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'A good marriage': Why new Ohio State QB coach Tim Beck thinks he's the right fit for the Buckeyes

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"They were looking for a guy that coaches quarterbacks, and maybe had the Ohio roots, recruiting Texas, possibly, knowing the Big Ten conference. So I think it was a pretty good marriage," Ohio State's new quarterbacks coach Tim Beck said Wednesday. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tim Beck and Urban Meyer first crossed paths 10 years ago. Beck was a high school coach at Mansfield Summit in Arlington, Texas, and Meyer was piecing together his first recruiting class at Florida.

By what's now come to be expected from Meyer's recruiting classes, his first at Florida didn't necessarily make a splash. A couple of four-stars, no five-stars, and a slew of three-stars. A late piece to that class was Summit running back Kestahn Moore, who ended up having a small part in the two national championships Meyer won with the Gators.

What's more important for Beck, though, is that Moore's recruitment served as an introduction to the man who would end up hiring him down the road.

Beck was officially named Ohio State's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 14, two days after the Buckeyes beat Oregon in the first College Football Playoff National Championship. Beck was previously the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Nebraska. He'll replace Tom Herman, who took the head coaching job at Houston.

"I think when Tom had his opportunities to go they were looking for a guy that coaches quarterbacks, and maybe had the Ohio roots, recruiting Texas, possibly, knowing the Big Ten conference," Beck said Wednesday. "So I think it was a pretty good marriage."

This marriage doesn't come without its complications.

Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett, Braxton MillerView full sizeQuarterbacks Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones, and J.T. Barrett, seen left to right, address fans during the national championship celebration. 

First, Beck had to jump into the recruiting fray and sell himself to 2015 quarterback commits Torrance Gibson and Joe Burrow.

That meant explaining to Burrow, whose father and brothers played at Nebraska, why he didn't get an offer from the Cornhuskers while Beck was there.

"More discussing than smoothing over," Beck said.

And Beck, a Youngstown native, takes over a quarterback room under a national microscope with Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller all set to return in 2015. Beck was adamant on Wednesday that Miller would in fact be returning.

Add in Gibson and Burrow, and don't forget the Buckeyes also have Stephen Collier entering his redshirt freshman season. Six scholarship quarterbacks? That's a whole lot of mess to sort through.

"It's kind of a good problem to probably have right now, isn't it?" Beck said.

But more on that later. Why is Beck the right fit to replace Herman?

Beck fills a major recruiting void left by Herman, who was Ohio State's man in Texas during his three years on Meyer's staff. Herman helped bring in players like Barrett, H-back Dontre Wilson and offensive lineman Demetrius Knox. When searching for his replacement, Meyer wanted someone with Texas recruiting ties.

It seems Meyer can at least check that part off his list.

"There won't be any drop-off as far as recruiting goes," Todd Peterman, an assistant coach at DeSoto High School in Texas, told Northeast Ohio Media Group last month. "Coach Beck is well respected by Texas high school coaches. Some guys come in and they're uncomfortable, Coach Beck isn't one of those guys."

The tough part for Beck becomes picking up where Herman left off as it pertains to the continuing development of Ohio State's treasure trove at quarterback.

"We're in a unique position," Beck said. "No. 1, I'm replacing a great guy. He did an outstanding job here and I'm coming in here and have to bond with three super young men -- really, more than that. There's seven guys, counting all the walk-ons. But I've got to bond with all those guys in that room. Before I could really coach them and reach them, I've got to get to know them. That's kind of where I'm at at this point."

He had great success as Kansas' passing game coordinator in 2007 under current Ohio State offensive coordinator Ed Warinner, who was the Jayhawks' OC and quarterbacks coach at the time. That team finished 12-1 and shattered Kansas offensive records.

Maybe the thinking is that Beck and Warinner can mimic some of that success at Ohio State.

Tommy Armstrong Jr.View full sizeNew Ohio State QB coach Tim Beck recruited and developed current Nebraska QB Tommy Armstrong. 

To get a better feel for how Beck brings guys along, though, you might want to look to Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong. Beck recruited and developed Armstrong, who took over as the Cornhuskers starter in the middle of the 2013 season.

Here's what he did in two seasons under Beck:

* 2013: 68-131, 966 yards, 9 TDs, 8 INTs, 8-1 as a starter.

* 2014: 184-345, 2,695 yards, 22 TD, 12 INT, 9-4 as a starter.

No, not exactly the numbers the Buckeyes saw from Barrett and Jones this season. Maybe that's the the biggest hill for Beck to climb, trying to find a way to meet the expectations set by Herman.

