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PGA Tour 2015-16 season begins, schedule changes ahead (photos)

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Yes, the PGA Tour season just ended, and now the 2015-16 season begins. The Rio Olympics will force numerous schedule changes, including the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Bridgestone Invitational.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The PGA Tour's 2015-16 season begins Thursday with Rory McIlroy heading the field at the $6 million Frys.com Open in Napa, Calif.

How is that even possible? Didn't the 2014-15 season just end? Why yes, yes it did.

And you thought baseball season was long.

The 2014-15 PGA Tour season officially ended Sept. 27 at the PGA Tour Championship, where Jordan Spieth pocketed $11.5 million for winning the tournament and the FedExCup season championship.

The unofficial conclusion was the Presidents Cup last Sunday in Korea. The United States beat a team of the top Asian players to win the Cup.

Four days and 6,000 miles later, here we go again.

The PGA Tour went to the "wrap-around" schedule, starting and ending in the fall, in October 2013. It also converted the handful of late tournaments into FedExCup events, meaning golfers could earn points toward a spot in the the lucrative season-ending playoffs, where Spieth earned his $10 million bonus.

Not only are FedExCup points on the line for the seven tournaments in October and November, but so too is $45 million in prize money.

The PGA Tour is relentless because the money is there every week.

The 2015-16 season ends with the Ryder Cup on Sept. 30-Oct. 2, its latest date in more than 30 years. It could be chilly, too. The Ryder Cup is at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minn.

Opening salvo: The winner this week at the Frys.com Open earns $1 million. Eleven of the top 15 ranked players in the world are skipping the event.

But No. 3-ranked McIlroy, who was No. 1 much of the year, and No. 7 Justin Rose will be at the Frys.com Open, along a quartet of golfers who were at the Presidents Cup - Japan's Hideki Maruyama, Australia's Steven Bowditch, South Africa's Charl Schwartzel and American Chris Kirk.

Olympics force changes: The 2015-16 season is unlike any other because the Rio Summer Olympics forced numerous tournaments to change their traditional dates. Golf has been added to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.

The top five golfers from each nation qualify for the Olympic tournament, which is Aug. 11-14.

Among the changes:

  • The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron moves from its traditional August date to June 30-July 3.
  • The PGA Championship is July 28-31, the earliest it has been scheduled since 1971. That also means there will be just one tournament separating the British Open (July 14-17) and the PGA. The RBC Canadian Open is July 21-24.
  • The Travelers Championship moves from June to August 4-7, the week after the PGA.
  • The John Deere Classic drew the short straw and moves from July to Aug. 11-14, the same week as the Olympics.
  • The Quicken Loans National moves up from July to June 23-26, between the U.S. Open and WGC-Bridgestone.

The Memorial Tournament is unchanged and will be June 2-5.

When and where Tiger Woods will join the tour is anyone's guess. Woods is recovering from his second back surgery in as many years.

Major attractions: Local golf fans will have a major within easy driving distance this season. The U.S. Open is at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa., which is 150 miles from Cleveland.

In addition to the Masters at Augusta National, the other majors will be played at Royal Troon in Scotland (British Open) and Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. (PGA Championship).

One more date to remember: It's also worth noting the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club in Columbus is Aug. 11-14, the same week as the Olympic tournament.


LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov will be held out of game against Milwaukee

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will sit out LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov for this evening's preseason match with the Milwaukee Bucks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers will sit out LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov for this evening's preseason match with the Milwaukee Bucks.

James and Mozgov not suiting up is part of the team's maintenance and recovery program.

Smith is nursing a sore left hammy. He has only played in the exhibition opener.

Milwaukee (0-2) is holding out Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Cavaliers are searching for their first preseason victory.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Live chat and updates with Chris Fedor

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Get live updates and analysis as Chris Fedor brings you the latest on the Cavs' fourth preseason game against the Bucks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers remain winless in the preseason, falling to the Milwaukee Bucks, 110-101, on Tuesday night. 

With LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov resting, the Cavs were led by Richard Jefferson's 16 points. Matthew Dellavedova and Mo Williams each added 13 points. The game was marred by whistles as the two teams combined for 70 free throws. 

The Cavs, now 0-4 in the preseason, will host the Pacers Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena. 

End of 3rd Quarter: Cavs lead Bucks, 78-75. Richard Jefferson leads all scorers with 16 points on 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Matthew Dellavedova and Mo Williams have each added 13 points. The Bucks are led by free agent pickup Greg Monroe, who has 15. Rashad Vaughn and John Henson each have 12. 

End of 2nd Quarter: Cavs lead Bucks, 51-45. Matthew Dellavedova has 10 points to lead the Cavs. James Jones has added eight points while Sasha Kaun and Richard Jefferson each have seven. The Bucks are led by John Henson's 10 points. Rashad Vaughn has chipped in with nine. 

End of 1st Quarter: Cavs lead Bucks, 31-23. Sasha Kaun leads the way with six points. Richard Jefferson has added five points in five minutes. The Bucks are led by rookie Rashad Vaughn, who has seven points. Greivis Vasquez and John Henson each have four points. 

Preseason Game 4: Cavs vs. Bucks

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

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA TV; WTAM AM/1100, 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: Mo Williams, Matthew Dellavedova, James Jones, Sasha Kaun and Richard Jefferson.

Bucks probable starting lineup: Michael Carter-Williams, Greivis Vasquez, Khris Middleton, Damien Inglis and Greg Monroe. 

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

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love will 'perhaps' make his preseason debut Sunday against Toronto

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Cavaliers forward Kevin Love said his shoulder "felt good" following practice on Saturday, his first five-on-five work since surgery to repair his dislocated left shoulder. But he's still not yet ready to make his preseason debut.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers forward Kevin Love said his shoulder "felt good" following practice on Saturday, his first five-on-five work since surgery to repair his dislocated left shoulder. But he's still not yet ready to make his preseason debut.

Love was once again sidelined for Tuesday night's home exhibition against Milwaukee and he won't be on the court Thursday against the Indiana Pacers. Instead, he will wait until Sunday in Toronto at the earliest for his first game action since injuring his shoulder during the postseason.

"Coming along well," Cavs head coach David Blatt said Tuesday night. "Making progress and hope to see him playing perhaps Sunday. We will see."

When asked to clarify, Blatt once again emphasized the word "perhaps," meaning there's still some doubt. But the Cavs want to get Love some action in a game situation before throwing him into the lineup on Oct. 27, opening night against the Chicago Bulls.

Cleveland's fourth preseason game is tonight. After Sunday against the Raptors, there will only be one more contest remaining, which comes Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena against the Dallas Mavericks.  

The Cavs have a plan and they intend to stick with it. Even though Love will have to wait a few more days for his debut, the team likes what it sees on the practice floor -- a little good news during an off-season dotted with adversity. 

"He came in and he really looked good," Blatt said over the weekend. "It was great to see him on the floor playing. Obviously that raises the level of practice and makes everybody feel good to see him back out there."

Akron coach Terry Bowden says Bowling Green offense is 'chess vs. checkers'

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Bowling Green's offense has been prolific this season, but the Akron Zips know what they will be looking at this Saturday.

AKRON, Ohio -- Akron coach Terry Bowden did not take long to identify the difference between Bowling Green's offense and the rest of the Mid-American Conference.

"He's playing chess, and the rest of us are playing checkers,'' Bowden said of coach Dino Babers and his prolific Falcons (4-2, 2-0), who will host the Zips Saturday at 3 p.m. They have the No. 1 quarterback in the nation, the No. 1 receiver in the nation and the No. 3 overall offense in the nation coming off a 725-yard performance in a victory over UMass.

The ironic part is, the BG offense is not that far removed from what Bowden envisioned when he took over the Zips (3-3, 1-1) four seasons ago, although Akron's offense has now gone in another direction.

It is why Bowden brought in senior transfer quarterback Dalton Williams for his initial season. And it's why Bowden chuckled when asked if Williams, now an Akron assistant, was going to be his scout team quarterback this week.

"I don't know of anybody who can emulate what they do on offense, but Dalton would be the closest,'' Bowden said. "When we brought him in from Texas (Stephen F. Austin) it's because he came from playing under the same coaching tree that plays that style of football, which is big in Texas.''

