Spain: Olala Homes CEO Ittai Savran speaks to STRz at the District Show in Barcelona about his company’s unique business model, the latest guest booking trends, and how Olala Homes is navigating the regulatory landscape '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/pittsburgh-sports-legend-stan-savran-dies-at-76\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=WMTfFXEEXPqOswO3.YK9VpAXZgBDODtwuD5VEJruuOo-1746543480-1.0.1.1-Qxzhewo7kpasELDYrF3dLjRTb.uGwsPmZT3pYICGlQE" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); There was a noticeable feeling of loss at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex as many people were sharing stories and memories of longtime sports broadcaster Stan Savran who contributed to Steelers.com with interviews with Steelers legends was one of the most respected members of the Pittsburgh sports media and his impact will live on through many "On behalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization I'd like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family of the late great Stan Savran," said Coach Mike Tomlin following the team's practice "You guys know we had a long and prosperous past professional relationship with him Just really appreciated that as a guy at one time that was new to the city I always appreciated his perspective on my circumstance being able to share a story from the past and educate me a little a little bit Steelers President Art Rooney II talked with SNR Drive and shared his thoughts on Savran who was a part of the Hall of Honor selection committee Steelers President Art Rooney II joined SNR to talk about the passing of Stan Savran "Stan is one of the few left who goes way back to the 70s now," said Rooney "He was he was an obvious choice to be part of our selection committee for the Hall of Honor And he was more than enthusiastic about being part of it He loved being part of it and always had great observations about the guys he was promoting down to the end "We had our first meeting for this year's class last week Early that morning I got a message from him that he wasn't going to be able to make the Zoom But he did give me his two candidates that he wanted to put out there." Savran has dealt with health issues over the last few years but kept doing what he loved – sharing his take on Pittsburgh sports on ESPN Radio and other avenues "The last couple of years have been rough for Stan He's had a lot of ups and downs and you would never know it and he tried talking about things as if there was nothing going on in his life but his passion for Pittsburgh sports was undeniable "Stan knew his business and he could speak about it going back all the way to the 60s," said Rooney "Talk about players who played in that era and loved talking about it we all loved having those conversations with him "Somebody gave him the name the 'Godfather of Pittsburgh Media,' but he deserved that nickname He really was that kind of a guy and just had the respect of everybody whether you're in the media or part of a team or a player I don't think I ever met anybody who didn't respect and like Stan "He was a true professional and brought so much enthusiasm to sports in general And by the same token never took himself or anything too seriously -->> Stan Savran obituary -->> Rooney statement on Savran A look at all the changes to the Steelers roster since the draft No other team ever has picked 4 HOF players in a single draft class On Monday, May 5th's episode of SNR Drive, Dale Lolley and Matt Williamson discuss their take on the 'Tush Push' ban, evaluate this year's roster to last year's roster, recap Dale's conversation with Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz, Fantasy Focus and more. The Steelers have revealed what numbers the 2025 draft class will wear The 2025 event leaves a powerful legacy in its host city This week's episode of Trending Topics covers Dale Lolley and Matt Williamson's best talking points and discussions from the previous week, including their takeaways on the other side of the 2025 NFL Draft and how the Steelers navigated it.  Dale Lolley and Matt Williamson cover a range of topics regarding the Steelers' drafts over the years. Beginning with a look at the 2021 NFL Draft four years later, then sharing their predictions for the 2025 NFL Rookie of the Year awards, and then looking to what compensatory picks could be in store for the 2026 Draft. Additionally, the two discuss other noteworthy topics from around the NFL as a whole. Forget 40 times, new Steelers RB has in-game speed Dale Lolley and Matt Williamson answer your questions from X, revisit the draft now that the dust has settled, look ahead to 2026's draft in Pittsburgh and give their win-loss predictions for every NFL team on Thursday, May 1st's episode of SNR Drive. The Steelers signed receiver Robert Woods to a one-year contract Steelers sign veteran to round out wide receiver room Follow along for all of the latest Steelers in the Community happenings Stan Savran on his weekday sports talk show at the iHeartRadio studios on Aug Poison was leaking inside the brain of Stan Savran as he sat in the office of an Allegheny General Hospital neurosurgeon in the fall of 2011.  The longtime Pittsburgh sportscaster listened as the doctor spoke about the cerebral abscess that had formed where a benign tumor had been removed from his skull a month earlier An MRI and CT scan confirmed the presence of a pus-filled pocket of infected material that could cause swelling and harmful pressure to brain tissue.  Alarming medical diagnoses were nothing new to Savran who’s undergone 27 surgeries more than many of the Pittsburgh athletes he’s covered since 1976 involved scraping the seeping fluid from his brain to alleviate the danger.  Savran processed the information even as he couldn’t help think about what might have caused the infection Maybe an unsterile instrument used during his previous surgery.  The Steelers’ season was reaching its midpoint These were the years when Savran was logging 14- to 15-hour work days As the neurosurgeon laid out his plan for attack the Godfather of Pittsburgh Sports finally spoke: It’s football season and I’m pretty busy.” Savran was doing what he enjoys most in life He was talking sports on his weekday show on 970-AM inside the iHeartRadio studios atop Green Tree Hill.  He was interviewing a hockey writer about the retirement of legendary play-by-play man Mike Lange Savran spoke of Lange’s unmistakable impact on the franchise his meticulous preparation and his innate ability to anticipate big moments in a game.  Savran offered a reflection only a man armed with 45 years of experience in the Pittsburgh market could make In a region known for its socially conservative mores were colorful characters not afraid to stray from the norms As the interview was reaching its conclusion Savran noted that Lange had arrived in Pittsburgh about 18 months before he did So are Savran’s good buddies Sam Nover and Beano Cook Other than the Steelers’ radio play-by-play man Savran represents the last of the old sports broadcasting guard While Savran has seen his presence on Penguins’ and Pirates’ pregame shows significantly reduced in part due to the pandemic who lives alone in his suburban Pittsburgh home will work until nobody offers him a contract but I’ve never thought about retiring,” Savran said Savran looks and sounds remarkably good for a man his age He weighs less now than he did when he played high school football His only concession to Father Time are the reading glasses that he removes when he notices someone taking his picture in the studio.  Although he’s ridden in championship parades with the Steelers and Penguins Savran has never been afraid to be critical some talk-show callers savaged him for his Cleveland roots and the fact both he and his father had been Browns’ season-ticket holders.  ‘We think you’re a spy for the Browns,” Savran recalled They actually thought Art Modell sent me to Pittsburgh to spy because I was from Cleveland.” Savran loves Pittsburgh and cherishes the friendships and associations he’s made over five decades but he won’t turn a blind eye to shortcomings and failings He said the city had a “racist” element in the 1970s citing the fact some callers would say they wouldn’t attend Pirates’ games because their roster was populated with Black and Latino stars but also respect from peers and the organizations he covered.  1 guy — bigger than Cope,” wrote 105.9 the X sports talk show host Mark Madden in a text message exchange non-cheerleading guy in local sports talk.”  program cancellations and changes to station ownership He’s built his reputation on television and radio while spending many seasons playing in pain.  To walk a mile in his orthopedic shoes requires a focus on balance He’s had two toes completely removed and two others partially removed due to diabetes also contributed to his open-heart surgery in 2009 doctors informed him they had done eight bypasses a groggy Savran received a phone call from Mario Lemieux wishing him a speedy recovery The sign of respect flattered him — and nearly killed him and I couldn’t afford one at that moment,” Savran said laughing.  He fought with doctors in the spring of 2008 to board a plane for the Stanley Cup Final in Detroit just days after spinal fusion — one of his four back surgeries Savran still made his way to Motown for Game 5 of the series.  “I’ve visited him in the hospital so many times I get confused when trying to remember the reasons,” Junker said His former SportsBeat co-host attributes Savran’s longevity to several factors: informed opinions an encyclopedic recall of sports knowledge and a relentless work ethic he never takes the lazy way out,” Junker said “You ask him about the starting five from Oklahoma State basketball team in the 1941 NCAA tournament Her and Stan will sit down and talk about Broadway the way you and I would talk about the 1979 World Series.” Stan Savran chats with Art Rooney II during a Steelers' function with fans Savran spent last weekend on his couch dabbing his eyes as he listened to the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speeches of five Steelers.  Nobody in Pittsburgh sports history this side of Jim Leyland has been more easily moved to tears.  “There are TV commercials that get to me — that’s how bad I am,” Savran said I was listening to Bill Cowher’s speech and thinking about him coming back to Pittsburgh to coach the Steelers at age 34 Savran’s eyes became glassy as he told the story of what sparked his interest in broadcasting He was a high school senior ready to attend Miami University and pursue a degree in education The four-sport athlete at Mayfield High School wanted to be a teacher and a coach.  one night he served as the public-address announcer for a basketball game featuring the Mayfield faculty and Browns’ football players year-round weight training and multi-million dollar contracts.  Savran was approached by the school’s vice principal and former football coach Eugene “Dutch” Schmidt it should be noted that there’s no such thing as a short Stan Savran story a stocky Korean War veteran who lost part of an index finger in combat and often pointed the “stub” at misbehaving students These were the days of corporal punishment and Schmidt was the “Sultan of Swat.” Schmidt only offered Savaran a piece of advice: He should consider studying broadcasting because of his deep voice and sports intellect Savran had never thought about being a commentator Columbus and Orlando before landing his first job in Pittsburgh on Jan 1976 — the day after the Steelers’ won their second Super Bowl Savran wrote a column in the Post-Gazette recounting the life-changing advice from his assistant principal called Savran and thanked him for the salute The old Dutchman died a few years later.  I never thought about going into broadcasting before that night.” A picture of Chuck Noll is fastened to the refrigerator in Stan Savran's home Two images adorn the refrigerator in Savran’s home — one of former president Barack Obama Savran considers himself fortunate to have covered Pittsburgh franchises that have won four Super Bowls He’s rubbed elbows with greatness and bathed in champagne celebrations.  The Steelers of the late 1970s take pride of place in his mantle of memories.  “The mania over the Steelers was overwhelming,” Savran said Families who had been in the mills for generations But the Steelers were the one thing people could point to and say but we’ve got the best damn football team in the world.' It was a vicarious sense of pride and it was palpable.” The gridiron alchemist who transformed talented individuals into four-time champions was a Clevelander a coach born in the same hospital as Savran Noll and Savran forged a relationship built on trust and respect The Hall of Famer paid Savran the ultimate compliment in 1992 as SportsBeat became the first show to land a sit-down interview with the the Steelers coach after he retired “Chuck just commanded your respect,” Savran said his feel for people and how to deal with them.” So much has changed in sports since Savran began his career in Pittsburgh Good reporters still form professional bonds with athletes but the proliferation of media covering teams and the reduced access has made getting to know players and coaches more difficult Savran was around the same age of the 1970s Super Steelers a time when Dwight White and Jack Ham would bum cigarettes off him in the locker room Savran cultivated sources and gathered background information which he could use to inform his audiences.  Among the players he liked most was Mike Webster Savran made a trip to Canton in 1997 when Terry Bradshaw “put (his) hands under Mike Webster’s butt” one last time on stage for the center’s HOF induction Webster told the broadcaster he was returning to Pittsburgh in the fall to watch his son play his senior season of high school football.  He offered “Iron Mike” a weekly guest appearance on SportsBeat and a few hundred bucks for the trouble There were already whispers about Webster’s erratic behavior but the taped segments went along without a problem until one day Savran learned the truth about Webster’s lodging He wasn’t staying in an apartment in Moon Township but living in his car that was parked outside the Wisconsin home of his ex-wife and three children Webster had been driving 17 hours to Pittsburgh to record the shows found temporary lodging for him as he wrestled with the demons impairing his judgment Savran arrived at his office to find a 16-page handwritten letter from Webster apologizing for his on-air performances and raging over how he had failed so many people he loved.  heart-wrenching thing I’ve ever read,” Savran said The commentator notified Webster’s attorney who used the letter as evidence to help his client receive more money from the NFL players association Savran had to take a deposition to verify the letter he had received.  Webster became the first NFL player diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head hits.  Savran said he owes a debt to old Pittsburgh print journalists such as Bob Smizik who helped teach him about the line separating reporters and athletes and what constituted crossing it.  “I always felt I could be fair and honest without breaching any confidences and without softening my stances,” Savran said while on a break during their SportsBeat show Junker was a small-town radio reporter in Beaver County living on “Hamburger Helper” in 1983 when he first crossed paths with a man who would become one of his dearest friends.  The Penguins had called a news conference to announce Eddie Johnston as their new general manager and the room inside the Downtown Press Club was packed Junker’s biggest reward for an early day’s work would be a nice lunch.  he returned to his seat only to find it occupied by Savran “Stan didn’t know I had been sitting there,” Junker recalled Stan had already become a big deal in Pittsburgh and I didn’t want to say anything So began one of the best broadcasting partnerships in the city’s sports history.  Junker was hired by WTAE to produce Savran’s nightly sportscasts bonded by their lower middle-class upbringings and a love of sports They played together on the company’s softball team They were engaged and married in the same years Savran was with Junker on the night the producer received word his mother had died.  Junker left Pittsburgh for a short time to work at SNN a 24-hour sports cable channel that went bankrupt in 1990 He was back tending bar in Pittsburgh when the founder of KBL — the regional cable sports network that’s morphed into AT&T SportsNet — offered him a job a call-in show the station used as shoulder programming for its Pirates’ and Penguins’ telecasts SportsBeat struggled to find an audience in its early years and its original host had to step aside when KBL’s lease with KDKA’s studio expired and the cable outfit moved its home to rival WPXI and his no-compete clause forced him to wait a year to accept a sports anchor’s position at KDKA Savran’s agent found a loophole in the clause He was paired with Junker and enjoyed the new venture so much that he stuck with SportBeat rather than taking the KDKA job.  Not that the show was earning better ratings.  KBL general manager Bill Craig told employees they might want to start looking for other employment but eventually SportsBeat began to draw eyeballs and sponsors The show expanded from a half-hour to 60 minutes serving as a lead-in to the network’s pre-game telecasts If arriving in Pittsburgh during the middle of the Steelers’ dynasty represented Savran’s first brush with good timing his decision to stick with KBL became the second Cowher was building the Steelers into a winner Leyland had the Pirates contending for a pennant and Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr were turning the Penguins into a high-scoring NHL powerhouse.  ‘You guys are exactly what happened to me with the Steelers and you guys are right there,’ ” Savran recalled The internet was in its infancy and sports messages boards didn’t exist SportsBeat became the place where Pittsburgh fans gathered to talk sports Even out-of-towners could rant and rave provided they had a satellite dish and a KBL subscription WDVE’s Jimmy Krenn developed a skit featuring a character named The Scorekeeper Savran and Junker still are approached by fans who yell guests were squired to and from the SportsBeat studio in limousines They also were plied with Ruth’s Chris gift certificates they surprised Franco Harris with a visit from a man who claimed to own the Immaculate Reception ball that the Steelers’ running back had caught in the 1972 playoff game “The guy tossed the ball across the set and Franco caught it,” Junker said Savran and Junker took the show on the road They broadcast from the home porches of fans who had submitted applications to host them They once did a telecast on an ostrich farm in Mount Pleasant.  The program held its ratings even as the network rebranded from KBL to Prime Sports to Fox Sports Pittsburgh to FSN Pittsburgh a Fox executive in Los Angeles deemed the show “too Pittsburgh” and not polished enough for the network’s taste.  Junker was let go in 2003 and “SportsBeat with Stan Savran” ended a six-year run in 2009 The two friends reunited on radio for several years and Junker still makes a weekly appearance on Savran’s current show Junker and Savran have so many tales from their times together while waiting to host “Hockey Hotline,” they were eating pizza and watching the game The Penguins were on the wrong end of many calls and Junker and Savran were shouting profanities at the television the door opened and into the room walked Bishop Donald Wuerl taping a Mass for shut-ins at an adjacent studio “We greeted the bishop and shook his hand,” Junker recalled He spends 30 minutes a day on an Elliptical machine a regimen he adopted following his 2009 heart surgery He also plays tennis on Saturdays and Sundays with a group of friends at the Whitehall courts in Baldwin “Stan would play in three feet of snow,” longtime friend Kevin Sutton said Savran took up the sport in 1975 and his passion for the game makes him a frequent spectator at the US Open He’s even traveled to Wimbledon to get his tennis fix.  His group of friends play each weekend afternoon for 2-1/2 hours although the first 30 minutes are often dedicated to hurling insults at each other one to hit balls and the other to throw in disgust No subject appears off limits when the jokes start flying.  ‘We've started a dead pool and everybody chose you,’” Sutton said “But Stan might end up outlasting us all.” Savran’s zest for life and work remain high He worries that AT&T SportsNet decision-makers will continue to decrease his number of appearances on Pirates’ and Penguins’ pre-game shows but he’s as prepared as ever for spot duties He was one of the few iHeartRadio hosts who did his show in studio during the height of the pandemic.  His commitment to his craft likely contributed to him not marrying until age 45 The opportunity to talk sports still excites him He learned years ago the importance of developing an on-air personality and it benefits him greatly in an age when sports talk shows take fewer calls from listeners.  “You need to work alone to truly stand out in radio,” wrote Madden but not at the expense of credibility or content but he was happy to reminisce during a two-hour interview after a recent show He smiled at the memory of Cope and Cook appearing together on SportBeat and telling tales from the 1950s and 1960s He pictured Cook walking through the KBL studio at Christmas time and handing out money to the interns and production staff.  Among Savran's favorite SportsBeat shows was one from 1992 the day after Sid Bream scored the winning run in Game 7 of the NLCS to beat the Pirates Cook labeled it the worst day in Pittsburgh sports history taking calls from grieving fans because everyone knew that team was going to split up,” Savran said I really think we did some good that night.” Savran wakes up at 6:30 every morning to drink his coffee and read stories on his computer The Godfather of Pittsburgh Sports rides down an elevator and shows his guest to the parking garage TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service GENERAL INQUIRIES: [email protected] PRESS INQUIRIES: [email protected] MEMBER and MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES: [email protected] INDIECOMMERCE: [email protected] Jennifer Savran Kelly is the author of Endpapers, a Winter/Spring 2023 Indies Introduce selection and works as a production editor at Cornell University Press Her forthcoming debut novel Endpapers won a grant from the Barbara Deming Memorial Foundation and was selected as a finalist for the SFWP Literary Awards Program and the James Jones First Novel Fellowship Her short work has been published in Potomac Review, Hobart, Black Warrior Review, Trampset Nikita Imafidon of Raven Book Store in Lawrence served on the panel that selected Kelly’s debut for Indies Introduce “I was enchanted by the unfolding of Endpapers,” said Imafidon of the book “Following a genderqueer bookbinder in 2003 New York City Endpapers is about finding yourself among the chaos When Dawn finds a mysterious queer love letter Savran Kelly’s writing is authentic and unique luring readers into a world where everyone’s story is necessary to tell Endpapers is a quick-paced novel that will stay with you long after you finish.” Savran Kelly and Imafidon discuss Endpapers Nikita Imafidon: What inspired you to write Endpapers Jennifer Savran Kelly: The original kernel of the idea came out of my first bookbinding workshop Our instructor told us that sometimes binders used to find personal letters hidden under the endpapers of books — the blank or decorated leaves that are usually glued to the inside front and back covers The idea of someone hiding a personal letter in a place where it could never be found unless the book was damaged or destroyed struck me as both romantic and tragic I was excited to build a novel around this idea but I didn’t yet have a story to go with it I’d also been interested in exploring queerness in my writing for some time except I was afraid that if I tried to write a novel based around a social issue it would turn into more of an essay or treatise So I started by looking around for inspiration — mostly in photographs and books — seeking out personal stories that might spark ideas for a main character and for the person who wrote the letter she finds most notably the complexity of gender and sexuality JSK: I’m bisexual (or probably more accurately pansexual) and was out and proud during college but I’ve been married to a cisgender heterosexual man for about 20 years and have essentially been back in the closet for most of that time I’ve been too afraid of what people might think — both my straight family and friends as well as the LGBTQIA+ community I worried it would either make people angry or disgusted or no one would believe me or they’d think I was just looking for attention I’ve also had an exploratory relationship with gender (for lack of a better word) I’ve always been clear that I’m not transgender but there haven’t been any mainstream words for genderqueer or nonbinary until fairly recently so I didn’t have a coherent way to understand my feelings the question seemed to fade away because I was happy to present as conventionally female Then two things happened: violence and political backlash against transgender people and the whole LGBTQIA+ community began to rise and Trump was elected president so writing seemed like my best way to speak out I wanted people to know that they may have queer family members or coworkers or friends who stay quiet about their identities for a whole multitude of reasons — people they care about who are being personally affected by violence and targeted by harmful legislation Because otherwise it can be just some abstract idea; people tend to act on issues that have a personal impact I hoped it would inspire people to think twice about their choices in the voting booth and growing up I never thought I would see antisemitism rise to such a frightening degree in this country the backdrop of New York City felt like a character of the story Why did you decide to set Endpapers in 2003 New York I grew up on Long Island and lived in Brooklyn and Manhattan for a few years after college I’ve always loved New York City and it’s where I learned how to bind books so Endpapers is a sort of love letter to the city the person who wrote the mysterious letter It’s through Gertrude that Dawn discovers a personal connection to queer history which gives her context for what she’s going through in the present I wanted readers to experience this along with her So setting the novel in 2003 was partly a matter of logistics: I needed Gertrude to be alive when Dawn found her letter and that placed Dawn roughly around the early 2000s because it allowed me to explore the relationship between two particularly oppressive times in US history — the 1950s New York that Gertrude came of age in during the Lavender Scare when tens of thousands of gay people were purged from federal employment and the post-9/11 New York that Dawn navigates over the course of the novel I didn’t think setting a book in the current moment would have the same impact as setting it in a time and place like 2003 New York where we have enough distance to at least agree on certain facts Regardless of the many varied opinions about how the 9/11 tragedy was handled most people acknowledge that it inspired a staggering rise in hate crime and led to increased government surveillance of everyday citizens I find it inspiring to see how folks push back against oppression in oppressive times small but powerful resistance movements formed and grew such as the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society gaining public attention for LGBTQ+ rights Bush was trying to amend the US Constitution to prevent gay marriage it was on the cusp of being legalized here NI: Bookbinding is the perfect profession for protagonist Dawn to discover the pulp fiction love letter quest that propels her to learn more about herself Does bookbinding have a personal connection to you I’ve always been fascinated by books as objects as well as by paper and calligraphy and type I got a Crayola calligraphy kit for Chanukah I disappeared from the family party with it for hours I moved to Brooklyn and discovered the Center for Book Arts in Manhattan I took workshops and sought out an internship at a local bindery and that eventually led me to work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the book conversation lab of their research library These days I don’t get much time to work in there and hope to return to it more seriously someday Dawn is trying to figure out who she is—how to take pleasure in a body that seems to be at odds with her most of the time how to get out from underneath other people’s perceptions of her and her body and how to express herself from a place of confidence The only way I’ve felt free to do this kind of self-exploration myself is through art I wanted Dawn to be a book artist because books are a very special kind of art They evoke intimacy (we take them into our most private places sensuality (we hold and interact with them) and authority (we turn to books for information and knowledge) NI: As important to Dawn’s life as her romantic relationship is her friendship with best friend Jae How did you decide how much of the story to dedicate to Dawn navigating these interpersonal relationships and how much to dedicate to her personal quest to find the author of the queer love letter JSK: In order to make Dawn’s quest feel important to the reader I wanted to show a full picture of her life Endpapers is Dawn’s story so all of her interpersonal relationships feel as crucial to me as her search for Gertrude’s letter his friendship with Dawn has been central to me from the beginning I wanted Dawn to have a relationship outside her boyfriend Lukas to create a contrast between how she feels around someone who seems comfortable with who she is and someone who calls it all into question even though they never discuss it outright it leads