Kent State falls to host Bowling Green.

John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team claimed a 73-66 victory over Kent State at the Stroh Center tonight.

Jehvon Clarke scored 21 points to lead the Falcons (12-16, 6-9 Mid-American Conference). Richaun Holmes had 14 points and 10 rebounds while Spencer Parker added 12 points.

Devareaux Manley scored 16 points to lead the Golden Flashes (15-13, 6-9 MAC), who also got 14 from Kris Brewer and 10 from Mark Henniger.

Terry Francona says the Indians have a lot of work to do in getting used to new instand replay system that will go into affect this season.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – When manager Terry Francona returned from Tuesday's meeting with MLB officials explaining how the new instant replay rule will work, he was much calmer than he was walking into the meeting.

“Anytime there’s something new your initial thought is panic or anxiety,” said Francona. “Especially, with what is potentially riding on it.”

Francona calmed himself and started taking notes along with GM Chris Antonetti, assistant GM Mike Chernoff, bench coach Brad Mills and Derek Falvey, director of baseball operations. Hall of Famer managers Joe Torre and Tony La Russa were among those explaining the process.

The one lasting impression Francona came away with was “we’ve got some work to do.”

The fact that some of the same people who met with the Indians on Tuesday, specifically Torre and former umpire Steve Palermo, will be visiting the Goodyear Complex on Thursday as part of MLB’s annual spring training tour of all the clubs eased Francona’s mind.

“I think it will be easier to ask questions in a smaller group,” said Francona.

A manager, under the new system, will have the right to challenge one call during a game. If instant replay supports him, he will be awarded another call.

Francona, like every other manager, has been trying to figure out the right time use that challenge.

“Do you want to go out and in the first inning of every game and argue about a foul tip to show everybody how smart you are when you might lose your challenge?” he asked. “Early on, it wouldn’t be shocking, if we were conservative so we can save our challenges.”

Francona envisioned a scenario where the Indians might know the wrong call has been made on the field, but won’t use a challenge because it’s not at a pivotal time in the game.

“We’re going to need to explain to our players that it’s a team challenge because it could cost guys hits and things like that,” said Francona.

Francona said that instant replay rules will be in use for at least five games, and maybe more, for every team in spring training.

Every team has appointed or hired a person to monitor the replay equipment that will be located inside the clubhouse. That person will contact the dugout if he think a play should be challenged.

“Our guy will be joining us in a few days,” said Francona.

Instant replay can be used to review plays at the plate regarding MLB’s new rule to limit collisions between baserunners and catchers. Francona still has some questions about that and he hopes to get some of them answered Thursday.

“They more know they better we’ll feel,” he said.

First time: Trevor Bauer started the Tribe’s Cactus League opener Wednesday, pitching one scoreless. He walked the first two batters he faced, but a double play helped him get out of the innings.

“It was good to get back out there in game situations,” said Bauer.

He’s been having trouble gripping the ball in the dry Arizona air, but said some rosin helped him get a better feel for the ball.

No, problem: Veteran right-hander Aaron Harang followed Bauer and worked a scoreless 13-pitch second inning. Then he went to the bullpen to reach his required 25 pitches.

“It was good to get the first one out of the way,” said Harang, competing for a spot in the rotation. “I work on stuff in my bullpen sessions. When you get into game situations, you’ve just got to get it done.”

Testing, testing: Right-hander Shaun Marcum is getting close to 100 percent in his recovery from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) surgery.

“I’ve thrown three bullpens and have another scheduled for Thursday,” he said. “I hope from there I’ll be able to start seeing hitters. That’s my goal anyway.”

Marcum had the first rib removed under his right clavicle and two scalene muscles removed from his neck on July 13. The 4½-hour operation also involved the removal of some scar tissue.

“My hand would go cold after 30 or 40 pitches,” said Marcum. “I couldn’t feel the ball. Now that my rib and neck muscles are gone, all the pain is gone as well.”

Marcum is in camp on a minor league deal. He’s competing for a spot in the rotation.

Finally: The annual Talkin’ Tribe Opening Day Breakfast will be held at The Plain Dealer from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on April 4. Sportswriters Terry Pluto, Dennis Manoloff, Zack Meisel will speak. Plain Dealer columnist Michael McIntyre will be the moderator. Tickets are $25 per person. To reserve a ticket go to cleveland.com/homeopener.

Kyrie Irving scored 31 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Cavaliers to a stunning 114-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma -- It counts as only one win in the standings, but given where the Cavaliers have been lately, and given where they want to go, Wednesday's improbable 114-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena felt like so much more.

"For us, because of the opponent -- and I'm not usually into that -- but with where we are right now, especially being a young team trying to figure out how to win, when you talk about the opponent, you talk about the environment, you talk about just losing three, the trade we just made, trying to fit Spence [Hawes] in, where we are in the playoff hunt, there's a lot that adds up to this being a very good win for us, and it could be a confidence booster for a lot of different reasons,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "Hopefully it is, and hopefully we can keep playing the right way from here.''

The Cavaliers played the right way on Wednesday, with a strong showing by the bench supplementing a determined showing by the starters.

Kyrie Irving had 31 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, plus nine assists, five rebounds and four steals, while Hawes, looking more comfortable every day, added 19 points and seven rebounds, and Jarrett Jack added 21 points as the Cavs snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 23-36, 9-21 on the road. In spite of the fact that the Cavs were still without Anderson Varejao (back), Dion Waiters (knee) and C.J. Miles (ankle), they won their second straight against the Thunder and three of the last four games against the Western Conference power.

Having now won seven of the last 10 games, and, coupled with Atlanta's loss to Boston, the Cavs moved within four games of the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Kevin Durant had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists, while Russell Westbrook, in his third game back after missing 27 following right knee surgery, added 24 points and 9 assists as the Western Conference leading Thunder slipped to 43-15, 23-6 at home. Oklahoma City was without starting center Kendrick Perkins, out six weeks with a groin injury.

Westbrook hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to give the Thunder a 52-51 lead at the half, but Brown had to be thrilled with his team's first 24 minutes -- especially coming on the second night of a back-to-back.

In spite of shooting just 42 percent overall, the Cavs shot 43 percent from 3-point range (6 of 14) and made all nine of their free throws. The Thunder shot 57 percent (20 of 35) but had 13 turnovers in the first half.

Durant had 15 points and five rebounds in the first half, while Westbrook had 13 points and six assists. Irving had 14 points and four assists for the Cavs, while Hawes had 10 points and six rebounds and Jarrett Jack added 10 points, including two 3-pointers.

Oklahoma City outscored the Cavs at the start of the third quarter, 15-4, and looked to be breaking the game over after another Westbrook 3-pointer gave the Thunder a 67-55 lead with about six minutes left. But the Cavs battled back, thanks in part to a technical on Nick Collison for grabbing the net on a shot by Luol Deng that had no chance of going in. Irving making the technical free throw to cap an 11-2 run that got Cleveland back within 69-66 with 3:58 left. After three quarters, Oklahoma City was leading, 76-72.

Though the Thunder pulled out to a 79-72 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Cavs strung together a 14-7 run and tied the score at 86-86 on a 3-pointer by Irving with 8:03 left. After a 19-footer by Anthony Bennett and a steal and slam by Alonzo Gee gave the Cavs a 90-86 lead, Scott Brooks took a timeout with 7:10 left. But Irving took over down the stretch -- just as he did in front of Brooks 10 days ago in leading the Eastern Conference All-Stars to victory against the West team coached by Brooks.

"Kyrie had a huge performance for us,'' Brown said. "He was very efficient in the 43 minutes he played, offensively especially.''

Irving played all 24 minutes of the second half in Tuesday's loss to visiting Toronto, but he got a break on Wednesday when Brown actually let him sit for 2:20 in the second half.

The Cavs outscored the Thunder in the fourth quarter, 42-28. It was Cleveland's biggest fourth quarter this season and tied their best quarter of the season -- 42 in the second at Denver on Jan. 17. The last time the Cavs scored 42 or more points in the fourth quarter was Nov. 5, 2010, when they had 44 in the fourth quarter of a 123-116 victory at Philadephia.

"At this point we’re taking every win,'' Irving said. "Of course it was against a great team. We competed. Like every other win or loss, we’re going to take what we can from this, learn from it, the good and bad and move on.''

Jack, who scored nine of his points in the decisive fourth qurarter and kept his teammates on an even keel throughout the game, isn't watching the standings or seedings.

"I’m not even at the point of looking at what other teams are doing,'' he said. "There’s a lot of basketball left to be played and I think if we focus on us, that’ll be the best medicine for us.''

Center Colin Smith improved to 7-for-10 in shootouts this season as the Monsters defeated Texas, 3-2, Wednesday night at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Monsters center Colin Smith, a nightmare for opposing goalies in shootouts this season, made Cristopher Nilstorp of the Texas Stars his latest victim Wednesday night.

