In replacing a boys basketball coach with the credentials of Phil Argento Sr., Lakewood turned to someone close.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio – In replacing a boys basketball coach with the credentials of Phil Argento Sr., Lakewood turned to someone close.

The school’s board of education approved Alex Cammock, a 2002 graduate, Monday night as its next coach. A member of the Rangers’ staff for almost a decade, Cammock served as Argento’s top assistant the last four seasons. That time included a historic 2013-14 season in which Lakewood won its first league championship in 40 years.

Coming off a 15-8 record last season, Lakewood enters the Southwestern Conference this winter after its successful run in the West Shore Conference.

Neither Cammock nor Argento could be reached Tuesday morning for comment.

“Alex will take the program and enhance it and make it better,” Argento said in a release from the school. “I feel good leaving it in his hands.”

Argento, 68, coached eight seasons at Lakewood and will remain within the district as its attendance officer.

A 1964 Cleveland West High School graduate, he played at the University of Kentucky and was drafted into the NBA and ABA. The Plain Dealer selected him in February as the top player for its 1960s all-decade team series, and the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame inducted him as a member in 1996. Argento also coached his son, Phil Argento Jr., during a successful stint at Lutheran West.

Cammock takes the Lakewood job after further entrenching himself with his alma mater. He also is an assistant varsity baseball coach and teaches social studies, but this fall marks his first year teaching at the high school. He was hired by the district in 2008 to instruct at Harding Middle School. 

For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul), by email (mgoul@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

The Browns wide receiver was inactive again on Sunday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns made Dwayne Bowe inactive again on Sunday, even though he was healthy. The team's $9 million man hasn't lived up to the expectations yet in 2015.

Today we played the hashtag game, starting with Dwayne Bowe. What hashtag best fits a tweet about Bowe again being inactive. We also had some fun with Peyton Manning no longer being Peyton Manning. You can check out that video over to the right.

Jeff Ginn Jr. commits to Fordham University.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Glenville senior wide receiver Jeff Ginn Jr. has an opportunity to football play at Fordham University in New York. As a result of his skill set and experience playing different positions, the 6-foot-2, 206-pounder could play a number of positions.

“Fordham is going to make sure you are OK after the four years,” Ginn said about his commitment to Fordham. “While football is a huge part of my decision, education is even more important.”

On Monday, Ginn made his announcement after visiting Fordham on Saturday. It was his first Division I offer after weighing ones from Butler Community College in Kansas and Notre Dame College in Ohio.

The transfer from Atascocita, Texas, has recorded 16 receptions for 302 yards and five touchdowns in eight games this season. He also has one interception for 55 yards and has kicked six PATs. He tallied three receptions for 101 yards in Glenville’s Week 4 victory against Senate Athletic League opponent John Marshall.

“He has a lot of speed and the kid is fast,” John Marshall coach Russell Germaine said.

Ginn, who is not ranked by the major national recruiting services, is the son of former Walsh Jesuit football player Jeff Ginn Sr. and a nephew of Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr.

“Every good player is not built on stars (from recruiting services) and you don’t always have to have a star to have a great team,” said Ted Ginn Sr. “Fordham is getting a quality person, good student, a good player and a great young man, and it’s not because his last name is Ginn.”

Blessed to be offered by Fordham University @FORDHAMFOOTBALLpic.twitter.com/OZqPLysooL

— Jeff Ginn, Jr. 7⃣ (@JginnJr) September 28, 2015

As for his preference of what position to play, Ginn Jr. said he is willing to play wherever they coaching staff needs him. Ted Ginn said two options for the senior could be playing wide receiver and safety. For the Tarblooders, the Fordham commit has also seen playing time at linebacker and kicker.

The senior at Ginn Academy said he is still undecided about a major. Psychology, journalism and business are three choices he is considering.

Glenville is 7-1 overall and 5-0 SAL. Ranked No. 9 in the cleveland.com Top 25 and No. 7 in the Division II state poll, the Tarblooders play on Friday at Collinwood at 3 p.m.

Contact Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline), by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

"If you get it in the right spot, you'll just tip the guy right over," Bosa said, explaining a move. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Find the soft spot where your shoulder connects to your torso, right above your armpit, then take a couple fingers and dig in there.

Now imagine Joey Bosa doing that to you as you attempt to block him on a pass rush.

That's part of Bosa's art when it comes to knocking people over.

"There's a two-hand power rush where you're just bull rushing the guy," Bosa said Monday as the Buckeyes get ready for a trip to Rutgers on Saturday. "Then there's the long arm where if you get it in the right spot, you'll just tip the guy right over. If you get it right in the spot, they just fall right over."

Bosa said he and fellow defensive end Tyquan Lewis had some luck working that move, taught to them by defensive line coach Larry Johnson, on teammates during preseason camp. Bosa's most famous rush right through an opponent occurred last year at Penn State when Bosa drove running Akeel Lynch into Christian Hackenberg for a game-ending sack. Lynch was a 220-pound running back.

Saturday in a 38-10 win over the Nittany Lions, Bosa tried that on 300-pound Penn State right tackle Andrew Nelson, and he almost pushed him all the way back into Hackenberg on a first-quarter play. Bosa was thinking about last year and a little disappointed he didn't get Nelson quite all the way into the quarterback for another sack by teammate.

Bosa said those power rushes were the plan on Nelson.

"On film it showed he was giving that up," Bosa said. "I wasn't really trying to run around him or do anything special. I was just working all week on bringing it to him and bringing the power rush."

As he continues to build his game in a season that includes 2.5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss, the numbers not telling the story of how well he has played, Bosa knows he needs to show that power so he can then do other things.

"I think every different move helps each other," Bosa said. "I've got to set up my speed rush or any other rush with the power. If I can't do both of them then they'll be expecting one, so you've got to play off each of the moves." 

That Saturday push should be on the minds of the next few tackles who face Bosa, even if it's not his preferred method of reaching the quarterback.

"I like going around guys," Bosa said, "but through is equally, I guess, as effective."

Here's that career highlight from last year's Penn State game.

See conference standings for every football league in Northeast Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here is a breakdown of high school football conference standings and overall records entering Week 9 for every league with a Northeast Ohio team.

Also check out links to every conference in the area.

The charts below also list overall records, as well as links to every team’s homepage, where you can find all the latest news, stats, schedule and more. The records are updated in real time.