to some understanding between them — of what it’s like to not fit neatly into any one community She’s messy and self-absorbed and leads with her impulses Whereas Jae tends toward calm and stability She also has to learn that her friend does indeed struggle with his own challenges and has his own needs even though he doesn’t usually express them And this gives her a chance to be there for him — or at least try to It’s a real growth opportunity for Dawn Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly (Algonquin Books Find out more about the author at jennifersavrankelly.com ABA member stores are invited to use this interview or any others in our series of Q&As with Indies Introduce debut authors in newsletters and social media and in online and in-store promotions. Please let us know if you do American Booksellers Association is a national trade association that supports and advocates for the success of independent bookstores In turn our members support local schools through book fairs donations and author visits; promote literacy; provide inclusive community centers; connect readers and books; add character to neighborhoods; champion and center diverse and new voices; and contribute to the local economy We feel honored to support them in their work PRESS INQUIRIES: [email protected] INDIECOMMERCE: [email protected] ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: [email protected] the legendary voice of reason in Pittsburgh sports for the past 50 years died Monday at the age of 76 in his beloved Pittsburgh Savran had been dealing with the effects of cancer and diabetes over the past year The Cleveland native arrived in Pittsburgh in the 1970s and became a fixture on television and radio over six decades in western Pennsylvania He made a name for himself during his time as a sportscaster on WTAE (Channel 4) and he became a Pittsburgh icon while co-hosting “SportsBeat” with his colleague and friend Guy Junker He continued to work in television while hosting his daytime show on ESPN Radio until earlier this year when his health troubles forced him to step away The Steelers, Penguins and Pirates immediately posted tributes on Twitter delivered some of the best announcements in Penguins history He was a friend and a true professional at his craft As long-time listeners, who loved the show, we will miss you, Stan. pic.twitter.com/7iVW1j4N0c — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 13, 2023 Rob Rossi and Josh Yohe share their memories of “the godfather” of Pittsburgh sports Rossi: After leaving West Virginia University in May 2000 I immediately jumped into a summer internship followed by a two-year apprenticeship at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette one of the editors offered me a chance to develop a daily page: a mix of aggregated shorts original features and some off-the-wall concepts but somehow the page took off and garnered an audience that same editor told me I wasn’t going to be hired full time and that the page would be taken over by someone else He asked if there was a local show on which I wanted to appear By August 2002, Savran was already a legendary figure in Pittsburgh. He had been a lead sports anchor for a local ABC affiliate. He had written columns for the paper. He had hosted a talk show. He had pioneered a cable TV show called “SportsBeat” that was appointment television as a lead-in to Pirates and Penguins games anyway — he had educated an entire region on hockey in the late 1980s and early 1990s by bringing interviews with the likes of Mario Lemieux Paul Coffey and countless other Penguins players into western Pennsylvania homes via TV and radio but I thought there was a chance I could do what Stan had done: be around the Penguins and report on their highs he treated me as an equal and kindly wished me well That was the first of many on- and off-air talks with Stan We eventually bonded over a mutual love of tennis and black-and-white films and I quickly learned that this legend of Pittsburgh sports media was an even more legendary person: genuine Stan became known as “the godfather” of Pittsburgh sports media #Steelers President Art Rooney II on the passing of Stan Savran: pic.twitter.com/AeUJ9K9Nrf — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) June 13, 2023 Kaboly: I thought Savran was crazy … or at least a little goofy I sat down with him inside the Steelers media room a couple of months ago His health was noticeably in decline to everybody except maybe him I would never pass up an opportunity to stop and talk to Stan I wasn’t interested in whether he thought Matt Canada would be back for another season or whether general manager Omar Khan was going to put his stamp on the team during the offseason stared me directly in the eyes and said: “I’m never going to retire I’d be on an island somewhere if I were you.” This was a guy who had done just about everything imaginable in the Pittsburgh media scene for nearly half a century He had battled more health issues than anybody could ever imagine and he was worried about still being allowed to talk on the radio for two hours or do the Steelers postgame show that sometimes lasts well into the morning Thinking more and more about that conversation with him over the past few days after the news came out that he had been moved into hospice care and it was just a matter of time (his words Stan made his way in this business with talent a studio host and a local sports anchor allowed him to do everything he loved in one fell swoop He just loved talking sports with anybody and everybody and he wasn’t about to let the cancer take that away from him He wasn’t going to let the boot he showed up with every now and again stop him This was a guy who went on the air not long after brain surgery who had open-heart surgery and back surgery — do you really think missing a toe or two or battling cancer scared him and that was with a microphone in one hand and his leather briefcase in the other That’s why people across social media are emptying their hearts about a guy many of them had never met — he was highly respected and did things the right way Don’t get me wrong. Stan loved what he was able to accomplish in the Pittsburgh media scene, and who can blame him? About four years ago, I came up with the idea of doing the 10th anniversary of the cancellation of a cable “SportsCenter”-like show called “SportsBeat.” and he was just as thrilled as I was when I called up the show as a senior in high school to partake in the mock NFL Draft I was surprised he didn’t help me write it because it was a show that was ahead of its time He later told me how devastated he was when “SportsBeat” was canceled It meant so much to Stan to be there for the city Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting on the passing of Stan Savran: pic.twitter.com/y42FUS5tuT — Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 13, 2023 Yohe: I spoke with Stan a good bit during his final weeks or the Pirates’ surprisingly good season or tennis the guy whose body was being ravaged by diabetes I always felt better when I heard his voice and this goes back far before I knew him and considered him a friend I think I speak for Pittsburgh when I say that When the Pirates lost to the Braves in Game 7 of the NLCS in 1992 a whole city watched “SportsBeat” the next night because Stan would make us feel better Stan hosted the Steelers postgame show on the Steelers Radio Network I haven’t a clue if ratings were higher after wins or losses fans tuned in with extra need because Stan would make them feel better Stan understood this and was always there to keep our spirits up Stan was a man of incredible gifts: remarkable TV presence wonderful broadcaster and a top-notch journalist even if his self-deprecation would suggest otherwise Stan arrived in Pittsburgh during a far different era He adapted to the times but never changed who he was As the decades rolled on and shock jocks and analytic minds overtook the industry then forming honest conclusions about what was best I had the privilege of joining Stan for a segment on his show at 12:20 p.m He would always text me before the show to remind me about my segment As if I could forget I was going on the air with him Pittsburgh sports will never be the same without him but will always be better because of him At the height of the countercultural movement Savran's Paperback Shop was the place to be in Minneapolis The bookstore was nestled in the corner of a building on Cedar Avenue and opened in the 1960s as the West Bank was becoming the hip off-campus neighborhood in the city writers and scholars would walk to Savran's to pick up a book Behind the store's appeal was Bill Savran a University of Minnesota graduate who loved literature and the local minds that gathered around it Savran lived a life filled with colorful characters He and Bob Dylan were part of the same fraternity at the University of Minnesota he served in the same platoon as Elvis Presley he was visited by fixtures of art and culture such as Patti Smith and Annie Leibovitz But the lively spirit of Savran's Paperback Shop was not summoned on its own Friends and family say it was Savran's warmth informality and creativity that emanated from every wall and shelf People came through the door and were treated like family And that couldn't have happened without Bill," said Marly Rusoff a literary agent who began her career as an employee at Savran's He learned about retail as a child in Bismarck The family moved to the Twin Cities when Savran started at the U The college experience was eye-opening for Savran he visited and worked at bookstores in Boston and San Francisco He opened Savran's Paperback Shop in 1965 Savran decorated the store to suit his eccentric style hanging rice paper lamps from the ceiling and designing his own window displays There were literary magazines and journals He even sold "The Anarchist Cookbook," a guide on how to make explosives Savran's became a hub for the intellectual and cultural community in Minneapolis and when they came back in town the first place they would come would be Savran's to find out what was happening," Laurie said Savran's employees eventually started their own successful enterprises After working at the store for a few years Rusoff and Savran opened another bookshop in Dinkytown Rusoff and her writer friends would host readings events and parties in the apartment above that store a literary community that later incorporated as the Loft credits Savran with showing her it was possible to make a living from literature "I was struggling to find out what I could do in life What could I do that was better than this?" she said Priced out by national bookstore chains and rising rent Savran closed Savran's Paperback Shop in 1987 and worked at Magers & Quinn Booksellers in Uptown and little poems about the sights and sounds around him Savran is survived by his daughters Deborah and Jessica, son Jeremy Savran and grandchildren. A memorial will be held on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. through the video messaging service Zoom. The link is bit.ly/3jij0Y2. Miguel Otárola is a reporter covering Minneapolis City Hall for the Star Tribune. He previously covered Minneapolis' western suburbs and breaking news. He also writes about immigration and music on occasion. No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here) No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here) Peek inside homes for sale in the Twin Cities area After falling behind 17-0 at halftime and being dominated most of the game the Bulldogs may have locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff Authors Marisa Crane (left) and Jennifer Savran Kelly media release: A Room of One's Own is thrilled to welcome Marisa Crane and Jennifer Savran Kelly for a joint conversation on their debut novels I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself and Endpapers the Department of Balance has adopted a radical new form of law enforcement: rather than incarceration wrongdoers are given a second (and sometimes and fifth) shadow as a reminder of their crime—and a warning to those they encounter giving rise to an underclass of so-called Shadesters who are disenfranchised Kris is a Shadester and a new mother to a baby born with a second shadow of her own Grieving the loss of her wife and thoroughly unprepared for the reality of raising a child alone raising a child whose irrepressible spark cannot be dampened by the harsh realities of the world she can make a new life for herself and the kid supported by a community of fellow misfits who defy the Department to lift one another up in solidarity and hope Dawn is six weeks away from her major gallery debut and has no art to show yet she discovers something hidden under the endpapers of an old book: the torn-off cover of a lesbian pulp novel from the 1950s with an illustration of a woman looking into a mirror and seeing a man’s face Even more intriguing is the illicit queer love letter written on the back She immediately becomes obsessed with tracking down the letter’s author and her fixation only increases when her best friend is injured in a hate crime for which she feels responsible Feeling trapped by her gender representation Dawn is desperately trying to figure out how to live in a world that doesn’t seem to have a place for her and she can’t shake the feeling that the letter’s author might be able to guide her to the answers Her debut novel Endpapers won a grant from the Barbara Deming Memorial Foundation and was selected as a finalist for the SFWP Literary Awards Program and the James Jones First Novel Fellowship Her short work has been published in Potomac Review Their work has appeared or is forthcoming in Joyland An attendee of the Tin House Workshop and Bread Loaf Writers' Conference they currently live in San Diego with their wife and child I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself is their first novel please send an email with the following information to calendar@isthmus.com Here's the information we need to include your event in our calendar: * event date; RSVP/ticket deadline if there is one email or website we can publish (REQUIRED) Optional info:* bios/press releases for posting with the online listing Toward Racial Justice: Voices from the Midstate A recent executive order threatens federal support for the emergency resources and educational programming you rely on and love who spent nearly five decades in sports broadcasting chronicling Pittsburgh’s rise to the “City of Champions,” has died where Savran worked as a sports anchor in the 1980s No official cause of death was given but Savran Clair in the city’s southern suburbs had been very public about his battle with lung cancer in recent years Affectionately known as the “Godfather” of Pittsburgh sports the Cleveland native arrived in his adopted city in 1976 and never left He began his career in Pittsburgh in radio before moving into TV while even occasionally moonlighting as a newspaper columnist Savran was best known for the nightly “SportsBeat” show he co-hosted on regional cable alongside Guy Junker was required