Quantcast
Channel: Cleveland Sports News
Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live

Updated list of over 100 Northeast Ohio football players headed to non-Division I college programs after National Signing Day 2015

0
0

See dozens of local standouts headed to non-Division I college football teams.

See dozens of local standouts headed to non-Division I college football teams.


Was Bernie Kosar right about the Browns after all?

0
0

Listening back to the former Browns quarterback's interview on WTAM in December sheds new light on some of his comments.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bernie Kosar: disgruntled ex-employee or right all along?

Back in December, Kosar made waves when he went on Mike Trivisonno's radio show (full interview here) and blasted the Browns following their 30-0 home loss to Cincinnati. It was the first career start for rookie Johnny Manziel and the loss essentially ended any shot the Browns had at the playoffs. 

Kosar spent much of the interview taking shots at the Browns' front office and reiterated time and again that, essentially, people within the front office needed to stay in their lanes.

"You need that linear focus of just doing what you're supposed to do," Kosar said in the interview. "If you're a nose guard, you're gonna stop the run. DB, you're gonna stop the wide receivers. If you're a general manager, you're looking at players. If you're a quarterback coach, you're going to coach the guys that they get you and you just stick to that. And [the Browns] do everything else but that."

At the time of Kosar's interview, much was made of what he said as it pertained to the quarterback situation: "The names change, but the way we do things as a culture above them is still the same. ... And until that changes, we're always going to have two quarterbacks that we just manipulate back and forth and throw names in there, but it's not going to be consistently successful."   

Revisiting the interview after a week of ugly news -- Mary Kay Cabot's report of punishment looming for Ray Farmer for texting the coaching staff during games and Jason La Canfora's report that paints a picture of a blurred line between the business and football sides of the building -- and it's clear there was much more to it than just helping the quarterbacks succeed. Begin with his take on Mike Pettine's performance:

"He was hired under these set of rules where everybody gets to giggle and laugh and talk about things and everybody is involved in everything," Kosar said, "and he was hired in a tough, tough spot, in a culture above him that's not a football culture. It's not a winning football culture, so it goes above that."

Culture. So many GMs and owners and head coaches and any other number of team personnel love to toss around the word "culture." If Browns fans have learned anything since 1999 it's that culture is really important. Maybe the Browns were making progress on a culture change during their 7-4 start, before the train flew off the tracks and the pressure mounted to switch quarterbacks.

This week has shed new light on the Browns' culture, and it's not pretty.

"This is an obsessive game of high stakes, high competition," Kosar said, "and the feeling of winning is good. But the distaste that those guys -- [Bill] Belichick -- that distaste that they have for losing fuels them to obsessively focus on their job. And you can't expect a 23-, 25-year old kid to know that.

"If they don't see the examples from the people above them, then how are they supposed to know? They don't even know, sometimes, what they don't know, if that makes sense."

Who knows? Maybe Kosar was just being a disgruntled ex-employee. Or maybe he was on to something.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, in a new and challenging role, is giving the Cavs what they need: Chris Fedor

0
0

The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Kevin Love this off-season, hoping to build a new Big Three, comparable to the trio of All-Stars LeBron James left behind in South Beach.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Kevin Love this off-season, hoping to build a new Big Three, comparable to the trio of All-Stars LeBron James left behind in South Beach.

With Irving already in place, ready to become James' new running mate and provide the scoring punch that Dwyane Wade did early in their time together, the Cavs needed another piece to help James deliver on a promise to his hometown. They needed a third wheel, someone to play the difficult role of Chris Bosh.

So they targeted Love and now, more than halfway through the first year, he is fully aware of the challenge Bosh previously faced and warned everyone about in an interview with Ethan Skolnick from the Bleacher Report.

In Toronto, Bosh was getting any shot he wanted at any time. He was Toronto's alpha dog, the man responsible for the team's success and failure. He grew comfortable and thrived in the role. Asked to carry the offense nightly, Bosh averaged a career-high 24 points while shooting 51 percent from the field in his final season with the Raptors. He also added 10.8 rebounds and made the All-Star team for the fifth straight year.

It was a brilliant individual season and he had quickly become one of the best power forwards in the NBA, but the season ended the way many others had, with Bosh and the Raptors missing the postseason, the fifth time in his seven seasons up north.

The numbers never mattered to Bosh. He wanted to win. So he left Toronto, turning in his snow boots for sandals, joining James and Wade in Miami.

He knew he would have to make sacrifices.

He went from the first option to the third. He went from playing on a team few noticed to playing in the sweltering Miami heat that cranked up even more following an ill-advised introduction, complete with outrageous declarations from James.

Fans and media members wondered whether Bosh was worthy of being an All-Star. They asked whether he deserved his big contract. He was called overrated, among other things.

Everyone began questioning why he was no longer putting up numbers he once did even though it was a simple answer.

He was still the same talented and versatile power forward, but was asked to play a new role for the betterment of the team. He was asked to drift further and further away from the basket, creating space for his teammates. He didn't know where his shots would come from or how many he would get. The proven All-Star was forced to conform, tailor his game around two other stars, James and Wade.

It's what Miami needed to reach greater heights. And the formula worked.

Bosh and the Heat won two titles and made four straight NBA Finals trips, but it wasn't easy, especially in the early going.

He was in a supporting role, averaging 18.3 points while shooting 49 percent from the field in his first 51 games. He averaged 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and recorded 17 double-doubles, a far cry from the numbers he put up in Toronto. 

But he was still making an impact. He was making things easier for James and Wade on the offensive end while also becoming an excellent pick-and-roll defender. He was doing whatever it took to help his team win.

Sound familiar?

The Cavs played game No. 51 on Thursday and Love is averaging 17.0 points while shooting 42 percent from the field, including 33 percent from three-point range. He's taking five less shots per game. He's also averaging 10.5 rebounds and his 27 double-doubles are four less than Chicago's Pau Gasol, the NBA's leader in the category. The numbers, with the exception of shooting percentage, are very similar to Bosh's from his first season playing alongside James.

And while it has been difficult at times, many, including Love, saw this coming even before the season.

"I'd be lying to myself and lying to everybody here if I was telling you I didn't have to sacrifice," Love said during Media Day. "I think it's going to have to be an effort throughout the entire team to do what's best for the Cleveland Cavaliers. And we don't know what that is really yet. But I'm going to do what's best for this team to win, because at the end of the day that's what we want, is to win."

Not everybody would've been willing. Love was. Not everybody would be able to adjust. Love has. 

The Cavs are riding a 12-game winning streak and are 31-20 on the season, one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Despite poor shooting and sometimes-bad body language, Love has been a part of the surge.

"He does so much for them. Him standing on the floor is a big deal, it really is," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said prior to Thursday night's game. "You have to guard him. He's a presence and someone is going to get less shots. That always happens. Look at Bosh with Miami. They seemed to work it out pretty well. With us it was Ray (Allen) or Kevin (Garnett), depending on the night. They figured it out and they (the Cavs) will figure it out."

