BBWAA members who vote for the Hall of Fame can annually vote for as many as 10 players on the ballot. The majority do not, but this year there are at least 10 players worthy entering Cooperstown.

Hey, Hoynsie: What players did you vote for on your Hall of Fame ballot this year? – Alex Keene, Pepper Pike.

Hey, Alex: First a little history. Every member of the BBWAA with 10 years in the organization can vote for the Hall of Fame. This year’s ballot was loaded with great players. Along with a talented class of newcomers and the growing list of steroid-tainted candidates, the traditional 10-vote limit per voter seemed too small for some BBWAA members so a committee is being formed to discuss the matter.

As of now, each voter is still limited to 10 votes. Out of the over 500 ballots cast last year, only about 20 percent of the voters voted for 10 players on their ballots. I almost always vote for 10 players.

In that regard, here are the 10 players I voted for this year: Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Edgar Martinez, Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, Lee Smith, Frank Thomas and Tim Raines.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you see any possibility that the Indians can work some magic and trade for David Price? – Tom Cassity, Toledo.

Hey, Tom: As talented as Price is, I think the cost would be so high that you would gut the rest of the roster. In two years Price would leave through free agency and the Indians would have a huge mess on their hands.

Hey, Hoynsie: Tribe attendance last year was mediocre, but revenue from ticket sales was reportedly up 20 percent. Shouldn’t this be talked about more? -– John Bartter, London, England.

Hey, John: The attendance was a lot worse than mediocre. The Tribe finished second last in the big leagues with an estimated 1.6 million in attendance, but the fact that a Tribe ticket carried more value last year is encouraging.

By cutting out freebies and using the “dynamic ticket pricing’ system to encourage fans to buy tickets earlier at cheaper rates, the Indians were able to boost revenues. Should the Indians ever get back to the days when they drew between 2.5 million and 3 million fans a year, combined with national and local TV money, it could help them have a much more productive offseason than they’ve had this winter.

Hey, Hoynsie: Should Tribe fans be concerned that new closer John Axford’s career stats are worse than those belonging to departed closer Chris Perez? – Alex Gentilis, Cleveland.

Hey, Alex: I’d be more concerned if Axford has a dog named Brodie. Hey, I couldn’t help myself.

To me a closer has to do one thing – save games. Axford has saved 83 percent (106-of-127) of his save opportunities, while Perez has saved 85 percent (132-of-156) of his save chances.

The concern for me is that Axford, except for the first three games of last season, has been out of the closer’s job for a full year. Closers don’t ease into a game, they come stomping in with both feet. I’m curious to see how Axford reclaims his old job after a year's absence.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka the domino that must fall before Ubaldo Jimenez signs with someone? – Jory Grad, Toronto.

Hey, Jory: You hit the Tanaka on the head and the Ubaldo as well.

Hey, Hoynsie: Are the Dolans the best owners of a professional sports team in Cleveland? I’d have to say yes! – Gary Marano, Brunswick.

Hey, Gary: Financially, they have the smallest pockets and compete in a business which requires the biggest because there is no salary cap. At times that can be a maddening combination.

But there is something to say about consistency, stability and trusting the people you hire to do the jobs they were hired to do.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians seem to be signing sore-armed pitchers, just like they did in the 1970s. How many have had arm surgery? – Gary McCullough, Parma.

Hey, Gary: Where pitchers are concerned, it’s harder to find ones who haven’t hard surgery than ones who have had a procedure. Enter a big league locker room and I’d say the majority of pitchers there have had some kind of elbow or shoulder surgery.

The thing the Indians training staff excels at is rehabbing those pitchers to a point where they can be productive again.

Hey, Hoynsie: Where did the Indians rank in terms of payroll in 2012 ad 2013 and where will they rank in 2014? – Brian Heldman, Hudson.

Hey, Brian: In 2012 the Indians ranked 24th in opening day payroll among MLB ‘s 30 teams at $65,430,300. In 2013, they ranked 23rd with a payroll of $80,605,733, the lowest in the AL Central.

On opening day 2014, they should be in the same vicinity as they were in 2013 with a payroll between $80 million to $85 million.

Those numbers were compiled from Cot’s Baseball Contracts at Baseball Prospectus.

Hey, Hoynsie: What do you think the chances of Carlos Santana being an effective third baseman are? – Brenden Pawlak, Chardon.

Hey, Brenden: When I first heard that Santana was going to play third base in the Dominican Republic this winter, I thought if Miguel Cabrera can play third anybody can play third. Of course, a two-time MVP and Triple Crown winner can play just about wherever he wants.

Santana definitely has enough arm to play the position and he seemed nimble enough around the bag when he played first and had to come out from behind the plate on bunts. I wonder about his reaction time because that's what third base is all about, but it sounds as if the Indians will continue the experiment in spring training so we’ll know more then.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is the fact that Asdrubal Cabrera is still on the team related to lack of interest in him or do the Indians believe they can revive him like they did with Ubaldo Jimenez? – Michael Reihard, Warren.

Hey, Michael: This is Cabrera’s walk year as 2013 was Jimenez's walk year. If players have to be revived with free agency so close at hand, the fault is their own.

The Cavaliers prepare for their second game without Kyrie Irving when they face the Brooklyn Nets tonight, but coach Mike Brown was happy with Jarrett Jack's direction Thursday against Orlando.

NEW YORK – The Cavaliers are preparing to play their second consecutive game this season without Kyrie Irving, but for the first time since the All-Star point guard arrived in Cleveland, they are not so worried.

Not about the fact that Irving is hurt again. That part is always troubling.

But for the first time in a long time, the Cavaliers feel comfortable with their back-up point guard, Jarrett Jack.

Jack performed ably in directing the offense, in particular, in the Cavaliers' victory over Orlando on Thursday. He logged seven assists and seven rebounds in the outing, and Cavaliers coach Mike Brown liked the way Jack got the team into the flow of the offense.

"Jarrett is an older guy who has been around the block, who has run a lot of different offenses," Brown said. "Jarrett just has a comfort level of telling guys what to do, where to go, when to do it and he knows how to really spread it around. The biggest thing I thought Jarrett did in our last game is he was able to get us into our early flow without the defense being set. That's something we're continuing to preach, no matter who's in at point guard, whether it's Kyrie, Delly or Jack. We want to look to attack first, if we can't attack we want to flow right into our offense and move the defense. I thought Jarrett's vocal leadership, offensively especially, in our last game was really good."

Irving did not travel with the team for the one-game road trip, and remains day-to-day.

Probable starters: Cavs -- F Earl Clark, F Tristan Thompson, C Anderson Varejao, G C.J. Miles, G Jarrett Jack. Nets -- G Joe Johnson, F Paul Pierce, F Kevin Garnett, G Deron Williams, G Shaun Livingston.

Injuries: Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving (left knee contusion) is out. Nets – Brook Lopez (fractured right foot) is out.

Officials: Jason Phillips, Brian Forte, James Williams.

Up next for Cavs: vs. Indiana on Sunday at The Q.

Erick Smith issued an oral commitment to Ohio State during the second quarter of Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Smith became the 20th commitment in the Buckeyes's 2014 recruiting class.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Erick Smith’s recruitment followed the typical Glenville route. There were smokescreens and mixed signals, a variety of visits and a long wait for programs to learn his eventual college destination.