viewing for fans in a city avid about its professional sports teams Callers would often start their conversation with “Stan love the show,” a phrase Savran affectionately carried with him after the show’s long run ended “You will not find a better person, someone who has been so helpful to people like me and so many others, who asked for his time, he was always gracious to help young people in this business of ours,” longtime KDKA TV sports anchor Bob Pompeani said Savran combined a tireless work ethic and almost exhaustive knowledge of sports with an opinionated but straightforward delivery that made him one of the most trusted voices in a crowded media market His versatility allowed him to wear many hats including stints as pre-game host for Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates broadcasts as well as several iterations of an eponymous radio show “We loved the show, but more importantly, Stan, we loved you,” the Pittsburgh Pirates tweeted Savran also worked in multiple capacities for the Pittsburgh Steelers be it on their radio network or as a contributor to the team’s Hall of Honor committee and he did so much for our city and Western Pa with his honest candor and knowledge of all sports both locally and nationally,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement Savran’s almost photographic memory allowed him to work without a teleprompter “He was just an old-school guy,” producer Roger Lenhart told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ‘How does he remember all of this with no ‘prompter?’” Savran remained a fixture at Steelers home games while also doing intermission and postgame shows for the Penguins well into his 70s His daily radio show continued until his health deteriorated earlier this year though that didn’t stop him from serving as a guest on other shows many of which were hosted by personalities he mentored earlier in their careers “Not just a Pittsburgh media icon but a Pittsburgh icon period,” tweeted Pittsburgh sports radio host Mark Madden who brought Savran on his show regularly as recently as this spring It’s a honor to have known (and) worked with him Become a WITF sponsor today » We spotlight and uplift the creators around us Driving Directions Request a Tour If you tuned in to Stan Savran’s midday sports talk show on ESPN Pittsburgh radio Tuesday you would have heard a discussion of Sidney Crosby’s greatest goals as he closed in on 500 Or you would have heard Savran discuss why he thinks NHL players should not be playing in the Winter Olympics or why the league should schedule fewer outdoor games In other words, it was the kind of “Savran on Sports” program one would normally expect to hear But things aren’t exactly normal for Savran these days 18 and made the decision to begin chemotherapy treatments immediately He undergoes chemo every three weeks and had his second treatment last Thursday it’s rough,” Savran told the Tribune-Review Imagine the worst flu you’ve ever had and then double it There’s always this feeling of slight queasiness hosting the Penguins and Pirates pregame shows on AT&T SportsNet hosting the postgame shows on the Steelers’ radio network and appearances on WDVE’s morning show Savran might be the hardest-working sportscaster in Pittsburgh He says he has no plans to miss any workdays “I’ve already told the people in radio and TV there’s no reason for me not to work,” said Savran adding that he just doesn’t have time to be sick I don’t mean to disregard the severity of what I’ve got and there’s no reason that I can’t.” His grandfather died of lung cancer and both of his parents died of cancer His younger sister had a double mastectomy Savran said he smoked cigarettes for 20 years Savran arrived in Pittsburgh in 1976 when he started work on WWSW In the nearly half-century that has followed three generations of Steel City sports fans have grown up listening to him “WDVE Morning Show” host Randy Baumann praised Savran’s work ethic and credibility “He never falls for the tropes of lazy sports analysis and he has a perspective not often seen in the world of sports talk which is the ability to infuse nuance into the conversation,” Baumann said Wednesday He’ll do a post-game show after a Steelers night game and then get up at 8 a.m and do an hour with us on DVE and not even bat an eyelash.” who has worked on television with Savran and is a regular on Savran’s noon talk show said he wasn’t surprised to hear that Savran will continue working on a daily basis and it will help him get through it,” said Junker “When we worked together at Fox Sports he didn’t even use all of his vacation His work ethic is second to nobody that I’ve ever worked with If he was just sitting at home thinking about things Savran had not planned to make his lung cancer diagnosis public there has been an outpouring of support on social media from fans and colleagues “For those who don’t know, @StanLoveTheShow has been battling a cancer diagnosis. Please include him in your prayers as Lisa & I have been doing,” said longtime KDKA-TV sports anchor Bob Pompeani on Twitter “Stan is one of the best people & an inspiration for so many in our business Former WDVE disc jockey Sean McDowell tweeted: “We’re ALL behind you Savran said he has been overwhelmed by the support I was just absolutely flabbergasted by the volume the messages from my colleagues — the writers and broadcasters — and just the fans overall Baumann said the adulation is well deserved “It’s been a real thrill for me and everyone at DVE to become friends with Stan through the years,” Baumann said “He’s truly one of Pittsburgh’s most iconic media personalities but has an enduring humility that’s remarkable and I love that Pittsburghers let him know how loved he is every chance they get.” Savran remains optimistic that he will beat cancer which is also good news,” said Savran “I have the best doctors in the world at UPMC Hillman and I have the greatest confidence in them They feel very strongly that I will have a complete recovery.” Longtime Pittsburgh radio and TV personality Stan Savran He had been diagnosed with lung cancer several months ago aspiring to be a teacher and coach after playing four sports at Mayfield High School "Savran on Sportsbeat," the show he hosted (and originally co-hosted with Guy Junker) from 1992 to 2009 on Fox Sports Pittsburgh was the longest-running sports show in Pittsburgh TV history "Today is a sad day in the City of Pittsburgh as we lost a legendary person, media icon, and close friend with the passing of Stan Savran," Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement Stan was involved for many years working on our Steelers Radio Network as well as doing several Steelers' interviews and shows while also being a valuable contributor to our Hall of Honor committee Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this difficult time He was truly one of a kind and will be missed Social media reactions to Savran's broadcasting legacy: LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ] a long-time sports broadcaster in Pittsburgh passed away Monday afternoon after various health complications moved to Pittsburgh in 1976 taking a job in sports radio He then moved to the TV side of things in 1981 where he remained until the end of his career Savran hosted "Sports Beat," a popular sports talk show in Pittsburgh with Guy Junker for over 20 years on what is now called AT&T Sportsnet He also hosted pregame and postgame shows for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pirates as well Savran is a 2003 inductee into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame 90 Loevner was a gregarious man who collected antiques and Western Pennsylvania art with a connoisseur’s eye He called Squirrel Hill home for 90 years and graduated first in his class from Penn State where he was president “Superior” of his fraternity He was an Alumni Fellow in 1998 and established the Penn State Catherine and Mark Loevner Scholarship Fund After serving as a second lieutenant in the Air Force established by his grandfather in 1897. Loevner was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young in 1992 and “Business Person of the Year” for Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region by the Small Business Association an award given by President Clinton. Edith “Toto” Fisher 93 Few in Pittsburgh did more for the arts than Fisher the grand dame of culture who was directly responsible for many of the institutions that now exist she helped to found the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and she was an avid supporter in terms of both money and time of the Carnegie Museums Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation the Garden Club of Allegheny County and many more vibrant woman who volunteered countless hours and mentored many she was especially proud of her role in publishing the “Carnegie Treasures Cookbook.”Paul Benedum Jr. he was the great nephew of oil and gas titan Michael Benedum and was the only lifetime trustee of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation where he served as board chair for 22 years prankster renowned for his sense of humor and philanthropist who started the Paul Benedum Jr Foundation.  He grew up exploring oil fields with his uncle and found his other great passion researching and trading in the stock market which he believed “waits for no man.”  A life trustee of Carnegie Museums he funded the Benedum Hall of Geology. Alfred “Burr” Wishart 91 As CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation for 31 years Wishart advocated for those in need and for racial equality A Presbyterian minister who left his church in New Jersey after the deadly race riots in 1967 Wishart found his vocation through the foundation his staff of 40 included 37 women and 11 African-Americans He grew the foundation from $17 million to $548 million mounting a campaign to entice ordinary people to donate He also led the Howard Heinz Endowments from 1970-1992 and the Vira I overseeing the building of Heinz Hall and Benedum Center and purchasing the properties that would become the Cultural District.Stan Savran 76 A native of Cleveland who grew up with the surname Savransky he moved to Pittsburgh in 1976 and ultimately became Stan Savran one of the most recognizable people in his adopted city With a keen interest in professional sports and a tenacious work ethic he built a long and fabled career as one of Pittsburgh’s top sports journalists and no one knew more about it than the 17-year co-host of “Sportsbeat,” the longest running sports show ever on Pittsburgh television In a place where pro sports trumps everything that popularity extended to those he criticized.Ed Harrell 83 The former president of Tribune-Review Publishing and a member of numerous boards and organizations Harrell was known for his distinctive laugh as well as for spear-heading the Greensburg Tribune’s expansion into the Pittsburgh market in 1992 at the request of Richard Scaife He was the assistant GM of the Pittsburgh Press and ran a consulting firm before joining the Trib in 1989 Harrell created the Pittsburgh Wine Festival in partnership with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and followed with a whiskey festival Subscribe Designed and Developed by Apple Box Studios Sign up for our newsletter to receive award-​winning journalism in your inbox Pittsburgh sports media pro Stan Savran died on Monday (6/12) at the age of 76 Pittsburgh in 1976 before moving crosstown to KQV he and co-host Guy Junker launched the popular “SportsBeat” program on cable TV the two worked together on Pittsburgh radio on what are now WPGP-AM and WBGG-AM  in addition to a couple of cable TV ventures in which he held reporting and sports talk hosting roles Savran would also host the postgame show on the Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network “I had a picture in my mind of an armchair quarterback who knows it all and he would just worship Stan and Guy They would be bigger than God to him and they would call up and say They loved Stan. They loved Guy. They loved SportsBeat, and they enjoyed more than anything else calling the most popular sports talk show in the city’s long and storied history and talking Penguins “It’s been 16 years since I’ve been fired and hardly a day goes by … I will be walking in the mall and somebody will come up to me and say “It happened to me just the other day,” Stan Savran added as the two sat around the ESPN 970 studios where they get together once a week to rekindle the sports talk relationship that captured Pittsburgh sports fans for an unprecedented 18 years and more than 4,500 shows It has been 10 years this month since FSN Pittsburgh canceled SportsBeat an offshoot of the radical radio-on-television format that first aired on KBL on March 11 “SportsBeat arrived before sports-talk radio became a 24-7 the thirst for more sports talk and Pittsburgh sports being under-represented in broadcast media at the time it was a perfect storm for a thunderclap,” said Chuck Finder former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sportswriter as well as the author of The Big Picture media column for the paper Jimmy Krenn and the WDVE morning show dominated the radio waves in Pittsburgh at about the same time SportsBeat dominated local cable television a Pittsburgh native and a self-proclaimed huge sports fan was known for his comedic skits on the morning show “Pittsburgh knows their sports and in the talk show world the regulars would always call in with a nickname and this goes back to when I was a kid listening to Myron Cope in the afternoons so I came up with the Scorekeeper,” Krenn said “And the Scorekeeper would always start the skit with love the show’ and end it with ‘I am going to hang up and listen.’ The spirit of the character came from me loving the show “That was the hook we needed,” Savran said love the show.’ Every caller would say that.” there were T-shirts and there were Stan and Guy’s face plastered all over Port Authority buses While radio shows on television is as routine as it comes now (Dan Patrick Show there wasn’t much in the way of local sports talk — about an hour or two per day on AM radio Local television newscasts — like today — didn’t have much time for sports to show more than daily highlights There was no talk of who should start for the Steelers: Neil O’Donnell or Bubby Brister Or who should the Pirates play at first base how the Penguins’ Stanley Cup championship teams have turned the area into a hockey hotbed a regional sports network that reached six states but focused on Pennsylvania which originally broadcast out of KDKA’s studio wanted to create a sports talk show for the booming cable business The idea was to have a writer’s roundtable on Monday that featured the legendary Beano Cook and writers from the Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Press followed by four days of an interview-heavy show with KDKA-TV’s Bob Pompeani and Junker Pompeani worked as the leading man while Junker did a feature lead-in to the interview “They approached me out of the blue and asked me if I would be interested,” said Pompeani already an established figure in the Pittsburgh market for a decade ‘Absolutely.’ I thought it would be great to do We’ve done high school play-by-play together and everything else Junker was tending bar at the time after SNN the first 24-hour sports cable news channel based out of Washington went bankrupt a week before Christmas in 1990 called Junker and asked if he would be interested in the job Flying by the seat of their pants because of the newness of it all The biggest problem was making the show part of the fan’s daily routine The Monday night roundtable lasted only a few shows; the ratings weren’t good And there was a more significant issue ahead: KBL’s contract to use KDKA’s studio was expiring The network decided to lease instead from rival station WPXI “I understood when they called to tell me,” Pompeani said There was one Hail Mary left in the Lucas’ arsenal: Savran a well-established media personality in Pittsburgh for more than 15 years Savran was the sports anchor on WTAE for a decade before getting fired in November 1991 KDKA offered Savran the sports anchor job alongside John Steigerwald but Savran’s non-compete clause with WTAE prevented him from returning to the air for a year Savran’s contract said nothing about cable as part of the non-compete “I decided to take a gamble with KBL,” Savran said SportsBeat was rebranded with Savran and Junker (the two first came together in 1984 when Junker worked as a producer for Savran’s 11 p.m The network also used the SportsBeat format as a pregame and postgame show to help support the brand “When Genesee Cream Ale dropped out after the first year came to us and said if we had any other offers that it wouldn’t upset him because he didn’t know how much longer we could go without a sponsor,” Junker said “The first six to eight months we were together and I thought it was a very good show,” Pompeani said We didn’t have anything in Pittsburgh quite like that on a regular nightly basis.” The pregame and postgame shows helped SportsBeat with its success The Steelers won the division in 1992; the Pirates made three straight NLCS appearances and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992 Stan and Guy were the perfect pair to bring it all together “They were two guys you wanted to have a beer with,” Krenn said Savran and Junker became part of Pittsburgh’s rich history of TV duos “(They were) just a blast to welcome them into your home nightly like a Paul Long and Don Cannon tandem or Patti and Daddy Bill Burns,” Finder said No edgy gabfests or guy talk or stir-the-pot-for-10-minutes planned discussions for these guys They brought something of a topic or three but it was fun to watch and listen to them.” SportsBeat was considered a lifeline to Pittsburgh natives who had scattered throughout the country — a way to touch base and get the news and opinions regarding Pittsburgh sports but there were the big old satellite dishes that allowed ‘John from Montreal’ to call in often or a guy from Kansas City or Nicaragua “It was a way for a fan to stay connected with Pittsburgh sports,” Savran said “That was one of the services that we provided that they couldn’t get anywhere else.” you guys are the same as me,’” Junker said ‘”I hopped on with the Steelers right at the time they started to win Super Bowls and you two did the same with the Penguins.’ I think we educated hockey fans at the time What made SportsBeat so entertaining is that you never knew what was going to happen next The format allowed the show to switch things up — one day, the show is a normal call-in episode. The next, there’s a mock NFL draft Another might be taped from the porch of a fan’s ostrich farm Sammy Sosa and others wishing the guys well But nothing much could match the guests who strolled into the studio which included Chuck Noll not long after he retired in late 1991 a private man who could be just a tad intimidating “I had his home number and called him,” Savran said “I was scared to death and I even knew him a little bit They got Buster Douglass right after he beat Mike Tyson Reggie Jackson pushing his Reggie candy bar It became a show where the athlete sought SportsBeat out The show had a deal with Pittsburgh Limousine where it would send a limo to pick up guests They would offer use of the limo for the remainder of the evening drive them to the studio and if they wanted to go to dinner we had Ruth’s Chris certificates to give out,” Junker said One of the most memorable guests was Jim Baker an insurance salesman from West Mifflin who swiped the ball from the turf at Three Rivers Stadium after Franco Harris’ Immaculate Reception in 1972 talking about the 25th anniversary of the catch when Baker walked onto the set and tossed Harris the football “Franco didn’t know who this guy was and Stan sets it up and the guy tosses the ball across the set and Franco and he got a tear in his eye,” Junker said “The look on his face was priceless,” Savran added SportsBeat continued unaltered for 13 years while the network went through a variety of changes — from KBL to Prime Sports to Fox Sports Pittsburgh to FSN Pittsburgh even as the Penguins and Pirates struggled in the early 2000s and as other TV outlets started their own competing sports shows Fox executives in Los Angeles did not like the show and wanted to fire Savran “The show and Stan and Guy were too Pittsburgh and not Fox/LA slick enough,” Savran said “Local management told them firing me would be a huge mistake The guy who tried to fire me eventually got fired in LA both Savran and Junker were forced to do studio shows for the Fox affiliate in St and that was a convenient reason to let Junker go the same week SportsBeat celebrated its 3,000th episode “Something didn’t feel right leading up to that a lot of closed-door meetings,” Junker said “They were talking about renting out the Byham (Theater) for the 3,000th show and then they were saying we didn’t have to do it on the exact date The show was rebranded as ‘Savran on SportsBeat’ with Savran hosting an hour-long show that basically served as a pregame show for both the Pirates and Penguins That lasted six years before FSN pulled the plug altogether “Their excuse was that we were only going to do shows that revolved around their properties meaning the Penguins and Pirates,” Savran said although it would live on without the name in the context of pregame shows.” It also afforded the station to reduced Savran to part-time and fire “at least three staffers” Savran worked with a daily basis “They literally begged me to stay on with them knowing the backlash they would get from canceling the show … and then having me leave altogether,” Savran said “Guy’s firing and the cancellation of the show both broke my heart I had my open heart surgery three months after the final show “It was just two Pittsburgh guys talking sports and they couldn’t comprehend that,” he added Stan and Guy got back together for a midday radio gig at ESPN 1250 in late July 2008 but it lasted only 26 months before the station switched formats to Radio Disney the two spend every Thursday together as part of Savran’s radio show to rekindle the relationship Savran has tried to get Junker on full time but Junker’s weekend sports anchor responsibilities at WTAE have made that impossible “We just have this camaraderie and this feel for one another “I said at the time that I would give up my TV gigs and finish my career (with Guy at ESPN 1250) That was apparent the first time they were on the air and it was still apparent this month as they sat for their regular hour together on the radio Savran threw a couple of topics Junker’s way five minutes before they went on the air They then had chat that sounded like a something you would hear in a bar we got married the same year,” Junker said He was there when I got the phone call that my mother died.” Two Pittsburghers talking sports and having fun doing it (Top photo of Stan Savran and Guy Junker: Mark Kaboly / The Athletic) a Pittsburgh broadcasting icon who emceed the Blair County Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet since its inception Savran’s death Monday evening follows a series of health issues that included lung cancer in 2022 and the amputation of his right foot two months ago Though at the time he expected to return to his regular radio show He had a soft spot for Altoona and Blair County and served as the local Hall of Fame’s master of ceremonies since the first event in 1987 and returned for every one of the 19 ensuing banquets The Hall of Fame presented Savran with a caricature of himself — drawn by the late Jim Steiner — during the most recent banquet in May of 2022 at the Blair County Convention Center “The one common thread through all of Blair County Sports Hall of Fame induction dinners is the feeling of community,” he said I’ve come away with the same feeling: This is a special place but I think it’s important that you realize that.” said Savran was “the perfect fit.” “Stan has been such a vibrant part of the Blair County Sports Hall of Fame since we started,” he said “He just related to everyone so well He had a dry sense of humor but was very funny “He was so good at playing off what people said or did I still remember him busting Joe Paterno for not wearing a tux and how he reacted when Billy Conn stood up and said nothing except ‘where’s my check?’ Stan just always knew how to react to whatever was going on He was great with the appropriate comeback And just a great person that related to and respected everyone he came in contact with.” Savran grew up in Cleveland and came to Pittsburgh in 1976 He became known as “the godfather” of the city’s sports media for his longevity and his work on his nightly call-in TV show with Guy Junker He also hosted the pre-game Pirates and Penguins shows on AT&T Sports (formerly KBL and Root) maintained a longstanding daily radio show and hosted Mike Tomlin’s weekly TV show is a past radio play-by-play voice of Penn State and called the Nittany Lions’ 1986 national championship game with George Paterno Ted Beam of Altoona was part of the radio network as a director and spotter and remained close with Savran with Stan helping George learn the business and it culminated with the Century of Excellence dinners in 1986,” Beam said “Stan would have liked to continue as the Penn State radio announcer when the TV network was no longer needed but understood when Fran Fisher was rehired and Steve Jones succeeded him.” was a 2002 inductee into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and was named to the Pittsburgh Pirates Media Wall of Honor in 2018 “I always thought he was going to beat this thing and he fought it clear to the end,” Beam said “I’m personally going to miss him terribly; he was a wonderful person reporting the sports on the local newscast handling pregame and postgame duties for the Pirates His passing is a big loss for the city of Pittsburgh and everyone who knew him.” PITTSBURGH — The 20-year-old man who fell from the top of a 21-foot-high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park .. Copyright © 2025 Central Pennsylvania Newspapers LLC | https://www.altoonamirror.com | 301 Cayuga Ave. Technique recreates tumors in the lab from single cells — Each cancer patient’s tumors have cells that look and act differently making it difficult for scientists to determine treatments based on tumors grown from generic cell cultures in the lab thanks to a new 3D cell culture technique developed by Purdue University researchers it may be possible to personalize treatment by understanding the contributions of different cell types in a tumor to the cancer’s behavior “I see a future where a cancer patient gives a blood sample, we retrieve individual tumor cells from that blood sample, and from those cells create tumors in the lab and test drugs on them,” said Cagri Savran, a Purdue professor of mechanical engineering “These cells are particularly dangerous since they were able to leave the tumor site and resist the immune system.” Cell culture is a technique that biologists use to conduct research on normal tissue growth as well as on specific diseases A 3D cell culture permits the formation of tumors from cancer cells that grow in three dimensions meaning that the tumor is more like a three-dimensional potato than a two-dimensional leaf The Purdue team is the first to demonstrate a 3D cell culture from individually selected cells. This feat, described in a paper published in Scientific Reports would allow scientists to more accurately know the impact of each cell on a tumor’s formation and behavior Current 3D cell culture techniques have their limits, said Lelièvre, who studies 3D cell culture and helps design new cell culture methods in her role as scientific director of the 3D Cell Culture Core (3D3C) Facility at the Birck Nanotechnology Center of Purdue’s Discovery Park are made up of cells of various phenotypes How different these cells are from each other is described by the term “heterogeneity.” The cellular heterogeneity of real tumors is not fully understood but they do not have the same phenotype,” Lelièvre said “It has been proposed that some tumors respond to chemotherapy and some are resistant depending on the degree of heterogeneity of these phenotypes It’s difficult to pinpoint treatments based on tumors grown in the lab because every patient’s tumors have different levels of heterogeneity.” A typical cell culture dish or device also has a large number of cells Scientists have no control over which cells develop into tumors To understand how the heterogeneity inside a tumor develops and drives resistance to treatment scientists need to study the contribution of each cell phenotype to the tumor by selecting individual cells and studying their impact Savran had previously demonstrated a microfluidic device capable of isolating single cancer cells from a blood sample “These cells are extremely rare,” Savran said “With a sample with billions of cells But since we’ve figured out how to find them we can now hand them off to people like Sophie to help study their heterogeneity.” Savran’s team created a mechanical device that successfully extracted single tumor cells from existing cell lines of breast and colon cancers They deposited each single cell onto a matrix gel island following Lelièvre’s advice the team observed that many of the selected single cells had developed into tumors that displayed degrees of aggressiveness corresponding to the cancer subtype of origin The cells also recreated phenotypic heterogeneity as shown with an imaging-based quantitative approach used previously by the Lelièvre lab “What Cagri’s technique did is really priceless,” Lelièvre said “By simply analyzing the morphology of the tumors developed from individual cells we could confirm that the degree of heterogeneity among tumors of the same cancer subtype increases with time without any other pressure or stimuli than those exerted by the growth of the tumor itself.” The researchers also demonstrated that the degree of phenotypic heterogeneity inside a tumor depends on the cell of origin and could be related to fast-growing tumors for a specific