Smith and winger Michael Schumacher converted their attempts as the Monsters defeated the Stars, 3-2, in front of 4,935 at The Q. Schumacher also scored a goal.

The Monsters (23-25-0-5) played well for the second straight day against one of the AHL's best clubs. On Tuesday at The Q, they gave up two power-play goals and lost, 2-1.

West Division-leading Texas is 33-16-3-5.

Smith, Lake Erie's second shooter in the five-round regulation phase, chipped a backhander over Nilstorp's glove. Schumacher, Lake Erie's fifth shooter, went five-hole. Lake Erie goalie Calvin Pickard denied all four Texas attempts.

Smith improved to 7-for-10 in shootouts this season. He entered Wednesday ranked tied for first in the AHL with six successes.

"Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't,'' Smith said. "I just try to do my thing.''

If it were that simple, more players would be 7-for-10. Smith's speed and puck-handling skills help immensely. As has been the case on most of his attempts, Smith initially skated hard toward the goalie. Then Smith slowed, danced and found the back of the cage.

"Each guy has his own strategy,'' Smith said. "(Nilstorp) was staying deep, and he has long legs. I wanted to go with a few fakes and see what happens. Luckily, I got it by him.''

Nilstorp had been -- still is -- in a groove. In his previous seven starts, he was 5-1-1 with a 1.81 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

Lake Erie was out-shot, 13-7, in the first period but led, 1-0.

As part of a slow start, the Monsters managed one shot on their first power play. But they did not let their overall lack of offense affect their defense. The Stars feature numerous skill players with speed; those players failed to get good looks at Pickard because of Lake Erie's physicality.

At 6:28, Monsters center Brad Malone went to the box for interference. His teammates picked him up with a terrific penalty kill, then turned the momentum into a goal. Defenseman Gabriel Beaupre ignited the play and passed to winger Paul Carey, who carried the puck up the right side. Carey flipped a pass across the slot to Schumacher, who used his 6-5, 210-pound frame to create enough space to beat Nilstorp.

Schumacher, 20, from Sweden, has three goals in 22 games with Lake Erie. Earlier this season, he had eight goals in 21 games with Denver of the CHL.

"Schumacher had a really strong game,'' Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said.

Texas tied it at 14:34 of the second period. Right winger Colton Sceviour controlled the puck behind the Lake Erie cage, looped around to the lower left circle and shoved it toward Pickard. The puck got a piece of Texas winger Curtis McKenzie before crossing the line.

McKenzie has 20 goals in 56 games. He entered Wednesday ranked seventh in the AHL with 52 points. Sceviour ranked third with 58 points.

Early in the third, Texas had been on the power play for 10 seconds when Monsters winger Guillaume Desbiens was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct and misconduct/abuse of officials. The Monsters bench reacted angrily, but it did not matter: The Stars had a 5-on-3 for a maximum of 1:50.

Texas needed half of that time to take a 2-1 lead. Center Travis Morin, from the right circle, found forward Chris Mueller at the back post at 3:41. Mueller notched his 24th goal in 55 games. Morin entered Wednesday ranked first in the AHL with 71 points; Mueller was eighth with 50.

Lake Erie tied the score at 7:24. Morin's elbowing penalty set up a power-play opportunity for defenseman Stefan Elliott. Using a wrister from the left circle, Elliott went top-shelf for his eighth.

The Monsters dictated terms for the remainder of the third.

The goalie matchup was the same as the previous day's. In the Tuesday game, which began in late morning, Nilstorp made 32 saves and Pickard 21.

The Monsters' four-game week continues Friday night at Hamilton and concludes Sunday at Toronto. Their next home game is March 7 against Toronto.

"We did some good things, things we can build off when going up to Hamilton and Toronto,'' Chynoweth said.

BROOKLYN, Ohio — Members of Holy Name's hockey team are proving a little fun can't hurt late in the season. Before the start of the playoffs, the entire squad agreed to dye their hair blond. The team had done the same a year ago and advanced all the way to the district final before losing to Rocky River.

BROOKLYN, Ohio — Members of Holy Name's hockey team are proving a little fun can't hurt late in the season.

Before the start of the playoffs, the entire squad agreed to dye their hair blond. The team had done the same a year ago and advanced all the way to the district final before losing to Rocky River.

“We did it last year and we had a good run in the tournament so we did it again,” said senior winger Jamie Bucell.

Whatever good karma derived from the decision to dye continued Wednesday night as Bucell scored a short-handed goal with four minutes left in regulation to lift No. 2-seeded Holy Name to a 1-0 win over No. 3 St. Edward in a district semifinal thriller at the John M. Coyne Recreation Center.

Holy Name improved to 18-10-5 and will face No. 1 St. Ignatius (27-4-5) for the district title Saturday at 3 p.m. Holy Name beat St. Ignatius, 3-2, earlier the season in the only meeting between the two teams.

The Eagles (20-18) were peppering Holy Name goalie C.J. Balodis during a power play opportunity that led to Bucell’s game-winner.

Somehow the puck found its way to mid-ice and onto the stick of Green Wave left wing Joe Meehan, starting the sequence that led to Bucell’s heroics.

“I saw Meehan get the puck and I saw there was one guy back so I just called for the puck. He made a perfect pass and I shot through a screen and managed to go left side,” Bucell said.

The loss was a heartbreaker for St. Edward, which outshot Holy Name 28-24 on the night.

“We had a lot of great opportunities on that power play and didn’t put the puck in the net and that’s what happens,” St. Edward coach Troy Gray said. “They are a great team with a couple of great hockey players and we paid for it.”

Any chance St. Edward had of coming back late was nullified when it was whistled for a penalty in the last 94 seconds.

Bucell was having a head-shaking night up until tallying the game-winner. Time after time he’d dash down the ice and close in on St. Edward goalie Trevor Hill only to be denied.

“I had a couple of times, you know, of hitting shin guards or missing a little wide and it was a little frustrating,” Bucell said. “I had to keep calm and think about hitting the net.”

Bucell was not the only star. Holy Name’s goalie Balodis was sensational in net, stopping 28 shots on the night.

“C.J. played well, “ coach Tim Sullivan said of his goalie. “He sees the puck well. We got lucky in the first period on one that deflected and hit off the pipe. But he played well. He plays well when he sees the puck well.”

Gray gave all the credit to Holy Name for coming out on top in what was a physically punishing contest played in front of nearly packed arena.

“They are moving on. They’ve got a great hockey team, that’s all there is to that," Gray said.

The game was physical, with both teams trading booming checks.

“They came out hitting and we said we had to come out and start hitting,” Bucell said. “There was a lot of contact in that game.”

Beating traditional power St. Edward in the district semifinal allowed Sullivan to reflect on how far his program has come since he started it 11 years ago.

“I’m amazed at the way the school supports the hockey program. Getting to play in the district final two years in a row is just a dream come true as a coach. When I started the program 11 years ago I never imagined going to the district final two years in a row,” Sullivan said.

Brooklyn District semifinal

Holy Name 1, St. Edward 0

HN (18-10-5): Bucell. SE (20-18).

Goalies: HN, Balodis (28 shots-28 saves); SE, Hill (24-23).

“These last three games do a lot for our seeding in the Big Ten tournament and hopefully the NCAA tournament," junior Sam Thompson said. "We look at every game from here on out as a tournament-type game.”

No. 20 Ohio State Buckeyes (22-6, 9-6 Big Ten) at Penn State Nittany Lions (13-14, 4-10)

When: Thursday, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Bryce Jordan Center (15,261)

TV: ESPN2

Announcers: Joe Tessitore (play-by-play) and Sean Farnham (expert analysis)

Tickets: OhioStateBuckeyes.com

• PREVIEW: This isn't utopia in Columbus: Ohio State has won six since losing to Penn State, but Thad Matta knows the Buckeyes haven't arrived

Breaking down the Buckeyes: Penn State beat Ohio State 71-70 in overtime in this year’s previous meeting, giving the Buckeyes their fifth loss in six games. After that loss, Ohio State senior guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. said the rest of the Big Ten was laughing at the Buckeyes … In the month since that game, Ohio State has rattled off six wins in its last seven games and have climbed back into the Associated Press Poll at No. 20 … The Buckeyes are out of the Big Ten race, but they’re still playing for a first round bye in the Big Ten Tournament, awarded to the top four finishers in the regular season conference standings … In Ohio State's first 22 games, Thompson shot 12-of-41 from beyond the arc (29.3 percent), and in the last five he's made 9-of-17 threes (52.9 percent). Thompson made multiple threes in games five times this season - once in the season opener and the other four coming in the Buckeyes' last six games, all of which were wins … Thompson said Ohio State is taking a must-win approach for the remainder of its games this season – “These last three games do a lot for our seeding in the Big Ten tournament and hopefully the NCAA tournament. We look at every game from here on out as a tournament-type game” … Ohio State came into this season 17-0 against Penn State in the Thad Matta, but the Buckeyes suffered their first loss to the Nittany Lions under the head coach on Jan. 29. In that loss, Ohio State was winning by 11 points with just 7:58 left before eventually losing in overtime … Ohio State hasn't lost twice in the regular season to a Big Ten opponent since the 2008-09 season (Michigan State and Illinois). With a win over Minnesota on Saturday, the Buckeyes avoided the season sweep to the Gophers.

