Following Tuesday's practice, James talked about whether he needed to address his recent tweets. He also discussed his leadership methods, whether there are any problems between him and Love and the upcoming game against his former team, the Miami Heat. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- After the Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon, starting what they hope is another stretch of winning basketball, the postgame conversation centered on LeBron James and Kevin Love. 

James sent out a tweet late Saturday night, which appeared to be directed at teammate Kevin Love, who has opened up this season about the challenge of getting adjusted to a new role.

Love admitted being caught off guard following Sunday's game. The postgame conversation led James to his Twitter once again, this time voicing his frustration with the media.

Following Tuesday's practice, James talked about whether he needed to address his recent tweets. He also discussed his leadership methods, whether there are any problems between him and Love and the upcoming game against his former team, the Miami Heat. 

The Cavaliers will play the Heat on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena before travelling to Chicago for the final game before the All-Star break this weekend. 

The Pioneers claimed four of the top five spots in this week's rankings.

The Pioneers claimed four of the top five spots in this week's rankings.

Loving, who missed Ohio State's last two games because of a suspension for an undisclosed off-the-court issue, won't play in Ohio State's home game vs. Penn State on Wednesday evening.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - There still is still no absolute return date for Ohio State sophomore Marc Loving, but there does seem to be some light at the end of the tunnel. 

Loving, who missed Ohio State's last two games because of a suspension for an undisclosed off-the-court issue, won't play in Ohio State's home game vs. Penn State on Wednesday evening. 

But coach Thad Matta said he hopes to get the sophomore back soon. 

"Maybe Michigan State," Matta said. Ohio State plays in East Lansing on Saturday. 

Ohio State announced before its game at Purdue last week that Loving "temporarily lost his privilege to wear the Scarlet and Gray." The Buckeyes lost by two to the Boilermakers. 

The Buckeyes were without Loving again on Sunday at Rutgers, but they won easily on the road, 79-60. 

Matta said that Loving is doing extra work around the facility and is handling everything the right way. 

If the Browns draft Marcus Mariota, their soon-to-be quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell will know all about him.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns soon-to-be quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell, who prepared Johnny Manziel for the NFL draft last year, is playing the same role this year with Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who's been on the Browns radar since last season, a source confirmed for Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Hawaii's staradvertiser.com first reported Jan. 24th that Mariota has been working out with O'Connell at San Diego's Prolific Athletes. O'Connell, who's imminent hiring has yet to be announced by the Browns, will likely join the club soon, possibly during the NFL Scouting Combine next week in Indianapolis, or soon thereafter.

Although top quarterback prospects Jameis Winston of Florida State and Bryce Petty of Baylor are also training at Prolific Athletes, O'Connell is focusing primarily on Mariota, a source said. Massillon native George Whitfield is also tutoring the quarterbacks there.

Before O'Connell joins the Browns, he must finish preparing Mariota for the Combine and spend as much time as he can with him before his Pro Day in March at Oregon.

Mariota, who sat out a play during Oregon's 42-20 loss to Ohio State in the national championship game after he was driven to the ground and landed on his right throwing shoulder, told the staradvertiser last month that he's still deciding whether or not to throw at the Combine.

"Right now we're still making that decision. I had to kinda rest about a week-and-a-half," Mariota said at a press conference where he was being honored as the first Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. "I sprained the AC joint. But now, I'm able to throw. Feels good."

Sources told NEOMG in December that Farmer loved Mariota last year and that the Browns were continuing to track him through his Heisman Trophy campaign this season. Sources also said then that a possible trade up in the draft for Mariota was on the table, along with other options for upgrading the quarterback position.

With Manziel in rehab and uncertainty over his ability to succeed at this level, the Browns have been exploring all of their options, including trading up to the top 10 to draft Mariota, who lost 42-20 to Ohio State in the national championship game. The Browns have the No. 12 and No. 19 overall picks.

Given the fact that O'Connnell also worked with Manziel before the draft last year, not too much should be read into him coaching Mariota. The Browns would've hired him even if he had no ties to Mariota.

In fact, they also would've hired him had he never tutored Manziel, who may or may not be the Browns quarterback of the future. O'Connell, a dual-threat quarterback at San Diego State, has known coach Mike Pettine and offensive coordinator John DeFilippo since he was a backup quarterback for the Jets from 2009-11 (on and off).