Having three quarterbacks who are already in the Heisman Trophy conversation for 2015 will help, the task is keeping it going. Beck knows this, just don't expect him to change the way he's always approached things.

"You know, I believe in our guys," Beck said. "They've got to be accountable.  We've got to build trust. They've got to be tough. I think toughness, that's the one thing. Somebody asked me what was it like watching the championship game or the game against Alabama, what did you notice? I noticed how tough Ohio State was.  Just physically, mentally tough.

"And growing up in that environment, that's really important. It's kind of my roots."


Madison senior Jordan McClure ties boys basketball state record for free throws made in a game

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McClure hit 28 free throws against Euclid on Tuesday.

McClure hit 28 free throws against Euclid on Tuesday.

Cleveland Cavaliers are having an impact on the trade market; schedule could be helping resurgence: Cavs and NBA links

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It was about a month ago when the Cleveland Cavaliers looked like an off-season experiment gone wrong.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was about a month ago when the Cleveland Cavaliers looked like an off-season experiment gone wrong.

Speculation about head coach David Blatt started to heat up. There were rumblings about LeBron James' explosiveness, athleticism and health. Injuries, inconsistent rotations, a tough schedule, a lack of chemistry and issues on the defensive end all contributed to the Cavaliers being one of the league's biggest disappointments around the halfway point.

Since then, the Cavs, sparked by a pair of trades and the return of James from a two-week hiatus, have risen up the standings, and are currently in a tie for first in the Central.

Their 11-game winning streak is the longest active streak in the NBA and the team continues to come together, just the way it was envisioned in the summer.

It may have an impact on the trade deadline, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger.

"Rival executives say, Cleveland's up-and-down season is having an impact on the trade market as the Feb. 19 deadline approaches.

When the Cavs were hovering around .500 and looking nothing like the championship contenders they were supposed to be, whispers arose among rival front offices that teams finding themselves closer in Cleveland's rear-view mirror than expected might be compelled to adopt a more aggressive posture in trade talks -- hoping to make a key move that would catapult them past the Cavs in the East playoff race. Now that the Cavs are rolling, might that have a chilling effect on the trade climate?

Quite possibly. What's certain is that the Cavs are getting closer to being who we thought they'd be -- and more important, who LeBron hoped they'd be when he decided to return home."

(Resurgent Cavs starting to play like the team we thought they'd be)

The impressive streak has caught the attention of many around the NBA, but ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst points to one reason why the Cavs may have been able to go on a run before the All-Star break.

More Cavs links

Cavaliers' defensive improvements are real and sustainable (Bleacher Report)

Cavaliers featured in the three most expensive NBA games in February (Forbes)

Doc Rivers knows about three stars sacrificing to win a title (OC Register)

The Bulls, not Cavs, still likely to make Eastern Conference finals (Washington Post)

More NBA links

Jacque Vaughn fired by Orlando Magic (USA Today)

All five Hawks starters honored by NBA (ESPN.com)

How the Golden State Warriors built the top defense (ESPN.com)

Miami's Hassan Whiteside making the most of a second chance (SI.com)    

Sports Insider: Browns turmoil, Buckeyes recruiting, Cavaliers winning and Bud Shaw's spinoffs

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On today's Sports Insider we talked 'textgate,' recruiting and Cavaliers. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are under fire yet again -- and the offseason is only a month old -- while Ohio State reeled in a Top 10 recruiting class and the Cavaliers are sitting on an 11-game winning streak. Chris Fedor and I talked about all of that plus Bud Shaw's weekly Spinoffs segment on today's Sports Insider.

Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot talked about her report on possible consequences of GM Ray Farmer texting to coaches during games as well as the not-so-good report from Jason La Canfora on the atmosphere inside the Browns building. Steve Wiltfong of 247sports.com talked about Ohio State's recruiting class. Finally, LeBron James and Cavaliers reporter Joe Vardon talked Cavaliers.

Watch the archive of the show above and tune in live every Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

North Royalton's Gabby White, Berea-Midpark's Jada Marone highlighted along with Top 25 polls in Pick-and-Roll podcast

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Listen to this week's Pick-and-Roll Podcast.

Listen to this week's Pick-and-Roll Podcast.

Cursed? Justin Bieber photographed wearing Cleveland Indians hat

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When it comes to sports curses, there are two that you don't want any part of: making the cover of Sports Illustrated and being photographed with Justin Bieber. The Indians are now 2-for-2.

