Here are six things to watch - three for each of Sunday's NFL conference championship games - as four teams battle to determine this year's Super Bowl matchup.

Here are six things to watch - three for each of Sunday's NFL conference championship games - as four teams battle to determine this year's Super Bowl matchup:

AFC Championship Game: Patriots at Broncos, 3 p.m. EST

1. Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning

Ok, so this one is obvious, but it's also absolutely mandatory. No quarterback rivalry in the history of the NFL has been as compelling as the 12-season duel between Tom Terrific and The Sheriff.

These two sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famers will share the same field today for the fourth time in the postseason and the 15th time overall. Brady has gotten the better of Manning more often than not over the years, winning 10 of their 14 career meetings including a 34-31 overtime win in Foxborough earlier this season.

But today's Brady-Manning clash could play out much differently than some of their gunslinging showdowns of the past.

Without their customary weaponry in the passing game, Brady and the Patriots have adopted a ground-and-pound persona in recent weeks. Brady attempted just 25 passes in a 43-22 divisional playoff win over the Colts last week as New England ran the ball 46 times for 234 yards. Likewise, when these teams met back in November, Manning passed for just 150 yards and took a back seat to Denver running back Knowshon Moreno, who racked up 224 yards on 37 carries.

Will Brady and Manning, in perhaps the final chapter of their rivalry and with a Super Bowl berth on the line, play second fiddle to their respective running games?

2. Not bad for a rookie

New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins (91) celebrates a play during the second half of an AFC divisional NFL playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Where the heck did this guy come from? That's a question just about everyone outside of New England asked themselves last week as they watched Patriots rookie linebacker Jamie Collins fly all over the field against the Colts.

The second-round pick out of Southern Mississippi wreaked havoc on the Indy offense, collecting six tackles, three quarterback hits, a sack and an interception. Thrust into a leading role after veteran Brandon Spikes was placed on injured reserve during the bye week, Collins had a breakout game in front of a national audience. But can he do it against the Broncos and the NFL's best offense?

Well, in truth, he already has. Collins recorded 10 tackles against Denver in New England's 34-31 win back in November. It had been his best performance as a professional before last week's playoff eye-opener.

But Collins faces a tough task today if he's matched up with Broncos tight end Julius Thomas, who didn't play in the teams' first meeting this season because of a knee injury. Collins was fantastic in coverage against Indianapolis, holding Colts tight end Coby Fleener in check and notching his first NFL interception, but covering the 6-foot-5 Thomas is no easy assignment. Including the playoffs, the Broncos tight end has caught 71 passes for 864 yards and 12 touchdowns this season while blossoming into one of Peyton Manning's go-to targets.

3. Let's be Blount

Watching the way the Patriots bludgeoned the Colts with the running game last week, it's hard to imagine this game hinging on anything other than the battle in the trenches and the running of LeGarrette Blount.

Blount steamrolled the Colts defense for 166 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the Patriots' divisional playoff victory, becoming just the second running back in NFL history to score four or more TDs in a postseason game. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer has averaged 21 carries and 144 rushing yards in New England's last three games.

The Broncos defense has played the run well, allowing just 101.6 yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry during the regular season. Only once this season did an opposing running back rush for more than 100 yards against Denver, though the early leads often provided by the Broncos offense surely had something to do with that.

Denver's opponents, pressed to keep pace with Manning and Co., have run the ball 25 or fewer times in nine of 17 games this season. Only once did a Denver opponent approximate the 46 carries that the Patriots compiled last week, and that game -- a 27-20 Chargers win in which San Diego rushed 44 times -- didn't turn out well for the Broncos.

Watch SI.com analyst and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason explain why stopping the Patriots running game needs to be priority No. 1 for the Broncos:

NFC Championship Game: 49ers at Seahawks, 6:30 p.m. EST

1. The bruiser and the beast

The quarterback matchup between Seattle's Russell Wilson and San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick might be sexier, but running backs Marshawn Lynch and Frank Gore are the engines that drive these two offenses.

Lynch rushed for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season, while Gore ran for 1,128 yards and nine scores. Lynch went all "Beast Mode" when Wilson and the Seattle passing attack struggled last week, piling up 140 yards rushing and a pair of TDs in a 23-15 divisional playoff win over New Orleans. Gore, meanwhile, pounded out 84 yards on the ground and averaged 4.9 yards per carry against a stout Carolina defense in the 49ers' 23-10 victory over the Panthers.

The 49ers and the Seahawks are throwbacks to the age of power running games and stalwart defenses. No two players embody that philosophy better than the human battering rams that are Gore and Lynch. They punish defenses, move the chains and open up the passing game for Kaepernick and Wilson. As these two go, so go the 49ers and the Seahawks.

When Seattle blew out San Francisco 29-3 in September, Lynch accounted for three touchdowns. When San Francisco evened the score with a 19-17 win over Seattle in December, Gore rushed for 110 yards on just 17 carries. The back who wins Round 3 tonight will put his team in the Super Bowl.

2. Defense to spare

Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman is introduced before an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The defenses in this game are so entertaining to watch that any offensive fireworks the 49ers and Seahawks muster will just be icing on the cake. It's too bad only one of these outstanding units will get the chance to play for a championship this year, but it sure is going to be fun to watch them try to out-nasty each other for a trip to the Super Bowl.

The 49ers will unleash the best linebacking corps in the game on the Seahawks offense. The 49ers' foursome of Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith just might be the most talented group the NFL has seen since Ricky Jackson, Sam Mills, Vaughn Johnson and Pat Swilling terrorized offenses for the Saints back in the late 1980s and early 90s.

Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco passing attack faces the equally terrifying challenge of throwing into Seattle's vaunted "Legion of Boom." Led by NFL interception leader Richard Sherman and safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, the Seahawks' secondary excels at intimidation and has made a habit of manhandling opposing receivers.

Defense wins championships? One of these teams will get the chance to prove that in the Super Bowl, but not until we see which one proves to be the best defense on the field tonight.

3. Familiarity breeds contempt

This one, as they say, is personal. Words will be exchanged, trash will be talked, tempers will flare. The mutual dislike between these NFC West rivals has gone from a polite simmer to a four-alarm inferno as the 49ers and Seahawks have risen to power in a neck-and-neck sprint the last two seasons.

Seattle and San Francisco have played four times in those two years and split those meetings. Both teams have successfully defended their home turf, with the Seahawks winning a pair of blowouts in Seattle and the Niners grinding out victories in two games by the bay. Along the way, the fire of rivalry was stoked.

"There is no love lost," Seattle's Richard Sherman said of the 49ers this week. "And there is no love found."

Maybe these teams are just too alike to breed anything but dislike. Both are led by a passionate head coach plucked from the college ranks, both hang their hat on defense and the running game, and both feature a dynamic young quarterback just scratching the surface of his potential. And now they have one more thing in common: Both are on the doorstep of the Super Bowl.

How fitting that the only thing standing in each team's way is the other. No matter who wins, the fire between these organizations will only grow hotter.

Watch SI.com's Boomer Esiason explain how the 49ers can break out of their CenturyLink Field funk and beat the "bully" Seahawks:

Ari, Doug and Zack, from inside Ari's car, discuss Braxton Miller's return, the two new coaching hires and what the expectations should be with the Buckeyes' schedule in 2014.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – It has been only a few weeks since Zack, Doug and I filmed our last football video on the turf of Sun Life Stadium. But the weather – and the distance – couldn’t be any more drastically different.

After meeting for lunch, we searched the outdoor areas for a convenient spot to shoot. But since it was snowing and colder than I’d even care to remember, we decided to film it my car.

Quirky, yes, but we do get in depth on the Ohio State football team and talk about the following topics.

• How big is it for this team that Braxton Miller is returning?

• What are reasonable expectations?

• Which players need to have big springs?

• Could Ohio State be 8-0 heading into next year’s Michigan State game?

Enjoy the video.

But I miss pools. 

Browns are waiting to see when Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase will be available to interview. Denver is playing in Sunday's AFC title game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns might conduct second interviews with defensive coordinators Mike Pettine of the Bills and Dan Quinn of Seahawks depending on how their search plays out over the few days, a league source told Northeast Ohio Media Group.

The Browns plan to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase after Denver is eliminated from the playoffs, but as of Saturday, Gase was leaning toward remaining with the Broncos, a source told NEOMG.