Breaking down the Nittany Lions: Since beating Ohio State, Penn State has fallen in four of its last six games … Penn State guard D.J. Newbill, who hit a few clutch threes against Ohio State to lead the Lions to victory, is averaging 17.4 points per game. His 16 points in Big Ten play currently ranks No. 6 overall in the conference … With a 13-14 record, Penn State has achieved its most wins under a Patrick Chambers-led team. The Nittany Lions went 12-20 in 2011-12 … Thursday night’s game will be senior night for Penn State’s all-time assists leader Tim Frazier. Frazier is averaging 16 points and 5.8 assists per game … Penn State is in the midst of playing three of four games against ranked opponents. The Nittany Lions’ are 1-4 this season against foes in the top 25, their lone win coming over then-No. 24 Ohio State.

Ari’s pick: Ohio State 71, Penn State 55

Doug’s pick: Ohio State 68, Penn State 59

COLUMBUS, Ohio – When Ohio State offered tight end Chris Clark in December it was the first major program on his list. Three months later, there aren’t many powerhouses left who haven’t joined the Buckeyes. A four-star prospect rated by Rivals.com the No. 7 tight end in the 2015 class, Clark has emerged as one of top players at...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – When Ohio State offered tight end Chris Clark in December it was the first major program on his list. Three months later, there aren’t many powerhouses left who haven’t joined the Buckeyes.

A four-star prospect rated by Rivals.com the No. 7 tight end in the 2015 class, Clark has emerged as one of top players at his position. And Urban Meyer hasn’t hid how much he wants the product of Avon (Conn.) Old Farms on the Buckeyes roster.

“Coach Meyer and Coach (Tim) Hinton have reiterated to me many times that I am their No. 1 guy they want at my position,” Clark told Cleveland.com in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. “It means a lot. Ohio State will definitely be there until the end.”

But things have gotten a lot more crowded for Clark, who was a three-star prospect with offers from only Boston College, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple, Texas Tech and Virginia when he initially got involved with the Buckeyes in December.

Add a few more scholarships in there now. Schools like Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Tennessee and many others have joined the race for the 6-foot-6, 245-pound prospect.

What changed? Perhaps it was Ohio State that helped open the floodgates.

“I definitely think it kind of works like that,” Clark said. “Once one big-time program pulls the trigger, I am sure other schools kind of notice that and then they take a closer look at the prospect. Ohio State recruits the best, so it shows other schools that if they’re recruiting me then I must be a good player.”

Now with 40 scholarship offers and an invitation to the Under Armour All-American Game in hand, Clark's life has gotten a tad more hectic. So the time has come for Clark to start thinking about narrowing down his list.

But Clark can't do that without taking visits, which begin in March. Clark said he has plans to see Maryland, Penn State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State in March, then he'll take more trips come June and into the summer.

Clark is scheduled to visit Ohio State unofficially for two days beginning on March 21. It will be the tight end's first time on the Buckeyes' campus, and he said he can't wait to spend personal time with Meyer.

"It means a lot that they are so high on me," Clark said. "Obviously Urban Meyer is a legendary coach and everyone knows about him. It's awesome to hear that he thinks of me as that type of player. I just really believe everything he says, too, because he has had great success at Florida and the tight end position was a big part of what he tried to do offensively.

"He is really trying to make that change at Ohio State with the tight end becoming even more of a focal point of what they're trying to do with the offensive moving forward. But yeah, it means a lot. It is just awesome. I really can't tell you how happy I am to have the opportunity to get recruited by him."

Clark doesn't have a list of top schools, but he anticipates he'll be able to narrow his list down at the end of summer once he has a good portion of his visits behind him. In the mean time, his scholarships list will likely grow before it is trimmed.

Though that could make for some overwhelming times, Clark said he's enjoying the process. And what's most important is that he knows exactly what he's looking for in his future home.

"These visits will mean a lot. It is all about getting the chance to hang out with these coaches," he said. "I have talked to a bunch of these coaches on the phone, but it is kind of good to be in person with them and hear what they have to say about the tight end, watch film, seeing how I could be used in the offense.

"Then obviously I also want to have a good feel for the campus, I want to see if I can see myself there for three or four years. Then also getting a feel for what the kids on the team are like. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to meet a lot of the kids when I go on the visits because I'll be spending so much time with them, so its important to get a feel for what they're like. I'm really excited to get going." 

In Cleveland, the catchphrase "What if?" has served as a platform to detail all of the close calls and near-misses throughout a 50-year professional sports championship drought.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians ditched the "What If?" slogan before the 2013 season, after two years of promotions that pondered the future.

In Cleveland, though, the catchphrase has served as a platform to detail all of the close calls and near-misses throughout a 50-year professional sports championship drought.

"When you don't win for a long time, you always have the 'This happened' or 'That happened,' " said Indians designated hitter Jason Giambi. "I think that's part of sports. Everybody likes to be part of a championship, not only the players, but the city.

"It's about being part of something special and I think that can be more inspiring if you're in an organization that hasn't won in a long time, to be a part of something special that hadn't be done in a long time."

What if John Elway agreed to play for the Baltimore Colts?

Without Elway at quarterback, would the Denver Broncos still have squeaked past the Browns in the AFC Championship games three times in four years? Elway weaseled his way out of playing for the Colts after they selected him with the first pick in the 1983 draft. Baltimore dealt him to Denver after the quarterback threatened to play baseball.

The Browns own claim to Cleveland's most recent championship, as the 1964 team pummeled the heavily favored Colts. Of course, they had their chances to alter the city's sports history in the late '80s.

John Elway scrambles out of the pocket during the AFC Championship Game in Cleveland in January 1987.Plain Dealer file photo

What if Webster Slaughter had blocked Jeremiah Castille on 'The Fumble'?

"The Fumble" and "The Drive" have been firmly etched into Cleveland sports lore. There have been few, if any, close calls since the Browns returned to Lake Erie's shore in 1999.

The same can't be said for the Indians and Cavaliers.

What if George Steinbrenner had been allowed to buy the Indians?

At a theater near you: "Major League," a tale about the woeful New York Yankees franchise, starring Charlie Sheen. Meanwhile, the Indians, a free-spending, evil dynasty snatch up every bona fide free agent and draw the ire of fans in baseball's smaller markets.

Steinbrenner had struck a handshake agreement to purchase the franchise from Jimmy Stouffer, but Stouffer's father intervened and killed the deal.

The Indians went four decades without a postseason appearance. Then, during a run of six division titles in seven years from 1995-2001, the Tribe came as close as possible to a World Series title without actually winning.

What if Charles Nagy were two inches taller?

There are plenty of instances from Oct. 26, 1997, in which one small change would've contributed to the Indians' triumph. Edgar Renteria's walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning, the hit that propelled the Marlins to the World Series title, skimmed off the tip of the 6-foot-3 Nagy's glove.

"I'm sure it's heartbreaking to be that close and not have a championship, especially with the quality of teams that they had," Giambi said. "They made an incredible run where -- playing here early in my career, this was the place to be. This was the New York Yankees. Every year they had an unbelievable team, scored a bunch of runs, had a mix of incredible young players, great veterans. Lose one guy, replace him with a great name. You lose Albert Belle, you get David Justice. They had that whole thing going. That has to be heartbreaking to be that close and have that quality of teams and go to the playoffs. That's tough."

What if Grady Sizemore didn't lose that fly ball in the Kansas City sun?

The sun was shining on the Indians in the second half of the 2005 season. On one Sunday afternoon, it shined a little too bright. In the bottom of the ninth inning of the Indians' final road game of the season, the star center fielder lost a ball in the Kansas City sun, which permitted the Royals to score the winning run.

The loss shrunk the Indians' lead in the Wild Card race to one game, but the team proceeded to lose five of its next six contests and finished two games out in the competition for the final American League playoff berth.

Of course, the Indians got back to that stage two years later.

What if Joel Skinner didn't hold Kenny Lofton at third base?