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When it comes to sports curses, there are two that you don't want any part of: making the cover of Sports Illustrated and being photographed with Justin Bieber.

The Indians famously appeared on the cover of SI in 1987 and went on to lose 101 games. First curse: check.

While no Tribe players have been photographed recently with Bieber, the pop star instagrammed a picture of himself Thursday wearing an Indians hat.

Not about what you do but who u do it with. Love these guys!

A photo posted by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on

Bieber curse: Half a check?

But is the Bieber curse real? The Beebs visited with New England's Rob Gronkowski before a game in San Diego back in December. Not only did the Pats win that game, they went on to win the Super Bowl and Gronk scored a touchdown.

Still, here' a list of recent events* that suggest maybe Indians fans should be worried.**

July 2013: Bieber steps on the Chicago Blackhawks' logo in the center of the team's locker room. The Blackhawks lose to the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals the next season.

June 2014: Bieber posts a photo of himself holding a Spanish national team soccer jersey. Spain promptly loses in the World Cup to Chile.

October 2014: Bieber attends New York Knicks opener at Madison Square Garden. Knicks lose by 24 points.

October 2014: Bieber attends Cavaliers opener at Quicken Loans Arena. Cavs lose to lowly Knicks.

July 2014: Bieber is photographed with Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel. You know how that turned out.

November 2014: Bieber attends bible study with members of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steelers lose next day to the awful New York Jets.

* Events in which Bieber's team won have been conveniently left off this list.
** Author of this post does not believe curses are real.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Prove it wasn't a fluke

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Before the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, here are some things to ponder.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - It's the final matchup of the season between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at 8 p.m. on TNT.

Cleveland, winners of 11 straight, beat Los Angeles at Staples Center in early January with Kevin Love out with back issues. The Clippers have won seven of its last nine games, but have dropped two of its last three.

Here are some things to ponder before tonight's mega game.

--

1. Prove it was no fluke

The second game of the Cavaliers' 11-game winning streak came against the Clippers. It was a huge win on the road over a quality opponent, one that instilled belief that they could beat any team, Love said. Cleveland hasn't looked back since. A duplication of that game at The Q tonight on national television would be validation for those who still don't believe this team is real.

2. Don't expect much to change

Kevin Love hasn't been himself on the offensive end, but he has contributed in many other ways and is a pivotal piece to the success of the team. But don't expect David Blatt to force feed Love the ball and go away from what has been working. They're riding an 11-game winning streak. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Does Love need a few more touches? Sure, but don't assume Blatt will drastically alter a winning formula because he won't.

3. Won in the trenches

Timofey Mozgov was brought in for games like this. The Clippers' starting frontcourt of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan is one of the toughest frontlines in the league. These are usually the type of frontlines that make it to the NBA Finals. Mozgov lives for matchups like these. He's an ultra competitor that likes to lay a pounding. It can not be said enough: Mozgov is a perfect fit. He will have a say on how this game goes.

Probable starting lineups

Chicago Bulls (33-16)

F Matt Barnes

F Blake Griffin

C DeAndre Jordan

G J.J. Redick

G Chris Paul

Cleveland Cavaliers (30-20)

F LeBron James

F Kevin Love

C Timofey Mozgov

G J.R. Smith

G Kyrie Irving

* Anderson Varejao (Achilles) is out.

Cleveland Browns fans talk play calling, Ray Farmer and post-season bans -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

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The Cleveland Browns granted Kyle Shanahan his wish to get out of town, leaving them with an untested play caller and the perception of a meddling front office -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You Said It is based on the premise that the only thing Cleveland sports fans need more than a championship is a sense of humor...

YOU SAID IT

(The Regular Friday Edition)

Bud: In spite of the fact Browns new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo has never called a play in the NFL, it's comforting to know at least there are "coaches" in the owners box who can - Gary Hyde, Willougby Hills

I admit I got suspicious early in the season when I heard a constant chorus of "Omaha" coming from Jimmy Haslam's box.

Bud: Regarding the end of the Super Bowl, even Ray Farmer would have texted in a running play - Ignatowski

Bill Belichick strongly defended Pete Carroll's play call. Then again, he had every reason in the world to like it.



Bud: Would you buy a pair of theater glasses from Josh Gordon, or do you think they would quit on you halfway through the play? -- Danny

A You Said It reader who goes to the theatre? Now it's official. I have seen a Yeti.