If the Broncos lose Sunday to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, the Browns could swoop in as early as Sunday night or Monday and try to make Gase, 35, an offer he can't refuse.

If things go well with Gase, second interviews with Quinn and Pettine might not be necessary.

But a source also said that Gase is not necessarily the Browns' top target heading into the conference championship games, and that he'll have to top the interviews of multiple candidates that have dazzled the Browns, presumably Quinn and Pettine.

Pettine can be interviewed at any time because he's out of the playoffs, and Quinn can talk again once he's eliminated -- or next week if the Seahawks advance to the Super Bowl Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Seahawks will face the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, and teams are permitted a second interview with a Super Bowl coach.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that the Browns would also be willing to wait for a second meeting with Patriots coordinator Josh McDaniels if he agrees to it, but a source told NEOMG that McDaniels currently has no plans to jump back into the mix. McDaniels pulled his name out of the running, saying he wanted to remain in New England, and a source told NEOMG that he opted out when told he wasn't the frontrunner.

Quinn, 43, presides over the NFL's top-ranked defense (273.6 yards per game), and one that's also first in the NFL with only 14.4 points allowed per game. The Seahawks were tied for eighth in the NFL during the regular season with 44 sacks and led the league with 39 takeaways. He began his career primarily as a defensive line coach, and has worked for the 49ers, Dolphins, Jets and at the University of Florida.

Quinn's mentors include Steve Mariucci, former Browns coach Eric Mangini and his current head coach, Pete Carroll.

“Dan is a terrific football coach, he’s got tremendous background in the game, he’s got great character about the game, he’s a great communicator, he’s tough, he knows what he wants,'' Carroll told reporters. "Look how well he transitioned to take this thing over so quickly and like I said, ‘Seamlessly.’ Getting along with people, working with people, and also managing the talent, all of that. He’s really well-equipped...

"[The playoffs are] first and foremost and all of our guys understand, but also I’ll help our guys any way that I can to fulfill the dreams that they have for themselves and proudly go about that. So we’ll deal with this normally also.”

Pettine, 47, is coming off his first season as the Bills’ defensive coordinator, but spent four seasons as Jets coordinator before that. His Bills' defense, a 3-4 hybrid scheme, ranked 10th overall and 20th in scoring. It also finished second in interceptions and sacks. His Jets defenses finished in the top-10 in all four seasons from 2009-12, including a No. 1 ranking in 2009. Pettine was also a Ravens assistant from 2002-08, meaning he knows what it takes to win in the AFC North.

With a thin bench due to concussions suffered by Anton Grady and Sebastian Douglas Cleveland State tried to stay in the Horizon League race against Wright State.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a game where defense clearly matters, offense still defines winners and losers. Wright State had just enough to pull out a 49-46 Horizon League victory over short-handed Cleveland State Sunday afternoon in the Wolstein Center.

For the second straight game the Vikings played without the services of 6-8 sophomore Anton Grady and 6-4 guard Sebastian Douglas, both out with concussions. Both were missed.

There were long stretches from beginning to end when both teams went without a field goal. But the last drought by CSU, starting at 11:31 and not ending until 7:14 remained, allowed the Raiders to build a 44-31 lead they nursed to the final horn.

Barely.

Defense was the order of the day, making CSU's 29-23 halftime deficit to Wright State seem much higher. Before the game was over, CSU would shoot 32.7 percent while WSU shot 33.3 percent. Both teams made five 3-pointers and combined to miss only three free throws out of 20 as both teams were whistled for 11 fouls.

"That was a clean defensive game,'' CSU head coach Gary Waters said. "I knew this would be a tough one. They're a pretty good team."

After the break the Vikings helped themselves by clamping down, holding WSU without a field goal until 14:06.

But the free throw line became the Raiders friend, and WSU maintained its lead, 34-26, when the Vikings took a timeout with 13:57 to go.

Trailing, 47-38, with 5:18 to play CSU called a timeout. But the possession ended with a turnover for the Vikings. The defense held at the opposite end and a pair of Jon Harris (17 points) free throws closed the gap down to 47-40. Another stop for CSU had the crowd awake, but a critical turnover followed for the Vikings that WSU turned into a breakaway dunk for a 49-40 edge, now inside the final four minutes.

"That turnover hurt, that's what hurt us,'' Waters said. "Then, every possession means something."

Tick, tick tick. A CSU hoop inside cut the lead again, now inside the final three minutes, and now with a WSU timeout leading to an air ball, then a foul giving the ball to CSU with 2:01 left. For one of the rare times all game, the Raiders defense blinked, and Harris drove unmolested for a dunk cutting WSU's lead down to 49-44 with 1:46 left.

Again the Raiders called a timeout, and again got nothing for it on a missed 15-footer. Now 1:02 to play, down five, the Vikings got the ball to Trey Lewis who drove for a floater off glass, 49-46, with 43.7 seconds left. The Vikings got a shot-clock violation with 8.7 to play. But CSU nearly turned the ball over, instead getting the ball in front of their own bench with 1.6 seconds to play.

Lewis desperation 3-pointer drew iron, but missed, dropping the Vikings to 11-9, 3-3 while WSU improved to 12-9, 4-2.

With the anticipated return of Grady and Douglas this week, Waters would not give up hope of gaining one of the top two spots in the Horizon League Tournament.

"We got a chance, we just got to get it back someplace,'' he said of CSU's homecourt loss. "We've got to take care of business. We can't give up anything (else) now."

The Cavaliers host Dallas on Monday to start a five-game homestand that could help them back into the playoff hunt. They currently are two games behind Brooklyn for the final spot.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – As rocky as this season began, even though the Cavaliers are still just 15-25 after what is universally being hailed as a successful West Coast road trip, they still have a chance.

They still are just two games away from the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, just two games behind Brooklyn in the race for the final playoff spot.

There is reason for not only hope, but there is a feeling of optimism in Cleveland.

"If you win six in a row, the whole conference changes," Cavaliers guard C.J. Miles admitted. "As bad as it sounds to say, you always feel like you've got a chance."

Take into account that the Cavaliers begin a five-game homestand Monday against Dallas, that Luol Deng will play at The Q for the first time since Cleveland's Jan. 7 trade, that the squad seems to have evened out its play since the arrival of the new small forward, and it might explain the reason for the Cavaliers glass-half-full approach.

"We haven't even reached the All-Star break yet, and we've been so many different routes," Miles said. "Now, it seems like we're finally putting things together and headed in the right direction."

In some ways. The Cavaliers averaged 105.2 points during their 3-2 West Coast trip, proving that they do, in fact, have some offensive firepower. However, they also allowed an average of 112.2 points, a defensive stretch that has to give coach Mike Brown nightmares.

But the team's pace has increased -- another point of focus for Brown this season -- and players such as Miles have benefited. He is averaging 16.4 points on 51.5 percent shooting in nine games this month.

"It allows us to get up and down the floor, and there's just so many openings," Miles said. "And the freedom that Coach is giving for me to handle the ball a little more -- and Kyrie (Irving) encouraging me to do it because it takes the pressure off him sometimes -- it allows me to play with the ball in my hands a little bit more instead of waiting for jump shots.

"It allows me to be a threat moreso throughout the game. Then, when it's time for Kyrie to put his cape on, they've got to pick they're poison."

The Cavaliers are just hopeful that things are beginning to come together in time for an important homestand that could play a major role in their playoff hopes.

"Every other team out there, too, in the East thinks they still have a chance," Brown said. "The East records aren't that good, so what it does is it gives everyone hope – including us. Not one time have we thought we're out of it. We just keep trying to battle, stay in the circle and figure it out, trying to get better as we go along -- knowing that if we can ever string a few games together, we're right in the mix."

Black Heritage Celebration: The Cavaliers' Black Heritage Celebration begins with Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee against Dallas, and continues for four more home games. Against the Mavericks, the Cavaliers will honor King throughout the game, including a tribute by Cavaliers players reciting lines from his "I Have a Dream" speech.

On Feb. 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cavaliers will host Music, Arts & Culture Night, honoring influential African Americans within culture and the arts in Greater Cleveland. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District's All-City Drum Line and Jazz band will perform at halftime.

Education Night is Feb. 11 against the Sacramento Kings. The Cavaliers will recognize accomplished African-American educators, and award five high school seniors with a $1,000 college scholarship. At halftime, the Cleveland School for the Arts Dance Department will perform a special Black History Month tribute.