A scrambling QB like Manziel, Mariota could go as high as No. 1 overall to Tampa Bay. He could also slip to as low as 18 depending on how the pro scouts and coaches view him. Some experts speculate the Jets may take him at No. 6, and others think he'd be a great fit for his former Ducks coach Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, which owns the No. 20 pick.

In an interview this week on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia, NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock expressed concerns over Mariota.

"For everyone but Chip Kelly, he's a projection because of the type of offense he runs. From a physical trait perspective, he has everything you want. He's big, he's athletic, he's got great feet, and he's got a live arm. So on the surface, the individual components all work. The problem is he's a projection coming to the next level because of the pocket awareness, the progressions and the reads."

Like Manziel, Mariota enters the NFL as a possible product of his college system.

"He's inconsistent,'' said Mayock. "There's some full-field reads. I think he tucks the ball down and runs early, and the problem is right there. You can't kill a kid for using his legs to win games. ...I want to buy into Marcus Mariota. He's clean, there's no off-the-field issues. I love all the individual components. I'm not sure watching every single snap is going to help me determine whether or not he can progress or project into an NFL team or not. It's really hard."

O'Connell praised Manziel after preparing him to become the No. 22 overall pick last year.

"Johnny is immensely talented," O'Connell told CBS Houston last offseason. "He's incredibly talented. The next step for him comes from two things, learning the NFL game, learning how his offense can best suit him and how he can get the ball to the receivers around him. Number two, learning the pro game of how to take care of yourself. How you withstand the punishment to play 16 games and hopefully more if you make the playoffs."

O'Connell acknowledged that Manziel would need to learn to play within the structure of the pocket to success in the NFL.

"The best thing he is going to do is learn the game and learn the inside and outs of an NFL playbook and I think you will start seeing less and less of Johnny Football running around making crazy plays and more of the rhythm and timing and reading coverages and getting the ball out of his hand,'' said O'Connell. "Which will do two things: it will get the ball into his playmakers hands and let them make big time plays and that will keep him healthy."

 Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer, who's set to become a free agent March 10, also said he'd have no problem being coached by O'Connell, whom he beat out for the backup job to Tom Brady in New England in 2009.

"There's no animosity from me towards him and he was here last year in training camp I think for a three or four day span where he was just kind of observing and stuff, and we had a great relationship then,'' he said. "I've never had Kevin as a coach before, so I don't know how that would present itself, but as far as our relationship as friends, when he sat in those meetings, everything was fine between he and I. If anything, it's someone I'm familiar with.''

Now, both Mariota and Manziel can say the same thing.

James says "Becoming," co-produced by the people responsible for ESPN Films' documentary series "30 for 30," ranks "very high" among his off-court projects.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James' sports show for children "Becoming" was picked up by Disney XD on Tuesday -- a busy day for James' production company Springhill Productions.

Earlier Tuesday it was announced that Springhill was producing the NBA's first fashion show as part of All-Star weekend on Saturday, to be broadcast by TNT.

But the bigger score for James and Springhill was Disney's ordering of a full season of "Becoming," a show documenting the childhood upbringings of professional athletes. The pilot, featuring James, aired in October.

James said "Becoming," co-produced by the people responsible for ESPN Films' smash documentary series "30 for 30," ranks "very high" among his off-court projects.

"To be able to give content to kids, be able to watch and sit down with their families and see some of the people they look up to and see some of their back stories and understand that it's not always been the limelight, and understanding that we as well have been through hardships and trials and tribulations, and places that our kids are going through today, it means a lot to me and I appreciate Disney (for) picking up the series," James said.

Season one of "Becoming" will begin airing later this year on Disney XD. Each episode is 30 minutes, and James said "we're going to get a lot of really, really good athletes, both male and female" onto the show.

The NBA fashion show, produced by Springhill with Turner Sports and IMG, will be taped Friday and air at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Shaquille O'Neal was announced as the show's emcee, actor and comedian Kevin Hart is slated to provide backstage commentary, and Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will serve as judges with GQ magazine style editor Will Welch and others.

James will make an appearance, and NBA players James Harden, Klay Thompson, Chandler Parsons, DeMarcus Cousins, and Zach LaVine have been announced as participants in the show's runway competition.

James will start his 11th consecutive All-Star Game on Sunday.

"It's the biggest event for us as an NBA," James said of All-Star weekend. "Everyone comes in town, everyone is a part of it. Even though the Finals is huge as far as the players, as far as an event All-Star weekend is the biggest thing for us, so I'm happy to be a part of it."