breast cancer subtype bringing new directions of research to understand the underlying mechanisms of aggressiveness in cancers “Creating specific treatments that can address an individual patient’s cancer is the Holy Grail of personalized therapy and now we’re one step closer,” Savran said The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Commercialization has filed a patent on this technology The work was supported by the National Science Foundation (Award 1509097) and the Tom Hurvis and the McKinley Educational Foundation The Purdue Center for Cancer Research supported publication costs Discovery Park is a place where Purdue researchers move beyond traditional boundaries collaborating across disciplines and with policymakers and business leaders to create solutions for a better world and those that lie at the nexus of sustainable energy water and the environment are the focus of researchers in Discovery Park The translation of discovery to impact is integrated into the fabric of Discovery Park through entrepreneurship programs and partnerships Media contact: Kayla Wiles, 765-494-2432, wiles5@purdue.edu Sources: Sophie Lelièvre, lelievre@purdue.edu Cagri Savran, savran@purdue.edu  Journalists visiting campus: Journalists should follow Protect Purdue protocols and the following guidelines: Deterministic culturing of single cells in 3D Models using 3D cell culture techniques are increasingly accepted as the most biofidelic in vitro representations of tissues for research These models are generated using biomatrices and bulk populations of cells derived from tissues or cell lines We present an alternate method to culture individually selected cells in relative isolation from the rest of the population under physiologically relevant matrix conditions Matrix gel islands are spotted on a cell culture dish to act as support for receiving and culturing individual single cells; a glass capillary-based microfluidic setup is used to extract each desired single cell from a population and seed it on top of an island Using examples of breast and colorectal cancers we show that individual cells evolve into tumors or aspects of tumors displaying different characteristics of the initial cancer type and aggressiveness By implementing a morphometry assay with luminal A breast cancer we demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach to study phenotypic heterogeneity Results reveal that intertumor heterogeneity increases with time in culture and that varying degrees of intratumor heterogeneity may originate from individually seeded cells we observe that a positive relationship exists between fast growing tumors and the size and heterogeneity of their nuclei © 2015-24 Purdue University | An equal access/equal opportunity university | Copyright Complaints | Maintained by Office of Strategic Communications Trouble with this page? Disability-related accessibility issue? Please contact News Service at purduenews@purdue.edu Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio sits down with former offensive lineman Ted Petersen James Harrison sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Kendrell Bell sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Gerry Mullins sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Jeff Hartings sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Aaron Smith sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Casey Hampton sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Alan Faneca sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Kordell Stewart sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more Dwayne Woodruff sits down with Stan Savran to look back at his career Tim Worley sits down with Stan Savran to look back at his career Levon Kirkland sits down with Stan Savran to look back at his career Louis Lipps sat down with Bob Pompeani to look back at his career and his induction to the Hall of Honor Heath Miller sits down with Bob Pompeani to discuss his career Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio sits down with former linebacker James Farrior Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio sits down with former defensive back Carnell Lake Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio sits down with former linebacker Greg Lloyd ICYMI: Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio spoke with Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Rod Woodson ICYMI: Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio spoke with Steelers Hall of Famer Dermontti Dawson Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio sits down with former Steelers offensive linemen Jon Kolb Stan Savran of Steelers Nation Radio sits down with former cornerback Willie Williams Shaun Suisham kicked the game winner to defeat the Browns in 2014 The Steelers had a dominant defensive performance against the Texans in 2005 The Steelers took down the Patriots in Week 8 of the 2011 season The Steelers found a big present under their tree on Christmas Day 2016 Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's authoritarian AKP has governed Turkey for more than twenty years His regime has consistently rolled back gender rights Bengisu Savran suggests clientelism and welfare benefits may provide the answer they work; the municipality is good and working I am satisfied; I have never voted for any other party The above quote, in which a woman explains why she votes for the AKP, is from a survey by Konda Research Consultancy AKP has sought to attract votes from poor women reliant on welfare benefits The AKP gets these women's vote because of the material benefits they derive directly from the AKP regime Marlene Laruelle defines illiberalism as having four components: Laruelle considers illiberal parties 'out of system' because they seek solutions to neoliberalism's problems. The AKP ordered Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention It worked stealthily to make abortion illegal And the party has significant undemocratic tendencies The government thus continues to create AKP voters by getting poor people on its side Erdoğan sends welfare recipients direct messages claiming the benefits are personal gifts from him Vulnerable people in Turkey are eligible for benefits including coal and food but according to Erdoğan's whims rather than state policy For his 2018 book Social Assistance Recipients: Labour, Livelihoods, Politics and Gender, Denizcan Kutlu interviewed numerous benefit recipients. One of Kutlu's interviewees, 'Veysel', lives in Turkey's Çankaya district, where the opposition party is in power. Veysel was adamant that if AKP had been in power, social aid would have arrived sooner The AKP's welfare regime is not only politicised but highly gendered. Gamze Çavdar's 2022 research shows the increase in welfare provision during AKP's tenure This graph reveals how welfare for poor women increased significantly after 2003 It also shows how AKP targeted poor women to win votes: Kutlu's interviews also reveal how welfare programmes have significantly influenced women's voting preferences 'Emel' says she feels close to the party from which the benefits come The benefits she receives also affect her voting preferences She consistently votes for Erdoğan and the AKP mayor of Ankara Emel says the benefits she receives are a major influence on this choice; she feels the AKP looks after her 'Gülcan' says she is voting AKP because of the benefits she receives: Many poor women in Turkey, including Emel Welfare provision in Erdoğan's name has thus fostered a closeness between poor women in Turkey and the AKP regime and they regard Erdoğan as a father figure poor women feel indebted to their benefactor No.31 in a thread on the 'illiberal wave' 🌊 sweeping world politics Bengisu is an intern in CEU Democracy Institute’s Re and De Democratization Research Group. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boğaziçi University. Her main interests are women and terrorism studies. This <a target="_blank" href="https://theloop.ecpr.eu/buying-womens-votes-through-welfare-in-turkey/">article</a> was originally published at <a target="_blank" href="https://theloop.ecpr.eu">The Loop</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license * I agree to receive your newsletters and accept the data privacy notice Your email address is only used to send you The Loop Digest newsletter and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" For the better part of the past five decades Stan Savran provided some of the most insightful commentary on the Pittsburgh professional sports scene Within hours of his death at age 76 on Monday it became clear how far his voice had reached In addition to remembrances of Savran from fans and colleagues the city’s three major pro franchises offered their condolences via social media Savran began providing thoughtful commentary on the Steelers in the middle of their Super Bowl dynasty years in the 1970s he hosted the Steelers Radio Network postgame show “Today is a sad day in the City of Pittsburgh as we lost a legendary person media icon and close friend with the passing of Stan Savran,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement “He was a gentleman in every way possible with his honest candor and knowledge of all sports.” A longtime host of pregame and postgame Pirates coverage Savran was inducted into the team’s Media Wall of Fame in 2018 “Stan poured his heart into covering Pittsburgh sports,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement He was a true professional who was universally respected for his journalistic integrity Stan was Pittsburgh sports legend whose legacy will live on within the hearts of all Pittsburgh sports fans and all of us who knew him In addition to pregame and postgame hosting duties Savran was also known for breaking one of the biggest stories in Pittsburgh sports history when he revealed in 2000 that Mario Lemieux was planning a comeback delivered some of the best announcements in Penguins history,” the Penguins said in a message on the team’s Twitter account “He was a friend and a true professional at his craft “RIP Stan Savran” was trending throughout Pennsylvania on Monday night Thousands of social media users shared their sorrow at hearing the news and saying how much his voice will be missed and how Pittsburgh sports media will not be the same — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 13, 2023 #Steelers President Art Rooney II on the passing of Stan Savran: pic.twitter.com/AeUJ9K9Nrf — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) June 13, 2023 We loved the show, but more importantly, Stan, we loved you. pic.twitter.com/ULDNyFkNlS — Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 13, 2023 Stan Savran worked until the very last day he could He really liked talking with every single listener/viewer — Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) June 13, 2023 Saddened to hear of the passing of Stan Savran a trait that seems to be in short supply these days opinionated and had a great sense of humor — Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) June 13, 2023 Seeing so many tributes and kind words about Stan Savran I can't say I can articulate anything any better Stan was a Pittsburgh sports media icon before I was born... — Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) June 13, 2023 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. pic.twitter.com/ctgI03DrlY — Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) June 13, 2023 Not just a Pittsburgh media icon but a Pittsburgh icon It’s a honor to have known& worked with him — Mark Madden (@MarkMaddenX) June 13, 2023 Really gonna miss talking to my friend Stan every day Couldn’t have respected or admired him any more I’ve never seen someone suffer with such grace And his self-deprecating humor made me laugh HARD a brilliant sports mind & just an all class human — Bill Crawford (@dveBillCrawford) June 13, 2023 Hard to describe how gutting this is for all of us. He was so much more than a co-worker and friend. We loved Stan dearly, like so many did pic.twitter.com/LfAPpQD3U2 — Randy Baumann (@DVERandy) June 13, 2023 I interned with Stan and Guy before my junior year of college If everyone in Pittsburgh sports media had interned there at age 19 — Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) June 13, 2023 RIP Stan Savran. He was always very respectful, easy to talk with and a true professional whenever he had me on his show or I would see him at games. Tough loss for Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh sports and media. #ripgodfather — Derek Schooley (@derekschooley) June 13, 2023 Just reading thru the hundreds of posts from as many Pgh sports fans as peers of his Stan was a landmark in a town that just lives for it's teams He covered them all and was part of a great team of his own — Bill Cash (@BillCash959) June 13, 2023 Heart broken over this. Thank you Stan. Thank you for being such a great teammate and friend. Helpful, happy, smart and a pros pro. A Pittsburgh legends. So thankful to have been on your team. #TheGodfather https://t.co/GzTMlIerrx — Colby Armstrong (@armdog) June 13, 2023 Saddened to learn of the passing of the great Stan Savran Love the show. https://t.co/CIgmDLNLHm — Mario Lemieux (@MarioLemieuxFdn) June 13, 2023 Stan Savran Words cannot express how much you meant to me and my family. I will truly miss you on air, as you made my job a whole heck of alot easier. More than anything, the talks we had offline. I will be forever grateful to you! THANK YOU for being a…https://t.co/Z2YivEq8Cs — Charlie Batch (@CharlieBatch16) June 13, 2023 Another Pittsburgh media giant lost, & a great guy to boot. His fans loved him and so did all of us in the business. Stan Savran upheld the highest form of journalism - he reported fairly, held those accountable, and told it all in an entertaining way. I was thrilled to know him https://t.co/JHWH8wIg8y — Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) June 13, 2023 So sad to hear of the passing of Stan Savran It was an honor to work with him for nearly 30 years — Val Porter (@DVEValPorter) June 13, 2023 Blew my dad away that I got to be on the radio w/Stan A broadcasting legend who didn’t act like it — Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) June 13, 2023 Legendary Pittsburgh sports broadcaster Stan Savran dies Sad to hear this. Stan was an exemplary sports journalist & all around good person. https://t.co/w4hfzu0sA3 — bill peduto (@billpeduto) June 13, 2023 From the sheer amount of responses and respect it’s obvious that Pittsburghers loved the show Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com With the passing of Pittsburgh broadcasting icon Stan Savran the spotlight has turned on his place in the pantheon of talent that called or commented on Steel City sports teams over the years More than one person — including Savran’s former “SportsBeat” co-host Guy Junker — has called to mind the image of a famous monument chiseled with local legends “We’ve had some really talented sports broadcasters in Pittsburgh — Bob Prince Mike Lange — and Stan is certainly on the Mount Rushmore of