Finally, Feb. 23 against Utah is the BHC Culmination Ceremony, where two Cleveland greats will be honored: retired Ohio Court of Appeals Judge Sara J. Harper and former Cleveland Indians player Larry Doby. Harper was the first black woman to sit on the Ohio Supreme Court; Doby was the first black baseball player in the American League.

Cavaliers vs. Dallas

Time: 1 p.m. Monday at The Q.

TV/radio:Fox Sports Ohio, WTAM AM/1100.

Notable:The Cavaliers scored at least 111 points in their last four victories. ... Luol Deng plays his first game in Cleveland. ... Dallas is shooting 44.3 percent from 3-point range in its last six games. ... The Mavericks have lost two of their last three games.

Gary Waters remains upbeat despite Cleveland State's 49-46 loss to Wright State.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gary Waters surprised me.

After the 49-46 loss to Wright State, I expected the Cleveland State coach to be a bit angry and at least somewhat frustrated.

Understand, he was not pleased with losing a Horizon League game at the Wolstein Center, where CSU is now 8-2 this season.

But Waters is hopeful, despite a 3-3 record in the Horizon, 11-10 overall.

The reason is that his team should be better near the end of the season.

CSU played this game without starting center Anton Grady and top substitute Sebastian Douglas.

Both sustained concussions in Wednesday's practice, both caught elbows to the head -- within about 20 minutes.

"It was just crazy," said Waters. "I've never seen anything like that."

A Cleveland Central Catholic product, Grady is averaging 13.3 points and 9.5 rebounds in four Horizon League games. He started slowly this season, recovering from his third knee surgery.

But lately, the 6-foot-8 Grady has been playing some of the best basketball of his CSU career.

The same can be said of Douglas, averaging 8.5 points and shooting 70 percent in the Horizon League games.

Both players are juniors.

The thing to remember about CSU is that Trey Lewis (Penn State transfer) and Jon Harris (Miami transfer) are still blending into the team.

A Garfield Heights product, Lewis entered the game as CSU's second-leading scorer (14.2 points), but he was a dismal 2-of-13 for five ugly points.

"He had 29 points last game (a 86-76 victory over Oakland Thursday)," said Waters. "But he played hard, just couldn't make a shot."

Lewis had 10 rebounds from his guard spot.

Harris was a star at Twinsburg, and he may be the best sixth man in the Horizon League. He had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the loss, and you can see his senior experience being a factor.

I love how Harris said after the game, "I missed some easy layups in the first half. I'm a senior, and I have to take some responsibility for that."

He responded in the second half with 10 points (CSU scored only 23) and nine rebounds.

Waters is not thrilled with Marlin Mason, a 6-foot-6 junior who may be the most gifted athlete on the team. Mason had four fouls and four points in 19 minutes. One time in the game when he blocked a shot, he then taunted the opponent.

An enraged Waters called time out, lit into Mason and benched him for the remaining 5:29 of the first half.

"We were already short two guys (Grady and Douglas), and then we got nothing from him (Mason)," said Waters, shaking his head.

The one criticism of Waters at CSU is that some of his best teams tended to sputter at the end.

In 2011-12, the Vikings were 22-11, but finished by losing 7-of-9.

In 2010-11, the Vikings were 27-9, but finished 4-4.

"I really think our best basketball is coming," said Waters. "Our two guys (Grady and Douglas) actually were healthy enough to play today, but we had to sit them because of (concussion) protocol. I really think we're going to be OK."

DAYTON, Ohio - At Shaker Heights, it’s all about playing its game. No matter who the opposing team is or where it is from, if Shaker’s boys basketball team sticks to its principles, it has a chance to win. “We didn’t really know them fully, but we just wanted to keep them on their heels,” Shaker Heights coach Danny...

DAYTON, Ohio - At Shaker Heights, it’s all about playing its game. No matter who the opposing team is or where it is from, if Shaker’s boys basketball team sticks to its principles, it has a chance to win.

“We didn’t really know them fully, but we just wanted to keep them on their heels,” Shaker Heights coach Danny Young explained of playing a squad he wasn’t familiar with. “My guys like erratic games and my guys like that kind of game, actually. I don’t like it, though.”

Against perennial St. Louis power Christian Brothers College on Sunday at the Flyin’ to the Hoop Invitational, it was defense that jumpstarted everything en route to Shaker’s 76-71 win.

From the opening tip, the Raiders ran their patented press and while it didn’t create many turnovers initially, it created the type of tempo that gave them the chance to win.

After CBC scored the opening bucket, Shaker went on a 9-0 run with a variety of baskets in transition. A few baskets by 6-foot-8 Texas recruit Jordan Barnett knotted the game at 13 before a 3-pointer by Shaker sophomore David Wright at the buzzer gave the Raiders a three-point lead to start the second stanza.

Opening the second quarter with yet another run, the Raiders made more of an effort to get star junior forward Esa Ahmad involved. Opening the quarter with a 7-0 run, they continually attacked. Senior point guard TJ Steele’s 11 first half points paced the Northeast Ohio power to a 27-23 lead at intermission.

New half, same story for Shaker, which is ranked sixth in the cleveland.com Top 25. The Raiders pounded the ball down low to Ahmad and threw a number of different defenses at Christian Brothers. They commanded a double-digit lead throughout the third and finished the quarter on top, 51-43, but would be met with resilience.

Coming out of the gates firing, Christian Brothers chopped the lead to less than a basket countless times in the fourth after a number of buckets by Barnett and 5-11 sophomore Jordan Barnes.

Ultimately, it was too much Ahmad as the Raiders escaped with the win in front of a nearly sold out crowd in Dayton. Ahmad poured in 29 points with nine rebounds.

“Esa has been doing this from game one until game 15,” Young said. “There are a number of colleges who see what I see.”

Ahmad aside, Shaker was able to receive key contributions from Steele with 18 points and Kent State recruit Rosel Hurley, who scored the bulk of his 16 points after halftime.

Barnes led Christian Brothers with 23 points, while Barnett had 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out.

It was Ahmad who stole the show, though. His inside/outside play was enough to have West Virginia coach Bob Huggins noticeably impressed. West Virginia is one of the countless schools vying for his services in 2015, but Ahmad is sure to make it clear it is about his team first.

"I try to get my teammates involved first, then get myself involved,” Ahmad said. “It's a team game more than it is an individual game”

The victory takes the Raiders to 12-3 and they will look to continue their hot streak Friday against Strongsville.

Rodger Bohn is a freelancer from Chapel Hill, N.C.

Manning is taking the Denver Broncos on a trip to New York for the Super Bowl after another of his impeccably crafted victories.

DENVER -- Peyton Manning had an answer for everyone. What's new?

For Tom Brady. For the New England defense. For anyone who thought he couldn't win the big one.

Manning is taking the Denver Broncos on a trip to New York for the Super Bowl after another of his impeccably crafted victories -- this time, a 26-16 win over the Patriots on Sunday in the AFC title game.

Less than three years after being unable to throw a football because of his surgically ravaged neck and nerve endings, Manning will get a chance for his second ring. He'll try to become the first quarterback to win one with two different teams, at the Meadowlands on Feb. 2 against Seattle or San Francisco, who play later Sunday for the NFC championship.

"It's very rewarding when you put a lot of hard work into the offseason and the regular season and it pays dividends with a huge win," Manning said.

After taking the final knee, Manning stuffed the football in his helmet and ran to the 30-yard line to shake hands with Brady. The Indy-turned-Denver quarterback improved to 5-10 lifetime against New England's QB but 2-1 in AFC title games.

"Great team, great coach, great quarterback, great players," Manning said of the Patriots, who fell a win short of the Super Bowl for the second straight year. "It feels great to get this win."

Though Manning threw for 400 yards, it was far from a fireworks show in this, the 15th installment of the NFL's two best quarterbacks of their generation. Manning set up four field goals by Matt Prater and put his stamp on this one with a pair of long, meticulous and mistake-free touchdown drives in which nothing came cheap.

He geared down the no-huddle, hurry-up offense that helped him set records for touchdown passes and yardage this season and made the Broncos the highest-scoring team in history. The result: A pair of scoring drives that lasted a few seconds over seven minutes; they were the two longest, time-wise, of the season for the Broncos (15-3).

Manning capped the second with a 3-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas -- who got inside the overmatched Alfonzo Dennard and left his feet to make the catch -- for a 20-3 lead midway through the third quarter.

From there, it was catch-up time for Brady and the Pats (13-5), and they are not built for that.