In his lone season at Akron, Williams passed for 3,387 yards, 25 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. By contrast, BG quarterback Matt Johnson has already passed for 2,534 yards with 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions. And the season is just now at the halfway point.

"The (Stephen F. Austin) offensive coordinator is now at Kentucky, their head coach was on the staff with (current Baylor head coach Art) Briles who came from that Texas Tech background. Our first year we were very much into that. Now we want a little better running attack."

Bowden hopes the Zips can generate the kind of a ground game that can eat up some clock to go with a fast-improving passing game with quarterback Tommy Woodson.

"The best defense we can have this week is an offense that stays on the field and scores points,'' Bowden said. "I don't think people like watching 17-14 games anymore. They want 56 to 49. But I don't care what the score is, as long as we win by one."

Jerome Lane I: The big sophomore is making a smooth transition from defense to offense, playing wide receiver. "The biggest challenge for me is the little things; footwork, handwork, and when to be at full speed."

Jerome Lane II: When asked if he studied opposing receivers, Lane said BG's Roger Lewis is currently at the top of his list. "I'm watching him now. He's got 48 catches already, so you know they must be slinging that thing."

Jerome Lane III: Lane is emerging as a prime target for Woodson, as the 6-3, 220-pound receiver is coming off a four-reception, 104-yard, two-touchdown performance at Eastern Michigan.

High school girls golf: Avon 2nd, Green 3rd at Division I district tournament; both earn 1st trip to state

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See results from the girls high school Division I golf tournament at The Legends of Massillon.

MASSILLON, Ohio -- Avon finished second and Green third at Tuesday's Division I girls golf district tournament at The Legends of Massillon. Both schools advanced their teams to the state tournament for the first time.

Avon posted a team score of 318, tied with district champion GlenOak, but finished second on tiebreaker using the team's fifth player score. 


Green's score of 321 was two strokes better than Federal League rival Massillon Jackson which finished fourth (323). Dover (324) grabbed the fifth and final team qualifying spot.


Green's Abbie Pearce shot a 73 and finished in a five-way tie for individual medalist honors. Anna Schatschneider's 74 led Avon, putting her in a five-way tie for sixth overall.


Other scores for Avon included Sarah Warnkin (80), Annika Neumann (81), Danielle Austinson (83) and Jessica Novotny (98).


Green's team scores included Brooke Babbin (81), Michelle Lori (82), Madison Jackson (85) and Lauren Griggy (88).


Local individual state qualifiers include Kent Roosevelt's Kory Nielsen (73), Highland's Madison Butler (73) and Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin's Reva Morris (74).


Morris and Jacinta Pikunas of Boardman grabbed the final two qualifying spots after a three-way playoff with Solon's Jennifer Wang.


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga on Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE), by email (jnoga@cleveland.comor log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Tuesday's fall sports roundup: Golf, soccer and volleyball highlights

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Check out high school sports highlights from Tuesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are high school sports highlights from Tuesday. See below for information on how your team’s accomplishments can be recognized in these daily roundups.

GIRLS GOLF


Read Joe Noga's recap of Division I district golf.


BOYS SOCCER


Independence 9, VASJ 1


Wyatt Kunevicius had four goals on four shots to lead the Blue Devils to the win at Villa Angela-St. Joseph.


Independence improved its record to 13-0-2 with one more game left in the regular season.


Valley Forge 3, Padua 1


Two goals from Alex Radojkovic helped lead the Patriots to a road win. Brandon Davidson also scored for Valley Forge.


Nathan Marcus had Padua's goal.


GIRLS SOCCER


Firelands 7, Clearview 1


Firelands scored five goals in the second half to defeat the Clippers at home.


Zoe Simmons had three goals and an assist for the Falcons, and teammates Mikayla Mains and Brylee Jones each had a goal and an assist.


Mayfield 4, Eastlake North 1


Marissa Handel scored twice to lead the Wildcats to a win at Eastlake North. The Wildcats had a 1-0 lead at halftime.


Cassie Lewis added a goal and an assist for Mayfield.


Caitlin Stuart had Eastlake North's goal.


VOLLEYBALL


Amherst 3, Westlake 0


The Comets defeated Westlake in three games in Southwestern Conference action.


Brunswick 3, Solon 0


The Blue Devils won in three games, with two of those games decided by double digits.


Molly Grzybowski had 20 assists for Brunswick, and Ally Badowski had nine kills.


Hawken 3, Cuyahoga Heights 0


Hawken's Elizabeth Stilson had seven aces, three kills and 11 digs to leads the Hawks to a win in three games.


Bailey Hagedorn led Hawken with nine kills, and Yasmin Raz had 16 assists.


Holy Name 3, Bay 0


Holy Name's Carly Stepic recorded her 1,000th career assist as the Green Wave won in three games. Stepic recorded 37 assists and 14 digs.


Kailee Cunningham led Holy Name with 13 kills.


Olmsted Falls 3, North Olmsted 0


The Bulldogs defeated their Southwestern Conference rivals in three games to improve to 20-1 overall and 17-0 in conference play.


Lexi Lombardo had 14 kills for Olmsted Falls, and Kacie Burton had 31 assists.


Revere 3, Nordonia 0


The Minutemen improved to 17-4 overall, 12-0 in conference play with a win in three games.


Chloe Stile had eight service points, three aces, six kills, 16 assists and six digs for Revere.


How your team can be included in these roundups


These roundups are based on box scores and game notes entered in cleveland.com’s database by school or team representatives. If your team is not participating in the box score program please contact your athletic director or coach and encourage them to do so. They can obtain instructions and database login information from High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis at kdavis@cleveland.com.

Former NBA star Lamar Odom found unconscious

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Authorities say former NBA and reality TV star Lamar Odom has been hospitalized after he was found unconscious at a Nevada brothel.

LAS VEGAS -- Former NBA and reality TV star Lamar Odom was hospitalized after he was found unconscious Tuesday at a Nevada brothel, authorities said.

The 35-year-old former Los Angeles Laker and member-by-marriage of the Kardashian family was in a Las Vegas hospital Tuesday night and there was no immediate word on his condition, officials said.

The Nye County Sheriff's Department was called at about 3:15 p.m. to Love Ranch in Crystal, Nevada about 70 miles outside of Las Vegas for a report of an unresponsive man needing an ambulance, Sheriff Sharon A. Wehrly said in a statement.

The 35-year-old was stabilized and taken to Desert View Hospital in nearby Pahrump, the statement said. Officials then tried to have him airlifted to Las Vegas, but the 6-foot-10-inch Odom was too tall for the helicopter that was available and he was driven by ambulance to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Hof, who owns the Love Ranch and other legal brothels in Nevada, said his staff had picked up Odom from a home in Las Vegas on Saturday.

"He just wanted to get away, have a good time and relax," Hof told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

Hof said Odom was "happy, he was sleeping every night," while visiting, but two women went to check on Odom Tuesday afternoon after not hearing from him since early morning, and found him face down and unconscious.

When they turned him on his side at the direction of a 911 operator, Odom started "throwing up all kinds of stuff."

Hof said Odom had been taking herbal Viagra and had drunk part of a bottle of cognac since arriving, but had no knowledge of his use of any other drugs.

"It's incredibly sad," said Hof, who turns 69 on Wednesday. Hof is known for his own onetime reality show, "Cathouse," on HBO.

Odom's hospitalization was first reported by TMZ.

Odom, who won two NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, last played in the NBA in 2013, and saw recent reality TV fame through his marriage to Khloe Kardashian.

Kardashian filed for divorce in 2013, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce has not yet received final approval from a judge.

The two were married in 2009 in a large ceremony that was taped for the E! network, following a whirlwind engagement that was also filmed.

The Lakers played an exhibition game in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, losing 107-100 to Sacramento. Kobe Bryant and Metta World Peace are Odom's only remaining teammates on the roster.

World Peace clearly was distraught about Odom's health after the game.

"There's not one word I could say that would make sense," World Peace told reporters, declining further comment.

Bryant left the arena without speaking to reporters.

Odom spent the best years of his career with the Lakers, winning two championship rings and the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award in 2011.