AKRON CITY SERIES

CHAGRIN VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAGRIN DIVISION

CHAGRIN VALLEY CONFERENCE VALLEY DIVISION

FEDERAL LEAGUE

GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

GREATER CLEVELAND CONFERENCE

LAKE ERIE LEAGUE

NORTH COAST LEAGUE BLUE DIVISION

NORTH COAST LEAGUE WHITE DIVISION

NORTHEASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

PATRIOT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE STARS DIVISION

PATRIOT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE STRIPES DIVISION

PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE COUNTY DIVISION 

PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE METRO DIVISION 

PRINCIPALS ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

SENATE ATHLETIC LEAGUE

SOUTHWESTERN CONFERENCE

SUBURBAN LEAGUE AMERICAN DIVISION

SUBURBAN LEAGUE NATIONAL DIVISION

WESTERN RESERVE CONFERENCE

INDEPENDENTS (overall records for teams that don't belong to a league)

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Russell and Bryant are featured on one of four covers.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- This should find its way onto a wall in the Ohio State basketball offices.

Former Ohio State star D'Angelo Russell, the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, graces one of the covers for Sports Illustrated's upcoming issue along with Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant. The focus of the NBA preview is a story on the league's old guard grooming younger teammates, and the Bryant-Russell combo is about as good as it gets for that.

Also getting covers were Dwyane Wade and Justice Winslow of the Miami Heat; Tim Duncan and LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs; and Kevin Garnet and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

LeBron James and Matthew Dellavedova were not chosen for a cover.

Ohio State would like to ride the Russell vibe for as long as possible. There was a time when the Buckeyes expected that Russell would be back in Columbus right now ready to start his sophomore season. Instead, his explosive freshman year, which led him to the NBA, is something Ohio State can use in the recruitment of high schools stars like Kobi Simmons.

It's also a motivator for the current Buckeyes.

"We literally saw our dream in front of our faces, every kid's dream is to play in the NBA," Buckeyes sophomore forward Jae'Sean Tate said. "To be so close to somebody, to witness and live that success. It was like, this really could happen. If we work hard, we could be there."

A cover with Kobe for Russell? Just another thing for the Buckeyes to use with the next Kobi.

Great photo of @Dloading and @kobebryant on the cover of @SInow for their @NBA preview. pic.twitter.com/FXvZELDIZn

-- Jeff Boals (@JeffBoals) October 20, 2015

Four covers for this week's #NBA preview issue of @SInow @si_nba @kobebryant @DwyaneWade @Dloading pic.twitter.com/a9PHiYQo7s

-- RyanAsselta (@RyanAsselta) October 20, 2015

Twenty nine of 30 NBA GMs picked the Cavs to repeat as East champions and 54 percent said Cleveland would win it all.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A majority of NBA general managers think the Cleveland Cavaliers will win it all this season and a plurality feel LeBron James will capture his fifth Most Valuable Player award, according to an annual survey compiled by NBA.com.

The Golden State Warriors are the reigning champions (they beat the Cavs, you remember) and have the league's current MVP on Stephen Curry. Neither received much love from the league's executives.

Sixteen (or 54 percent) of the league's 30 general managers predicted the Cavs will win the first NBA title in franchise history, while 25 percent named the San Antonio Spurs as the favorite and 18 percent tabbed the defending-champion Warriors to repeat.

(Read the entire survey here).

Twenty nine general managers picked the Cavs to repeat as Eastern Conference champions. One (Chicago's Gar Forman?) picked the Bulls to win the East. They're most likely to face the Warriors in a Finals rematch, 52 percent of GMS said.

The Cavs have an impressive roster but aren't whole at present. The league must think those problems will pass. When the season starts next week, Kyrie Irving (knee surgery) and Iman Shumpert (wrist surgery) will be out with injury and Tristan Thompson (contract hold out) isn't expected back by then, barring something unforseen.

"I think they'll start off somewhat slow because of all the injuries," said Reggie Miller, an NBA analyst for TNT, on a conference call Tuesday to preview the season. "If last season was any indication, with them being banged up in the Finals and taking the Warriors six games, with LeBron playing off charts, I just think something special is brewing in Cleveland."

James was the pick of 12 general managers (39 percent) to win the MVP, ahead of New Orleans power forward Anthony Davis (25 percent), Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Houston's James Harden (10.7 percent each), and reigning MVP Stephen Curry and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (7.1 percent each).

Last year, James was an overwhelming favorite to win the MVP among genral managers (70 percent) and finished third.

This year, James is the player who forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments, according to 62 percent of survey respondents. James, obviously, was the landslide choice for best small forward (89 percent).

But James was also tied with Blake Griffin for second place (7.1 percent) as the league's best power forward, a spot he only plays occasionally, most often during the playoffs. Davis was the league's choice for best power forward.

Among the several other categories in which James was mentioned, he was picked as the league's best team leader with 45 percent of the vote.

Orel Hershiser explains why he took himself out of Game of the 1995 World Series in the seventh inning after losing his release point.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Orel Hershiser took the blame.

"We should have a world championship ring in Cleveland if I would have pitched better in either one of those World Series," said Hershiser, referring to the Indians World Series losses in 1995 and 1997.

It's hard to say Hershiser pitched poorly in the 1995 postseason. He won Game 2 of the ALDS against Boston. He was named MVP of the ALCS for winning Games 2 and 5 against Seattle with a 1.29 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 14 innings.

He pitched eight innings to win Game 5 of the Word Series against the Braves to avoid elimination and send the series back to Atlanta. So why the mea culpa?

Well, there is the matter of Game 1 at Fulton County Stadium. Ah yes, Game 1.

Hershiser, fresh from his ALCS heroics and boasting a perfect 7-0 in his postseason career, entered the seventh inning of the Indians first World Series since 1954 with the score tied, 1-1, against future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. He walked lefty Fred McGriff on six pitches and David Justice, another lefty, on four straight pitches.

Pitching coach Mark Wiley went to the mound to give Hershiser a chance to regroup. Hershiser, however, told Wiley he'd lost his release point and couldn't pitch anymore. Wiley and manager Mike Hargrove were not expecting that from the pitcher nicknamed The Bulldog.

Paul Assenmacher relieved and walked pinch-hitter Mike Deveraux to load the bases. Julian Tavarez relieved to face pinch-hitter Luis Polonia, who hit into a force play at second as McGriff scored for a 2-1 lead. Rafael Belliard followed with a squeeze bunt to score Justice for a 3-1 lead.

The Indians scored in the ninth to make it 3-2, but the seventh inning was the turning point.

"I was trying to be honest," Hershiser said recently. "I was trying to help him (Hargrove) manage the game. I think I walked McGriff and Justice with high and away fastballs where I couldn't get the ball in.

"Some of it was mechanics. Some of it was I did not want to give up a home run to right field and I was trying to keep the ball away from them. I wasn't keeping the ball down I was getting the ball away and I did not make good pitches. That's all my fault."

Twenty years later Hershiser, now an announcer for the Dodgers, still felt strongly about his reasoning.

"I get a visit from the pitching coach and he says how you feeling," said Hershiser. "And I'm honest. You've got a left-handed reliever in the bullpen (Assenmacher). You got a starting pitcher in the game who is creeping up on the end of his career, who has not hit the target in probably eight of the last 10 pitches.