The Cavs aren't asking Love to be the leading scorer. That role earned him zero postseason trips and they don't need that anyway. James and Kyrie Irving share that role. Love's being asked to space the floor and pull defenders away from the basket, making things easier for teammates, just like Bosh.

The result: Irving has never had so much room to maneuver through the defense and is in the midst of his best NBA season. James is averaging nearly 30 points during the recent winning streak. J.R. Smith has been able to get numerous open looks instead of forcing the action as he did in New York. Timofey Mozgov is roaming free.

Love's excellent rebounding (8th in the NBA) finishes defensive possessions. It has also been known to ignite Cleveland's lethal transition game with his picturesque, one-of-a-kind outlet passes.

His skill set changes the complexion of the Cavs' offense and there's no other player on the roster that can do what he can.

There are still some nights when the Cavs will need or want Love to go back to his Minnesota days. Playing against Los Angeles on Thursday, the Cavs took advantage of Blake Griffin as Love scored 10 of his season-high 24 points in the first quarter. The scoring output, his third highest in a winning effort, came on the heels of a season-low five points against the Philadelphia 76ers, which led to much criticism.

"I just got tired of everybody talking about Kevin Love," David Blatt said on Thursday. "There's nothing wrong with Kevin Love. Kevin Love is a great basketball player and he is a highly valued member of this team whether he is on a great day or less good day because we all have them, myself included. Kevin played another fine and very, very high level game today.

"For the meantime, everybody can calm down a little bit if you don't mind. Kevin has been great and we're winning and that's important."

Winning a championship takes the right formula, the perfect amount of sacrifice. It takes everyone understanding and being able to execute their job. It takes trust and commitment. It's what defined James' Miami squads. It's the foundation for Cleveland's new culture.

Love was acquired to complement James and Irving.

He wrote in October that he would grab a broom and sweep the floors if it meant an NBA title; he would do anything to help the team win.

The three-time All-Star can help the Cavs in a variety of ways, but sweeping the floor isn't necessary. The Cavs don't need that. For now, they would much rather he keep doing the things he is already doing for them -- cleaning the glass, sparking the fast break and spacing the floor as Cleveland's third option.

That's his job now.

Schedules for area high school boys and girls basketball and hockey for Saturday, February 7, 2015

0
0

See schedules for area high school boys and girls basketball and hockey for Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015.

See schedules for area high school boys and girls basketball and hockey for Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015.

Roundup of boys and girls basketball games with Top 25 teams and more from Feb. 6, 2015

0
0

See how boys and girls basketball Top 25 teams fared on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015.

See how boys and girls basketball Top 25 teams fared on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015.

Lake Erie Monsters edge Toronto Marlies in overtime, 4-3

0
0

Lake Erie Monsters go overtime again to defeat Toronto Marlies, 4-3.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Center Colin Smith scored 5:04 into overtime Friday at The Q to lift the Lake Erie Monsters over the Toronto Marlies, 4-3.

It was the Monsters fifth straight overtime game, four of which they won, and their sixth in the last seven games. Lake Erie is now 21-16-4-3.

Smith's goal, his 10th of the season, capped a rally that saw the Monsters battle back from a 3-1 deficit with two goals in the last 5:27 of overtime.

Mitchell Heard started the comeback when he scored on a power play at 14:33, his sixth goal of the season. Markus Lauridsen and Bruno Gervais had assists.

Andrew Agozzino then tied the score and forced the overtime, scoring with just 1:04 left in regulation after the Monsters had pulled goalie Calvin Pickard. Agozzino's goal was his 13th of the season, assisted by Heard and Kenny Ryan.

Ben Street scored the Monsters first goal in the first period.

Pickard stopped 26 of 29 shots, including five in overtime, to get the win, his third in four games since returning from Colorado. He is 11-6-4 on the season.

The Monsters out-shot Toronto, 39-29.

The Monsters will host Hamilton on Saturday at 7 in the Q.

Notes: The Monsters are 7-4 in games decided in overtime... Over the Monsters last seven games, they have played past regulation time six times, winning three times in overtime, winning once in a shootout, and losing twice in overtime... The Monsters are 2-0-0-0 against Toronto this season, and are now 11-7-0-2 at home... The Monsters are 7-1-2-0 over their last 10 games... Agozzino (goal, assist), Ryan (two assists), Gervais (two assists), and Heard (goal, assist) each had two-point games for the Monsters on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers' streak ends, team leaves Indiana irked by late-game calls

0
0

Cleveland Cavaliers had their winning streak snapped by Indiana Pacers and also left disturbed with late-game calls.

INDIANAPOLIS - After the Cleveland Cavaliers coughed up their 12-game winning streak via a 103-99 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday, Head Coach David Blatt and LeBron James departed Bankers Life Fieldhouse puzzled.

Cleveland squandered a 13-point lead they built in the second quarter. In the last three quarters they shot 39 percent, which succeeded their blazing 65 percent opening quarter.

The inability to put the ball in the basket wasn't the main issue they were concerned with. It was two controversial fourth-quarter calls that went against them that they took exception with.

Matthew Dellavedova read it correctly. He saw Indiana's Solomon Hill heading towards the basket and the point guard put himself in the appropriate position to take a fundamentally sound charge outside the restricted area.

Hill collided with Dellavedova as he banked in a floater and the call was an offensive foul. It was a huge, momentum-boost play. The Cavaliers were preparing to take the ball out with a 75-69 advantage with 10:02 remaining.

All of sudden, the referees gathered together and ultimately reversed the call, rewarding Hill the two points and a trip to the line for one in which he nailed. Instead of a great defensive play, Dellavedova was accessed a personal foul for his troubles.

Eight minutes later another questionable call threw the Cavaliers for a surprise when LeBron James successfully converted a driving layup around Pacers' big man Roy Hibbert.

The bucket would have given Cleveland a 91-88 lead with 2:09 to go, but it was wiped away. The referees claimed James shielded Hibbert with his left hand. None of those contentious calls prevented the Cavaliers from wining the game, but they were demoralizing buzz kills.

Blatt was clearly irked with how things went down in the fourth.

"Obviously I can't talk about those things," he said. "This is a very, very professional and great league and the people that need to look at those things will look at them and will educate. I think that's a case where there should be some education."

James was a little more straightforward with his critique of the way those two plays were handled.

"It wasn't a good call," James said. "I didn't extend. I just put up an arm-bar like a big guy would do if he were shooting a jump-hook in the post. They put up that arm-bar and shoot the jump-hook. It wasn't a good call. And I thought Delly's call wasn't a good call at all. I don't want to get far in it. I don't want to get fined for sure. I know what I'm here for."

To add to the Cavaliers' misery, Indiana's George Hill launched an acrobatic, off-balanced one-handed three-pointer from the top of the key that swished in after he felt a nudge from Kyrie Irving. It was a four-point play that put the Pacers up three with 1:25 left.

"You just tip your hat to a play like that," James said.