Popular consensus deems that Lofton would have scored with ease after the ball ricocheted off the wall near third base and trickled into left field on a Franklin Gutierrez base hit. Lofton had rounded third and seemed destined to score the tying run in Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS before Skinner threw up the stop sign. Casey Blake then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Granted, the Red Sox went on to score nine times and advance to the Fall Classic with a 11-2 win. Was Skinner unfairly selected as scapegoat, or would the tying run have altered the complexion of the game?

Four months before Boston erased a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS and sent the Indians packing, the Cavs reached the NBA Finals. It seemed like the start of an unrivaled era of Cleveland basketball.

The Cavs never returned to the Finals before LeBron James darted for Miami, though.

The Orlando Magic celebrate after knocking out the Cavaliers in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals.Plain Dealer file photo

What if Mo Williams had made a miraculous shot at the end of Game 1 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals?

The Cavs and Lakers were on a crash course. The Cavs swept their first two postseason opponents, the Pistons and Hawks, before the Magic arrived in Cleveland for the start of the conference finals. Trailing, 107-106, with one second left, James tipped a jump ball to Williams, who, in mid-air, caught the basketball and fired a shot off the back iron.

Orlando eventually claimed the series in six games, but Game 1 was the only affair the Cavs lost at Quicken Loans Arena. Would the series have unfolded differently had the Cavs captured a 1-0 lead?

Part of James' decision was based on the better supporting cast that awaited him in South Beach.

What if Carlos Boozer never left?

Boozer bolted to Utah after the Cavs let him out of his contract in preparation of signing him to an extension. Would his presence in the post have aided the Cavs quest for a championship?

It's one of countless questions that have defined the last five decades of Cleveland sports.

What if Michael Jordan missed "The Shot?"

What if there was no Major League Baseball strike in 1994?

What if the Browns called a play other than Red Right 88?

What if LeBron James had remained in Cleveland?

What other what-if scenarios do you have trouble shaking from your conscience?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get live updates all afternoon and evening Thursday from the first session of the Division III individual state wrestling tournament at Ohio State University. Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters, including Nathaniel Cline, will be posting updates in the comments section below from Value City Arena.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get live updates all afternoon and evening Thursday from the first session of the Division III individual state wrestling tournament at Ohio State University.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters, including Nathaniel Cline, will be posting updates in the comments section below from Value City Arena.

We're tracking all 145 local qualifiers. Keep up with Division I action, as well as a live blog from Division II.

Have a question for the reporters? Post it in the comments and look for their reply. The comments section is also a great place for fans to post their take and interact with other wrestling fans.

The first session gets under way at 3 p.m. with the championship preliminaries, followed by the consolation round 1 at 7:15 p.m.

Northeast Ohio has 27 qualifiers in Division III. 

Look for the comments section at the bottom of every post. Registering for an account is free and takes just a few minutes (click here for an account). Once you register you will have the ability to comment on all posts.

If you're viewing this story on a mobile device or a tablet, check back in a bit for a link where you can see all the updates in the comments.

Contact high school sports reporter Nathaniel Cline by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@nathanielcline). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Cooper went 0-for-1 with a walk in two at-bats on Wednesday. He might be a long-shot to make the Indians' roster, but he's beaten the odds before.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- David Cooper dove back to first base, stood up, brushed the dirt off his batting gloves and adjusted his belt.

Then, he placed his hands on his hips and he winced.

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't twist or move.

Cooper was finally at the big league level in August 2012, finally playing every day and batting in the middle of the order for the Blue Jays. His single to right field had pushed his batting average to the .300 mark. He couldn't afford to cave to whatever injury was bedeviling him.

"I was like, 'You're going to have to drag me off that field,'" Cooper said.

They did.

"That happened about an inning or two later," he said.

Cooper is fortunate he exited the game. Later, he'd learn from doctors how close he was to paralysis.

*****

Initially, doctors diagnosed Cooper with a strained rhomboid muscle in the upper back. He ventured to Florida for a rehab assignment, but the pain wouldn't cease.

Cooper visited a spinal specialist in St. Petersburg, Fla., and then saw spinal specialist Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles. Watkins referred him to Dr. Curtis Dickman, a neurosurgeon at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

Almost six months after a simple plunge into the first-base bag, Cooper ultimately learned of the severity of his injury: Any sudden jolt to his back, Dickman told him, could have forced him to a wheelchair.

A herniated disc was pressing into -- and deforming -- his spinal cord.

"I could literally be walking down the sidewalk, slip and fall and be paralyzed," Cooper said. "Something as simple as that. It could be a little fender-bender. Anything that anybody would normally look at as such a small thing could've been it for me."

For nearly half a year, Cooper had unknowingly skated on thin ice. Now, as Dickman detailed, he needed a rare, contemporary procedure to hopefully avoid such a tenuous state.

Cooper couldn't imagine being confined to a wheelchair at such a young age. He couldn't grasp the thought of surrendering his active lifestyle. He couldn't envision a life without the ability to golf, swim or, of course, play baseball.

"It was shocking, to say the least," Cooper said. "It was kind of like, 'Wow, I dodged a bullet,' but at the same time, I knew it was going to be a long road ahead.

"I looked at it as I really didn't have a choice. At the time, I was 25 years old essentially and I was going to live with not being able to do anything for the rest of my life, and there was a good chance I was going to end up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I felt there was no other choice to make."

*****

Cooper will never forget being rolled into the operating room on April 3, 2013, and seeing the toll the emotional stress took on his parents and his wife, Tamara.

About 20 years ago, Dickman spearheaded an endoscopic approach to the standard herniated disc surgery. His method begins with deflating a lung to create an empty space inside the chest cavity. He then makes small incisions in the chest wall, where he inserts an endoscope, which has a camera and light source.

Dr. Curtis Dickman describes how David Cooper's spine was rebuilt.Zack Meisel, Cleveland.com

Dickman inserted screws and plates to fortify Cooper's spine and lock everything into position.

"I counseled David before the surgery that, 'It's possible you could have chronic pain and may not be able to perform at the same level as you did previously and it's possible you may not be able to return to professional sports,'" Dickman said. "But this was really his only hope. With the open type of surgery, the amount of destruction in the chest wall would likely not have permitted him to return."

A few weeks after the operation, Cooper was allowed to walk on a treadmill and ride a stationary bike. Those were his limitations for three months. In the first week of July, he had one last CT scan and was fully cleared.

"It was, 'Do whatever you want. You can't hurt yourself anymore,'" Cooper said.

"He had the faith in me, and we both really put our faith in the technique and it turned out spectacularly," Dickman said. "David really had a miraculous recovery that was everything we were hoping but David knew I couldn't guarantee that he could return to professional sports when he got into it. It's turned out to be a miracle."

*****

Last August, Cooper signed a contract with the Indians. The deal included a clause that permitted the California native to opt out for free agency if he wasn't promoted to the big league squad by the end of August.

He played in six games with the Indians' rookie-level team and in seven games with Triple-A Columbus. Now, he's back with the Indians with the message: "Come in and compete for a job," he said. Manager Terry Francona lauded Cooper's "nice swing."

Cooper is just grateful for the opportunity. He couldn't help but smile when he noticed his name penciled into the No. 8 spot in Francona's lineup for the Indians' spring training opener on Wednesday.

"It's a big step for me," Cooper said. "I was very excited when I saw the lineup. It's something that, back throughout this whole process, it's one of those dates I've kind of been honed in on."

Cooper contends he has no hesitation when unleashing a powerful swing or rounding first base. As soon as he was granted the green light, he practiced diving so he could remove all trepidation and doubt.

"I'm 100 percent," he said. "If I didn't have the scars and see the images, I wouldn't even know I had the surgery."

Cooper went 0-for-1 with a walk in two at-bats on Wednesday. He might be a long-shot to make the Indians' roster, but he's beaten the odds before.

"They say, 'Play every game like it's your last,'" Cooper said. "I kind of got to experience that first hand. Something as simple as diving into a bag can really take everything away."

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Get live updates during every session at the Division I individual state wrestling tournament Thursday through Saturday at Ohio State. Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Scott Patsko will be posting updates in the comments section below from Value City Arena. Have a question for him? Post it in the comments and look for his reply. The comments...

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Get live updates during every session at the Division I individual state wrestling tournament Thursday through Saturday at Ohio State.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Scott Patsko will be posting updates in the comments section below from Value City Arena. Have a question for him? Post it in the comments and look for his reply. The comments section is also a great place for fans to post their take and interact with other wrestling fans.

Be sure to check out Patsko's Division I state preview post. Also, NEOMG reporters Bill Landis and Nathaniel Cline will be overseeing live updates posts for Division II and Division III.

Seventy-two wrestlers from Northeast Ohio will be competing in Division I.

Division I wrestling begins Thursday at 5:40 p.m. with the championship preliminaries, and continues at 8:40 p.m. with round one of the consolation matches.

