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Bud Selig retiring as baseball commissioner after making baseball fairer -- Bill Livingston

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Maybe the game Selig has changed is two leagues dominated by mediocre teams. But so are the two conferences of the NFL, and it sure beats enduring big-market dynasties.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Bud Selig, whose announced retirement as baseball commissioner after this season has been accompanied by shrugs or recriminations from many fans and media members, made a game of competitive disparity and payroll imbalance fairer.

That should be his legacy, rather than the many bad developments that showed how tightly his hands were tied by the MLB Players Association, the most powerful labor union in sports.

Nevertheless, Selig convinced a quarrelsome group of owners to make significant changes for the good of the many at the expense of the few, using the  relationships he forged as the former owner of the Milwaukee Brewers and, particularly, the respect he held for other owners and enjoyed from them.

As Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci noted, Selig cooked up a stew of innovations – a "competitive balance" tax, increased revenue sharing, limits on draft expenditures and international scouting that led to what many term a balance of weakness.

Critics look at Selig's measures and call them halfway, and they look at his tenure and call it too cautious. But they were enough to convince this critic to change my opinion of him radically.

Baseball doesn't have a hard salary cap, so the inequities, although reduced, will continue. Selig, however, dealt, just as politicians in this country used to, with the art of the possible.

The result might be mediocrity as Verducci, one of the country's most respected baseball writers, contends, but from the Indians' perspective, it looks like contention.

This past Sunday morning the Indians had a 62-60 record and were 4 1/2 games out of the second wild card spot, which is exactly where they were after 122 games last season.

"The way baseball is set up, with some of the so-called haves and have-nots, whatever you want to call it -- the disparity, you're never going to please everybody. I think Mr Selig has done a really good job of getting things done because that's really hard," said Indians manager Terry Francona, a big Selig fan. "You can be the smartest guy in the world, and if you can't get stuff done, it doesn't really help."

What Francona most respects about Selig is that he loves baseball. "He's a big baseball fan. That's what I most admire about him," Francona said.

It's important that Selig not only loves baseball, but he came to love it in Milwaukee. This gave him the perspective of a small-market fan and later a small-market owner. He wanted all the fans of all the teams to enjoy baseball, so, over time, by building a consensus, he made it possible for more of them to savor at least the chance of postseason baseball.

Selig at worst shares the blame with the intractable players union for the cancellation of the 1994 World Series and for the trashing by the steroid era of the most revered records.

The plan to give the All-Star Game winner home-field advantage in the World Series, however, was all his. (Everybody boots one now and then.)

"(Selig) led us through some kind of tumultuous times. He brought baseball through those tumultuous times in a pretty healthy place," said Francona.

Selig cared for 28 teams besides the Yankees and Red Sox. ESPN's obsession with them has become almost as ridiculous as political commentator and baseball fancier George Will's argument that fans of other teams got "derivative glory" when their players got thrown in front of the Brinks truck George Steinbrenner was driving to higher and higher payrolls.

"The Yankees ... are simply irreplaceable as carriers of a tradition that lends derivative glory to teams that compete against them,'' Will gushed.

Such a subservient notion – "Thank you for letting me share your pine tar, milord" -- is not shared by anyone outside Yankees fans and Will.

Selig probably agrees with former Tribe manager Mike Hargrove, who once said, "All baseball is local. You don't see Indians' fans wearing jerseys of players from other teams very often."

True, but you do see fans of those teams wearing them because good seats are  still available at Progressive Field.

Because of the second wild card, a Selig innovation, teams as disparate as the moderate payrolled Indians and Rays on one hand, and the big-spending Tigers and Yankees on the other are scrambling for playoff spots. Verducci dimmed the bright flare of hope this creates by pointing out that only the Cardinals of 2006 actually won it all with a close to .500 record of 83-79.

But once is enough to let others dream of a repeat. A single hot month of September got the Tribe in as the first wild card last year.

Anyway, why should mediocrity in baseball be bad and a 9-7 team winning the Super Bowl (the 2011 New York Giants) be good?

Mediocrity beats servility any day.


Cleveland's ties to Arena Football include former Ohio State stars, others

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Some interesting names have wound up playing in the Arena Football League, from former Ohio State stars and others. Here's a list.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Some interesting names have wound up being affiliated with the Arena Football League. Far from a complete list, here is a dozen:

3 names linked to Arena Football in Cleveland

Major Harris: The former All-American quarterback at West Virginia played for the Columbus Thunderbolts in 1991 and then in Cleveland in 1992 and 1994 after the team moved. In 2009, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame; his bio notes that "he became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 2,000 and pass for more than 5,000 yards in a career."

Bernie Kosar: The local football hero joined forces with attorney Jim Ferraro to bring the team's current incarnation as the Gladiators to Cleveland. He served as a minority owner. Dan Gilbert now owns the team.

Steve Sanders: The Cleveland-born receiver went to Bowling Green State University. He had stints with both the Browns and the Gladiators; he played for the Arenaball team in 2010.

4 Ohio State connections to Arenaball

Steve Bellisari: He threw for more than 5,500 yards in 1998-2001 and last played in the AFL for the New Orleans VooDoo.

Joe Germaine: The quarterback is a former Big Ten Player of the Year who earned Rose Bowl MVP honors in his time as a Buckeye. He played for Arizona and Utah in the AFL, and became the first player in league history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season.

12LHBODView full sizeCoach Earle Bruce is carried off the field after the Buckeyes defeated Michigan, 14-9, in 1981.  

Quinn Pitcock: An All-American in 2006, the defensive lineman went on to play for the Orlando Predators.

Justin Zwick: The quarterback went to Massillon Washington High School, played for the Buckeyes 2003-06, and spent a year with Columbus in the AFL.

5 Ohio State connections to Arenaball in Cleveland

Earle Bruce: He led the Buckeyes to more than 100 wins in nine seasons, and coached the Cleveland Thunderbolts in the 1994 season.

Tim Cheatwood: The Northeast Ohioan was a four-year letterman at linebacker for the Buckeyes, and played for the Gladiators 2010-12 (he spent the 2013 season with Orlando.)

George Cooper: The big bruising back rushed for more than 1,400 yards for the Buckeyes in the mid-1980s. He played for the Cleveland Thunderbolts in 1991 and 1992.

Greg Frey: The quarterback threw for more than 6,300 yards in college in 1987-90. He was a member of the 1993 Cleveland Thunderbolts team.

Aaron Pettrey: Kicker on the current Gladiators team. His last-second boot was a game-winner in the first-round of the playoffs against Philadelphia this month.

Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine makes right call on QB -- Bud Shaw (slideshow)

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The worst thing a rookie head coach can do is appear indecisive. Nobody knows how long Browns head coach Mike Pettine will stick with his decision but he did the right thing in naming Brian Hoyer the starter Wednesday -- Bud Shaw

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mike Pettine claims he isn't hitting the "panic button."

Good for him. But at least he found the "fast forward" button.

Pettine did the right thing naming Brian Hoyer his starter for Pittsburgh. Dragging it out wouldn't have been a good look for anybody.

Not his eventual choice, who needs as many offensive reps as possible and also needs the support of his teammates. Not a rookie head coach trying to establish himself beyond the role of defensive coordinator. 

On TV on Sundays, that's the role Pettine will play. He'll call the defense. But he's the head coach. He has global responsibilities here.

Not Kyle Shanahan. Certainly not QB coach Dowell Loggains.

Pettine said there was no divided opinion. OK. Let's just say choosing Hoyer quiets the debate if there was. 

If everything that's happened in Berea (or Vegas or Austin) since the draft figured into the head coach's decision – as he maintains – under no circumstances was starting an immature rookie who doesn't know the playbook the Browns' best choice.

Did the Browns really weigh the inflatable swan, the rolled-up dollar bill, the late arrival for a meeting and the middle finger in Washington?

If so, that's their prerogative. But there were enough football reasons alone to give Hoyer first crack as the starter.

Simple stuff. Like adjusting protections. Like going through progressions.