After seven years in purple and gold, he was crushed in December 2011 when the Lakers attempted to trade him to New Orleans in a multiplayer trade for Chris Paul. He eventually went to Dallas in another deal, but was out of the NBA just two years later.

Some troubles that met Odom before and during his career appeared to worsen after he left the league, and included a no-contest plea to drunken driving shortly before his divorce.

Odom was suspended during the 2000-01 season for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy for the second time in eight months. During the 2010-11 season, a cousin he was close to died and Odom was a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident in New York that killed a cyclist.

Odom played one season at Rhode Island before being drafted in the first round with the No. 4 overall pick by the Clippers in the 1999 NBA draft.

Born Lamar Joseph Odom on Nov. 6, 1979, in New York City, he was raised by his grandmother after his mother died of cancer when he was 12. His father was a drug addict.

In 2006, Odom's 6-month-old son Jayden died from SIDS while sleeping in his crib in New York.

He has a daughter, Destiny, and a son Lamar Jr., from a previous relationship.


Did Michigan recruiting coordinator Chris Partridge jab Ohio State about Kareem Walker? Ohio State football recruiting

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Michigan recruiting coordinator Chris Partridge, who used to be the head coach at Paramus Catholic in New Jersey, may have taken a shot at the Buckeyes about Walker on his public Twitter account.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star running back Kareem Walker of Wayne (N.J.) De Paul is Ohio State's top commitment in the 2016 recruiting class, but he took an official visit to Michigan on Saturday. 

That has to be a little uncomfortable for the Buckeyes. 

On Tuesday night, it may have gotten a lot more uncomfortable. 

That's because Michigan recruiting coordinator Chris Partridge, who used to be the head coach at nearby New Jersey high school Paramus Catholic, may have taken a shot at the Buckeyes about Walker on his public Twitter account. 

Rated the No. 1 running back in the 2016 class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Walker has been committed to Ohio State since he announced his intention to be a Buckeye during halftime of the national title game on Jan. 12. 

But Michigan runs a pro-style offense under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, which could be attractive to the 6-foot-1, 210-pound running back. 

Walker told the Detroit Free Press after his visit that he likes Michigan's offensive approach. 

"That was definitely an impressive win," Walker told the Free Press. "It was, basically, the I-formation and pro-style. That's really what I run in high school. That's the main set, with the two backs, two wide receivers and one tight end. I really know the plays that they were calling, and they were doing a good job of mixing it up, letting the running back run, letting the fullback run and doing play action. I really knew the offense because of what I do now."

In the end, Ohio State may sign Walker in February. But he intends on taking all five of his official visits, including ones to Alabama, Arizona State and Mississippi. 

So get your popcorn ready. It's going to be a show. 

David Blatt 'pleasantly surprised' with Anderson Varejao's recovery and Cavs hit their goals: Fedor's five observations

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Getting another reminder that the preseason is too long and the schedule is too condensed, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their fourth straight exhibition contest, 110-101, against the Milwaukee Bucks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Getting another reminder that the preseason is too long and the schedule is too condensed, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their fourth straight exhibition contest, 110-101, against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

LeBron James, Timofey Mozgov and J.R. Smith took the night off, the second game of a back-to-back, as the the Cavs struggled to find any consistent offense beyond repeatedly getting to the free throw line. 

Here are five observations from the loss:

Anderson Varejao's recovery going well - It was media day when Varejao revealed that he was "full go" for the start of training camp. While other players have gotten rest during this preseason or nursed injuries, Varejao has suited up in all four preseason games, something that has been surprising to head coach David Blatt.

"Honestly yes," Blatt said Tuesday night following the Cavs' fourth straight preseason loss. "I think Andy worked very hard rehabilitating and he's been focused and determined to come back this year and come back in a good way. If you look at that particular injury, the Achilles injury, a small percentage of the players that go through it at the age of 30 and above actually come back to the same level they were at before. He's doing everything to prove he's one of those guys that can do that and more. I've been pleasantly surprised with his status as of today and also his performance. I think he's been playing really well."

Varejao played 12 minutes against the Bucks, scoring two points and grabbing three rebounds. He also added an assist, a block and a steal.

Through four preseason games, Varejao is averaging 6.5 points while playing 13.5 minutes. He has shown no ill affects from the injury, displaying his usual hustle and pesky fight on the boards.

The crowded frontcourt was expected to keep Varejao from having a clearly defined role. But Kevin Love's preseason debut has been pushed back, Mozgov doesn't appear fully recovered from off-season knee surgery and Tristan Thompson's holdout doesn't like like it will end any time. That means Varrejao will likely serve as one of the important pieces of the second unit provided he continues to show progress in his recovery from the season-ending injury suffered in December. 

Whistles aplenty - The most memorable number during Tuesday's game against Milwaukee was 70, the amount of free throws the teams shot combined.

"It was probably ugly for y'all," Cavs point guard Mo Williams said. "But it felt pretty good for us. Every game takes on its own identity and this was no different. Have to go out and play the game."

Games usually aren't pretty against the defensive-minded Bucks, a team that chose to play many of its starters. Their long and aggressive defense usually leads to turnovers or whistles, depending on how the game is being officiated, and Tuesday it was the latter. 

The Cavs went 35-of-44 from the striple while the Bucks shot 21-of-26. Attacking the Milwaukee defense was part of the Cavs' plan. 

"It showed as we were in the bonus early and often," Williams said. "That was a point of emphasis. I thought we did a good job of getting to the line. Even I shot free throws and I don't really get to the line that much."

Williams finished with a team-high 18 points, with seven of those points coming from the foul line. Richard Jefferson, the next leading scorer added 16 points, with 11 of his coming from the stripe.

"I thought we flowed beautifully in the first half ourselves but fouling too much," Blatt said about what can be taken from such a sloppy game. "Have to play great defense without fouling."

Hitting goals - Going into every preseason game, there are certain things a team is hoping to accomplish. 

"The most important thing was getting out there and getting in rhythm," Williams said. "Getting geared up for Oct. 27. That's the most important thing."

The other goal is to leave each preseason game healthy, something that every player has talked about at one point or another during training camp. They accomplished that goal again Tuesday.

Williams laid out the others, including making progress after Monday's lethargic clunker.

"One, get to the free throw line and I thought we did that," he said. "Two, push the ball. Obviously just defensively I thought we did a great job of communicating. Those first three quarters we came out and did those things. I think you can see in transition how we pushed the ball. You can do those things when you get stops. I thought we did a great job of that. We didn't make a lot of shots today and they're long and outrebounded us but it wasn't by much. We thought we did a good job of hitting those goals. We did a good job of competing. We didn't think we had great effort last night and I think we exceeded that tonight with how we played."

Preseason tweaks - There has been plenty of chatter about the length and set-up of the preseason. The Cavs are getting a taste of the challengeing schedule this year. They have played two separate back-to-backs already, with one more to come.

The cluster of games has led to sloppy performances and players being held out as a precaution. Blatt said Monday that he wouldn't sacrifice health for a better preseason product and that's the right decision. 

"I've expressed myself to the people that make those decisions on more than one occasion," Blatt said. "My voice is only one but it's my opinion that we should play four or maximum five preseason games and create a situation where we would have fewer back-to-backs so players have a little more time to rest and a little less wear and tear during the preseason. I think that would be good for the game and I know it would be good for the players. I also think it would be good for the fans."

James had pegged Tuesday night as a rest day and then he arrived to the arena feeling sick before being sent home. Mozgov was also held out after playing 27 minutes the night before against the powerful Memphis frontcourt. Kyrie Irving has yet to participate in practice so he was also absent along with Iman Shumpert, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith. Even Milwaukee didn't see a need to play youngster Giannis Antetokounmpo

Those absences created opportunities for other players, including camp invites Jared Cunningham, Chris Johnson, Dionte Christmas and Quin Cook -- all receiving double-digit minutes. The one open roster spot, which could be two depending on what happens with Thompson, will likely be decided in the preseason. In that sense, the seven games has value, especially for the those players fighting to make the team.

"You really get a feel for it in the games," Blatt said. "Can they get on the floor and help you because they're all going to practice hard. Can they get out in an NBA game and play?"

Cunningham, who seems to have the inside track on the last roster spot, struggled on Tuesday. He played 23 minutes, hitting 1-of-12 from the field and scoring six points.

