The Indians still don't know if Josh Tomlin is a fit for them next year. The best thing the rookie right-hander can do to convince the powers that be is to keep pitching like he did Thursday night against Seattle.

View full sizeJohn Froschauer / Associated PressShin-Soo Choo drives in three runs on Thursday with a double in the sixth inning at Seattle.

UPDATED: 1:55 a.m.

SEATTLE, Wash. -- There is still much to learn about Josh Tomlin.

Can he make the Indians next year? If so, in what role will he pitch? He's not that big, doesn't throw that hard. He's one of those guys who keeps running into the wall figuring the wall will give before he does.

The approach brought Tomlin, a 19th-round pick in 2006, to the big leagues this season on an Indians team desperate for starting pitching. Thursday night it not only kept him in the ballgame, but allowed him to collect the victory in the Indians' 6-3 win over Seattle at Safeco Field.

That's the thing that's hard to overlook. Yes, Tomlin (3-3, 4.14) was facing the only team with a lower team batting average than the Indians in the American League, but he showed enough rope-a-dope, in a pitching sense, to absorb Russell Branyan's thunderous two-run homer in the third inning and keep pitching.

Tomlin allowed three runs, all coming in the third, in six innings. He struck out five and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. If not for Jayson Nix's error in the fourth -- he has six in 20 games at third base -- Tomlin would have gone 11-for-11.

The slim right-hander caught the Indians' eye this year by going 8-4 with a 2.68 ERA at Class AAA Columbus. He made three appearances out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. He's thrown 148 2/3 innings between Cleveland and Columbus.

Manager Manny Acta said before the game that he's probably not seeing Tomlin at his best because of the number of innings he's thrown this year. Still, he likes that Tomlin throws strikes (63 strikes in 94 pitches Thursday) and fields his position.

"We feel that if he doesn't start for us up here, he could at the very least be a middle reliever," Acta said.

View full sizeAPIndians starter Josh Tomlin allowed three runs in six innings.

After the game Acta said the same thing, "Josh helps himself with the way he pitches. He gives us another option. Like I told you before the game, we want to go to spring training with seven or eight options for the starting rotation."

There is no question where Shin-Soo Choo fits in the Indians' plans for 2011. He's going to be their right fielder and hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup. It would be nice if they could agree to some kind of multiyear deal before Choo and agent Scott Boras shake the arbitration tree this winter for between $3 million and $4 million, but that's a story for another time.

In the sixth, Choo put the Indians and Tomlin back in the game with a three-run double to the gap in right center against his old team. The double tied the score at 3-3. Travis Hafner untied it with a single to right to give the Indians the lead.

"Choo is a stud," said Acta. "He's a legit five-tool player."

After five scoreless innings, the night ended suddenly for Seattle's Doug Fister in the sixth.

Fister, who entered with a 1-8 record in his previous 13 starts, allowed four runs on seven hits in the sixth. Fister (4-11, 3.85) threw 96 pitches.

Luis Valbuena started the rally with leadoff single. Michael Brantley and Cabrera followed with singles to load the bases against Fister.

"We'd been taking too many pitches," said Cabrera. "After the first five innings, we got more aggressive. We started to swing the bats."

Choo thought his ball was gone in the sixth. He atoned for that miscalculation in the ninth with a two-run homer to left to make it 6-3. Cabrera hit a two-out single before Choo hit his 16th homer.

"Choo is unbelievable," said Cabrera. "We work well together. I'm seeing more fastballs because pitchers don't want to walk me with Choo behind me. It makes me have better at bats, too." 

Tony Sipp and Chris Perez did a nice job in relief of Tomlin. Sipp has seldom looked better, retiring six straight, four on strikeouts, in the seventh and eighth. Perez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 17th save.

Tomlin, Sipp and Perez retired the last 17 Mariners in order. They combined to strikeout 10 and walk none. Not bad for a pitching staff that leads the AL in walks. 

Tomlin pitched two trouble-free innings before giving up three runs in the third. Ichiro Suzuki doubled with one out, took third on Chone Figgins' single and scored on Gutierrez's sacrifice fly to left.

Branyan, traded by the Indians earlier this season, followed Gutierrez by crushing a 3-2 pitch down the right field line for a two-run homer. Branyan hit the ball off the facing off a restaurant above the lower deck for his 21st homer. He hit 10 of them with the Tribe.

Tomlin and Branyan were teammates at Columbus this season.

"I saw him hit some homers, but that tops all of them," said Tomlin.

When told the announced distance was 381 feet, Tomlin said, "I don't believe that. I think it went 481 feet."

After the third, Acta and pitching coach Tim Belcher talked to catcher Lou Marson to make sure Tomlin was using all his pitches.