I was beginning to wonder if the Browns were waiting to see if Josh Gordon is suspended? At that point, maybe Manziel's mobility would become a necessity instead of an instinct they'd want to tame.

Waiting for a Gordon decision, as we've seen, is life in limbo.

When this whole thing started, the Browns wanted Hoyer and Manziel to push each other. One would emerge and prove he earned the starting job. It was a logical approach.

But it was getting away from them, with neither quarterback progressing in Shanahan's complicated offense. Now, the path is cleared for Hoyer to start in Pittsburgh and he should benefit from it. So should Manziel.

Compromising the offense to fit Manziel wasn't the best of ideas.

Manziel is intriguing for an offensive coordinator. Pettine, though, is the head coach. He needed to act like it and that's what he did in finally ending a QB competition that wasn't working for anybody.

Hard to say anybody 'won' Browns quarterback derby, but Brian Hoyer should and will start -- Bill Livingston (slideshow)

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Brian Hoyer won the Browns' quarterback job because of his experience and leadership. Or by default because Johnny Manziel was slightly worse.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – On the flip side, the idea of a coin toss to decide the Great  Quarterback Derby of 2014 flopped.

In 2007, Browns coach Romeo Crennel unwittingly painted a picture of how poorly both Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson had played during the exhibition season and of how vacillating he was as a decision-maker when he admitted he flipped a coin to decide between the pair before the season opener against Pittsburgh. 

While Frye "won" the toss, exciting quarterback play was deferred until Anderson, who replaced him in the opener, lit up the Bengals, winning by a basketball on grass score of 51-45, the next week.

Frye was traded after the dismal opener that included four penalties on one play in the Browns' first possession, ending with a 15-yard punt (net gain: 5 yards.) And so the snowball rolled downhill in a big loss to the Steelers.

Anderson was a very streaky player. You usually find those in basketball, such as when LeBron James gets the hot hand, or in golf, such as when Sergio Garcia nearly birdied the back-nine in the second round at Firestone South during the Bridgestone Invitational.

Feast or famine is not the best idea for a starting quarterback because every coach wants to know what to expect at the most important position. Some level of consistency is preferred.

But at his best Anderson at least made games fun. His "best" was just very short-lived. That was not the case on Monday night in a dismal game against Washington. The situation worsened because of the quarterback candidates, Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel, neither got much help from his receivers or more than intermittent assistance from his offensive line.

Coach Mike Pettine on Wednesday said with a straight face that Hoyer's leadership and experience made the difference.

As much as I am intrigued by Johnny Football and the idea of how much his electrifying play in the nation's second toughest pro football league, the SEC, would carry over to the NFL, I said as much in Tuesday's review of the game.

Master Football, bird and incompletion flipper, is not ready for prime-time or even an hour past noon time on Sept. 7, when another opener against the Steelers begins, this time at Pittsburgh. Hoyer gets the start because he's been there  before (not just Cleveland, the NFL.)

It looked a lot like getting a job by default to me, and I still harbor hopes of some magic touches and memorable moments from Manziel. 

But Pettine has the right to call it experience and leadership if he wants to. It certainly sounds better.

Spinning it the way a guy does with an armful of packages trapped in a revolving door really won't change anything until the quarterbacks alter their play, though.

Gallery preview 

Cleveland Browns needed to pick Brian Hoyer now and move forward -- Terry Pluto

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It seems these 'quarterback competitions' never work in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I bet the Browns offense looks much better during Saturday's game.

Granted, if they can survive their first possession without a sack, a penalty and a badly thrown pass -- it will be a massive improvement.

But what this team needed was to settle the quarterback question, which Coach Mike Pettine did Wednesday morning by naming Brian Hoyer the starter.

The "competition" between rookie Johnny Manziel and Hoyer managed to make both players worse. While that was not the intent, it was the result.

Pettine is a rookie head coach and his experience is on the defensive side of the ball. While he understands that quarterback is different than any other position -- a good guess is that he didn't know exactly how different.

At least not until this training camp.

But Browns fans have seen quarterback competitions before -- and how they seldom have been productive.

s10brownsccl.jpgShown here coaching Kansas City, Romeo Crennel never could decide on a quarterback with the Browns. 

In 2007, former coach Romeo Crennel had the infamous "coin toss" to decide who'd start the 2007 preseason opener. The candidates were Derek Anderson and Charlie Frye.

Frye won the regular season job ... sort of.

How about this? Two weeks before the 2007 opener, Crennel said the competition was between Frye and "someone else." He had Brady Quinn and Anderson in camp, and refused to name the other guy.

Frye started the season opener against Pittsburgh, was pulled after a miserable first half -- and Anderson took over.

Looking back, what was the point?

Browns vs. Pittsburgh SteelersFormer Browns coach Eric Mangini had his own painful quarterback competition in 2009. 

SAME QUESTION

We may end up asking the same question this season -- what was the point of all the agonizing of trying to even up the snaps and matchups between Manziel and Hoyer.

In 2009, former coach Eric Mangini counted every snap, every twitch, every little thing that you could count as he tried to decide between Quinn and Anderson. Six days before the opener, he still had not named  a starter.

The nod went to Quinn. Three games later, Anderson was the starter. A few games later, it was back to Quinn.

Pettine, Mangini and Crennel were all defensive coaches. Is that the reason the "competition" went poorly, or was it simply the quarterbacks.

You can argue that a front office/coaching staff that thought offense first had no luck, either. That was the Mike Holmgren/Pat Shurmur regime.

They drafted Brandon Weeden at No. 22 in 2011, and he was basically the starter from the first day of mini-camp.

That also was the case last season with former head coach Rob Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner. They decided to see if they could make a starter out of Weeden.

It didn't work, either.

NFL Draft FootballFlashing the "money sign" on draft night did not help Johnny Manziel's image with other NFL players.  

STARTING OVER

From the start, it seemed as if the front office and coaching staff favored Hoyer.

They drafted Johnny Manziel at No. 22 (same spot as Weeden and Quinn), and Manziel naturally wanted a chance to start.

But it was very obvious that the Texas A&M star would have to make a massive adjustment in terms learning the playbook, operating out of the huddle, taking snaps under center -- and generally growing up quickly in the harsh environment of the NFL.

Would the first-string offense still be looking for its first touchdown had Hoyer been given the job from start of veteran's camp?

Who knows?

But it's hard to imagine that it would be any worse. Or that it would seem so disjointed. The offense was regressing, looking far worse in the second preseason game than it did in the opener.

That's why Pettine had to make this decision now. Bring some order to the offense. Have coordinator Kyle Shanahan build it around Hoyer and a power running game.

The coaches must know what offense will work best with Hoyer. All they have to do is look at the tapes of the Minnesota and Cincinnati games, where Hoyer led the Browns to victories last season.

In fact, that 17-6 win over the Bengals is probably the textbook for how the Browns want to play this season. Their defense was relentless. Hoyer had two 90-yard touchdown drives. They controlled the tempo.

WHAT ABOUT JOHNNY

The best thing that can happen to this young man is to wait.

So much came so fast to him. For whatever reason, ESPN and other national media outlets decided this 6-foot quarterback was The Next Great Thing. This was not like the Manning brothers, who were drafted No. 1. Or like Andrew Luck, another top pick. Scouts loved those guys.

Eli Manning played in 45 college games, Peyton Manning played in 43. Luck played in 38.

Manziel fans compare him to Russell Wilson. Well, Wilson started 50 college games.

How about San Francisco's Colin Kapernick? It was 48 college games.

As for Manziel, he started 26 games in two years.

He has so much to learn. The attention that he received from celebrities didn't help.

My guess is that he didn't intend to come off as arrogant, but actions such as his "money sign" on draft day have made him a target for defenses around the league. Yes, they will take delight in sacking him -- as was the case Monday in Washington.

This is not to write off Manziel. He has above average arm strength. When he sets his feet in the pocket ... or even on a rollout ... he can be a very accurate passer. But when he tries to scramble and turn into a Johnny Football Highlight tape, he's asking for trouble.