J.R. Smith update - Monday night while sidelined with a hamstring injury, Smith spent part of the game grabbing some cotton candy from a vendor and snacking while on the bench. There weren't any cravings Tuesday, but he still didn't get the green light to return to the lineup.

"Hamstring is a tricky thing," Blatt said prior to the game. "There's a protocol for different levels of hamstring damage. It's really more of a day-to-day thing. I think seven days being a fair estimate as to when he will return to live play. We are still on the cautious side of things and waiting."

Smith will spend tomorrow getting treatment, but his status for Thursday's game against Indiana is still undecided. He has played in just one preseason game, scoring 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting against Atlanta. 

Cleveland Cavaliers fall to Milwaukee Bucks 110-101, remain winless in preseason

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The Cavaliers lose their fourth consecutive preseason game to the Milwaukee Bucks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Someone had to depart a winner for the first time this preseason Tuesday night. But for another meaningless night, it wasn't the Cavaliers.

As entertaining-less as it might have been for many, the depleted home team remained winless after losing 110-101 to the Milwaukee Bucks at The Q.

Milwaukee (1-2) overcame a 15-point third-quarter deficit and went on to obliterate the Cavaliers in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 35-23.

Cleveland (0-4) shot an abysmal 35 percent from the field. It wasn't Milwaukee's defense. They just couldn't buy a bucket.

Mo Williams was the team's high scorer with 18 points on 4-of-15 from the field to go with six rebounds and four assists. Richard Jefferson continues to play steadily, adding 16 points and three boards. Matthew Dellavedova contributed 13 points.

LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov were given the night off. Those electric players in street clothes along with the absences of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson made the presence of highlights few and far between.

The Cavaliers got off to a quick 9-0 start, but then the game took a turn to the ugly. It was a complete snoozer. A running clock was desperately needed.

It's the second time this exhibition season that James and Mozgov were sidelined for rest and maintenance purposes. Smith sat out his third consecutive contest with a sore left hamstring.

Head coach David Blatt assured everyone that Smith's status is merely precautionary, and it was evident by the shooting guard's rigorous pregame workout he went through with assistant coach Phil Handy. He wasn't favoring his hammy at all.

James arrived at the arena to support his team, but later felt ill. After speaking with the team and medical staff, they sent him home before tipoff.

The lack of excitement was due to players being out of commission, but Blatt would like to do away with a couple of preseason games permanently.

His premise is fewer games should equate to more meaningful games.

"I've expressed myself to the people that make those decisions on more than one occasion. My voice is only one, but it's clearly my opinion that we should play four, maximum five preseason games and create a situation where we can have fewer back-to-backs," Blatt said.

"Players will have a little bit more time to rest and a little bit less wear and tear during the preseason. I think that would be good for the game. I know it would be good for the players and I also think it would be good for the fans."

Tuesday wasn't particularly good for anyone. It was painful to watch.

Head coach Jason Kidd rested his most versatile player in Giannis Antetokounmpo and his best scorer in Jabari Parker. Rookie Rashad Vaughn and Greg Monroe each had 19 points. Monroe all gathered 13 rebounds. John Henson had 16 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Cleveland tries again on Thursday when they host the Indiana Pacers.

Ohio State gets a glimpse of James Franklin's recruiting plan for Penn State on Saturday

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Some young Franklin recruits are playing key roles for the 5-1 Nittany Lions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We're getting closer to seeing James Franklin's vision for Penn State.

It's far from complete, but Franklin has started to build the foundation for a Big Ten contender with a strong finish to the 2014 recruiting class, and 2015 class that was ranked second in the Big Ten and 14th in the country.

* Urban Meyer 2.0: Franklin is changing the culture of the Big Ten, which is good and bad news for Ohio State

Finally working with a full allotment of scholarships, Franklin is trying to build the kind of roster that can compete against Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan for Big Ten championships.

That's not the team you'll see on Saturday night when Ohio State hosts Penn State for a prime time kickoff, but it's closer to Franklin's vision than last year's team was.

The Nittany Lions are 5-1 with a large group of players recruited by former coach Bill O'Brien, and guys left over from the Joe Paterno era. But a handful are Franklin guys.

So if you want to get a sense of what Franklin will be bringing to the table once he gets a few more recruiting classes under his belt, watch these guys on Saturday night:

Saquon Barkley, Freshman, Running back, No. 26

The status of the true freshman, and highest-rated player in Penn State's 2015 recruiting class for Saturday night is still up in the air. Barkley hasn't played the last two weeks, and Franklin won't say if he'll play this week until game time on Saturday.

If he does, he brings another dimension to Penn State's offense. The former four-star prospect and No. 14 running back in the country has 42 carries for 373 yards (8.9 avg.) and four total touchdowns.

Brandon Polk, Freshman, Receiver, No. 10

The speedy Polk is a guy who can stretch the field in the passing game, and be a threat in the return game. Polk is averaging just under 15 yards per touch this year with two total touchdowns.

The former three-star prospect and No. 39 receiver in the 2015 class had a 39-yard touchdown reception against Indiana last week.

John Reid, Freshman, Cornerback, No. 29

The true freshman started early, and has played in every game this year. He leads the Lions with two interceptions, and has 11 tackles this season.

The four-star prospect and No. 17 corner in the Class of 2015, was recruited some by Ohio State, but never received an offer.

Saeed Blacknall, Sophomore, Receiver, No. 13

A late flip from Rutgers in the 2014 recruiting class, Blacknall was a four-star receiver who also had an offer from Ohio State. He had four catches for 101 yards against San Diego State, but hasn't had a touch the last two weeks. 

Blacknall had four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State last year.

Raffle set for Baldwin Wallace students' work at Super Bowl 50

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A fundraiser is under way to help about 30 Baldwin Wallace University sports-management students head to Super Bowl 50 in February. They will work in various support roles.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Before the conference champions meet in Super Bowl 50, before the ball is kicked off, and before anyone has filed into Levi's Stadium, a massive support staff needs to be put in place.

And that's where more than two dozen Baldwin Wallace University students come in.

For the fourth consecutive year, Dr. Charles Campisi, an assistant professor of sport management, will take about 30 students to work in various support roles for the Super Bowl.

The game is Sunday, Feb 7, in Santa Clara, California, but the hoopla, events, parties and activities leading up to the spectacle take place for weeks. Campisi's students will work in The NFL Experience the four days prior to the game, then shift to other roles on game day.

The NFL Experience is what the NFL deems an "interactive theme park" and includes games, displays and other entertainment options. In 2016, it will be at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The Baldwin Wallace students will help run it, then shift to the stadium on Sunday to assist people getting to the many VIP parties and events "in and around the stadium," Campisi said.

Baldwin Wallace has one of about 350 sports-management undergraduate programs, and most schools require an internship for students. While this trip does not constitute an internship, students gain valuable insight to the behind-the-scenes organizational support and planning required for major sports events.

"It's an opportunity to experience what we call a 'sports mega event'," said Campisi, who has taken students to Super Bowls in New Orleans; East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Glendale, Arizona.

"To be able to get into the lower bowls of the stadium on Super Bowl Sunday, what the NFL Experience is, how it's set up - all the bells and whistles and manpower that it takes to make these things happen."

While Campisi said he "never played a down of football," prior to teaching at Baldwin Wallace, he worked in community and media relations for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Students take a one-credit History of the Super Bowl class prior to their trip, which requires funding. They leave for California on Tuesday, Feb. 2, and return Monday, Feb. 8. A raffle has been organized to offset costs.

Grand prize for the 2016 Super Bowl 50 Trip Fundraiser is a Cleveland Browns VIP Gameday Package. Winner will receive two seats in the Cleveland Browns Alumni Suite for the Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns game at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 3, a pair of pre-game sideline/field passes, a gift bag with Browns items including a ball autographed by Jim Brown, and parking.

Prizes also include coolers, bobbleheads, mugs and other items from the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

Raffle tickets are $20. Winners do not need to be present at the drawing, which will be 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, in the School of Health, Physical Education and Sport Sciences in the Lou Higgins Center.

To buy tickets

Email: ccampisi@bw.edu

Write: Checks should be made out to Baldwin Wallace Sport Management Club, attn.: Charles Campisi, Baldwin Wallace University, 275 Eastland Road,

Berea, Ohio, 44017.