They never relinquished the lead from there. Hill's fluky shot sealed the deal and ended Cleveland's streak. Blatt acknowledged that shot was a dagger, but he wasn't quite finished addressing that offensive foul.

"That takes a little bit of wind out of your sails without question, as did the changed charge call on Delly," Blatt said. "From my vantage point, it was a pretty good take but I don't make that decision."

Cleveland was one win away from tying a franchise record (13) for consecutive games won. Memphis now holds the league's longest winning streak at eight.

It was a great ride. The Cavaliers grew so much in that span. It had to come to an end at some point. They were playing the second end of a back-to-back after an impressive victory at home over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Cleveland started off sharp and in control on Friday, but gradually cooled off as the game went on.

"The one thing that was not in our favor tonight was the fact that we played Indiana after a back-to-back in a away game when they've been sitting at home for the last few days getting ready," Blatt said. "That requires an extra effort and even more performance than in a normal situation and that cost us."

The Cavaliers have accomplished a lot over the last three weeks and there's no referee capable of taking that away from them. This team is for real and is still on a relentless mission to be the best team they can be.

"We just have to start a new streak," Tristan Thompson said. "We're up for it."

Cleveland Cavaliers' winning streak comes to an end as they revert to old habits against Indiana: Fedor's five observations

0
0

The Cleveland Cavaliers' winning streak has come to an end at 12 games, falling one short of tying the franchise record of 13.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers' winning streak came to an end at 12 games, falling one short of tying the franchise record of 13.

Led by former Cavaliers swingman C.J. Miles, who scored 26 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, the Pacers rallied from a 13-point second half deficit to stun the Cavs, 103-99, on Friday night.

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 29 points on 13-of-26 from the field, but still has not won in Indianapolis during his NBA career.

LeBron James, who appeared to re-injure his right wrist on a hard foul from Roy Hibbert late in the third quarter, chipped in with 25 points. J.R. Smith added 17 points, including two three-pointers in the final minutes to force Indiana to make its free throws.

Kevin Love wasn't much of a factor. One night after leading the Cavs in scoring, he finished with five points on 2-of-8 from the field. He also sat the final three minutes as the Cavs were looking for more energy and athleticism from Iman Shumpert.

The Cavs (31-21) will return to action on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Here are five observations from the Cavs' loss:

Tale of two halves: The Cavs were playing well on the road against the Pacers and appeared ready to extend their winning streak to 13 games.

The offense continued to roll, even against a tough, physical team known for defense. The Cavaliers scored 55 points on 51 percent from the field in the first half. They had 11 assists on 22 made shots while committing four turnovers. Defensively, the Cavs were on pace to hold their 11th straight opponent under 100 points.

Then came the second half.

It was more than just poor shooting for the Cavs, who shot 39 percent from the field. It was poor offense. They reverted back to dribbling out the shot clock and heaving jumpers, unwilling to attack inside and failing to share the ball.

Not only were there were more miscues (11) than assists (seven), but the Cavs launched 25 three-pointers out of their 46 shot attempts, connecting on only six.

The aggressiveness that frustrated the Clippers on Thursday night and carried over to the first half in Indy vanished in the second half where the Cavs took four free throws. There were some questionable calls and they voiced their displeasure after the game, but settling for outside shots repeatedly won't get any team to the free-throw line and often means the 50-50 calls go the other way.

The defense also pulled a disappearing act in the final 24 minutes. The Cavs allowed 56 points, including 36 in the fourth quarter. Indiana, a team that averages 95 points per game (26th), scored the most points against the Cavs since Jan. 16.

C.J. Miles' revenge: The Cavs most likely entered the game worried about David West, a bully underneath who now has seven straight double-figure scoring games with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting. But he didn't finish the night as Indiana's leading scorer. That honor belonged to Miles, the former Cavaliers swingman who spent two frustrating years in Cleveland.

He ended up a roster casualty during Cleveland's roster overhaul and had a little extra motivation on Friday night.

After a slow start, Miles erupted with 16 points in the final quarter and 26 overall, making 4-of-5 from the field. He made the difference in the game, outscoring James, Irving and Love combined in the final quarter.

Crunch time: The Cavs haven't been playing a lot of close games during their winning streak. Eight of their 12 wins were by double digits. Their average margin of victory was around 12 points.

A smothering defense and diverse offense was too much for many opponents. But the Cavs needed a game like Friday night. They needed to be tested.

Before the season James mentioned adversity being a good thing, knowing that handling close, pressure-packed games in the regular season will help them get ready for what awaits in about two months. He wanted to see the kind of fight his teammates had.

It's a time when trust, togetherness, ball movement and defense are a must. It takes effort, hustle and handling difficult late-game situations.

There is no denying the level of talent on the Cavs' roster. General Manager David Griffin has worked hard, ensuring the Cavs are equipped for the postseason.

But how they handle close games remains unanswered. There are stats for everything nowadays, including the number of minutes a team has played in the "clutch." The Cavaliers are ranked 25th in that category, according to NBA.com. Friday, playing on the road against a battle-tested team on the second night of a back-to-back, the Cavs found themselves in a close game.

Instead of relying on execution and team ball, the Cavs reverted back to old habits, playing hero ball. They, quite frankly, didn't handle the situation well.

When things are going well the Cavs are one of the NBA's most exciting teams. Their offense has the ability to rip a defense to shreds. They push the pace and electrify the crowd with lethal transition offense. They smile, laugh, joke and celebrate. But they seemed to tense up Friday; they didn't have a plan late against Indiana.

It was a good learning experience. They will be in plenty of close games in the playoffs. If the Cavs are going to succeed it will take finding some answers in the regular season first.

Battle on the boards: The loss was frustrating, but the Cavs continued a good stretch of work on the boards.

The Pacers are the sixth-best rebounding team in the league, yet the Cavs won that battle, 43-41. That included 15 offensive rebounds.

Against a team as talented in the frontcourt as Indiana it takes a team effort. Every Cavalier who played had at least one rebound. Timofey Mozgov led the way with nine boards, including five on the offensive end. Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson each added eight.

Injury scare: James was fouled hard a few different Friday. That's what usually happens against the Pacers.

He grabbed his right wrist, which was already taped, late in the third quarter after absorbing a flagrant foul from Roy Hibbert. He played well in the fourth quarter even though he initially looked to be in a considerable amount of pain. He scored six straight points at one time, extending the lead to nine and forcing Indiana to call timeout.

But the Pacers kept climbing back.

James also suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter and wasn't in the game for the final 12 seconds. He may still play on Sunday against the Lakers, but it's something Cavs coach David Blatt and the team will monitor.

James has been playing at a high level since receiving two weeks off. But the list of ailments has grown this year. He has already had knee, back and wrist issues.

The All-Star break is normally a perfect time for a player to rest, but James won't have that luxury, being named a starter once again. James doesn't like watching from the sidelines, but the lack of rest coming up may play into Sunday's decision.