Wrestling continues Friday at 11:20 a.m. with the championship quarterfinals, followed by round two of consolations. Championship semifinals and consolation quarterfinals begin at 6:30 p.m., and consolation matches continue through the evening.

Saturday's final day of wrestling begins with consolation semifinals at 10 a.m., followed by third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches at 11 a.m. Championship finals begin at 5:45 p.m.

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.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Northeast Ohio will be represented by 145 wrestlers at the state championship meet in Columbus this weekend. A group that large gives the area several opportunities to have title winners in several weight classes and that brings us to our question of the day. Today’s high school sports question of the day: Which local wrestlers will...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Northeast Ohio will be represented by 145 wrestlers at the state championship meet in Columbus this weekend. A group that large gives the area several opportunities to have title winners in several weight classes and that brings us to our question of the day.

Today’s high school sports question of the day: Which local wrestlers will win state titles and why?

Give us your list of area combatants who you think will win a title and tell us why. You have the opportunity have your predictions on record for bragging rights if you're right.

New this school year: Readers can now comment on all cleveland.com high school sports stories — and we encourage it.

Look for the comments section at the bottom of every post. Registering for an account is free and takes just a few minutes (click here for an account). Once you register you will have the ability to comment on all posts.

Contact sports reporter Nubyjas Wilborn by email (nwilborn@cleveland.com) or twitter (@nwilborn19). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio – Beachwood senior John Davis III has made a habit of changing people's perception, including his own. When Davis was in middle school, he was trying to figure out where he should go to high school. He was a Beachwood resident, but the team’s lack of basketball success made him cautious about becoming a Bison.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio – Beachwood senior John Davis III has made a habit of changing people's perception, including his own.

When Davis was in middle school, he was trying to figure out where he should go to high school. He was a Beachwood resident, but the team’s lack of basketball success made him cautious about becoming a Bison.

“I used to always look up Beachwood on MaxPreps to see where we were ranked,” Davis said. “It was like 250th in the state, and I said I couldn’t go here.”

Davis considered attending some of Northeast Ohio's top private schools but his father, also named John, knew what to say to get him to stick around.

He told him the program was about to change, and Davis would be the catalyst. He was right.

“Now we’re No. 1 in the state AP poll,” Davis said. “I feel like I accomplished what I needed to so I could put Beachwood on the map.”

Davis took Beachwood to the district final as a sophomore and the regional final as a junior. During that junior season, the AP named him co-player of the year for Division III.

This year might be the toughest task yet for Davis, as the Garfield Heights District is one of the toughest in the state. It includes four teams ranked in the Top 10 in the state poll, including Beachwood and Villa Angela-St. Joseph, the defending Division IV state champion.

Davis, who is averaging 22.5 points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals this season, isn’t really concerned with who is in his path to Columbus.

“My mindset is going to states,” Davis said. “I don’t care who is in our district.”

Beachwood earned the No. 2 seed behind VASJ. The Bison open the playoffs Friday in a sectional final against No. 6 Lutheran West at Beachwood.

Confidence has never been part of Davis’ problem. Although he is quiet and humble off the court, he is ready to go at anyone when he’s playing.

“I’ve never seen him get flustered and nervous,” said Beachwood coach Matt Miller. “There is nothing that fazes him when he’s on the floor.” (Listen to a podcast with Miller on Thursday on cleveland.com).

Davis got his basketball ability and his toughness from his parents. His father, a 6-foot-2 Trinity graduate, played junior college basketball in Arizona before finishing his college career at Bowling Green.

His mother, Monica, played for Hawken and tried out for Miami (Ohio), despite standing just 4-11. 

They put a basketball in his hand when he was a baby, and he seemingly has never given it back. While Davis’ genes might not make him the tallest player on the court -- he says he is “6-foot on a good day” -- there were other ways to become a good basketball player.

“My dad always told me that if I’m not going to be the biggest, then I’m going to be the quickest and the best ball handler in Ohio,” Davis said.

Growing up, Davis would dribble on the basement floor until his mother went to sleep. Then he would switch over to the carpet so she couldn’t hear him.

That hard work has paid off, as he can make a case that he’s lived up to his dad’s goal of being the state’s best ball handler.

“The guy will just not turn the ball over,” said his former Beachwood coach, Jason Pecjak. “There was no press that we ever saw that he would have trouble with.”

Even with all of the success Davis has had, few colleges have taken notice. The senior has an offer from Fairmont State, a Division II school. He’s received some Division I interest from Florida International, East Tennessee State and Furman.

The lack of interest makes little sense to those who have coached him.

“He’s going to outwork every kid in the program, he’s going to win and at the end of the day you’re getting a great kid that you would want to represent and be the face of your program,” Pecjak said.

Davis believes part of it stems from the perception Beachwood can’t produce great basketball players. But that's a perception he is changing with every win for the Bison.

“Players like him were not staying,” Miller said. “Him staying here is a huge part of that transformation of people looking at this as a basketball school.”

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.

Working on a new motion, many of Trevor Bauer's pitches were high in the strikezone as he walked two in an inning.

1. Trevor Bauer's motion is not quite as violent as the sling-shot-type thing he used at UCLA and early in his pro career. It's more of a windup than whatever he was doing with the Tribe last year -- at one point, he was pitching an entire game from the stretch. The key for him is control. His stuff sizzled in Wednesday's opener, but he still walked two in his one inning. He was up high -- a lot. He went 10 pitches with leadoff batter Billy Hamilton, before walking him.

2. After the walk to Hamilton, Bauer gave up a stolen base. And he seemed a bit flustered, as he walked Brandon Phillips on four pitches -- none of them very close to the strike zone. Nearly everything was high.

3. But then Bauer blew away Joey Votto, Yan Gomes threw out Phillips stealing and Jay Bruce lined out to left field. It could have been worse as Bauer regained some control. But even in warmups, a lot of his pitches were high.

4. The Indians know the 23-year-old Bauer is probably not ready for the Majors -- at least not early this season. That's why they added Aaron Harang (one impressive scoreless inning) to their collection of starters. Bauer walked 73 in 112 innings at Class AAA Columbus last season. He also walked 16 in 17 innings with the Tribe. After the game, Terry Francona talked about, "Those who pitched well worked ahead in the count…and attacked the (strike) zone."

5. Francona's message is one that he has said almost every day since becoming Tribe manager a year ago. It's one that every little leaguer hears. It hasn't changed in ages. But it's why Josh Tomlin (excellent control) has a real shot to win the fifth spot in the rotation, despite Carlos Carrasco (his main competition) having a far stronger arm.

6. Tony Wolters looks surprisingly comfortable behind the plate for a guy who was an infielder last spring -- and was not converted to catcher until right before the season opened. The 21-year-old batted .277 (722 OPS) with three homers and 33 RBI while learning the new position at Class A Carolina last year. He threw out 28 percent of stealing base runners, the Carolina League average was 30 percent.

7. C.C. Lee gave up two runs in an inning and too many of his pitches were waist high. The Indians believe he has the stuff to eventually win a spot in the bullpen. The right-hander had elbow surgery on June 1, 2012. He threw only 33 innings between the minors and 4 1/3 with the Tribe last year.

8. Ryan Raburn (a double) hit the hardest ball of the day for the Tribe in their 8-3 loss Wednesday to the Reds.

Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was more than willing to restructure his contract, but opted for more stability when the two sides couldn't agree on a number.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, the undisputed leader of the Browns and most beloved player on the team, said Wednesday that he was "more than willing to restructure'' his contract to remain with the Browns, but that the two sides couldn't agree on the number.

"My agent Brian Mackler and I made the decision that if I was going to take that offer I'd go somewhere else where there's a little bit more stability and a situation that's a little bit better for me,'' Jackson said in an exclusive interview with Northeast Ohio Media Group. "I told (GM) Ray Farmer I think I've been a strong soldier for eight years and I just felt like -- we both did -- we couldn't come up with a number and we both felt like it was better for both sides just to move on.''

Jackson stressed that it's bittersweet, "but at this point in my career, I gave Cleveland everything I had. This time around I have a chance to choose where I want to go. I've saved my money and it's time for me to experience something different. I hate to say it, but I think it was necessary.''

He added, "there was a time when I thought I was out of the league three years ago. The good thing about this situation is I had a good year, I'm healthy and that's all I can ask for. I know I have job.''

Jackson, 30, was released on Wednesday instead of the Browns paying him the $4.0 million roster bonus due March 16 and a $100,000 workout bonus. Jackson, who signed a five-year contract extension two years ago through 2016 worth $42.5 million -- including $19 million in guarantees and bonuses, was due to make $3.93 million this season.

His salaries for 2015 and 2016 were $7.73 million and $7 million, respectively. The Browns will have $4.2 million in dead money on the books for him this year. If he had stayed, his cap number would've been $9.43 million.