Manziel's mobility is an asset. He needs it to be successful. But he must learn how to use it. Just as he must learn what it means to be an NFL quarterback, on and off the field.

Opening the season behind Hoyer should help in the process.

Odds are, Manziel will play at some point this season. In three of the last four years, the Browns have been forced to start THREE different quarterbacks for a variety of reason. Only once (2001) since 1991 has a Browns quarterback started all 16 games.

But for now, the Browns must organize and support Hoyer.


Valley Forge football season preview 2014: Keys for a winning season, top players, schedule (video, poll)

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Get a 2014 season preview for Valley Forge football including top players, newcomers to watch, schedule, stats and more.

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — Check out a preview for the Valley Forge football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins at Drive Morris Stadium against North Olmsted on Aug. 29.

Visit cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads.

5 keys for a winning season

1. Worship freely: Valley Forge will go as far in 2014 as Purdue recruit Richard Worship's legs can carry them. The bruising tailback is the 2013 Lake Division Offensive MVP who rushed for 1,601 yards and 20 TD as a junior. With the distractions of recruiting behind him, Worship says he is excited to be focused on his senior season and repeating the success he had on the ground last year.

2. Senior leaders: Coach Jamie Vanek says he is excited to see what his crop of seniors can do with captains DE Joe Yurik and LB Dom Crute leading the way. "We're a family," Vanek told the Northeast Ohio Media Group. "We're all in this season." 

3. Hold the line: Along the offensive line, Yurik and All-NOC Lake Division honorable mention OL Aaron Crosby will be asked to create running room for Worship. Defensively, Crute and senior CB Joe Zarlinga will be asked to make plays for a group that lacks experience and depth.

4. Find a QB: Vanek needs to identify a starting QB to fill the shoes of 2013 starter Brian Berry. Sophomore lefty Jason Hufnagle and junior Noah Bort are among the candidates for the job.

5. Start fast: This will be the seventh straight season that North Olmsted has been the Week 1 opponent for Valley Forge. The Patriots are 0-6 in openers during that stretch. The Eagles graduated heavy from a 7-3 team that missed the playoffs last year and could be primed for an upset on their home turf.

MORE ABOUT VALLEY FORGE

2014 schedule 

OHSAA division, region: Division II, Region 3.

Conference: Northeast Ohio Conference, Lake Division.

2013 record: 4-6, 2-3.

Coach: Jamie Vanek, 6th season.

Key returning players

Aaron Crosby, OL, Sr., 6-2, 265.

Dom Crute, LB, Sr., 5-9, 200.

Dylan Mroczka, WR, Jr., 5-9, 150.

Jarett Sullivan, LB, Jr., 6-0, 190. 

Richard Worship, RB, Sr., 6-1, 240.

Joe Yurik, DL, Sr., 5-10, 185.

Joe Zarlinga, WR, Sr., 5-5, 145.

Key stats from 2013: Worship scored 6 TDs in a Week 10 game against Normandy last year.

Follow Valley Forge all season

Bookmark the team's cleveland.com webpage to see every football post pertaining to Valley Forge.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga by email (jnoga@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

MLB rundown: Battle for postseason heating up, trade deadine revisited, latest buzz and headlines

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Midweek headlines from around the league as the playoff picture begins to take shape.

The Pittsburgh Pirates ended their long playoff drought in 2013 and are in the thick of things again this season, while the Kansas City Royals appear poised to finally end their own postseason dry spell.

Here's more on those stories and other midweek headlines from around the league as the playoff picture begins to take shape:

Pirates need reinforcements; Royals must hold serve

The Pirates have now lost their last seven games, including nine of their last 10, to fall out of the lead for a National League Wild Card spot. 

The good news in Pittsburgh is that 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen is off the disabled list and back in the lineup after recovering from a fractured rib. The Pirates went 5-9 with McCutchen on the shelf, a string of games McCutchen found difficult to watch: (via ESPN.com)

"It's pretty frustrating," McCutchen said. "It's like having your best friend out there during a race and you want to go out there and help him and you can't. It's kind of the same thing. Your teammates are out there grinding and we're getting the short end of the stick the last few games."

Charlie MortonPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) 

The Pirates are undoubtedly happy to have their star player back in the lineup, but McCutchen has been far from the only valuable Pirate to miss time. Second baseman Neil Walker has been limited lately due to injury, starting pitcher Gerrit Cole will finally come off the disabled list Wednesday and pitcher Charlie Morton went on the DL Sunday. (via The Associated Press)

ESPN.com's Christina Kahrl contends that while McCutchen is a big piece to lose for any length of time, going without Cole and now Morton has been equally as taxing for the Pirates:

Since the break, the Pirates have averaged 4.6 runs per game, and even 4.1 with McCutchen on the DL, slightly above league-average for the NL. But on the pitching side, since the All-Star break the Pirates have seen some things unfold that they have to have anticipated: Jeff Locke's transient magic once again fading with repeated exposure to National League lineups that have cranked out a 1.60 WHIP in his last six starts, while Edinson Volquez has been looking very much like nothing more than a No. 5 while allowing 4.9 runs per nine in his six turns in that time. These are not the guys you're going to win a division with; they're whom you get by with when Cole and Morton are out.

In an effort to sort out persistent defensive issues, the Pirates debuted usual third baseman Pedro Alvarez at first base on Monday. The Pirates need Alvarez's power in the lineup, but an astounding number of throwing errors on mostly routine plays necessitated the change.

While the Pirates have been fading, the Royals are pushing all the right buttons and now lead the AL Central over the Tigers. At the trade deadline, with the Tigers leading the division by four games and making deals, the Royals did nothing. Shortly after, the Royals learned they would be without first baseman Eric Hosmer for about a month. 

Nonetheless, things began going the Royals' way. And according to Grantland's Rany Jazayerli, Kansas City should maybe be thanking 38-year-old Royals fan SungWoo Lee of South Korea for his long-awaited trek to Kauffman Stadium:

Three weeks ago, no one but a few of us serious Royals fans had heard of SungWoo. Then again, three weeks ago not that many people had heard about the Royals. Today, both are the talk of baseball. SungWoo arrived in Kansas City on August 5, and the Royals didn't lose again until August 12. They won eight games in a row, making this the first season in which they'd managed two winning streaks of seven games or longer since ... 1985.

The position the Royals find themselves in today is all too familiar for manager Ned Yost, who managed a similarly homegrown and desperate Brewers squad to the brink of the playoffs in 2007 and 2008 before being fired late in the 2008 season.

Part of the Yost's troubles with the Brewers was a hot temper and a tendency to over-manage when things weren't going Milwaukee's way. However, Yost has taken a different approach with the Royals and vowed to let the players decide the games on the field. (via USAToday.com)

Trade deadline, three weeks later

The Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics made the biggest headlines of the trade deadline, each giving up an everyday player to acquire an ace that would hopefully lead them to postseason success. The Tigers landed David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics brought in Jon Lester from the Boston Red Sox. So far, however, those moves haven't worked out.

The Tigers and Athletics have both posted losing records since July 31, at least in part due to decreased run production. Sports Illustrated's Cliff Corcoran believes that both teams may have been too eager to bolster their rotations at the expense of their lineups:

It's still early. The A's still have a share of their division lead, and the Tigers are still within striking distance of the Royals. It could well be that both teams pull out of their current offensive slumps and that Lester and Price do indeed help pitch them deep into October. However, the early returns suggest that in trying to tip the scales in their favor, both teams may have unbalanced themselves.

For the first time as a member of the Tigers, Price returned to Tropicana Field on Tuesday to begin a three-game series against the Rays. Price said he wouldn't be the pitcher he is today without the Rays and that he'll be nervous to face his friends when he makes his scheduled start Thursday: (via MLive.com)

Injury news and call-up notes

• Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton was in the lineup Tuesday, but missed the last two games after asking for the day off on Saturday and remaining out of the lineup Sunday. Hamilton is batting .263 this season, well under his career average, and has hit just eight home runs. (via NBCSports.com)

• Minnesota Twins top prospect Byron Buxton was hospitalized over the weekend after suffering a concussion on a scary collision with another player in the outfield. Buxton will likely miss the rest of the season but could play in the Arizona Fall League in October. Considering the nature of the collision, the Twins, Buxton and general manager Terry Ryan are feeling lucky the diagnosis wasn't worse: (via ESPN.com)

"We're all fortunate it ended up the way it ended up," Ryan said. "We've seen collisions in our day, but that one ranked right up there."