'His future is only at the quarterback position': Ohio State Buckeyes have clear plan for Torrance Gibson

0
0

"I watched him throw live in July, I watched him throw live in practice in the spring, I watched him throw live in a game in the fall, then he goes out to Army game and they're talking about he's one of the best quarterbacks there. His future is nowhere but the quarterback position."

COLUMBUS, Ohio - When Torrance Gibson committed to Ohio State in early November, the Buckeyes' three-headed quarterback controversy didn't exist yet. 

But when the unthinkable happened - third-string quarterback Cardale Jones leading the Buckeyes to the national championship - everything changed about Gibson's recruitment. 

Shortly after winning a title, Jones announced he was coming back. J.T. Barrett, who will be a redshirt sophomore next year, isn't going anywhere. And as of right now, Braxton Miller is also set to return. 

That opened the door for Gibson to rethink his future. Because rethinking his position was never an option. 

Urban Meyer knew that, so he did the one thing he could do to ensure the Buckeyes would hold off LSU and Auburn to land Gibson. He told him to come in and compete  ... at quarterback. 

"The thing I asked Torrance is, don't penalize us because our guys play real well," Meyer said. "Everybody has three or four quarterbacks, if you don't you're struggling.  

"Our three or four happen to play really well. Don't hold that against us. Because Cardale might leave after next year, and Braxton is out, you're down to one, maybe two. Don't hold that against us. Come and compete for the spot." 

Give Gibson credit. He did what he felt was right by officially visiting Auburn and LSU, and both programs told him that he's their top priority at quarterback, something Ohio State couldn't do. 

The Buckeyes already have three solid options next year, and they also signed three-star quarterback Joe Burrow of Athens, Ohio, in this year's class. 

Gibson investigated all of his options, but when it was all said and done he still signed to the Buckeyes. Gibson didn't run away from the competition, just as long as when he does compete it's at the quarterback position. 

There's this notion that he is an athlete - he was ranked the No. 6 athlete in the 2015 class by 247Sports - and that it will be easy for the Buckeyes to move him. 

Throw that out. Ohio State only sees him as a quarterback. 

"There were a lot of questions about: Can he be a quarterback? Is he an athlete? Can he throw the ball?" Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith said. "To be honest, the whole time we were kind of confused by the confusion.

"I watched him throw live in July, I watched him throw live in practice in the spring, I watched him throw live in a game in the fall, then he goes out to Army game and they're talking about he's one of the best quarterbacks there. His future is nowhere but the quarterback position." 

LeBron James hurt again but hopeful to play Sunday after Indiana snapped Cavaliers' win streak

0
0

LeBron James lamented wrist and ankle injuries and a call that went against him in Cleveland's first loss since Jan. 13.

INDIANAPOLIS -- LeBron James suffered right wrist and ankle injuries in the Cavaliers' 103-99 loss to the Indiana Pacers Friday night and said he's hopeful to play Sunday against the Lakers.

James re-injured the sprained right wrist he originally hurt on Jan. 27 in Detroit that caused him to miss a game last week, when he was fouled on his way to the basket with 48.6 seconds left in the third quarter by Indiana's Roy Hibbert.

He stayed in the game and scored nine of his 25 points after that, but asked out with 12.4 seconds remaining and Cleveland trailing by five because of what he described later as a recurring ankle injury.

The loss snapped Cleveland's 12-game winning streak and left the Cavs one-game short of tying the franchise record for consecutive wins, set (and tied) the last time James played for Cleveland in 2009-10.

James has already missed a career-high 10 games due to injury this season, and the Cavs are 2-8 in those games. But the last one went well -- a 99-94 win over Portland Jan. 28 when Kyrie Irving scored 55 points.

"It's going to hurt a lot worse tomorrow," James said, speaking primarily of the wrist. James had a chase-down block, a dunk and scored six consecutive points early in the fourth quarter.

"It's the same thing," James continued. "I already know and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm going to start my treatment tonight and just try to stay on it so hopefully I can go on Sunday."

James fell hard to the floor and stayed down for several seconds when he was fouled by Hibbert, reminiscent of the original injury suffered against the Pistons.

That night in Detroit, James was trying to block a shot when he fell hard on both hands. It wasn't immediately clear which wrist he'd hurt, and he scored 10 points against the Pistons after the injury.

This time, James switched between clutching the right wrist and showing signs of frustration. Hibbert was called for a flagrant foul on the play.

James also took a shot to the wrist in the third quarter of Thursday night's win over the Clippers.

Clearly favoring the wrist, both of James' fourth-quarter dunks were with two hands so as to avoid putting any added strain on the injury. His second dunk -- on a breakaway after he stole a pass -- cut the Pacers' lead to one with 3:10 left.

But unlike last week, when the Cavs played the next day following James' injury, he has a day to rest before they host the Lakers.

"It's been better," James said. "It's scary for me sometimes, you know, I've broke my wrist before on those type of plays. I'm thankful that I could just get up, again, and hopefully I'll continue to do that."

James told Cavaliers coach David Blatt to remove him from the game late in the fourth, then was seen grabbing his lower legs while the team huddled for last-ditch comeback. James later told the Northeast Ohio Media Group he's been hobbled a bit by a sore right ankle since a Jan. 21 game against Utah.

"He got hit quite a few times tonight and he took a couple of falls that were not easy," Blatt said. "Played his heart out, but he's a little banged up as it is and he got hit a few times and fell a few times. Obviously that had an impact."

James was 10-of-21 from the field and contributed six rebounds and five assists against the Pacers. He also committed seven turnovers, and was whistled for an offensive foul with 2:09 left and the Cavs up by one on a play that helped turned the game in Indiana's favor.

James finished a layup on the play for what would've been a three-point lead, but the bucket was taken away because he was called for pushing off with his left arm.

"It wasn't a good call," he said. "I didn't extend, I just put up an arm bar like a big guy would do if he shoots a jump hook in the post. ... It wasn't a good call, you know."

James was also critical of a blocking foul called against Matthew Dellavedova on a three-point play for the Pacers earlier in the fourth quarter and said: "I don't want to get too far in it, I don't want to get fined, for sure, I know what I'm here for."

Both James and Blatt seemed to take something away from Thursday night's win over the Clippers -- a game in which Los Angeles was hit with five technicals and afterwards Chris Paul criticized a female referee who awarded him a technical.

Asked about the calls against James and Dellavedova, Blatt said "obviously I can't talk about those things.

"This is a very, very professional and great league," Blatt said. "And the people that need to look at those things will look at them and you know, will educate who they have to educate. And I think that's a case where there should be some education."

Terry's Talkin' about Cleveland Browns and what they should do with Ray Farmer -- Terry Pluto

0
0

The last time the same man ran two Browns drafts in a row was Tom Heckert (2010-12).

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I'm hearing that Browns General Manager Ray Farmer is indeed a target in the texting investigation, just as NEOMG's Mary Kay Cabot first reported.

I don't know the extent of the texts that Farmer sent during games, or the content. I do know the Browns have been co-operating with the NFL investigation, and they know rules were broken.