But like so many Glenville prospects before him, Smith eventually arrived at a familiar destination – Ohio State.

A four-star prospect rated by Rivals.com the No. 11 safety in the 2014 recruiting class, Smith announced his commitment to the Buckeyes during the second quarter of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

Smith, who chose Ohio State over Alabama, Kentucky and Michigan, became Ohio State’s 20th oral commitments in a 2014 class that is quickly approaching capacity. The Buckeyes, however, hope to have 21 commitments within the next few hours.

That’s because Smith’s teammate, four-star athlete Marshon Lattimore, is schedule to announce his college decision in the fourth quarter of the game. Lattimore is choosing between Alabama and Ohio State, and it is expected that he’ll join Smith and offensive tackle Marcelys Jones – another Glenville prospect – in the Buckeyes' 2014 class.

Smith almost decided not to announce his decision Saturday, but he said he sat down and spoke with Lattimore. Smith may have ruined the suspense for where Lattimore will commit later this afternoon. 

"Me and Marshon talked, that's my guy, we always had a dream playing together," Smith said. "Better to do it at home than anywhere else." 

These three prospects were the subject of our Breaking Bama series, a three-part series that detailed the Ohio State’s head-to-head recruiting battle with Alabama, which took place in Cleveland at Glenville. 

Stay tuned with Cleveland.com for more on Lattimore this afternoon. 

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Dante Booker had a memorable season at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s this season. The senior capped off the year earning another prestigious award on Friday taking home the American Family Insurance defensive player of the year award at the U.S. Army All-American Awards Show. A number of Army representatives spoke to the athletes at the Lila...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Dante Booker had a memorable season at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s this season. The senior capped off the year earning another prestigious award on Friday taking home the American Family Insurance defensive player of the year award at the U.S. Army All-American Awards Show. A number of Army representatives spoke to the athletes at the Lila Cockrell Theater Convention Center including NFL Hall of Famer and keynote speaker Rod Woodson.

The senior from St. Vincent-St. Mary’s earned a spot among the finalists following a season earning Ohio’s Mr. Football award and helping his team win the Division III state finals.

The defensive player of the year will join his East Team teammates including fellow Ohio football players senior wide receiver Marshon Lattimore (Glenville), offensive lineman Marcelys Jones (Glenville) and defensive back Erick Smith (Glenville) in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Booker has committed to playing at Ohio State University.

The U.S. Army All-American football game will be played Saturday and will air live on NBC at 1 p.m.

Urban Meyer said Brown is not coached to attempt to return a punt like that, but he tried and fumbled.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Five takes on Ohio State's 40-35 loss in the Orange Bowl to Clemson on Friday night filed from a white rocking chair across from Burger King in the Charlotte airport on my layover on the way back to Ohio.

1. Braxton Miller answered questions in a corner of the locker room Friday night, while J.T. Barrett quietly dressed at his locker nearby, the freshman still for the moment able to go about his business without much trouble. That may not last for long. That's because the junior quarterback in front of him looked and sounded like someone ready to move on.

Miller was a bit of curiosity after both the Michigan State loss in the Big Ten Championship and after Friday night's Orange Bowl loss to Clemson. Neither time, did Miller look particularly upset by the defeat. Everyone handles losing differently, and it wasn't like the OSU locker room was filled with tears after the Buckeyes blew some late opportunities.

When I asked Miller what he felt after his final interception that iced the game for Clemson, he said, “like everyone's going to hate me. So I just keep a smile on my face and keep it going and get better from it.” And that smile was there.

His first year in Columbus in 2011 was a whirlwind, Miller tossed into the center of a storm that ended with a 6-7 season. Judging a confused freshman in that mess was unfair.

And then he and the Buckeyes started winning. And winning. And winning. And only in the last two games have we seen Miller, as a nearly finished product, lose.

A reporter from Miami asked Miller after the game what he said to the team after the loss. It's a question a regular reporter who covers Ohio State wouldn't ask, because Miller isn't that kind of guy. It was receiver Philly Brown who stood before the team with a final message after the game, according to other players.

When Tim Tebow suffered a heartbreaking loss at Florida, he gave a postgame speech that the Gators put on a plaque. Urban Meyer seems like the kind of coach who wants a speech plaque quarterback. That's not what he has in Miller.

There's a chance that's what Barrett might be.

Anyone trying to rush the two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year off to the NFL because Ohio State lost two in a row and he missed some throws in crazy. The Buckeyes will be better next year with Miller back. But in the corner of that locker room, the past and future may have been dressing next to each other. If so, they will be different.

2. Philly Brown just can't try to return that punt, under pressure, late in the third quarter like he did. With Ohio State up two scores, at 29-20, with just under four minutes left in the third, that's almost a situation where a coach could tell the returner to fair catch it no matter what. But Brown is a senior and a captain, so the Buckeyes probably trusted him there. That wasn't just a turnover, but a poor decision, and while physical errors happen, it was obvious that Meyer was frustrated by Brown's choice there. And he had a right to be.

“That was a big part of … Philly is one of those guys that I'd rather not do that,” Meyer said. “He's one of those skilled athletes and tries to … (he) really wanted to make a game-changing attempt to do something. Once again, he's not coached to do that. We're not playing the blame game guys. That was a big play, though.”

The problem with the idea is that the Buckeyes didn't need a big play there. They just needed to control the ball and eat up some clock. I joked during the game that Ohio State's kickoff return men should come out with the ball and kneel on the 1-yard line to force Ohio State to drive the ball 99 yards. That was the best way to eat clock and keep Clemson's Tajh Body and Sammy Watkins off the field.

The drive before the Brown fumble, Ohio State went 87 yards in nine plays, taking 4:47 off the clock, to build that 9-point lead. If Brown had called for the fair catch, Ohio State would have taken over with solid field position at its own 37-yardline with 3:36 left in the third quarter. Even just an OK drive would have taken the Buckeyes into the fourth quarter with a two-score lead.

“I had a big turnover and we had a couple plays called back,” Brown said. “You can't point the finger. You just take accountability for yourself and move forward.”

When it comes to knowing the situation of the game, and what's in your head at key moments, you can point at least a little at the return man and his coaches who allowed even the thought of taking an unnecessary chance like that creep into a veteran's head in the final 19 minutes of a 14-game season,.

3. The early offensive gameplan against Clemson might have been enough to beat Michigan State. The Tigers stopped the Buckeyes on the ground more effectively, yet Ohio State, at least for a while, kept trying to run up the middle far more often than the Buckeyes did against the Spartans. And it was worth the try.

“We couldn't get a whole lot going in the run game, or at least we were sporadic in the run game. They did a nice job crowding the line of scrimmage,” offensive coordinator Tom Herman said. “We knew we had to take some shots on them, and I was happy we converted on some of the shots. That was encouraging. But we came up one possession short at the end.”

Carlos Hyde carrying the ball on 25 out of 72 plays (35 percent of the time) was a better ratio than the 18 carries out of 63 plays (29 percent) against Michigan State. Against the Spartans, Hyde averaged 6.6 yards per carry. Against Clemson it was 4.5 yards per carry. But at least the Buckeyes didn't abandon their bread-and-butter back – until the end.