"He's not overpowering, so he has to use them all," said Acta.

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

"A little premature to brand him a blown pick, isn't it? It's not like he was carried off on a stretcher. He looked like he was walking pretty good leaving the field. He sure looked good the brief time he was out there. I do think it should solidify a roster spot for James Davis, and he deserves it. He's looked good about every time he's had the chance." - tribefever32

View full sizeThe Plain DealerMontario Hardesty impressed many observers this past spring, but injuries have kept him off the field for any extended period of time since training camp started.

In response to the story Hardesty injury overshadows Cleveland Browns' win over Chicago in preseason finale, 13-10, cleveland.com reader tribefever32 thinks some Browns fans are jumping the gun in labeling Montario Hardesty. This reader writes,

"A little premature to brand him a blown pick, isn't it? It's not like he was carried off on a stretcher. He looked like he was walking pretty good leaving the field. He sure looked good the brief time he was out there. I do think it should solidify a roster spot for James Davis, and he deserves it. He's looked good about every time he's had the chance."

"As I watched several one-sided games tonight, one thing stood out: no pass rush from the weak teams against the good teams. It pretty much sums up Mr. Pryor's night. Not saying he can't do it under pressure, just saying don't go crazy over a few good passes from a QB with absolutely no pressure on him." - wahoojoyce

View full sizeMarvin Fong | The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor didn't face much pressure, like in this game against Penn State last season, against Marshall Thursday night.

In response to the story With heady plays and a strong right arm, Terrelle Pryor hinted at wonders to come for OSU: Bill Livingston, cleveland.com reader wahoojoyce isn't going to get overly excited about Pryor's performance. This reader writes,

"As I watched several one-sided games tonight, one thing stood out: no pass rush from the weak teams against the good teams. It pretty much sums up Mr. Pryor's night. Not saying he can't do it under pressure, just saying don't go crazy over a few good passes from a QB with absolutely no pressure on him."

PD Browns reporter also talks about Montario Hardesty's injury and how it will affect the roster cutdown.

Browns running back Montario Hardesty suffered another knee injury Thursday night in the preseason win over Chicago. His health issues were one of the down spots for the Browns in training camp.

• Today's guest, Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi, gives the Browns a B-minus. He also answers questions about Montario Hardesty's injury and whether James Davis will make the final roster. Also, Tony answers a reader question from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature regarding Colt McCoy; and who has the final say over the Browns' final 53-man roster: coach Eric Mangini, president Mike Holmgren or GM Tom Heckert.

SBTV will return Tuesday morning. Have a great weekend.

Lions rookie Ndamukong Suh was fined $7,500 for grabbing Jake Delhomme's facemask and wrenching him to the ground.

John Kuntz | The Plain DealerCleveland Browns' quarterback Jake Delhomme has his helmut pulled back by Ndamukong Suh in the second period Aug. 28, 2010. (John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND -- Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh fined $7,500 for roughing Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme and then unnecessarily throwing him to the ground, an NFL spokesman said.

Suh grabbed Delhomme's facemask, wrenched his neck and then threw him to the ground headfirst. He drew a 15-yard facemask penalty for the infraction and Delhomme  went on to throw a TD pass two plays later.

Neither Detroit's Kyle Vanden Bosch or Cleveland David Viekune were fined for their roughing penalties.

Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace had said the move could've injured Delhomme and that he felt it warranted a suspension. 

Browns running back Montario Hardesty is on injured reserve for the year with a torn ACL, the Browns announced.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerBrowns rookie running back Montario Hardesty grimaces in pain after suffering a left knee injury in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears Thursday night at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Hardesty walked to the locker room under his own power, and an immediate report on his injury was not available.

Updated 4:36 p.m.

CLEVELAND -- Browns running back Montario Hardesty is on injured reserve and out for the year with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament, the Browns said today.

Hardesty will undergo surgery to repair the ligament. He also suffered a torn right ACL as a freshman at Tennessee in 2005.

His agent, Mitch Frankel, pointed out that another one of his clients, former Browns running back Jamal Lewis, had a long and successful career despite surgery to repair a torn LCL and a torn ACL.

Hardesty underwent an MRI today, which confirmed early concerns of the tear, Schefter reported.

Hardesty, the second-round pick out of Tennessee, suffered the injury while making a cut on a two-yard run Thursday night vs. the Bears.

He hobbled out of the locker room on crutches and wearing a full leg brace. Frankel said the fact Hardesty walked off the field on his own and into the locker room didn't mean it wasn't serious.

"I've seen plenty of players walk off the field with torn ACLs,'' he said.

