Nick Maronde was outrighted to Class AAA Columbus after clearing waivers. The Indians then invited him to spring training in February.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Indians acquired left-hander Nick Maronde from the Angels in July, they felt they might have found a future big-league starter.

Maronde, the Angels' third-round pick in 2011, started six games for the Tribe in the minors and pitched in the Arizona Fall League. There wasn't a spot open for him in the rotation in the AFL, so he pitched out of the pen for Peoria.

Last week the Indians designated Maronde, 25, for assignment to make room for right-hander Gavin Floyd on the 40-man roster. He cleared waivers, was outrighted to Clsss AAA Columbus and Tuesday the Indians invited him to big-league camp in February as a non-roster player.

GM Chris Antonetti said Maronde will go to camp as a starter. If he doesn't make it there, he could help in the bullpen. Over the last three seasons, Maronde has made 33 relief appearances for the Angels.

He has a 4.91 ERA in the big leagues and control is a problem. Maronde is averaging 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings, which is good. He's also averaging 9.9 walks per nine innings, which is bad.

Maronde posted a 12.79 ERA in 11 appearances for the Angels last season. He pitched for six minor-league teams last season, making 24 appearances, including six starts.

He struck out 49, walked 38 and allowed 33 earned runs in 41 innings. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up their five-game homestand with a 125-104 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up their five-game homestand with a 125-104 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 29 points. LeBron James added 24 points. Kevin Love, playing against his former team for the first time, scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. 

The Timberwolves got 27 points from Andrew Wiggins, who fell two points shy of matching his career-high. 

Make sure you're following Chris as well as Chris Haynes and Joe Vardon on Twitter.

Scoring Summary:

End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs lead Wolves, 96-79. LeBron James has 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Kyrie Irving has added 23 points. Rookie Andrew Wiggins leads the way for the Wolves, with 22 points. 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs lead Wolves, 64-56. LeBron James leads all scorers, with 16 points. Kyrie Irving has added 12. Kevin Love and Dion Waiters each have nine points. The Timberwolves are paced by Andrew Wiggins' 14 points on 4-of-7 from the field. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs lead the Wolves, 27-26. Kevin Love, playing against his former team for the first time, has a team-high seven points. LeBron James has added six points. Minnesota is being paced by Andrew Wiggins, who has a game-high 11 points. He also has one rebound. 

Game 27: Cavs (16-10) vs. Timberwolves (5-21)

Tip off: 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA TV; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, Mike Miller, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao.

Timberwolves probable starting lineup: Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, Thaddeus Young, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

Johnny Manziel vows to "take this more seriously'' in the offseason, but says it would be a mistake for the Browns to give up on him.

BEREA, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel, who's done for the season with his hamstring injury, vowed Tuesday to take his job a lot more seriously in the future, but also says it would be a mistake for the Browns not to make him their quarterback of the future.

"I don't think it would be fair to give up on somebody after seven quarters of football,'' he said. "If that's what they intended on me coming in here doing, just giving them seven quarters, giving them a couple games and then looking somewhere else, I don't feel like that's a lot of commitment and sticking with somebody.''

Browns coach Mike Pettine said last week that the Browns would have doubts about Manziel even if he hit it out of the park the final two games, and a "ton of doubts'' if he didn't play well because of the small sample size.

Now, the Browns have only six quarters of bad starting football on which to evaluate Manziel and will continue to explore every possible option at quarterback in the offseason, including the top prospects in the draft such as Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. They have two first round picks again, and anything can happen at the position.

"This league is a process and it takes a lot of time,'' said Manziel. "Nobody comes in this league right away -- and I mean nobody comes in this league right away and just absolutely kills it.

"That's just not the way it works. You can show flashes, but you need reps, you need years of it, you need time and that's what happens with a young quarterback, so I'm not going into this offseason, into this draft having any concerns about that. It's just something that I'm definitely not thinking about.''

He doesn't believe that his two poor outings as a starter -- 13-of-26 for 112 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for a 29.6 rating and 0-2 record -- have caused the Browns to doubt him.

"No, because I know when I've been in this building that I've been doing the right things. I got one game against Cincinnati (a 30-0 loss) that obviously was a rough day for us and then I had a quarter and a half last week and then one and a half drives in Buffalo, so if that's what they think is enough to evaluate a quarterback, then that's really up to them,'' he said. "But I'm going into this offseason working extremely hard and wanting to be the guy next year and if that's not the case, then obviously we'll see down the road. But that's my mindset going into it and I'm 100% sticking with that.''

Manziel vowed that he's changed from the player he was on May 8th when the Browns drafted him. From that moment until the starting of training camp, he played the part of Johnny Football, Party Boy Extraordinaire. He jet-setted from coast to coast, almost always being photographed with a large bottle of alcohol in hand. The Browns reprimanded him for his frat-boy lifestyle, especially after a disturbing photograph surfaced of him rolling up a bill in the bathroom of a bar.

The Browns took swift action to let Manziel know that such antics wouldn't be tolerated. They lectured him again after he was involved in a fight with a fan at 2:36 a.m., just hours before the team was about to board a plane for Atlanta.  In training camp, Manziel made it clear that he was going to "live my life to the fullest and I don't care what anybody has to say.''

But after being humbled on the football field over the last two weeks, he's drastically changed his tune.

  "The main thing is I'm not the guy that I've always been,'' said Manziel. "I'm not the Johnny Manziel that came in here a year ago and was talking to you guys when I first got here. It's a lot different obviously for me. It's been a year of growing up for me. This is a job for me now and I have to take it a lot more seriously than maybe I did at the first, still going home and whatever I was doing in the offseason.''

But Manziel, who arrived at the FirstEnergy Stadium at 10:50 on the day of his first start -- 10 minutes before the deadline -- refused to acknowledged that his off-the-field actions hurt his performance.