• The Red Sox optioned outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to Triple-A Pawtucket and recalled Mookie Betts, who joins the Red Sox for the third time this season. Bradley has struggled mightily at the plate, at one point enduring an 0-for-35 stretch.

MassLive.com's Jason Mastrodonato contends that while Bradley's struggles this season have been immense, his undeniable tools and the eventual success of another prized Red Sox prospect mean it's too soon to write off Bradley

• Cincinnati Reds flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman is day-to-day while suffering from an 'achy' shoulder. Chapman walked all four batters he faced Saturday in a 10-9 loss against the Rockies and was unavailable to pitch Monday. (via USAToday.com)

• Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander hopes to return to the starting rotation Saturday after being sidelined for nearly two weeks with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. If Verlander can't make his start Saturday, it's likely the Tigers will place him on the disabled list for the first time in his career. (via MLive.com)

Around the horn

Mo'ne DavisPennsylvania's Mo'ne Davis delivers against Tennessee's Robert Hassell III during a Little League World Series game in South Williamsport, Pa., Friday, Aug. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) 

• With the Little League World Series in full swing, one 13-year-old pitcher is taking all the headlines, including earning herself the cover of Sports Illustrated:

"Last week, this week, maybe next week, she's owned the sports conversation," Sports Illustrated manager editor Chris Stone said. "How often do you get to say this about a 13-year-old girl? It's the easiest type of story to identify as a cover story."

Mo'ne Davis of Philadelphia's Taney Dragons has baffled opposing hitters in each of her appearances thus far and pitches again Wednesday with a chance to help send her team to the U.S. title game.

• Houston Astros designated hitter Chris Carter may be the best slugger in baseball, but at 27 years old his emergence is coming much later than talent evaluators expected. Carter may be following in the footsteps of another late-bloomer who is still doing his thing at 38 years old: (via MassLive.com)

In 2003, another 27-year-old journeyman designated hitter had a breakout season. He hit a career high 31 home runs with 101 RBI's and a career best .288 batting average. That player's name was David Ortiz, and the hot streak he went on that summer has carried over through the previous decade, and into the current one.

Is Chris Carter a right-handed David Ortiz? That remains to be seen, but one thing seems certain. Carter is a great reason for Astros fans to keep watching their team all the way through the conclusion of this season.

• Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was traded before the deadline from the playoff-contending Athletics to the Red Sox, who are on their way to finishing last in the AL East. Despite the sour luck, Cespedes is taking things in stride: (via Yahoo! Sports)

"I don't hold any hard feelings or resentment toward them," Cespedes said. "Apart from the game being fun, it's also a business, and I understand that side of it, so I don't harbor any negative feelings toward them. On the contrary, I wish them nothing but the best. I hope that they keep fighting, and I hope they win the World Series."

• Ken Griffey Jr. hit 630 home runs, won 10 Gold Gloves and played in 13 All-Star games during a 22-year MLB career. But what if he had been healthy? Might he have been crowned baseball's home run king? ESPN.com's Jayson Stark argues that if Griffey had managed to stay healthy his entire career, he could have hit more homers than Barry Bonds.

St. Edward football season preview 2014: Keys for winning state championship, top players, schedule (slideshow, video, poll)

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See a season preview for St. Edward football, including top players, newcomers to watch, schedule, stats and more.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Check out a preview for St. Edward's football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins at home against Gilman School (Md.) on Aug. 31.

Check cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads.

5 keys for winning a state championship

1. Embrace the big stage: In recent years, St. Edward's schedule has become regional in scope. Out-of-state powers have become the norm. And when the Eagles do play Ohio opponents, they're high profile (Cincinnati Moeller, St. Ignatius, Cincinnati Xavier, Glenville). With 12 starters back from last season's Division I state semifinalist team, the Eagles have plenty of experience players, the kind who won't be awed when ESPN shows up at the home opener Aug. 31. 

2. Live up to the resume: Good luck finding a team with a more impressive bio than the Eagles. Eight players have committed to Division I college programs in the past year. The team is also showing up in most national high school football rankings. The Eagles are No. 12 in the USA Today Super 25 and No. 3 in MaxPreps' computer-based Freeman rankings.

3. Unleash the hounds: The Eagles won't win just by stepping on the field, but playing to their potential should do the trick. And that potential is higher than that of most teams. Not only does the offense have a talented QB-RB-WR triangle in Brett Kean (1,900 yards, 23 TDs), Andrew Dowell (805 yards, 13 TDs) and Alex Stump (40 catches, 9 TDs), it also has a wildcard in the versatile Shaun Crawford, a Notre Dame recruit who runs, catches, returns kicks and shuts down opposing WRs. 

4. Unleash the hounds (Part 2): The defensive side of the ball is just as well-stocked. Troy Dipre, first-team All-Ohio last season, is one of three returning starters at LB. Defensive back David Dowell (also a talented WR) joins brother Andrew and Crawford as a Rivals.com four-star recruit. 

5. Rebuild the line: The Eagles have a lot of experienced players returning, but few of them play offensive line. Last year's group included five seniors who started together for two years. Ready to lead the new group is senior Ben Gauthier, who saw significant time at tackle last season.

MORE ABOUT ST. EDWARD

2014 schedule 

OHSAA division, region: Division I, Region 1.

Conference: Independent.

2013 record: 11-2.

Coach: Rick Finotti.

Coach’s record at school: 49-13.

Coach’s career record: 49-13.

5 key offensive players: 

Ben Gauthier, OL, Sr., 6-2, 250.

Andrew Dowell, RB, Sr., 6-1, 205.

Brett Kean, QB, Sr., 6-2, 205.

Dan Petticord, OL, Sr., 6-3, 255.

Alex Stump, WR, Sr., 6-3, 190.

5 key defensive players: 

Shaun Crawford, DB, Sr., 5-10, 175.

Troy Dipre, LB, Sr., 6-1, 215.

David Dowell, DB, Sr., 6-1, 185.

Troy Henderson, LB, Sr., 6-1, 210.

Matt Caradang, LB, Sr., 6-3, 205.

Key stats from 2013: Kean, 1,948 yards passing, 63 percent completion, 23 TDs (school record), 4 INTs, 8TDs rushing; Dipre, 106 tackles, 7 sacks; Crawford 600 yards rushing, 38 carries, 15.7 yards per carry, 6 TDs; A. Dowell, 805 yards rushing, 147 carries, 13 TDs; Stump 740 yards receiving, 40 catches, 9 TDs (school record).

Follow St. Edward all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to St. Edward. 

 

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

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 Browns name Brian Hoyer starter for opener in Pittsburgh: Fans and media react

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The Cleveland Browns ended their dreadful quarterback competition on Wednesday morning by naming Brian Hoyer the starting quarterback.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns ended their unimpressive quarterback competition on Wednesday morning by naming Brian Hoyer the starting quarterback

"(Hoyer) was the clear leader from the beginning," Browns head coach Mike Pettine said in a release by the team. "We've maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player. Brian has done a great job in the meeting rooms and with his teammates on the practice field and in the locker room."

Now it's settled. Hoyer is the choice to lead the Browns into Pittsburgh for the opener. 

Here are the thoughts from fans and media members on Pettine's decision:

Parma football season preview 2014: Keys for a winning season, top players, schedule (video, poll)

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Get a 2014 season preview for Parma football including top players, newcomers to watch, schedule, stats and more.

PARMA, Ohio — Check out a preview for the Parma football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins at Byers Field against Lakewood on Aug. 29.

Visit cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads.