The recovery period for a torn ACL is often about nine months. The Browns traded a third round pick and two fifth-rounders to move up to draft him in the second round. They had high hopes for him this season.

The injury means Jerome Harrison will most likely be the starter, with Peyton Hillis and James Davis rounding out the tailback spot. Davis, who had a productive game against the Bears Thursday night, underwent X-rays on his ankle after the game, but said he was fine.

The Browns will make six other roster moves today. 

There is the movie "Wedding Crashers" and now there's the real life wedding crasher in former Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal. Reporter John Beattie of NESN.com writes how Shaq wandered into the wedding ceremony of Kristen and Wes Schifone at the Four Seasons in downtown Boston, much to the delight of the newlyweds. Shaq didn't grab the microphone and...

Tracy Boulian, The Plain Dealer Shaquille O'Neal

There is the movie "Wedding Crashers" and now there's the real life wedding crasher in former Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal.

Reporter John Beattie of NESN.com writes how Shaq wandered into the wedding ceremony of Kristen and Wes Schifone at the Four Seasons in downtown Boston, much to the delight of the newlyweds.

Shaq didn't grab the microphone and spit out some rhymes, nor did he take to the dance floor, but everyone noticed the big Boston Celtics center.

"Considering it was someone of his stature, he was a total gentleman and just acted like one of the guys," the groom said from his Hawaiian honeymoon. "He accepted everyone's photo request and even remembered our names the next day and asked that we come down for a photo shoot with him for the [Boston] Globe."

O'Neal didn't stop there. he even showed up at brunch the following morning.
 

Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State Buckeyes get the 2010 campaign off to an impressive start, corralling the Marshall Thundering Herd.

View full sizeMarvin Fong,
The Plain DealerBrandon Saine scores one of his two touchdowns on the night against Marshall. Saine ran for 103 yards on just nine carries.

The discrepancy in talent showcased Thursday night in Ohio State's 45-7 win over Marshall was kind of like a World War I Sopwith Camel engaging in a dogfight with a Blue Angels FA/18 Hornet.

Call 'em the Thundering Herd, but not seen.

So why was Thursday's season opener for the Buckeyes so important? Because as Plain Dealer beat writer Doug Lesmireses noted in his game story, the time span between today and Terrelle Pryor's MVP performance in the Bucks' Rose Bowl victory is too great to be called momentum. If Ohio State's national title dreams are to come true, the Buckeyes needed to start something new and start it now.

Pete Fiutak of foxsports.com was positively effusive in his praise for the Buckeyes:

That's EXACTLY what you want to do if you're the No. 2 team in America.

Ohio State didn't come out sheepish, didn't play true Tressel Ball, and didn't let Marshall have a chance to breathe. Terrelle Pryor was able to be a quarterback, and not a running back who lines up under center, and the offense kept it open (by OSU standards) after all the success from the Rose Bowl.

Does this signal a new era for Buckeye football? It's almost as if Tressel realizes his program needs to do something a bit more to break through the ceiling, and now that he has an experienced Pryor to handle the workload, he's going to allow the team to do more.

Maybe it's okay to take a few more shots down the field, especially knowing that the defense can take care of the rest. When the Buckeyes were rocking and rolling on offense in 2006 with Troy Smith at the helm, the attack was able to break out of the conservative mode a bit. Tressel and the coaching staff appear to be comfortable enough to allow his great team to play up to its talent level and to open the throttle, but let's see what happens against Miami. It's one thing to be relaxed and cool against Marshall, but it's another when the Hurricanes blow into town.

And that's the point. Don't expect the 13th ranked 'Canes, who laid a 45-0 beating on Florida A&M Thursday night, to bear any resemblance to the Division I-A Thundering Herd. This definitely will be the Bucks' first real test.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel worried about the warm, muggy weather giving his team weary legs on Thursday.

If the Buckeyes did have weary legs, it was more likely because they spent the night running up and down the field.

Yeah, 529 yards of total offense can have a tendency to sap your strength. But on the plus side, the defense should be well rested for the Hurricanes: Buckeye defenders held the blundering Herd, er, THUNDERING Herd, to 199 yards of offense.

No doubt

The BCS title hopes for the Buckeyes clearly rest on Pryor maintaining the production he exhibited in last year's Rose Bowl. Some worry that it might be too much to ask of the true junior quarterback. They might want to check with Maria Ridenour, who writes for the Akron Beacon-Journal.

. . . Pryor took the first step in convincing the doubters he has elevated his game Thursday night as the second-ranked Buckeyes routed Marshall 45-7.

As Pryor completed 17-of-25 for 247 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, there were plenty of throws to remember.

