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

Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics produce a familiar result: Cavs win 89-77

0
0

In an altercation-free game, the Cavaliers defeated the Celtics in an intense playoff reunion.

BOSTON - The intense vibe and disdain was apparent from the jump.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics took the court for tipoff, there were no sportsmanlike fist bumps, handshakes, hugs or acknowledging of one another. They just stood at center court ignoring the other until the ball was tossed.

"Whatever happened last year is last year," Tristan Thompson said before the game. "It is what it is, and it's time to move on."

Tuesday night at TD Garden was the first time these two teams squared off since Cleveland swept through the opening playoff round last season. At the end of four quarters, it was the same result: the Cavaliers won 89-77, but this time in an altercation-free contest to claim a third straight victory.

LeBron James registered a game-high 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 36 minutes. Kevin Love put in 20 points, with eight boards and five assists.

The backstory

Word around the league is playing physical with the Cavaliers would eventually wear them down. That's Boston's (14-11) brand of basketball and head coach Brad Stevens makes no apologies.

"I think anytime you're competitive and winning is really important to you, you're going to lay it on the line," Stevens said. "And that's what we expect our players to do. That's what these guys who won the East and played in The Finals have done. That's what LeBron had done his whole career. So, competitors play hard. That's the bottom line."

Playing hard is what both teams did in a bruising, defensive affair. However, only one team could keep it up for an entire game. While not as talented as Cleveland (16-7), Boston wanted to send the message that they wouldn't back down to the defending Eastern Conference champs.

Jae Crowder wanted an apology from J.R. Smith on Tuesday, but never got it. So he took his frustration to James. The two trash-talked late in the second quarter, continuing the conversation up and down the court. James even had words with Crowder while shooting a pair of free throws.

Choosing to taunt James proved to be a costly, momentum-changing decision. The Celtics claimed a 46-40 lead at halftime, but the Cavaliers were in total control after the break. Repeatedly, James overpowered Crowder in the paint for power layups. Crowder is listed at 235 pounds, yet he couldn't prevent James from getting great low-post position.

Boston was reduced to packing the paint, which opened up the floor for James to swing the ball to the opposite side for wide-open threes. A Mo Williams 3-pointer off of ball movement gave the Cavaliers a 62-52 lead with 3:31 left in the third. Nine of James' 10 field goals were in the paint.

A Williams jumper, Iman Shumpert 3-pointer and James finger-roll pushed the lead to 13 early in the fourth, but the Celtics eventually trimmed the deficit to seven on a Evan Turner jumper with 6:16 remaining. The fans erupted with cheers, but Cleveland answered with five straight points from Love and a midrange jumper by James to go up 14.

The Cavaliers coasted from there. Avery Bradley scored 17 points and Crowder chipped in 14 points and three rebounds.

The game never really get out of control, unlike Game 4 in April when Love dislocated his left shoulder after getting tangled up with Kelly Olynyk. Later, Crowder suffered a MCL sprain when Smith backhanded him during a box-out.

"It was really unfortunate the injuries that happened last year," said Stevens. "I think that both teams take pride in competing and playing the game the right way and well and hopefully you don't have anything like that coming out of any game. Basketball is a physical game when played well."

Shumpert, who had six points off the bench, left in the fourth quarter with a right groin injury. Mo Williams led all scorers off the bench with 10 points.

On deck

The Cavaliers return home for a three-game homestand with the Oklahoma City Thunder first on the docket. It will be a TNT game that tips off at 8 p.m. Philadelphia and New York conclude the stand.


Cleveland Heights boxer Charles Conwell moves closer to a spot on U.S. Olympic team

0
0

Charles Conwell of Cleveland Heights is close to earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team after winning four fights at last week's U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Maybe it was the theme music or the vivid images of Olympic glory that shook Charles Conwell prior to last week's seven days of competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for boxing in Reno, Nevada.

Once Conwell settled in, he disposed of four fighters in the middleweight division to move a step closer to earning a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team.

"I was a little nervous when I first got there," said Conwell, a senior at Cleveland Heights High School. "Qualifying for the Olympics is a big thing for an athlete and the name [Olympics] got me nervous. When I hear it, I think about the opening ceremonies with everyone walking in and the lighting of the torch. All of that is so exciting."

Conwell, a two-time youth national champion, beat two-time national champ Leshawn Rodriguez, world championship team member Anthony Campbell, and 2015 national champion Chordale Booker to advance.

"I did OK," said Conwell about his performance. "I can always get better. I could have done better in some aspects, like a better move here or a punch there."

The recent bouts are a major move for Conwell but he still must qualify with a high finish in international competition. He will have three chances to make that happen. Conwell's first opportunity arrives in March in Buenos Aires, followed by the World Series of Boxing/APB qualifier in May and an open World qualifier in June.

Conwell only has to finish among the top boxers in one of the tournaments to qualify for the Olympic team and fulfill his dream.

"I remember one day in school watching a video of the lighting of the torch before an Olympic track meet," Conwell said. "I remember the good feeling I had watching that happen. That will be good to see. Now I'm one step closer."

If Conwell makes the U.S. team, he will join lightweight Carlos Balderas of California, who qualified last month by virtue of his season ranking in the World Series of Boxing.

Boys cross country All-Stars 2015: Chagrin Falls’ Joe Bistritz repeats as cleveland.com runner of the year (photos, video)

0
0

Chagrin Falls’ Joe Bistritz repeats as cleveland.com runner of the year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Like last year, this state cross country championship for Chagrin Falls’ Joe Bistritz had meaning in its dedication.

He won his first Division II state title as a junior, dedicating it to his grandmother – a goal he set as an eighth-grader after her death. This year, after losing a grandfather, Bistritz’s pursuit of a repeat was dedicated to him.


“This is all for him,” Bistritz said in November after winning his second straight title at National Trail Raceway in Hebron.


His performance once again earned him cleveland.com’s Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.


Watch the video below for more on Bistritz, who will run next year at North Carolina State, his grandparents and state title runs. Read further below as Bistritz, in his words, looks back on his career.


And see all the honorable mention honorees below, as well as the coach of the year.

I have two older sisters, much, much older than me. Jennifer is 31 and Stephanie is 28. They were both athletes. Jen, specifically, was a good athlete and ran track in middle school. So she brought the running into our family, at least for me. My parents ran and our grandparents ran, but she was the person I looked up to. My sister, Stephanie, was the one who ran cross country.

That’s when I’d go on Saturday morning and watch cross country meets. I remember seeing Chris Smith, who was pretty good. I remember he would finish in the top 10 of most races, and I said, “I want to be better than that guy.”

(Smith ran in college at Butler.)

This was when I was little, and that went into the back of my mind until seventh grade, when I had the decision to play a fall sport. I played basketball, baseball and lacrosse.

I went out for the cross country team.

I remember the first practice. I puked my guts out. I just tried really hard to be the best. I think we did a mile time trial and I came in second to one of my good friends, Blake Wynveen. He was just a stud in middle school and a year older than me.

I remember thinking I’m pretty good at this, and was the third runner on the team. My freshman year, I made the goal to win a state title and do it for my grandmother. My main goal was just to make it to the state meet. It had been six or seven years since someone from my school made the state meet, so I knew it would be a big deal.