Hyde didn't touch the ball on the drive after Clemson took the lead 40-35 with 6:16 left. The Buckeyes hit a couple big plays, a 21-yard pass to Philly Brown and a 16-yard run by Miller. But there was no Hyde in there.

Still, if Ohio State had tried running between the tackles on Dec. 7 as much as the Buckeyes did on Jan. 3, they might have been playing on Jan. 6 instead.

4. Several people have e-mailed and asked on Twitter about the Ohio State timeouts at the end of the game. With my head down writing, I wasn't paying close attention at the end after Braxton Miller's final pick. So when I was in the news conference with Urban Meyer briefly, and asked two questions, the timeouts weren't on my mind. But, looking at the boxscore, I also think it's not an issue.

One Twitter follower said the TV broadcast showed Ohio State having two timeouts remaining with about 30 seconds left and Clemson with a second down. If the boxscore is right, the Buckeyes actually had just one left. And it wouldn't have done anything.

The boxscore shows Ohio State called a timeout when Clemson had the ball on third-and-13 with under two minutes left. It was, in fact, called right before C.J. Barnett's interception.

It also shows Ohio State calling a second timeout after Clemson's first-down play after the last Miller pick. That was with 1:13 left. Clemson then made a first down on second-and-four, so with Ohio State down to just one timeout at that point, calling it wouldn't have done anything except delay the inevitable.

5. Ohio State had holes, obviously. The biggest may have been behind the scenes, in the depth of the roster. The transfers after the coaching change when Meyer came in, and then a sizable list of injuries, depleted the roster. The Buckeyes didn't have a good enough third corner or third safety. The further the program gets away from the coaching transition, and once the three-scholarship loss from NCAA sanctions is gone after 2014, those issues shouldn't be as severe. Though the cloud from the NCAA scandal, disappeared quickly, after keeping Ohio State from the postseason last year, in the end, those issues lingered enough to contribute to the two losses at the end of this season.

Four-star athlete Marshon Lattimore joined teammates Erick Smith and Marcelys Jones in the Buckeyes' 2014 recruiting class with a commitment at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday. Urban Meyer is proving the Glenville-to-Ohio State pipeline is alive and well.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – By the time the fourth quarter of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl rolled around, the months of anticipation leading up to Glenville defensive back Marshon Lattimore’s college decision had vanished.

It’s not that everyone wasn’t interested in Lattimore’s college destination. It was more because safety Erick Smith, a fellow Tarblooder who announced his commitment to Ohio State in the second quarter, had basically blown Lattimore’s cover.

“Me and Marshon talked,” said Smith as he addressed the crowd in San Antonio’s Alamodome shortly after his announcement. “That’s my guy, and we always had a dream of playing together. It’s better to do it at home than anywhere else.”

So when Lattimore took the same stage later to also announce that he’s headed to Ohio State, it was almost as if everyone in the stadium already knew where he was going. They probably knew that even before Smith blew the surprise.

Because these are Glenville prospects, and their recruitments followed the typical narrative of Tarblooders prospects of the past. There were smokescreens and mixed signals, a variety of visits and, in the end, a long wait to learn their eventual decisions.

But like so many Glenville prospects before them, Smith and Lattimore eventually arrived at a familiar destination – Ohio State.

Were Lattimore and Smith always going to be a package deal? 

"You could say so. We always wanted to go to the same school," Lattimore said. "Plus we have (former) teammates that have already gone there." 

In the past 17 years, 19 Glenville players have made the decision to continue their football careers at Ohio State. And in the 2014 recruiting class, the Buckeyes will add three more Glenville products in not only Lattimore and Smith, but also offensive tackle Marcelys Jones. 

View full sizeGlenville seniors Erick Smith (left), Marshon Lattimore (center) and Marcelys Jones (right) are all committed to Ohio State. They were regular visitors in Columbus during the fall.Ari Wasserman

Guiton said he will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in the Los Angeles area on Jan. 18.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Kenny Guiton didn't get much of a chance Friday night. Though Braxton Miller hurt his shoulder in the first quarter, the Ohio State coaches said that as long as he could stand and throw, he'd stay in. So the Buckeyes' backup QB was limited to one two-point conversion incompletion in the fourth quarter after Miller took an especially hard hit on a touchdown pass.

"I wish I had a chance to throw one pass before that one two-point conversion," Guiton said Friday night after the Buckeyes' 40-35 loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

"No excuses. I should have completed the ball. I'm always ready, so whenever my number is called, I'm ready go to."

He's going to keep going, at least for a little while.

Miller is pondering whether to return for his senior season at Ohio State. Guiton, a fifth-year senior, has exhausted his eligibility. But when I asked him if he wished he could come back and play another year anyway, Guiton said, "I wish I could if I'd be the starter. If I'm the starter, I'm good.'

Much has been discussed about Guiton going into coaching, maybe as a graduate assistant at Ohio State next season. But first, Guiton confirmed Friday night that he will go through workouts and attempt to make it in the NFL. The first step is accepting an invitation to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl all-star game in Carson, Calif., on Jan. 18.

"I'm going to try to see what I can do, see if I can get a chance to play at the next level," Guiton said. "I've got to take advantage of opportunities, so I have to go out there and show what I can do against some top level competition."

Two other OSU seniors are confirmed for postseason all-star competition, with running back Carlos Hyde and left tackle Jack Mewhort both accepting invitations to the Senior Bowl.

So Guiton will have a chance to play, as he did when he won two Big Ten player of the week awards while filling in for Miller early in the year.

As it turned out Friday, Guiton's job was to help the starter not get too down after a final interception sealed the win for Clemson.

"I just told him to keep his head up. We live and we learn," Guiton said. "Things happen. You're going to get people saying bad things about you. Don't listen to them."

Early in this season, people were saying good things about Guiton. In two weeks he hopes to hear them again.

The Browns have requested permission to interview Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns and Redskins have requested permission to interview Vanderbilt's James Franklin for their head coach vacancies, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Franklin, a rising star in the coaching coaching circles, interviewed with the Texans before Penn State's Bill O'Brien took the job, per the report.

The Browns, who fired Rob Chudzinski Sunday after a 4-12 first season, are not confirming their requests or interviews.

Known for his relentless work ethic and exuberance, Franklin has guided the Commodores to three straight bowl games and racking up more wins over a three-year span (23-15) than any Vanderbilt coach since College Football Hall of Famer Dan McGugin.

He's one shy of tying's McGugin's total through his first three years (1904-06). In the last 19 games, Franklin is 15-4, a mark surpassed in the SEC only by Alabama.

CBS Sports' Jason LaCanfora first reported the Browns' interest in Franklin, and also Auburn's Gus Malzahn, who will play in the BCS national championship game Monday night against Florida State.

In addition to the two, the Browns are hot on the heels of Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops, sources told St. Louis 101 ESPN reporter Tony Softli.

Stoops, the Youngstown native, told Dan Patrick Friday morning that he wasn't currently pursuing an NFL job, but when Sooners beatwriters asked him later in the morning about the Browns report, he said, "You never know.''