. . . Next week when Pryor is being stared down by Miami defensive end Allen Bailey, all 6-foot-4, 285 pounds and 4.65 40-yard dash of him, we'll know more. The 'Canes will be out for blood, Pryor's blood, and will have speed and athleticism rarely seen in the Big Ten.

It's no wonder that a possible Heisman Trophy campaign for Pryor is on hold until after the Miami game, and perhaps longer. Tressel said that's been a longtime strategy of the OSU communications department. But at this point, it's just another shred of doubt about Pryor waiting for an answer.

She's right about almost everything. Note the word "almost." The ongoing campaign for a Pryor Heisman has had everything but a commercial with him saying, "I'm Aaron Pryor, and I approve this message."

From The Plain Dealer


Already told you about Doug Lesmireses' game story, so Starting Blocks will move on to Bill Livingston's Pryor commitment to the Buckeyes' quarterback (which includes one of the best lines SB has read in a long time: "a 65-yard spiral, tight as the budget of a have-not baseball team").

Other PD stories:

Jodie Valade on Tyler Moeller's return to action after suffering a head injury when he was punched by an assailant in Florida.

Lesmireses' minute-by-minute (sort of) account of the Bucks' first steps towards a national title in 2010.

An OSU-Marshall report card from Lesmireses.

Valade's best and worst moments of the game.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's suspension will come to an early end, meaning his first game back likely will be at home against the Browns.

Updated at 2:46 p.m.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter,
The Plain DealerNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell officially reduced Ben Roethlisberger's suspension to four games. That means the Steelers' quarterback could make his first regular season start at home ... against the Cleveland Browns.

Ben Roethlisberger's suspension was reduced to four games from six by National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, who was suspended after being accused of sexually assaulting two women, can return to play on Oct. 17 at home against the Cleveland Browns.

Goodell had barred Roethlisberger from the first six games of the regular season for violating the league's personal- conduct policy. The commissioner said in a letter to Roethlisberger in April that the player's conduct at a Milledgeville, Georgia, club the previous month undermined the integrity and reputation of the NFL, and that he put himself and others at risk by providing alcohol to underage college students.

"You have told me and the Steelers that you are committed to making better decisions," Goodell said in a letter to Roethlisberger, according to an NFL statement. "Your actions over the past several months have been consistent with that promise and you must continue to honor that commitment."

Goodell also barred Roethlisberger from the team's offseason training until he completed a "comprehensive behavioral evaluation by medical professionals," mandatory under the league's policy, the NFL said.

Roethlisberger met today with Goodell. The commissioner said at the time of the suspension that if Roethlisberger followed the league's guidelines and avoided trouble, he would consider reducing the suspension to four games.

“I have learned a lot over the past several months about myself as a person,” Roethlisberger said in a statement released through the team today. “I am committed to continuing on this path of being the type of person my family raised me to be, and exceeding what is expected of me as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

"Ben has done a good job this summer of growing as the person that he needs to be, both on and off the field," Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement. "I am confident that Ben is committed to continuing in this positive direction."

The reduction comes more than four months after prosecutors said they wouldn't charge the 28-year-old quarterback for an alleged sexual assault on a 20-year-old college student in the Milledgeville bar.

Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Frederic Bright said "significant questions" remained about what took place that night. He said the woman involved wrote to his office that she didn't want the matter prosecuted.

Roethlisberger, who led the Steelers to Super Bowl victories after the 2005 and 2008 seasons, was also sued by a woman who said he raped her in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, in 2008, according to the Associated Press. Roethlisberger has denied both allegations.

Shin-Soo Choo comes up big in Seattle against his former team.

View full sizeAssociated PressRight fielder Shin-Soo Choo delivers the three-run double that gave the Indians a win over his former team, the Mariners, in Seattle Thursday night.

Cleveland is in last place in the AL Central. Seattle is in last place in the AL West. And believe it or not, the Mariners have a worse record than the Indians.

Clearly, when these two baseball juggernauts get together, anything can happen. And by anything, we mean miracles. Even a Cleveland win.

Guess what? Miracles do happen. The Indians took a 6-3 victory in Safeco Field. What's really interesting about this battle of the titans is that the Mariners beat the Mariners, so to speak.

Confused? Let's let Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times explain:

(Seattle pitcher Doug) Fister at least knows who hit him -- Shin-Soo Choo, the onetime Mariners outfielder who drove home three runs with a double in that sixth to tie the score. Choo then sealed Seattle's 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians with a two-run homer in the ninth to cap his night at five runs batted in.

Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera and Luis Valbuena -- all former Mariners -- delivered hits in a four-run sixth that saw Fister allow four runs on hits to six of the seven batters he faced. Before that inning, he had given up just one single and retired 15 in a row.