Springhill, managed by James' friend and business partner Maverick Carter, is currently working with "Average Joe" creator Andrew Glassman on a prime-time game show for NBC. The James company's "Survivor's Remorse" will enter its second season on Starz later this year.

@DisneyChannelPR @ESPNFilms THANK YOU DisneyXD!! Can't wait to deliver this to the homes of kids! It's all for u guys! #TheYouth #OurFuture

-- LeBron James (@KingJames) February 10, 2015

While meeting with the media following Tuesday's practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts, Love talked about whether he and James have spoken about the recent comments and whether there are any issues between them. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James and Kevin Love did their best on Tuesday afternoon to clear the air about tweets James made recently.

Both players also touched on their relationship, which Love believes is a good one, saying if either player has a problem they will speak to each other about it.

James tweeted late Saturday night people shouldn't worry so much about "fitting out" and instead should try to "fit in" and be part of something special. Those words were very similar to what Love said during the preseason in October.

The tweet from James also came one night after Love told our Chris Haynes about this being the most difficult period of his career as he has had to adjust to a new role.

While meeting with the media following Tuesday's practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts, Love talked about whether he and James have spoken about the recent comments and whether there are any issues between them. Love also talked about the level of accountability on the roster, James' leadership methods, whether he believes James' recent tweets were directed at him and what he plans to do during the All-Star break.

LeBron James said there was no need to clarify anything he's posted to Twitter over the past couple days. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James said on Tuesday that he didn't feel the need to clarify any of his recent tweets and Kevin Love said he has no problem with James.

In the last few days, James had previously acknowledged he directed a tweet toward Love about being a team player and then blamed the media on Twitter for making it into a story.

Love admitted to being confused "initially" but insisted there was no problem between him and James.

"I talk to LeBron every day," Love said. "We're teammates, we see each other, there's no problem. I really feel like he said, if he had a problem with me or anybody on the team or coaches or training staff, he would go right to them.

"Initially I was confused but I don't feel bad, I'm just trying to go out there and help this team." 

On Saturday night, James tweeted: "Stop trying to find a way to FIT-OUT and just FIT-IN. Be apart of something special! Just my thoughts." The words in caps, "fit out" and "fit in," were the precise words Love used back in October to describe his acclimation to playing on a new team.

Following Sunday's win over the Lakers -- in a game Love scored a season-high 32 points -- James first said his tweets weren't aimed at anyone, but later to a smaller group of reporters said it was "not a coincidence" that his tweet matched Love's words and otherwise acknowledged that the message was sent with Love in mind.

Love had been struggling -- he scored five points in two games last week -- and had expressed personal frustration to the Northeast Ohio Media Group's Chris Haynes in a story that was published Saturday.

And then on Monday, James tweeted:

I like u guys a lot(Media) but don't try and make a story cause it looks good. If I have a problem with a teammate or anyone I'll say to....

-- LeBron James (@KingJames) February 9, 2015

their face and not over social media. That's corny and wack! So good try again my friends(Media), I still love you guys.

-- LeBron James (@KingJames) February 9, 2015

Love was asked if he believed James' initial tweet, on Saturday night, was not directed at him and he said "Yeah, I don't know.

"I truly feel that if LeBron had a problem with me or needed to talked to me for good or for worse he would've come up and talked to me, I truly believe that," Love said.

James said his Monday tweet, where he chided the media, was prompted by what he said that morning on SportsCenter.

"I don't know who turned to it," he said. "And it said LeBron something Love, calls out Love, or something. ... I didn't even stay to watch the segment to see what they were talking about it, but I've been there before so I already knew what it was about."

James said he hadn't said anything to Love about the ordeal, but if he did have a problem with Love he would address it directly.

"I'm not sugarcoating or hiding behind it," James said. "I've got to see him every day so if I have something to say I'll say it to his face," James said. "That's with the rest of the guys, I hope if they came to me and said you're not leading us, we don't believe that what you're saying or you're preaching what you practice, I hope they would come to me as well."

James said there was "good chemistry" on the Cavs, who've won 13 of their last 14 games and will host the Miami Heat Wednesday.

This story has been updated.

Check out which games to watch for in Wednesday's girls basketball action.

Check out which games to watch for in Wednesday's girls basketball action.

A wall segment lined with ports for fitness accessories, Isawall turns empty wall into the equivalent of a multipurpose exercise machine.

SOLON, Ohio -- Here's one middleman you don't want to eliminate. In fact, you might even want to invite this guy into your home.