A team that averaged more than 200 yards on the ground the last three games didn't have much quick-strike capability. Brady, who threw for most of his 277 yards in comeback mode, actually led the Patriots to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. But they were a pair of time-consuming, 80-yard drives. The second cut the deficit to 26-16 with 3:07 left, but the Broncos stopped Shane Vereen on the 2-point conversion and the celebration was on in Denver.

The trip to New York, where it figures to be at least a tad cooler than Sunday's 63-degree reading at kickoff, will come 15 years after John Elway rode off into the sunset with his second straight Super Bowl victory.

The Broncos have had one close call since -- when they lost at home to Pittsburgh in the 2005 title game -- but what it really took was Elway's return to the franchise in 2011. He slammed the door on the Tim Tebow experiment and signed Manning to a contract, knowing there were risks involved in bringing to town a thirtysomething quarterback coming off multiple operations to resurrect his career.

Even without Von Miller on the field, Elway put enough pieces in place around Manning to contend for a championship.

"It's been a terrific group," Elway said as he hoisted the AFC championship trophy. "They worked their tail off all year."

Manning knows how to make the most of all those options he's been handed.

This game started getting out of hand at about the same time Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib went out with a knee injury. Nobody else could cover Thomas and Manning, who finds mismatches even under the toughest of circumstances, found this one quickly.

Thomas finished with seven catches for 134 yards, including receptions of 26 and 27 yards that set up a field goal for a 13-3 lead before the half. Not a bad day for a player who tweaked his knee last week and was limited in practice Friday.

"I told myself, 'I'm going to put it all out there on the field,'" Thomas said. "It's one more game to get to the Super Bowl. Time to do it for the older guys on team."

Of course, that includes the 37-year-old Manning, but also 35-year-old Champ Bailey, whose injury filled season will end with his first trip to the Super Bowl.

Leading 13-3, Denver got the ball to start the third quarter -- working the plan to perfection after winning the coin toss and deferring the choice -- and Manning hit Thomas for 15 and 4 yards as part of the 80-yard, 7:08 touchdown drive that gave Denver the 17-point lead.

The thought this week was that the Patriots were playing with house money, having well exceeded expectations for a team that lost a number of stars -- Aaron Hernandez, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski -- and has been plagued by injuries all year.

But a loss is a loss and facts are facts. Bill Belichick is stuck on three titles and hasn't won one since the NFL busted him for the Spygate videotaping scandal.

The Broncos, meanwhile, got over a big hump last week by beating the Chargers in the divisional round, which is where last year's trip fizzled unexpectedly against Baltimore.

Manning insisted the showdown against Brady was more Broncos vs. Patriots than Manning vs. Brady. He lets others decide who's the greatest at this or that.

But he earned a chance to improve on his already-sterling legacy, one that figures to include a fifth MVP award come Super Bowl week.

A win at MetLife Stadium in two weeks would put him in the same company as his brother, Eli, along with Elway, Roger Staubach and others as a two-time Super Bowl winner.

Two weeks for Manning to prepare might feel like a lifetime.

At times, his long, difficult comeback has felt that way, too.

"It's very gratifying to be part of this team," Manning said. "We kept our nose to the grindstone, kept persevering. It feels good to get this win today."

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Anthony Tutolo has the picture in his mind. In fact, the two-time state finalist from Lake Catholic and returning state champion sees it vividly. The landscape shows the 126-pound senior running and every wrestler chasing after him. That’s why when he hits the mat, it’s nothing but business.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Anthony Tutolo has the picture in his mind. In fact, the two-time state finalist from Lake Catholic and returning state champion sees it vividly.

The landscape shows the 126-pound senior running and every wrestler chasing after him. That’s why when he hits the mat, it’s nothing but business.

It was again Sunday as Tutolo won his third straight Catholic Invitational Tournament championship with a 4-0 win over returning state qualifier and tournament placer Connor Borton of Cincinnati Moeller.

“There’s a sense of urgency,” Tutolo said. “I have to score points. It’s my time now. I have to pay my dues. It keeps me driving.

“Some people look at being a returning state champion as a burden. I use it to work harder. I know I have a target on my back. When I feel tired, I have to keep going. After practice, I have to keep running because everyone is chasing me. I have to push harder than all of them.”

Of course the one thing chasing him is his lone loss of the season. It came at the Beast of the East Tournament in Delaware, where he lost to nationally-ranked Anthony Giraldo of North Bergan (N.J.).

Since then he’s added a Brecksville Holiday Tournament title to go with his CIT crown.

“It’s definitely pushed me a lot,” he said. “I’m a competitor. I hate that loss. When you get it, it kind of feels like your world shuts down. You have to build it up fast. I hate that feeling.”

“Every time I hit that mat, I think of that. You have to use that as a positive. You can’t let it get you down.”

Padua’s Kyle Kaminski (145) doesn’t just have a picture in his mind, the junior has a picture on his cell phone and he uses it every day.

The picture is of Kaminski sitting on the mat with his hands on his head after a state semifinal loss to St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Ryan Skonieczny. Skonieczny went on to finish second, Kaminski was fifth.

The image was his phone background all through summer and is something Kaminski has a hard time forgetting. At the CIT, Kaminski found that hunger to top returning CIT placer Dakota Stephens in overtime, 6-4.

“That semifinal loss pushed me all through the summer,” Kaminski said. “It really helped me to get back. I feel like I’m 10 times better.

“I use it as a positive. I don’t ever want to be in that situation again. I’m going to use it as motivation to be in the semifinals. I want to keep moving forward and getting better.”

St. Ignatius’ Anthony McLaughlin (195) certainly will have an image to take with him the rest of the way after a CIT title over returning state champion Dakota Sizemore. McLaughlin scored a second period takedown to win, 3-1, and he hopes to better his sixth-place state finish a year ago.

“It’s indescribable,” McLaughlin said. “It’s a big win, but I have to stay humble and keep going. The target is on me now.”

While Moeller won the event for the fourth year in a row and the ninth time in the past 10 years, Padua showed just how strong it is again.

The Bruins, who finished third behind Moeller and Toledo Central Catholic, picked up runner-up finishes from Tony DeCesare (106), Paul Petras (113) and Eric Fasnacht (152), and had two others place as well.

It marked the sixth straight top 10 showing at the CIT for the Bruins.

With the state duals and North Coast League conference event remaining before the postseason, Morrell likes where his team is sitting and the attitude it is showing.

“I’m very happy with the results so far,” Morrell said. “The kids have been working hard. The most experienced kids are gaining a lot of confidence so far, especially leading into the second part of the season. I do think the good results reinforce the hard work habits.

“When good things happen for you, you see it working and it encourages you to keep working hard for the next six to eight weeks. They’re definitely wrestling well. If they can continue to up their game every week and find weaknesses to work on, we’ll be a very tough team to wrestle come conference, sectionals, district and state.”

Catholic Invitational Tournament results

How they finished: 1. Cincinnati Moeller 239.5; 2. Toledo Central Catholic 209; 3. Padua 145.5; 4. St. Xavier 144.5; 5. Lake Catholic 141.5 6. St. Ignatius 141; 7. Bishop Hartley 122; 8. Cincinnati Elder 113.5; 10. Dayton Carroll 75; 11. Springfield Catholic Central 71.5; 12. Benedictine 69; 13. Toledo St. Johns 67.5; 14. Delphos St. Johns 65.5; 15. Newark Catholic 54.5; 16. Chaminade Julienne 54; 17. St. Francis 52.5; 18. Elyria Catholic 42.5; 19. St. Charles 41.5; 20. Lima Central Catholic 34; 21. Cleveland Central Catholic 27; 22. McNicholas 24.5; 23. Badin 22; 24; Villa Angela-St. Joseph 20; 25. Columbus DeSales 16; 26. Summit Country Day 16; 12. Notre Dame-Cathederal Latin 12; 28. Holy Name 9; 29. St. Thomas Aquinas 8; 30. Trinity 6.