You realize what this means, don't you? Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, meet the newest member of the 2011 Tribe starting rotation: Doug Fister. Oh, it hasn't happened yet, but hard luck like that Fister experienced is a true Tribe trademark. Call it destiny.

Choo delivers


Say, we can see the way out of the cellar from our front porch with Shin-Soo Choo in the lineup. Does that mean we're about to go a looooooooong way for a really bad pun?

Choo betcha.

CBSsports.com is pretty high on the Indians' right fielder. The praise was triggered by his game against the Mariners Thursday night, but it's a lot more effusive than what you get for one good outing.

The Mariners (52-82) signed Choo as an amateur free agent out of South Korea in 2000, but he went 2 for 29 in 14 games for Seattle before he was traded to Cleveland for Ben Broussard on July 26, 2006.

Choo has since developed into a standout for the last-place Indians (54-80), leading the team in several key categories - including batting average, home runs, stolen bases and outfield assists.

He helped Cleveland end a four-game losing streak in the opener of this four-game series, going 2 for 5 with a homer and five RBIs in Thursday's 6-3 victory.

"He's a stud," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He hits good pitching. He hits right, left, he has good at-bats, he plays hard every day. I basically have to pull him off the field to give him a day off.

"He's a legit complete player. Those words five-tool player are used a lot but he's a legit five-tool guy. He can do it all on the field."

And the news here is? Someone was nuts enough to trade for Ben Broussard. Who, happily, because all joking aside, is a nice guy is now making a living as a musician, not a ballplayer.

The game didn't end in time for beat writer Paul Hoynes' game story to make print, but being SB-on-the-spot, we've got a link to it here. Hoynsie, too, talks about Choo's success, but he also delves into the job pitcher Josh Tomlin has done.

Tomlin allowed three runs, all coming in the third, in six innings. He struck out five and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. If not for Jayson Nix's error in the fourth -- he has six in 20 games at third base -- Tomlin would have gone 11-for-11.

Hoynsie's Indians Insider column does what Cleveland fans have become far too experienced at doing: Looking ahead to next year. This time, Hoynsie takes a gander at the permutations for the 2011 Tribe pitching rotation.

The slim right-hander caught the Indians' eye this year by going 8-4 with a 2.68 ERA at Class AAA Columbus. He made three appearances out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. He's thrown 148 2/3 innings between Cleveland and Columbus.

Manager Manny Acta said before the game that he's probably not seeing Tomlin at his best because of the number of innings he's thrown this year. Still, he likes that Tomlin throws strikes (63 strikes in 94 pitches Thursday) and fields his position.

"We feel that if he doesn't start for us up here, he could at the very least be a middle reliever," Acta said.

LSU, with alligator, andouille sausage and gumbo, is tops in the college football gameday tailgating world. Ohio State comes in at No. 5.

View full sizeTerry Gilliam,
Associated PressOhio State tailgaters before Thursday night's crushing 45-7 win over Marshall did their best to move Ohio State up in the rankings as college tailgating sites.

It's not just a game in college football, it's a daylong party.

And out-partying the Southeastern Conference, with its passionate fans and mild weather for most of the season, is difficult.

But the SEC hasn't cornered the market on tailgating like it has national championships. If you're looking to go on a tailgating tour this season, here are the top 12 spots to hit.

1) LSU. It's all about the food. Hot dogs, burgers and brats? Please. Try spicy alligator, andouille sausage, gumbo, crawfish and maybe a little shrimp etouffee. Plenty of beverages to wash it all down, too.

2) Mississippi. Ten acres shaded by oak trees make The Grove one of the great gameday spots in America. The saying at Ole Miss goes something like this: "We may lose a game, but we never lose a party."

3) Washington. Tailgating in boats along Lake Washington, and the university even runs a shuttle boat to Husky Stadium. The scene makes up for the sketchy weather.

4) Tennessee. More boats -- "Volunteer Navy" docks on the nearby Tennessee River -- and lots of orange make Rocky Top quite the scene.

5) Ohio State. Take a walk down Lane Avenue and it's like a Buckeyes street fair. Then hit Buckeye Grove, where a buckeye tree has been planted for each Ohio State All-American.

6) Nebraska. Generally speaking, Cornhuskers fans have a reputation for being the nicest and most hospitable in college football. They also never run out of corn-fed beef.

7) Texas. Barbecue smokers big enough to fit a side of beef, the cheerleaders wear chaps and when it comes to college towns, Austin is about as good as it gets.

8) Penn State. Paternoville is the name of the tent city that sprouts up around Beaver Stadium the week before a game. For Temple, there might be a dozen or so tents. For Ohio State, the number might reach triple digits.