We had a guy on our team, Nate Stapulionis, who was our No. 1 runner. Everyone thought he was a God. I was like, “I’m gonna take this guy down.” I love Nate and I don’t want to sound cocky, but I really wanted to beat him. I thought how cool it would be if a freshman took down a senior. I think a meet before our Chagrin Valley Conference meet, I beat him. After that, it was history.

My sophomore year, I remember watching the movie, “Prefontaine” (based on Oregon runner and 1972 Olympian Steve Prefontaine) the day before states. I left for states and said, “That’s a pretty good idea. Run up front and try to break everyone.” For some reason, I got it stuck in my head that I could do that. Then I think that actually benefited me. I led the first mile. I ended up running an OK time, 16:10.

I remember I didn’t put in too much work between my freshman and sophomore year. Then on the track, I finally made it to states as a sophomore. I ended up finishing second in the 1,600 by 0.36 seconds. That’s when it struck me I really need to work hard at this.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mike Gallagher, St. Ignatius: The Wildcats won their fourth state championship in school history and first since 2009. They were voted No. 1 in Division I for the state coaches poll from beginning to end, and runners said Gallagher’s laid-back style suited them – a group determined to erase their disappointment from a sixth-place state finish in 2014.

Iowa State-bound Luke Wagner graduates from this team after placing fifth at the state championships. Also gone will be Jim Rogers and Tom Sullivan, who each placed in the top 50.

C.J. Ambrosio, who placed 14th as a junior, Andrew Szendrey and Colin Caniglia are slated to return next year for Gallagher’s club.

HONORABLE MENTION

C.J. Ambrosio, St. Ignatius, Jr.; Jon Bach, Wadsworth, Sr.; Andre Bollam-Godbott, Brunswick, Jr.; Clark Bookman, Field, Sr.; Matt Bull, Lake Catholic, Jr.; Tommy Carballada, NDCL, Jr.; Danny Cohen, Solon, Jr.; Nick Gannon, University, Jr.; Gavin Gaynor, Hudson, Sr.; Ben Good, Brecksville, Sr.; Jack Hautz, Bay, Sr.; Tanner Hawley, Black River, Sr.; Michael Jankowski, Berea-Midpark, Sr.; Jacob Keating, Lake Catholic, Jr.; Justyn Moore, Shaker Heights, Sr.; Joe Polakowski, Mentor, Sr.; Tyler Polman, Independence, Jr.; Joe Riordan, Solon, Jr.; Oscar Rodriguez, St. Edward, Sr.; Jim Rogers, St. Ignatius, Sr.; Mark Shannon, Solon, So.; Matt Stevenot, Hudson, Sr.; Tom Sullivan, St. Ignatius, Sr.; Andrew Szendrey, St. Ignatius, Jr.; Colin Theis, Buckeye, Sr.; J.P. Trojan, University, Sr.; Luke Wagner, St. Ignatius; Brian Zaborszki, Nordonia, Sr.

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) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Girls cross country All-Stars 2015: Solon freshman Olivia Howell is cleveland.com runner of the year (photos, video)

0
0

See the girls cross country All-Stars from cleveland.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – For a freshman season, Solon’s Olivia Howell placed fifth at the Division I state championships, won a regional title and a district championship.

Her run at National Trail Raceway in Hebron during the state championships topped any Northeast Ohio competitor with a time of 18 minutes, 5.8 seconds.


Those performances make Howell the cleveland.com Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.


Watch below as Howell discusses her freshman season and read more below, including how she got into cross country, in her words.


And see all the honorable mention honorees below, as well as the coach of the year.

I was in seventh grade, and for the first meet I was really scared. I didn’t know what to expect. I started toward the back, and I thought this doesn’t feel right. I saw the person in front of me and I just started to catch them.

I knew I was good at this when I crossed the finish line of that first race. I came in first a good distance before the next person.

My teammates encourage me to run really hard at every meet, even in practices when I really didn’t want to. The harder workouts, they really helped me.

I was really scared this year, thinking I would need to PR every race. But after not PRing for one race, I learned it’s good to have a bad race once in a while to learn what you need to do next time. I think it was the fifth or sixth race I had.

At the Legends Meet (where she broke the school record in 18:02), when I was running I saw Louiza (Wise) in front of me. I was thinking, “Wait, this isn’t right. I’m usually right behind her.” I’ve always wanted to break the school record, so it felt so good.

I just keep telling myself, “Just one more person, just one more person,” until no one is ahead of me. I’m a really competitive person, especially having three siblings.

I was really surprised with this season. I thought I’d be the third-fastest runner on the team. I’ve never ran a 5K before the first race we had. With everyone else, this wasn’t their first time.

I only ran two miles during races, so it really changed my pace. I ran a faster two-mile (among the 3.1 miles) at states than in middle school.

In track, I’ll run the 1,600 and 800. They’re going to probably convince me to run the 3,200 but I really don’t want to do it on the track.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Matt Lindley, Gilmour: In his 19th season, Lindley’s Lancers had the best team performance of any Northeast Ohio girls squad at the state championships. They finished third with a 141 score. The next-best performance was Chagrin Falls’ fifth-place 180, also in Division II. They rebounded after finishing behind St. Vincent-St. Mary a week earlier at the Youngstown Regional.

Leading the pack was senior Hannah Markel, who heads next year to the University of Cincinnati after a sixth-place finish at state. The rest? They should be back, as Gilmour's six other runners were not seniors. Freshman Katie Engle placed 26th in Hebron and junior Gabriela Iademarco also ran a sub-20-minute time. Another freshman, Alannah Barton, finished in 20:00.1.

That’s what returns for Lindley, who has a state title in 2006 and two runner-up finishes since then.

HONORABLE MENTION

Rachel Banks, Chardon, Sr.; Michaela Bierly, Lutheran West, Sr.; Anna Brandt, Rocky River, Jr.; Sophie Carrier, Shaker Heights, So.; Rebecca Craddock, Brunswick, Jr.; Tarynn Cullings, Medina, Jr.; Natane Deruytter, Chagrin Falls, Sr.; AnnaMarie DiGiaccobe, Highland, So.; Katie Durisin, Riverside, Sr.; Riley Freeland, Cloverleaf, Jr.; Elizabeth Hinkle, Hudson, So.; Rachel Iacofano, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Sr.; Hannah Markel, Gilmour, Sr.; Caroline Millican, Hathaway Brown, Jr.; Mikaylie Park, Chardon, Jr.; Felicia Pasadyn, Brunswick, Fr.; Vanessa Pasadyn, Brunswick, Sr.; Mimi Reimers, Shaker Heights, Jr.; Leah Roter, Beachwood, So.; Ashley Rulison, Beachwood, Fr.; Sydney Seymour, St. Joseph Academy, So.; Maggie Wagner, St. Joseph Academy, Jr.; Louiza Wise, Solon, Sr.; Annie Zimmer, Chagrin Falls, So.

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) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Johnny Manziel in 'constant contact' with Josh Gordon, who was 'ripping and running too fast' he admits in video

0
0

Johnny Manziel is eager to have his good buddy Josh Gordon back with the Browns. That can happen as early as Feb. 3. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon, the Browns two talented but troubled stars, could be back together soon.

Manziel said Wednesday he's in constant contact with his good buddy and can't wait until he's back with the team.