"What do you think I feel? Yes, I am The Bulldog. Yes, I am a veteran. Yes, I have pitched in those situations. Was I going to go, "Yes, I've got this guy? Yes, I feel great?' No, I've been out here trying to fix it every pitch and I'm still having the same problem.

"So I said I don't think I've got it. I'm trying to help the team. But I guess I was supposed to lie."

OK, so that explains Hershiser's act of atonement.

"We should have won a World Series if I would have pitched better . . .in '97 for sure," said Hershiser. "The Marlins owned me. What did I have an ERA of 8.00 (11.70)?

"In 1995, maybe I have a better game against Maddux. Maybe I don't walk the two left-handed hitters to set up the squeeze and however else they scored there in the first game against Maddux."

Five days later on Oct. 26, with the Indians facing elimination, Hershiser held the Braves to one run over eight innings in a 5-4 victory in Game 5. He left with a 5-2 lead, but closer Jose Mesa allowed a two-run homer to Ryan Klesko in the ninth.

So what happened?

"Have you ever written a bad article?" asked Hershiser. "The next day did you ever written a good one?

"This just in, we're part of the human race. This just in, I had a few days to figure it out. I stood in front of a mirror (and practiced his delivery). I went home and went over it and I fixed it. That happens."

As for what didn't happen, well, we've been through that far too many times.

In spite of Kenny Lofton's hocus-pocus - making two runs appear from thin air - the Braves were the team offering their sleeves for inspection by game's end, having swiped Game 1 from the Tribe, 3-2. Atlanta scored twice in the deciding seventh inning, without even hitting the ball out of the infield.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The story posted here is a reprint of Michael K. McIntyre's story in The Plain Dealer's edition of Oct. 22, 1995. The night before, Oct. 21, the Indians dropped Game 1 of the 1995 World Series to the Atlanta Braves, 3-2. This story is part of a 20-year retrospective on the 1995 Indians' playoff run:

ATLANTA, Ga. - It was magic.

Greg Maddux pulled a baseball from his glove, fired it past Kenny Lofton, and 41 years without an Indians World Series disappeared last night.

But in spite of Lofton's hocus-pocus - making two runs appear from thin air - the Braves were the team offering their sleeves for inspection by game's end, having swiped Game 1 from the Tribe, 3-2. Atlanta scored twice in the deciding seventh inning, without even hitting the ball out of the infield.

"Doesn't matter how," said Braves fan Bill Demmond of Atlanta. "We won. And now we're going to win it all in five."

A loss, especially with Orel Hershiser on the mound, was a blow to the surprisingly large contingent of Tribe fans in Atlanta last night.

But they know that the Indians were down twice to the Mariners before polishing them off in six games to win the American League pennant, and that breeds confidence.

"They'll win [today], take two out of three in Cleveland and come back here to win it in Game 6, just like Seattle," said Terry Abramovich of Akron.

"If they come back here, they're in trouble," said Matt Harper of North Royalton.

Regardless, said Tribe fan Phil Hottel, who grew up in Rocky River and moved to Roswell, Ga., in 1978, "This is going to be one of the best World Series ever."

Braves fans last night came nowhere near the volume or frenzy they reached in the '91 and '92 Series, both of which they lost. Only in the seventh inning did they make Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium sound as if it was hosting the World Series.

"We've been burned before," said Kathy Wisted of Alpharetta, Ga. "We're confident, but more reserved."

Not Demmond.

"Dennis Martinez's arm hurts. Ken Hill couldn't cut it in the National League. And Nagy? Nothin'," he said.

For their next trick, the Indians will try to make Demmond eat his words.

Trinity, Stow, Buckeye and Archbishop Hoban are competing in semifinals of cleveland.com contest to decide Northeast Ohio's best high school football student section.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Buckeye and Stow have gained early advantages after the first day of semifinals voting in cleveland.com's contest to decide which school has the best football student section in Northeast Ohio.

They join Trinity and Archbishop Hoban as the semifinalists competing in a bracketed tournament with seedings, based on where each student section finished after more than 84,000 votes in the first round earlier this month.

Here is a look at how voting is going after Day 1. (Click the links to access the polls and photo galleries).

• No. 1 Trinity vs. No. 5 Buckeye (poll): As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Buckeye holds the slightest edge with 51 percent of the 3,101 votes.


• No. 2 Stow vs. No. 6 Archbishop Hoban (poll): Stow has opened with a 59 percent lead (1,705 of 2,912 votes).

Voting in each semifinal matchup is open until Monday, Oct. 26 at noon. Votes are permitted once per hour and do not carry over from previous weeks. 

The final two student sections will square off in the championship round beginning Oct. 26.

For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

1995 World Series: Cleveland's 41-year wait for a World Series ended on this date, 20 years ago. Unfortunately, three-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux was waiting on the mound for the Atlanta Braves. We relive Game 1 of the '95 Series.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland's 41-year wait for a World Series ended on this date, 20 years ago. Unfortunately, three-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux was waiting on the mound for the Atlanta Braves.

Maddux tossed a complete game 2-hitter as the Braves defeated the Indians, 3-2, in Game 1 of the 1995 World Series.

ALCS MVP Orel Hershiser started for the Indians and was strong through the first six innings. But Hershiser took himself out of the game after walking Fred McGriff and David Justice with the score tied, 1-1, in the seventh.

"Orel caught Mark (pitching coach Mark Wiley) by surprise," manager Mike Hargrove said. "He was going out there to let Orel catch a break, and he took himself out of the game."

This month, on the 20th anniversary of the Indians' first postseason appearance since 1954, cleveland.com is reliving memories of the October to Remember.

Plain Dealer coverage of the Game 1 of the 1995 World Series.The Plain Dealer 

Beat writer Paul Hoynes and columnist Bud Shaw, reporters covering the Indians both then and now, are digging into the past through fresh interviews. Indians writer Zack Meisel, author "100 Things Indians Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die," is doing the same. And I've offered statistics to capture the 1995 team's place in history.

We are also re-publishing game stories, box scores and newspaper pages from the playoff run.

Here's today's package:

Fast start, slow finish

Read original game story and box score from Game 1 of the 1995 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians.

Orel Hershiser: 'We should have a world championship ring'

Orel Hershiser explains why he took himself out of Game 1 of the 1995 World Series in the seventh inning after losing his release point. He tells Northeast Ohio Media Group: "We should have a world championship ring in Cleveland if I would have pitched better."

Fans' perspective: No magic for Tribe

In spite of Kenny Lofton's hocus-pocus -- making two runs appear from thin air -- the Braves were the team offering their sleeves for inspection by game's end, having swiped Game 1 from the Tribe, 3-2. Atlanta scored twice in the deciding seventh inning, without even hitting the ball out of the infield. Get the story from the fans' perspective.