By itself, Isawall is of little use. Loaded with accessories, on the other hand, the device is a veritable fitness command center, a vessel enabling exercise of nearly every kind and intensity.

How this didn't exist previously, I'm not sure. So simple and elegant is the design of Isawall ($1,500, isawallsystems.com), it's a wonder designer Fred Shafer didn't think of it or sell one to Body Technic Systems in Solon earlier.

The name pretty much says it all. A wall segment lined with heavy-duty ports for fitness accessories, Isawall turns any unused corner into the equivalent of a multipurpose exercise machine that would otherwise occupy a large space.

Into each port can be snapped a metal ball joint attached to a sturdy, D-shaped ring. Once locked in place, neither the ring nor the joint is going anywhere. The wall itself also is rock solid; It's designed to be bolted into studs 42 times.

As I said, though, Isawall is just the middleman. The actual exercise depends on the equipment you attach to the rings, and how you use it.

Consider, first, the chin-up bar. Where most at-home models dangle on door frames, the Isawall version might as well be a permanent fixture. And yet it also can be placed at any height.

Then come the stringy accessories, the straps, bands and other like accouterments. You name it, it mounts to an Isawall more securely than whatever method you're using now.

At Body Technic (bodytechnic.com), I stuck my feet in a TRX band and grasped a wobbly BOSU ball for an intense core exercise and enjoyed a round of assisted pushups with a Pullup Revolution Pro, a belt fitted with anywhere from one to three elastic bands. In both cases, I thought only of the effort involved, not my safety.

Two other maneuvers required a bit of nerve, and a willingness to get up close and personal with the wall. They also tested my core stability and shoulder strength in ways I've never experienced.

Clutching two long straps attached to the wall for support, I sank and flipped until the top of my head rested on the floor and my entire back side touched the wall. From there, I bent at the middle and used abdominal strength to carefully lower my legs over my head.

A trainer at Body Technic went so far in this position as to flip completely over. I, on the other hand, couldn't even go all the way horizontal.

Isawall even accentuated my favorite back exercise. Lying face-down a few feet off the ground in a cummerbund-like sling around my waist, with my feet on the wall, I executed a move that in a gym requires a separate machine: I bent forward deeply and used muscles in my back and middle to raise and lower myself slowly.

All this said, Isawall isn't the solution to all exercise problems. Not quite.

In terms of both cost and concept, it's off limits to all but commercial and high-end customers willing to replace a wall. Regular people can perform most of the exercises it facilitates other ways, using other equipment.

But that doesn't mean Isawall doesn't have a place. Clearly, it does, especially at Body Technic. There, where trainers are already using it in classes and private sessions, it's not at the middle or bottom of the heap. It's at the top.

Tarkanian led the 1990 UNLV team that won an NCAA national title and the 1991 Runnin' Rebels who lost to Duke in the Final Four.

LAS VEGAS - Hall of Fame basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian died Wednesday morning at a Las Vegas hospital, his son said. He was 84.

A son-in-law, Dr. Zafi Diamant, said Tuesday that Tarkanian was fighting a respiratory ailment and infection after being hospitalized Monday.

The towel-chewing coach dubbed "Tark the Shark" was been hospitalized three times in 10 months.

He had a second heart attack last April and was treated for pneumonia in November.

Tarkanian led the 1990 UNLV team that won an NCAA national title and the 1991 Runnin' Rebels who lost to Duke in the Final Four.

Tarkanian later coached with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and at Fresno State, leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament twice.

Tarkanian was born in Euclid, Ohio. Tarkanian's father owned a small grocery store in Euclid. When Tarkanian was 11 years old, his father died, and his mother moved the family to Pasadena, Calif., to live with relatives.

He played basketball for Fresno State in 1954 and 1955.

Two St. Vincent-St. Mary boys basketball players were quizzed on their teammates' favorite music, favorite NBA players and other topics while playing Know Your Teammate. Watch the video in this post to find out who did better.

Two St. Vincent-St. Mary boys basketball players were quizzed on their teammates' favorite music, favorite NBA players and other topics while playing Know Your Teammate. Watch the video in this post to find out who did better.

A look at the top boys basketball players in Northeast Ohio.

A look at the top boys basketball players in Northeast Ohio.

Now a third-generation NFL coach, former John Carroll assistant Chris Shula said family ties didn't help him land a job with the San Diego Chargers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was clear during his only season at John Carroll last fall that Chris Shula would not be long for the place. The energetic, intense and intelligent young defensive coordinator had the appearance of a young man on the rise, and it seemed a matter of time before a larger college would hire him away.