5 keys for a winning season

1. Acclimate to "new" coach: Parma welcomes back coach Bruce Saban who guided the Redmen from 2003-05 before leaving to coach running backs at Case Western Reserve University. Saban has more than 20 years experience coaching at schools in the Parma district, and remained a teacher at his alma mater throughout his head coaching hiatus. During Saban's time as an assistant at Normandy in the 1990s, he coached current Invaders coach Rick Dornbush as well as his future brother-in-law, Valley Forge coach Jamie Vanek. The Redmen last won a Lake Division title in 2009.

2. Find a QB: Gone is a mobile and athletic QB from last season in Zach Toth, who was able to make plays with his legs as well as his arm. Saban lists senior Anthony Molek (5-10, 140) among the candidates to replace Toth in the backfield.

3. Take advantage on the ground: Senior RB Antonio Sanchez rushed for better than 900 yards and 10 TDs in 2013 and needs to have an even bigger season in 2014 if the Redmen want to move up the ranks in the NOC Lake Division. Saban, a Parma Hall of Fame back from the late 1980s himself, specializes in getting the most out of his ball carriers, and should give Sanchez an edge. A stout offensive line with good size should also help. Senior Nabil Habib (6-3, 295) is a three-year starter at OT, while junior John Todd (6-3, 285) is a "road grader" type blocker on the opposite side. Todd recorded 20 pancake blocks as a sophomore and has been starting since his freshman season.

4. Become Road Warriors: Because the Redmen share their home stadium with Normandy and Valley Forge, the Redmen technically have only four home games this season. But six of their games will be played on the Byers Field turf. That said, the road to a winning season will give Parma early tests at North Ridgeville, 2013 playoff qualifier Nordonia and North Royalton.

5. Stand tall on D: Parma returns good size on defense with Todd on the line along with senior DE Andy Coad (6-0, 185) and LBs Jacob Kopper (6-0, 180) and Troy Dusman (6-0, 175). Senior Javonate Cummings is a three-year starter at defensive back who has track speed. The Redmen hope to carry the momentum from last year's Week 6 goal-line stand against Valley Forge in overtime that proved to be the game winner against the rival Patriots.

MORE ABOUT PARMA

2014 schedule 

OHSAA division, region: Division II, Region 3.

Conference: Northeast Ohio Conference, Lake Division.

2013 record: 4-6, 3-2.

Coach: Bruce Saban, 4th season.

Key returning players

Javonate Cummings, RB, Sr.

Nabil Habib, OT, Sr., 6-3, 295.

Martin Kisner, CB, Sr., 6-0, 250.

Jacob Kopper, LB, Sr., 6-0, 180.

Antonio Sanchez, RB, Sr., 5-6, 148.

John Todd, OT, Jr., 6-3, 285.

Newcomers to watch

Troy Dusman, LB, Jr., 6-0, 175.

Cody Reith, LB, Jr., 5-6, 165.

Key stats from 2013: Antonio Sanchez gained more than 900 yards and scored 10 TDs to lead the Redmen offense.

Follow Parma all season

Bookmark the team's cleveland.com webpage to see every football post pertaining to Parma.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga by email (jnoga@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

North Coast League White Division preview 2014: Predictions, top players, best games (slideshow, poll).

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Check out a preview of the North Coast League White Division for the 2014 football season, including predictions of the league race, top players and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Check out a preview of the North Coast League White Division for the 2014 football season, including predictions of the league race, top players and more.

North Coast League White Division

Cleveland.com projected finish (overall, league record in 2013)

Villa Angela-St. Joseph (11-2, 5-0)

Central Catholic (9-3, 4-1)

Holy Name (7-3, 3-2)

Saint Thomas Aquinas (7-3, 2-3)

Trinity (5-5, 1-4)

Warren John F. Kennedy (1-9, 0-5)

Preseason awards

Preseason offensive MVP:

Marvelle Ross, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, RB, Sr., 5-11, 170 pounds

Preseason defensive MVP:

Colin Costanzo, Holy Name, LB, Soph., 5-11, 185 pounds

Preseason most valuable lineman:

Kovas Kijauskas, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, OL, Sr., 6-5, 275 pounds

Other key players:

Brandon Brown, Central Catholic, WR, Sr., 6-1, 160 pounds

Michael Costanzo Jr., Trinity, LB, Jr., 5-10, 180 pounds

Brett Dawson, Trinity, WR, Sr., 5-10, 175 pounds

Nick DeMassimo, Trinity, LB, Soph., 5-10, 165 pounds

Brandon Green, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, WR, Sr., 5-11, 175 pounds

Marcel English, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, DL, Sr., 5-10, 195 pounds

Ty Hall, Central Catholic, CB, Sr., 5-9, 170 pounds

Dushawn Harris, Central Catholic, CB, Sr., 5-8, 160 pounds

Christian Klink, Holy Name, QB, Sr., 6-2, 215 pounds

Desmond Lundy, Central Catholic, QB, Sr., 5-8, 160 pounds

Isaiah Pope, Central Catholic, DT, Jr., 6-2, 280 pounds

Anthony Moeglin, St. Thomas Aquinas, QB, 6-1, 190 pounds

Mike Sabol, Holy Name, DL, Sr., 6-3, 220 pounds

Shakif Seymour, Holy Name, RB, Jr., 6-1, 210 pounds

Tre’Von Williams, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, QB, Sr., 6-4, 205 pounds

Eric Youngblood, Holy Name, OLB, Sr., 5-11, 190 pounds

Outlook: Villa Angela-St. Joseph returns arguably the division’s two most exciting players in Ross and Williams. The Vikings also bring the conference’s most experienced and perhaps the most talented offensive line to lead the way for an explosive backfield. The question mark at VASJ will be the defense, which is young. But the Vikings will be putting up points this season and have a favorable road schedule, as they get Central Catholic, St. Thomas Aquinas and Holy Name at home.

Central Catholic, last year’s division winner, will be looking to go through the air more, as Lundy, Brown and several other receivers return for the Ironmen. Central Catholic is also plenty motivated after a one-and-out postseason last year has been combined with the Ironmen being placed outside of the top-25 by multiple media outlets. Defensively, Central Catholic has a strong secondary, led by Hall and Harris.

Saint Thomas Aquinas returns Moeglin and several other members of a talented team from last season.

Holy Name has added Klink, a St. Ignatius transfer, at quarterback. And Seymour is still there at running back, creating a talented backfield. On defense, Costanzo will be asked to lead the defense as a sophomore. Holy Name coach Dan Wondolowski believes the Green Wave is ready to compete.

Trinity returns quarterback Kyle McSweeney from a team that lost several close games last season. Costanzo, who was hurt last year, returns to lead the offensive backfield at running back and anchor a young linebacking corps.

Warren John F. Kennedy returns quarterback Michael Roscoe from a team that won just two games last year.

Top three games:

November 1, Central Catholic at Villa Angela-St. Joseph

October 4, Holy Name at Villa Angela-St. Joseph

October 18, St. Thomas Aquinas at Central Catholic

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports reporter Ryan Lewis by email (rlewis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@RyanLewisWrites). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Johnny Manziel started losing the job right after the draft and kept losing it through the middle finger: Mary Kay Cabot

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Johnny Manziel lost the Browns starting quarterback job because he didn't work hard enough in the offseason. Can he beat out Brian Hoyer over the next few weeks?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel began losing the starting job right after the draft when he embarked on his frat-boy partying spree and he continued losing it right up through the moment he flipped off the Redskins' bench Monday night.

How could Mike Pettine have stood in front of the meeting room and announced to his players that the rookie who lost his cool in Washington was their new fearless leader? Would he have announced it while handing Manziel his fine letter?

If Manziel let Washington's Brian Orakpo get to him, how would he have responded to all the bullying he'd receive in Pittsburgh, both on and off the field?

Granted, Manziel's bird-flip wasn't his ultimate undoing. But it was one more piece of evidence that the Browns' impetuous rookie isn't ready to take over the reins just yet.