The full game broadcast:

Photos from the game:

 

Previously

Plain Dealer coverage of Game 6 of the 1995 American League Championship Series.The Plain Dealer

'Lofton scores from second,' an oral history

The story of the 1995 pennant is retold through new interviews with Kenny Lofton, Dennis Martinez and others.

Orel Hershiser talks 1995 playoffs

Orel Hershiser reflects on what brought him to Cleveland and the 1995 playoffs.

Recollections from Charlie Nagy

Charlie Nagy talks to NEOMG columnist Bud Shaw about what it was like for a pitcher who grew up in New England to face the Red Sox in Fenway Park.

Recollections from the players and management

Several players and others involved with the Indians offer their memories of Game 1 against the Boston Red Sox.

Belle's biceps steal the show

The Red Sox asked for umpires to look at Albert Belle's bat after he hit a home run in Game 1, angering Belle, who still proudly says his power came from weight training and anger.

Pena's home run to remember

Tony Pena says his game-winning homer in Game 1 of the division series against the Boston Red Sox was the greatest moment he could have ever hoped for in baseball.

'95 Indians hold place in history statistically, 20 years later

A statistical review by the Northeast Ohio Media Group shows how the regular season remains one of the best in the modern history of major league baseball.

Also:

Plain Dealer coverage following Game 3 of the 1995 American League Division Series.The Plain Dealer

Original game stories and box scores

• ALCS Game 1: Mariners 3, Indians 2
• ALCS Game 2: Indians 5, Mariners 2
• ALCS Game 3: Mariners 5, Indians 2 (11 innings)
• ALCS Game 4: Indians 7, Mariners 0
• ALCS Game 5: Indians 3, Mariners 2
• ALCS Game 6: Indians, 4, Mariners 0

• ALDS Game 1: Indians 5, Red Sox 4 (13 innings)
• ALDS Game 2: Indians 4, Red Sox 0
• ALDS Game 3: Indians 8, Red Sox 2

The fans reaction

• ALCS Game 1: Fans story
• ALCS Game 2: Fans story
• ALCS Game 3: Fans story
• ALCS Game 4: Fans story
• ALCS Game 5: Fans story
• ALCS Game 6: Fans story

• ALDS Game 1: Fans story
• ALDS Game 1: Sights and sounds of Jacobs Field
• ALDS Game 2: Fans story
• ALDS Game 3: Fans story

A son shouldn't pay for the sins of his father. A boyfriend shouldn't pay for the sins of his girlfriend either, even if he's Manziel.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Based on the known facts, and the Avon Police dash cam video, Johnny Manziel deserved to be activated for Sunday's game.  He doesn't deserve to be suspended by the Browns or the NFL.   And he certainly did nothing to deserve armchair therapists piling on with unsolicited and unqualified rehab instructions.

Johnny Manziel wasn't deactivated, but maybe his girlfriend will be.Jeff Darcy, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

Too much of what I've read on Manziel's domestic driving dispute has conflated allegations and speculation as fact, while throwing the actual facts out the window like Manziel's wallet.     It's like ignoring a replay video that negates a bad call.

I'm not a Doctor.  I'm not an addiction specialist.   I don't play one on TV and I won't play one in this post by presuming to know what Johnny Manziel went away to a rehab center for, and advising him on what treatment he requires, when I've never met the young man, interviewed him or worked with him. 

I'm an editorial cartoonist and opinion writer for a digital and print media group. I have a degree in Political Science, not medicine, counseling or behavioral sciences dealing with addictions.   

I'm also not a trained police officer.

The following are some actual facts about Johnny Manziel and his dispute with his girlfriend that ended on Nagel Rd.

Johnny Manziel has never made public why he voluntarily entered a rehabilitation care facility    It is not known by anyone who has reported on this topic if he was being treated for alcoholism, binge drinking, drug use, anger management, attention deficit disorder or an inability to stay in the pocket when playing quarterback.

Manziel was not pulled over by police on I-90.   Manziel was not pulled over by police on the Nagel Rd. exit.    Manziel was never pulled over by police.

Manziel left 1-90 and parked his car on a gravel patch on Nagel Rd. down the road from the Nagel exit.   Manziel did not crash his car into a ditch, like Justin Gilbert.   Manziel did not crash his car like Seattle Seahawks running back Fred Jackson did Tuesday, while racing teammate Marshawn Lynch.

When Avon Police arrived on the scene, Manziel was standing outside his parked car and his intoxicated girlfriend was sitting on the edge of a roadside culvert ditch.

Police found no probable cause to even give Manziel a roadside sobriety test, let alone arrest him for DUI.    After watching and listening to the dash cam video, it's easy to see why.   Manziel is clearly coherent and not slurring his speech or stumbling as he carries on a detailed conversation with the officers.

Police found no probable cause to arrest him for domestic violence.   They  instead found that his girlfriend was highly intoxicated, gave conflicting statements, and had bruising that was more consistent with Manziel's claim that he restrained her from attempting to jump out of his moving vehicle.

Manziel was not arrested or cited for reckless driving.   9-11 callers alleged Manziel was driving 90 mph, passing on the shoulder and crossed several lanes to exit the freeway.    Because Avon Police did not witness the alleged driving infractions, and they allegedly occurred in the Westlake section of I-90, they had no legal grounds to cite Manziel.     Unless the 9-11 caller had a speed radar in their car, the allegation that he was driving 90 mph can't be verified.   Unless the caller had a video of his passing on the shoulder, that can't be verified.

Manziel's girlfriend threw the multi-millionaire's wallet out the window.   How  steady would you be driving if a highly intoxicated, belligerent passenger threw your wallet out the window?

Manziel's intoxicated girlfriend attempted to jump out of a moving car on a busy stretch of I-90 at the end of rush hour.    Had Manziel not managed to restrain her would she still be alive?

While the experienced Avon Police officers determined Manziel was sober enough not to even warrant a sobriety test and allowed him to drive home.   Police determined Manziel's girlfriend was highly intoxicated and were on the verge of arresting her for disorderly conduct.

Manziel was not only not arrested for DUI, domestic abuse or reckless driving, he wasn't even given a traffic ticket.  

You'd never know that by reading some of the responses to this incident.  You'd think Manziel was flaming drunk, threw his own wallet out the window, then tried to push his girlfriend out of his car. 

As a matter of standard protocol, the NFL will investigate the incident, especially because of the domestic violence allegations, as they should.   But I don't expect  any suspension or even a fine for several reasons.

Avon Police not only chose not to cite Manziel for anything, they are not even sending the case to the prosecutor for review.  The NFL is smart enough to know any suspension would be reversed because of that fact.