9) Auburn. Tailgating is not just for pregame at Auburn. Visit Toomer's Corner after the Tigers wins. It's where the campus and the city converge and students toilet paper the trees to celebrate victories.

10) Army. It's a much smaller affair at West Point and the eats aren't quite as elaborate, but the setting along the banks of the Hudson River is stunning.

11) Clemson. The fraternities band together on gameday for a massive party and a Tiger can't swing its tail without hitting a plate of barbecued meat.

12) Purdue. Makes the list for this alone: One Boilermakers fan converted a coffin into a grill and ice chest, and brought it to the game in a hearse.

Certainly you've all been waiting to see LeBron James in his Miami Heat practice gear putting up bricks shots as the Heat get ready for the upcoming season. Of course you have. In about three months the Heat will come to Cleveland and play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 2. So keep on working out LeBron, the fans here are...

Certainly you've all been waiting to see LeBron James in his Miami Heat practice gear putting up bricks shots as the Heat get ready for the upcoming season.

Of course you have.

In about three months the Heat will come to Cleveland and play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 2. So keep on working out LeBron, the fans here are looking forward to your return.

The Buckeyes' QB said neither team should be thinking about the national title game eight years ago.

What did Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor think his best play was Thursday night in the Buckeyes' 45-7 win over Marshall? A 7-yard pass to backup fullback Adam Homan.
 
"I was dropping back and I scanned the field through about four checks," Pryor said after the win, "and I looked to see if it was open and I threw it all the way across the field to a checkdown. I think that was my best play."

Bigger throws, like his 65-yard touchdown to Dane Sanzenbacher for instance, Pryor felt he'd done before.

"The long balls, I made them plays a bunch," Pryor said. "But I think the consistency and the throwing the ball accurately, I didn't think I could do that [earlier in his career.] It takes a while to mature and grow into a position."

Here were some of his other comments after the win.

On the team's progress
 
"I wouldn't be too happy yet. Let's see what we do next week. I'm looking forward to the chance to play Miami, because I want to see how good we really are."

On a rematch of the national title game from the 2002 season

"I wasn't that big an Ohio State fan, I didn't really watch it. I wasn't really a fan of anything really. ... I'd be lying if I said I watched it.

"If that's what they want to use for revenge, that's eight years ago. Times have changed. You come and play this game. You can't look back, you've got to look forward. ... I don't know how they're feeling, maybe they are, but I doubt they are. I think they want to come in and make a name for themselves. Why would they want to come back from eight years ago and try to pick up from they should have won? It's a game of inches, it's a game of mistakes. So whatever happened, happened then. I think coming next in nine days we've got to make something happen and they've got to make something happen, so neither of us should worry about the 2002 game."

More on Miami

"It's a major statement for both us and them. It's a big confidence builder. I think they'll come in fired up, we'll be fired up, Coach Tressel will have us ready. I'll have the offense ready and I know the defensive guys will make sure the defense is ready.

"We're going to be ready to go, I promise you that.

 On the offense against Marshall

"We didn't run many of the plays, really. We were very vanilla. There wasn't a lot of plays that we ran, [it was] a lot of the same plays, very vanilla plays, very easy plays that we practices. We didn't use everything that we needed to use so we could use them on Miami."

On the left knee brace he wears after getting that knee scoped in the offseason

"I don't know how long I'll wear it. As of now it's not holding me back too much at all. Running it obviously slows me down though. But it's nothing I can't handle."

On a showdown of Heisman candidates with Miami QB Jacory Harris

"I mean, I can't speak for him. I'm going to play my heart out. Every time I get on the field I want to win for the seniors on this team. I know when I'm a senior next year I wouldn't want to lose either. That's how I'm looking at it. My time is coming soon, too, someday.

"We want to be talked about for a long time. [Miami is] going to be good. It's going to be a fight, it's going to be a brawl, we're going to have to scratch, we're going to have to claw, but if that's what we have to do to get a yard or an inch, that's what we've got to do."

Brandon McDonald delivers the straight poop on a funny soccer goal celebration.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz,
The Plain DealerBrandon McDonald celebrates his interception return for a touchdown during the Browns Family Day scrimmage at the Stadium this summer. He's gone head-over-heels for a new celebration video, though.

Montario Hardesty on IR and six players waived.

Associated PressMontario Hardesty is out for the season with a torn ACL.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns reduced their roster by seven today by placing rookie running back Montario Hardesty on injured reserve and waiving six players.

 Cut were: receiver Jake Allen, offensive lineman Casey Bender, defensive back Coye Francies, tight end Joel Gamble, offensive tackle Joel Reinders and receiver Syndric Steptoe.