A report from Akron's 1350 FM that the Browns would interview former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was false, a source told cleveland.com.

The Browns have already interviewed Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on Wednesday and Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles on Friday. On Saturday, they're in New England talking to Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the Canton native.

McDaniels has been perceived as the frontrunner, but that could change once the Browns start interviewing college candidates. 

The following is some background on Franklin from Vanderbilt's bio:

In 2011, he inherited a team that had finished 2-10 in two consecutive seasons and directed them to an appearance in the Liberty Bowl. In 2012, Franklin led the Commodores to nine wins - their most since 1915 -- which included a victory in the Music City Bowl. This year, Vanderbilt defeated Florida, Georgia and Tennessee in the same season for the first time ever and again won eight games in the regular season for the second straight year -- a first since the 1920s. A win in the bowl game will give Vanderbilt two straight years of nine wins for the first time in school history. His on-the-field accomplishments have been accompanied by three straight years of signing the highest-rated recruiting class in school history and the continuous mentoring of student-athletes who have earned numerous individual and collective academic honors. 

Players and fans alike have gravitated toward Franklin through his energy and love for the program. He has developed a fun, energetic and close-knit family atmosphere that current, former and future players desire. A staple in the community, Franklin has spent countless hours speaking to local groups and visiting with students on campus. If he isn't spreading his message in person, he is doing so through his many radio and television interviews or on Twitter, where his ever-active account, @JamesFranklinVU, has nearly 30,000 followers. 

Always conscious of the platform he has and the surroundings in which he lives, Franklin never passes up an opportunity to assist others through random acts of kindness. Whether it is pausing a press conference to hug a grateful bystander, helping Vanderbilt freshmen move into dorms, inviting a cancer patient to attend practices, visiting patients at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, allowing an inspiring 11-year-old boy to lead the team onto the field for homecoming or passing out ice cream during a campus event, Franklin is the first one in line looking to spread goodwill. 

Franklin's generosity and overall success as a coach has sparked the interest of football fans and media members across the country as people look to learn more about the mind behind the program's meteoric rise from the depths of the SEC. Franklin has welcomed the intrigue by providing unprecedented access to what takes place behind the scenes. From pregame and postgame locker room speeches, to team meetings and trips inside the war room on signing day, Franklin has made a conscious effort to provide the public with an inside look at his program. 

His efforts to share in the success of Vanderbilt's program have paid dividends with feature stories and videos landing on prominent websites such as SI.com, ESPN.com, Yahoo.com and in publications such as Sports Illustrated, the New York Times and the Washington Post. The access Franklin provides has also enabled Vanderbilt's staff to capture a number of viral videos that have been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people and featured on programs such as ESPN's SportsCenter. 

Franklin's impact on campus can also be seen just a few hundred feet from the football offices where a new indoor multipurpose facility opened in November. The facility is available for all Vanderbilt teams, students and staff members and includes a 120-yard field, which is encircled by a 300-meter track. 

The multipurpose facility is the latest in a line of facility enhancements that have been made since Franklin arrived. Before the 2012 season, a new video board and hillside seating area in the south end zone were added to Vanderbilt Stadium. Additionally, new stadium lights enhanced the gameday experience and an artificial surface improved playing conditions on Dudley Field. 

Hired as the first African-American head coach in Vanderbilt gridiron history on Dec. 17, 2010, Franklin's off-the-field accomplishments have helped fuel excitement in and around the program, but the results on the field have been even more impressive. 

Just when skeptics doubted whether he could match the success from his first two seasons, he trumped both years with what he has done in 2013. Despite losing a number of key contributors, including record-setting running back Zac Stacy, the Commodores again won eight regular season games. Along the way, Vanderbilt ended prolonged losing streaks to Georgia and Florida, and earned back-to-back wins against Tennessee for the first time since 1925 and 1926. The win against the 15th-ranked Bulldogs was Vanderbilt's first at home since 1991 and also marked Franklin's first victory against a ranked opponent. By defeating Florida, the Commodores ended a 22-game losing streak and won in Gainesville for the first time since 1945. Vanderbilt's other conference win came against Kentucky - a school Franklin is 3-0 against. 

Vanderbilt's final two regular-season wins came in the final minute of the game. Against Tennessee, Vanderbilt drove 92 yards to defeat the Vols when quarterback Patton Robinette faked a jump pass and ran it in from eight yards out for the score with 16 seconds remaining. The play was just the latest of Franklin's arsenal of gadget plays the Commodores have dialed up under his watch. Vanderbilt followed its game-winning drive at Tennessee with another one against Wake Forest, just one week later. This time, quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels connected with wide receiver Jordan Matthews, who made a remarkable 25-yard catch on fourth-and-11 to put the Commodores in field goal range for Carey Spear, who drilled a 38-yarder with 39 seconds to go. 

The two wins gave Vanderbilt four straight to end the regular season. It was the second straight year, Vanderbilt had closed the season on a long winning streak after taking seven straight to close 2012. The late-season success comes as a drastic change from years of late-season futility that preceded Franklin. In the previous 15 years before Franklin arrived (1996-2010), Vanderbilt posted a 5-46 mark in games played in November. Since his arrival, Vanderbilt is 10-2 during the month and has won nine straight games dating back to the final game of the 2011 regular season. It is the longest win streak in November since 1903-1905. 


Vanderbilt's bio included the following quotes about Franklin:

"James Franklin worked for me at the Green Bay Packers. I noticed early on that he always saw the big picture. He didn't just coach his players on the field, but saw the need for them to be accountable off the field as well. He took an interest in every aspect of their lives and coached not just the player, but the person." 

"Coach Franklin is a great hire for Vanderbilt University. He will fall in line with the value system of the university as to what they expect from their athletes in all areas, as well as being totally committed to winning football games. I have no doubt he will have great success in Nashville."
- Mike Sherman, former Head Coach for Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M

"Coach Franklin and I worked together at Kansas State back in 2006. He is a first class coach, and a perfect fit for a university like Vanderbilt. He's a tremendous motivator of men, and inspires character in each of his players. He works really hard to be the best that he can be as a coach, and has the toughness to build up a program in the SEC. He will no doubt be a great representative of Vanderbilt University."
- Raheem Morris, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

"Coach Franklin is a terrific fit for Vanderbilt...an over achiever who maximizes every opportunity. He will bring with him a relentless work ethic and a staff that does the same. Working hard and working smart are his trademarks, along with expectations of academic excellence." 
- Debbie Yow, Director of Athletics, North Carolina State, formerly AD at Maryland 

"I've had the chance to work closely with Coach Franklin and I can't say enough good things about his approach, his work ethic, his passion for the game and his ability to teach the game. He's a tireless recruiter and one of those coaches who can get the most out of his players and is excellent at making and maintaining relationships. He would be a great fit with Vanderbilt and an asset to the campus and football program both." 
- Darrell Bevell, Offensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahawks 

"Coach Franklin has a lot of energy, a lot of passion for the game, and obviously knew what he was doing. He cared about his players and was a great family guy. He was intense, but yet had fun and like I said, he had his passion for the game, his love for the game and a love for his players, and he cares about his players like family. I think he'll do a great job and I think Vanderbilt will be pleased with the guy they got." 
- Jordy Nelson, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers, 2009 graduate of Kansas State University 