Call: 440-826-2190.

Online: https://www.facebook.com/BWSportManagement

Where can the Cleveland Indians find some offense? 5 burning questions for the Tribe's offseason

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The Indians don't have to be picky when plotting their offensive targets. But how will a team strapped for cash go about pursuing them?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As Northeast Ohio temperatures begin their annual descent, here are five burning questions facing the Cleveland Indians this winter.

What's the best avenue to travel to find some offense?

Chris Antonetti is aware of the challenge his club faces in upgrading a lineup that produced 4.16 runs per game, which ranked 18th among baseball's 30 teams. A little power would help. The Indians ranked 22nd in the majors with only 141 home runs. They finished seventh in on-base percentage, 16th in slugging.

"I think we have more work to do on our position player-side maybe than we do on the pitching side," Antonetti said.

How can the team rectify that?

"It's easy to sit here in the off-season and make up a wish list of things we'd like to have," Antonetti said. "It's much more difficult to go out and do that."

Left field, second base, shortstop and catcher would seem to be set, though Antonetti and manager Terry Francona aren't ruling out a switch to center field for Michael Brantley. So, the Indians don't have to be picky when plotting their targets. But how will a team strapped for cash go about pursuing them?

Antonetti admitted the front office will "have to be creative." Free agency won't provide the answer, unless owner Paul Dolan stumbles upon a record-setting scratch-off ticket. The Indians must determine whether they're willing to part with minor-league talent -- such as top prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier -- or part with pieces of their starting rotation.

"Our success is going to be largely predicated on the continued development of the players that we have here," Antonetti said, "both the guys that are currently on our major-league roster and players that will come up through our minor-league system. We'll exhaust the trade market to find players that we think fit and will help us be better, and then we'll also look to free agency to compliment that. I don't think we'll be in a position where we build our roster through free agency. That's not something that is a successful formula in any market, let alone ours."

Did Abraham Almonte and Lonnie Chisenhall convince the team they can be everyday players?

Antonetti said the Indians "envision [Almonte] having a very meaningful role" in 2016, though he said "exactly how that will take shape will depend upon what happens this off-season."

Almonte posted a .264/.321/.455 slash line in 51 games with the Tribe, his most productive stretch of big-league action. He said the change of scenery helped him to relax. At worst, he figures to be a reserve outfielder.

Chisenhall switched to right field and was a defensive revelation. According to FanGraphs, he was responsible for 11 defensive runs saved over 354 innings in right field, tied for 19th-most among the entire league's crop of position players. All players ahead of him tallied at least 1,000 innings.

"I'm not sure any of us could have expected him to go out and be as good as he was right out of the gate," Antonetti said, "because we recognize how difficult position changes are."

He did still compile a .246/.294/.372 clip, and that includes a .253/.282/.358 slash line against righties. Would he fit into a right-field platoon?

What will happen with the club's four potential free agents?

The Indians have until three days after the end of the World Series to make a decision on Ryan Raburn, who has a $3 million team option or a $100,000 buyout. Raburn could form a platoon with Chisenhall.

Jose Ramirez could fill the utility player role previously held by Mike Aviles, who is eligible for free agency. Aviles, 34, batted .231 with a .282 on-base percentage this year while focusing much of his attention on his daughter's battle with leukemia.

Right-handers Ryan Webb and Gavin Floyd are also eligible for free agency. Floyd said he would welcome a chance to pitch for the Indians again. He also would prefer to start. He has missed most of the last three years because of a string of elbow surgeries.

Does the bullpen need reinforcements?

Bryan Shaw has totaled 70 or more appearances for three consecutive seasons. Francona also turned to Cody Allen and Zach McAllister at just about every opportunity. Webb and Jeff Manship factored into the equation more as the season unfolded.

In terms of southpaws, the club has Giovanni Soto, Kyle Crockett and Nick Hagadone -- who the club hopes will be ready for spring training -- in the mix.

The Indians could use another steady hand or two in relief.

Is the rotation OK as is?

If a team can never have enough pitching, then when does a team stop acquiring able arms? The Indians lacked sufficient starting pitching depth for the first three months of the 2015 campaign, as evidenced by the revolving door in the fifth slot in the rotation. By the end of the year, the team relocated Trevor Bauer to the bullpen because Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin were thriving.

Barring a trade, the Tribe figures to bring six starters to spring training to compete for five spots. Will that be that enough?

NFL week 6 injury report: Will Ben Roethlisberger play?

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The latest look at injuries around the NFL as week 6 gets underway tonight.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The National Football League injury report, as provided by the league (OUT - Definitely will not play; DNP - Did not practice; LIMITED - Limited participation in practice; FULL - Full participation in practice):

ATLANTA FALCONS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS -- FALCONS: OUT: LB Justin Durant (elbow), G Mike Person (ankle). PROBABLE: RB Devonta Freeman (toe), WR Leonard Hankerson (ribs), WR Julio Jones (toe, hamstring). SAINTS: OUT: G Tim Lelito (shoulder), P Thomas Morstead (right quadriceps), CB Damian Swann (concussion). DOUBTFUL: T Terron Armstead (knee), WR Marques Colston (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: DE Bobby Richardson (hip). PROBABLE: S Jairus Byrd (knee), G Jahri Evans (knee), DT John Jenkins (hip), CB Keenan Lewis (hip).

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -- PATRIOTS: DNP: T Nate Solder (biceps). LIMITED: CB Tarell Brown (foot), DE Trey Flowers (knee, shoulder), LB Dont'a Hightower (ribs). COLTS: DNP: LB Jerrell Freeman (groin), WR Andre Johnson (not injury related), LB Robert Mathis (rest), RB Tyler Varga (concussion). LIMITED: LB Trent Cole (back), LB Nate Irving (knee), QB Andrew Luck (right shoulder). FULL: LB Bjoern Werner (hamstring).

WASHINGTON REDSKINS at NEW YORK JETS -- REDSKINS: DNP: CB DeAngelo Hall (toe), DE Jason Hatcher (not injury related), TE Jordan Reed (concussion). LIMITED: CB Bashaud Breeland (shoulder), CB Chris Culliver (knee), WR DeSean Jackson (hamstring), RB Matt Jones (toe), C Kory Lichtensteiger (shoulder, finger), DE Stephen Paea (back), T Trent Williams (spine). FULL: WR Pierre Garcon (knee), DE Kedric Golston (hand), G Spencer Long (knee), LB Perry Riley Jr. (calf), RB Chris Thompson (shoulder). JETS: DNP: S Jaiquawn Jarrett (knee), WR Chris Owusu (knee), CB Marcus Williams (hamstring). LIMITED: G Willie Colon (knee), CB Antonio Cromartie (groin), TE Jeff Cumberland (concussion), LB David Harris (quadriceps), LB Jamari Lattimore (concussion), RB Bilal Powell (groin). FULL: S Dion Bailey (elbow), LB Quinton Coples (elbow), WR Eric Decker (knee), RB Chris Ivory (quadriceps), S Calvin Pryor (knee), CB Darrin Walls (hamstring), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ribs), DE Leonard Williams (ankle).

ARIZONA CARDINALS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS -- CARDINALS: OUT: LB Alex Okafor (calf). DNP: WR John Brown (hamstring), S Tyrann Mathieu (heel), LB LaMarr Woodley (chest). LIMITED: CB Justin Bethel (foot), TE Darren Fells (hip), S Tony Jefferson (neck). STEELERS: DNP: S Will Allen (ankle), LB Jarvis Jones (hip), G Doug Legursky (back). LIMITED: CB Cortez Allen (knee), QB Ben Roethlisberger (knee), LB Ryan Shazier (shoulder).

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS -- CHIEFS: DNP: LB Josh Mauga (groin, Achilles), DT Dontari Poe (ankle). FULL: CB Jamell Fleming (elbow), TE Travis Kelce (groin, neck), TE James O'Shaughnessy (hand). VIKINGS: DNP: DE Justin Trattou (foot), WR Mike Wallace (knee). LIMITED: WR Charles Johnson (rib), S Andrew Sendejo (knee). FULL: CB Jabari Price (shoulder), WR Jarius Wright (hand).