106: Venia (TCC)  d. DeCesare (Pad), 6-0; Third: Rasmussen (SI) by def. Salamone (Eld) 113: Hill (Hart) d. Petras (Pad), 4-2, OT; Third: Bleich (EC) d. Berry (Car), 6-2; 120: Ziegler (Moe) d. Taton (LC), 5-1; Third: Beltran (SCC) d. Williams (Eld), 5-4: 126: Tutolo (LC) d. Borton (Moe), 4-0; Third: Gordon (SX) d. Ohl (NC), 5-4; 132: Hagan (TCC) d. Plummer (CJ), 5-3; Third: Harsar (EC) d. Shivak (Pad), 1-0; 138: Mossing (TCC) d. Rathburn (BH), 2-1; Third: Hansel (NC) d. Rooney (SC), 3-2; 145: Kaminski (Pad) d. Stephens (SX), 6-4, OT; Third; Jackson (TCC) d. Brady (SI), 7-5, OT; 152: DeCarlo (SCC) d. Fasnacht (Pad), 3-2; Third: DeCarlo (SC) d. Tallarigo (Eld), 5-3, OT; 160: Beauch (TCC) d. Ludwig (LC), 3-1; Third: Conners (Eld) d. Luther (SC), 6-0; 170: Heyob (SX) d. Rosser (Moe), 4-3; Third: Struna (LC) d. Welling, 5-4; 182: McLaughlin (SI) d. Sizemore (Moe), 3-1; Third: Hartman (Pad) d. Uram (SF), 3-0; 195: Thornberry (Moe) d. Jones (SX), 6-3; Third: Huffman (LC) d. Gregory (TCC), 3-0; 220: Frueauf (Moe) m.d. Kuhlmann (SX), 11-3; Third: Norwood (TCC) d. Croswell (Har), 12-6; 285: Garren (Read) d. Fisher (TCC), 3-2; Third: Hensley (Moe) d. Kelly (Eld), 4-3.

MENTOR, Ohio -- The Kent Roosevelt hockey team grabbed an early lead and ran away with a 7-1 win against Cleveland Heights in the final round of the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Winter Invitational on Sunday.  Kent Roosevelt got a couple of penalties in the first period but did not let the Tigers take advantage. inability to convert on power...

MENTOR, Ohio -- The Kent Roosevelt hockey team grabbed an early lead and ran away with a 7-1 win against Cleveland Heights in the final round of the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Winter Invitational on Sunday. 

Kent Roosevelt got a couple of penalties in the first period but did not let the Tigers take advantage. inability to convert on power play opportunities continued throughout the the game. 

Cleveland Heights' was hit with a cross-checking penalty just as the Rough Riders were about to return to full-strength and it ended up hurting the Tigers. 

Only seconds into the Rough Riders' first power play of the game, Scott Rainey scored off of a feed by Gabe Smith to give his team an early lead. 

With 1:17 left in the opening frame, Mitch Francis put the Rough Riders up, 2-0. Dontae Montemayor and Christian Strahan assisted. 

Thirty-seven seconds later, Kent Roosevelt scored again. This time, it was Rainey, taking a pass from Smith and delivering it to the back of the net to give the Rough Riders a three-goal lead heading into the second period. 

Cleveland Heights took multiple shots in the early minutes of the second frame but could not sneak any past the Kent Roosevelt defenders and goalie Sam Bennett. Bennett saved 15 of 16 shots on goal by Cleveland Heights in the contest. 

Tigers goaltender Trent Swain saved 23 of the 30 shot attempts that came his way during the game. 

Following one miss by the Tigers, Smith took possession and skated all the way back to the Tigers' half of the ice where he scored Kent Roosevelt's fourth goal. 

Cleveland Heights finally broke through the Kent Roosevelt defense 2:40 into the third period. Isaac Brown weaved his way through the Rough Riders' defense and scored on the backhand, unassisted. 

Brown said that his team entered the matchup wanting to be strong in their defensive zone. 

"We knew we were going to be in our zone a lot," he said. "Any chances we got we had to score. We didn't do it as well as we wanted to. We had our chances and we were in it. It just didn't go our way."

Kent Roosevelt answered with a goal by Philip Kaderle with about eight minutes left in regulation. Bailey Collier assisted. 

The Rough Riders scored two more goals before all was said and done. 

T.J. Harrod scored from long-range with 6:08 to play, standing near the Tigers' blue line. Montemayor assisted. 

With only 35 seconds left in the game, Lyndon Rainey scored an unassisted goal to put the Rough Riders up, 7-1, which is how it ended. 

Kent Roosevelt beat the Tigers in the opening round of the tournament, 3-1, as well. 

In order to reach the final round, Cleveland Heights beat Mayfield, 4-0, before defeating Benedictine, 4-3. 

"We're a young team," said Cleveland Heights coach Eddie Babcox. "We have seven freshmen and we knew we were going against Kent Roosevelt. They've got at least five seniors over there so at any given moment, we knew we were going to have 14-and-15-year-olds out there on the ice with 18-year-olds."

Babcox said his team's strategy was to just work hard and try to get the puck deep into the Rough Riders' zone to give themselves chances to score. What his team didn't want to do was make mistakes, which Kent Roosevelt could capitalize on, which is what ended up happening. 

"When we would make a mistake, they would capitalize," he said. "We needed to finish any opportunity we had in our offensive zone and we weren't able to do that." 

While many coaches use tournaments as a tool to learn things about their teams, Kent Roosevelt coach Ben Barlow said he feels his team knows enough and is just focused on making sure they are doing the necessary things to be successful down the stretch. 

"Ultimately, we wanted to get better," said Kent Roosevelt coach Ben Barlow. "We wanted to make sure that every time we touch the ice, we are ready to play. This season, we have three main objectives: Win the league, win the Baron Cup and be sectional champs. Everything we're doing right now is to prep us for the next four league games." 

The Rough Riders are currently second in the Red South with a 5-1 league record. Barlow said his team is going to pull out all of the stops to try and catch first place Kenston, which is 7-0 in the league. Kent Roosevelt will play the Bombers on Jan. 30 in Kent. 

Cleveland Heights is 3-1 and in third place in the White East. The Tigers also have four more league games before the end of the season, starting with Mayfield on Saturday on Cleveland Heights' home ice. 

Will the Browns wait until Feb. 3 to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who's headed to the Super Bowl?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Broncos are headed to the Super Bowl after their 26-16 over the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, and the Browns must now wait until at least Feb. 3 to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase.

Question is, are Browns be willing to wait for him?

Some of it will depend on what happens in Sunday's NFC Championship Game between the 49ers and Seahawks. If the Browns have to wait to make a final decision on Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn until after the Super Bowl, then they might also wait for Gase.

Because the Browns already interviewed Quinn once, they can interview him a second time next week if he advances. But they wouldn't be permitted to interview Gase because he declined their initial request. Therefore, he can't change his mind and decide to huddle with them before the Super Bowl.

If Quinn is eliminated Sunday, the Browns might conduct second interviews quickly with him and Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. If one of them impresses the Browns even more than they did in their first interviews, the club might just decide to name its coach and move on to assembling a quality staff.

If both Quinn and Gase advance, the Browns must decide whether to wait, hire Pettine, or interview some of the other coaches eliminated Sunday.

If the Browns decide not to wait for Gase, it might be because he's wavered on the job right from the start, when he rebuffed requests from the Browns and Vikings.

A source told cleveland.com on Saturday that Gase, 35, was leaning toward remaining in Denver, where he's expected to have at least one more season with Peyton Manning, who was sensational in the Broncos victory.

If the Browns decide he's worth the wait, he certainly made a strong case for himself in the victory over the Patriots. The Broncos racked up 507 total yards and scored on six straight possessions after a punt on their opening drive. Manning completed 32 of 43 attempts for 400 yards with two TDs and no interceptions for a sensational quarterback rating of 118.4.

But Gase would still have to top the interviews by Quinn and Pettine, who dazzled the Browns in their meetings.

Quinn, 43, presides over the NFL's top-ranked defense (273.6) yards per game, and one that's also first in the NFL with only 14.4 points allowed per game. The Seahawks were tied for eighth in the NFL during the regular season with 44 sacks and first with 39 takeaway. He began his career primarily as a defensive line coach, and has worked for the 49ers, Dolphins, Jets and at the University of Florida.

Quinn's mentors include Steve Mariucci, former Browns coach Eric Mangini and his current head coach, Pete Carroll.

“Dan is a terrific football coach, he’s got tremendous background in the game, he’s got great character about the game, he’s a great communicator, he’s tough, he knows what he wants,'' Carroll told reporters. "Look how well he transitioned to take this thing over so quickly and like I said, ‘Seamlessly.’ Getting along with people, working with people, and also managing the talent, all of that. He’s really well-equipped...