Last time I checked, driving below the limit, and saving an intoxicated woman from jumping out of speeding car, is not against NFL rules.

They say a son shouldn't pay for the sins of his father.   A boyfriend shouldn't pay for the sins of his girlfriend either, even if he's Johnny Manziel.

Critics may dismiss me as an enabler.  I actually wanted the Browns to draft Carr and keep Hoyer.  And I've posted plenty of unflattering cartoons on Manziel in the past.  My intention is only to enable facts and fairness.

It's time for recruiting talk on the B.A.D. Ohio State Podcast.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer announced on Tuesday that J.T. Barrett will be Ohio State's starting quarterback on Saturday against Rutgers, ending a quarterback saga that many thought shouldn't have been one in the first place.

Meyer's decision to start Cardale Jones was puzzling to some, and he's not the first coach to make a decision that goes against what the fans think should happen. You can debate whether Jones at quarterback worked for Ohio State, the fact remains the Buckeyes are still undefeated.

But the quarterback discussion leaves the door open to question Meyer's coaching moves. And on this week's B.A.D. Ohio State podcast, we ask the question: Is Meyer better at recruiting than coaching?

Asking the question doesn't mean Meyer is bad at either.

And if it sounds like a criticism, ask yourself which one you'd rather have. Obviously you want someone who's good at both, but what's more important? Xs and Os ability, or acquiring talent better than any other program in the country?

We're using SoundCloud for the podcast, make sure you follow us there to keep track of all of the episodes.

You can also subscribe to Cleveland.com's Sports Podcasts iTunes channel.

Past episodes

* Episode 1: Talking Braxton Miller and previewing Virginia Tech

* Episode 2: How will Urban Meyer handle the quarterbacks?

* Episode 3: Which Ohio State football player will be an NFL star?

* Episode 4: Ohio State has the most famous players in college football

* Episode 5: How many Buckeyes could start for the Cleveland Browns?

* Episode 6: Will Ohio State make the College Football Playoff?

* Episode 7: Michigan's place in the Big Ten

"The physical traits are outstanding, but from a maturity standpoint as a passer, he's just still very unpolished and he's not really progressing at the rate you would want to see."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State director of player personnel Mark Pantoni tweeted out a graphic before the Buckeyes game against Penn State last week, boasting the fact that scouts from 16 NFL teams would be in Ohio Stadium.

That's the most Ohio State has ever hosted for one game, and it wasn't surprising when you think about all of the NFL talent that was on the field.

They were there to see Ohio State's Joey Bosa, and Ezekiel Elliott and Taylor Decker and others. And Penn State's Christian Hackenberg and Anthony Zettel and Carl Nassib.

They were there to see Cardale Jones, too.

It turns out that could've been his last real audition for NFL scouts this season. Urban Meyer announced on Tuesday that J.T. Barrett would be taking over as Ohio State's starting quarterback. And while Meyer vowed to keep Jones involved, it's hard to imagine him seeing any significant playing time as long as Barrett stays healthy.

So that's it? A season that started with so much pro promise for Jones is suddenly gone, and he'll watch his NFL stock plummet while the Buckeyes roll on with Barrett?

Maybe not.

Dane Brugler, an NFL Draft analyst for CBSSports.com, said that thoughts of Jones losing NFL money this year are overblown, because in the eyes of the NFL, Jones is simply the same player he was at the end of last year.

"I think he looks like the exact same player, and I think that's what NFL scouts see on tape as well -- a player who's still very raw," Brugler told Northeast Ohio Media Group on Tuesday night. "The physical traits are outstanding, but from a maturity standpoint as a passer, he's just still very unpolished and he's not really progressing at the rate you would want to see."

* Brugler's latest mock draft has five Buckeyes in first round

There was a prevailing thought after last year's National Championship that Jones had played himself into the first round of the NFL Draft, but such thoughts were a bit misguided because playing your way to that kind of esteem in what was a three-game audition is incredibly difficult.

Was Jones better than anyone thought? Sure. But that's because nobody had any idea what Jones would be when he started for the first time against Wisconsin.

What everyone saw was a strong-armed athletic freak who was chucking deep balls to Devin Smith and opening things up for Elliott in the run game. What NFL scouts saw was a raw talent full of untapped potential who locked in on his first progression too often, forced throws and wasn't all that sophisticated when it came to the mental aspect of playing the position.

That's the same Jones that started the first seven games of the season, still winning but sometimes making it look more difficult than it should for an offense with the caliber of athletic skill players Ohio State possesses.

Scouts wanted to see Jones turn his potential into production this year, and it didn't happen, but they'll also chalk some of that up to Jones' skill set not completely meshing with the talent around him.

Jones is a pro-style square peg in a spread-option round hole. Ohio State had some pieces to adapt its offense more to Jones' strengths last year, and it doesn't really have that now. What Ohio State has should work much better with Barrett running things. 

So in that way, Jones hasn't regressed as much as he's stagnated. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

"Cardale still has a long way to go from a mental standpoint, but from a physical standpoint, it's all there, from the size to the arm strength," Brugler said. "He has just enough mobility to extend the pocket and make plays from outside the pocket. He has the physical traits teams look for, and they feel like they can coach him up from there."

That might sound crazy to some Ohio State fans who have been unhappy with Jones' play and the way the offense operated with him. But NFL scouts remove the emotion of wanting a team to win or lose from the equation, and study the player. There's still plenty to like with Jones.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones warms up before Saturday's game against Penn State, which likely was his last game as Ohio State's starting quarterback. Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

Some thought Jones took a risk in coming back this year when the NFL was calling, but if he was truly never a candidate for a first-round selection, then was it really a risk?

Jones said he felt he wasn't ready to make the jump yet. Maybe that's true. But at the very worst, he's back in the same position. If coming back and not living up to expectations means Jones went from second-round pick to a fourth-round pick, then he didn't lose the pile of money people thought he might. He'll still get paid. 

Brugler said he had Jones as the third best quarterback in last year's draft. The third quarterback selected in last year's draft, Colorado State's Garrett Grayson, went in the third round, No. 75 overall, and is now $3.4 million richer.

Now in another year where the quarterback crop isn't blowing anybody away, Jones can still find himself in that range even if he's not playing. ESPN's Todd McShay ranked Jones the No. 4 quarterback prospect for the 2016 draft just last week.

He's already shown enough upside to make him worth the risk.

What matters next is how Jones handles this new reality. He can't be the guy who shows his emotions on Twitter like he did a few weeks ago after getting pulled against Northern Illinois.

Maturity, in addition to grasping the mental aspect of the position, are the knocks against Jones right now. Those are things he can work on even in this new role, and he should have opportunities to show his progress at events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine

If he handles this well, does all the right things to make sure he's ready if called upon by Ohio State again, and makes the right decisions in the pre-draft process, then Jones can shock people again.