CINCINNATI BENGALS at BUFFALO BILLS -- BENGALS: DNP: CB Leon Hall (back), CB Adam Jones (groin), WR Brandon Tate (illness), T Andrew Whitworth (not injury related). LIMITED: WR Marvin Jones (foot), CB Dre Kirkpatrick (hip), T Andre Smith (elbow), G Kevin Zeitler (elbow). BILLS: DNP: WR Marcus Easley (shoulder), WR Percy Harvin (hip), RB Karlos Williams (concussion). LIMITED: TE Charles Clay (calf), DT Marcell Dareus (hip), T Cordy Glenn (ankle), WR Chris Hogan (hamstring), LB Randell Johnson (hand), RB LeSean McCoy (hamstring), G John Miller (groin), S Bacarri Rambo (quadriceps), QB Tyrod Taylor (knee), WR Sammy Watkins (calf). FULL: CB Ron Brooks (thumb), T Cyrus Kouandjio (knee).

CHICAGO BEARS at DETROIT LIONS -- BEARS: DNP: LB Shea McClellin (knee), CB Terrance Mitchell (hamstring), S Antrel Rolle (ankle), WR Eddie Royal (ankle). LIMITED: WR Joshua Bellamy (groin), T Jermon Bushrod (shoulder), DT Ego Ferguson (knee), WR Alshon Jeffery (hamstring), LB Pernell McPhee (shoulder), G Patrick Omameh (ankle), DT Jeremiah Ratliff (ankle), DT Will Sutton (elbow). LIONS: DNP: S James Ihedigbo (quadriceps), LB DeAndre Levy (hip), DT Haloti Ngata (calf). LIMITED: TE Eric Ebron (knee), DE Jason Jones (knee), DE Darryl Tapp (ankle), T LaAdrian Waddle (knee). FULL: RB Joique Bell (ankle), G Larry Warford (ankle).

DENVER BRONCOS at CLEVELAND BROWNS -- BRONCOS: DNP: TE Owen Daniels (not injury related), QB Peyton Manning (not injury related), G Evan Mathis (hamstring), CB Aqib Talib (ankle), WR Demaryius Thomas (neck), RB Juwan Thompson (hamstring), G Louis Vasquez (not injury related), LB DeMarcus Ware (back). LIMITED: WR Bennie Fowler (hamstring), T Ryan Harris (knee), WR Cody Latimer (groin), T Ty Sambrailo (shoulder). FULL: DE Kenny Anunike (knee), S Omar Bolden (foot). BROWNS: DNP: S Tashaun Gipson (ankle), CB Joe Haden (concussion, finger), LB Craig Robertson (ankle), DT Randy Starks (not injury related), T Joe Thomas (not injury related). LIMITED: DE Desmond Bryant (shoulder), RB Isaiah Crowell (toe), LB Karlos Dansby (ankle), RB Shaun Draughn (back), QB Josh McCown (ankle), RB Robert Turbin (ankle). FULL: WR Brian Hartline (thigh), QB Johnny Manziel (right elbow), T Mitchell Schwartz (thumb).

HOUSTON TEXANS at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS -- TEXANS: DNP: RB Alfred Blue (toe), CB A.J. Bouye (illness), LB Jadeveon Clowney (ankle), DE Jared Crick (knee), S Quintin Demps (hamstring), CB Kareem Jackson (not injury related), LB Brian Peters (hamstring), WR Nate Washington (hamstring). LIMITED: T Oday Aboushi (toe), T Duane Brown (hand), LB Akeem Dent (hamstring), TE C.J. Fiedorowicz (neck), RB Arian Foster (groin), RB Jonathan Grimes (hamstring), T Derek Newton (knee), WR Cecil Shorts III (shoulder). FULL: S Lonnie Ballentine (knee), LB Brian Cushing (ankle), RB Chris Polk (knee). JAGUARS: DNP: DE Chris Clemons (not injury related), WR Allen Hurns (ankle, thigh), DT Abry Jones (knee), WR Marqise Lee (hamstring), T Jermey Parnell (knee), RB Bernard Pierce (concussion, hamstring), LB Paul Posluszny (ankle), S James Sample (shoulder), RB T.J. Yeldon (groin). LIMITED: C Luke Bowanko (neck), CB Davon House (hip contusion), T Sam Young (illness). FULL: QB Blake Bortles (right shoulder), CB Aaron Colvin (shoulder), DT Sen'Derrick Marks (knee), RB Denard Robinson (knee), TE Julius Thomas (hand).

MIAMI DOLPHINS at TENNESSEE TITANS -- DOLPHINS: DNP: DT A.J. Francis (back). LIMITED: T Branden Albert (hamstring), CB Zack Bowman (shoulder), CB Brent Grimes (knee), TE Dion Sims (concussion), DE Cameron Wake (hamstring). TITANS: DNP: S Michael Griffin (not injury related), NT Sammie Hill (knee, illness), LB Avery Williamson (hamstring). LIMITED: TE Anthony Fasano (concussion), T Taylor Lewan (shoulder), LB Deiontrez Mount (knee). FULL: CB Cody Riggs (knee), G Chance Warmack (knee).

CAROLINA PANTHERS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS -- PANTHERS: DNP: DE Jared Allen (back), T Daryl Williams (knee). LIMITED: TE Richie Brockel (hamstring), LB A.J. Klein (concussion). FULL: WR Jerricho Cotchery (ankle), LB Luke Kuechly (concussion), G Amini Silatolu (ankle). SEAHAWKS: No data reported

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS at GREEN BAY PACKERS -- CHARGERS: DNP: T King Dunlap (concussion), T Chris Hairston (ankle), WR Stevie Johnson (hamstring), CB Craig Mager (hamstring), DE Darius Philon (hip, thigh), LB Manti Te'o (ankle), C Chris Watt (groin, concussion), LB Tourek Williams (foot). LIMITED: LB Kyle Emanuel (shoulder), T D.J. Fluker (ankle), G Orlando Franklin (ankle). PACKERS: DNP: LB Nick Perry (shoulder, hand), DT B.J. Raji (groin). LIMITED: WR Davante Adams (ankle), S Morgan Burnett (calf), CB Demetri Goodson (hamstring), WR James Jones (hamstring), G T.J. Lang (knee), LB Jake Ryan (hamstring). FULL: T Bryan Bulaga (knee), WR Randall Cobb (shoulder), CB Ladarius Gunter (heel).

BALTIMORE RAVENS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: No data reported

NEW YORK GIANTS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: No data reported


Lamar Odom's reported cocaine use; Toronto Blue Jays' bizarre win; Royals' comeback: Sports Trending (photos)

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A sheriff reports on Lamar Odom's cocaine use before being found unconscious in a brothel. The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Rangers with a bizarre seventh inning. The Kansas City Royals came back to beat the Houston Astros. The Mets face the Dodgers in an epic Game 5 pitching matchup.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A Nevada sheriff said Lamar Odom had been using cocaine days before he was found unresponsive at a brothel, and his estranged wife Khloe Kardashian is at his side making medical decisions. Baseball never has seen a seventh inning as bizarre or a Jose Bautista bat flip more epic as the ones that propelled the Toronto Blue Jays past the Texas Rangers and into the ALCS.

Toronto will face the small-market Kansas City Royals, who keep finding ways to build a winner, and then keep winning, as they did in a Game 5 comeback against Houston.

An epic Game 5 pitching battle is expected tonight between the Los Angeles Dodgers' Zack Greinke and the New York Mets' Jacob deGrom.

A tennis star is suing the USTA over a fall.

DMan predicts the Deflategate rematch winner.

And don't look now, but the PGA Tour season starts today, just four days after the last one ended.

These are some of the trending sports stories Thursday: 

Odom reportedly used cocaine: Former NBA star Lamar Odom had been using cocaine on Saturday, employees at the Nevada brothel where he was found unresponsive four days later told 911 dispatchers, Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly told reporters Wednesday.

Investigators have obtained a blood sample from Odom, which will be submitted for testing to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police laboratory.

On a 911 call played at a news conference, a woman says she also saw Odom take 10 herbal supplement tablets over three days. (CNN.com) 

Family arrives, Khloe Kardashian making decisions: Reality television star Khloe Kardashian will make medical decisions for the former NBA star, a source close to Kardashian said Wednesday.