that,” Junker said spending 28 years at the mic painting pictures of what happened during the Pirates’ heyday Cope’s language and patter were as much a part of Steelers games as an ironclad defense The only thing that moved faster than a puck on ice was Lange’s Penguins play-by-play But Savran wasn’t the voice of a team or a game Savran was the voice of the fans — and by extension the voice of the whole black-and-gold region he was the equivalent of that guy at the bar who always knows the answer to any sports question Maybe you didn’t have a beer with Savran while watching a game Will there ever be another sports voice like that Junker called Savran “the last of a dying breed,” and he’s right It isn’t just that Savran and Prince and Cope are gone and Lange is retired It’s that the process that made them such a part of both the sports world and people’s everyday lives is changing Few sports journalists can imagine putting five decades into a single city or a single team Scoring celebrations are now more about slickly pre-produced music and video than the lightning-fast delivery of a dedicated color commentator Television and radio now often focus on putting former players or coaches on air instead of that guy who seems like you shared some Iron City brews while criticizing the Pirates The games themselves have become more polished and corporate and expensive a ticket to see the Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium could be had for $9 The cheapest seats at Acrisure Stadium for September are $134 news outlets are acquired like Monopoly properties by bigger players and the human assets are often the first to go To develop a following and the fact base of a Savran is to grow your career in the place you cover to live and breathe the games and to have the luxury of longevity That’s how you get your face on the mountaintop It just seems unlikely we will see another Savran anytime soon Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise LEGENDARY Pittsburgh broadcaster Stan Savran has died aged 76 The sportscaster covered the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates in a broadcasting career that stretched over 50 years Originally born in Cleveland, Ohio, Savran arrived in Pittsburgh in 1976 He had answered a blind ad in a newspaper looking for a radio sportscaster at WWSW-AM His incredible career would see him eventually inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame He was best known for his NFL Steelers coverage on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh (now AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh) He had been battling lung cancer since 2022. Following news of Savran's death, Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement: "Today is a sad day in the City of Pittsburgh. "We lost a legendary person, media icon, and close friend with the passing of Stan Savran. "Stan was involved for many years working on our Steelers Radio Network as well as doing several Steelers' interviews and shows "Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this difficult time "He was truly one of a kind and will be missed While KDKA-TV's Rich Walsh described Savran as a "legend." A true professional but more importantly a great person to The Godfather of Pittsburgh sports." after taking what he thought was oxycodone Public health officials say the counterfeit pill was laced with fentanyl three other high school students have died after taking fentanyl-laced pills So far in 2019, 65 people have died from fentanyl overdoses in King County described Gabe as a generous and warm young man “There's none to completely encapsulate my son “He told me to give money away to homeless people I carry a dollar in my pocket every day now to give it to someone who needs my attention and needs my help,” Lilienthal said very hard for his money and he gave his money away “Gabe came into this life with a ton of energy,” Savran said Why are you so cute and little?’ And he'd pick me up and throw me around “Gabe certainly suffered from anxiety and insomnia Savran and Lilienthal use the word “poisoned” rather than “overdosed” when they talk about their son’s death “Because what he took was poison,” Lilienthal said And if someone is addicted to drugs and overdoses “it's equally as great a loss as our son.” “But we should be calling this a poisoning street drugs that aren't supposed to kill you — and they will kill you.” “We feel like there's a serial killer on the street,” Savran said “They're selling these drugs to people and it's like Russian roulette This one might just make you sleep or take your pain away for a few hours.” “The difference is like a microdose of fentanyl And just slightly bigger than a microdose is the difference between life and death,” she said “That's why we're here speaking out in the midst of the most horrific days of our lives." “We hope that being here will make a difference in other people's lives and change the culture on our streets King County Sheriff's detectives are still trying to track down who provided the counterfeit pills to Gabe and to two other teens who died recently in Sammamish who is 15 years old and a sophomore at Ballard High School “She was the one who found Gabe and she tried to resuscitate him You know how brothers and sisters can have a love/hate relationship and he started being just super loving and supportive of her.” “My heart was bursting because that's what parents would love for their children — that they can be there for each other in such a loving He was supposed to be there with me for my life.’” but I'm not so sure if losing a brother is any easier than that especially when he's so young,” Savran said In addition to educating people about the danger of counterfeit drugs Lilienthal and Savran want to remind people of how quickly lives can change – and how precious our close relationships are It's like a switch turning on and off,” Lilienthal said If he had known what would happen to his son “Maybe I would have spent less time on the phone when he was with me.” Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above Kim is the local news host of KUOW's All Things Considered Kim covers breaking and developing daily news as part of NPR's afternoon drive time programming Andy Hurst is a senior producer for Seattle Now He produces in-depth interviews for the show in addition to Seattle Now's evening episode which highlights the top stories of the day from the KUOW newsroom Andy has produced interviews on a wide array of topics and he’s especially drawn to stories about public health nonprofit news organization that produces award-winning journalism .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By BROWN AND WHITE STAFF“Thank you valuable lessons and amazing friends that you [have] given me.” Andrew Krentz helped his team win Lehigh's first-ever Patriot League Championship in men's tennis on Sunday playing an essential role by winning his doubles match and clinching the doubles point Krentz epitomizes excellence as a student-athlete Receiving recognition as the 2012 Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year being named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team as a sophomore and a junior and earning a title of Lehigh’s Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2011 are a select few of the accomplishments he has as a Mountain Hawk where he was captain of a high school team that finished third in the state he was ranked in the top 20 in Chicago boys 18’s and in the top 70 in Midwest boys 18’s The 5-foot-9-inch senior started out strong at Lehigh with an 11-7 overall singles record and a 2-3 overall doubles record his freshman year achieving Patriot League Academic Honor Roll as well when he was named a Lehigh Martindale Scholar and repeated on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll His junior year overall statistics for singles and doubles were 12-8 and 10-10 is not yet over; he and his team will advance to the NCAA tournament as a result of the team’s championship win competing as a college athlete has been the highlight of his time at Lehigh the men's tennis team had never won a Patriot League Championship it brought back Patriot League Champion hardware Savran said losing the match by a couple of points was tough but helped the team achieve future success Savran and Krentz were elected as co-captains he said that this year was the most fulfilling one because he was able to win a title with his closest friends Savran had set personal and team goals prior to the start of this season: he wanted the team to go undefeated in singles conference play and win the Patriot League Championship Savran received the MVP award for the tournament Savran attributed his success to his coaches Wouter Hendrix and Jackie Carleton; co-captain Andrew Krentz; and the rest of his teammates none of his accomplishments would have been feasible The men will lead their team against a yet-undetermined foe on May 10 in the first round of the NCAA tournament Story by Brown and White sports writers Sarah Plombon, '16, and Luke Beil Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Scott Savran, Arabs and Iranians in the Islamic Conquest Narrative: Memory and Identity Construction in Islamic Historiography, 750–1050 (London: Routledge Jadaliyya (J): What made you write this book Scott Savran (SS): My objective in writing this book is to bring to light the potential of an approach which examines early Islamic historiography of the pre-Islamic period to see what it can tell us about the Muslim authors of historical texts as well as the issues and controversies that shaped their respective milieus I have been intrigued by Islamic historical portrayals of the pre-Islamic Iranians with their diverse ancient traditions and cultures I came to realize that while the mining of Islamic historiography for positivist historical facts about these civilizations is a necessary endeavor much more attention needs to be given to the very important dimension of the contemporaneous social and historical commentary which lies embedded in these textual depictions of the time before Islam This underlying commentary becomes readily apparent to those who allow context to guide their reading of these texts I chose to focus on “Arabs” and “Iranians” because I was struck in my research by the strong emotions of juxtaposing pride and polemic that clearly stand out in Islamic textual depictions comparing these peoples While previous generations of scholars have been criticized by their present-day counterparts for casually applying reductive terms like “nationalism” to describe this sentiment it is my opinion that no study to date has provided an effective argument for expressing what exactly early Muslim scholars were thinking of when they wrote about diametrically opposed Arab and Iranian civilizations I hope that this book will therefore contribute to an understanding of how the past was conceived in early Islamic collective memory as a tool to bolster or negate contemporaneous constructions of identity SS: This book analyzes how early Muslim historians portrayed the history of the relationship between the Sasanian empire and the tribes and states of the Arabian peninsula and Iraq as a didactic narrative forecasting the rise of Islam as well as the Muslim conquest of Iran I ask how dynamic identity and power discourses within the early Islamic world shaped this narrative My main theme is that the crystallization of Arab-Islamic and Iranian-Islamic identities occurring between 750-1050 is inextricably linked with collective memory and themes emanating from this process of identity formation are projected into the context of this narrative these anachronisms are intended to guide the reader of this historical drama in the direction of the unfolding plot—i.e. the gradual transition of power occurring between these two peoples The primary sources of my analysis include works of ta’rīkh (historical chronicles) and adab (belles-lettres style literature) J: How does this book connect to and/or depart from your previous work Besides developing a broader historical context to frame my analysis the major difference from my dissertation is that my book is guided by a deeper reading into literary and sociological theory and approaches on identity and alterity I have taken a more nuanced view of the Shu‘ūbiyya— i.e anti-Arab nationalists—by arguing that it was essentially a fabrication of social critics who were looking to discredit admirers of Iranian civilization and what sort of impact would you like it to have SS: Besides specialists and students of early Islamic history it is my hope that this book will start and build upon conversations across historical fields and contemporary Islamic/Middle East Studies I hope that this book adds to scholarly discussions across subject areas regarding pre-modern identity construction J: What other projects are you working on now SS: I’m currently working on a comprehensive study analyzing identity and state formation in the early Islamic Middle East This monograph will ask how diverse manifestations of identity (tribal etc.) intersect with dynamic power discourses from the rise of Islam through the early Ottoman period J: How does your book stand out with respect to modern scholarship in your field SS: My book stands out by virtue of its unique approach Traditional scholarship on the Sasanian era has utilized Islamic historiography in tandem with Christian sources with the goal of creating a positivistic picture of what this period looked like My book is unique in that my objective is to show how the drama that unfolded between the Arabs and Sasanians in the Islamic historical tradition must be viewed through the lens of discourses and issues pervading the societies of early Muslim chroniclers my primary concern is to understand how an early Muslim audience may have made sense of this narrative and how this reception would have evolved over a three-hundred year period through changing social and political circumstances this is the first study of its kind that is devoted entirely to analyzing Islamic historiography of the pre-Islamic period through the mirror of latter day concerns The Battle of al-Qādisiyya (AD 636) was the decisive victory for the Muslim-Arabs over the Sasanian empire opening up Iran for conquest and resulting in the eradication of the Sasanian dynasty 923) details numerous reports (akhbār) of the embassies which the Arabs sent to the Persian camp in the days prior to this battle His main source for these accounts is Sayf b a Kufan transmitter of traditions who has been noted for his literary embellishment and questionable reliability Each of these meetings proceeds roughly as follows: The Arab ambassador The soldiers display their glistening armor and impressive weaponry and the nobles don their finest brocades and diadems At the end of a spread carpet lined with cushions the Sasanian general Rustam sits atop a golden throne pays no heed to the Iranians’ display of pomp and proceeds to approach Rustam Rustam then begins the dialogue by disparaging the Arabs for their poverty and offers to give them some meager