Bob Smizik
Robert Smizik is a former sportswriter and columnist for the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Smizik was bought out of his contract by the "Post-Gazette" in mid-December 2008, then retiring from his duties as a full-time columnist for the paper. He covered Pittsburgh and National sports topics on a locally popular blog hosted at the Post-Gazette's website until October 14, 2015, when he announced that his writing days were behind him in a final article. Smizik was originally hired by the "Pittsburgh Press" in June 1969 and was a beat reporter for both the Pittsburgh  Pirates, 1972-77 and the Pitt football and basketball, 1978-82 during the first few decades of his career. He became a columnist in 1983. He is a native of Pittsburgh and graduated from Peabody High School and the University of Pittsburgh. Smizik became popular in the 1990s for his appearances on many Pittsburgh sports shows including "Sportsbeat".