"No, I don't (think so) but at the same time I'm extremely committed to this and I want what's best for this team and what's best for myself,'' he said. "Moving forward I need to put in the time and make sure I'm staying sharp because I want to give next year and the following years all that I have to try to be as successful as possible.''

Manziel acknowledged that he's brought his bad boy reputation on himself.

 "I haven't painted the greatest picture of me of being in here and staying on top of my stuff,'' he said. "I'm sure with the stuff I've done off the field it's negatively affected that. But I know, and what matters to me most the guys in this locker room see I'm inn here working and these coaches know this is my life and this is my job and I'm 100 percent committed to that.''

He admitted that he tried to keep his wild Texas A&M lifestyle going in the pros. He even acknowledged midseason that he missed his carefree college days and wasn't ready to leave them behind.

"(I was) a kid who still had a college mindset a little bit,'' he said. "That has absolutely faded from my mind and now this year has really helped mold me into a pro and figure out how this league works and what it takes. There was a lot of learning this year and it's for the better for me as a person and as a player.''

Still, he wouldn't take back the inflatable swan or the money phone or the visit to Justin Bieber's or any of it just to have studied his playbook a little more.

  "I don't think so,'' he said. "I don't feel like I would have done anything different. You can hear things time and time again, but until you really experience it and feel it, it doesn't really stick as much as it would when you're just being told it.''

He said he doesn't regret his signature money sign, which he did on draft day and after his first NFL touchdown. The Bengals taunted him with it after every sack or big hit in his disastrous debut.

"It's been a part of who I was in college and I see me growing up and maturing moving forward, and that's something that's just fun to do,'' he said. "When I'm out on the field, I'm not thinking about being an adult. I'm thinking about football's a kid's game that you've played since you were in the backyard when you were 8 years old. Still have fun. You can't suck all the fun out of this game.

"So I'm going to go out there next year and smile and be laughing and running around just like I've been every single time I've ever gone on the football field. ...When it comes to Sundays next year, go out and have fun, play football, give it your best chance."

Manziel admitted, however, that he really didn't grasp the level of commitment before he arrived on the doorstep. It's why Brian Hoyer was so confident he was going to win the starting job in camp: he knew exactly what it took and that it would be hard for Manziel to catch him.

"I just don't think you understand what this league entails,'' said Manziel. "The NFL is different. One little thing could really throw you off, so it was a little different than what I expected."

Pettine declined to comment on the uncertainy at quarterback for next season, what with doubts about Manziel and Hoyer set to become a free agent.

 "I'm sure you can save that one until next Monday afternoon,'' he said with a smile.

 Manziel, the No. 22 overall pick, promised to do whatever it takes to recover from the hamstring injury and be ready for the offseason program.

"I want to be the guy here and I think it's my job and I want to take it that way and take it seriously every single day and come in here throughout however long this timetable is for me to be healthy and make sure I'm sharp throughout the entirety of the offseason,'' he said.

Manziel explained that he didn't look good in his two starts because he was thinking too much and not just playing ball. He likely discovered, however, that you can't play fast and loose if you're not 100% up to speed.

"Looking back at it, there were times when I was probably out of my element a little bit trying to worry about the schemes more than just going out there like I thought I did against Buffalo,'' he said. "Just whatever happens, happens. Go out and let the football rip. Throw it extremely hard. Go out and be decisive and just play football and have fun. There were times when I clouded my mind a little too much, and I'm sure that hurt me. I'm positive that hurt me."

Manziel said he'll spend time at home in Texas with his family and out in California with his quarterbacks coach and trainer in the offseason, but that he'll be here more than he was last year.

 "I want to be here and I want people to know that this a place that I want to be and that this city means a lot to me and this team means a lot to me,'' said Manziel. "Coming back backs up what I'm saying and that's what I'm going to do is be here."

He said Cleveland has grown on him more than he anticipated.

"I love this place and this place has really been good to me as far as fans, everything,'' he said. "Cleveland has been different than I expected and I really like it here. Throughout the playoff time with the Cavs and trying to spend as much time around Maverick (Carter) and LeBron and guys like that and being in the city is something I want to do. This is home for me -- and hopefully it will be home for me for awhile.''

Cleveland State Vikings came up just short against Eastern Illinois on Tuesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Chris Olivier scored the last five points for Eastern Illinois, including the game-winning basket with 28 seconds left, as the Panthers edged Cleveland State on Tuesday, 67-65

Cleveland State's Trey Lewis made a layup to tie the game at 63 with 1:37 left but Olivier countered with a short turnaround 20 seconds later. After Andre Yates knifed through the lane for a left-handed layup to tie it with 50 seconds to go, Olivier got low again, faked left and spun right for a short shot to win it.

The Vikings (6-7) had a turnover after that but the Panthers (6-6) missed the front end of a 1-and-1 before Yates missed a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2 seconds left.

Olivier and Trae Anderson had 12 points for Eastern Illinois.

Charlie Lee had 15 for the Vikings plus four assists, giving him 370 for his career, 10th in CSU history.

The Vikings next play at VCU on Monday at 7.

If you've never seen a 300-pounder shake his booty in a reindeer suit, you're in for a treat.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's offensive line had its best performance of the season against Wisconsin last time out. Since the start of the season, left tackle Taylor Decker, left guard Billy Price, center Jacoby Boren, right guard Pat Elflein and right tackle Darryl Baldwin have come a long way.

"You want to see a bad quarterback?" Urban Meyer asked last week. "Put a bad offensive line in front of him. I'm not taking a shot at anybody, but we didn't look very good against Virginia Tech and Navy because we had a bad offensive line. Go look at the film against Wisconsin, and that was a good offensive line."

The linemen have come so far, in fact, they now dress as reindeer.