What happened Monday took even his father, former Bengals coach Dave Shula, by surprise. Chris Shula was hired by the San Diego Chargers as a defensive quality control coach, which is an entry-level position for NFL coaches.

"Dad was excited for me,'' Chris Shula said in a phone interview late Monday night. "He was surprised, not about making the jump, but how quickly it happened.

"I asked for his advice going into the interview, as I did with John Carroll and always do, and he was very happy for me.''

Shula becomes a third-generation NFL coach. He is the grandson of Hall of Famer Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history and a John Carroll grad. The well-worn path from John Carroll to the NFL began with Don Shula and his teammate, Carl Taseff, who were drafted by the Browns in 1951. Chris Shula said he had not reached his grandfather in South Florida because of the time difference and his hectic schedule.

Shula said it wasn't a family connection that helped him get the job. He said he was recommended by Chargers special teams assistant Craig Aukerman, who was Shula's linebacker coach during his playing days at Miami (Ohio).

Shula said he interviewed with defensive coordinator John Pagano, who does not have a connection to the Shula family. He said his family history only came up in casual conversation.

"It's a jump (from John Carroll to the NFL) that a number of people have made, and (Pagano) knew that,'' Shula said, adding that he was taken aback that every coach he met with the Chargers knew about John Carroll's season.

"It was a bit crazy to me. It just shows me all the way out here, and all around the NFL, people are following John Carroll and the respect it has nationwide,'' he said.

"Going to John Carroll is one of the best things I've ever done, and it always will be. It was a truly special year and I'll always remember that.''

He hit the ground running with the Chargers. Hired on Monday, he spent a full day watching film and helping the team prepare for upcoming organized team activities (OTAs) and mini-camps. He already was thinking back to his time at John Carroll.

"We had a very senior-laden group that I was coaching, and if you didn't have every single answer and you weren't prepared for a meeting, then you weren't going to look very good in front of them,'' he said. "I had to know every single detail of the defense and present it in a organized manner because they were prepared and it meant so much to them.''

Barber breaks NCAA record: Akron junior Shawn Barber broke the all-time collegiate indoor pole vault record Saturday when he cleared 19-31/2 (5.88m) at Akron's Stile Field House. He broke the NCAA record of 19-21/4 (5.85m) set by Jacob Davis of Texas on March 6, 1999 in Indianapolis.

Barber took three runs at 19-8.25 (6.0m) with his closest clearance attempt coming on his first jump.

He was named Division I Male National Athlete of the Week for the second time this winter by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

"He is starting to get consistent and acclimated to the big bars,'' Akron coach Dennis Mitchell said in a statement.

Barber, a Canadian citizen from Kingwood, Texas also improved his Canadian national record. Barber jumped an unofficial collegiate record 19-3 last month, but it was not considered an NCAA mark because it was a preseason meet.

View full sizeFour-time Olympic gold medalist, Harrison Dillard touches the hand of a clay sculpture of himself jumping a hurdle sculpted by Lakewood artist David Deming last October at Deming's studio in Lakewood. The statue is to installed April 18 at Baldwin Wallace's Finnie Stadium.John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer 

Dillard statue dedication April 18: The dedication of a statue depicting four-time Olympic gold medalist Harrison Dillard running over a hurdle is set for April 18 at Baldwin Wallace's Finnie Stadium, as a part of the annual Paul "Sparky" Adams Invitational Meet. The statue will be installed outside the stadium. Dillard is a BW grad who lives in Richmond Heights and is to be present at the ceremony.

A winning Habat: Northeast Ohio wrestling fans have another reason to keep an eye on No. 3 Ohio State's dual meet Sunday at No. 5 Edinboro a part of the NWCA National Duals.

Edinboro redshirt senior Dave Habat (St. Ignatius) recently ascended to a No. 1 ranking at 149 pounds, according to Intermatwrestling.com. Habat, a Parma native, could wrestle sixth-ranked Hunter Stieber, if Stieber returns from an elbow injury.

Ohio State moved up to No. 3 this week after beating No. 4 Minnesota last week.

BW-JCU tonight: Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll continue their rivalry tonight in women's and men's basketball.

The Ohio Athletic Conference lead is at stake in the women's game, 7:30 p.m. at John Carroll (Time Warner Cable). BW (17-4, 12-2) is tied for first with Ohio Northern, which visits BW next Wednesday.