"James did a very good job for us while he was here. I'm very happy that he's gotten an opportunity to be a head coach. We wish him nothing but the best of luck at Vanderbilt."
- Ralph Friedgen, Former Head Coach, University of Maryland 

"The hiring of Coach Franklin represents a new day for Vanderbilt football. He has my full support and commitment that we will help him create an environment where the successes on the field equal the university's extraordinary successes off the field. Coach Franklin will have an immediate and positive impact on our students, alumni, faculty, staff and broader Vanderbilt community, and I welcome him to Vanderbilt."
- Nicholas Zeppos, Vanderbilt University Chancellor

"Coach has meant so much to me, both on and off the field. One of the best things that ever happened to me was getting to work with Coach Franklin." "I was very raw, and needed development in really every area. Coach taught me proper footwork, how to better understand pass routes and schemes, just how to play the position. Truly, to this day, my fundamental foundation as a quarterback came from the time with him."
- Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay QB; former Kansas State QB

The Cavaliers fell to 2-15 on the road with the loss. Brooklyn captured the victory even without resting Kevin Garnett and injured Brook Lopez.

NEW YORK – The laws of mathematics are supposed to be simple and irrefutable. Two is greater than one. Always.

Except, maybe, in the NBA when the loss of two All-Stars doesn't necessarily mean more than the loss of one All-Star. Especially when the one for the Cavaliers is Kyrie Irving, and particularly when the subtraction comes during a road game.

The Nets were minus an injured Brook Lopez and a resting Kevin Garnett on Saturday, but the loss of the injured Irving proved to be greater for Cleveland as Brooklyn fought to an 89-82 victory over the Cavaliers at Barclays Center.

It was a familiar result for the Cavaliers, who have logged just two victories in 17 tries on the road this season. They fell to 11-22 as the Nets improved to 12-21.

And it was also another all-too-expected offensive performance from Cleveland without Irving leading the charge. The Cavaliers shot just 36.7 percent and failed to crack 90 points for the second straight game Irving has missed with a left knee contusion.

Two days earlier, the Cavaliers tallied just 87 points while shooting 34 percent in an overtime victory over Orlando.

"He's our best player, especially when it comes to scoring the basketball," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "You miss his 22 points a game. But I give our guys credit, they competed in the second half. We had a chance to win it, and we took a lead, but we just couldn't hold on. But you miss a guy of his capabilities, especially down the stretch in situations like this."

The Cavaliers weren't missing Irving's offense in the first half so much as any semblance of defense. By Brown's count, they allowed 12 "blow-by" drives – a bevy coming from 36-year-old Paul Pierce, who started at power forward and finished with 17 points – and the Nets built a 13-point lead by halftime.

Defensive adjustments and renewed vigor in the third quarter helped Cleveland outscore Brooklyn 27-16 in the period, and grab even grab a three-point lead.

Dion Waiters did his best to help shoot his team back into the game, finishing with 26 points on 9-for-18 shooting. The leading-scorer role is one Waiters said he needs to embrace without Irving in the lineup.

"I know they're going to come to me, especially when we need a bucket or a big play," Waiters said. "Them type of moments, you've just got to be ready."

But the Cavaliers began the fourth quarter missing their first four attempts and turning the ball over three times – and Brooklyn promptly took a 76-67 lead with 6:50 remaining.

That led to Brown employing a new gimmick in hopes of catching up quickly: a four-guard lineup. Jarrett Jack, Dion Waiters, Matthew Dellavedova and C.J. Miles spaced the floor with center Anderson Varejao.

It was an improvised adjustment that didn't yield particularly dominating results, but Brown said it might be something he tries again.

"For us, you could see anything in the future," Brown said. "We're not settled. We're still searching. I just wanted to open it up and keep Delly out there because he'd knocked down a couple of threes. I wanted to see if we could play the drive-and-kick game. It happened tonight. Will it happen in the future? It could."

After all, according to the laws of mathematics, nothing is impossible. 

Grady shot 8 of 9 from the field and Trey Lewis added 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting to lead the Vikings (9-7, 1-1 Horizon).

MILWAUKEE — Anton Grady scored 19 points and added 11 rebounds as Cleveland State stayed in control of a 77-49 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday night.

The Vikings committed 19 personal fouls with just over 11 minutes to play, and racked up 25 by game's end. Milwaukee scored 25 points on 33 free-throw attempts but dismal shooting from the field — 12 of 43 for 27.0 percent — kept it from gaining on Cleveland State.

Matt Tiby made 9 of 11 at the free throw line for the Panthers and finished with 13 points.

The Panthers (11-5, 1-1) were 0 for 16 on 3-pointers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On Friday night at The Q, Monsters left winger David van der Gulik returned to the lineup after missing 11 games because of injury. He failed to score but contributed in smaller ways in a victory over the Milwaukee Admirals. On Saturday night at The Q, van der Gulik also tended to the big stuff. He notched...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On Friday night at The Q, Monsters left winger David van der Gulik returned to the lineup after missing 11 games because of injury. He failed to score but contributed in smaller ways in a victory over the Milwaukee Admirals.

On Saturday night at The Q, van der Gulik also tended to the big stuff. He notched a natural hat trick over the second and third periods to propel the Monsters to a 6-1 rout of  the Admirals.

Mark Olver had a goal and three assists and goalie Sami Aittokallio played superbly as Lake Erie (17-13-0-3) won its second in a row and fifth of seven. Lake Erie improved to 12-6-0-1 at home, including seven victories in the last eight.

The Monsters have won the first two of a four-game season series against Milwaukee (16-10-5-1). On Friday, they set a franchise record for fewest shots allowed (14) in the 4-2 conquest. They beat goalie Scott Darling twice; Darling entered the set at 7-1-0 with a 1.43 goals-against average and .955 save percentage.

Lake Erie went 4-0-0-0 against Milwaukee last season and leads the all-time series, 13-5-3-1.

"That's a good hockey team over there,'' Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said. "To get the four points is huge, especially with us going on the road.''

The Monsters are on the road for five straight games. They do not return to The Q until Jan. 23 against Rochester.

Saturday night's contest featured a veritable hockey cornucopia for the crowd of 9,045, the radio listeners, and the WUAB/TV 43 viewership. When the Monsters weren't scoring goals, they were out-hustling and out-muscling an opponent that didn't take losing well. The teams combined for 27 infractions for 120 minutes.

"That was a great hockey game for the home crowd,'' van der Gulik said. "It had everything. Hopefully, a night like this brings more fans.''

For all of van der Gulik's brilliance, he briefly was forced out of the limelight midway through the third period. With the Monsters ahead, 5-1, Aittokallio and Darling skated to center ice and squared off. They tugged at sweaters and landed punches before exiting to their respective locker rooms, teammates laughing and applauding.

"These are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,'' Aittokallio said. "So when I saw my chance, I went.''

Count Chynoweth among the few who were not enthused. Chynoweth already has seen enough injuries this season.

"It always makes me nervous when goaltenders fight,'' he said. "Sami was playing very well.''