Hey Bud: Isn't it unfair that Josh Gordon and Ray Farmer receive suspensions while we are continuing to serve out our endless postseason ban? - Ron Glazer, Orange

Life isn't fair. Syracuse is praised for self-imposing a one-year postseason ban. The Browns have done it since 1999 and received only criticism.

Bud: With all the sniveling, crying, wimpy men in those Super Bowl commercials, I thought I was at a Spin readers' convention - Vince G, Cincinnati  

 I think by the definition of the word accepted in the business world,  a "convention" must include at least one employed person.

(Bud:) You know how companies have those dry erase boards, "this many days without an accident?" Can we get one of those for the Browns? -- Raymond McCarron

First-time You Said It winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection. Repeat winners get to impress their friends if they have any.


Ohio State's next starting quarterback? Cardale Jones is choice here, but Urban Meyer will probably differ: Bill Livingston

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While Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett are better quarterbacks, the Buckeyes must decide what to do with the electrifying running and erratic passing of Braxton Miller.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Glenville's Cardale Jones, who took Ohio State to the finish line, winning the national championship, should start at quarterback for the Buckeyes next season.

J.T. Barrett, who took the Buckeyes to the brink of the inaugural College Football Playoff, then broke his ankle on the first play of the last quarter of the last regular season game against Michigan, should back him up.

Braxton Miller, who has graduated and is already one of the most honored players in Big Ten history, should either change positions to H-back or transfer.

All of this is subject to the provisos that Jones plays well in preseason practice, that Barrett will recover fully from his ankle injury and that Miller doesn't make the quantum improvement that was forecast in vain for him before the 2013 season. That prospect was stopped again by the torn labrum, incurred without contact, in preseason practice last year after he first hurt the same shoulder in the Orange Bowl.

I'm aware that Miller gets a raw deal here. He is by far the best runner of the three, at his best in chaotic situations when plays break down and he is relying on his ability to take off and cut on the small change a miser leaves for tips. Coaches at Ohio State think he will return, although, perhaps pointedly, Urban Meyer refused to comment in the days before national signing day.

But the other two quarterbacks are dual threats.

Miller leaves a lot of yards on the field in the passing game, particularly on intermediate crossing routes.

Barrett is not as good a runner as Miller -- who is? -- but a better one than Jones. Barrett, who will be a redshirt sophomore, like Jones, is much quicker and makes the option go better.

That's why Ohio State coaches gave Barrett the crucial nod as the backup to Miller late last August, which allowed Barrett to earn the promotion to the starting role when Miller went down. "The offense just moves better with J.T.," said former offensive coordinator Tom Herman, now the head coach at Houston.

Quickness was why it did.

At the same time, Barrett's deep ball often wandered to the inside shoulder of receivers instead of toward he sideline and the outside shoulder, where only his receivers could catch it. Like Miller, he also missed open receivers on crosses.

Jones doesn't so much run as bulldoze. He converted fourth downs in the Oregon national championship game simply by overpowering would-be tacklers. The way Jones runs, he should be fitted for treads.

He crashed into 310-pound nose tackle Alex Balducci of Oregon short of the first down and clanked and rumbled past him.

He got to the edge on another carry and then -- Jones is the world's biggest frustrated hurdler -- went over a submarining tackler and landed past the sticks.

Jones' running was mostly part of his check downs, occurring when he saw something he didn't like. Most quarterbacks with three total starts wouldn't have even known what they were looking at. Jones either ran or swung passes to explosive Ezekiel Elliott when he changed plays.

If Jones doesn't start, I would consider using him in the red zone as a punishing runner out of the spread set, much as Meyer used Tim Tebow at Florida.

Jones' biggest asset is an arm which, because he wears number 12, gave him the nickname "12 Gauge." Jones simply can whip the ball into places full of cornerbacks and safeties and briars and brambles where it usually can't go. He has touch as well as zip on the ball, throwing over the top, rather than to either side, on deep routes and letting his receivers run under the ball.

The only NFL look-alikes that come to mind for Jones are such big QBs as former Minnesota Viking Daunte Culpepper, former Oakland Raider JaMarcus Russell and  and Pittsburgh's great Ben Roethlisberger. Russell is included only for his size, not his scattershot passing ability.

After Jones shelled the Alabama Crimson Tide into submission in the playoffs, coach Nick Saban said the play-making ability of the Buckeyes' wideouts was a revelation to him. He hadn't seen it on film. That was because Jones had only one start before the Alabama game. His arm afforded the receivers new opportunities against the Tide.