"I definitely would've stayed if they would've payed the $4.0 million bonus,'' Jackson said. "I want to be around when Cleveland turns the corner. My feeling was always that 'this year is going to be the year.' There wouldn't have been any doubt in my mind that I wanted to be in Cleveland.''

The longest tenured member of the Browns at eight seasons, Jackson is currently a free agent and can sign with any team. His agent was already fielding calls from numerous teams within minutes after Jackson's release and he's expected to begin making visits on Friday.

"I'm willing to go to 31 other teams at this point,'' Jackson said. "Obviously I'm looking for a place that has some type of stability, someplace that a guy that's been around and you know he's not going to be out in two years. I don't have a crystal ball or anything but ideally that's going to probably have a lot of weight in determining my decision in where I go.''

Mackler said the issue with Jackson was that "we needed a commitment from the Browns that D'Qwell was going to be with the Browns for the next two to three years. They couldn't provide that, so we decided to have a mutual split.''

Mackler said he's never seen anything like the outpouring of support for Jackson from all over the league.

"In 24 years of doing this, D'Qwell has been one of the most respected people in the business that I've ever come across, whether you're talking about players, coaches or front office people,'' said Mackler. "The people that have left this organization value what he brings on and off the field. D'Qwell won't have a lack of suitors, and he'll have a choice of where he wants to go.''

Jackson, the Browns second-round pick in 2006 out of Maryland, admitted it would be tough to make the playoffs next year with another team.

"It'll be exciting for the simple fact that I'm in the playoffs, but then I'll feel like I'm cheating on Cleveland the first year I'm gone, because I wanted to do it in Cleveland,'' he said. "It will be exciting, but at the same time, I wish my brothers in Cleveland could experience it if they don't make the playoffs this year.''

Jackson's leadership ability was unparalleled in the Browns locker room. He held the team together through the trade of Trent Richardson last season and through subsequent rumors that Josh Gordon was on the trading block. He also guided the locker room through the suspension of Joe Haden for Adderall use in 2013 and through the firings of numerous coaches.

Jackson, who missed all but six games in 2009-10 with torn pectoral muscles, played for four different head coaches in his eight years here. He was miffed this year after the Browns fired Rob Chudzinski, and began growing weary of the upheaval.

"Every time a move happens like that, you think about it,'' said Jackson. "It's just a natural reaction. I didn't see it coming. I remember being asked about it in Pittsburgh and it was bizarre. I was angry. I couldn't believe people would start a rumor like that.''

Jackson felt like he was in good standing with the team until CEO Joe Banner and GM Mike Lombardi were let go Feb. 11.

"After that, I didn't know what to expect,'' he said. "I thought I was going to be here when they were still here, but there's no definite truth to that. That's just my natural feel. The decision was made quickly and they have some guys they have to take care of, Jordan Cameron, Josh Gordon. I'm not upset, because I know it's going to leave them room to take care of those guys when those guys are up.''

Jackson acknowledged that going 41-87 in his eight years took its toll. He never made the playoffs and experience only one winning season, the 10-6 campaign of 2007.

"Losing year after year, it sucks,'' said Jackson. "What I learned early on probably four years ago, you dig deep to find your strength during all that losing. find..and I was so optimistic when I was there in Cleveland -- I felt like we could win every game. I felt every year like we would go to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. But my fear of losing that desire to play the game is what drove me to prepare and play hard.''

Jackson said he consulted with former teammates such as Scott Fujita, Mike Adams (Pops) and Eric Barton to make his decision. He watched Adams go to the Super Bowl this year with Denver after years of losing in Cleveland.

"All the guys that have left and have gone on to win -- Phil (Dawson) made a big kick and I was texting him and Pops is one of my good friends, so we keep in touch and he would tell me he loved Cleveland,'' said Jackson. "There's something about being in Cleveland. The guys are close. The guys go through tough times together, and at the same time he's experiencing a different locker room, he's experiencing something totally different and it re-energizes you. That's what I'm excited for. But it's tough. It really is.''

Jackson said he made a pros and con sheet and it opened his eyes to what he needed to do.

"What really made my decision easier was that the same cons that I had now were the cons I had five years ago,'' he said. "So something had to change.''

He said it will be interesting to watch from afar and see who fills the leadership void. He trained the young players such as Joe Haden, T.J. Ward and Tashaun Gipson well.

"I hope they take care of T.J.,'' he said. "The leaders will come from guys like T.J and Joe Haden and Paul Kruger and Quentin Groves. Whoever separates himself as the leader, that's going to be interesting to watch.''

He said the toughest part for him is leaving all the guys he's become so close to.

"That's the part that's tough is leaving the guys,'' said Jackson. "I thought we had a good group last year. We finally have the guys in the locker room to take that next step. It's just when are we going to stick behind a coaching staff that can develop these guys? I've met with the new coaches, I've met with coach Pettine, and they seem like great people and they're on the right mission, so I wish them all the luck.''

Jackson, who played every snap but one last year, said it wasn't a matter of fitting into Pettine's new defense, a hybrid multi-front scheme.

"In eight years I've had five or six defensive coordinators and the benefit I've had is I've played in the majority of defenses teams are playing,'' he said. "And I've thrived in most of them so I don't think that's the case. I also have to take into account am I going to play a certain amount of snaps? Can I for the next three to five years with this amount of snaps on my body. You really have to take that into account.''

Jackson said he takes consolation in the fact the Browns can use some of his money to re-do the contracts of Haden, possibly Ward and others.

"That's the way I'm dealing with it,'' he said. "That those guys that worked extremely hard, now it's their turn to be able to stay around as long as I did and be around the community.''

Jackson also expressed his gratitude to Browns fans every where in a statement released by the team: "Eight years ago I began a journey that blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of a wonderful organization and community. I want to take this time to thank each and every one of you for opening your arms and hearts to my family and me, and for making Cleveland an easy place to love and call home. It’s been an honor playing in front of you.

 “I also would like to thank the Browns players, coaches and staff for their tireless work and commitment.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all and will always carry you with me."

Farmer also said in a statement, "We had positive discussion with D’Qwell and his agent over the last several days, and we came to the mutual agreement to go in different directions. D’Qwell is the epitome of class, leadership and professionalism. Every day of his NFL career, D’Qwell has been a solid representative of the Browns and the City of Cleveland, both between the lines on Sundays and off the field in our area community. We want to thank him for his eight years of service and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”

Jackson, who's expected to hear from plenty of his former Browns coordinators, said he's eager to test the waters.

"It's going to be exciting to see who wants me and I've never been a free agent before,'' he said. "This is all new territory.''

And a new venture for the Browns without their trusted leader.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thirty-four Division I wrestlers from Northeast Ohio competed in the first consolation round at the OHSAA state wrestling tournament Thursday. Here are some of the top storylines from the opening round of consolation matches:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thirty-four Division I wrestlers from Northeast Ohio competed in the first consolation round at the OHSAA state wrestling tournament Thursday.

Here are some of the top storylines from the opening round of consolation matches:

Brecksville-Broadview Heights in the hunt

After Day 1 of wrestling, Brecksville-Broadview Heights is second in the team standings, 22 points behind Massillon Perry.

Catching Perry will be tough. The Panthers brought 11 wrestlers to state, and 10 reached the quarterfinals. The other remains alive in the consolation round.

State qualifier Austin Hiles (132) was a scratch before wrestling began Thursday, leaving the Bees with seven wrestlers. But after Day 1, all seven remain alive.

Thursday evening, Grayson Davis (145) and Troy Lang (170) won their consolation matches to advance to Friday. Bees in the quarterfinals are Jarod Bronstrup (106), Austin Assad (120), Justin DeMicco (126), Austin Strnad (160) and Josh Murphy (195).

Trailing the Bees by 2.5 points is Marysville, followed by Moeller and St. Edward. All four teams are within four points of each other.

Hello and goodbye

The only St. Edward wrestler eliminated Thursday as Hunter Ladnier, who replaced Hiles in the 132-pound bracket. Ladnier lost a back-and-forth opener, 13-10, then fell 8-3 in his consolation match.

Alan Hart (106), Kevin Khoma (170) and Parker Knapp (220) all stayed alive in the consolation bracket.

Overtime to stay alive

Three of the most exciting consolation matches involved local wrestlers.

At 120, Green's Noah Schaub lost a 6-4 overtime match to Perrysburg's Moises Guillen. At 138, Madison's Ryan Montgomery win a 3-1 overtime decision against Sprinboro's Jakob Ottaway. And at 160, Perrysburg's Dan Waltermeyer won a 9-7 overtime decision against David Celinski of Garfield Heights.

How the numbers stack up

72 – Northeast Ohio wrestlers competing in Division I Thursday.

38 – Northeast Ohio wrestlers who won their first match, advancing them to Friday's quarterfinals.