Aittokallio, who said he would not have tangled if the game outcome had been in doubt, expressed disappointment in his performance as a pugilist. At 6-1, 175, he struggled with the 6-6, 190-pound Darling.

"It didn't go too well,'' said Aittokallio, who suffered several scrapes to his face. "I forgot he's a big boy. He got me a couple of times. I think I got him at least once -- I hope.''

Oh, by the way: Aittokallio stopped 21 shots before giving way to Calvin Pickard, who was 1-of-1 in the final 9:45. Aittokallio and Pickard have been sharp in the midst of a healthy competition for starts.

Monsters center Joey Hishon opened the scoring at 14:30 of the first. When J.T. Wyman put the puck on net, Darling kicked it out front, where Hishon pounced for his fifth.

The Admirals tied it at 15:27. Then van der Gulik took over.

Inside the first minute of the second period, van der Gulik created a play on the left side and eventually fed Andrew Agozzino, whose shot was stopped. van der Gulik punched in the rebound from the top of the crease for his fourth. With Lake Erie on the power play at 8:47, he secured Olver's carom off Milwaukee defenseman Bryan Rodney's glove and beat Darling from the slot.

Even when van der Gulik made a mistake, it worked out. At 19:57 of the second, he closed his hand on the puck for a penalty. Moments after the Monsters killed the penalty early in the third, Olver chipped the puck to an open van der Gulik, who out-foxed Darling with a backhander at the right post.

"vandy does so many things well,'' Chynoweth said. "He's under-appreciated for his defensive play. He's probably our best guy along the boards. He goes to the right spaces. (Saturday) he was rewarded for it.''

van der Gulik missed the first eight games of the season because of a knee injury. He returned for 12 but was sidelined again because of a broken bone in his foot.

"It feels good to be back,'' he said. "It feels even better to be back for these past two two games.''

Later in the third, Karl Stollery scored after the puck struck iron, then Darling's leg, then crossed the line. The #Monsters accounted for the final margin on Olver's power-play tally.

Shayne Graham's 32-yard field goal, the fourth Saturday night for the recent addition to the team, won it on the final play, 26-24 over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The retired coach says it's not rocket science when it comes to finding road victories. Simply take care of the details, take fewer chances, and success will follow.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- These days, the closest Don Nelson gets to games on the road is when he travels to the mainland to visit family and happens to take in some hoops. The NBA's all-time winningest coach spends the bulk of his time on Maui, retired and relaxing.

Occasionally, however, Nellie can be coaxed into reminiscing, too.  About the times when he coached the Dallas Mavericks, for instance, when he led the team to a record amount of road victories in back-to-back seasons (2001-2002). Or when he played for the Boston Celtics 1965-76 and won five NBA titles, picking up tricks on how to win anywhere.

With the Cavaliers sitting at a measly 2-15 on the road this season, and their big West Coast road trip beginning Friday, any advice is likely welcome – even if Nellie contends it's not rocket science.

"I always preached to the team to take care of the details more on the road," Nelson said during a brief interlude before catching a game in San Antonio coached by good pal Gregg Popovich. 'You just couldn't expect any breaks on the road. You had to do everything more perfectly and more focused on the road. Which is pretty easy to do, actually."

Easy, supposedly, because there are fewer demands from home life, and more time to focus on the game and the business of winning.

When Nellie was a player, his legendary carefree attitude worked in his favor. He didn't fret about his team's road record or how to change his style on the road. He had other concerns.

"We drank more beer," Nelson joked. "We had more fun on the road because you didn't have to worry about home life and all that kind of stuff. You were out amongst your friends so that was always fun."

When he coached, however, it was different. Whether in his stops in Milwaukee, Golden State, New York or Dallas, all of which included zany innovations such as the point forward or 7-foot-7 Manute Bol taking 3-pointers with regularity,

"As a coach I probably didn't take as many risks," Nelson said. "Maybe I didn't go to my bench quite as much, played the vets more.

"Young players just make more mistakes than the veterans. Mistakes hurt you more on the road than they do at home. You can rise above them at home because you have other positives going for you."

Which leads back to Cavaliers coach Mike Brown's long-preached sermon that Cleveland needs to buckle down on defense on the road, above all else. A steady defense can remain consistent, while offense can turn streaky when affected by boisterous rival crowds.

Then again, there's one factor that can work in a team's favor on the road above all else.

"The better your players, of course, the easier it is to win anywhere," Nelson reminded.

And there might not be any shortcuts to finding road success. Any tricks the 73-year-old Nellie learned over the years aren't the kind he's willing to spill now, in his retirement.

"I know a lot of good stories about the road," Nellie joked, "but I don't want to share them with you."

Fair enough.

Here are six things to watch -- three for each of Sunday's wild card games -- as four more teams battle to get one step closer to the Super Bowl.

Here are six things to watch -- three for each of Sunday's wild card games -- as four more teams battle to get one step closer to the Super Bowl:

San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:05 p.m. ET

1. The Andy Man can (but will he?)

When Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden was recently asked -- again -- if third-year quarterback Andy Dalton has proven capable of leading Cincinnati to a Super Bowl, he made it pretty clear he's fed up with the Dalton doubters.

"He's won 30 (bleeping) games, man. How many does he got to win?" Gruden said. "He's beaten (Tom) Brady. He's beaten (Aaron) Rodgers. He's beaten (Ben) Roethlisberger. He's done it all."

Not quite, Jay. And that's why today is make-or-break for Dalton.

The Bengals are making their third playoff appearance in three seasons with Dalton under center, but are still looking for their first postseason victory. Dalton has tossed four interceptions and no touchdowns in those games. Last season, he completed just 14 of 30 passes for 127 yards in a 19-13 wild-card loss to the Texans.

This season, Dalton set career highs with 4,293 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. He's got a stud wide receiver in A.J. Green. He's got a solid running game. He's got a great defense. If Dalton comes up small again today, he won't have any excuses.

2. Taking them to the Woodhead

San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead gives the first down signal after catching a pass in the overtime period of the Chargers' 27-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in San Diego. The victory put the Chargers into the playoffs. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

The Chargers passing game has been as diverse as it has been dangerous this season with five different players catching more than 40 passes. While rookie wide receiver Keenan Allen (71 receptions for 1,046 yards) gets most of the credit for helping quarterback Phillip Rivers rebound from a down year in 2012, the addition of running back Danny Woodhead has been just as important.

The versatile Woodhead, long buried in a revolving backfield in New England, gives Rivers his best outlet option since Darren Sproles left for New Orleans. Woodhead flourished with increased playing time in San Diego this season, finishing second among all NFL running backs in receptions (76) and receiving yards (605).

The Bengals have to account for Woodhead, especially on third down where he's shown a knack for keeping the chains moving. Cincinnati's defense did a great job of that when these teams met earlier this season in San Diego, holding Woodhead to just two catches in a 17-10 Bengals victory. They'd be wise to keep the understated running back on their radar today.

3. Bengals RBs vs. Chargers ILBs

The Bengals' backfield tandem of rookie Giovani Bernard (695 yards rushing, 5 TDs) and veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis (756, 7 TDs) combined for 34 carries, 149 yards and a touchdown when Cincinnati beat San Diego in the regular season. The Chargers will need to do a better job of stopping the run in today's rematch, and it starts with inside linebackers Manti Te'o and Donald Butler.