Jones also knew his personnel. He threw jump balls to Devin Smith by design. Massillon's Smith is a former 100 meters and high jump Ohio high school state champion, who tied for second in the Big Ten championship meet in the high  jump with a career best height of 7-0 1/4.

It is hard to know what to expect from Jones in some ways. His roommate, Bedford's Tyvis Powell, said Jones was still playing video games rather than studying game film in Michigan week.

Will his six-week commitment to excellence that led to a national championship be the start of a trend, or will it go the way of many of Johnny Manziel's vows to change his ways with the Browns?

At a position that is more dependent on intangibles than any other in sports, how much do Barrett's impressive leadership skills weigh in the decision?

And will Miller really stay at Ohio State?

You can play two quarterbacks, albeit with difficulty. Not three.

LeBron James and Cavaliers (in that order) following David Blatt's plan -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs

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The Cavaliers have bought in to what the coaching staff is selling, at least defensively, in holding their last 10 opponents to under 100 points -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Because there's always something to spin in Cleveland sports...

* The Cavs' most impressive work during this winning streak has come at the defensive end where they've held 10 consecutive opponents to under 100 points.

That includes the high-octane Clippers, beaten, 105-94 Thursday night.

Said LeBron James: "We've bought in to what the coaching staff wanted us to do. Over and over and over and over, even when it doesn't look as good, you have to continue to do the same thing until you get great at it.

"Our mindset is this is what we're going to do defensively every single time down, no matter the mistakes, we're going to do it every single time, and I think that's resulted in us being more consistent, defensively, because we know where guys are going to be at, at all times."

Not sure this team has embraced David Blatt as Yoda yet.

But at least it no longer looks as if he's trying to sell snow blowers in Honolulu.

 * James says he would come off the bench if that's what the Cavs need from him.
In other news, Mila Kunis is telling friends she wouldn't rule out dating a Spin reader but only if the fate of the world depended on it.

Something tells me that will never become necessary either.

* Clippers' guard Chris Paul received a technical foul from referee Lauren Holtcamp during Thursday night's loss to the Cavaliers.

"There's no way that can be a tech," said Paul. "That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this might not be for her."

That's a fair thing to say about a woman referee.

Only if Paul has said it about Joey Crawford, who is so thin skinned he ejects family members from the house for asking, "Have you seen my keys?"



* Bill Belichick will make an appearance with David Letterman next week.

Take notes, all you Improv hopefuls.



* ESPN's Todd McShay calls Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston the second-best QB prospect behind Andrew Luck over the past decade.

He's talking talent, not character.

But still.

Cam Newton and Matt Ryan have come into the league during that time.

And, of course, Brandon Weeden.

OHSAA releases dual team state wrestling tournament seeds, quarterfinal matchups 2015

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The dual team tournament state quarterfinals, semifinals and finals are Feb. 14 at Ohio State’s St. John Arena.

The dual team tournament state quarterfinals, semifinals and finals are Feb. 14 at Ohio State’s St. John Arena.

MAC basketball enters second half with tournament seeds riding on every game

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With the MAC basketball standings so close, and so much riding on earning a top four seed in the MAC Tournament, every league game is huge. And there are nine more still to play.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is pretty clear the Mid-American Conference basketball race, from top to bottom, is heading for tiebreakers at the end of the season. That is going to magnify the MAC's move in 2012 to a new tournament format.

Saturday marks the start of the second half of the MAC season with five teams holding 6-3 conference records. Two others are 5-4. Clearly, every game is not only for a league or division title, it also holds huge weight in tiebreakers, and ultimately tournament seeding.

Saturday's game between Akron (15-7, 6-3) and Buffalo (15-6, 6-3) will keep the winner at least tied for first place, with a tiebreaker advantage over the other. The loser could drop as far back as seventh place.

Not only are the teams that close, so are the games. Five of six games Wednesday night came down to the last possession. "You're an ankle sprain from going .500 in this league real fast,'' Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins said.

This was before he lost starting guard Austin Ritchie to injury, which led to a three-game losing streak. WMU (14-8, 5-4) snapped that skid Wednesday with a last-possession victory over Kent State. Prior to the game, KSU lost leading scorer and rebounder Jimmy Hall to mononucleosis.

The Golden Flashes (15-7, 6-3), clinging to one-fifth share of first place, host the Miami RedHawks (8-14, 3-6) Saturday at 7 p.m. in the MAC Center.

For a league getting only one slot in the NCAA Tournament field, the best/hottest team in the league might not have a realistic chance when the MAC Tournament comes around if tiebreakers don't fall its way.