Yellow Jackets sophomore forward Clara Lemmon's game-winner with 11 seconds left and career-high 25 points beat Otterbein, 70-68, Saturday.

John Carroll (18-3, 11-3) is a game back in third place and coming off a loss to Capital. JCU sophomore Katlyn Spahar is the OAC scoring leader (19.8 points per game).

John Carroll's men (15-5, 11-3) are third in the OAC and travel to fourth-place BW (15-6, 9-5) for a 7:30 game.

Marietta-Mount: Third-ranked Marietta's unbeaten men's team (21-0, 14-0) is at second-place Mount Union (16-5, 12-2) at 7:30 tonight.

The agency charged with constructing barriers to keep the fish from entering the lakes from its tributaries doesn't know why the fish stopped their migration.

WASHINGTON, D. C. - A voracious species of carp whose arrival in the Great Lakes could threaten native sport fish hasn't moved any farther toward the ecosystem since 2006 and remains about 55 miles away, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' commanding officer told a congressional subcommittee on Wednesday.

The agency charged with constructing barriers to keep the fish from entering the lakes from its tributaries doesn't know why the fish stopped their migration, Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

The imported carp escaped from aquaculture facilities in the southern United States during the 1970s and swam north through the Mississippi and Illinois river systems. They eat the same plankton as native fish and can out-compete them for food.

The nearest Asian Carp spawning area to the Great Lakes is 62 miles away from them, and established populations of the voracious fish are 143 miles from the lakes, Bostick told the subcommittee's top Democrat, Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo. An electric barrier the Army Corps built in Romeoville, Illinois, to keep fish away from the lakes is 37 miles away, said Bostick.

Assistant Army Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy told Kaptur the Army Corps is moving forward with studies on building a more effective fish barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois.

The existing barrier is designed to keep fish from swimming through by administering electric shocks, but the Army Corps worries carp eggs could float through it and hatch on the other side. The new barrier, estimated to cost $25 million, would use other technologies including high-speed water circulation, to keep the fish away from the Great Lakes.

Major General John Peabody estimated it would take about $2.5 million to "kick-start" the new barrier project.

Kaptur also asked agency representatives to resolve a dispute over where the Army Corps will place the sediment it dredges from Cleveland Harbor to ensure ships can pass through.

The Army Corps says the sediment is clean enough to be dumped in Lake Erie, but the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency insists it should be placed in a contained disposal facility because it contains toxic PCBs that could harm fish. 

Bostick told Kaptur the cost difference between the two disposal methods is "below $5 million."

"We are questioning why we can't get this done," Kaptur told him. "I will be very, very interested in your recommendations for alternatives to deal with that dredge material."

Check out the frontrunners for cleveland.com's 2015 Girls Swimmer and Girls Diver of the Year awards and vote for your favorite.

Check out the frontrunners for cleveland.com's 2015 Girls Swimmer and Girls Diver of the Year awards and vote for your favorite.

Check out the frontrunners for cleveland.com's 2015 Boys Swimmer and Boys Diver of the Year awards and vote for your favorite.

Check out the frontrunners for cleveland.com's 2015 Boys Swimmer and Boys Diver of the Year awards and vote for your favorite.

It's easy to see why there's a huge debate in sports about the growing influence of analytics. The latest conversation includes a Charles Barkley rant and a surprising statistic about the Cleveland Browns defense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Remember the saying about there being three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics? Charles Barkley would substitute "analytics..."

* Pro Football Focus ranks the Browns as the most efficient tackling team in the NFL. The parade traffic on Euclid should clear by rush hour.

The 7-9 Browns enjoyed this status while ranking last against the run in 2015. So there's that. PFF says the "Browns top the list partially thanks to their defensive line."

Which was one of their biggest disappointments.

* Not to say one ranking discounts the other.

But it's probably good for PFF that Charles Barkley is otherwise occupied spanking Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey as "one of those idiots who believes in analytics" and representative of "a bunch of guys who have never played the game and they never got the girls in high school."

Barkley responded to a Tweet from Morey, who was responding to Barkley's contention that the Rockets are a poor defensive team no matter what the numbers say.

Best part of being at a TNT game live is it is easy to avoid Charles spewing misinformed biased vitriol disguised as entertainment

-- Daryl Morey (@dmorey) February 11, 2015

Barkley overstated his objection to analytics when he chided baseball for using models to put "these lightweight teams together and they never win." Even if he's mostly right about it.