 These moves leave the Browns with 15 more to make to get down to Saturday's 53-player limit.

Hunkered down in the high grass surrounding a recently harvested wheat field, a couple of dozen hunters were ready to open the Ohio hunting seasons this week by taking aim at the state's most plentiful game bird.

D'ARCXY EGAN/THE PLAIN DEALERBrad and Ann Dysinger of Thorn Bottom Hunting, and their young Brittany spaniel, Pappy, watch flocks of slate grey doves fly over their fields on opening day.

 GROVER HILL, OHIO

Hunkered down in the high grass surrounding a recently harvested wheat field, a couple of dozen hunters were ready to open the Ohio hunting seasons this week by taking aim at the state's most plentiful game bird.
 
 Small groups of doves were winging their way Wednesday afternoon to popular feeding areas here managed by Brad and Ann Dysinger at Thorn Bottom Hunting. The couple offers wild pheasant hunting to sportsmen from October through March, beginning their season with outstanding September dove hunting.

Dysinger grew up in the rural neighborhood, a young hunter who went on to become world class trapshooter. His wife, Ann, is a noted wildlife artist who keeps the hunting preserve running smoothly.

It was obvious many of the hunters in the fields sorely needed tips on wingshooting from Dysinger. We were lucky to have his undivided attention early in the afternoon shoot. A hunting partner who is a fledgling wingshooter struggled to find success, and Dysinger soon had her doing more than frightening the flocks of birds.

 The incoming president of the Ohio State Trapshooting Association, Dysinger is adept at putting a shooter on the right track. 

 "I like coaching, but I've never wanted to be just a teacher," said Dysinger, "I enjoy hunting and shooting clay targets way too much.

"When I was growing up, Paulding County was the No. 1 pheasant hunting location in the Midwest. My dad was a hunter, and always did a little trapshooting. My hunting buddy back then was Dana Bair, the brother of major league baseball player Doug Bair. Dana and I were pathetic shots, and we wanted to get better at hunting pheasants, ducks and geese.  

 "We decided trapshooting would help us. It turned out to be lots of fun and we found we could win some money at the little shoots around here."
 Dysinger's knack for blasting clay targets prompted a career choice. The day after his 21st birthday he won the Ohio State Handicap against more than 1,600 shooters. Dysinger went on to consistently excel at the clay target sport and work for premier gun maker Beretta for 23 years. He was named to the Amateur Trapshooting Association's Hall of Fame in 2000.

Since 1996, Dysinger and his wife, Ann, have focused on their hunting preserve, Thorn Bottom Hunting, and Black Swamp Guns and Supplies. They have kennels full of bird dogs, and fields bristling with bird hunters from around the region.

"Because of the bad winters in the late 1970s, we don't have wild pheasants and quail around here like we did when I was a kid, but Ohio is even richer when it comes to hunting opportunities," said Dysinger. "Deer are almost a nuisance, turkeys are nesting all over the county and our little wetlands attracts a half-dozen different species of ducks.

"Back in the old days, just seeing a deer or wild turkey was a big deal. Ann and I now have little trouble taking a turkey each spring. I check out five to 10 deer from my stand in the fall to decide which one want I want to take."

Dysinger sees plentiful wild game, but a shrinking supply of hunters.

"The shooting sports - trap, skeet and sporting clays - are still popular," he said. "There are about 15 trap clubs within about a half-hour of my place, and shoots about every Sunday."

But society is changing, said Dysinger.
 "Kids are playing video games now, not shooting or even playing baseball," he lamented. "Some day those of us who are shooters and hunters will be memories, just like Buffalo Bill."

 Five Dysinger tips for straight shooting  

Brad Dysinger shot more than 200,000 registered clay targets and won 60 trophies at the prestigious Grand American World Trap Shooting Championships. He can tell you where your load of shot went astray, and why, and how to improve your shotgun skills.

Here are five Dysinger tips to make you a better wingshooter:

• Practice, practice and practice some more. The more you shoot, the more successful you'll become.
• Consistently mounting a shotgun is crucial. Practice mounting and dry firing your shotgun three or four times a week, and at least 25 times each practice session.
• Never try to focus on the end of a shotgun barrel that's 30 inches away, then switch to a flying game bird 30 yards away. You will almost always miss.
• Have experts make sure your shotgun fits properly. For a quick check, close your eyes and mount the shotgun. If your dominant eye is not lined up with the barrel, the stock doesn't fit.
• Control your shotgun by holding it firmly with your left hand, if you're a right-handed shooter. A loose grip allows the muzzle to jump, forcing you to re-acquire your aim for a second shot. The odds are good you'll shoot behind the target.