And yes, I keep hearing that Farmer was texting someone on the coaching staff during the game -- a real violation, even if the texts were rather meaningless.

Assuming Farmer is involved, there are several issues:

1. What will be the penalty? Odds are, he will face a suspension of some type. And yes, the team may lose a middle-round draft pick.

2. The image of the Browns takes another hit -- and a very dumb one. Like most of the NFL's "scandals," you end up asking, "Why run the risk and break this rule? What is the gain?" The same is true of deflated footballs or taping the walk-through of an opposing team during a practice. It makes no sense.

3. Even smart people do nonsensical things. Most explanations sound lame when the person speaking actually listens to their own words. Of all the Browns, Farmer should know better because he has been in the NFL for 15 years as a player, scout and front office executive.

4. What does this mean to Farmer's future here? The temptation is say, "He has to be fired!" After all, these are the Browns. That's what they do.

LET'S COUNT THE CHANGES

Consider the following recent Browns front offices:

2012: Mike Holmgren/Tom Heckert.

2013: Joe Banner/Mike Lombardi.

2014: Ray Farmer.

So if you remove Farmer, you will have the 2015 draft being run by the fourth GM in four years? Is there any wonder why Browns drafts seem to be such a mess?

I'm just going to break down the first three rounds of the last three drafts:

2012: Trent Richardson (1), Brandon Weeden (1), Mitchell Schwartz (2), Josh Gordon (2, supplemental draft), John Hughes (3) -- by Heckert.

2013: Barkevious Mingo (1), Leon McFadden (3) -- by Banner/Lombardi.

2014: Justin Gilbert (1), Johnny Manziel (1), Joel Bitonio (2), Chris Kirksey (3), Terrance West (3) -- by Farmer.

Heckert was drafting for a West Coast offense (Pat Shurmur) and a 4-3 defense (Dick Jauron). Banner/Lombardi were drafting for a 3-4 defense (Ray Horton) and more of a standard pocket-passing offense with deep throws (Norv Turner).

Farmer was picking for a slightly different 3-4 defense (Mike Pettine) and a run-first offense (Kyle Shanahan).

In 2015, at least the Browns will have the same defense for a second year -- Pettine's version of the 3-4. John DeFilippo is the new offensive coordinator, and he's not held that job in the NFL. I'm not sure what he'll run.

I do know this: When you have different people picking different players for different systems each year -- you lose.

Day four of Cleveland Browns training camp in BereaJimmy Haslam should be careful before thinking about breaking up his management team of Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine.  

NOW WHAT?

Owner Jimmy Haslam has to wait for the league to rule on the texting issue. Is Farmer the only one involved? How many texts were sent? What was the information being exchanged?

After that, the question is what should Haslam do? I'm hearing the Browns will retain Farmer, unless there is something revealed that was unknown to them.

I also tend to favor keeping Farmer.

I know, fans are screaming about last year's draft. The Gilbert pick is clearly Farmer's idea. He did consult with Pettine. Both wanted an athletic cornerback, and they actually traded up (adding a fifth-rounder) to take Gilbert.

He had a miserable rookie season, was late for some meetings and practices, finally benched for the final game and left in the clubhouse with Johnny Manziel (also being disciplined) as the Browns lost, 20-10, in Baltimore.

Haslam appears to have had some influence in the selection of Manziel at No. 22, so that's not entirely on Farmer. The Browns added a third-rounder in a trade with Philadelphia to move up from 25th to take Manziel, who is now at a rehabilitation clinic.

For what it's worth, I wonder if the Browns actually had to trade up to take either player. Hard to know. I do know that most draft services had Gilbert rated as the top cornerback, as I wrote a few weeks ago. And as I've written before, the rest of the draft, along with the undrafted free agents, reflect well on Farmer's judgment.

OK, I still don't understand his aversion to receivers. I also expect that to change a bit, although perhaps not by using a first-round pick on someone to catch the ball.

The 2014 draft was run by a rookie general manager (Farmer) and a rookie coach (Pettine) with an inexperienced owner (Haslam). That is asking for trouble, and the Browns found it in the first round.

TRY AGAIN?

This mess shows how Haslam needs to take firmer control of his operation.

Clearly, there were problems at the top of his Pilot Flying J organization, as the FBI investigation revealed. Haslam was never charged with anything, but others faced legal action.

Now, there are issues with the Browns. Haslam has to look in the mirror for the source of some of these problems. He needs to concentrate on making his front office run well.

As for the draft, Pettine and Farmer will have a better idea of the type of players they need after their experience with the 2014 roster. Farmer did unearth some talent in the lower rounds. I also like his key free agents -- Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner.

Yes, veteran running back Ben Tate was cut, but he was relatively inexpensive. Tate's guaranteed money was $2.5 million.

Shopping for a general manager at this late date is asking for yet another lousy draft. Yes, they have some experienced front office people such as Bill Kuharich (Executive Chief of Staff), Morocco Brown (V.P. Player Personnel) and others. Virtually all the top people on the football side were hired by Farmer.

The last time the same general manager ran at least two drafts in a row was Heckert (2010-12).

Starting over? I really don't want to think about it.

Terry's Talkin' about how J.R. Smith has been biggest surprise of new Cleveland Cavaliers -- Terry Pluto

0
0

J.R. Smith has moved into the lineup at shooting guard and stayed there.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Cavs first started talking about the deal that brought J.R. Smith to Cleveland -- it was not about J.R. Smith. The Cavs wanted Iman Shumpert, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard. The Knicks were in the middle of a horrible season and wanted to save some money under the salary cap.

So the Cavs knew Shumpert was a good fit. He was the athletic defender the team needed. But they ran into a problem -- the Knicks wanted a first-round draft pick in return.

The Cavs went into early January with several goals in mind:

1. Adding 7-foot-1 center Timofey Mozgov. They didn't want just any big man, they were after Mozgov.

2. Finding a guard such as Shumpert.

3. The key pieces they had to trade were Dion Waiters and a future first-round Memphis draft pick.

4. So the last thing the Cavs planned to do was trade another first-round draft pick. That's because Denver's price for the 7-foot-1 Russian was TWO first-round picks.

5. Trading a pick to New York would eliminate any chance of Mozgov coming to the Cavs. The Cavs needed to ADD a pick, not trade one away.

The Cavs began talking about a series of complicated trades. One involved five teams. I don't know all the names involved, but the point was to end up with Shumpert and Mozgov.

Cleveland Cavaliers' J.R. Smith and his bombs-away mindsetJ.R. Smith has been a big part of the Cavaliers recent winning streak.  

The Cavs went back to the Knicks with an idea. They said they'd take J.R. Smith -- almost as if they were doing the Knicks a favor. They knew the Knicks wanted to trade him.

The Cavs checked out Smith in several ways:

1. His basketball skills fit with the roster. He was a long-range shooter. He was a "low-usage" player, meaning he didn't dribble the ball a lot. Waiters was the opposite, a guard who liked to dominate the ball. But the Cavs already had two players who are high usage in Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

2. The 6-foot-6 Smith was not a bad defender. Furthermore, he could cover shooting guards or small forwards. That was not true of the 6-foot-3 Waiters.