"[The playoffs are] first and foremost and all of our guys understand, but also I’ll help our guys any way that I can to fulfill the dreams that they have for themselves and proudly go about that. So we’ll deal with this normally also.”

Pettine, 47, is coming off his first season as Bills’ defensive coordinator but spent four seasons running the Jets defense. His 2013 Bills defense ranked 10th overall and 20th in scoring. Pettine ran 3-4 hybrid defense in Buffalo, which finished second in interceptions and sacks.

His Jets defenses finished in the top-10 all four seasons from 2009-12, including a No. 1 ranking in 2009. Pettine was also a Ravens assistant from 2002-08, so he's well-versed in all things AFC North.

As for Patriots coordinator Josh McDaniels, he won't get back in the Browns' search,  a source said. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that the Browns might go back at him again despite the fact he took his name out of the running Jan. 8. McDaniels also told New England reporters Tuesday: "I'll definitely be here (with the Patriots in 2014).''

"My personal thought for Carlos was he’s got a chance to be a first rounder, particularly if he comes here and answers some questions that people had," said Savage, the formers Browns general manager who now serves as the Senior Bowl's executive director.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde has decided he won't play in the Senior Bowl, one of nine players who passed up invites to college football's biggest postseason All-Star game, according to reports on Monday.

At the game's weigh-in Monday, al.com wrote that former Browns general manager Phil Savage included Hyde among the nine players who chose to skip the game. Savage is now the executive director of the annual showcase in Mobile, Ala. Others on that list of healthy scratches include Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley and Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack.

Players often choose to sit out if they are advised by their agents that they won't help themselves by participating. Hyde will now have to show off his skills at the NFL Draft Combine in February and during individual workouts. Savage, naturally, wants the best players possible in the game.

Left tackle Jack Mewhort will be the Buckeyes' lone representative in the game, which will be played Saturday at 4 p.m. and televised on the NFL Network.

Savage told pnj.com, the website of the Pensacola News Journal, that he thought Hyde had a chance to help himself and answer questions with a good week at the Senior Bowl in front of NFL scouts and general managers.

“Running backs are in a position that in some ways has been devalued,” Savage told pnj.com. “You look at last year, there was not a single running back taken in the first round. ... My personal thought for Carlos was he’s got a chance to be a first rounder, particularly if he comes here and answers some questions that people had.”

Hyde, who chose Eugene Parker of Relativity Sports as his agent, ran for 1,521 yards this season. He did that despite missing the first three games of the year following a suspension handed down by Urban Meyer for a confrontation with a woman in a nightclub.

He averaged 138 rushing yards per game, which ranked fifth in the nation.

Hyde should be among the candidates to be the first running back taken in the draft. Mel Kiper's first mock draft had Hyde projected to the Browns at pick No. 26.

Columbus Bishop Ready offensive tackle Brady Taylor fulfilled a lifelong dream when he issued an oral commitment to Urban Meyer in front of his family Monday morning.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – When Brady Taylor was in eighth grade he went to an Ohio State football game with his mother, a lifelong Columbus resident, looked her in the eyes and made a promise that would take years to fulfill.

“I told my Mom then that one day I was going to play at Ohio State,” Taylor told Cleveland.com in a phone interview Monday. “She kind of blew it off, but I said, ‘No, I promise I'll be a Buckeye one day.' That has been my goal ever since.”

Then Monday morning came and Taylor, along with his mother and the rest of his family, was sitting in Urban Meyer’s office with a scholarship offer in hand. Meyer sat across the desk giving one final pitch as to why Taylor should be a Buckeye.

What Meyer may not have known was that Taylor had already made up his mind. 

“I knew before the meeting what I was going to do,” Taylor said. “I just wanted my entire family to be there, and they couldn’t during my official visit over the weekend. I committed with my entire family there and it was definitely a special moment.”

Taylor’s mother, Susan, is the type who tears up when Ohio State’s band performs Script Ohio during pregame festivities. When she walked out of Meyer’s office with her son, now officially a Buckeye, she got emotional again knowing Taylor would be playing his college football 20 minutes from home.

Taylor didn’t get emotional, that would be unacceptable for a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman of Columbus Bishop Ready. But Monday will be memorable for him, not only because it was the day he pledged to Ohio State, but also because he kept a promise to his mother that spanned for nearly five years.

“It was almost surreal,” said Taylor, Ohio State's 22nd oral commitment in the 2014 recruiting class. “If you get a chance to do something you have thought about your whole life and wanted to be a part of your whole life, it is just something special. That my family got to be a part of it, it was awesome.”

Since July, Taylor had been committed to Virginia Tech. But the Buckeyes, who lost four senior starters from their offensive line next year, issued the three-star prospect a scholarship two weeks ago.

For Taylor, it was the opportunity he had waited his entire life to attain. But he had been committed to Virginia Tech for so long and developed deep feelings for the Hokies coaching staff and commitments.

It was impossible for Taylor to not at least further investigate Ohio State with an official visit, which took place during the weekend. While on campus, Taylor got a deeper look at Ohio State outside of just the football program he already knew so much about. He saw classrooms, met with academic advisors and even toured the dormitories.

“I just felt comfortable with everything at Ohio State,” Taylor said. “It is one of those things where I am only 20 minutes from home, but I’m a college student and can be as close or as far from home as I want. It’s special that my family can come see me play and I can get home whenever I want.”

But Taylor also saw opportunity at the powerhouse football program he grew up admiring to potentially figure into Ohio State’s plans early. With four spots up for grabs on the offensive line, Buckeyes offensive line coach Ed Warinner has a lot of evaluating to do before assembling his next depth chart. He'll have plenty of options. 

Taylor now is the fifth offensive line prospect in Ohio State's 2014 class, joining four-star prospects Jamarco Jones of Chicago De La Salle, Kyle Trout of Lancaster, Ohio, Demetrius Knox of Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints Episcopal and Glenville’s Marcelys Jones, who is already enrolled at Ohio State.

But he’s comes in as the lowest-rated prospect by Rivals.com – the No. 58 offensive tackle in the 2014 recruiting class. Taylor doesn’t seem to mind.

“When you get to campus, that all goes out the window and everyone starts from the bottom,” Taylor said. “The best players are going to get on the field, and I know I am going to come in and work hard and do the best I can to be one of those guys. The ratings and stars have never really mattered much to me. I'll prove I'm good enough.”

What does matter to Taylor is that his recruiting process is officially over, though he accumulated an impressive scholarship offer list that also included Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin and others.

And starting fresh at school on Tuesday, Taylor is proud to be a Buckeye.

“It's not really a four-year decision, it is a 40-year decision or one for the rest of my life," Taylor said. "I love Columbus, I love being here, and it is important to me that I'll have opportunities as a Buckeye for the rest of my life." 

Jarrett Jack couldn't inbound the ball within the allotted five seconds with 2.8 seconds remaining as his Cavaliers trailed by three points, sealing the Mavericks' victory.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Officially midway through the season, now, the Cavaliers still are not yet a fully formed, completely finished product. They are young and they are learning, which means that oftentimes, they must fail in the same ways over and over again before they find a way to break through to success.

After Monday's 102-97 almost-win, a loss to the Dallas Mavericks that was excruciating in all its been-there, seen-that-before moments for the Cavaliers, the growing pains were obvious.

It was there in the Cavaliers' failure to begin the contest with intensity, a sluggish start that ushered the Mavericks to as much as a 24-point advantage by halftime.

And evident, again, in Cleveland's inability to inbound the ball with 2.8 seconds remaining, trailing Dallas 100-97.

Backup guard Jarrett Jack was charged with getting the ball to Kyrie Irving on the far side of the court. Jack, all 6-feet-3 inches of him, had to do so while avoiding a jumping 6-10 Brandan Wright who defended the pass, and a cluster of screens set in the middle of the court.

Jack couldn't even attempt a pass within the allotted five seconds, and the violation sealed the Cavaliers loss.

"Kyrie was wide open," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "I don't know if we've ever been that wide open before at the end of a game in a situation like that. Jack just couldn't see him."

Said Irving: "Whether I was open or not, it really doesn't matter. ... It was going to be a tough pass."

A flub on a crucial end-of-game inbound is something with which these Cavaliers are all too familiar. In a Jan. 5 loss to Indiana, Earl Clark stepped out of bounds with 6.9 seconds left after an inbounds play when trailing by three points. In a Dec. 28 loss at Boston, Clark failed to get up a shot with 1.4 seconds left when Cleveland trailed by three.