Baseball teams have necessarily looked for ways to negate huge payroll imbalances. In a sport where some teams can outspend their mistakes and others can't, why not use every tool possible?

Just because those attempts don't often result in World Series titles doesn't mean they aren't effective.

* Barkley's rant had nothing to do with the Browns' ranking in tackling efficiency or the analytics used to defend Pete Carroll's decision to pass on second-and-goal from the 1 in the Super Bowl.

The FiveThirtyEight blog tackled that subject under the headline, "A Head Coach botched the End of the Super Bowl and it wasn't Pete Carroll."

I know. Catchy.

Statistically speaking, running Marshawn Lynch only gave the Seahawks a 0.3 percent better chance of scoring on second down than passing did. While Bill Belichick made the glaring mistake of not calling timeout and preserving precious seconds for his offense if Seattle scored.

What it doesn't take into account is the possible boost of adrenalin and confidence that could come from Russell Wilson getting in the huddle and saying, "You know why No. 24 is here, right? For this moment. That's why we're all here. Let's do this."

That at least beats, "Guys, based on the probability charts, the clock and our remaining timeouts, here's the play."

Or the fact the Patriots were only too happy to see the ball go somewhere other than Lynch.

We pause here to imagine what Barkley would've said if he were Marshawn Lynch in the Seattle huddle, after gaining four yards on first down, listening to Wilson relay a pass play from the sidelines.

I'm not sure Seahawks coordinator Darrell Bevell would've fared much better than Daryl Morey.

The Indians are trying something new this season, with six weeknight games in April and May being designated with 6:10 p.m. start times.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Time is ticking toward another baseball season. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Goodyear, Ariz., for Indians spring training in precisely one week.

A host of players have already reported.

Just landed in AZ with 2 of my biggest fans!!! #wewerethosepeole http://t.co/3dUiABINx4 pic.twitter.com/1MMvdZx1tG

-- Lonnie Chisenhall (@BIGLON8) February 10, 2015

The Indians will commence the 2015 campaign on April 6 in Houston. That affair will begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Tribe and Astros will take a reprieve on April 7 and then reconvene at Minute Maid Park for an 8:10 p.m. first pitch on April 8. The Indians will wrap up their series in Houston on April 9 at 2:10 p.m. before flying back to Cleveland.

The club's home opener on April 10 against the Tigers will begin at 4:10 p.m. So, too, will the Tribe's tilt against Detroit on April 11.

The Indians are trying something new this season, with six weeknight games in April and May being designated with 6:10 p.m. start times. Those games fall on the following dates:

-Tuesday, April 14 vs. Chicago
-Monday, April 27 vs. Kansas City
-Tuesday, April 28 vs. Kansas City
-Wednesday, April 29 vs. Kansas City
-Tuesday, May 12 vs. St. Louis
-Wednesday, May 13 vs. St. Louis

When asked about the reasoning behind the 6:10 p.m. starts, an Indians spokesperson said the club will make a formal announcement in the coming days.

The Indians will host the Rangers at Progressive Field on May 25, Memorial Day, at 4:10 p.m. Cleveland's July 4 affair at PNC Park in Pittsburgh is slated for a 4:05 start. The Tribe wraps up the regular season on Sunday, Oct. 4 against Boston. Game No. 162 is scheduled to begin at 3:10 p.m.

Also of note, rather than games beginning five minutes after the hour, the Indians' schedule lists all home games as starting 10 minutes after the hour. So, the typical night game will begin at 7:10 p.m., rather than 7:05 p.m.

Another invite: The Indians signed free agent infielder Michael Martinez to a minor league deal with a spring training invitation. Martinez, 32, owns a career .482 OPS in 188 major league games with the Phillies and Pirates. He has appeared at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield spots in his career.

Man who posted video of himself peeing on Art Modell's grave has charges dismissed.

A Franklin, Ohio man had charges dropped against him after a video posted on YouTube of him peeing on the grave of former Browns owner Art Modell surfaced. Paul S. Serbu was facing one count of disorderly conduct in a cemetery, a misdemeanor, as reported by Cincinnati.com in August.

The charges against Serbu were dropped after he wrote a letter of apology and agreed to appear on a radio show with David Modell, the son of the late Browns and Baltimore Ravens owner, according to the Dayton Daily News:

"'I was given a considerable amount of information about Mr. Serbu. I was in contact with the Modell family,' [State's Attorney John] Cox said. 'We decided that this was the appropriate thing to do.'"