At least they do in the JibJab Christmas video created by Elflein.

http://t.co/Mgp4rJHXt5 merry Christmas from the #buckeyeOline

— Patrick Elflein (@elflein65) December 23, 2014

Enjoy. You may never look at Billy Price the same way again.

Our coverage from Tuesday

• Can Ohio State handle an equal talent matchup with Alabama?

• Will Amari Cooper take apart Ohio State like Sammy Watkins did?

• The most improved players for Ohio State and Alabama

• Ari hung out with reporters who cover Alabama and Oregon on The Google

• What's the latest with Jim Harbaugh to Michigan?

Alabama coverage from AL.com

• Kirk Herbstreit says Cardale Jones could have trouble with the Alabama D

• D.J. Pettway makes most of his second chance

Tashaun Gipson was selected for the first time. Joe Haden and Joe Thomas are repeat selections.

BEREA, Ohio – While the Browns placed Tashaun Gipson on injured reserve over the weekend, the free safety is not done playing football this season.

The third-year pro earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday night despite missing the final five games with a knee injury. Gipson will be joined by Browns cornerback Joe Haden and left tackle Joe Thomas in Glendale, Ariz., for the game on Jan. 25. Strong safety Donte Whitner was chosen as an alternate.

The Pro Bowlers are selected by a combination of players, coaches and fan votes. The complete list can be found here.

Thomas makes NFL history, becoming the only offensive lineman to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons. Haden is the first Browns defensive back to reach consecutive Pro Bowls since Frank Minnifield qualified four straight years from 1987-90.

But teammates probably are happiest for Gipson, 24, whose regular season ended Nov. 23 in a collision with Haden in Atlanta. The Browns (7-8) have lost four straight since he sprained an MCL.

He intercepted a career-high six passes in just 11 games and held the league lead until last weekend. Gipson has registered 11 picks since the start of last season – only one behind the Seahawks' Richard Sherman in that span.

Some wondered if the shortened campaign would jeopardize his chances, but voters recognized the quality of work. Gipson becomes the Browns' first undrafted free agent to reach the Pro Bowl since linebacker Mike Johnson in 1991.

Beyond the six picks, Gipson added 52 tackles, eight passes defensed, a fumble recovery and a touchdown on an interception return.

"I feel truly blessed to be selected to the Pro Bowl, and I really want to first thank God because without Him, this wouldn't be possible; and thank my family, my coaches and my teammates for supporting me and believing in me, as well as the Dawg Pound," Gipson said in a statement. "It's an honor to be recognized by the NFL and the fans, but it's also a credit to the talented guys on our defense and our coaches who I've been fortunate to work alongside and play with all year."

From UNDRAFTED to PRO BOWL! Man GOD IS AMAZING GOD is great and may ALL THE GLORY be to him! I want to thank the fans and my peers as well!

— Tashaun J. Gipson SR (@Gipson_duos24) December 24, 2014

Thomas becomes the 12^th player in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl in his first eight seasons. The previous 11 were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

View full sizeJoe Thomas has made the Pro Bowl again.John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer 

The left tackle trails only Hall of Famers Jim Brown (nine) and Lou Groza (nine) for the most Pro Bowl appearances by a Brown. Unlike those legends, Thomas has never played in a postseason game, let alone captured a championship. His teams have won seven or more games just twice, including this season.

"If you're one of the teams winning a lot typically you're going to be the ones getting a lot of the votes," Thomas said Tuesday after practice. "In my eight years we've not had a whole lot of success. Obviously (we're) starting to turn the corner this year which is exciting so I'm hoping in years going forward there's going to be a lot of guys from the Browns that will be at the Pro Bowl and hopefully I'll be one of them."

After a slow start, Haden has enjoyed a strong season. He's totaled 69 tackles, 17 passes defensed, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal. Since joining the Browns as the seventh overall pick in 2010, his 84 pass breakups are the most in the league.

"I want to thank all of our fans, I can't say enough about how much I appreciate them for always supporting us," Haden said in a statement. "I feel like we have done some good things this season and we are going to continue to push forward for the city of Cleveland. It's great to be recognized for my second Pro Bowl, but I would trade it all for team success and that's what everyone is our locker room is working for."

Haden and Gipson are the first pair of Browns defensive backs to make the Pro Bowl since Minnifield and Hanford Dixon in 1989. Gipson becomes a restricted free agent at season's end.

Last year, the Browns sent six players to football's all-star game despite a 4-12 record. While Whitner earned alternate's status, outside linebacker Karlos Dansby was shut out. He was having a Pro Bowl caliber season until suffering a knee injury Nov. 16 in a loss to the Texans that forced him to miss five games.

Here is a complete list of Pro Bowlers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plain Dealer photographer Thomas Ondrey is at Quicken Loans Arena as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Check back for all the action.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plain Dealer photographer Thomas Ondrey is at Quicken Loans Arena as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Check back for all the action.

Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao sustain injuries and are forced to go to the locker room.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers lost both Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao in the third quarter Tuesday night against Minnesota. Love eventually returned, but Varejao didn't.

Love injured his right thumb in a collision with the elbow of Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng while trying to score in the post. He immediately left the court, with trainer Steve Spiro checking his hand on the bench for a few minutes before the two exited toward the locker room

About four minutes later Anderson Varejao went down, holding his left leg. Play had stopped and the entire Cavaliers team went over to check on him. Varejao was helped to the locker room by James Jones and Brendan Haywood.

Love returned to the game as the Cavaliers put a 16-1 run to close the quarter and build a double-digit lead.

The team announced that Vareajo has a left foot/ankle injury and will be evaluated further Wednesday.

Which players were selected to Pro Bowl 2014: Here is the list. The Browns have three players who made the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The list for the 2014 Pro Bowl selections have been announced, and the Browns have placed three players into the game: safety Tashaun Gipson, cornerback Joe Haden and left tackle Joe Thomas. Here are the selections on offense and defense as they were named Tuesday night. The players will be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl draft on Wednesday, Jan. 21:

Pro Bowl Selections

At University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.