34 – Northeast Ohio wrestlers who lost their first match.

18 – Northeast Ohio wrestlers were eliminated Thursday after losing their consolation match.

16 – Northeast Ohio wrestlers who won in Thursday's consolation round and will compete in Friday's second consolation round.

Friday's schedule

Division I wrestling begins at 11:20 a.m. with championship quarterfinals. Consolation round two begins at 1:45.

After a break, wrestling resumes at 6:30 p.m. with championship semifinals and consolation quarterfinals.

Live Division I updates on cleveland.com

Be sure to check out our Division I live updates post, which will continue to be updated throughout the state tournament.

Elsewhere ...

Complete Division I results from Day 1.

Top storylines from Division II consolation round one.

Top storylines from Division III consolation round one.

Coverage of Thursday's championship preliminary round.

Top storylines from Division I championship preliminaries.

Top storylines from Division II championship preliminaries.

Top storylines from Division III championship preliminaries.

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.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The John Carroll women's basketball team learned a valuable lesson this season. It learned how to win. Now, it needs to learn how to win big games, especially at home. The Blue Streaks' best season probably ended Thursday night – unless the NCAA tournament comes calling – with an 80-71 loss to visiting Ohio Northern...

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The John Carroll women's basketball team learned a valuable lesson this season. It learned how to win. Now, it needs to learn how to win big games, especially at home.

The Blue Streaks' best season probably ended Thursday night – unless the NCAA tournament comes calling – with an 80-71 loss to visiting Ohio Northern in an Ohio Athletic Conference tournament semifinal.

JCU (21-4) set a school record for victories and won a share of its first regular-season OAC title this winter, and was ranked 22nd in the nation. But three of its four losses came on its home floor – twice to ONU and once to rival Baldwin-Wallace – in critical games.

No. 24 ONU (23-4) plays host to Capital (18-8) for the OAC tournament championship Saturday. Capital upset tournament No. 1 seed Baldwin Wallace, 83-77 in overtime.

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The tournament champ receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. ONU likely has clinched a berth regardless of the outcome. With regular-season co-champs BW and JCU losing in the semifinals, it throws any NCAA tournament at-large bids up in the air.

A John Carroll at-large bid seems less likely, but is possible. It was 1-4 against BW and ONU and entered the game ranked sixth in the region, behind BW and ONU. The tournament field is to be announced Sunday.

“They have had one incredible season that certainly deserves to be recognized in the postseason,'' JCU coach Kelly Morrone said of her Blue Streaks. “Looking at strength of schedule, total body of work, who we lost to and individuals who are nationally ranked at their positions, we've got a team that deserves to be there.''

John Carroll fought back from a 55-40 deficit and cut the margin to 59-56. It was down 75-71 with 46 second left, but ran out of gas at the end.

Whatever lessons John Carroll carries forth to next season, it will do so without the best player in school history. Senior Missy Spahar's career ended with school career records in points (1,850) and rebounds (893).

She entered the game as the second-leading scorer in the country, averaging 25.4 points, but was limited to a team-high 19 points and six rebounds Thursday.

“It felt like they were all over me the whole time. I got the ball and there were three people around me. I've been dealing with that the whole season, and it's hard,'' said Spahar, a 5-10 forward. “That's where I find my teammates and hopefully they knock down the shots. Tonight, I felt like I was food and they were attacking me.''

JCU was 14-13 last season and was a middle-of-the-conference preseason pick under first-year coach Morrone, who previously had been an assistant at three Division I schools. John Carroll started the season 11-0.

“It's unfortunate that this is my last year, but I'm glad this happened,'' said Spahar, a Lake Catholic graduate. “This doesn't happen to a lot of people. You don't go from being a .500 team to being nationally ranked your senior year. I'm blessed.''

ONU was bigger at every position and had a deeper bench. The Polar Bears owned the middle with an 43-27 rebounding margin, seven blocked shots and 43 points in the paint.

“It was a great environment. The momentum swings went both ways, and to me, it was really rebounding that was the difference,'' Morrone said.

John Carroll did not have an answer for 6-1 junior Jordan Kimes and 6-0 senior Cenzie Yoder, who were a combined 20-of-25 from the field. Kimes led ONU with 30 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. Yoder had 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Trailing 55-40 with 11:40 to play, ONU was ready to deliver the knockout blow when John Carroll got off the mat and launched a 16-4 run.

JCU scored the next nine points and Beth Switzler's 3-pointer cut it to 55-49. Allie Lustig's 3-pointer and a steal and layup by Switzler pulled John Carroll to within 59-56.

But John Carroll could not get enough stops to complete the comeback.

ONU blocked shots on the Blue Streaks' next two possessions, and Strongsville grad Carly Thomas followed each block with baskets in the paint to give Ohio Northern a 63-56 lead.

JCU cut it to five points twice, and Emily Taylor's 3-pointer with 46 seconds left got the margin down to 75-71. JCU got beat down the floor for an easy basket by Kimes.

“We played 25 games with six or seven people. At then end, we were tired,'' Spahar said.

John Carroll led once, 18-17, and it trailed at the half, 36-28.

JCU's Lustig finished with 14 points, Switzler had 13 and Emily Taylor scored 12. John Carroll shot 40 percent from the field (24 of 60).

"The whole game we never found a way to get ourselves out of it," senior Aaron Craft said. "We can't do that. That can't be us unless we want to be home early or we want the offseason to start as soon as possible. That can't be us."

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Aaron Craft crossed his arms and gently tapped the back of his head against the brick wall in the concourse of Bryce Jordan Arena. He needed to calm himself before the questions started.

This wasn’t the first time Craft stood in the bowels of an opposing Big Ten arena in defeat. Now a senior, Craft has been there many times before, even in very successful Ohio State seasons.

But though he wore familiar mannerisms when the questions started, Craft emerged from the locker room differently. He slammed the door open in frustration, showing an anger that hasn’t been typical during his career.

Perhaps it's because Craft has never been here before. He hasn’t felt many losses like No. 20 Ohio State’s 65-63 defeat at last-place Penn State on Thursday.

“Obviously down the stretch (of seasons) since I have been here we have done a good job of finding ways to win,” Craft said. “This is tough … But what can you do?”

Things were supposed to be the same for Craft. Instead, he'll deal with heading into the NCAA Tournament like this.

It has been nearly a month since the Buckeyes fell to Penn State on their home floor – the lowest point of the season – and in the time since Ohio State won six games and turned around a season that once felt doomed.

But after senior guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. missed what would have been go-ahead threes on each of the Buckeyes’ final two possessions, Ohio State (22-7, 9-7 Big Ten) fell to the last-place Big Ten team for the second time this season.

And March is only two days away.

“The whole game we never found a way to get ourselves out of it,” Craft said. “We can’t do that. That can’t be us unless we want to be home early or we want the offseason to start as soon as possible. That can’t be us.”

View full sizeOhio State senior Aaron Craft missed a large portion of the No. 20 Buckeyes' 65-63 loss at Penn State on Thursday because of foul trouble. He was visibly angry in the councourse following the game. Associated Press

For a large portion of the game, it wasn’t.

Why? Because Craft picked up his second foul midway through the first half and sat until the break. The Buckeyes, who led by as many as 11 in the first half, were hampered without their senior leader on the floor.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta emphatically disagreed with the call, but corralled his emotions as Craft came out of the game and headed toward the bench. Penn State (14-14, 5-10) switched to a zone defense and chipped away at Ohio State’s lead before only trailing by two at halftime.

The Buckeyes have struggled all year against opposing zone defenses. Without Craft, a gifted driver who can penetrate those defenses when on the floor, the Buckeyes never could create the necessary separation on the road.

Without Craft on the floor, Ohio State is different.

“It kills us,” Matta said.

Perhaps that’s what Craft’s visible anger was more about, that he was limited to only 19 minutes in a must-win game that Ohio State lost. Or maybe it's because this loss means the Buckeyes haven’t progressed as far as they seemed.

Ohio State came into the game winners of six of their last seven since losing to Penn State on their home floor on Jan. 29. Things were starting to feel normal.

The Buckeyes have long been out of the Big Ten race, but a win would have put them in the driver's seat for fourth place and a first round bye in the conference tournament. This is a setback.

"Knowing what is at stake," junior foward LaQuinton Ross said, "this is going to hurt a little bit more."

Is this what's normal now?

"Wasted opportunities," Craft said. "Three games left. You can't take anything for granted."

Then he walked past the reporters back into Ohio State's locker room.

Again, he slammed the door.  

Without a big man to lean on, the entire season has been more difficult for the Buckeyes. And Thursday night's loss to Penn State was another example. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The ledge brigade is teetering at 9-7 in the Big Ten, ready to take some of the Buckeyes with them. But Thursday night was just another in The Season That’s Never Easy, where there’s seldom a bailout, never a breath. And it’s the result of life on the outside.