According to the Associated Press, Serbu's a medical condition may have contributed to Serbu's actions:

"[Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott] Shellenberger added that prosecutors learned after the incident that Serbu suffers from medical problems that 'may have led to his lack of judgment.'"

"Serbu could have faced up to two years in jail and a $500 fine."

Owner Jimmy Haslam knows he can't keep making changes and believes Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine will work together even better in their second draft.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns owner Jimmy Haslam knows he can't keep changing general managers, and he plans to stick with Ray Farmer.

He told me this Wednesday afternoon, and made the decision without knowing what the NFL will rule about Farmer's texting during games, which violates NFL rules.

"Ray made a mistake and he admits he made a mistake," said Haslam. "He feels terrible about it. I can assure you that it will never happen again and the organization has learned from it. We'll wait and see what the NFL decides ... but Ray's future here is very solid. Ray knows he has our total support."

Haslam is aware that the NFL could suspend Farmer and could even take a draft choice away from the Browns. He said he has not seen the texts between Farmer and the coaches in the press box and/or sidelines.

I asked him if he knew what they were about.

"No real idea," he said. "Once the NFL (investigation) got involved, it was out of our hands. I have no idea what the texts said or anything."

I asked Haslam if he had sent any texts.

"No," he said.

Was he behind any texts being sent?

"No."

He talked about Farmer "having great integrity," and how he believed in his general manager. He explained that he has tremendous confidence in his football management team of Farmer and coach Mike Pettine. He mentioned how the team was harshly criticized a year ago for its coaching search, but Pettine emerged as a strong leader in a 7-9 season. It was their best record since 2007.

His main point was that the new football structure has not been operating long. He thinks that from team president Alec Scheiner to the salary cap to Farmer and Pettine, "we're much stronger than a year ago."

It was on Feb. 12, 2014 that Haslam fired CEO Joe Banner and GM Mike Lombardi and promoted Farmer, who had been hired by Banner as assistant GM. He had interviewed with Miami and seemed on the verge of being named general manager of the Dolphins. That's when Haslam decided he had to change his front office.

"I know that until you begin to win consistently, you have no credibility -- but I really believe we are headed in the right direction," he said. "It's natural that a year of working together will mean that we will do a better job (in 2015)."

STICKING WITH FARMER

Haslam talked about how Farmer and Pettine had been working together for only three months before the 2014 draft. He also said that he looks at the total draft, including undrafted free agents such as Isaiah Crowell, Taylor Gabriel and K'Waun Williams.

He called second-rounder Joel Bitonio "a 10-year future Pro Bowler" at guard. He praised the choices of Terrance West and Chris Kirksey in the third round, and liked Pierre Desir in the fourth.

"West had his ups and downs but certainly looks like he has good potential," said Haslam of the running back out of Towson State.

But Haslam knows the keys are how No. 8 pick Justin Gilbert and No. 22 choice Johnny Manziel perform.

"That's the real question, how will the two first-rounders do," he said. "Young guys. Let's give it a year or two. We also got a first round in 2015 (No. 19 from Buffalo) in that draft."

I pressed Haslam about how Manziel was drafted and how the choice was made.

"Despite everything (in the media), it was an organizational decision," he said. "I know there was this rumor that I made the pick. If you talk to Ray, you know he will make the pick. Manziel was the No. 1 quarterback rated (in the draft)."

Haslam said while the Browns sold more jerseys and other Manziel items, the sales of NFL merchandise from all teams goes into the same pot and is divided among all teams -- except Dallas has its own deal.

Some other key points from Haslam:

1. Haslam said Scheiner watched game films every Monday morning with Farmer. Just the two of them. Later, Farmer watched with Pettine and others. "Alec is an intellectually curious guy and wants to increase his knowledge. ... I applaud him for doing it. He's not in there commenting on it or giving Ray suggestions. It doesn't worry me at all."

2. Haslam said that after the postseason meetings, "We came away with a clear understanding of everyone's roles ... and our goals ... and how we're going to get there."

3. "My job is to set the goals for the organization, put people in place to reach those goals and empower them to do their jobs," he said. "I need to give them the resources to hold their jobs and hold them accountable. I know we have had a tremendous amount of change (since buying the team in 2012), but we're in position now to make progress. I understand that people say, 'I believe it when I see it.' That really is understandable and I accept that."

4. He stressed that solving the quarterback question is critical. He was noncommittal about Brian Hoyer, saying the team was looking at a lot of options.