The infamous bird came one week after Manziel was either late for a brief team meeting or missed it altogether. How does Pettine stand up in a front of a room and announce that the guy who missed the meeting that week is their starting quarterback?

Truth is,  the job was there for the taking by Manziel and he blew it. He was competing against a player in Brian Hoyer who was coming off a torn right anterior cruciate ligament and who's started a total of four NFL games. What's more, he's finished only three, and Pettine described him last week as a virtual rookie. Like Manziel, Hoyer had to learn Kyle Shanahan's offense, which Manziel likened to learning Spanish.

If that's the case, Manziel should've spent more time on his espanol and less on his inflatable swan.

Even Manziel admitted last week, "I don't think I'm ready for Pittsburgh right now.''

While Manziel was clubbing from coast-to-coast, Hoyer was at the Browns facility every day, rehabbing his repaired knee and working out with other injured players such as receiver Charles Johnson.

He revealed at the start of camp that he took a total of five days off from the moment team doctors let him start working out after the surgery to the day veterans reported for camp July 25th. In between, he studied the playbook and learned the terminology, which is job No. 1 for a quarterback in a new scheme.

When Manziel showed up for camp, he received a stern lecture from the Browns about his offseason escapades, which might be why he sat all alone in the cafeteria on his first day in Berea. The Browns weren't expecting him to be a choir boy, but were alarmed by things such as the photo of him rolling up a $20 bill in a nightclub bathroom.

Through it all, Manziel maintained that "I'm not going to change for anybody'' and "I don't think I'm doing anything wrong.''

Maybe not, but he certainly wasn't doing enough right -- not enough to win a starting job anyway.

Suddenly, what was supposed to be an "open quarterback competition'' at the start of training camp mysteriously became Manziel taking no first-team reps for the entire first week -- which meant it was really over before it even began.

Manziel buckled down and came up the learning curve quickly, but not quickly enough to overtake Hoyer, who mastered the terminology in the offseason. Hoyer knows what it takes to bark out a 17-word play, and he made sure he had it down by the time he showed up in Berea.

From the first practice, it was evident that Hoyer made quicker reads and got the ball out faster, while Manziel's head was still spinning.

Manziel picked up some steam in the Family Day scrimmage and carried the momentum through the preseason opener in Detroit. In fact, Pettine even considered starting him in Washington Monday night. Then, Manziel misread the schedule and missed the team meeting. Did it cost him the start in Washington? Maybe not. But it couldn't have helped.

 Hoyer was just named the starter for Pittsburgh despite completing 40% of his preseason attempts, earning a 57.9% rating and putting three field goals on the board in his seven drives, including two against a second-team defense.

He was named the starter despite the fact quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains told Arkansas ESPN radio in May that "I think we can throw (Manziel) out there right now and he's going to be one of the most exciting players in the NFL and run around and make plays like he did at Texas A&M.''

Pettine said last week that he wouldn't make a "permanent commitment'' to his opening-day starter and that he'd evaluate it week-to-week.

That leaves the door open for Manziel to win the job over the next few weeks that he could've grabbed from the start.

  And now it's time to see if Johnny Football has what it takes to raise his index finger instead of his middle one.

It's a playoff game every night from here on out for Terry Francona, Cleveland Indians

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Manager Terry Francona used seven relievers to ensure the Indians 7-5 come-from-behind victory over the Twins on Tuesday night.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Terry Francona managed Tuesday night's game like it was the seventh game of the World Series. In a way it was, just like Wednesday and Thursday and every game from here on out will be.

The Indians have 38 of these things left. They have been on the fringe of contention all season and unless there's a collapse, they will stay there until the regular season ends on Sept. 28.

They all won't end the way Wednesday's 7-5 come-from-behind victory over the Twins did at Target Field, but this is how Francona is going to run a game from here on out. It's really nothing new. He's been doing it this way since opening day, but consider this a memo for those who haven't been paying attention.

"You can see what they're playing for," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "I didn't know Francona had that many relievers. But he's doing what he can to keep them in a race."

Francona used seven of his eight available relievers after the Twins took a 5-0 lead in the first inning off Trevor Bauer. It would have been a perfect 8-for-8 – Josh Tomlin was warming in the first after the Twins first five batters scored – but Bauer  pulled it together to retire 14 straight before being relieved by rookie lefty Kyle Crockett in the fifth.

As the Indians crept back into the game, Francona and his bullpen warmed to the task. He was at his best after Tyler Holt's two-run double and Michael Bourn's RBI single gave the Tribe a 7-5 lead in the sixth.

He used two relievers, Crockett and Scott Atchison, to get through the sixth. In the seventh, he used four as the Twins first two batters reached on infield singles. Atchison was gone after Eduardo Nunez singled behind the bag at second to start the inning. Lefty Marc Rzepczynski came on and gave up a single to Eduardo Nunez before striking out Danny Santana, who failed to get down a sacrifice bunt.

Next it was CC Lee, who retired dangerous Brian Dozier on a pop up to second. Finally, it came down to lefty Nick Hagadone against Joe Mauer, who entered the game hitting .462 (6-for-13) this season and .342 (154-for-450) in his career against the Indians. Hagadone took the count to 3-2 before retiring Mauer on a bouncer to short.

Hagadone recorded the first two outs of the eighth before Bryan Shaw got the third. Then it was Cody Allen in the ninth for his 16th save.

Francona said his moves were not only about staying in the race, but were a tribute to how hard the position players worked to get back in the game.

"I knew once we got to Shaw and to Cody, we were going to win or lose," said Francona. "Trying to get there, we had invested a lot in this game.

"It was kind of fun. We had some veterans, we had some young guys and they all did their job. I thought our position players, we kind of owed it to them. They busted their butts trying to get back in that game. So, we were going to do everything in our power to win it."

The Indians are 6 1/2 games out in the AL Central, trailing the Royals and Detroit. They are 4 1/2 out for the second wild card. Detroit and Seattle are in a virtual tie for the second wild card spot with the Yankees four games back. The Tribe is tied with Toronto at 4 1/2 back.

Brian Hoyer named starter over Johnny Manziel for Cleveland Browns opener in Pittsburgh

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Brian Hoyer has earned the Cleveland Browns' starting QB job over Johnny Manziel, despite a subpar showing in Monday's loss to Washington.

BEREA, Ohio -- Despite poor performances by both quarterbacks Monday night in Washington, Brian Hoyer has been named the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback over Johnny Manziel for the opener in Pittsburgh.

Coach Mike Pettine made the decision in a lengthy meeting with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains Tuesday night and announced it Wednesday morning.

Pettine admitted Tuesday night that Manziel's obscene gesture to the Redskins' bench Monday night and all of the other things he's done since the spring would factor into the decision. Clearly, Manziel didn't show the leadership ability needed to be the starting quarterback yet.

"(Hoyer) was the clear leader from the beginning," Pettine said in a release by the team. "We've maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player. Brian has done a great job in the meeting rooms and with his teammates on the practice field and in the locker room."

Meanwhile, even Manziel admitted last week, "I don't think I'm ready for Pittsburgh right now.''

Pettine said he considered Hoyer's experience, his leadership qualities and his body of work to be the deciding factors.  

"I think Brian's been very poised," Pettine said. "I think he's handled the situation well. He's had a lot of things going on."

The Browns were impressed with the way Hoyer came back from surgery to repair his torn right anterior cruciate ligament suffered during the Browns' Oct. 3 victory against the Buffalo Bills.
 
"I think a lot of people discount that," the coach said. "Here's a guy coming off of a season-ending knee injury. Really, these are his first, essentially, 20-25 plays of live work back from it, and he's only going to get better."

Pettine wanted Hoyer to take all the first-team reps this week for the "dress-rehearsal game'' Saturday game against St. Louis at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"I think it's especially good, as an offensive unit, to go out and play and gain cohesion and chemistry," Pettine said. "That was one of the reasons I wanted to go ahead and make the decision before this third preseason game so that (Hoyer and the rest of the starting offense) could play as a unit for a good chunk of it."

Pettine stressed that the decision was more about Hoyer, who went 3-0 last season, than anything Manziel has or hasn't done.