Prior to 2012, the top four seeds got byes directly to The Q for quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams played first-round games at campus sites then advanced to the quarters. Now there is a first and second round before quarterfinal play begins.

Using standings today, tiebreakers are needed to first determine the No. 1 and No. 2 MAC Tournament seeds, with those teams getting byes straight to the semifinals. Tiebreakers then must decide the next two top seeds, who get byes to the quarterfinals.

But what about that fifth 6-3 team? That team -- based on games played to date it is Bowling Green -- will have to play and win four tournament games in six days to advance to the NCAA Tournament. This starts two days after the final game of the regular season.

The top two seeded teams play two games in two days following seven days of rest after the end of the season. Win four games in six days after two days of rest, or two games in two days after seven days of rest? That is what's on the line.

One game, one play, one whistle, one off night can have huge ramifications in MAC play this season.

Following is the MAC Tournament seeding, as of Wednesday's games. But understand, not everybody has played each other, yet. Among them, Buffalo still has two games vs. Akron and Bowling Green; Toledo still has two games vs. Eastern Michigan. Kent and Akron still have two games with each other.

No. 1 Buffalo; No. 2 Toledo; No. 3 Akron; No. 4 Kent State; No. 5 Bowling Green; No. 6 Central Michigan; No. 7 Western Michigan; No. 8 Miami; No. 9 Eastern Michigan; No. 10 Northern Illinois; No. 11 Ohio University and No. 12 Ball State.

Cleveland Indians' equipment trucks take off for spring training

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Only a 2,000-mile voyage stands between the Indians and the dawn of another spring. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Only a 2,000-mile voyage stands between the Indians and the dawn of another spring.

The Indians' two 53-foot equipment trucks departed Cleveland on Friday. They will arrive in Goodyear, Ariz., either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. By late Wednesday afternoon, the staff will have the team clubhouse up and running, just a week before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for the new season.

"It's a big day for Cleveland fans to have a sign of spring coming," said Tribe clubhouse manager Tony Amato. "With the weather and everything, I think it's great for everyone here."

The trucks deliver gear for each player and coach and any personal items members of the team want shipped. Also on board are 12 pallets of water, one pallet full of plastic bottles of Bertman's Ball Park Mustard, about 25 sets of golf clubs, more than 30 bikes, exercise equipment and car seats. Corey Kluber even had a high chair sent across the country.

The staff placed all of its orders in October and November and spent the month of January organizing and preparing all of the packaging.

"I know we had over 50-some skids," Amato said. "It's probably a record. It seems like we were really heavy going down this year for some reason."

Baseballs -- more than 1,500 dozen of them -- were delivered on Thursday.

"Hopefully that lasts us through camp," Amato said.

Each position player receives between 18-24 bats. Some were shipped to Cleveland, where the clubhouse staff marked and labeled each for the specific player.

Amato said the strangest item he ever packed onto the truck was a safe, requested by a former member of the coaching staff. Of course, for the third straight year, the staff also shipped Terry Francona's red scooter.

"There's not anything unique that stands out this year," Amato said.

Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear on Feb. 18.

Talk Cleveland sports with Dennis Manoloff at 12:30 p.m.

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Talk all things Cleveland sports with Dennis Manoloff live at 12:30.

DManTalk Cleveland sports with Dennis Manoloff during his weekly podcast today at 12:30 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Dennis Manoloff today at 12:30 p.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

DMan will talk with me about the turmoil in Brownstown, the Cavaliers winning streak and more.

You can jump in the comments section and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to DMan's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

Cleveland State doubles up with Anton Grady

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Cleveland State's Anton Grady has become consistent producing double-doubles with five in his last six games, and six on the season, all in Horizon League play.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There is perhaps no more important ingredient a coach wants out of a basketball player than consistency. Cleveland State's Anton Grady has become very consistent lately as the Vikings hold on to their share of first place in the Horizon League at 14-10 overall, 8-2 HL.

Over the last six games, Grady has delivered five double-doubles, heading into Saturday's 2 p.m. game against Wright State (11-12, 3-6) in the Wolstein Center.

The 6-8, 225-pound redshirt junior is playing his best basketball since knee injuries in high school and early in his CSU career slowed him. Grady missed all of his true sophomore season following knee injury.

Grady has 16 career double-doubles and six of them have been this season, all in league play. With seven regular-season games remaining, coach Gary Waters has a baseline of 15 points and nine rebounds to count on from Grady every night in conference play.