"We haven't seen anything like this in terms of a possible early round draft pick being benched halfway through his final season, but still being highly thought of by NFL teams," Brugler said. "It's going to be an interesting process to see how it all plays out."

Wouldn't it be fitting that the Cubs would come back from an 0-3 deficit, just as the Boston Red Sox did in 2004, en route to their first World Series championship since 1918 (against the Cubs)?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Chicago Cubs aren't done yet. Oh, sure, they're down 0-3 to the Mets in the National League Championship Series, and the Mets appear destined to play the BBQ smoking hot Kansas City Royals in the World Series.

The Cubs and Mets are the top trending sports story Wednesday, along with the Royals-Blue Jays ALCS, Fred Jackson, Percy Harvin, J.T. Barrett, Louisville basketball, Lamar Odom and the Browns.

The Cubs, of course, have not won a pennant since 1945 and haven't won a World Series since 1908. And, they have never won a NL Championship Series (0-3).

But doesn't it stand to reason that if the Cubs win a World Series in our lifetime, it would be epic? Wouldn't it be fitting that they would come back from an 0-3 deficit, just as the similarly jinxed Boston Red Sox did in 2004, en route to their first World Series championship since 1918 (against the Cubs)?

The 2004 Red Sox are the only team in baseball history to recover from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game series. They did so in the American League Championship Series against the Yankees, and went on to win the World Series in a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yes, Boston was down 0-3, and won seven straight to win the most unlikely championship in major professional sports.

Which is exactly where the Cubs stand heading into Game 4 of the NLCS at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Wrigley Field (TBS).

"It has been done before, rumor has it," Cubs President Theo Epstein said with a smile Tuesday night. Epstein was the Red Sox's general manager in 2004.

LINK: MLB playoff schedule, results

Mets 5, Cubs 2: Miscues seem to happen to the Cubs this time of year. This is their first league championship series since 2003, and this Chicago team in particular is relying on several rookies, many of whom have not played a full season of major league baseball.

The Mets, of course, are not regulars in the playoffs, either; they last appeared in the postseason in 2006. But their roster is composed of enough veterans that in a tense affair, as much of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday was, they played both calmly and aggressively and won, 5-2, to take a three-games-to-none lead. That left the Mets one win from their first pennant since 2000. (New York Times) 

Royals 14, Blue Jays 2: An early flurry, a late barrage and nine innings of white-knuckled pitching have delivered the Royals to the doorstep of their second World Series berth in a row. Kansas City rebounded to capture a 14-2 victory over Toronto in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, and now owns a 3-1 lead in the race to the Fall Classic. (Kansas City Star) 

NLCS, ALCS Game previews: We get a Game 5 today, and recent history suggests we're more likely to see a blowout than a tense, tight affair. Of the 17 Game 5s or Game 7s in the past 10 postseasons, only four were one-run games. There have been four shutouts, and only three times did the losing team score more than two runs. (ESPN)

Fred Jackson not injured in accident: Not long after TMZ reported that it was a drag race between Seahawks running backs Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch that caused Jackson to wreck his car outside the team facility Tuesday, denials started making their way through the Twitterverse. Per Tim Graham of the Buffalo News, Jackson is fine and the initial report from TMZ is wrong. Per Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports, Jackson was going too fast and misjudged "a very tight turn." PFT confirmed that Jackson is fine and the incident was the result of an accident, not a drag race. Jackson said the same in a tweet later Tuesday night. (Pro Football Talk) 

Strippers reportedly partied with Louisville recruits: Five former University of Louisville basketball players and recruits told Outside the Lines that they attended parties at a campus dorm from 2010-14 that included strippers paid for by the team's former graduate assistant coach, Andre McGee.

One of the former players said he had sex with a dancer after McGee paid her. Each of the players and recruits attended different parties. Three of the five players said they attended parties as recruits and also when they played for Louisville. (ESPN) 

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett to start over Cardale Jones: J.T. Barrett was always an Urban Meyer kind of guy and an Urban Meyer kind of quarterback. Now he's back to starting in an Urban Meyer kind of offense. Meyer announced Tuesday that the fifth-place finisher in the 2014 Heisman Trophy balloting will make his first start of the 2015 season in Ohio State's eighth game at Rutgers on Saturday night. (Cleveland.com)

Lamar Odom transferred to L.A. hospital: Lamar Odom left a Las Vegas hospital and is now in the Los Angeles area to continue his recovery a week after he was found unconscious at a Nevada brothel, a family representative said Tuesday. The hospital and Odom's relatives have not revealed his prognosis, but the family has hinted at a long road ahead, saying they realize his ''continued improvement'' won't be easy. (Associated Press)

Percy Harvin not in London: Not making the trip to London for the Buffalo Bills this week were running back Karlos Williams (concussion), right tackle Seantrel Henderson (concussion), defensive tackle Kyle Williams (knee) and the final player Rex Ryan mentioned raised eyebrows.

"Percy Harvin has a non-injury related (issue)," Ryan said. "He's excused for personal reasons. But all those players we don't anticipate being available for this week." (Buffalo News) 

Jason Varitek interviews with Mariners: Once upon a time, the Seattle Mariners traded Jason Varitek, a misstep for which the Red Sox are forever thankful. Now, the Mariners are considering Varitek to be their manager. Varitek interviewed with Seattle, multiple major league sources confirmed yesterday, placing him among a handful of candidates to replace deposed manager Lloyd McClendon. (Boston Herald) 

Joe Posnanski's plea to Browns: "Before revisiting this week's heartbreak, I would like to take just a moment and speak directly to the Cleveland Browns: I believe I can help you. I offer my services out of love, nothing else. I do not ask for money. I do not ask for an office. I do not ask for a business card, though if you want give me some cards that would be great. You could put the Browns' logo on there, call me a consultant or something with more pizazz -- we can work out the details later.

"This would be my job: Whenever you score a touchdown, you would text me. You would then ask me: 'Sir, should we go for two points here?" I would say: "No. Do not go for two points here.'" (NBC Sports)

In seven games, Barrett is 27 of 44 passing for 249 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. The Buckeyes need to get him throwing the ball now that he's the starter. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Last year against Rutgers, J.T. Barrett completed 19 of 31 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing seven times for 107 yards and two scores in a 56-17 win.

As Barrett prepares for his first start of the season at Rutgers on Saturday, that could serve as a comparison.

In the eighth game of 2014, Barrett went 15-for-24 for 167 yards in a 55-14 blowout of Illinois, also gaining 38 yards on seven runs. As Barrett prepares to make that first start in week eight, that could be a comparison.

In 12 starts a year ago, Barrett's average game was 17-for-26 for 236 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also averaged 78 rushing yards on 14 carries with another touchdown.