Sunday, Jan. 25

(x-first-time selection)

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks (6)

Tom Brady, New England; Andrew Luck, Indianapolis; Peyton Manning, Denver; Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay; Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh; Tony Romo, Dallas.

Wide Receivers (8)

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh; Dez Bryant, Dallas; A.J. Green, Cincinnati; x-T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis; Calvin Johnson, Detroit; Julio Jones, Atlanta; x-Jordy Nelson, Green Bay; Demaryius Thomas, Denver.

Running Backs (6)

x-Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh; Jamaal Charles, Kansas City; Arian Foster, Houston; Marshawn Lynch, Seattle; LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia; DeMarco Murray, Dallas.

Fullbacks (2)

John Kuhn, Green Bay; Marcel Reece, Oakland.

Tight Ends (4)

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans; Rob Gronkowski, New England; x-Greg Olsen, Carolina; Julius Thomas, Denver.

Tackles (6)

Ryan Clady, Denver; Jason Peters, Philadelphia; Tyron Smith, Dallas; Joe Staley, San Francisco; Joe Thomas, Cleveland; Trent Williams, Washington.

Guards (6)

Jahri Evans, New Orleans; Mike Iupati, San Francisco; Kyle Long, Chicago; x-Zack Martin, Dallas; Josh Sitton, Green Bay; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore.

Centers (4)

x-Travis Frederick, Dallas; x-Jason Kelce, Philadelphia; Nick Mangold, New York Jets; Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh.

DEFENSE

Defensive Ends (6)

x-Calais Campbell, Arizona; Robert Quinn, St. Louis; Cameron Wake, Miami; DeMarcus Ware, Denver; J.J. Watt, Houston; Mario Williams, Buffalo.

Interior Linemen (6)

Marcell Dareus, Buffalo; x-Aaron Donald, St. Louis; Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay; Dontari Poe, Kanas City; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit; Kyle Williams, Buffalo.

Outside Linebackers (6)

x-Connor Barwin, Philadelphia; Elvis Dumervil, Baltimore; Tamba Hali, Kansas City; Justin Houston, Kansas City; Clay Matthews, Green Bay; Von Miller, Denver.

Inside/Middle Linebackers (4)

Luke Kuechly, Carolina; x-C.J. Mosley, Baltimore; x-Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh; x-Bobby Wagner, Seattle.

Cornerbacks (8)

x-Vontae Davis, Indianapolis; Brent Grimes, Miami; Joe Haden, Cleveland; x-Chris Harris, Denver; Patrick Peterson, Arizona; Darrelle Revis, New England; Richard Sherman, Seattle; Aqib Talib, Denver.

Free Safeties (4)

x-Tashaun Gipson, Cleveland; x-Glover Quin, Detroit; Earl Thomas, Seattle; Eric Weddle, San Diego.

Strong Safeties (2)

Kam Chancellor, Seattle; T.J. Ward, Denver.

SPECIALISTS

Punters (2)

x-Kevin Huber, Cincinnati; x-Pat McAfee, Indianapolis.

Placekickers (2)

Stephen Gostkowski, New England; Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis.

Return Specialists (2)

Devin Hester, Atlanta; x-Darren Sproles, Philadelphia.

Special Teamers (2)

Justin Bethel, Arizona; Matthew Slater, New England.

Kyle Kalish's shot late gave St. Ignatius a win against Berea-Midpark.

Kyle Kalish's shot late gave St. Ignatius a win against Berea-Midpark.

Brian Hoyer hasn't given up hope of playing, but he was idle Tuesday with his right shoulder injury. If the game were today, he'd sit and rookie Connor Shaw would start.

BEREA, Ohio -- Quarterback Brian Hoyer doesn't want to end his season -- and possibly his Browns career -- on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

"I'm focusing on trying to get as healthy as I can,'' he said. "I want to play for the guys in this room. I look next to me -- Jordan Cameron, Joe Thomas – I want to play for those guys. To get to 8-8 is something that this organization hasn't done in a long time. I'm trying and I will see what I can do.''

For that reason, Hoyer refused to entertain the notion that Sunday's finale in Baltimore could be his last game as a Brown after guiding the club to a 10-6 record over the past two seasons.

 "(Playing Sunday is) really what I'm focused on,'' he said. "There are months and months to think about that after this week is over."

Hoyer sat out Tuesday's light practice with the shoulder injury suffered during Sunday's 17-13 loss to the Panthers. If he's not better by Sunday, practice squad rookie Connor Shaw will be elevated and start the game. The Browns also signed veteran Tyler Thigpen to back up Shaw just in case. Shaw took the starting reps Tuesday and Thigpen got the backup chores.

Hoyer attempted to throw Monday, and it did not go well. He didn't even bother on Tuesday.

 "It's day to day,'' he said. "We'll see how it goes tomorrow, and obviously, come in for treatment on Christmas and see what I can do, then really Friday be able to hopefully get a good gauge of it."

Coach Mike Pettine didn't sound optimistic about Hoyer playing.

"I don't know if he'll get to 100 percent,'' said Pettine. "We'll have to just deal in the real circumstances that we're faced with, and right now he would be down. We'll see if that changes as the week goes on."

He said not practicing all week wouldn't preclude him from playing.

"If I don't get any reps this week, I can still foresee myself... That's not the reason,'' he said. "The reason I won't be able to play is if I can't physically be able to do it."
In addition to the shoulder injury, Hoyer also has a badly bruised bicep according to ESPN's Adam Caplan. He said, however, that he hasn't undergone an MRI.

"(It's) the whole general area, I think,'' he said. " A lot of those things are tied in together, and the soreness and the swelling kind of go from area to area."