Ohio State is in year two of what may be a three-year plan without any real presence in the post. When every basket is a struggle, every pass inside maybe as likely to be dropped out of bounds or fall off the rim as turn into points, every other mistake is magnified. And some of them lose you games you should win.

“I don’t know, we had an odd way about us,” Thad Matta said after Ohio State’s 65-63 loss to Penn State, the Nittany Lions now 2-0 against the Buckeyes and 3-10 against the rest of the conference. “But small things win you games and small things lose you games. The small things lost us that game.

“We had a chance to open things up and we missed some free throws, we missed some point blank shots. We had a chance at a double-digit lead and to Penn State’s credit, they kept fighting and kept clawing.”

Penn State coach Pat Chambers asked, “It’s never easy, is it?” with a smile after detailing this two-point win, which came on an emotional senior night for star guard Tim Frazier. “We don’t want it that way,” he said.

At a place like Penn State, which hopes this 5-10 Big Ten mark is a signal of a program on the way up, it’s OK to shrug off easy. At Ohio State, which has been on top of the Big Ten for much of Matta’s tenure, easy is always, smartly embraced.

This is the point where anyone who ever grew frustrated with Jared Sullinger getting his shot blocked by taller players inside should stop and take a wistful stroll down the memories of Sullinger’s two seasons.

Everyone knows the Buckeyes’ shooting issues. Everyone knows the defense and attention to detail have wavered at times. That happened sometimes in the past, too. And when it did, at least for two years, the Buckeyes just threw it inside to Sullinger.

 Now this is the point where anyone who likes Ohio State basketball, including Matta, can cross every body part they have in the name of snagging top 10 recruit Myles Turner. The 6-foot-11 Texan has said his group of finalists includes Kansas, Duke, Arizona, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma State and the Buckeyes.

Anyone who has watched Wisconsin freshman and Toledo native Nigel Hayes post up and smoothly execute an inside move this season may have forgotten what one looks like in Columbus.

This may be an odd time to lament the lack of big man play for the Buckeyes, with backup center Trey McDonald scoring a career-high 9 points against Penn State. But the phrase “career-high 9 points” isn’t one that should inspire confidence in a junior that played 25 minutes against the Nittany Lions. This is a guy the Buckeyes are relying on more each day. And McDonald missed two easy inside buckets, and went 1 for 4 from the foul line after getting fouled on two other chances created by teammates' passes, dropping him to 29 percent from the line this season.

Starting center Amir Williams, meanwhile, made his only shot from the floor in his 12 minutes, but also missed his two free throws when he was fouled and couldn’t finish off a great feed.

And Penn State, far from featuring a dominant inside force, outrebounded Ohio State 34-25 and beat the Buckeyes in second-chance points 15 to 5.

On one hand, there was a feeling Thursday that maybe the Buckeyes aren’t in panic mode over this loss, figuring that if Aaron Craft isn’t limited to 19 minutes by foul trouble, on fouls Matta didn’t agree with, they’ll be OK in future games.

Not great. Not simple. But OK.

But a big man isn’t coming in March.

Sam Thompson and LaQuinton Ross combined to go 7 of 22 from the floor Thursday. Craft made all three shots but committed five turnovers and twice fell down on drives in the lane. Lenzelle Smith missed two 3-pointers in the final two seconds (Matta approved of both shots) either of which would have changed the winner of this game.

But as Ohio State went small in the final minutes, a lineup that often works, 6-foot-9 Nittany Lion Donovan Jack, a sophomore averaging 7 points per game, posted up Ross with a little hook shot, drawing the foul and converting the 3-point play to give Penn State a 60-55 lead. And when it happened, you had to realize that if the Buckeyes needed a basket inside like that, they don’t have a true big man who could do it. The Buckeyes don't even have a big man they can dump it to in order to create kickouts for shooters.

Don't underestimate how that has impacted the Buckeyes' shooting this season - they are never firing off a pass thrown straight out to them from the post.

After Jack’s basket, Ross hit free throws and Craft hit free throws, and then Craft lost the ball out of bounds. And Ross hit more free throws, and Shannon Scott stole an inbounds pass and dropped a perfect pass to McDonald that, gulp, he did lay in.

And the imperfect Buckeyes worked hard for every point. And in the end, they fell hard.

In a two-point loss, they could have used a few more easy ones. Unfortunately, they’ve grown used to the idea that they aren’t coming.

Nick Swisher is taking the first four or five Cactus League games off, but says it will be "bombs away' on opening day against Oakland.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Nick Swisher, the original fast and furious ballplayer, has moved to the slow lane for the start of spring training.

Swisher asked manager Terry Francona if he could ease into the Cactus League season instead of cannonballing in as he did last year after signing a four-year $56 million contract with the Indians.

Francona agreed and that’s why Swisher hasn’t played in the first two exhibition games and is expected to miss the next two or three as well.

“I got off to such a hot start last spring and by the end of spring training I was tired,” said Swisher. “I said, ‘T (for Tito), maybe you could push me back three or four days so I could get in gym and get my body extra ready to go.’”

Swisher said he doesn’t need the extra rest because of last year’s injury to his left shoulder.

“I feel great. It’s so nice feeling healthy again,” he said. “I think what’s best for me is to slowly get into the games. I mean this is my 11th season. I know what I have to do to get ready. What’s great about it is that Tito is like, “Hey, man, I’ve got you.’”

Swisher, 33, said his objective is to be ready for the season opener on March 31 in Oakland.

“The main goal is to be ready to go on opening day,” he said. “Then it’s bombs away.”

Swisher’s left shoulder problems may have started last spring as he moved between first base and right field. Now he’ll play first fulltime.

“There was some nagging stuff,” said Swisher. “But after I got the cortisone shot in June, that’s when things started to take off.”

While Swisher may have put the brakes on his physical self, there is no stopping his personality. He is still traveling at warp speed when it comes to talking about the Indians.

“For me I walked in here last year and I was super nervous,” he said. “Everybody was new. The coaching staff, front office, batboys, clubbies, cooks, players, everything was different.

“This year I walked in and said, ‘I’m at home.’ I got my guys around me, man. I missed these guys. We had that bond last year that was so tight. I said to myself when camp was about to start, ‘All right, I wonder how we’re going to match up compared to last year. Oh, bro, we’re leaps and bounds above last year team-wise already.’”

Swisher feels there are more good times ahead for an Indians team that last year qualified for the postseason as a wild card with 92 victories

“I think the front office is doing an amazing job keeping guys together,” he said. “I’m here for four years. Bournie (Michael Bourn) is here for four years. Michael Brantley just signed a four-year deal. And we’ve got Kippie (Jason Kipnis) on the horizon.

“For us, we take pride in that. Those great organizations that win, keep their guys together.”

Swisher was just warming.

“I think Chris Antonetti and Mark Shapiro and Mr. Dolan, these guys are the jam, man,” said Swisher. “They’re giving us an opportunity. They’re giving the city something to wrap their arms around. “

The jam?

“The jam, baby, that’s all I got,” said Swisher as he walked into the clubhouse.

Slip sliding: Francona, after meeting with MLB officials Thursday, told his catchers that they must leave the baserunner a “piece’ of the plate in response to the new rule banning collisions at home plate.

He added that all baserunners would be instructed to slide on close plays at the plate.

“That takes away all the ambiguity,” said Francona. “Nobody can say we ran somebody over and we’re not going to lose a run late.”

Testing, testing: Vinnie Pestano will throw his first Cactus League game on Tuesday. Pestano got a late start on his throwing program as he cleared his mind and rested his body from a tough 2013 season.

Right-hander Danny Salazar, who is also on a slow-play program, is scheduled to throw batting practice Saturday and Monday. It’s still not known when he’ll appear in games, but most of the Tribe pitchers were considered game ready after throwing batting practice for two days.

“Danny has been doing well,” said Francona. “His bullpens have been pretty good. He’s been bouncing back and has done PFP (pitchers fielding practice) the next day.”

Perfect scenario: Carlos Santana made his Cactus League debut at third base Thursday without incident. He tagged out a runner at third, but other than that didn’t have ball hit to him in three innings in the Tribe’s 12-3 win over the Reds.

Francona was hoping nothing crazy would happen and it didn’t.

“He’s comfortable over there,” said Francona. “I think it will be surprising if he doesn’t handle himself pretty well.”

Francona said he saw all sides of Santana’s personality last year from enthusiastic and fun loving to the side that was upset that he had to DH for the last two months of the season after losing the catcher’s job to Yan Gomes.

“This is probably as consistent that I’ve seen him,” said Francona. “He’s trying to prove something. Whether it’s to himself or us or both. He’s been very consistent with his approach.”