Is that what we'll see Saturday? Is Barrett 2015 ready to be like Barrett 2014? Or could he play even better?

So far this season, Barrett has completed 27 of 44 passes for 249 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. In other words, basically like his Indiana game a year ago, when he was 25-for-35 for 302 yards, four scores and two picks.

He's done one game's worth of passing in seven weeks. He has some catching up to do.

Bill, Ari and I talked about how we think Barrett will play against the Scarlet Knights in primetime on Saturday. Though he proved what he can do as a quarterback a year ago, he needs a chance to throw to show what he can do with that part of the offense this year. 

We know Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott should form a devastating run combo.

Tell us what you think in the comments and vote in our poll. Every time we asked in a poll who Ohio State should play at quarterback, the voters responded overwhelmingly for Barrett.

Now that he has the job, what will be do?

Hamlin released his top four on Tuesday evening, and it included Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State is down to recruiting only a handful of players to finish off its 2016 recruiting class, and four-star cornerback Damar Hamlin of Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic is one of them.

* Ohio State football recruiting in Pittsburgh: Would Urban Meyer get a Terrelle Pryor today?

Hamlin is getting closer to arriving at a decision.

He released his top four on Tuesday evening, and it included Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame.

[?] [?] pic.twitter.com/TKXkLOmdDN

-- DAMAR HAMLIN (@HamlinIsland) October 20, 2015

Rated the No. 14 cornerback in the 2016 class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Hamlin racked up more than 30 scholarship offers before isolating those four programs as favorites.

But this is becoming another famous Pittsburgh battle as Ohio State, Penn State and Pitt fight for supremacy in that city.

Hamlin was on Ohio State's campus this summer and he told Northeast Ohio Media Group that his main recruiter, Buckeyes cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, is the reason he's high on the Buckeyes.

"He's intense. He's always intense. I like that," Hamlin said of Coombs. "He knows what he's talking about. I came on a visit last time and we sat in a room and broke down my film and that was impressive to me that he would take out his time to do that just for me. I am just a recruit right now."

The Blue Jackets (0-7-0) are off to their worst start and fired coach Todd Richards, replacing him with veteran coach John Tortorella.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets fired Coach Todd Richards on Wednesday and named John Tortorella the new head coach. Tortorella signed a three-year contract through the 2017-18 season, the club said.

Prior to the season, Richards and Blue Jackets officials touted this team as the most talented in club history. Columbus is 0-7-0, which is tied for the worst start in modern NHL history (since 1967).

The end came hours after the Blue Jackets lost, 4-0, to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, in front of 14,295 in Nationwide Arena. Columbus is the only winless and pointless team in the NHL despite a payroll of about $68 million.

"None of us saw our season unfolding the way it has and every one of us from management to coaches to players bears responsibility," General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement released by the team. "There is still a lot of hockey to be played and we believe this change was necessary to give our team the best chance to accomplish the goals we've set for this season."  

Tortorella, Kekalainen and Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations John Davidson will meet with the media today at 12:45 p.m. Associate Coach Craig Hartsburg ran practice Wednesday morning.

• LINK: Live stream of Blue Jackets press conference at 12:45 p.m.

Tortorella is to be behind the bench when the Blue Jackets play at Minnesota on Thursday, the beginning of a stretch in which they play seven of eight games on the road.  

Richards, 49, guided the Blue Jackets to a 127-112-21 record in 260 games since being named the club's interim head coach on Jan. 9, 2012, including a 0-7-0 record this season.  He led the team to back-to-back 40-win campaigns in 2013-14 and 2014-15, three consecutive winning seasons from 2012-15, a berth in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs and is the winningest coach in franchise history.

After Thursday's loss, players spoke up for Richards, who clearly was on the hot seat.

"It's not just him," Brandon Dubinsky told the Columbus Dispatch. "There's 23 guys in here. He's working his (butt) off. He's trying to change things, make us a better team. For the majority of seven games, we haven't gone out and executed. It's unfair on our part to play in front of him that way.

"He cares a lot about winning. He cares deeply about this organization, the city, the fans, the team, the players. ... I feel like we're letting him down, and it's unfortunate. It's a really (crappy) feeling."

Tortorella, 57, was fired by Vancouver last year and the Blue Jackets will send Vancouver a third-round draft pick as compensation.

#CBJ associate coach Craig Hartsburg running practice in Nationwide Arena pic.twitter.com/JYLhyNyiT6

-- Kyle Robertson (@KRobPhoto) October 21, 2015

Tortorella has compiled a 446-375-115 record (.538) in 936 games during his NHL coaching career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks.  His teams have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs eight times and he led the Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship and the Rangers to the 2012 Eastern Conference Final.

 The Boston native ranks first among U.S.-born coaches in all-time NHL wins (446) and was recently named the head coach of Team USA for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.  In March 2013, he became the 30th coach in NHL history to record 400 wins and the following January became the 27th coach in league history to reach 900 games.

 "John Tortorella is an experienced National Hockey League coach with a proven track record of success," said Kekalainen.  "He is a Stanley Cup winner and we believe the right person to lead our team at this time."

Tortorella began his NHL coaching career with Tampa Bay and compiled a 239-222-74 record in 535 games during six-plus seasons with the club from 2001-08.  He led the Lightning to the Southeast Division title in 2002-03 and 2003-04.  In the latter campaign, he won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's Coach of the Year as the club went 46-22-14 (106 points) and won the Stanley Cup.

He joined the Rangers in February 2009 and posted a 171-118-30 record in 319 games with the club, including a four-game stint as interim coach during the 1999-00 season.  He led New York to the playoffs on four occasions and ranks fourth on the club's all-time wins list and is fifth in games coached.  In 2011-12, he guided the Rangers to the third-best regular season in franchise history with a 51-24-7 mark (109 points) and a spot in the Eastern Conference Final.  He joined the Canucks prior to the 2013-14 campaign and guided the club to a 36-35-11 mark.

Internationally, Tortorella was an assistant coach with Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Games and helped the club capture a silver medal.  He also served as the squad's head coach at the 2008 World Championships and was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2005 World Championships.  He began his coaching career in 1986-87 with the Virginia Lancers of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, leading the club to a championship and winning Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons in 1986-87 and 1987-88.  He returned to coaching with the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans from 1995-97 and won the 1996 Calder Cup championship in his first season.  He went on to serve as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres, Phoenix Coyotes and Rangers.

Richards joined the Blue Jackets as an assistant coach prior to the 2010-11 season and replaced Scott Arniel behind the bench midway through that campaign.  Last season, he led Columbus to a 42-35-5 record, including a 36-20-3 mark from December 1 through the end of the regular season.  He surpassed Ken Hitchcock for the most wins in club history with his 126th victory, 4-2, vs. Buffalo on April 10.  