There was no hint of this during non-conference play as Grady only had one point and four rebounds vs. Louisville; seven points and five rebounds vs. Toledo, six points and four rebounds vs. Bowling Green, and five points and four rebounds vs. VCU.

But once conference play began the Central Catholic High product has put the wood to the rest of the league. He had double-doubles twice against Youngstown and once each against Wright State, Detroit, Oakland and Illinois-Chicago. During his recent string of five doubles in six games, the outlier is a 24-point, six-rebound effort against Green Bay.

During this run he has posted a career high in rebounds with 14 against Detroit, and his 24-point night against Green Bay was two points shy of the career high 26 points he scored earlier this season against Tiffin.

In CSU's earlier road victory at Wright State, Grady scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds. That was the first game in this stretch of double-doubles. And this run has been key to the Vikings run to the top of the Horizon League.


East Tech going for back-to-back Senate championships leads 8 things to watch for in Friday's boys basketball games

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East Tech will try to win its second straight Senate title against Glenville in a rematch of last year's title game.

East Tech will try to win its second straight Senate title against Glenville in a rematch of last year's title game.

What will you remember most about National Signing Day 2015 in 20 years? HS Roundtable: pictures

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Did you witness something during National Signing Day 2015 that will stick with you 20 years from now? See what our reporters said they'd remember and join the discussion in the comments section.

Did you witness something during National Signing Day 2015 that will stick with you 20 years from now? See what our reporters said they'd remember and join the discussion in the comments section.

Recruiting with the ring: Ohio State's National Championship will mean more to future classes than it did in 2015

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Ohio State saw a slight boost to 2015 recruiting after winning the national championship, but the real impact will be felt in 2016 and beyond.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Before you go and credit Urban Meyer with pulling off one of the ultimate multitasking jobs, know that Ohio State's coach had no idea what was happening outside of AT&T Stadium.

Meyer was mired in halftime adjustments during the Buckeyes' National Championship against Oregon, far too preoccupied to have any notion of what was happening on Twitter.

* Ohio State's top targets in 2016

* Ohio State's top targets in 2017

While the Buckeyes were beating the Ducks to earn the first championship of the playoff era, Ohio State was already building toward the future, getting verbal commitments from three players in the 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes in the process.

"There's some people who tried to commit during the championship game that we don't know," Meyer said Wednesday when recapping the Buckeyes' 2015 National Signing Day efforts. "I hope it works out, but I don't know them yet."

On that Monday night, Ohio State earned commitments from 2016 running back Kareem Walker, 2016 athlete Bruce Judson and 2017 defensive back Shaun Wade. If you want to gauge the true impact of recruiting with a national championship, look to the future. Those three commitments don't come in, at least not at that time, if Ohio State isn't playing on college football's biggest stage.

It would be nice if recruiting with the ring meant Ohio State could somehow swoop in and get its pick of the litter to close out the 2015 class, but that's not really how things work. The majority of the class Ohio State signed on Wednesday, ranked sixth nationally by 247Sports, was determined before the Buckeyes were champions.

Kareem WalkerView full sizeKareem Walker, the top running back in the 2016 class, committed to Ohio State on the day of the National Championship game. 

"It put a little weight behind what you're selling, but recruiting is so far out that a lot of this stuff, relationships, interest and where these kids are leaning are almost done by the time you get to any postseason," receivers coach Zach Smith said.

It's not as if the impact of the championship on this 2015 class was completely insignificant. Meyer admitted it probably helped the Buckeyes secure signing day commitments from Maryland offensive lineman Isaiah Prince and Arkansas receiver K.J. Hill. 

And it was certainly a selling point as the Buckeyes tried to add some other late high-profile players like Utah linebacker Porter Gustin, Missouri defensive lineman Terry Beckner Jr. and Georgia offensive lineman Venzell Boulware. But this championship is more about the future.

"Nowadays, it's all about digital video so this will be sent around everywhere. It's obviously a big hit," Meyer said after the Buckeyes capped off the season with a championship celebration in Ohio Stadium.

That's where the real impact will be felt. When Ohio State has targets in 2016 and beyond on campus for visits, they'll be able to hold the championship trophy just like Hill did when his visited. That's a card Meyer can play for years down the line.

Look to Alabama as an example, the Crimson Tide went from perennial top 5 to having the No. 1 class for four straight years after winning national titles. It's a lot easier to sell yourself when you have the results to back it up.

The stretch from early December until the championship in January was all free publicity for Ohio State. Meyer is no longer selling hypotheticals, the Buckeyes now have the hardware to back it up.