Suspended indefinitely on Feb. 3 for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, Gordon can apply to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for reinstatement on Feb. 3, 2016 -- about a month and a half from now. A source told cleveland.com that Gordon is doing "outstanding'' and is on track to get the green light.

"Yeah, I still talk to Josh every week, so we've been in touch constantly throughout the season,'' said Manziel, who's gearing up to face the Seahawks' No. 2 defense on Sunday. "I got a chance to see him. I invited him down to the A&M game whenever I went back (after the) Thursday night game (in Cincinnati), so like I said, we've been in constant contact.''

To Manziel's knowledge, Gordon is doing whatever it takes to get re-instated. The protocol includes passing his random drug screens. Gordon also worked out with Terrelle Pryor in the offseason at the Randy Moss Academy in Charlotte, N.C.

"I think he's doing the right things,'' said Manziel. "From everything I've seen, he's been working out each and every day in L.A, working really hard, so he's still here. We still have his rights. He's still a part of this team. I can only speak for me, and I'm excited to have him back. I hope he is back in the Spring for sure.''

Manziel played only sparingly last season with Gordon, who was suspended for the first 10 games of the season for a positive marijuana test. But he knew all about Gordon's blockbuster All-Pro year of 2013, when he led the NFL with 1,646 yards on 87 catches. He also caught nine TD passes.

"All of you guys that were here in (2013) or whatever it was saw what he could bring to an offense,'' said Manziel. "We only got to see a little bit of a glimpse of it last year and I think having a full offseason with him in training camp, OTAs, and then getting into the season will only help him.''

By the time the season finale in Baltimore rolled around, both players were disciplined for oversleeping the day before the game after partying the night before. Gordon was suspended for the game and Manziel, who was on injured reserve at the time, was believed to have been fined.

After the season, on Jan. 16, the two were photographed together in Aspen, Colo. -- meaning they had already become good friends by then.

Related: Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon hung out in Aspen in January

But two weeks later, on Feb. 2, Manziel checked himself into an addiction treatment center, and the following day, Gordon was suspended indefinitely for drinking alcohol with teammates on a private jet to Las Vegas right after the season.

Now, the two are close to being back together on the roster, and also likely on the social scene -- but hopefully not in a way that will get either of them in trouble this time. 

In a video released Tuesday on ProAthlete TV, Gordon said the indefinite ban was just what he needed to get himself turned around. Of course, he said the same thing after each of his first two suspensions, so the Browns are cautiously optimistic.

"Since that day that the suspension was announced, in a sense I was kind of relieved," Gordon said from the Art Basel show in Miami Beach, where he debuted some of his art work. "I was distraught and embarrassed, but I was like, 'Man, I've been ripping and running too much, too fast.'

"I needed to slow down. I'm glad that somebody gave me a quick kick in the ass to let me know what's real and what's not."

Gordon, who designed all of his elaborate tattoos and creates his pieces on the computer using Photoshop and Illustrator, said he used art to help him cope with being out of football.

"In the sports world it's all about making everybody happy," Gordon said. "It's politics. It's not morality issues. It's not morals. But I respect it and I learned it, so you have to grow up and become more professional.

"I lived and I learned. For sure I took my lumps. I plan on bouncing back in a good way."

Cleveland Indians agree to 1-year deal with veteran outfielder Rajai Davis

0
0

Rajai Davis is the latest outfielder to join the Indians as they try to fill a gaping hole in the roster. Davis' one-year deal is contingent on him passing a physical.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's the old guys on parade, but at least the Indians are filling some holes on the roster.

The Indians, after agreeing to a one-year, $7 million deal with 1B-DH Mike Napoli, 34, on Wednesday afternoon, a few hours later reportedly reached a one-year deal with free-agent outfielder Rajai Davis.

Jon Heyman of CBSsports.com, first reported the deal. Davis reportedly signed for $5.25 million plus incentives.

Davis and Napoli's deals are contingent on passing physicals. Napoli's physical is scheduled for Friday in Cleveland.

The Indians need help in center field and Davis, 35, should be able supply some of it. He started 46 games in center last season. He also played 39 games in left field, 10 in right and eight at DH.

Davis put Tribe catcher Yan Gomes on the shelf for six weeks in early April last season when he slid into Gomes' right heel on a play at the plate at Progressive Field. Gomes, who played with Davis at Toronto, did not blame him for his knee injury.

It's believed the groundwork for this deal was completed last week at the winter meetings.

Last season Davis, a right-handed hitter, batted .258 (88-for-341) with eight homers and 30 RBI. He stole 18 bases in 26 attempts and scored 55 runs. Davis' slash line was .258/.306/.440.

Davis has played parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with Pittsburgh, Oakland, Toronto, San Francisco, and Detroit. He's spent the last two years with the Tigers.

Wherever Davis has played, he's been a thorn in the side of the Indians. He's hit .304 (58-for-191) with 39 runs, 10 doubles, 18 steals, 27 RBI and a .790 OPS against the Tribe. Now he's finally joining them.

Davis, who made $5 million last season, is the latest outfielder acquired this off-season. The Tribe needed help in the outfield at the end of last season and when left fielder Michael Brantley underwent right shoulder surgery in November, they went into scramble mode.

Including Davis, the Indians have added outfielders Collin Cowgill, Shane Robinson, Michael Choice, Robbie Grossman and Joey Butler since the end of the season. Brantley could miss all of April as he recovers from labrum surgery.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2015/12/cleveland_indians_agree_on_one.html

Ohio State basketball beats Northern Illinois 67-54 on an ugly shooting night: Instant recap

0
0

The Buckeyes are now 5-5 heading into Saturday's game against No. 4 Kentucky.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State basketball team is going to take wins anyway it can get them. Even when they come in ugly games like the one the Buckeyes had Wednesday night with Northern Illinois.

Neither team shot well at all, and both often looked disjointed on offense. But Ohio State cares about the bottom line right now. That was 67-54 Buckeyes, a win that gets them back to .500 heading into Saturday's game against No. 4 Kentucky in New York.

Jae'Sean Tate lead the Buckeyes (5-5) with 17 points and 10 rebounds, his second career double-double. Keita Bates-Diop scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Center Trevor Thompson scored 10 points and had eight rebounds, getting another start over freshman Daniel Giddens.

Junior Marc Loving, eight points and 3-for-12 shooting, failed to reach double figures for the first time this year.

The Huskies (7-2) had it tied twice in the second half at 42 and 46, but never led in the half. Northern Illinois was plagued by cold shooting, finishing 15-for-56 (27 percent).

Ohio State wasn't much better at 20-for-51 (39 percent), but it was enough for the win. The Buckeyes shared the ball much better in the second half with eight assists on 11 baskets.

That Ohio State started with three straight misses was indicative of the night to come. The Buckeyes shot 36 percent in the first half, but Northern Illinois was worse, shooting 31 percent and 1-for-10 from 3-point range.

The Buckeyes put together a quick 8-0 run, which featured five points from Tate, that put Ohio State up 24-18 with just under seven minutes to play. That was the largest lead of the half, coming on an inside bucket from Thompson.

The Huskies chipped away, tying the game at 26, then 29. 

Ohio State led 33-31 at the half, despite shooting 9-for-25 from the floor and assisting on only two of those makes. The Buckeyes were in the bonus early and got 12 points at the foul line.