The couple's divorce has not been finalized.

Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner, posted a message to Instagram.

"Please pray for Lamar #ourfighter," she wrote. (CNN.com)

Lamar Odom's life of high drama: As a kid on the gritty streets of Queens, Lamar Odom wanted to ride his fiery talent to the NBA.

A lefty with the strength of a rebounder and the touch of a sharpshooter, he would lean on those skills to move away from the crime that beckoned him, the classes that bored him, the addict father who bedeviled him. (Los Angeles Times) 

Blue Jays' bizarre big win: The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first trip to the American League Championship Series since 1993, overcoming one of the most bizarre plays in playoff history when Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer after three Texas Rangers errors for a 6-3 victory Wednesday in the deciding Game 5 of the Division Series.

The Blue Jays became the third team to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games at home. They play the winner of Game 5 between Houston and Kansas City later Wednesday. Game 1 of the ALCS is Friday night.

Bautista's homer capped an event-filled, 53-minute seventh inning that took a turn when Toronto catcher Russell Martin's throw back to the pitcher deflected off batter Shin-Soo Choo and allowed the tiebreaking to score. (Associated Press) 

The epic seventh inning: You will remember the seventh inning, above all. You will laugh about it with your friends over beers, order another round, what the hell. You will still find it hard to believe, and will have to reassure yourself. You will remember the waves of emotions, the anger and the despair, and then that feeling. You know, the big one. That sound. The crack. (Toronto Star)

Blue Jays fans get nasty: The 53-minute seventh inning Wednesday afternoon at Rogers Centre had a little bit of everything.

Two bench-clearing jawing matches, a rare score on a throw back to the pitcher, three consecutive errors and a shower of debris thrown from unruly Toronto Blue Jays fans who for much of the evening seemed convinced the local team was being jobbed by the umpiring crew. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Royals' small-market gambit pays off: When the Royals acquired pitcher Johnny Cueto on July 26 in exchange for three pitching prospects, they addressed their most glaring issue and made a bold and indisputable proclamation.

The future was now for a small-market franchise whose windows of opportunity can be fleeting -- as a generation-plus of Royals fans knows only too well.

But the Cueto gambit was only the start of an all-in philosophical approach to the end of the 2015 season -- a season the Royals entered mindful of Game 7 of the 2014 World Series not as something to celebrate but as a springboard to unfinished work.

The aggressiveness was reinforced days later, when they traded two more prospects for utilityman Ben Zobrist. (Kansas City Star-Telegram)

Respect for fallen firefighters: Thirty-eight members of the Kansas City Fire Department walked onto the Kauffman Stadium field on Wednesday night, 10 minutes before the Royals and Astros played Game 5 of their American League Division Series.

Halfway through the procession, which lined up from home plate past the first-base bag, an unprompted cheer started and steadily grew among the sellout crowd, which had settled into its seats well before the opening pitch.

That cheer only grew louder when the families of firefighters Larry J. Leggio and John V. Mesh entered the field and huddled around the 2015 ALDS logo painted in the grass.

Leggio and Mesh were killed Monday night in the line of duty when a wall collapsed as they battled a three-story blaze. (Kansas City Star-Telegram)

Zack Greinke's final start for Los Angeles Dodgers? When the Dodgers take their home field Thursday in Game 5 of their National League division series, they will be playing their first winner-take-all postseason game in 27 years.

The stakes are high. If they defeat the New York Mets, they will advance to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs. If they lose, their season will be over.

For starting pitcher Zack Greinke, the game is significant for another reason: It could be his last with the Dodgers. (Los Angeles Times)

Jacob deGrom's monumental task for Mets: Jacob deGrom will get the ball Thursday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Mets asking him to win on the road for the second time in a five-game playoff series. It is a tough task, but at least this time the starter whom deGrom is facing has won only one Cy Young Award, not three. (New York Times)

Four days later, PGA Tour starts anew: The PGA Tour's 2015-16 season begins today with Rory McIlroy heading the field at the $6 million Frys.com Open in Napa, Calif.

How is that even possible? Didn't the 2014-15 season just end? And you thought baseball season was never ending. (The Plain Dealer) 

DMan picks Patriots in Deflategate rematch: The footballs will be fully inflated Sunday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. And Tom Brady will do just fine.

Quarterback Brady and the New England Patriots will handle the Indianapolis Colts, just as they did in the AFC Championship Game in January at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (The Plain Dealer)

USTA sued by star over fall at US Open: Tennis Pro player Eugenie Bouchard has filed a lawsuit towards the USA Tennis Affiliation after she slipped and fell in a locker room through the US Open.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court docket in Brooklyn, Bouchard claims her fall was brought on by a "slippery, international and harmful substance" on the ground of the physiotherapy room of the ladies' locker room.

Bouchard says she suffered a extreme head harm, which precipitated her to withdraw from the event and several other others. (Statesman Tribune)

Blue Jackets off to worst start: The Columbus Blue Jackets can't get out of their own zone right now. Until that changes, the 2015-16 season won't be suitable for viewing by children. On Wednesday night, the Blue Jackets squandered leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, allowing Ottawa to score the final five goals in a 7-3 rout at Nationwide Arena. It was an ugly night at the rink. By the end of it, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was getting Bronx cheers for stopping a rolling puck behind his net, and those left in the arena drowned out the final buzzer with boos.

The Blue Jackets are 0-4-0 for the first time in their 15-season history. (Columbus Dispatch) 

Bruins avert 0-4 start: The Boston Bruins have lost four consecutive games to begin a season just twice in their 92-year history. A loss Wednesday night would have added a third to that list. They made certain that did not happen. Playing away from TD Garden for the first time this season, the Bruins laid waste to the Colorado Avalanche, getting points from 10 different players in a decisive 6-2 victory. Jimmy Hayes led the way in Boston's slump-busting win, scoring his first goal of the season and adding three assists for a career-high four points. Zdeno Chara and Ryan Spooner chipped in with two points apiece, and backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson finished with 19 saves in his Bruins debut. (NESN.com)

Cleveland Browns looking for answers before run defense becomes a punch line -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

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Cleveland sports fans wonder about the campaign to make the Browns great again and what ever happened to Dwayne Bowe -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

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

 YOU SAID IT

Bud: Mike Pettine found the Browns defense against the Ravens "puzzling." Was our defense in the other four games "an enigma wrapped in a riddle"? -- Rich Abe, Munson

Here's a riddle: What comes racing out of the tunnel and quickly rolls over? Hint: it's not Swagger.

Bud: I know the Browns' run defense has been significantly improved over last year because G.M. Ray Farmer and Coach Pettine have said so, but how do I convince my lying eyes? - Keith H, Berea

The running lanes don't look nearly as gaping if you squint.

Bud: Would the Society of People Who Are Way Too Easily Offended demand an apology if Harold Reynolds said that Cleveland fans don't know how to celebrate a championship? - Ignatowski

Please explain yourself. What's a championship?

Bud: Did I see Donald Trump wearing a "MAKE THE BROWNS GREAT AGAIN" cap? - Michael Sarro

Matching the immediate chances of that happening with the corresponding presidential candidate in the polls, I think that's a better hat for George Pataki.

Hey Bud: What's easier to find? A qualified presidential candidate. Hair on the top of your head.  Or playoff baseball on TV? - Devin, Concord

A good You Said It entry, apparently.

Bud: When does the Dwayne Bowe suspension end? -- Bill Beasley, Madison

You Said It winners finally get off the sidelines and perform under pressure.

Former Cleveland Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius now makes plays in the laundry business: Reinvention

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Former Cleveland Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius spends most of his time these days trying to make plays of a different sort -- working to build an inner-city laundry business and a dry-cleaning service with a much further reach. Learn how he turned life after pro football into a successful career. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - These days former Cleveland Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius spends most of his time trying to make plays of a different sort, working to build an inner-city laundry business and a dry-cleaning service with a much further reach.

For the last three years the former NFL Super Bowl champ, while playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has been running a company he built from the ground up, Spins Laundromats, with three locations in Cleveland. In May, he moved into the laundry industry's newest online laundry delivery trend as a franchise owner of WashClub Cleveland. The business offers pick-up and delivery laundry service in 24-hours and drycleaning in 48-hours.