provisions if they would return to their land remains composed and dignified despite this treatment and eloquently responds by chastising the Persians for their decadence proclaiming the message of the Prophet Muḥammad and offering them the ultimatum of conversion These reports’ formulaic emphasis on the contrast between the Arabs’ poverty and the Iranians’ imperial splendor renders their veracity suspect What is furthermore intriguing is the fact that al-Ṭabarī affords far less coverage to the Arab-Muslims’ early campaigns against the Roman (Byzantine) empire than he gives to the conquest of Iran This is unusual considering the wealth of conquest literature (futūḥ) on the Arabs’ Western campaigns to which al-Ṭabarī would have had access These works exhibit similar tropes of contrast in their portrayals of encounters between Arabs and representatives of Roman empire Why therefore did al-Ṭabarī devote so much attention to Sayf’s dubious rendition of the al-Qādisiyya embassies How might the social and political circumstances in which he lived have shaped his attitude towards these events was he trying to convey to his reader through his portrayal of these embassies Al-Ṭabarī’s chronicle belongs to a genre of Islamic historiography consisting of comprehensive world histories composed between the late ninth and early eleventh centuries These works vary in their coverage of the civilizations of the pre-Islamic world the lion’s share of their focus is on two groups: the Arabs and the Iranians the great civilizations of Greece and Rome and China are frankly not afforded the same depth of coverage in terms of their internal dynamics as the Arabs and the Iranians Considering the fact that Islam was born in the Arabian peninsula natural that Arab history should be afforded a prominent position in any Islamic historical work As far as the Iranian orientation of these texts is concerned this is a reflection of these historians’ social context Most of the universal chronographers were of Iranian origin (Al-Ṭabarī hailed from the region of Ṭabaristān they were writing in an era witnessing the dominance in the central and eastern Islamic lands of Iranian political enterprises and a concomitant wide-scale resurgence of Iranian traditions and culture The universal chronicles of this era therefore evince an attempt to merge the histories of the pre-Islamic Arab and Iranian peoples into a universal cycle of aggregate accounts culminating with the rise of Islam As a watershed moment bringing these two civilizations together it is no wonder then why the events surrounding the seminal Battle of al-Qādisiyya receive so much attention in these works in comparison to their depiction of the Byzantine conquests this streaming of two distinct traditions into a single historical consciousness was no easy task especially considering that the transmitters these historians relied upon lived in a different social and political context from theirs and while Iranian culture certainly exercised a strong influence on the early ‘Abbasid Iraq of Sayf b and the Arab genealogist and antiquarian Hishām b it had not yet reached the same degree of dominance there and elsewhere in the Dār al-Islām as it had by the time we arrive at the universal chronographers’ era living in different times and in different contexts come to terms with and give meaning to the Arab conquest of Iran [Excerpted from Arabs and Iranians in the Islamic Conquest Narrative: Memory and Identity Construction in Islamic Historiography Used with permission of author and publisher.] the longest running sports show in Pittsburgh television history.  His show is on every night on Fox Sports Pittsburgh at 6:30 p.m.  Stan was kind enough to take a few minutes to chat with us regarding his thoughts on the current state of the Steelers.  By the way don't be at all surprised if Stan gets back on the radio on the heels of the Mark Madden firing; either in Madden's spot directly or to replace Junker and Crowe in the morning who may move into Madden's spot    BTSC:  You came to Pittsburgh from Cleveland of all places.  That's like moving from Ann Arbor to Columbus.  Did you ever have feelings for the Browns and how did those feelings sort out when you became attached to the Steelers SAVRAN:   I had strong feelings for the Browns growing up.  My dad had season tickets and took me to the games.  When I moved to Pittsburgh in January of 1976 but after I got to know the players I couldn't help but fall for the Steelers.  That was right in the middle of the dynasty and the players were really great to me.  I was never a big Art Modell fan and when he yanked the team out of town that was the last straw.  The Indians I am a huge Indians fan and that will never change BTSC:  Savran on SportsBeat has been successful for a long time.  To what do you attribute this success and how do you keep things fresh SAVRAN:  The show started in March 1991 and Beano Cook hosted the first show.  Guy Junker actually started it all with Myron Cope and I succeeded Myron.  TV talk was brand new back then.  Sports talk radio was really not a factor in the evenings so we had a unique opportunity.  Guy and I had great chemistry.  As far as keeping it fresh the news of the day itself keeps it fresh.  Plus BTSC:  Being in a situation where you get to know the players and coaches personally over time do you find it difficult to be critical of people you want to continue cultivating relationships with it really is a fine line.  Players find out what is said about them and sometimes confront you.  But my first responsibility is to the viewer.  I have found that as long as I am honest about what I do and go about things professionally the players will respect me.  I've had players approach me and privately admit that what I said about them was true.  I am not looking to be anyone's friend and that's important to understand.  I do want to be fair and honest and let the chips fall where they may BTSC:  Mike Tomlin has said all the right things from day one.  He never makes excuses and never throws players or coaches under the bus.  Yet our offensive line deteriorate and the defense could not come up with critical stops at the end of games.  All that said how much of a Mike Tomlin fan are you now and down the road SAVRAN:  I am a huge Mike Tomlin fan.  He's absolutely terrific and is just going to get better.  You have to remember that success in the NFL is basically cyclical.  It's set up that way.  Tomlin inherited a team that was on the downturn after their Super Bowl win.  Don't let last year's record fool you.  The Steelers needed to get younger at just about every position and look how much they've done in his two drafts?  They couldn't address everything but what they did address they did extremely well.  Mike Tomlin is doing a great job of improving a team that was aging more so than alot of people realize were you surprised that they didn't address the lines more in the offseason SAVRAN:  Their Draft philosophy was to stay true to their board and they did that.  Maybe if a lineman was close thay would have taken him but with each of their picks the guy they took was way ahead of anything else.  They took guys they couldn't pass on.  Sweed was the 25th best player available and they got him 53rd.  Still the defensive line is really getting old and has little depth I am much more concerned about that than the offensive line where they brought in a nice upgrade at center Nose tackles can lose it in a real hurry due to the pounding their huge bodies take.  Remember Joel Steed?  He was very good and then fell off the table.  Casey had a down year and his age isn't in his favor BTSC:  Do you think the Steelers are too conservative as an organization or do you think their style is the reason for their success SAVRAN:  Both.  They do limit themselves by playing it straight.  They just don't overpay for players like some teams that are more aggressive do.  However their system is designed to be a contending team year after year not just go gung-ho for a Super Bowl and then bottom out for 10 years.  Pittsburgh fans prefer consistency and so does the Rooney family.  They may not take gambles like other teams but they also don't lose gambles like other teams BTSC:  Speaking of not overpaying players what can we make of the whole Max Starks ordeal?  He gets beaten out at right tackle by a guy who seems more like a guard then gets $6.9 million thrown at him for one season making neither short-term or long-term sense but from the Steelers' perspective they had to pay any price to keep from losing both tackles within the next year.  I'm guessing that a long-term deal with Max will get done.  He's still young.  Marvell is coming off back problems and will be an unrestricted free agent over 30 years of age in a year.  They couldn't afford to lose two tackles.  Max still has upside with this new regime working with him.  The offensive line this year may not be as good as 2005 BTSC:  How do you see the AFC North this year?  The Browns seem to be the sexy pick nationally SAVRAN:  The Browns need to prove they can win a big game before I am sold on them.  They may By that I mean 8-8.  Pittsburgh may win the division with that record The schedule this year is alot different than it was a year ago BTSC:  What are your thoughts about the labor-management situation Should the Steelers be concerned about the future SAVRAN:  Nope.  A deal is going to get done.  They will renegotiate the percantage paid to the players.  Gene Upshaw got the players a great deal last round but it's too much and the players have too much to lose to be stubborn.  It may cost Upshaw his job but a deal will get done.  Jerry Jones is not going to allow a work stoppage the year before his new stadium is to host the Super Bowl BTSC:  In the recent past you have expressed concern about the depth of the receiving corp.  The Steelers grabbed Sweed and seem to have alot of young Walker and then there's Willie Reid.  How do you think the receiving corp will sift out SAVRAN:  I'd love to see Sweed and Holmes split out with Ward in the slot but Hines has an awfully big ego.  I don't know how he'll accept Sweed honestly.  I can see Sweed eventually replace Hines in the slot even though he's tall.  If Hines buys into a three-receiver set with Sweed and Holmes that can be really potent.  It depends on Hines' ego.  Nate is just average always has been and always will be.  Those other guys are probably just bodies Many thanks to Stan Savran for taking the time - Researchers are developing a new type of biological and chemical sensor that has few moving parts The "diffraction-based" sensors are made of thin stripes of a gelatinous material called a hydrogel which expands and contracts depending on the acidity of its environment Recent research findings have demonstrated that the sensor can be used to precisely determine pH - a measure of how acidic or basic a liquid is - revealing information about substances in liquid environments said Cagri Savran (pronounced Chary Savran) an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University The sensor's simple design could make it more practical than other sensors in development "Many sensors being developed today are brilliantly designed but are too expensive to produce require highly skilled operators and are not robust enough to be practical," said Savran whose work is based at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center in the university's Discovery Park New findings show the technology is highly sensitive and might be used in chemical and biological applications including environmental monitoring in waterways and glucose monitoring in blood but the detection principle behind this technology is so simple that it wouldn't be difficult to commercialize," said Savran who is collaborating with another team of researchers led by Babak Ziaie a Purdue professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering Findings are detailed in a paper presented during the IEEE Sensors 2010 Conference in November and also published in the conference proceedings The paper was written by postdoctoral researcher Chun-Li Chang water-insoluble hydrogel is formed into a series of raised stripes called a "diffraction grating," which is coated with gold on both the stripe surfaces and the spaces in between The stripes expand and contract depending on the pH level of the environment Researchers in Ziaie's lab fabricated the hydrogel while Savran's group led work in the design development and testing of the diffraction-based sensor The sensors work by analyzing laser light reflecting off the gold coatings Reflections from the stripes and spaces in between interfere with each other creating a "diffraction pattern" that differs depending on the height of the stripes These diffraction patterns indicate minute changes in the movement of the hydrogel stripes in response to the environment the diffraction patterns can reveal a lot of information about the sample environment," said Savran who by courtesy is an associate professor of biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering "This technology detects very small changes in the swelling of the diffraction grating The pH of a liquid is recorded on a scale from 0 to 14 with 0 being the most acidic and 14 the most basic Findings showed the device's high sensitivity enables it to resolve changes smaller than one-1,000th on the pH scale measuring swelling of only a few nanometers A nanometer is about 50,000 times smaller than the finest sand grain "We know we can make them even more sensitive," Savran said gratings responsive to stimuli other than pH can also be fabricated." "It's a good example of collaborations that can blossom when labs focusing on different research are located next to each other," Savran said "Professor Ziaie's lab was already working with hydrogels and my group was working on diffraction-based sensors Hearing about the hydrogels work next door Chun-Li Chang thought of making a reflective diffraction grating out of hydrogels." ###The Office of Technology Commercialization of the Purdue Research Foundation has filed for U.S This diagram depicts a new type of "diffraction-based" sensor made of thin stripes of a gelatinous material called a hydrogel The new type of biological and chemical sensor has few moving parts and works by precisely determining pH revealing the identity of substances in liquid environments such as water or blood The microscopic images at bottom show how the hydrogel stripes expand with decreasing acidity A publication-quality photo is available at http://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/2011/savran-sensors.jpg are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system Copyright © 2025 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko and linebacker H.B. Blades will visit the studios of FSN Pittsburgh Thursday evening to appear on "Savran on SportsBeat." The popular television show Palko and Blades will discuss Pitt's spring football drills and the upcoming 2006 season Both are returning All-Big East honorees and have their sights set on All-America consideration this year