available for long relief and possibly starting. Well, he brought that heat and did so regularly and put up 18 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings. He also had at least begun to look more comfortable in his short-relief role, as he and I were discussing just yesterday at PNC Park. “Things are much better,” he told me.

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Video podcast: Pirates, Despres on ‘Showdown’

by • Podcasts • ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Here’s one segment of KDKA-TV’s ‘Sports Showdown’ Sunday night, this on the neverending fuss over the living legend that is Simon Despres. Individually, here are parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, also covering Pirates.

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The new World War II Veterans Memorial on the North Shore, near Heinz Field. -- DAVE DiCELLO

The new World War II Veterans Memorial on the North Shore, near Heinz Field. -- DAVE DiCELLO

DiCello: In remembrance

by • Photos •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

On this day when we renew our vow to never forget, here’s a capture from our Dave DiCello of the World War II Memorial on the North Shore, completed in late 2013.

Monday planner: Going back to Cali

by • Site stuff •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

A look at the week ahead on the site …

Monday: Memorial Day will open with a fitting image from our Dave DiCello. He’ll take ownership of Monday mornings around here from this point forward, hopefully offering an uplifting start to your work week. Tonight at PNC Park, Josh Yohe will cover the Pirates-Marlins series opener.

dk_monday_planner

Tuesday: Tuesday 10 Qs go live at 9 a.m. After that, I’ll head over to the South Side for the opening of the Steelers’ OTAs. At night, Josh will be back at PNC Park.

Wednesday: Morning Java video gets us going. Josh will truly begin earning that nine-figure paycheck on this day, as he’ll do double-duty, going right from OTAs to PNC Park for the Pirates-Marlins matinee. At 4:30 p.m., I’ll appear on 105.9 the X with Mark Madden. And right after that, I’ll board a plane bound for California, where I’ll cover all seven games of the Pirates’ trip through San Diego and San Francisco. While I’m airborne, Matt Gajtka will cover Riverhounds vs. Tampa Bay at Highmark Stadium.

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