"I tell people it was like a 30-day infomercial," Meyer said. "Go pay for positive advertisement for 30 days and see what that looks like."

Does Mike Weber feel misled by Ohio State? Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher: 'Yes - 100 percent'

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When asked if he felt like Weber was misled by Ohio State, Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher told cleveland.com, "Yes. Yes I do. 100 percent."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star running back Mike Weber of Detroit Cass Tech was up past midnight Tuesday evening struggling mightily about whether he was going to sign with Ohio State or Michigan the following day. 

Weber shared his reservations about Ohio State with Stan Drayton, then Drayton texted Urban Meyer to inform him Weber still needed to be recruited. Ohio State eventually signed the talented running back. 

The following day it was announced that Drayton was leaving Ohio State to take a job as the Chicago Bears' running back coach. 

When asked Friday if he felt like Weber was misled by Ohio State, Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher told cleveland.com, "Yes. 100 percent. 100 percent." 

Following is a Q/A with Wilcher on the Weber:

How do you take the whole Weber and Drayton situation: What do I take? I understand the young man wants to know who is going to be coaching him and he had that understanding going in there. My whole belief is this right here -- when you're dealing with kids you want to get the whole welfare of the child always first in hand. It's just it.

Mike is a young man, he just turned 17, put a lot of faith and went out of his way to make sure he stayed committed to Ohio State. He believed everything they said. He is a Buckeye. He wanted to be fair, be honest and to be courageous in your decision making. I hope this isn't a big setback for the young man. He needs to understand things are going to happen and you're going to have to deal with those things. 

Would Weber still be at Ohio State if he knew about Drayton before signing? I don't know. I am quite sure it made a difference and it would have made a difference in his decision. It would have made a difference in what he wanted to do. But the most important thing is it would have been up to him and his parents. That would have played a big role in what was going on. 

How does this impact Ohio State recruiting Cass Tech in the future? Is your opinion on Urban Meyer and Ohio State different? I am going to say this right here: I think the most important thing I've taken from this right here is that when you have a player that is upset and he's from one of the schools you're trying to have a stronghold at, and you're doing a great job so far, you want to try to keep people close and keep close relationships and are always working on those relationships.

I have not heard from (Meyer) since then. He may not feel that I am important, he may not feel that Cass Tech is important and he may not feel like how he treats these kids up north is important. All we should worry about is that they go to Ohio State. I don't know how he feels, but that's my understanding because he hasn't tried to call me at all. So I don't know. 

If Urban tried to call, what would you say to him? We'll just talk about the situation. That's about it. He hasn't reached out to me at all. I don't understand it. I really don't. 

What have you talked to Weber about? When a young man is trying to make a decision with his life, you want to be totally comfortable. He was struggling with his decision a lot. A whole lot. Up until he decided, even after he decided, he was still struggling. It just didn't sit right with him. He's really upset about it. It didn't sit right with him, which is why he Tweeted what he did.

Mike Weber is hurt. I could feel it through the telephone. I felt it with him. I wanted to just talk with him and talk him through it. I told him to keep calling me, to keep talking to me about it. I don't want him to be hurting. I want him to understand this is part of the business, this is what they do. This is how they do things. But you shouldn't be played as a pawn in the business, though. That's the problem. Kids shouldn't be played as a pawn in the business. 

Did Ohio State mislead you? Yes. 100 percent. 100 percent. 

What's next with you and Urban Meyer? The first thing you need to do is mend the bridges, you need to talk. I don't see that happening right now. He hasn't called me, he hasn't talked to me, nothing. Maybe he is saying, 'I did my job, I am out, I am gone.' Maybe that's how he feels. I don't know how he feels. We haven't talked, we haven't talked at all. We are going to see each other in a few weeks. I'll wait until then.

Will Mike ask for a release? I don't know. We haven't talked about it. We haven't discussed it. I just wanted him to feel better about what he's going through. That's it. 

Dennis Manoloff talks Cavaliers, Browns and Johnny Manziel: Podcast

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The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talks all things Cleveland sports in his weekly podcast.

DMan Podcast: February 6, 2015

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Can the Cavaliers sustain their current level of play? Are the Browns as big a mess as they are being portrayed?

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff tackled those questions and more in his weekly podcast on Friday.

Among the other topics discussed:

- How important was it to blow out a team like the Clippers?

- What do this week's reports on the Browns say about the team?

- Will Johnny Manziel ever start for the Browns again?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.

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