3. If they could add Smith and Shumpert, the Cavs would have two "wing" players, and that would allow them to cut some minutes for James.

4. The Cavs checked with veterans James, Irving, Kevin Love, James Jones and Mike Miller. What did they think of Smith, who was known for having some off-court and legal issues? The players thought Smith could be productive because he tended to play well on good teams. In 2012-13 when the Knicks were 54-28, Smith was the NBA's sixth man of the year -- averaging 18 points.

5. They knew he'd take some very wild shots. They were willing to live with that.

6. Smith was in the final year of a $6 million contract. He has a player option for $6.4 million in 2015-16. He has thought about becoming a free agent. That gives him incentive to play well and blend in with his new team.

7. The more the Cavs investigated adding Smith and Shumpert, the more appealing it became. They began to see Smith as an electric scorer, probably coming off the bench. It was the role that they envisioned for Waiters. They also thought the Cavs had enough strong leaders in James, Irving and others to set the right tone for Smith.

The Cavs kept talking and a deal was coming together:

1. Oklahoma City wanted Waiters.

2. Oklahoma City was willing to part with a first-round pick.

3. The Knicks would take a second-round pick from the Cavs (2019), if the Cavs would take Shumpert and Smith -- allowing New York to shed about $10 million in salaries.

4. The Cavs used trade exceptions and moved some small contracts (Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson) to New York. But in the end, they turned Waiters into Shumpert, Smith and Oklahoma City's first-round pick.

5. That trade done, General Manager David Griffin was then able to send the Memphis future first-rounder and the Oklahoma City future first-rounder to Denver for Mozgov.

THE BIG SURPRISE

The Cavs had high hopes for Mozgov, and the physical, shot-blocking center has been even better than advertised. But the real shocker has been Smith, who has been superb. He is averaging 13.6 points, shooting .416 from the field. Often firing away from another zip code, he averages 12 shots a game, eight from 3-point range. He's making 36 percent of those.

The coaches have praised Smith's willingness to not only defend, but to learn the Cavs' defensive concepts. His teammates like being on the court with him because he doesn't stop the flow of the offense. He either shoots -- or passes. The ball moves.

Smith has a troubled legal history, and it's possible something could happen again with the 29-year-old. Or perhaps, things will be smooth because the team is winning -- that fits with his pattern of behavior.

The original plan was for Shumpert to start, but the Cavs have played so well with Smith in the lineup that coach David Blatt sees no reason to make a change.

Shumpert is recovering from a shoulder injury, so there has been no reason to rush him into action. He has played nine games, averaging 6.2 points (shooting 54 percent) in 19 minutes of action. The Cavs love his defense.

ABOUT THE STREAK

During the 12-game winning streak that was snapped Friday at Indianapolis, the most important player on the team was ... LeBron James.

In the 12 wins, the Cavs outscored the opposition by 15.8 points with James on the court. Here is how that ranks in the NBA over the 12 games:

1. James, plus 15.8 points.

2. Kyrie Irving, plus 12.8 points.

3. Kevin Love, plus 12.5 points.

4. Timofey Mozgov, plus 10.8 points.

5. Atlanta's Kyle Korver, plus 9.8 points.

6. Golden State's Stephon Curry, plus 9.6 points.

7. Golden State's Andre Iguodola, plus 9.5 points.

8. J.R. Smith, plus 9.3 points.

The Cavs have been playing so well, so it's no shock that all five starters rate so high. The only player in the starting five who was with the Cavs last season is Irving!

But it also points out how James blended so quickly with Mozgov and Smith. Even better is that James is averaging only 35 minutes of floor time during the streak. So they have cut his minutes a bit.

Terry's Talkin' about Cleveland Indians' little deals, Victor Martinez and Grady Sizemore -- Terry Pluto

0
0

Corey Kluber, Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes were never ranked among the top 100 Major League prospects.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Looking for a catcher, Toronto signed Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million deal this off-season. He will be 32 on Feb. 15.

Martin is a good defensive catcher. He batted .290 (.832 OPS) with 11 HR and 67 RBI for Pittsburgh last season. The Pirates decided they could not afford to sign him.

Which brings us to Yan Gomes.

After the 2012 season, Tribe General Manager Chris Antonetti sent right-hander Esmil Rogers to Toronto for Mike Aviles and Gomes. At the time, the Blue Jays weren't sure Gomes could be a regular catcher.

Last season, Gomes batted .278. He led American League catchers in OPS (.785), was second in RBI (74), and third in homers (21). He threw out 29 percent of stealing base-runners, second-best in the American League.

The Tribe signed Gomes to a six-year, $23-million extension before the 2014 season -- after he had played only 131 big-league games.

The contract now looks like a bargain:

  • 2015: $1 million.
  • 2016: $2.5 million.
  • 2017: $4.5 million.
  • 2018: $6 million.
  • 2019: $7 million.
  • 2020: $9 million, team option.
  • 2021: $11 million, team option.

The Tribe believes Gomes is dedicated to becoming a very good catcher. He loves game-planning with pitchers and pitching coach Mickey Callaway. That's why they made such a quick commitment to him.

It paid off in 2014, as Gomes so impressed Corey Kluber that the star pitcher took Gomes with him to New York when Kluber was given the Cy Young Award.

As for Rogers, he was 2-0 with a 5.72 ERA between the Yankees and Blue Jays last season. He signed a $750,000 with the Yankees.

How did the Indians obtain Rogers? They purchased him for $150,000 from Colorado in 2012.

ABOUT MICHAEL BRANTLEY

Sahadev Sharma wrote an interesting story about how the Indians have collected their best young players through trades. This most of us knew.

What surprised me is that Sharma's research revealed that Brantley, Kluber and Gomes were never ranked among the top 100 prospects in baseball by MLB.com, Baseball Prospectus or Baseball America.

Kluber has won a Cy Young Award. Brantley was No. 3 in the 2014 AL MVP voting. Gomes appears headed for an All-Star Game.

One of the keys was patience. Consider the following:

1. Brantley was the player to be named in the C.C. Sabathia deal in 2008. He spent time at Class AAA Columbus in 2009 and 2010.

2. In 2011, Brantley batted a modest .266 (.702 OPS) with the Tribe. In 2012, it was .288 (.750). In 2013, it was .284 (.726).

3. From 2009-13, Brantley never hit more than 10 homers in a season.

4. But in 2014, Brantley delivered 20 HR, 97 RBI and batted .327 (.890 OPS). He did it at age 27, in his sixth big-league season.

The Indians signed Brantley to an extension before the 2014. Here's his current contract:

  • 2015: $5 million.
  • 2016: $6.5 million.
  • 2017: $7.5 million.
  • 2018: $11 million, team option.

ABOUT COREY KLUBER

The Tribe traded for Kluber late in the 2010 season, a three-way deal in which they parted with Ryan Ludwick. He pitched only 4 1/3 innings in Cleveland in 2011, 63 innings (5.14 ERA) in 2012. In 2013, Kluber was 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA.