Hoyer confirmed he suffered the injury on the 7-yard sack by Kawann Short on his second-last play of the game. Short blew past Joel Bitonio, who came off him to block another defender, and Nick McDonald.

"The thing I remember most was getting my wind knocked out of me,'' he said. "Then, as soon as I got back to the locker room, I realized there was some soreness setting in. Then, the adrenaline really starts to wear off. By the time we got to the plane, I was in a decent amount of pain. Then, waking up on Monday morning, it really set in. That whole area in general is pretty sore.''

 He said he can always go out on Saturday and try to throw.

"But like I said, it's not like I'm a receiver or something,'' he said. "This is the tool that I have to use out there.''

Hoyer said it will be tough on Shaw to have to be thrown in against the Ravens, but that he'll do fine.

"I think Connor is going to do everything he can to be ready to go,'' said Hoyer. "He's a tough kid. He's a smart kid. You look at his stats that he had in the SEC.

"That's – people want to argue – the best division in college football. To throw all the touchdown passes he had and I think – What was it? One interception or something crazy like that? (24 TDs and 1 INT as a senior). He's a competitive guy, and he's tough. I think he's done his due diligence in meetings and stuff like that. It's definitely not easy, and I know he'll do everything he can to prepare to play."

Shaw, who went 27-5 at South Carolina, is gearing up for the opportunity. From undrafted free agent to starting NFL quarterback. Potentially the 22nd quarterback to start for the Browns since 1999.

"Yeah, I'm really excited about it,'' he said. "It's been a long season. I've done everything they've asked, and I feel like I've done a good job. We'll see what happens at the end of the week. Right now, I'm just focused on the game plan and seeing if I have to suit up against Baltimore."

A noted gym rat who's dad is a high school football coach, he said he's worked hard all season in case his number was called.

"Well, I did everything Johnny and Brian did except for play,'' he said. "I was in the meeting rooms. I was doing everything they were. I was trying to stay as sharp as possible because you never know when you're going in. It just happens to be that way this week, and we'll see how it all turns out at the end of the week."

LeBron James scores 24 in win over Minnesota to end five-game homestand with return trip to Miami looming.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James scored 24 points in the Cavaliers' 125-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the final tuneup before one of the biggest games on the schedule for James.

His return trip to Miami on Christmas Day awaits after four years, four Finals and two titles there.

The Cavaliers' win over the Timberwolves was lopsided, but mixed in with the final score was an at times sloppy and costly performance. Kevin Love shook off some early nerves playing against his old team for the first time -- and a third-quarter right hand injury -- and finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Andrew Wiggins, the Cavs' No. 1 pick in June (and the top choice overall) whom they traded for Love, was brilliant, scoring 27 points. He was often -- but not always -- matched up with James.

As for James, he shot 8-of-16 from the floor and contributed four rebounds and three assists.

Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Timberwolves.

1^st Quarter

Stats: 6 pts, 3 rbs, 1 ast, 2-4 FG, 2-3 FT

Highlight: Dion Waiters was halfway in the air toward a layup or dunk of his own when he flipped the ball behind his head to James for a dunk with 6:20 left.

Briefing: Messy start for James and his team. Where James was concerned ... Wiggins scored 11 first-quarter points. Not all were on James, but the rookie beat James a couple times and at least once James was arguing with an official after a Wiggins dunk. James was also picked off on an ill-advised pass to Waiters. The James dunk was a nifty one, though. Cleveland shot 41 percent and led by one only because of a Matthew Dellavedova three on the Cavs' last possession.

2^nd Quarter

Stats: 10 pts, 1 rb, 1 ast, 4-7 FG, 0-0 FT

Highlight: James drilled a three-pointer with Gorgui Dieng (instead of Wiggins) guarding him with 48.2 seconds to go.

Briefing: James returned from the bench with 7:17 remaining and asserted himself. He nailed two threes and two driving layups, and found Kyrie Irving in the corner for a three-pointer. The Cavaliers climbed to 54.5 percent shooting, but the effort remained uneven. At one point, Irving threw a pass that may have been intended for James on the Cavaliers' side of the court, but landed in no man's land and was stolen by Zach LaVine. The T-Wolves converted it into points and trailed 50-48. Wiggins slowed a bit, scoring only on a three pointer.

3^rd Quarter

Stats: 8 pts, 0 rbs, 1 ast, 2-4 FG, 2-2 FT

Highlight: After a monstrous Wiggins dunk, James responded with a three-ball with 6:38 left that put the Cavaliers up 75-71.

Briefing: Given the pace, the mistakes, Wiggins' effort, and the poor fortunes of Cleveland's starting frontcourt, it was nothing short of amazing that the Cavaliers led by 17 points through three quarters. James had two threes – the second one with 1:34 to go was part of a 13-0 run – that played a big role. As for Cleveland's frontcourt, Love injured his hand and was taken to the locker room. Just as he was ready to come back out, Anderson Varejao injured his left foot/ankle and was carried into the locker room. At least Love returned.

4^th Quarter

Stats: 0 pts, 0 rbs, 0 asts, 0-1 FG, 0-1 FT

Highlight: James smiled as he slipped on his shooting shirt, returning to the bench with 4:32 to go in the blowout.

Briefing: Not much to say about James' fourth quarter. It's time for him to talk about the game against the Heat, anyway.

Totals: 24 pts, 4 rbs, 3 ast, 8-16 FG, 4-5 FT, 35 min

 

St. Ignatius gave up an 18-point lead but won on a Kyle Kalish bank shot in the last minute of regulation.

St. Ignatius gave up an 18-point lead but won on a Kyle Kalish bank shot in the last minute of regulation.

Rakeem Cato capped a record-setting career by tying an NCAA mark for touchdown passes and throwing for three scores to help Marshall beat Northern Illinois 52-23 Tuesday night in the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl.