"(Manziel's) certainly made great strides," Pettine said. "We are pleased with where he is, and he has shown that he has come a long way in his ability to pick up the playbook, be coachable and lead an offense. We are confident that Johnny is going to have a great future, but we just felt that Brian still had a decided edge on him."
 
Pettine's decision came a day after Hoyer managed just one field goal in his four first-half drives -- despite great field position by an opportunistic defense.

"It probably couldn't get any worse,'' said Hoyer of his outing during Monday night's 24-23 loss to the Redskins.  "It's disappointing. It's embarrassing. The first play was messed up. ...and it spiraled out of control.''

Hoyer completed just 2-of-6 attempts in the game for 16 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. The lackluster effort gave him a 42.4 rating -- hardly the number you'd want from your starting quarterback.

"I know he missed some throws,'' said Pettine after the game. "I know they both missed some throws. It's hard to tell the reason for that.''

Hoyer won the derby basically by default, because it's clear that Manziel isn't ready to step into the lead role, especially not in Pittsburgh against mastermind defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

In fact, Pettine was so dismayed after the game that he contemplated waiting until after the Rams game to make his decision.

"All options are still on the table,'' he said at the time.

In the end, Pettine opted to pick the lesser of two evils and try to get on with the season. The quarterback competition has resulted in a lack of timing with the receivers and shoddy play on the part of both quarterbacks.

Hoyer had one clear shot at a wide open Andrew Hawkins in the end zone in Washington, and threw it behind him. It was a familiar refrain all night.

"I've got to make better throws,'' said Hoyer. "I've got to put it right on Hawk in the end zone. That should've been touchdown. There's no excuse for that."

He said however, that he wasn't pressing.

"No, I don't think (I'm pressing)  at all,'' said Hoyer. "I don't think I am. Things in a game are a little different than a practice. So it's not anything that it's pressing. If I'm thinking about trying to make the perfect throw, it's not going to [happen]. I've just got to go out and do it, and there's no excuse for it."

Overall this preseason, Hoyer has completed only 8-of-20 attempts, 40 percent. He's thrown no touchdowns or interceptions and has earned a 57.9 rating.

The only points his drives produced came on a second-quarter field goal after Tashaun Gipson teed him up at the Washington 15 with a 43-yard interception return.

However, Manziel was just as bad as Hoyer in the first half, completing 2-of-7 attempts for 29 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and a 44.3 rating.

What's more, Manziel flipped off the Redskins' bench. 

For now, the Browns will focus on Hoyer and give him a chance to develop some timing with his receivers and tight ends.

Newbury football season preview 2014: Keys for a winning season, top players, schedule (poll)

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See a season preview for Newbury football, including top players, newcomers to watch, schedule, stats and more.

NEWBURY, Ohio – Check out a preview for Newbury’s football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins at home against Pymatuning Valley on Aug. 29.

Check cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads. 

Keys for a winning season

It’s all about learning. The Black Knights struggled to pick up a victory in 2013, but now they have a new coach with a new system and the new knowledge could lead them to new heights.

Score more. In its nine losses, Newbury scored 46 total points. They were shut out three times and scored just one touchdown in five other games.

Focus on the kicking game. Newbury scored a touchdown but didn’t make a point after in any of its losses last season, finishing with scores of 6, 6, 0, 8, 6, 0, 12, 0, 8. 

MORE ABOUT NEWBURY

2014 schedule 

OHSAA division, region: Division VII, Region 23.

Conference: Northeastern Athletic Conference.

2013 record: 1-9.

Coach: Tim Glodowski.

Coach’s record at school: 0-0.

Coach’s career record: 0-0.

Key players: 

Ben Elia, RB, Sr.,

Mike Fenstermaker, LB, Sr.,

Jim Levesque, QB, Sr.,

Follow Newbury all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to Newbury.

   

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account above and tag your related Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag. Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.


Kent State coach Paul Haynes, teammate Nate Vance speak on loss of Jason Bitsko

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Kent State football coach Paul Haynes makes first public comments on the death of lineman Jason Bitsko.

KENT, Ohio -- Coach Paul Haynes and senior defensive lineman Nate Vance met with the media Thursday afternoon and spoke about moving on following the untimely death Wednesday of junior center Jason Bitsko.

"The unexpected and tragic loss of Jason Bitsko is profound," Haynes said. "We are saddened and grieving.

"He was a son, he was a brother, he was a mentor, he was a friend. He was not just known for what he did on the field. As a football team, we will continue to get through this."

Haynes spoke of spending time with Bitsko's parents at the hospital, where they were "apologetic" about the timing, and already thinking of the team.

"They are incredible people,'' Haynes said of Randy and Pam Bitsko. "His dad was worried about giving his scholarship to a walk-on."

The 6-3, 280-pound junior starting center was found in his off-campus apartment bedroom by a roommate after he did not show up for morning practice. An autopsy is being conducted.

Bitsko's loss was felt on many levels throughout the team.

"The impact he had on the team was a great one," Vance said. "He could light up a room."

For now, the team mourns and tries to move on as classes begin on Monday and the season opens Aug. 30 with a home game against Ohio University. There are no details yet for services, but the hope is the team will be able to travel to his Huber Heights hometown in suburban Dayton to pay their respects.

This was the final week of two-a-days, but the Golden Flashes have not practiced since Wednesday morning. So there is a lot to be made up, along with making changes on the offensive line.

Haynes said he will rely on the team to get through this, and already the move has been made to wear Bitsko's number '54' on their helmets.

"We'll get through this together,'' Haynes said.

Sometimes it is hard for those outside the inner circle of football to appreciate the bond formed between teammates and coaches. "That smile, that glow" was a constant quote from both Haynes and Vance, who shared a story of how their friendship grew.

Before Bitsko had his own apartment, and lived in the dorms, Vance said his teammate would often spend time at his house. Steadily, Bitsko's sleeping on the couch became such a constant, that Vance and his other roommates would find a Taco Bell breakfast waiting in the mornings.

"I guess that was his way of paying rent,'' Vance said. "He was just the man."

When asked if one of Bitsko's last tweets -- "There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Make sure you use one of those to thank god for everything you have." -- was a true snapshot of his teammate, Vance said yes.

"He knew tomorrow wasn't promised. He lived that, and he meant it."

Glenville football season preview 2014: Keys for winning state championship, top players, schedule (slideshow, video, poll)

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See a season preview for Glenville football, including top players, newcomers to watch, schedule, stats and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Check out a preview for Glenville's football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins at home against Cathedral Prep (Pa.) on Aug. 29.

Check cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads.

5 keys for winning a state championship

1. Remember last season's journey: Coach Ted Ginn Sr.'s return to the sideline last season after battling health issues coincided with the Tarblooders' return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. They also reached their second state championship game. Like every year, the Tarblooders graduated a large number of seniors, but many return from last season's playoff run. Remembering what it took to accomplish that will be important.

2. Have early success: To win a state title you first need to make the playoffs. The Tarblooders don't get a lot of second-level points (wins by beaten opponents) from their Senate Athletic League schedule, so their three non-conference games, usually against tough competition, become vital to securing a playoff spot. Being ready to compete from Week 1 will be a priority.

3. Avoid QB growing pains: One constant the Tarblooders enjoyed the last three years was Quan Robinson Jr. at quarterback. Junior Marcus Drish, last season's junior varsity QB, moves into the varsity spot this season. How well he adjusts to the varsity level will have a lot to do with the team's success this season. 

4. Become leaders: The Tarblooders aren't short on players who contributed to last season's playoff run. But RB Christopher Lavette, LB Milen Golden, WR/DB Trevon Story and others must go from being role players to focal points of an opponent's game plan. That's especially true on offense, where having weapons ready to roll will help Drish.

5. Remain focused: It seems that every team in the Senate knows how long it has been since Glenville lost a league game (1997). And everybody wants to be the team that ends the streak. Staying focused during the league schedule is a must. As the Tarblooders of 2011 and 2012 found out, even two or three losses can keep you out of the playoffs.