When it was over

Ohio State got out on a fast break with Giddens, who made the smart play and gave it up on a bounce feed to Tate that put the Buckeyes up 57-49 with just under five minutes to play. That margin was enough with the way the Huskies were shooting the ball.

Crucial run

After Northern Illinois tied the game at 44, Ohio State went on a 10-2 run to go up 54-46, and the Buckeyes stayed ahead the rest of the way.

What it means

Ohio State had two players notch double-doubles on one of its worst offensive nights of the season. The inconsistent play continued, but Ohio State was better in the second half and will take the win.

What's next

The Buckeyes travel to New York on Saturday to play No. 4 Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic at Barclays Center. Tip is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

On Cleveland Indians keeping starting pitchers and high price for Todd Frazier: Paul Hoynes

0
0

The Indians, by agreeing to one-year contracts with Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis, have decided to keep their starting rotation intact rather than trade an arm or two. Beat writer Paul Hoynes also discusses what the Reds wanted from the Tribe for third baseman Todd Frazier.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Six thoughts on the Indians agreeing to one-year deals with Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis, not getting third baseman Todd Frazier from the Reds and keeping the starting rotation intact for 2016.

1. Rotation stays intact: Do the acquisitions of Napoli and Davis - both pending physicals - mean the Indians have decided to keep their starting rotation intact?

It looks like it. This way they will not be forced to trade a starter to improve the position player club unless it's a deal too good to pass up. Napoli can hit in the middle of the lineup and offers a defensive upgrade at first base. Davis gives them a proven big-league center fielder who can handle the position - with help from Abraham Almonte - until Michael Brantley returns from right shoulder surgery in late April or May.

When Brantley gets back, the Indians can reshuffle the outfield depending on who makes it out of spring training and who is waiting at Class AAA Columbus.

2. Why didn't the Tribe get Frazier from the Reds? Initially the Reds wanted starter Danny Salazar or closer Cody Allen. The Tribe said no and negotiations turned to prospects.

Cincinnati never said, "we've got a deal,' but they wanted Bradley Zimmer or Clint Frazier to be in any deal that was made. They also wanted two other players from a group including Bobby Bradley, Justus Sheffield, Mike Clevinger or Juan Hillman. The Indians tried to make it a three-team deal, but couldn't get the right players lined up.

The Reds traded Frazier to the White Sox on Wednesday in a three-team deal with the Dodgers.

3. Who plays first? The Indians were not happy with the play of Carlos Santana at first base in 2015. Manager Terry Francona told reporters in August that if Santana, unhappy about DHing, wanted to play more first base he would have to work harder at the position. Then Chris Johnson, who was taking Santana's time at first, ran afoul of a spider in Minneapolis and had to go on the disabled list with an infected hand.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2015/12/cleveland_indians_agree_on_one.html

Napoli was among the top three vote getters at first base for the AL Gold Glove award last season. He made seven errors in 111 games and had three defensive runs saved, according to fangraphs.com

Santana made three errors in 132 games at first, but posted a -4 in defensive runs saved. Santana, depending on how spring training unfolds, could see a lot more time at DH in 2016.

4. Where will Napoli hit? Ideally, the Indians would like to get Santana out of the cleanup spot where they could take better advantage of his ability to draw walks. Napoli, however, does not look like a made-to-order cleanup hitter.

In parts of 10 years in the big leagues, he has the most at-bats in the No.5 spot. This past season, he hit fifth in 57 games, batting .223 with eight homers and 21 RBI. In his career, Napoli has hit .257 (128-for-498) with 23 homers and 80 RBI out of the cleanup spot. This year, however, he spent just 10 games there and hit .156 (5-for-36).

Then again Napoli's two teams in 2015, Boston and Texas, had David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre hitting No.4. They didn't need Napoli there. The Indians do and they can always fall back on Santana or Joey Butler, if he makes the team.

5. Lefties beware: Last season Oakland and Seattle led the AL with 32 losses each against left-handed starters. The Indians, Houston and Texas were just off the pace with 31.

Napoli and Davis should help even the ledger. Napoli hit .278 (42-for-151) with 12 of his 18 homers against lefties last season. Against righties, he hit .191 (49-for-256). In his career, Napoli has a higher batting average against lefties, but has shown much more power against righties.

Davis is .296 (323-for-1,090) lifetime against lefties. In this last three years, he's hit .307 (124-for-404).

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2015/12/cleveland_indians_agree_to_1-y.html

6. Pass the physical: Napoli signed a three-year, $36 million free agent contract with Boston after the 2012 season. During his physical, the Red Sox discovered that he was suffering from avascular necrosis of both hips. The Red Sox scrapped the deal and eventually signed Napoli to a one-year, $5 million deal.

The hip condition ended Napoli's career as a catcher, but after helping the Red Sox win the World Series in 2013, they signed him for two years and $32 million. Last season Napoli played first and left field. Those close to him say he's 100 percent.

Napoli's physical with the Indians is Friday in Cleveland.


Mike Pettine not ready to call Russell Wilson a top-tier QB despite blistering 4-game stretch and No. 1 ranking

0
0

Mike Pettine believes some of Russell Wilson's success is based on the supporting cast and the system he's in. He won't put him up in the top four in the NFL. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Mike Pettine isn't ready to christen Russell Wilson as a top-tier quarterback despite the hottest four-game stretch in the history of the NFL and and his No. 1 rating in the league.

"He has ascended,'' said Pettine, who refused to rank him in the top 10 in 2014 when he was coming off a Super Bowl victory. "He plays at a high level. He's very productive and they win. A lot of that I think is a function, too, of him being the perfect quarterback for what they do. To me, it goes both ways. They have also built it around him.''

Despite back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and off-the-charts numbers this season, Pettine -- who's studied the best quarterbacks in the league as a defensive coach for most of his career -- still won't mention him in the same breath as the obvious future Hall of Famers heading into the Browns' trip to Seattle on Sunday.

"Would you put him up there with the guys that can transcend their supporting cast - the (Tom) Bradys, Aaron Rodgers, (Drew) Brees, (Ben) Roethlisberger, the ones that you would consider the two, three, four elite guys? But he has certainly played himself into that next tier."

Wilson, who's won four straight games and six of his last seven for an 8-5 record, couldn't care less what Pettine thinks of him. He believes his 44-17 record over the past four seasons speaks for itself.

 "I don't worry about all of that,'' he said. "It comes down to winning games. Winning a lot of football games, I think that's the ultimate measure of a quarterback so that's the only thing I care about."

Seahawks All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman begs to differ with Pettine.

"This is the best football of his life," Sherman said two weeks ago after they knocked off the Vikings 38-7.  "Quarterbacks come into their own. This is his growing point. This is his moving up into that elite tier.

"There's no ceiling for his game right now. He's blowing the ceiling off the building right now. He's playing phenomenal. He's doing it with his legs. He's doing it with his arm. He's making smart decisions. He's getting out of the pocket. He's eliminating negative plays. That's what you need quarterbacks to do."

Drafted in the third round out of Wisconsin in 2012, has thrown 16 touchdown passes and no interceptions in his last four games, completing 89 of 118 passes for 1,171 yards for a 145.9 rating. He's thrown at least four TD passes in each of the past three games, including his five during a 35-6 victory over the Ravens on Sunday.