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Rakeem Cato capped a record-setting career by tying an NCAA mark for touchdown passes and throwing for three scores to help Marshall beat Northern Illinois 52-23 Tuesday night in the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl.

Cato extended his streak of throwing at least one touchdown pass to 46 consecutive games. That tied the NCAA all-division record set by Central Washington's Mike Reilly.

As usual, Cato's favorite target was fellow senior Tommy Shuler, who made 18 receptions for 185 yards and a score. Shuler broke the Conference USA record for career receptions with 322.

Cato increased his season total to a school-record 40 touchdown passes. He threw for scores of 6 yards to Shuler, 11 yards to Angelo Jean-Louis and 27 yards to Deon-Tay McManus.

All of those touchdowns came in the second half.

Cato completed 25 of 37 passes for 281 yards and ran 5 yards for a score.

Marshall finished 13-1, with its lone loss to Western Kentucky, 67-66 in overtime. Northern Illinois finished 11-3. The game drew a crowd of less than 15,000 in Florida Atlantic's 30,000-seat stadium.

Cato and Shuler were high school teammates in nearby Miami, and they played their final college game before a large throng of family and friends. All seven of Cato's completions in the first half went to Shuler.

Cato wore No. 31 instead of his familiar No. 12 to honor teammate Evan McKelvey, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in October.

Deandre Reaves scored Marshall's first touchdown on a 93-yard kickoff return. Devon Johnson ran for 131 yards and a score for the Thundering Herd, who totaled 505 yards

The Huskies' Drew Hare threw for 225 yards and a score, and they added 200 on the ground. They outgained Marshall in the first half but trailed 24-13 because they settled for field goal tries three times and missed one.

Northern Illinois pulled off a successful onside kick to start the second half but lost the ball four plays later when Arnold Blackmon stopped Cameron Stingily for no gain on fourth and 1 at midfield.

The Thundering Herd mounted touchdown drives of 56, 68 and 70 yards on consecutive possessions in the second half to lead 38-20.

The win gave the Thundering Herd bowl victories in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2001-02.

___

AP Sports Writer Steve Wine wrote this report.

It was a costly victory for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-104.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With a dominating third-quarter burst, the Cavaliers claimed a 125-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night, but they lost their starting center in the process.

Five minutes into the third quarter Anderson Varejao went down with an apparent left leg injury. He stayed on the floor for several minutes as his teammates hovered around him.

He had to be helped off the floor and escorted to the locker room by James Jones and Brendan Haywood. He could not put any pressure on the leg. Varejao did not return and the Cavaliers eventually said he had a left foot/ankle sprain.

Varejao will be evaluated further Wednesday morning.

Not all was terrible in the third. It was a productive 12-minute stint for the Cleveland (17-10). Minnesota (5-22), a huge underdog, repeatedly got turnovers and offensive rebounds in the first half, trailing just 64-56 at halftime.

But Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his 29 points in the third and LeBron James provided eight points, as they helped Cleveland outscore Minnesota 32-23 in the quarter, including a 16-1 finishing run.

The young Timberwolves were out of it after that and the Cavaliers increased their lead to as many as 23 in the fourth quarter.

James registered 24 points, four rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes.

Kevin Love said he wouldn't have a lot of emotions in his first game against his old team and he played like it. He was under control and steady, supplying 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He did so with a wrap on his right hand for the last 16 minutes, thanks to a collision with Minnesota center Gorgui Dieng under the Cavaliers' basket.

The player he was traded for used the opposite approach. Andrew Wiggins played as if he was on a mission all night. He said very little coming in, but his play and demeanor spoke volumes. He used his quickness to get to the basket, hit the long ball and guarded anyone from Irving to James. He finished with 27 points, two rebounds, two assists, a blocked shot, a steal and three turnovers.

The Timberwolves have lost 12 of their last 13 games. Cleveland ends this five-game homestand 4-1.

Love goes and returns

Early in the third Love got his right hand smashed by Dieng while trying to score in the post.

He immediately asked to be pulled. Team trainer Steve Spiro examined his hand on the bench for a few minutes before the two exited to the locker room. Despite a thumb injury, he returned and scored 11 of his 20 points the rest of the way.

Bench update

Dion Waiters led the reserves with 19 points and Shawn Marion had 11. Cleveland dominated the bench battle 46-20.

Unavailable players

Kevin Martin (wrist), Ricky Rubio (ankle) and Nikola Pekovic (wrist and ankle) were out for the Timberwolves.

On deck

The long-awaited Christmas matchup with the Miami Heat is next. LeBron James will return to American Airlines Arena for the first time since losing in Game 4 of the 2014 NBA Finals.

Taking a close look at the numbers and finding a secret stat you need to know in our latest Ohio State vs. Alabama video breakdown.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — If I've shown anything this year, it's that I love numbers. I try to incorporate stats into most things I write. That's why Ari turns to me in most videos and says, "stats" every time I open my mouth.

Maybe it's because I'm a huge nerd.

In breaking down Ohio State's College Football Playoff semifinal against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, there are plenty of numbers to sift through. Taking a look beyond the box score, there are numbers that could give a sign of the way the game will go.

In our latest daily breakdown of the Crimson Tide and the Buckeyes, Michael Casagrande of AL.com and I take a look at some of those stats.

What is a secret stat you should know for the No. 1 Crimson Tide and No. 4 Buckeyes?

Ohio State is 21-0 when Devin Smith catches a touchdown pass. OK, that's a number that Ohio State likes to get our there, so maybe it's not that secret. But it's a stat worth monitoring. The Buckeyes will look to take deep shots on the Tide, and when Smith is catching long touchdowns, Ohio State hasn't lost yet.

Michael picked out a couple for Alabama: Amari Cooper has 45 percent of the Tide's receptions, and the Tide aren't far off from having a pair of 1,000-yard running backs.