Ohio State has no plans to change its strategy of scheduling a major nonconference game each season, so showdowns like next Saturday's game with Miami will continue to shape the Buckeyes' reputation.

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerOhio State running back Brandon Saine and the Buckeyes are used to the intensity that comes with playing a big-name opponent at night in the Horseshoe. While there is always a risk involved when playing highly ranked teams, the Buckeyes say they will continue to schedule big-name schools.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State dealt with its postseason issues by beating Oregon in the Rose Bowl in January and ending a three-game bowl losing streak. What's next on the agenda?

The Buckeyes are facing their recent failures in their national nonconference games.

Consecutive losses to USC in 2008 and 2009 are what the OSU players want to erase. So when Miami (Fla.) comes to Ohio Stadium next Saturday, the game will be about current national title hopes and making up for some recent history.

"We're going to prepare, like, I don't know, like it's the national championship game," OSU junior receiver DeVier Posey said after Thursday night's 45-7 win over Marshall. "We really want this, a game in the Shoe at night, and the last time we had a big game like this, we came up short."

Two seasons ago, the Buckeyes were blown out at USC, 35-3, but last season's loss, 18-15, at home to the Trojans is the one Ohio State players felt got away.

"I think about the USC game all the time," Posey said. "It's in the past, but I feel like the guys who were on the field are going to be on the field Saturday. So they're going to remember that, and they're definitely going to think about that going into Saturday."

These Miami-type games are one of three components contributing to Ohio State's reputation in the BCS era.

One facet is bowl performance, the Buckeyes are 5-4 under Jim Tressel in the postseason, with a 4-3 record in BCS bowls. Another is conference record, with the Buckeyes aiming for their sixth straight Big Ten title. And the third is this big-name nonconference opponent, which came to the forefront with home-and-home series against Texas and USC in the past five years. Ohio State went 1-3 in those games, with the opponent ranked in the top three in each game.

Right now, Ohio State is No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and Miami No. 13, though the Hurricanes could move up after their 45-0 win over Florida A&M on Thursday. Yes, every game matters in a title chase, but a game like this is different.

"I wouldn't be too happy yet," OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor said. "Let's see what we do next week. I'm looking forward to that chance to play Miami, because I want to see how good we really are."

Wilfredo Lee / Associated PressQuarterback Jacory Harris and the Miami Hurricanes are this year's marquee nonconference matchup on the Ohio State schedule. OSU plays Miami next Saturday in the Horseshoe and hopes to do better than it did in last year's big game, an 18-15 loss to USC in Columbus.

While some coaches question whether national games of this magnitude are worth it, Ohio State isn't backing away from this part of its scheduling philosophy. After a return visit to Miami next season, the Buckeyes have series with Cal, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Tennessee already scheduled out to 2019.

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said even if the Big Ten goes to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2015, which Ohio State doesn't favor though it seems like it will happen, the Buckeyes will continue to schedule these types of games.

"I wouldn't change that at all," Smith said, noting that, for instance, the Oklahoma series is something he's excited about. In fact, there has been a shift in Ohio State's nonconference scheduling philosophy, and it's to make it more difficult. The addition of Colorado to the 2011 schedule is a sign of things to come.

Whereas, for instance, Ohio State's 2007 schedule included lower-division Youngstown State and two MAC schools in Akron and Kent State, as well as a trip to Washington, the future should include a second midlevel BCS opponent on every schedule. Cincinnati is already on the schedule for 2012 and 2014.

"Our program is there," Smith said. "If we're fortunate enough to stay there, then we can take a Colorado risk. So we will look at some of these things down the road, a middle of the road Big 12 or middle of the road Pac-10 and maybe do a couple more of those."

That's good news for the schedule depth. But there's that one part of the nonconference schedule that will always matter most, and this season it's Miami.

"It's a major statement for both us and them," Pryor said. "It's a big confidence builder. I think they'll come in fired up, we'll be fired up, coach Tressel will have us ready. I'll have the offense ready and I know the defensive guys will make sure the defense is ready.

"We're going to be ready to go, I promise you that."

BIG GAMES ON OSU'S SCHEDULE

2010: Miami, Sept. 11

2011: at Miami, Sept. 17

2011: Colorado, Sept. 24

2012: Cincinnati, Sept. 8

2012: California, Sept. 15

2013: at California, Sept. 14

2014: Cincinnati, Sept. 6

2014: Virginia Tech, Sept. 20

2015: at Virginia Tech, Sept. 19

2016: at Oklahoma, Sept. 17

2017: Oklahoma, Sept. 16

2018: at Tennessee, Sept. 1

2019: Tennessee, Sept. 7