This time, the Cavaliers failed to even get the ball in play.

"In that situation, we've got to get a shot up," said Luol Deng, after his debut at The Q as a Cavalier. "We've got to give ourselves a chance."

Brown said he opted for the 6-3 Jack to inbound the ball because he wanted the bigger Deng on the court to set screens.

"We have not had a problem with Jack inbounding the ball," Brown said. "He's very, very reliable. He's a heady, heady veteran."

The Cavaliers have, however, had problems this season with falling behind by large margins. They fell behind by as many as 24 points in the first half thanks to sluggish defense that allowed the Mavericks to shoot 54.8 percent through two quarters. Dallas held Cleveland to just 14 points in the second quarter en route to a 59-37 edge at the break.

The third quarter brought new energy and a 16-point scoring outburst from Irving. The Cavaliers point guard sank 6-of-9 attempts in the period to help Cleveland outscore Dallas 29-20.

Anderson Varejao, too, came to life, and finished with 18 points and 21 rebounds – after just two points and five rebounds at the half.

Officially midway through the season, the Cavaliers are 15-26, a work in progress.

"We have to come together and realize who we want to be," Deng said. "If we played the whole game like we did in the second half, we would have given ourselves a better chance."

How important was it for Ohio State to flip offensive lineman Brady Taylor from Virginia Tech? Who does Ohio State have that can replace Carlos Hyde at running back? Our Ohio State beat reporter Ari Wasserman answered those questions and more during today's podcast.

How important was it for Ohio State to get offensive lineman Brady Taylor to decommit from Virginia Tech? Who does Ohio State have that can replace Carlos Hyde at running back?

Cleveland.com's Ohio State beat reporter Ari Wasserman answered those questions and more during today's podcast with cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.

Among other topics discussed:

• Why has the rest of the Big Ten been unable to keep up in recruiting?

• What makes Urban Meyer such a successful recruiter?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player to the right.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Northeast Ohio wrestlers performed well in the final big weekend of tournament action. Most teams were scattered between the Bill Dies and Top Gun tournaments, with others heading to the Catholic Invitational and the Maumee Bay Classic.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Northeast Ohio wrestlers performed well in the final big weekend of tournament action.

Most teams were scattered between the Bill Dies and Top Gun tournaments, with others heading to the Catholic Invitational and the Maumee Bay Classic.

Before we turn our attention to the upcoming state dual tournament, which begins Wednesday, here's a look at the past week in the region's wrestling scene:

BILL DIES MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

Brecksville-Broadview Heights used the 27^th Annual Bill Dies Memorial Wrestling Tournament to once again flex its muscles amidst Northeast Ohio competition.

The Bees won the event for the sixth consecutive time, claiming five individual titles among their nine place winners.

"We've run the gauntlet," Bees coach Todd Haverdill said. "We wrestled Claymont. We wrestled the Ironman. We wrestled our tournament. We wrestled the Beast (of the East). We wrestled Detroit Central Catholic.

"I was curious to see how we would be at the Bill Dies. I'm happy. It justifies the work we've done from the practices to the schedule we've wrestled. Our kids are tired. We haven't been able to freshen them up. To come here and wrestle says a lot about of them. Right now, we'll start getting their bodies better. Hopefully they'll keep this steam going."

Here's a look back at the tournament's first day, with video highlights of Brunswick's Josh Heil (120), Rootstown's Travis Linton (182) and Norton's Sean Rutherford (120).

TOP GUN TOURNAMENT

The Top Gun Tournament at Alliance turned into a highlight reel for Clovis (Calif.) and Massillon Perry on Friday and Saturday. But a handful of Northeast Ohio wrestlers managed to climb to the top of the awards podium.

St. Vincent-St. Mary's Ryan Skonieczny (138) and Aaron Adkins (182), Riverside's Nate Boggs (132) and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy's Tyler Maclellan (195) won titles on Saturday.

Check out our recap of the event, along with video of Adkins talking about his first title of the season.

S/o to my dude @tylermac53 for winning the Top Gun this weekend! You killed it out there bro #beast#drillpartners

— Jeff Hojnacki (@Lil_hoj) January 19, 2014

STATE CHAMP VS. STATE CHAMP

The highlight match of the past week didn't come over the weekend. Instead, it was Tuesday when defending state champs Adkins and Linton faced off in a dual between St. Vincent-St. Mary and Rootstown.

Adkins, the Division II state champ at 182, and Linton, the Division III state champ at 170, are both at 182 this season. The first high school meeting between the good friends and training partners ended in a 4-0 decision for Linton.

Below, hear what Adkins and Linton had to say about their match:

You can check out video of the full match on YouTube.

CATHOLIC INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT

Padua's Kyle Kaminski won the 145-pound title at the Catholic Invitational Tournament on Sunday as the Bruins finished third in the team standings.

Kaminski has been fueled by a loss in last season's state semifinals. In fact, he keeps a picture of from the defeat on his cell phone. Here's an excerpt from Sunday's recap of the Catholic Invitational:

The picture is of Kaminski sitting on the mat with his hands on his head after a state semifinal loss to St. Vincent-St. Mary's Ryan Skonieczny. Skonieczny went on to finish second, Kaminski was fifth.

The image was his phone background all through summer and is something Kaminski has a hard time forgetting. At the CIT, Kaminski found that hunger to top returning CIT placer Dakota Stephens in overtime, 6-4.

"That semifinal loss pushed me all through the summer," Kaminski said. "It really helped me to get back. I feel like I'm 10 times better."

Check out our recap of the CIT, as well as final team scores and championship match results.

ST. EDWARD VS. ST. PARIS GRAHAM

St. Edward lost a hard-fought dual to St. Paris Graham Saturday in a matchup of defending Division I and II team champions.

Check out our recap of the event.

MAUMEE BAY CLASSIC

While most of the area's top teams hung around Northeast Ohio last weekend, Perry headed to Oregon Clay where it finished third in at the Maumee Bay Classic.  Amherst was fourth.

Heavyweight Billy Miller won a title and teammates Kyle Kremiller (195), Aaran Gessic (132) and Collin Dees (120) all finished runner-up.

HOW THE TOP 10 FARED

Here's a look at how the cleveland.com Top 10 wrestling teams did last week. The Top 10 is updated every Wednesday.

1. Brecksville-Broadview Heights – Won the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.

2. St. Edward – Lost to St. Paris Graham, 34-25.

3. Perry – Third at the Maumee Bay Classic.

4. Wadsworth – Defeated No. 5 Nordonia 34-21, Hilliard Darby 54-16, Lexington 30-27.

5. Nordonia – Lost to No. 4 Wadsworth 34-21; 11^th at the Top Gun Tournament.

6. St. Vincent-St. Mary – Sixth at the Top Gun Tournament.

7. Brunswick – Third at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.

8. Elyria – Eighth at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.

9. Crestwood – Defeated Aurora 43-24.

10. Lake Catholic – Fifth at the Catholic Invitational Tournament.

MORE RANKINGS

InterMat: Intermatwrestle.com

Flowrestling: Flowrestling.org

Greater Cleveland Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association

WHAT OTHERS ARE WRITING ABOUT

Chardon scored a dual meet victory over St. Ignatius' blue team on Friday. (The News-Herald)

Willoughby South swept a tri-meet with West Geauga and University School on Saturday. (The News-Herald)

Here's a closer look at Brunswick's Ethan Rivera, who won the 113-pound title at Bill Dies on Saturday. (The Medina-Gazette)

Here's a profile of Black River wrestler Sebastian Vidika. (The Medina-Gazette)

Elyria's Ben Darmstadt won the 152-pound title at Bill Dies on Saturday to lead the Pioneers' eighth-place finish. (The Chronicle-Telegram)

A job promotion forced Elyria Catholic wrestling coach Tony Filiaggi to step down. (The Chronicle-Telegram)

Westlake, Avon Lake, Berea-Midpark and Olmsted Falls battled in a double dual on Thursday. (The Morning Journal)

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are the Right Down Euclid, Did The Tribe Win Last Night, and Dawg Pound Daily.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

Is Manziel the right guy for the Browns at No. 4? (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

"There has been plenty of talk the past week of the Browns interest in Manziel. Could it be a smokescreen? Sure. However, I have a feeling this is the player they covet at this spot and if they feel he may not be there at this pick, I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded up. Personally, not sure any of these quarterbacks are worth giving up another first round pick(Number 26), but the front office may do whatever it takes to get “their” guy."