In the past four outings, he's thrown at least three TD passes, no interceptions and completed 70% of his attempts -- the only quarterback in NFL annals to accomplish the feat.

In addition, since the passer rating was introduced in 1973, he's the first quarterback to post at least a 138.5 mark in four straight games. In four of the last five outings, the Seahawks have scored 32 or more points. They've also outscored their last two opponents 73-13.

"Everything has been hitting right on the money,'' Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said on a conference call. "The protection has been good. He has taken advantage of that. Receivers have been on it, which our guys really catch the ball well. They have been doing it for years. I just think we are the best we have been in the throwing game right now.''

That's probably why the Seahawks refused get drawn into comparisons between Wilson and Johnny Manziel, who's of similar size. Manziel may someday be a successful NFL quarterback, but for now, Wilson has two more Super Bowl appearances, one more Super Bowl victory, 11,861 more yards and 42 more regular season victories.  

"Obviously, Johnny is a guy who has won the Heisman Trophy,'' Wilson said on a conference call. "He's done a lot of special, special things. He's a great football player, incredible instincts and he's done a lot of great things in terms of just performing at a high level. I've been able to watch him, a few times in college. I haven't been able to watch him as much obviously in the NFL because obviously, we play on Sundays, but I think he's a tremendous football player."

Related: Mike Pettine says the 49ers didn't come out with the same intensity as the Browns

Carroll has been impressed with what he's seen from Manziel in his four starts this season, including Sunday's 24-10 victory over San Francisco that evened his record at 2-2.

"He looks really good and he's a big threat because he's not just a run-around guy,'' he said. "He can throw the ball on rhythm in the pocket and he will hold up and hang in there when he has protection to do so. He looks like he poses a big threat to me. He threw well on the play-action passes. His quick game is good. All of his empty stuff is good. I thought he looked great so far. I can see why he has given them a really good chance to be a winning football team when he is out there."

But he is the next Russell Wilson? Carroll isn't ready to go there just yet.

And is Wilson the next Aaron Rodgers? Pettine isn't ready to go there yet either.

Jessie Holzman’s career-high 26 points lead No. 20 Medina girls basketball to 55-50 upset win over No. 3 Mentor

0
0

Mentor uses 26 points and big defensive play from senior Jessie Holzman to hand Mentor its first loss of the season.

MEDINA, Ohio -- The Medina girls basketball team used a big night from senior Jessie Holzman to hand Mentor its first loss of the season, 55-50, in a Greater Cleveland Conference game Wednesday at Medina.

Holzman scored a career-high 26 points for Medina (4-3, 2-2 GCC), ranked 20th in the cleveland.com Top 25, including nine of the team’s final 13 points in the first half to give the Bees a 25-20 halftime lead after third-ranked Mentor (7-1, 5-1) had led 17-12.


“Jessie Holzman is a smart player and athlete and she does whatever her coaches and teammates ask her to do,” Medina coach Karen Kase said. “Tonight she scored a ton of points, which is her career high, but she does stuff in every category.”


It was Holzman's defensive play at the end of the game that sealed the win for the Bees.


Medina led 51-44 with under a minute to play when Maddy Moyer and Brittany Fillar hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 51-50. After Margaret Swiecicki had hit two free throws to give Medina a 53-50 lead with 11.3 seconds remaining, Mentor had a chance to tie the game.


On the inbound pass, the Cardinals tried to roll the ball in but Holzman was there to tap it away to the waiting hands of Delaney Cullen, who scooped it up, got fouled and hit two free throws to ice the win.


“We just didn’t want them to be able to roll it in,” Holzman said. “It was on the ground and I saw her bobble it so I just tried to get to it and it worked out in our favor.”


What worked in the favor of the Bees down the stretch was strategy and clock management. With Medina leading in the final four minutes, Kase decided to slow things down and make Mentor foul. With no shot clock, Medina was able to have possessions that lasted nearly a minute to shorten the game. Throughout the process, there were numerous plays where Medina had a chance to score but pulled the ball back out and ran down the clock.


“One of our keys was to have everyone on the same page tonight,” Kase said. “The five that were out there at any given time and then the whole group of us, coaches, 15 players, whatever it is. That comes down to time and score situations at practice, execution, being clear during timeouts.”


Emma Bobey was the only other player in double figures for Medina with 14, while Fillar led Mentor with 12 points and Teagan Ochaya added 10.


Ryan Isley is a freelancer from Akron. For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Lake Erie Monsters fall to streaking Grand Rapids Griffins, 2-1

0
0

The Lake Erie Monsters were the last team to beat the Grand Rapids Griffins back in November, but they couldn't do it Wednesday as Grand Rapids won its 12th straight game, this time by a 3-2 margin.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The red-hot Grand Rapids Griffins ran their winning streak to 12 games with a 3-2 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters on Wednesday in an American Hockey League game at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Monsters were the last team to beat Grand Rapids, taking two straight on Nov. 13-14 at The Q. But since that time the Griffins have been unstoppable in running their record to 13-8-0-1. The Monsters are just ahead of the Griffins at 15-7-1-2.

Despite holding a 35-13 edge in shots over the final two periods, the Monsters could not catch the Griffins after spotting them a 2-0 lead. Lake Erie came in averaging 33 shots a game and finished with a 49-28 edge Wednesday.

Jared Coreau turned back 47 shots for Grand Rapids to improve his record to 10-2-1. Anton Forsberg had 25 saves for the Monsters, but fell to 10-3-1.

Grand Rapids got on the board at 9:17 of the first period when Robbie Russo scored on a power play off an assist from Martin Frk with the Monsters' Trent Vogelhuber off ice for a tripping penalty.

The Griffins made it 2-0 just 1:27 into the second period when winger Anthony Mantha scored, assisted by Russo. The Monsters made it 2-1 when right winger Josh Anderson scored his sixth goal of the season at 10:49 of the second, assisted by Kerby Rychel.

But the Griffins came right back at 15:42 on Mantha's second goal and took a 3-1 lead into the final period.

Lake Erie again cut the lead to one on an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal just 2:45 into the third period, but couldn't get any closer.

Falk to Jackets: The Columbus Blue Jackets added Monsters defenseman Justin Falk on emergency recall Wednesday. It's the second time Falk has been recalled this season. He has two goals, five points and 26 penalty minutes with the Monsters. He has 151 NHL appearances with Columbus, Minnesota and the New York Rangers.

Next for Monsters: Lake Erie hits the road for games against the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) in Bojangles' Coliseum. The Monsters return home to host Grand Rapids again on Dec. 26-27.

Cleveland Indians' Cody Anderson has emergency appendectomy

0
0

Right-hander Cody Anderson, who went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA last season as a rookie for the Indians, will need two to four weeks to recover from an emergency appendectomy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Cody Anderson underwent an emergency appendectomy Tuesday night after experiencing pain in his lower abdomen. The surgery was performed at the St. Joseph's Westgate Medical Center in Glendale, Ariz.

Anderson, who went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA for the Indians as a rookie last season, has been training for much of the off-season at the team's spring training site in Goodyear, Ariz. He is expected to need the next two to four weeks to recover from the operation.