In 2013-14, he led Columbus to a 43-32-7 record, setting franchise marks for wins and points (93) in a season as the Blue Jackets qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in club history.  In 2012-13, he led the Blue Jackets to a 24-17-7 record as the club finished tied for eighth in the Western Conference with 55 points.  The .573 winning percentage that season is the highest in franchise history.  In 423 games as a head coach in the National Hockey League, Richards has compiled a 204-183-37 record with the Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.

"On behalf of our organization, I want to thank Todd for his many contributions both on and off the ice to the Columbus Blue Jackets over the past four-plus years," said club President of Hockey Operations John Davidson.  "He took over under very difficult circumstances and did a terrific job guiding our team to heights it had not before reached.  I have great respect for Todd as a coach and a person and wish nothing but the best for him, his wife, Maryann, and their wonderful family."

Sizing up the college football playoff race: In six out of the last 10 seasons, a school that lost either its last game before the bowl season, or next-to-last-game, still entered bowl play ranked fourth in the country or higher.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The surest path to the college football playoffs for a power conference team is to go unbeaten, but history says one-loss teams -- even those which lose very late in the season -- have a shot.

In fact, in six out of the last 10 seasons a school that lost either its last game before the bowls, or next-to-last-game, still entered bowl play ranked fourth in the country or higher.

One of those schools was the 2007 Ohio State team, which played (and lost to) two-loss LSU for the national championship.

Each week, we look at the schedules of the playoff contenders in different ways to evaluate their resumes and chances.

This week we use history to dive into the theory that late losses can, or will, eliminate teams from consideration for the playoffs. What, for example, would Ohio State's chances be if it lost to Michigan but won the Big Ten title game?

The number of undefeated college football teams from power conferences dropped to 10 on Oct. 17.Rich Exner, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

Ohio State is among just 10 power conference teams that remain unbeaten. The others are Clemson and Florida State from the ACC; Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU from the Big 12; Iowa and Michigan State from the Big Ten; Utah from the Pac-12; and LSU from the SEC.

Nine schools from these conferences, plus Notre Dame, have one loss each.

But there is even a chance, history says, that two-loss teams could remain under consideration. These schools were ranked in the top four nationally entering bowl play with two losses: Ohio State (2005), LSU (2006 and 2007), Oklahoma (11-2) and Virginia Tech (11-2).

Other than to say that no more than one school from each conference can go unbeaten, there is no sure way to predict what will happen. And only the College Football Playoff committee, in its second year, will have the say.

But in looking back over the past 10 seasons, here are the six teams that lost very late and still entered bowl play among the top four ranked teams nationally.

• 2013 -- Alabama lost its last regular season game to Auburn, did not play in the SEC title game, yet still entered the bowls ranked No. 3.
• 2012 -- Oregon lost its next-to-last regular season game to Stanford, rebounded to beat Oregon the following week and entered the bowl season ranked No. 4.
• 2011 -- Oklahoma State lost its next-to-last regular season game to Iowa, rebounded to beat Oklahoma and entered the bowls ranked No. 3.
• 2008 -- Alabama lost the SEC title game to Florida, yet still entered the bowls ranked No. 3.
• 2007 -- Ohio State lost to Illinois in next-to-last regular season game, rebounded to beat Michigan and entered the bowls ranked No. 1.
• 2006 -- Michigan lost last regular season game to Ohio State, entered bowl season ranked No. 3.

The above rankings were based on the College Football Playoff committee in 2014, the BCS rankings in 2007-13, and the AP polls in 2005-06.

There typically is just one or two undefeated college football teams in the top 10 by the start of bowl season. This chart was limited to the top 10 to examine the teams that most likely would have been under consideration if there had been a four-team playoff each year.Rich Exner, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

The latest 2015 AP poll includes nine undefeated teams in the top 10, plus one-loss Alabama. But it's still early. Previously, the final top 10 before bowls have included just one undefeated team in five of the last 10 years. And three other times, there were just two.

The unusual year was 2007, when the final pre-bowl top 10 included five unbeatens: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Cincinnati, No. 4 TCU and No. 6 Boise State.

Far more likely is that there will be a mix of undefeated and one-loss teams under consideration by the playoff committee on selection day this season.

The last two seasons, there were six such top 10 teams in the mix on selection day. There were five undefeated or one-loss teams in 2011 and 2012.

In eight out the last 10 seasons, there have been no more than six undefeated or one-loss teams in the top 10 entering bowl play. This chart was limited to the top 10 to examine the teams that most likely would have been under consideration if there had been a four-team playoff each year.Rich Exner, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

This year, a school or two from outside the power conferences could work their way into the top 10. There are now four undefeated teams outside the power five: Houston, Memphis, Temple and Toledo.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor for the Northeast Ohio Media Group, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner

"I'm done answering questions pertaining to my recruitment and commitment. I'm committed and visiting, which is mine and my families chose. MY focus is on my team and academics."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star running back Kareem Walker of Wayne (N.J.) DePaul is finding out what life at the highest level of recruiting is all about. 

It doesn't help that Walker, the nation's No. 1 running back in the 247Sports composite rankings, is committed to Ohio State and has announced he'll be taking all of his official visits when it comes to media attention. 

On Wednesday, Walker released another statement through ESPN recruiting analyst Tom VanHaaren that states what we already know: He's committed to Ohio State and he's taking his officials. 

Here's what the statement said: 

"I'm committed to Ohio State," Walker wrote. "I will take my remaining visits to ALABAMA, Mississippi, ASU and my last visit will be back to OHIO STATE. 

"Coach Murray will be with me and help me sort through any questions that may come up, but these visits are to confirm I'm making the right choice for my future. All of this talk about another RB committing and me not wanting any competition is false. I love competition and I have it every day on my own team with Nas Hooker, who is the second-best RB in NJ. I'm confident in myself as a player and person. Every school has RBs and will sign one or more every year. It's the way it is and what will only push me to be better. 

"I'm done answering questions pertaining to my recruitment and commitment. I'm committed and visiting, which is mine and my families chose. MY focus is on my team and academics." 

The idea that Walker is taking official visits isn't new, so the statement didn't reveal any fresh information. However, Walker was firm about his commitment with Ohio State. And this isn't the first time a top-rated prospect is taking visits elsewhere. 

As far as the talk about running away from competition, that became a reality last weekend when Ohio State hosted four-star running back Antonio Williams of New London (N.C.) North Stanly for an official visit and accepted his commitment a few days later. 

Ohio State may have recruited Williams regardless if Walker was taking visits because running back is a need for the Buckeyes, especially because losing Ezekiel Elliott to the NFL after this year is basically a certainty. 

But, as Walker wrote, that won't have an impact on his decision. 

So we are where we were last week with Walker's commitment. He's committed to the Buckeyes, but he's going to look around before signing his name.