The series

Dec. 17: Freshman game changer 

Dec. 18: Offensive game changer

Dec. 19: Defensive game changer

Dec. 20: Unheralded player to watch

Dec. 21: Offensive weakness for each team

Dec. 22: Defensive weakness for each team

Dec. 23: Most improved player

Dec 24: Secret stat

Coming Thursday: Strongest coaching staff

Wide receiver Gary Collins caught three touchdown passes and was named the 1964 NFL Championship game MVP.

HERSHEY, Pa. -- The NFL of the early 1960s was as conservative and archaic as a rotary dial phone.

A wide-open offense for legendary coaches such as Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown or George Halas was a pass attempt on first down. Players followed rigid off-field rules like robots. Training camp and practices resembled military boot camps. This is probably a time when the concept of team first was born. And there was no such thing as an outspoken player.

But five years before Joe Namath famously made his Super Bowl III forecast, wide receiver Gary Collins was bold enough to predict the outcome of the 1964 NFL Championship game between his Cleveland Browns and the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts.

"I predicted that we'd win and [coach Blanton Collier] gave me heck for it," Collins said. "Channel 8 came into our locker room a week before the game and I said we'd win by three touchdowns... I guess Joe Namath wasn't the first."

Nor the last, but this city had plenty to boast about when the Browns won the 1964 NFL Championship, 27-0, over the Baltimore Colts. It remains the last major sports title by a Cleveland team. In Part 16 of this 17-part series, The Plain Dealer profiles the men who participated in the '64 championship season. Last week's feature was on Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown. Today is a look into the MVP performance by Collins in the title game.

Collins might never have gotten a chance for his heroic day if not for his key catch in week two at Municipal Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals. That catch led to a touchdown and the game ended in a tie. The tie would have a major significance at the end of the season.

The Browns trailed, 30-26, with just under two minutes left. It was fourth-and-19 at the Cardinals' 45-yard line. Collins went deep on a post pattern. He managed to get free from two defenders and make the catch at the 2-yard line.

"It was the greatest catch I ever made," Collins said.

Brown scored on the next play for a three-point lead. The Cardinals, however, marched down the field and tied the score with a field goal.

The Browns met the Cardinals again in week 13. A victory by the Browns would clinch the conference title. The Browns had a four-game winning streak at St. Louis. The organization was so confident that champagne was ordered for the upcoming celebration. But the Browns lost and the title hopes came down to the final week of the season at New York. A victory meant a trip to the NFL Championship. A loss would move the Cardinals into the title game against the Colts.

This time the Browns came out strong and blew the Giants out, 52-20, and clinched the Eastern Conference with a 10-3-1 record ahead of the Cardinals' 9-3-2.

The Browns were set to play the most dominant team in the league in the Colts (12-2). Not only was the offense loaded with five future Hall of Famers in quarterback Johnny Unitas, running back Lenny Moore, wide receiver Raymond Berry, tight end John Mackey and left guard John Parker, but on defense the Colts had future Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti at defensive end and first team all-pro cornerback Bobby Boyd for Collins to deal with.

And that defense led the league in the fewest points allowed.

But somehow Collins was inspired to express himself on how the Browns would win when he was interviewed two weeks before the big game.

"I made those comments because I was 24 years old, and I was cocky," Collins said. "But we had a good team. We had Jim Brown and Paul Warfield. Being that I played at Maryland, I wanted to show some folks back in that state that maybe we can win it."

The scoreless first half did not indicate either team would win, but the score encouraged the Browns. It was inconceivable that the mighty Colts, who were among the league leaders in almost every offensive category, were shut down in the first half. And it was the Browns who set the tone, at least on defense.

"That halftime score was a moral victory for us because they had a great offense," Collins said. "But the field wasn't that great, and that wasn't good for a guy like Lenny Moore, who had great speed. We also didn't make many mistakes."

The Browns rode on that momentum in the second half. Lou Groza snapped the tie with a 43-yard field goal. Brown, who finished with 114 yards, also got going in the second half. A long Brown run set up Collins' first score.

As he did all season, Collins told quarterback Frank Ryan that he was open. On this particular play Collins went for the sideline and broke across the field toward the goal post, which was located right on the goal line in those days, and Ryan dropped the pass right into Collins' outstretched arms for an 18-yard touchdown catch. The Browns led 10-0.

"That first catch wasn't even called, because it was a broken play," Collins said. "I thought the ball was going to hit the goal post when I caught it. If you ever see the tape, you'll see me flinch because I thought the ball was going to hit the goal post."

The Ryan-to-Collins connection produced a 43-yard TD score later in the quarter. The 6-3 Collins got past the 5-10 Boyd on a stop and go pattern. Collins sprinted full speed for about 10 yards, stopped and sprinted past the trailing Boyd for the catch and score.

"I took off on a post and both [defenders] slipped and I was wide open," Collins said. "I knew I'd have it because I was wide open. I just hoped Frank saw me."

Ryan could not help but to see a wide open Collins on another post pattern for a 51-yard touchdown and a 24-0 fourth-quarter lead. Collins out-fought Boyd to haul in this catch. It was Collins' third TD of the day. He finished with five catches for 130 yards. Collins also averaged 44 yards on his three punts.

Collins was named the game's MVP.

"I never thought I'd be in the MVP because that's for people like Jim Brown, Unitas, Lenny Moore or Frank Ryan - not for me."

Being named MVP by Sport Magazine came with a prize. Collins was awarded a 1965 convertible Corvette. Collins only kept the car for two years before he sold it. He said he had plenty of fun in the meantime.

"I never went around my teammates with the car," Collins said. "The championship was something we won together, not the car."