Indians pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear on Feb. 17 to start spring training. Anderson started the 2015 season at Class AA Akron where he went to 3-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 10 starts. He moved to Class AAA Columbus on June 5 and on June 21 pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings against Tampa Bay in his big league debut.

Anderson, 25, closed the season in style by winning five straight starts. He allowed four runs in 33 innings over those five starts.

Wednesday’s winter sports roundup: Basketball, bowling highlights

0
0

Here are high school sports highlights from Wednesday.

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

Girls basketball


Fairview 33, Oberlin 29: Cate Schmiedl lead all scorers with 16 points, and Warriors coach Andrea Petta recorderd her first career victory.


Saint Martins de Porres 54, Lutheran East 46: Chayla Johnson had 17 points and 14 rebounds in the victory. Kerri Stewart added 12 points and 7 rebounds. Darjaney Edwards and Jazmyne Darby each scored 15 for Lutheran East.


Lutheran West 59, Brooklyn 19: The Longhorns (5-2) scored 22 points in the first quarter, led by eight from Abby Desimpelare and seven from Claire Guthiel.


Field 44, Springfield 42: Jillian Piarella scored 18 points and Katie Darling added 11 in the win. Sarah Treen had 12 points for Springfield.


Cuyahoga Heights 30, Hawken 23: Lily Adams scored 12 points in the victory as the Redskins made 6-of-8 free throws in the fourth quarter.


Boys bowling


Springfield 2,794, Woodridge 2,625: Springfield’s Frank Garretson had his high game (278) and series (534) of the season in the win.


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


 

Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015

0
0

Here are Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Wednesday, December 16, 2015.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Here are Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Wednesday, December 16, 2015.

Amherst Steele 53, Avon 35


Avon Lake 46, Olmsted Falls 38


Bay Village Bay 38, Parma Normandy 37


Can. Cent. Cath. 35, Massillon Tuslaw 33


Canfield 63, Youngs. Boardman 31


Chillicothe 68, Lees Creek E. Clinton 31


Cin. Christian 50, St. Bernard 27


Cin. Glen Este 60, Cin. Turpin 40


Cin. Hills Christian Academy 32, Hamilton New Miami 26


Cin. Princeton 57, Cin. Sycamore 38


Clarksville Clinton-Massie 58, Washington C.H. 38


Cle. St. Martin De Porres 54, Cle. Hts. Lutheran E. 46


Cols. Wellington 46, Sparta Highland 36


Columbia Station Columbia 53, Lorain Clearview 23


Columbus Torah Academy 35, Cin. Horizon Science 29


Cortland Lakeview 59, Poland Seminary 50


Cuyahoga Hts. 30, Gates Mills Hawken 23


E. Can. 54, Newcomerstown 23


Fairview 33, Oberlin 29


Fayetteville-Perry 58, Batavia Clermont NE 25


Garrettsville Garfield 67, Rootstown 32


Gates Mills Gilmour 70, Parma Padua 38


Hamilton 60, Middletown 50


Hannibal River 65, Wheeling Central, W.Va. 22


Jackson 49, Minford 45


Kent Roosevelt 57, Barberton 46


Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 50, Fairfield 40


Lyndhurst Brush 45, Willoughby S. 37


Mason 63, Cin. Colerain 28


Massillon Washington 41, Cin. NW 35


Mayfield 47, Chardon 45


McDermott Scioto NW 48, Piketon 45


Millersport 31, Patriot Preparatory Academy 27


Mogadore Field 44, Akr. Springfield 42


Mt. Notre Dame 64, Cin. Winton Woods 31


New Boston Glenwood 49, Portsmouth 45


New Philadelphia 47, Zanesville Rosecrans 43


Oberlin Firelands 49, Wellington 30


Oxford Talawanda 38, Trenton Edgewood 34


Parma 68, Parma Hts. Valley Forge 28


Peninsula Woodridge 51, Akr. Coventry 45


Powell Olentangy Liberty 84, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 46


Richmond Hts. 90, Burton Berkshire 44


Rocky River Lutheran W. 59, Brooklyn 19


Rocky River Magnificat 53, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 24


Sidney Christian Academy 61, Springfield 39


Spring. Greenon 37, St. Paris Graham 32


Stow-Munroe Falls 49, Cuyahoga Falls 33


Vandalia Butler 60, Xenia 40


W. Chester Lakota W. 66, Cin. Oak Hills 43


Washington C.H. Miami Trace 45, Greenfield McClain 44


Westlake 52, N. Ridgeville 42


Wilmington 68, Hillsboro 48


Zanesville Maysville 46, Philo 28

Cleveland State Vikings hold off Loyola Chicago, 60-54

0
0

Daniel Levitt made four 3-pointers and Gary Waters won his 350th game Wednesday as Cleveland State defeated Loyola, 60-54.

CHICAGO -- Andre Yates scored 14 points and Daniel Levitt had 12 as Cleveland State rallied to defeat Loyola Chicago, 60-54, in a men's basketball game here Wednesday in Gentile Arena.

The Vikings improved to 3-7 with the win while dropping Loyola to 5-5 and handing the Ramblers their first home loss.

The win was the 350th for CSU coach Gary Waters, who is now 350-269 in 20 seasons. His overall record at Cleveland State is 179-134.

Loyola jumped out to an 18-11 lead early in the first half, but the game was close the rest of the way as CSU cut the lead to 24-23 at the half.

There were five ties and seven lead changes in the second half before CSU put it away on a pair of free throws by Jibri Blout and a 3-pointer by Levitt.

Levitt made four 3-pointers and the Vikings finished 7 of 17 from beyond the arc.

Blount had 11 points and seven rebounds, while Demonte Flannigan had 10 points and blocked three shots. Vinny Zollo added eight rebounds for the Vikings, who held a 38-33 advantage on the boards. They finished with six blocked shots and nine steals.

Earl Peterson led Loyola with 16 points.

Next for CSU: The Vikings play host to Belmont on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Wolstein Center. They will finish the year with home games against Bowling Green on Dec. 23 and Cedarville on Dec. 29.

CLEVELAND STATE 60, LOYOLA OF CHICAGO 54

CLEVELAND STATE (3-7)
Yates 5-10 2-2 14, Edwards 2-6 0-0 4, Hales 0-1 0-0 0, Flannigan 5-6 0-2 10, Zollo 0-5 0-0 0, Hamilton 0-2 2-2 2, Carpenter 0-3 0-2 0, Blount 2-7 7-8 11, Hasbargen 1-5 4-4 7, Rogers 0-4 0-0 0, Levitt 4-6 0-0 12. Totals 19-55 15-20 60.

LOYOLA OF CHICAGO (5-5)

Ingram 3-5 0-1 6, Peterson 6-9 4-5 16, Turk 2-5 0-0 4, Richardson 2-4 3-4 9, Kirby 2-4 1-1 5, Rajala 1-2 0-0 2, White 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 1-12 1-2 3, Doyle 3-8 2-3 9. Totals 20-49 11-16 54.