Then came 2014, the Cy Young season with an 18-9 record and a 2.44 ERA. Kluber became a star at the age of 28.

He is not signed, but Kluber can't become a free agent until after the 2017 season. So he is under their control for three more years. I expect them to offer him an extension in spring training.

Victor Martinez, Miguel CabreraVictor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera are both coming off injuries and surgeries during the winter.  

ABOUT THE TIGERS

Former Indian Victor Martinez suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Usually, that is not a serious injury -- most players being out 2-3 months. But it's the same knee which Martinez had ACL surgery and microfracture surgery in 2012.

Microfracture is a very, very serious surgery. It robbed Grady Sizemore of his promising career.

Martinez is 36. He signed a four-year, $68 million deal with the Tigers not long after the season ended. Martinez had a year for the ages in 2014, batting .335 with 32 homers and 103 RBI. He had only 42 strikeouts.

Martinez was only the third player in baseball history to hit at least 30 homers and strike out fewer than 50 times. The others were Joe DiMaggio (1950) and Ted Williams (1957).

The Tigers are hopeful that Miguel Cabrera will be ready for the opener. Right after the season, the slugger had surgery on his ankle to remove bone spurs and repair a stress fracture. The Tigers added Yoenis Cepedes in a trade with Boston, and that should help the offense. But they also failed to signed Max Scherzer, who went to Washington for $210 million over seven years.

I thought Scherzer was nuts to turn down the six-year, $144 million commitment the Tigers offered last spring. I thought wrong as Scott Boras convinced another team to pay an incredible amount for a 30-year-old pitcher. Yes, the contract contains some deferred money, but it is huge.

The Tigers have Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and David Price at the top of their rotation. They added 15-game winner Alfredo Simon. This is still a very good team, but maybe not the powerhouse that it has been in the past.

ABOUT GRADY SIZEMORE

The Martinez injury made me check on Sizemore, who signed a $2 million contract with Philadelphia for 2015.

Sizemore split the 2014 season between Boston and the Phillies, batting .233 (.655 OPS) with five homers, 27 RBI in 381 plate appearances. He is a mere hint of the player who was a young star with the Tribe.

From 2005-09, Sizemore batted .272 (.870 OPS), averaging 27 homers and 78 RBI. He was quick on the bases and in center field. But he has since had microfracture surgery on both knees, along with several other operations.

Sizemore is only 32, but he has not had a good season since 2009.

TALKING ABOUT THE TRIBE

I will be speaking at the Stow Library on Tuesday at 7 p.m. My main topic will be Glory Days In Tribe Town, the book about the Cleveland Indians of the 1990s with Tom Hamilton.

But I also will be taking questions, talking about other sports and even a few faith topics. I'll be glad to sign any books that you bring along. Click here for more information and to register. It's free. 

No. 13 Green escapes upset attempt; Archbishop Hoban tops No. 24 Lake Catholic in Friday's boys basketball rewind: Videos

0
0

Green dodged an upset attempt by Highland to stay undefeated.

Green dodged an upset attempt by Highland to stay undefeated.

Ohio State's recruiting tactics with former Michigan commit Mike Weber were at best questionable and exploitative: Bill Livingston

0
0

It feels slippery and sneaky, even if it wasn't illegal and unethical by the letter of the rules.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The way Ohio State recruited Mike Weber of Detroit's Cass Tech will cause more harm than good in the Michigan rivalry.

Weber was a prized Michigan commit who decommitted during the shambles of Brady Hoke's end game, verbally committed instead to Ohio State, then wavered after Michigan hired Jim Harbaugh.

Ohio State kept him in the fold by keeping him in the dark about what was going on in Columbus, specifically the imminent departure for an NFL job of the assistant coach who recruited him.

Urban Meyer is a very aggressive recruiter at Ohio State. He pushes rules to the limit, but not beyond. He continues to woo recruits who have verbally committed to other schools unless they flat-out tell him to go away. It is safe to say few young men who want to play for a winner tell Meyer to go away.

Meyer and Bret Bielema, when the latter was at Wisconsin, had a dust-up about the practice. It might stretch the spirit of the rules, but, by the letter of the law, it is legal.

So was the way Ohio State running back coach Stan Drayton was on the phone with Weber into the wee hours of the morning on national signing day on Wednesday, reassuring Weber, lest the ballyhooed back re-commit to Michigan.

The problem is that Drayton left Ohio State the day after Weber signed with the Buckeyes, taking a position with the Chicago Bears. Ohio State knew this was in the works, but Weber didn't.

Weber's high school coach, Thomas Wilcher, who has said Ohio State "100 percent" misled his star pupil, is a Michigan alum. His anger was probably higher as a result of the rival school's tactics.

Drayton's defection hit Weber hard. "I'm hurt as hell," he tweeted. That was because players at the college level are almost always closer to their position coaches than to the head coach, who is often more of a CEO than anything else.

Of course, Drayton was entitled to seek a pro job and take it if he could get it. Of course, Ohio State had no reason to do Michigan a favor and help the Wolverines get a prized recruit. Of course, Ohio State has all the resources to enable Weber to fit in.

Meyer said this season's national championship team was one of the closest he had ever coached, and that it certainly was the most improved in the course of one season. Players on the team used social media to welcome Weber and reassure him.

Wilcher might be overstating the case. Meyer will certainly mentor Weber if the player is open to it. It also was certainly possible Drayton would have left at some time during Weber's tenure at OSU.

But what if Weber had waited?

It is asking a lot to suggest a player who has been the object of a two-year tug of war between heated rivals to delay his signing even further. But had Weber known what would happen the next day, who thinks he would be a Buckeye? Show of hands? Anyone?

It is true that the recruiting system is deeply flawed, root and branch. Still, Ohio State's tactics were questionable. They were not illegal, and ethics experts can debate how they fare in that realm. But the whole thing feels slippery and sneaky.

I don't expect applause from Ohio State fans or alums for saying that.

In the heyday of the "Broad Street Bullies" era of the Philadelphia Flyers, only one newspaperman in a city of hard-hitting sports journalists consistently criticized the team's thuggish tactics. That was the late Frank Dolson of the Inquirer, who loved hockey without goon tactics. Dolson taught me as a young reporter that there are times you have to call 'em as you see' em, whether it's popular or not.

So this one's for Frank, and for kids like Mike Weber.


Ohio State reportedly finds Stan Drayton's replacement: Notre Dame running back coach Tony Alford

0
0

Only two days after Stan Drayton left Ohio State to become the Chicago Bears running back coach, Meyer already found a replacement in Notre Dame running back coach Tony Alford, according to multiple reports.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Urban Meyer moves quickly. 

Only two days after Stan Drayton left Ohio State to become the Chicago Bears running back coach, Meyer already found a replacement in Notre Dame running back coach Tony Alford, according to multiple reports. 

The news was first reported by FootballScoop.com. 