No. 26 - Carlos Hyde, Ohio State RB

It is no secret that the Browns running game was atrocious this year and this would be the pick they obtained in the Trent Richardson trade. After evaluating Richardson, the front office decided they wanted to move him and when the Colts gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse, they jumped on it, and landed a first round pick in the process. After the Colts season, it turned into this pick, the 26th in the first round. This would be a great spot to snag the most talented back in the draft. Hyde is a three down back at the next level, with the ability to run between the tackles and catch the ball out of the backfield. Couple him with a competent quarterback, and then add Pro Bowler’s Cameron and Gordon and the Browns could have a very good offense next year."

Can the Cavs make the playoffs? (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

"There will be some tough stretches, a lot of games against Western Conference teams and it is just as likely that the Cavaliers miss the playoffs as they make them. Whatever happens next for the Cavaliers should be well worth watching and whatever does happen next likely will affect the Cavaliers beyond this season. And remember: The next 42 games will define what the 2013-2014 Cavaliers will be remembered as. Will it be as a team that from an awful start to make the playoffs or a team that failed to meet preseason expectations that were a little two high in the first place and only time will tell us the real answer."

Carlos Santana's role will change this season. (Thomas Ondrey/The Plain Dealer)

"There is little argument that Santana needs to be in the lineup and as much as possible. Oftentimes behind the plate, Santana seemed like a magnet for foul balls and errant pitches. Several such incidents cost him playing time last year alone. The knee injury sustained at the plate in his rookie season stands as yet another reason to find Santana a new home on the diamond to maximize his health and therefore increase his opportunities to contribute to the results of the game.

Despite the work already put in this winter, Santana will undoubtedly have to prove he can handle the position when the team unites in Spring Training next month."

Have a post that you think should be featured in our daily Blog Roundup? Email the link here. You can also follow Glenn on Twitter.

On Martin Luther King Day, the color barrier has not been a factor in the NBA for years. The language barrier and that of xenophobia were, though.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The trend for years has been to bash professional athletes, who either do not appreciate what their sport has given them or were long ago corrupted on the road to their reward.

On Martin Luther King Day, the broad sweep of sports history leads to a different approach. The entitlement mentality might be deplorable today, but the latitudes of empowerment include, almost by definition, room in which to be a diva.

On the flip, non-diva side, is Luol Deng, an actual NBA-level small forward for the Cavaliers, the first seen here in home colors since Game 5 vs. Boston in 2010.

The Cavs acquired Deng as part of a salary dump by Chicago, in return only for the competitive burn-out that was Andrew Bynum and other fairly unimportant considerations.

Deng is from South Sudan, a new country with a history when it was part of Sudan of enduring oppression. What matters is not Deng's personal background -- which included spending most of his youth in London and a Final Four season at one of college basketball’s bluest of bloods, Duke -- but his potential.

He has already come far. He did not speak English until he was 10. In Sudan, natives speak tribal languages, in his case, Dinka, or Arabic.

If his promise is to be realized here, owner Dan Gilbert and his embattled general manager, Chris Grant, will have to put together a strong enough team to re-sign a top-tier player, especially when they can pay him more money than anyone else. The same scenario ended poorly with LeBron James and led to three plague years.

In his first home game since the trade, Deng and the Cavaliers fell to Dallas, 102-97, in a MLK day matinee.

Basketball is literally America's game, invented by Dr. James Naismith (a Canadian) in 1891 at the Springfield, Mass., YMCA. The NBA color barrier fell many years ago without the clamor that attended the debuts of the racial pioneers Jackie Robinson of the Dodgers and Larry Doby of the Indians in baseball.

The biggest advance in basketball in the last 20 years has been the comparatively seamless assimilation of international players. It occurred because of the exposure to NBA teaching worldwide that followed the Dream Team’s debut in the Olympics in 1992.

It also helped that one of the league’s dominant players in those years, Hakeem Olajuwon, was from Nigeria and was also a member of the Muslim faith. The latter addressed another area of fear.

For many years, though, the few players from outside the United States were damned by stereotypes. Kresimir Cosic, a 6-11 center from Croatia, was described when he was at Brigham Young in the 1970s as if he had electrodes in his neck and was pursued by villagers with torches and pitchforks.

Gheorghe Muresan, one of the tallest players ever at 7-7, was basically considered the towering opposite of Little Hans in the 1932 horror movie, “Freaks.”

The former San Diego Clippers made one of the first attempts to embrace international players who were not American college stars by drafting the late Manute Bol, who stood 7-6 and came from Sudan in 1983.

Bol, like the 6-9 Deng, was a member of the Dinka tribe, which has a genetic predisposition to height. Bol was declared ineligible for the 1983 NBA Draft, but turned pro two years later, after his illegal recruitment by Cleveland State landed the Vikings on probation.

One of the first African players to enter the NBA, Bol played only one year of Division II college ball in Bridgeport, Conn. Turning pro was the only way he could earn enough money to get his family out of his strife-torn homeland.

Bol was a great man, we can see now. He allowed no false sense of pride to hinder him when it came to trying to help his suffering countrymen. He fought and -- with an enormous advantage in reach -- won a “Celebrity Boxing” match against a nearly immobile William “Refrigerator” Perry. Bol promptly donated all of his share of the purse to relief efforts in Sudan.

Credited with popularizing, if not inventing, the phrase “My bad,” because he did not know the English words “My fault,” Bol also tried to warn the Pentagon, Congress and State Department of the danger of militant Islamic fundamentalists, and particularly of Osama bin Laden, who had been given a safe haven in Sudan in the 1990s.

No one listened. Our bad.

"It's a great thing. Sports brings us together," said Deng. "At the same time for all of us here we have to be thankful for the people who came before us. It wasn't always easy. Because of what they did and what they went through, we have to set an example and make it even better for the next generation."

In this century, the Cavaliers made their only NBA Finals appearance, led by James, of course, but supported by Anderson Varejao (Brazil), Sasha Pavlovic (Montenegro) and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Lithuania.)

On MLK Day, with Deng the latest example of “basketball without borders,” what will be the next frontier? Probably it will be more players than Jason Collins admitting to being gay.

"That's OK," said Deng. "We live in a world today where we understand things better and we're open-minded. That's the beauty of the world. We always have to understand what happened in the past and make it a better place."

It is stating the obvious to say basketball players have always been tall. The subtle thing is they helped us grow, too.

Four-star defensive end Solomon Thomas of Coppell, Texas, eliminated Ohio State and Texas from his list of schools. Thomas is now down to Stanford, Arkansas and UCLA.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former Ohio State defensive line coach Mike Vrabel was the primary recruiter for defensive end Solomon Thomas, so the Buckeyes chances to land the four-star prospect took a hit when Vrabel took a job with the Houston Texans earlier this month. 

Now the Buckeyes are out of the running all together.

According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Blake Munroe, the Coppell, Texas native eliminated both Ohio State and Texas on Monday and is down to a final three, in no particular order, consisting of Stanford, Arkansas and UCLA.

Thomas racked up one of the most complete lists of scholarships of any player in the 2014 recruiting class, including ones from Alabama, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Clemson, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, West Virginia and more than 20 others.

Rivals.com rates Thomas the No. 3 defensive end and the No. 37 overall prospect in the class. Thomas is expected to announce his decision National Signing Day on Feb. 5. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Center Mat Podcast returns Tuesday as Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters Scott Patsko and Nathaniel Cline take a look at the wrestling scene around the region. This week's guest is Brunswick coach Mike Koshar.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Center Mat Podcast returns Tuesday as Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters Scott Patsko and Nathaniel Cline take a look at the wrestling scene around the region.

This week's guest is Brunswick coach Mike Koshar.

Koshar will join Patsko and Cline to talk about the Blue Devils' third-place finish at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament, as well as their upcoming matchup in the opening round the state dual tournament. The Blue Devils are the reigning Northeast Ohio Conference champions, and are currently ranked No. 7 in the cleveland.com wrestling Top 10.

Do you have a question for Koshar? Leave your question in the comments section and we'll bring it up during the podcast. Also, feel free to share your thoughts on the podcast or suggest future guests. To leave a comment you need to register for a cleveland.com account. You can register for an account here. 

The Center Mat Podcast is a weekly look at the wrestling scene around Northeast Ohio. Last week's guests were Brecksville-Broadview Heights coach Todd Haverdill and national wrestling analyst Josh Lowe.

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.