Just five years ago he never imagined he would become an entrepreneur.

"I think it's easier to work for someone than it is to own a business. You just don't have the same stresses," said the Chardon-area native. "When there's issues I get the phone calls."

Similar to a lot of professional athletes who didn't consider life after football until he was forced to leave the sport with an injury, Jurevicius initially considered options that included working as a sports broadcaster. But he didn't want to spend so much time away from his wife and two small kids. He even took on a seasonal job for a couple of years, guiding gaming hunts in the fall on a ranch, owned by another former football player.

The NFL Players Association uses 3.5 years as a guideline for the average career, with estimates that for players who become starters in the league, careers tend to last about eight years.

Upon leaving pro football, Jurevicius was clueless about his next career step, but he was certain that he came from a working-class family and he wanted to be a productive citizen and positive role model. Even though he's had about 15 surgeries throughout his career on several parts of his body, he knew he didn't want to be among former pro athletes who lost all of their money way too soon.

Jurevicius, 41, played for the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks before signing with his hometown team as a free agent in 2006. But he played only the first two years of his four-year contract because of a staph infection. He caught more than 90 passes during those two seasons, but a knee injury, the infection, and several surgeries ended his career. He sued the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Clinic, reaching an undisclosed settlement in 2010.

After telling people in his inside circle that he was open to trying something entirely new, he was introduced to an out-of-state successful business owner in the laundry industry. Before he knew it, he found himself studying as much as he could about the field.

"I wanted to do something different, but I didn't know what that was. It seemed like it started to give me some purpose studying the laundromat business," he said. "It took a couple of years to get the first one up and running. I was learning about real estate, dealing with attorneys, operating agreements and negotiating leases. I was completely out of my realm."

He built the first location on 69th and Lorain three years ago. He bought an existing location on 79th and Euclid Avenue next. The third location, which opened in August, was initially a shell in Collinwood, at 149th and St. Clair.

"I definitely feel smarter now than I did five years ago. There are no stupid questions. I try to read as much as I can, and I try to learn as much as I can from other business owners in all sorts of fields," he said. "I'm just not afraid to ask questions. I like to sometimes just sit back and watch and take mental notes from people in coffee shops all the way down to steel yards. I figure there's something I will be able to use.

"I've always said I was fortunate to be able to play football for such a long time," said Jurevicius, who was a football standout at Lake Catholic High School and played for Penn State in college. "But I'm happy to be learning more about this industry every day.

"My places have to look good. I want high-efficiency machines. And the business has to operate well because people are spending their money. It's not just for the customer, it's for me too. I want a little bit of self pride when I walk into a store and say I own it. If a customer likes it, I'm doing half my job."

How does your previous experience in the NFL help with your new role in the laundry business?

It has everything to do with work ethic. In the NFL, I faced challenges with people who were just better athletes and had been around the game longer or had more knowledge. But the only way to get to that level is to learn from the best and work a little harder. The work ethic I learned from what I inherited from my family and being in sports encouraged me to never be afraid. If you're not willing to take a risk, then there's not going to be a reward.

What's the best advice you ever received?

It's probably not business advice. But my father has always said that blood is always thicker than water. It's not to say that I don't have my staple of friends, but you seem to find out that life goes on, and everybody goes into different directions. And maybe when you can't provide tickets anymore you lose some friends.

What are the top three apps you use the most?

I use Scoutlook for hunting. I hunt as much as I can. I use Soundhound for searching and playing music. If you love music, it's the real deal. And I like Dipsy Diver for fishing.

Do you have a mentor or mentors?

For this part of my life, no question it's Bob Schwartz. The guy owns 26 laundry locations and he's a very successful businessman. Just like a good coach in football, it was really important for me to have someone to learn from. He answers my emails, picks up my phone calls and we meet a couple of times a year. I continue to learn from him because we talk three or four times a week. He's become the head coach of my second career.

What are you looking forward to in the next five years with your business?

I want to grow my neighborhood laundry business and WashClub, the laundry and dry cleaning pick-up service. If I can be successful at that, the more I can do for the city of Cleveland. The city has always supported me. I look forward to one day being able to put a park in an area that desperately needs one. I've always said I was fortunate to be able to play football for such a long time

Can you offer one piece of advice for someone looking to reinvent?

Have the guts. It takes a lot of guts to get out there and do something that you're not comfortable with once you've been in a certain genre of work for a long time. When you're looking to do something on the opposite end of the spectrum, it takes guts. If you've got a little bit of knowledge and the guts to go for it, despite challenges you're bound to face, I would encourage people to reinvent themselves.

Read about how other have "reinvented" themselves here.

Similar to The Plain Dealer's former column called "My Biggest Mistake...and How I fixed it," I'm now interested in sharing what drives a person or company to make a drastic change that led to success. I am looking for Career-changers - from millenials to retirees- and companies, from start-ups to major corporations, who want to share their stories. The focus: people who have drastically switched careers in the past five years and businesses that have found new ways to survive in a changing and ever-evolving marketplace. If that sounds like you, please contact me, Marcia Pledger, at (216) 470-7324 or send an email to mpledger@plaind.com.

Ohio State football: Outrageous predictions for Penn State -- 4 Joey Bosa sacks, 7 combined passing TDs

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Ohio State hosts Penn State at 8 p.m. Saturday in Ohio Stadium. Black uniforms. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It's going to be a dark night in Ohio Stadium for Saturday's game between Ohio State and Penn State.

So it was a dark night in our video for outrageous predictions for the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions.

Last week we basically went 2-for-3 in our outrageous predictions for Ohio State vs. Maryland. Ari said Braxton Miller would score, and he did. Doug said Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett would both throw two touchdowns -- Jones did, and Barrett had three rushing touchdowns as the red zone quarterback. So we'll give Doug that one.

Here are our outrageous predictions for Ohio State vs. Penn State:

Doug Lesmerises predicts 7 total touchdowns will be thrown

This assumes we'll see solid quarterback play from Penn State's Christian Hackenberg and Ohio State's Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett. Against two solid defenses, expect stopping the run to be a focus. Expect the response to be smart throws -- check downs and middle range passes, not a host of deep shots.

Though the Buckeyes ran very well in the red zone last week, an intense focus on Ezekiel Elliott by the Penn State front four will force the Buckeyes into other options. And they will work.

Bill Landis predicts 4 sacks for Joey Bosa

This is more about Bosa getting back on track in terms of his sack total. He's got 1.5 sacks through five games this season, well off his pace from last year when he had 5.5 at this point. Penn State's offensive line has allowed 19 sacks this year, 10 in a season-opening loss to Temple.

Four is a lot, and would tie a single-game record at Ohio State. Bosa has been playing well by all accounts, this is the week that it all equates to a multiple-shrug game.

Ari Wasserman predicts a touchdown for K.J. Hill

I got sucked in again. 

Meyer said in his press conference on Wednesday evening that he expects Hill, a freshman receiver, to play against Penn State. So often when he says a freshman is going to play, he doesn't, but I'll take the bait this time. 

Because Ohio State's wide receivers have taken a shot depth-wise, and Hill looked really impressive during fall camp. So here's something outrageous: Hill catches a touchdown during his first Ohio State game under the lights vs. Penn State. 

Ohio State football vs. Penn State: Chat with beat writers for both teams from 1 to 2 p.m. today

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What's on your mind about the 6-0 Buckeyes and 5-1 Nittany Lions? Share your questions and comments and join the live chat today with Ohio State and Penn State reporters starting at 1 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State football team might not be playing the Big Ten's marquee game this week, but the Buckeyes will be playing in prime time Saturday against a traditional power, Penn State, and wearing black uniforms for the first time.

Get the inside story on Saturday's 8 p.m. kickoff at Ohio Stadium by joining our live chat today from 1 to 2 p.m.

Share your thoughts and ask questions in the comments below, where you will find Northeast Ohio Media Group OSU writers Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis; as well as PennLive PSU reporters Bob Flounders, David Jones, and Greg Pickel; and fans for both teams commenting on both cleveland.com and pennlive.com.

Leave your questions and comments below and we'll be in there to chat today starting at 1 p.m.

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