A former running back at Colorado State during Meyer's brief stop at the program as an assistant, Alford is the perfect fit for an Ohio State program that first demands proficient recruiting from its assistants. 

Alford, Notre Dame's recruiting coordinator, brought talents such as Louis Nix, Dexter Williams and Aaron Lynch to Notre Dame. 

Stay tuned with cleveland.com for more on the Alford hire. 

Ohio State basketball: Marc Loving's suspension to continue at Rutgers, return unknown

0
0

Loving is still practicing with the team, but the suspension is ongoing. Matta said that the suspension was handed down by the athletic department - not him - and that it hasn't been decided the sophomore will be available again. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State announced that sophomore forward Marc Loving "temporarily lost his privilege to wear the Scarlet and Gray" before the Buckeyes' loss at Purdue on Wednesday. 

He still hasn't earned back that privilege. 

Ohio State will be without Loving for the second consecutive game when it travels to Rutgers on Sunday, and coach Thad Matta said he's unaware of when Loving will return. 

Loving is still practicing with the team, but the suspension is ongoing.

Matta said that the suspension was handed down by the athletic department - not him - and that it hasn't been decided the sophomore will be available again. 

Specifics regarding why Loving has been suspended weren't given, but it was for an off-the-court incident. 

A native of Toledo, Loving is Ohio State's second-leading scorer behind freshman D'Angelo Russell with 11.7 points per game. 

Was Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh's Tweet about deception a shot at Ohio State?

0
0

The day after Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher told cleveland.com that he and running back Mike Weber felt misled by Ohio State, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made an interesting post on his public Twitter profile.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The day after Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher told cleveland.com that he and running back Mike Weber felt misled by Ohio State, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made an interesting post on his public Twitter profile. 

The four-star running back had been on the fence about whether to sign with Ohio State or Michigan until the early hours of Wednesday morning - National Signing Day - but was recruited hard by Buckeyes running back coach Stan Drayton. 

The day after Weber signed with Ohio State, Drayton announced that he was leaving the program to become the running backs coach for the NFL's Chicago Bears. 

Weber, who was shocked by Drayton's departure, posted on his public Twitter account that he was hurt. 

Because Weber wasn't informed before he signed that Drayton was leaving, Wilcher felt that Ohio State intentionally deceived both of them. 

"Mike Weber is hurt," Wilcher said. "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."

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

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love going through 'one of the toughest' periods in his NBA career

0
0

Sporadic scoring continues to bedevil the Cavaliers' star power forward.

INDIANAPOLIS -- On Monday Kevin Love scored a season-low five points on 1-of-7 shooting while pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds in a 97-84 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rather than the Cleveland Cavaliers' 11th straight victory receiving the bulk of the attention, Love's ongoing battle to find a level of consistency within the offense stole the spotlight.

Three days later Love quieted the noise with a game-high 24 points and nine boards to lead his team past the robust Los Angeles Clippers. But in Friday's 103-99 loss to the Pacers, Monday's version of Love returned as he registered five points for the second time this week to go with eight rebounds.

He was 2-of-8 from the field, 0-for-4 in the second half. His Indiana counterpart, David West, supplied 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Cleveland's league-high 12-game winning streak was snapped and Love continues to labor.

"I felt last game I got in the post and got myself going and got to the free-throw line," Love said of his 24-point effort against Los Angeles. "Tonight I was more of a spacer so I wasn't necessarily being asked to score the ball tonight, but I felt LeBron [James] and Kyrie [Irving] and Timo [Mozgov] and those guys did a great job."

Something Love said stood out. He stated he wasn't asked to score the ball on this particular night. Northeast Ohio Media Group was granted a brief 1-on-1 opportunity with the power forward in an attempt to gain some clarity.

When is he actually asked to be a scorer?

"That's tough to answer," he responded. "I don't know. I just kind of go out there and play and affect the game. Right now, I'm trying to find my way."

Love's facial expression said it all. This up and down rollercoaster of a season is wearing on him.

"Oh yeah, definitely frustrating," he admitted. "Yeah, I think it's one of the toughest situations I've had to deal with, but at the end of the day we're winning basketball games. I know tonight was different. At the same time, there's no blueprint for what I should be doing, but I'll try my best to figure it out."

Down three with 3:30 left on Friday, coach David Blatt removed Love and went with a small lineup that featured Irving, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, James and Mozgov. Blatt said he wanted mobility and spacing out on the court. Asked about Love specifically, Blatt understandably didn't want to go down that road again.

"I'm more concerned about our team than one or two guys," he said. "I think we win and lose as a team and we lost tonight. We lose as a team. That's the message."

After Monday's five-point outing, Blatt said, "That absolutely shouldn't happen" and he implied that it was up to him to get Love more involved in the offense. Last night he chalked Love's performance up as just being one of those games.

"There's not a problem with him," Blatt said. "He, like some others, didn't have a great game. That's part of basketball."

Love has experienced his share of nicks and bruises this season. Back spasms have been reoccurring and he has bumped knees in the paint on multiple occasions. Physically, he doesn't appear to be right.

He maintained that he's fine and that there's no physical ailment responsible for the way he's playing.

"It's 52 games into the season," he said. "Your body is going to be hurting, but I'm not going to use that as a crutch."

The evolution of Love resumes, and he's not giving up.

Why '17 Ohio State QB commit Danny Clark felt like now was time for a big 'Block O' tattoo

0
0

"I have always been exciting to get one, and to think I could get my Buckeye tattoo, I am just so fortunate to be able to be committed and having the offer," Clark told cleveland.com. "I am really blessed. I just felt like it was a good time to get it." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - This wasn't a spur of the moment type thing for Danny Clark. 

Getting a big Ohio State 'Block O' tattoo has been an ongoing discussion with his father, Jeff, but both had reservations of permanently marking Danny's body with the logo of a school he hasn't even signed with. 

Massillon's Danny Clark, an elite QB and Ohio State commit, is Urban Meyer's dream scenario

So why was this the right time for Clark to get a huge 'Block O' with his nickname, "Prototype," and his commitment date, Dec. 13, 2013, on his left arm? 

"I have always been exciting to get one, and to think I could get my Buckeye tattoo, I am just so fortunate to be able to be committed and having the offer," Clark told cleveland.com. "I am really blessed. I just felt like it was a good time to get it." 

You'd think this would be the worst time considering the Buckeyes just won a national title with their third-string quarterback and just signed two more - four-star prospect Torrance Gibson and three-star prospect Joey Burrow - in the 2015 recruiting class. Ohio State is going to have six scholarship quarterbacks on its roster next season. 

Clark will be a junior at Massillon next year and won't even sign with the Buckeyes until February of 2017. But he has no doubts about his future at Ohio State.

He's so certain that he is fine permanently tattooing his body with it.

"If I don't go to Ohio State, it's going to be my fault," Clark said. "There's nothing that would make me not want to go there. For me, it's kind of an extra motivation to think that one day I am going to be down there playing with them. 

"It's just really special." 

Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live


Latest Images