Halftime--Loyola of Chicago 24-23. 3-Point Goals--Cleveland State 7-17 (Levitt 4-6, Yates 2-4, Hasbargen 1-2, Hamilton 0-1, Zollo 0-1, Carpenter 0-1, Rogers 0-2), Loyola of Chicago 3-13 (Richardson 2-3, Doyle 1-3, Turk 0-2, Smith 0-5). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Cleveland State 38 (Zollo 8), Loyola of Chicago 33 (Smith 7). Assists--Cleveland State 11 (Hamilton 3), Loyola of Chicago 12 (Doyle, Ingram, Peterson, Smith, White 2). Total Fouls--Cleveland State 19, Loyola of Chicago 18. A--1,189.


DMan's NFL Picks, Week 15: Johnny Manziel's Cleveland Browns stay close enough at Russell Wilson's Seattle Seahawks

0
0

DMan's NFL Picks, Week 15 winners include: Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a matchup of undersized quarterbacks, Johnny Manziel and the Cleveland Browns are relatively competitive on the road against Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks.

At least that is how I see one of the outcomes from NFL Week 15 games when picking against the spread (for entertainment purposes only, of course).

Manziel, listed at 6-0, is coming off a stellar performance as the Browns defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 24-10, in Cleveland. Wilson, listed at 5-11, has been ridiculously good in his past four games, all Seattle victories (1,171 yards, 16 TDs, 0 INTs).

Season's record ATS: 102-101-5

  • Week 1: 8-7-1
  • Week 2: 8-8
  • Week 3: 10-6
  • Week 4: 5-10
  • Week 5: 6-7-1
  • Week 6: 6-6-2
  • Week 7: 9-5
  • Week 8: 6-7-1
  • Week 9: 4-9
  • Week 10: 6-8
  • Week 11: 6-8
  • Week 12: 10-6
  • Week 13: 9-7
  • Week 14: 9-7

Week 14: Summary. Given how challenging it is to pick every game ATS, I have no complaints about a third straight winning week.

The highlight didn't necessarily involve the spread. I had the Browns (-1) over the San Francisco 49ers in Cleveland when many of my peers opted for the 49ers. My score, though, was just 16-13 and not 24-10.

Week 15 predictions: The lines, as will be the case all season, are from MGM Mirage as of Wednesday afternoon unless noted (entertainment purposes only).

Even though I have been winning more than losing lately, I called my friend who is piped in to the NFL for his thoughts. Maybe not the wisest choice, because we disagreed several times.

Thursday

Tampa Bay + 1 1/2 over @ St. Louis

Skinny: My friend liked the Rams; I reminded him that they are the Rams. Buccaneers rebound from (highly) disappointing home loss to New Orleans. Buccaneers, 23-20.

Saturday

@ Dallas +3 over N.Y. Jets

Skinny: I preferred the Jets, but I allowed my friend to talk me out of it. However, he gave me no rationality for supporting the Cowboys other than the game taking place in Jerry's World. Cowboys, 21-19.

Sunday

@ Minnesota -5 over Chicago

Skinny: Vikings need this one, they are at home, and Bears QB Jay Cutler can't be trusted. Vikings, 24-17.

@ Jacksonville -3 over Atlanta

Skinny: Jaguars can score. Falcons are reeling and outdoors. Jaguars, 30-22.

@ Indianapolis over Houston

Skinny: (No lines from major books on vegasinsider.com as of Wednesday afternoon, so I am going with PICK). Colts -- no matter who is at QB -- can't continue to be as bad as in previous two weeks, can they? Colts, 20-16.

@ Baltimore +7 1/2 over Kansas City

Skinny: Chiefs, in a tuneup for the Browns, win their eighth straight. But Ravens find a way to keep it close enough. Chiefs, 23-17.

@ Washington + 1 1/2 over Buffalo

Skinny: Redskins this season have gone L-W-L-W-L-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W. They are past due for a two-game winning streak. Redskins, 19-15.   

@ New England +14 over Tennessee

Skinny: My friend was adamant that a 14-point spread is far too high, especially given New England's injury situation. When I play this game in my head, though, I see scores of 20-0, 24-3, 30-6 or 27-7. Patriots, 27-7.   

@ Philadelphia +3 1/2 over Arizona

Skinny: My friend and I nearly came to blows over the phone. He yelled: "Give me the Cardinals, all day long!'' I yelled: "Not so fast!'' I love the hook. Cardinals, 24-21. 

@ N.Y. Giants +5 1/2 over Carolina

Skinny: Box-of-chocolates Giants simply are getting too many points at home. My friend thinks they win straight-up. Panthers, 26-23.

Cleveland +14 over @ Seattle

Skinny: I agree with my friend in this case: A 14-point spread is far too high. OK, maybe not far too high. Seahawks, 33-20.

Green Bay -3 over @ Oakland

Skinny: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is not afraid of the big, bad, Black Hole. Packers, 23-19.

@ San Diego -1 1/2 over Miami

Skinny: Dolphins, coming off a home loss against the Giants on Monday night, need to travel across the country on a short week. Chargers, 27-20.

@ Pittsburgh -6 over Denver

Skinny: Steelers' offense is must-see. Broncos QB Brock Osweiler, even if he is sharp, won't be able to keep up with his counterpart, Ben Roethlisberger. Steelers, 30-19.

@ San Francisco +4 1/2 over Cincinnati

Skinny: 49ers defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, who failed to confuse Texas A&M's  Manziel in Week 14, does a better job against Alabama's A.J. McCarron. Bengals, 26-22.

Monday 

@ New Orleans -3 over Detroit

Skinny: My friend and I agree on Saints QB Drew Brees playing well at home in prime time. Saints, 31-24.

Johnny Manziel throws deep to Josh Gordon ... it's a troubling, intriguing scenario for Cleveland Browns: Tom Reed

0
0

Common sense tells you it probably won't happen, but from a purely football standpoint it's an exciting vision. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio - Johnny Manziel revealed Wednesday he keeps in constant contact with suspended Browns receiver Josh Gordon.

In related news, Busted Coverage and TMZ are asking local nightclub patrons to upgrade their cell phones for enhanced video quality. The quarterback-receiver tandem is to clickbait what Michael Jackson and Elvis sightings were to supermarket tabloid racks.

Not long ago, the idea of a Manziel-Gordon reunion in Berea seemed remote. There's still a chance they form a better car dealership than a successful pitch-and-catch partnership. JG has the connections, after all.

But with Manziel starting to play well and Gordon's potential NFL reinstatement less than two months away, the Browns and their fans can at least mull the possibilities.

Imagine Manziel rolling right and surveying a field with Gordon, Travis Benjamin and Gary Barnidge stretching a defense. That might not be Ray Farmer's idea of offense, but it could stress a few defenses around the league.

Manziel sounded amenable to the scenario as he met with reporters ahead of Sunday's showdown with the Seahawks.

Johnny Manziel remains close with Josh Gordon

"All of you guys that were here in (2013) or whatever it was saw what he could bring to an offense," Manziel said. "We only got to see a little bit of a glimpse of it last year and I think having a full off-season with him in training camp, OTAs, and then getting into the season will only help him ...

"He's still here. We still have his rights. He's still a part of the team. I'm excited -- and I can only speak for me -- I'm excited to have him back and I hope he is back in the spring for sure."

There's a lot going on in that quote, not the least of which is Manziel envisioning himself as Browns quarterback in 2016. Others will make that decision, of course, and how No. 2 performs in the season's final three weeks against the Seahawks, Chiefs and Steelers weighs heavily in the evaluation.