MORE ABOUT GLENVILLE

2014 schedule 

OHSAA division, region: Division II, Region 3.

Conference: Senate Athletic League.

2013 record: 13-2.

Coach: Ted Ginn Sr.

Coach’s record at school: 172-37.

Coach’s career record: 172-37

5 key offensive players: 

Jontrell Crockett, OL, Sr., 6-3, 275.

Marcus Drish, QB, Jr., 6-0, 170.

Devonte Houston, RB, Jr., 5-10, 160.

Sebastian Jenkins, C, Sr., 6-1, 255

Christopher Lavette, RB, Sr., 5-10, 195.

4 key defensive players: 

Milen Golden, LB, Sr., 6-3, 195.

Justice Hart, LB, Sr., 6-0, 210.

Sam McKnight, DL, Jr., 6-3, 250.

Trevon Story, WR/DB, Sr., 5-9, 170.

Key stats from 2013: Lavette, 1,346 yards, 19 TDs; Story, 6 INTs.

Follow Glenville all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to Glenville. 

 

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

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.

Akron East football season preview 2014: Keys for a winning season, top players, schedule (video, poll).

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Check out a preview of the Akron East football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins on the road against Jackson.

AKRON, Ohio – Check out a preview of the Akron East football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins on the road against Jackson Aug. 29.

5 keys for a winning season

1. Coming of age – This is Marques Hayes’ third season at the helm of Akron East football. In his first year, East went 0-10. Last year, the Dragons went 2-8 but were competitive nearly every week. Hayes has been playing freshman and sophomores intentionally to build up experience, and he’s expecting a big leap forward in the program’s third year.

2. Experience at QB – Perhaps the biggest key to that experience is at quarterback, where senior Maurice Thomas is entering his third year as the starter. Thomas, a duel-threat quarterback, will also have an identical receiving corps as last season, led by senior Treyaun Bell and junior Domonick Holley.

3. Spread it out – Hayes started East on a track to being a power running team but after evaluating the talent available—namely Thomas—the offensive scheme has transitioned to more of a spread. Through this, East is looking to play its strengths, which means more sets geared toward speed rather than power.

4. New position, no problem – Last season was Bell’s first at wide receiver. In his first three games in that role, he exploded for 450 yards receiving and immediately established himself as Thomas’ No. 1 target. Hayes is eager to see Bell take a step forward with a year under his belt at receiver.

5. Deep front seven – The strength of the East defense is its front seven, which has a returning starter at each spot. Hayes has liked the chemistry that’s been built up in those units, led by senior outside linebacker Darius Griggs (30 career starts) and senior defensive end Demar Johnson (20 starts).

More about Akron East

2014 schedule

OHSAA division, region: Division III, Region 7

Conference: Akron City Series

2013 record: 2-8

Coach: Marques Hayes

Coach’s record at school: 2-18

Coach’s career record: 2-18

5 key offensive players:

Treyaun Bell, WR, Sr., 6-2, 180 pounds

Domonick Holley, WR, Jr., 6-2, 170 pounds

Kevonte Jackson, WR, Jr., 5-5, 140 pounds

Jemarulian Suggs, RB, Soph., 5-11, 175 pounds

Maurice Thomas, QB, Sr., 5-10, 175 pounds

5 key defensive players:

Darius Griggs, OLB, Sr., 6-2, 210 pounds

Juwan Gonzalex, DE, Sr., 6-0, 230 pounds

Demar Johnson, DE, Sr., 6-1, 200 pounds

Kelvin Lawrence, OLB, Sr., 6-0, 190 pounds

Galen Thompson, DT, Sr., 6-0, 190 pounds

Key stats from 2013: Thomas, 2,100 total yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 14 passing touchdowns.

Follow Akron East all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com web page to see every football post pertaining to team.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports reporter Ryan Lewis by email (rlewis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@RyanLewisWrites). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

John F. Kennedy football season preview 2014: Keys for qualifying for playoffs, top players, schedule (video, poll)

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See a season preview for John F. Kennedy football, including top players, newcomers to watch, schedule, stats and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Check out a preview for John F. Kennedy's football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins on the road at Steubenville on Aug. 28.

Check cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads.

3 keys for qualifying for the playoffs

1. Play to their strengths: The Fighting Eagles have experience along the offensive line and they're deep and experienced at wide receiver. Add in versatile athlete Ronald Salters, who can run, throw and catch, and you have a nice recipe for putting up points. 

2. Take care of non-conference business: The Fighting Eagles have been stuck at 5-5 the past two seasons after reaching the Division II playoffs in 2011 and the Division I playoffs in 2010. They've lost no more than two Senate Athletic League games in each of the last four years. The difference between the playoffs and the Senate Championship Game (matchup of top two non-playoff teams) has been non-conference wins. 

3. Adjust to a coaching change: Gone is former coach Scott Wodtly, who led the team to the only playoff appearances in school history. Taking over is Christopher Hubbard, who was a JFK assistant for nine years.

MORE ABOUT JOHN F. KENNEDY

2014 schedule 

OHSAA division, region: Division II, Region 3.

Conference: Senate Athletic League.

2013 record: 5-6 (includes Senate Athletic League championship game).

Coach: Christopher Hubbard.

Coach’s record at school: 0-0.

Coach’s career record: 0-0.

5 key players: 

Jovain Bailey, WR/SS Sr.

Denzel Cummings, WR/SS, Sr.

Timothy Grimes, WR/CB, Sr.

Ronald Salters, QB/CB, Sr.

Elijah Young, WR/SS, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: 

Mike Moore, TE/DE/LB, Jr.

Kenyon Tomlinson, RB/WR/LB, Sr.

Montez Day, QB/WR/CB, Jr.

Derron Hookfin, RB/LB, Jr.

Antonyo Alexander, DE/OL, Jr.

Isaiah Johnson, RB/LB/CB, So.

Follow John F. Kennedy all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to John F. Kennedy. 

 

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

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.

ArenaBowl XXVII: Strongsville's Chad Schofield injured, but connected to Cleveland Gladiators championship quest (video)

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A knee injury ended Strongsville native Chad Schofield's season in the Arena Football League playoffs, but he remains part of the Cleveland Gladiators' quest to bring his hometown team its first football championship in 50 years.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Imagine playing for your hometown team and giving Cleveland a chance to win its first professional football championship in 50 years, and then having to watch the title game from the stands.

Welcome to Strongsville native Chad Schofield's world. The Cleveland Gladiators offensive lineman tore a knee ligament in the first playoff game and will not play in ArenaBowl XXVII against Arizona on Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.

"It stinks, obviously,'' Schofield told The Plain Dealer. "We're so close and I want to be a part of it, and I still feel a part of it, I'm just not on the field right now.''

Schofield was interviewed in an empty locker room last week, during an off day. He didn't have to be there. No one would have said anything if he didn't show up. But he came to an optional workout, wearing a balky knee brace and limping around the Lorain practice facility.

"It's tough. But I still feel like I'm part of this team and can help coach,'' he said.

Schofield, who played at Strongsville High and Marshall, is a lifelong Browns, Indians and Cavs fan. He mourned the sweep of the Cavaliers by San Antonio in the 2007 NBA Finals. He attended last year's Indians wild-card game and said he felt "the magic" of Indians fever.

He said he knows what a championship would mean to Cleveland.

"It means a lot,'' he said. "These fans, even me, I include myself as a fan, we'd love to see a championship. I'm a fan, too, of all these teams. I'm a Cleveland guy. No words could describe how much this town needs it. I want to give the fans something. I want to give me something. It would be huge.''

Schofield has made one contribution that will continue to be felt in the ArenaBowl. He brought wrestler Daniel Bryan's "Yes!" chant to the team and the fans at the start of the season, and he'll finish the season in the stands screaming "Yes!" and pointing both index fingers to the Quicken Loans Arena rafters.

"I'm in the stands doing the 'Yes!' chant with them,'' he said. "You can feel the energy. The atmosphere is unbelievable.''

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