Butler was the team's second-leading tackler this season despite missing three games due to injury, and Te'o (imaginary girlfriend aside) has emerged as a solid rookie run-stopper for the Chargers. The duo is a big reason why San Diego has the NFL's 12th-ranked rushing defense.

This game features the NFL's top two ball-control teams. In their December meeting, the time of possession battle was a virtual draw (30:20 for the Chargers to 29:40 for the Bengals), which was one reason why it went down to the wire. In a contest where possessions will be at a premium, the Chargers want to get Phillip Rivers on the field as frequently as possible. If Butler and Te'o can't bottle up Bernard and Green-Ellis, that won't be very often.

Watch the NFL Network crew break down the matchup between the Bengals offense and the Chargers defense:

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers, 4:40 p.m. ET

1. Avoiding frostbite

A lot was made this week of the Packers' struggle to sell out this game but, honestly, would you want to sit in the Lambeau Field bleachers for this one? The temperature in Green Bay could drop to historically low levels. How bad will it be? The Packers will hand out 70,000 hand warmers and free coffee to keep fans from freezing solid.

Forecasters predict a temperature of 1 (yes, 1 as in ONE!) for kickoff with a windchill of -17. And that'll likely be the high point, as temperatures and wind chills are only expected to tumble from there. Frostbite could be a real concern -- for fans and players.

The Packers have the cold-weather tradition, but does anyone really have an advantage in weather that frigid? I guess we'll find out.

2. Getting a handle on Kaepernick

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been a starter for less than two full seasons, but he's been at his best against the Packers. He torched Green Bay for 181 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a divisional playoff game last year. Then he shredded their secondary to the tune of 412 yards passing and three TDs in the 2013 season opener.

Can he do it again today? The Packers defense has proven it can't slow him down, but maybe the cold will? Green Bay fans better hope so. If recent history is any indication, it might be their only chance.

3. Great time to get healthy

The Packers, hobbled all season by injuries, got healthy just in the nick of time. The Bears let them hang around in the NFC North race while quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed seven games with a broken collarbone and wideout Randall Cobb sat out 10 weeks with a broken leg, and Chicago paid the price when Rodgers and Cobb returned to beat the Bears for the division title last Sunday.

With Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Cobb and Jarrett Boykin, who played during Cobb's absence, Rodgers has perhaps his deepest receiving corps yet heading into the postseason. That's bad news for San Francisco, especially with rookie Eddie Lacy providing the Packers with their best running threat in years.

The 11th-hour return to health is reminiscent of last season when Cobb and Nelson returned from injuries at playoff time to help the Packers reach the divisional round -- where they, ahem, lost to the 49ers.

Watch the NFL Network crew break down the matchup between the Packers offense and the 49ers defense:

BEREA, Ohio -- It's one of the biggest high school boys basketball days of the year on Sunday, as 12 teams will gather at Baldwin Wallace University for the Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic. The run of six games begin at 11:00 a.m. and will feature eight ranked teams. The schedule for the day is as follows:

BEREA, Ohio -- It's one of the biggest high school boys basketball days of the year on Sunday, as 12 teams will gather at Baldwin Wallace University for the Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic.

The run of six games begin at 11:00 a.m. and will feature eight ranked teams. The schedule for the day is as follows:

• Brunswick vs. Richmond Heights, 11:00 a.m.
• No. 3 Central Catholic vs. No. 4 St. Ignatius, 12:45 p.m.
• No. 5 Shaker Heights vs. No. 14 Cleveland Heights, 2:30 p.m.
• No. 1 St. Edward vs. No. 6 Mentor, 4:15 p.m.
• No. 9 Medina vs. No. 16 Warrensville Heights, 6 p.m.
• John Hay vs. Massillon Jackson, 7:30 p.m

Want to get in on the conversation? Comment in the section below, and we'll be answering your questions all day. 

New this school year: Readers can now comment on all cleveland.com high school sports stories — and we encourage it.  Registering for an account is free and takes just a few minutes (click here to get your account). Once you register you will have the ability to comment on all posts.

Keep it here all day, as we'll be adding to this post with live updates from each game. Also, you'll want to check out our Twitter widget below, as we've put together one easy place for you to follow all of the tweets from our writers and the teams participating.

LIVE UPDATES AND OBSERVATIONS

Brunswick vs. Richmond Heights

- After a big win against No. 6 Mentor on Friday night, Brunswick looks to keep things rolling. Meanwhile, Richmond Heights could really use this game to get its season going in the right direction.

Tweets from https://twitter.com/NEO_Varsity/scholastic-play-by-play

BEREA, Ohio — Brunswick's boys basketball team took Richmond Heights' best shot Sunday in the form of a 12-0 run, and responded with a 15-2 run to secure a 67-52 win in the first game of the Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University. Check out this post of live coverage from the event all day long, including analysis...

BEREA, Ohio — Brunswick's boys basketball team took Richmond Heights' best shot Sunday in the form of a 12-0 run, and responded with a 15-2 run to secure a 67-52 win in the first game of the Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University.

Check out this post of live coverage from the event all day long, including analysis at each half.

And see a series of videos from the game here.

The Blue Devils held a 15-point lead in the third quarter before the Spartans went on a 12-0 run to cut the margin to 45-42. Brunswick opened the fourth quarter with consecutive threes from Ryan Badowski, Eric Bulic and Zach Parker to start a 15-2 run, giving the Blue Devils a 60-46 lead.

"I thought we were the better team most of the game," Brunswick coach Joe Mackey said. "Give Richmond Heights credit. They're a good program, they're coached well. You knew they were going to make a run at some point. They made a little bit stronger run than what we wanted in the third, but our guys responded."

Badowski and Parker combined for 55 of the Blue Devils' 67 points, with Parker scoring 28 and Badowski adding 27.

They combined for 16 of Brunswick's 22 fourth-quarter points and helped hold the Spartans to just 10 in the final quarter.

"I think that this is my best shooting day in a long time," Parker said. "It's not who gets the points or anything. It's just sharing the ball and shoot it. If it goes in, it goes in."

Brunswick's defense helped the Blue Devils take control of the game beginning in the second quarter when they went on a 12-0 run. Brunswick forced seven Richmond Heights turnovers and held the Spartans to just seven field goal attempts and eight points, earning the Blue Devils a 32-23 halftime lead.

"Richmond Heights is pretty deliberate," Mackey said. "They're well-coached. They work the ball around. I thought, 'Let's pick this up a little bit, try to turn the tempo up in our favor.' We were able to get them to turn it over, get some good shots, and try to turn them into points."

Christian Wilcox led Richmond Heights with 26 points, and hit seven threes. Mike Parks chipped in 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Wilcox had three of his threes in the Spartans' 12-0 run to close out the quarter. Parker knew the onus was on him and Badowski to try to give the Blue Devils momentum.

"We just wanted to jump back on them," Parker said. "Basketball is a game of runs. They made a very good run. (Wilcox) had some very nice threes. We just wanted to make sure we came out in the fourth quarter, got our aggressiveness back and really stepped on them."