At least Manziel's future is in the hands of the franchise. Gordon needs to apply for reinstatement to the league and earn commissioner Roger Goodell's blessing after multiple substance-abuse policy violations.

Gordon said in a recently-released video from ProAthlete TV his latest suspension made him realize he needed to slow down because he'd "been ripping and running too much, too fast."

We've heard it all before. Let the drug tests do the talking, Josh.

If Gordon does gain reinstatement, the Browns have an interesting decision to make. Do they trade the former All Pro - he'll definitely have suitors despite the threat of another indefinite suspension - and rid themselves of future worries? Or, do they give him one more shot and risk potential Johnny-and-Josh party videos surfacing every other week?

My guess is they won't be teammates in June. Something will happen in the interim -- it always does with this troubled twosome. There's little doubting their friendship or desire to play together, however.

Gordon was championing Manziel as starter from almost the moment he ended his 10-game ban in 2014 even as Brian Hoyer held a tenuous grip on the job.

They played only one full game as teammates, a 30-0 loss to the Bengals when Manziel had no idea how to run a pro offense and Gordon appeared to be going through the motions.

Common sense says a reunion won't work. It would be like asking Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin to play The Sands on nothing more potent than Fresca.

But the football fan in me is beyond intrigued. Manziel already is averaging 7.57 yards per attempt, which if his stats qualified, would rank him 12th in the NFL. Just picture Gordon running deep or breaking off patterns in scramble drills. Manziel would have his Mike Evans at the NFL level.

Don't think the lads haven't discussed it.

Could their friendship and potential on-field dynamism keep them out of the coach's and Goodell's office? Doubtful.

First, Manziel must convince the brain trust he's worthy of its 2016 investment. That's far from certain. Even if Gordon returns we're not sure he'll ever regain form after essentially a two-year, self-induced layoff.

But with the Browns sitting 3-10 and ranking 29th in scoring, Manziel-to-Gordon is a tantalizing thought.

That is, unless you're good with the Farmer philosophy on wide receivers.

Is a Johnny Manziel-Josh Gordon combination in the Browns future? -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

0
0

Cleveland sports fans wonder about Josh Gordon, Johnny Manziel, the MMA and Pete Rose's Hall of Fame credentials -- 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

Hey Bud: I watched the MMA fights on Saturday night. Is there a concussion protocol for this "sport"? - Gary D, Columbia Station

You mean for the participants? Or the people who would spend a Saturday night watching them?

Bud: Dwayne Bowe said not playing is "the ultimate challenge." So what does he consider playing? - Michael Seese, Chagrin Falls

My best guess is he doesn't remember.

Bud: With Josh Gordon's emergence as an illustrator and artist as part of his professional rehabilitation, can we expect to run into Johnny Manziel at the opera anytime soon? - Sean Moss, London

There's not much chance You Said It contributors will run into anyone at the opera.

Bud: I think Pete Rose may have just eclipsed my record for rejected prom date requests. - Frank Bruno, Westlake

And to think Pete met MLB halfway. He stopped betting illegally on baseball and started betting legally on baseball.

Bud: In order for the NFL to reinstate Josh Gordon, could there be any stronger endorsement of a person's off-the-field conduct than Johnny Manziel saying, "I think he's doing the right things?" Josh may want to consider other expert witnesses -- Wayne

I'm going to go out on the limb here and guess that you don't mean Andy Moeller.

Bud: Banning Pete Rose from baseball and the Hall of Fame is ridiculous! - Art Schlichter

First-time You Said It winners finally beat the odds.

Ohio State football: Taylor Decker, Joey Bosa named consensus All-Americans by NCAA

0
0

Taylor Decker was the only Buckeye to earn consensus All-American status.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State football team already showed what kind of talent it had this season when it reached four first-team All-Americans on Tuesday.

That gave the Buckeyes their most first-team selections since 2008.

The final All-American list came out on Wednesday, this one from the American Football Coaches Association. There weren't any new Buckeyes on there, as Taylor Decker and Joey Bosa earned first-team honors.

By doing so, Decker earned consensus All-American status, which is a pretty big deal in an era that has enough All-American lists for the number of teams actually playing college football.

To earn consensus status from the NCAA, a player must be a first-team selection on at least three of the following lists: the AFCA, the Football Writers Association of America, the Associated Press, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Decker earned first-team nods from the AFCA, Walter Camp and the AP. He also was on the first teams for Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports, which aren't recognized by the NCAA, but it's still impressive nonetheless to wind up on five lists. 

Last year, Bosa was one of 12 unanimous All-Americans, meaning he was first-team on all five lists recognized by the NCAA. There were 12 unanimous All-Americans again this year. None were Buckeyes.

Bosa did gain consensus status again from the NCAA because there weren't four defensive linemen who landed on at least three of the lists. Bosa and Texas A&M's Myle Garrett were on two of the lists. The consensus list needed a fourth lineman, so the nod went to Bosa.

Bosa becomes the first repeat consensus All-American since James Laurinaitis.

There was a similar tie-up with consensus defensive backs. Three earned consensus status, and a fourth spot came down to Ohio State's Vonn Bell and Florida State's Jalen Ramsey, who each landed on two lists. That nod went to Ramsey.

But Bell still got a tree.

To receive a tree in Buckeye Grove, an Ohio State player need only be recognized as a first-team All-American on any reputable list. So Decker Bell and defensive tackle Adolphus Washington will get trees. Bosa earned his last year.

Here's a complete rundown of Ohio State players who earned All-American status in 2015:

First-team selections

Taylor Decker, Sr., OT: Walter Camp, Associated Press, AFCA, SI.com, CBS Sports

Joey Bosa, Jr., DE: Walter Camp, AFCA, SI.com, CBS Sports, ESPN.com

Vonn Bell, Jr., S: Associated Press, The Sporting News, SI.com

Adolphus Washington, Sr., DT: The Sporting News

Second-team selections

Ezekiel Elliott, Jr., RB: Associated Press, FWAA, SI.com

Pat Elflein, Jr., OG: Associated Press, SI.com

Darron Lee, Soph., LB: SI.com

Raekwon McMillan, Soph., LB: Walter Camp

Note: This story originally said that Decker was Ohio State's only consensus All-American. That was before the NCAA made its decision on Bosa.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Live chat and updates with Chris Fedor

0
0

Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to four games, after a 104-100 win. 

LeBron James finished with 33 points on 12-of-27 from the field. Richard Jefferson added 13 points while Tristan Thompson scored 12 points to go with 15 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards. 

The Cavs (17-7) snapped OKC's six-game winning streak. 

Scoring Summary:

End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs trail Thunder, 78-74. Kevin Durant leads OKC with 21 points. Serge Ibaka has added 19 points. Russell Westbrook has chipped in with 18. The Cavs are led by LeBron James, who has 22 points. Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith each have 11 points. 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs trail Thunder, 47-46. Kevin Durant leads all scorers with 16 points. Russell Westbrook has added 12 on 5-of-8 shooting. The Cavs have three players in double figures -- LeBron James (13), J.R. Smith (11) and Matthew Dellavedova (11).

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs trail Thunder, 28-26. Kevin Durant leads all scorers with 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Russell Westbrook has added eight points. The Cavs are led by LeBron James, who has nine points. J.R. Smith has chipped in with five. 

Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live


Latest Images