 

THE GARY COLLINS FILE

Name: Gary Collins
Position: Wide receiver / Punter
College: Maryland
Cleveland Browns career: 1962 to 1971.
1964 season: Collins averaged 15.5 yards per catch and he had eight touchdowns. Averaged 42 yards per punt.
1964 Championship: Five catches for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
Resides: Hershey, Pa.
Occupation: Retired from the insurance business.

• Read original Plain Dealer story from the NFL Championship game.

• Previous profiles in this series: Ernie Green; Ross Fichtner; Jim Ninowski, Walter Beach, Mike Lucci, Colts RB Tom Matte, Paul Warfield, John Wooten,  Dick Schafrath, Colts coach Don Shula, QB Frank Ryan, LB Jim Houston, Paul Wiggin and Jim Brown.

The Browns continue preparations for the Ravens game. Get the latest from Berea with live updates from NEOMG Browns reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed.

BEREA, Ohio - The Cleveland Browns are preparing for Sunday's season finale at Baltimore before they take off Christmas Day. Johnny Manziel's hamstring injury combined with Brian Hoyer's injured shoulder meant that rookie Connor Shaw took all the first-team quarterback reps Tuesday in practice.

The Browns and Ravens are answering questions from the media today.

At 12:10 p.m., Browns coach Mike Pettine will meet with reporters. At 3 p.m., Ravens receiver Steve Smith will have a media conference call; and at 3:15 Ravens coach John Harbaugh will be on.

The Browns will practice from 12:45 to 2:35 p.m., and players will be available for interviews from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m.

Keep up with who says what today in Berea with live updates from Northeast Ohio Media Group Browns reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed in the comments below:

Tribe fan's final game was on a sunny June afternoon when Justin Masterson and Nick Swisher were the heroes.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than a few fans have told me how a Cleveland team finally winning a championship would be the greatest Christmas gift.

If you are a sports fan and simply want to hold the gift discussion to sports, a strong case can be made for that.

But there is so much more that sports can give us at the professional level.

I received an email from Michael Williams about his mother-in-law -- Patricia Bradesca Schock. Her friends knew her as Pat. For 27 years, she taught Spanish and Elyria Catholic High School.

Think about that for a moment -- 27 years teaching at the same school.

On July 23, Pat died of breast cancer at the age of 64.

"It was her third bout with that nasty disease," wrote Williams, who married Pat's daughter -- Kate.

Williams wrote that Pat had a strong start to the 2013-14 school year, "heroically getting herself out of bed every day, even with immense pain, and going to Elyria Catholic to continue teaching. She was most concerned with ensuring her AP Spanish students were adequately prepared for the final exam and college."

I bet many teachers are nodding their heads as they read those words, thinking about their students -- some teachers even praying for them as they face big exams.

"By March she was quickly deteriorating and she began going into school less and less until she stopped completely," wrote Williams. "She was in and out of Cleveland Clinic, could barely walk and the pain continued to increase."

Where does sports fit into all of this?

"She kept telling the family that she really wanted to go to an Indians game -- her favorite sport and Cleveland team," wrote Williams.

The family went to work. They secured a loge for the June 19th became between the Tribe and Angels.

"The entire family went to the Thursday afternoon game, all decked out in their Indians gear," wrote Williams.

Reading the email reminded me of how my father loved to wear his Tribe jacket, cap and sweat pants after he had his stroke in 1993. Rather than a suit, we buried him in that outfit when he died on his 78th birthday in 1998.

That June 19 game featured Justin Masterson allowing one run in seven innings. The Indians only could manage a run. It was 1-1 after nine inning.

"This was the longest (Pat) had been out for a long time," wrote Williams. "Despite being in pain, (Pat) wanted to stay to see who won the game. The game went into extra innings. In the  the top of the 10th, the Angels scored two runs."

Think about this for a moment. The family was pretty sure that this would be Pat's last game. It's extra innings -- and they look like they would lose.

Pat grew up a Tribe fan. For most of her 64 years, she saw games like this -- where in the end, the Tribe lost.

Then came the bottom of the 10th, the Indians were losing, 3-1. They loaded the bases.

"Then Nick Swisher steps to the plate and belts a walk-off grand slam," wrote Williams. "The Indians fulfilled one of her last wishes and you haven't seen a happier Indians fan. Something special was in the air at Progressive Field that day."

Final score: Indians 5, Angels 3.

It indeed was her final Tribe game in person.

Two of the heroes were Masterson and Swisher, who both had the worst seasons of their career. Masterson was traded to the Cardinals at the end of July. Swisher had surgery on both knees.

But on June 19, they made a woman in her third battle with cancer and the family that loved her so happy -- and it served as a tremendous diversion from the pain that was to come.

Pat died five weeks later.

Williams emailed me this story last weekend, thinking about his mother in-law and that final game as Christmas approached.

"Despite all of the discussion about how baseball is too slow and has lost its relevance, it is still magical and connects so many people with moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles and old friends," wrote Williams.

And it's a story the family will always tell when they talk about this extraordinary woman.

Anderson Varejao was injured during Tuesday night's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao is out for the season after tearing the Achilles' tendon in his left leg, a league source confirmed to Northeast Ohio Media Group.

The injury happened in the third quarter of Tuesday night's 125-104 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. After battling for the ball under the Cavs' offensive basket, he fell to the floor and was down for an extended time. After being helped to his feet, he walked to the locker room and tried to avoid putting weight on his left leg.

Varejao posted averages of 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 26 games this season and has been effective scoring on pick-and-roll plays with LeBron James.

After Tuesday's game, Cavs coach David Blatt said: "He has an ankle injury of some sort," Blatt said. "I really don't know right now."

Varejao left The Q with his leg in an air cast and underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning.

Varejao has lost 165 games to injury over the past four seasons.

The Cavs play next against the Heat at 5 p.m. Christmas Day in what will be LeBron James' return to Miami.