Parker and Badowski combined to make all but two of their team's field goals in the game. The duo helped the Blue Devils improve to 9-3 and their coach had plenty of praise for them.

"They're just phenomenal players, phenomenal athletes and even better kids," Mackey said. "It's been a pleasure to coach both those guys. To see both of them play well on a big stage like this is a great sign.

"Most teams really take those guys away or try to take those guys away. But we were able to get them a lot of shots tonight and they were able to take advantage of them."

In another gloomy Browns season, there was one bright light for fans. Josh Gordon burst on to the scene after serving a two-game suspension, shattered team records, made the Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro. Get a detailed look at Gordon's season.

In another gloomy Browns season, there was one bright light for fans. Josh Gordon burst on to the scene after serving a two-game suspension, shattered team records, made the Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro.

Big, fast and strong, he was a handful for defenses, who never could quite figure out how to slow him down. He became the first Browns player to lead the NFL in receiving yards, finishing with a team-record 1,646 yards on 87 receptions.

Gordon’s 261 yards receiving against Jacksonville on Dec. 1 set a club record, breaking the record 237 he set just the week before against Pittsburgh — and making him the only receiver in NFL history with back-to-back 200-yard games. Gordon’s per-game average of 117.6 receiving yards led the league and ranks sixth in NFL history. He set another NFL record by gaining 774 yards over a four-game stretch from Nov. 17 to Dec. 8.

Whoever quarterbacks the team next year, you can be sure he’ll be looking for No. 12 early and often.

For a detailed look at Gordon's season, see the chart below. View a large version of the graphic above here.

Dennis Manoloff's passing chart

View full sizeCleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden (3) celebrates with wide receiver Josh Gordon (12) after they connected on a 21-yard touchdown pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, in Cleveland. Associated Press

Here is a list of all the passes thrown to Gordon this season. (Includes all legitimate targets, which means it does not include passes for which Gordon was credited with being the target but where the ball clearly was thrown far out of bounds or out of the end zone.)

Another impressive element of Gordon's season is that he has 10-plus catches, 200-plus yards and at least one TD from each of three quarterbacks. 

Here is the breakdown: 

• From Brian Hoyer: 14 catches for 217 yards and 1 touchdown. 

• From Brandon Weeden: 31 catches for 660 yards and 4 touchdowns.

• From Jason Campbell: 42 catches for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

View chart in a new window or mobile device

Stat box key: UC/SG -- Quarterback under center or shotgun; YIA -- Yards that the pass was in the air from the line of scrimmage; Game Totals -- Receptions (Legitimate targets) / Yards / Touchdowns. 

*Legitimate targets: The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com DVR review is a stickler about targets. It disagrees with the NFL official stat books almost every week by declining to assign a receiver a target when the quarterback blatantly throws the ball away. The NFL official stat book periodically will credit a receiver with a target simply because he is closest to the throw as it sails out of bounds or the back of the end zone. The dvr review focuses on the QB's eyes and body language; if he is not even looking at a certain receiver upon release, that receiver will not be assigned a target just because the ball flew nearest to him. It is why the review uses "legit'' targets and why its numbers don't always match those of certain stats services. 

Regarding drops: They can be subjective. What one person considers a drop is not necessarily what CBS or the game's stats crew sees. The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com dvr review assigns drops when it thinks the receiver had a realistic chance to catch the ball -- and NOT simply if he got his hands on it. The dvr review is careful about assigning drops; it treats them like errors in baseball: If a receiver needed to make an extraordinary effort to come down with the ball but it deflects off his hands for an incompletion, a drop likely will not be assessed.

• Read more stories about Josh Gordon here »

 

Andrew Bynum's agent, David Lee, is waiting to hear what's next for his client -- just like everybody else.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Andrew Bynum's agent, David Lee, is waiting to hear what's next for his client -- just like everybody else.

Amid reports by ESPN.com and other Internet outlets that the Cavaliers were hoping to finalize a deal that would send Bynum to the Los Angeles Lakers for Pau Gasol on Sunday, Lee told The Plain Dealer on Sunday morning that he did not know where things stood or what might happen.

"They've been keeping it close to the vest,'' he said of the Cavaliers.

Asked if he thought he'd get a heads up before any deal was announced, Lee said, "I would like to think I would, but who knows? We know we have to do it by Tuesday.''

Tuesday is the day the Cavs -- or any team acquiring Bynum -- would have to release him to avoid paying him the final $6.3 million of his $12.3 million salary. NBA salaries are guaranteed on Jan. 10, but players have to be released by 5 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday in order to clear waivers.

ESPN.com reported on Saturday that the Cavs were interested in completing the trade on Sunday so that the players involved could complete their physicals well ahead of Tuesday's deadline.

It is unclear how close any deal actually is. In order for it to work financially, the Cavs likely would have to send another player or asset to the Lakers in order to make up the difference between Bynum's $12.3 million salary and Gasol's $19.2 million salary. In past deals, the Cavs have steadfastly resisted giving up assets like young players or draft picks.

In addition, it appears the Lakers are not yet fully committed to the notion of giving up on this season in order to save $20 million this season, open up cap space and avoid the punitive luxury tax repeater penalty going forward.

The Cavs have not discussed the deal or gone into detail about why Bynum was suspended for one game last week and excused from team activities going forward. Lee said Bynum, who remains in Cleveland, had declined all interviews at the Cavs request.

Lee reiterated his comments to the Akron Beacon Journal last week that Cleveland was not a problem for his client.

"Cleveland -- the fans and the city -- have been nothing less than perfect,'' Lee said.

BEREA, Ohio -- See a series of videos from Sunday's Brunswick vs. Richmond Heights boys basketball game. Brunswick defeated Richmond Heights, 67-52, in Sunday's first game at the Play-by-Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea. Make sure to read Tim Bieliek's game story here.

BEREA, Ohio -- See a series of videos from Sunday's Brunswick vs. Richmond Heights boys basketball game. Brunswick defeated Richmond Heights, 67-52, in Sunday's first game at the Play-by-Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea.

Make sure to read Tim Bieliek's game story here.

BEREA, Ohio -- No. 4 St. Ignatius' boys basketball team overcame a 10-point second half deficit to knock off No. 3 Central Catholic, 59-52, in the second game of the Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic on Sunday at Baldwin Wallace. Senior Eric Black had 19 points as his Wildcats handed the Ironmen their first loss of the season.

BEREA, Ohio -- No. 4 St. Ignatius' boys basketball team overcame a 10-point second half deficit to knock off No. 3 Central Catholic, 59-52, in the second game of the Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic on Sunday at Baldwin Wallace.

Senior Eric Black had 19 points as his Wildcats handed the Ironmen their first loss of the season.

This post will be updated with game reaction and video, as well as a slideshow later tonight.

Check out this post of live coverage from the six-game event all day long, including analysis at each half.

A low-scoring, defensive struggle in the first half set the tone for the rest of the game. The two teams hit the break with Central Catholic leading, 28-23. The Ironmen held St. Ignatius to nine points in the second quarter.

The tough defense from both sides came as no surprise. Both teams have allowed 70 points or more in a game just once this season.

Central Catholic will now turn its attention to Tuesday's game against No. 22 Buchtel, while St. Ignatius travels to University School on Friday.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.