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Ohio State's long Fiesta Bowl history: 'He should have just let us win it'

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Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes are in Arizona together, nine years after they were there against each other. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The last time Urban Meyer coached a game in Arizona. Let's see, not the last few years, must have been at Florida ... all right, it's been a while.

Last time was when Meyer HANDED OHIO STATE PERHAPS THE MOST CRUSHING DEFEAT IN BUCKEYE HISTORY.

Everyone knows the game. This is the first time Meyer and the Buckeyes are going to walk together in those footprints, the footprints that remind OSU fans that Meyer and his Florida Gators walked all over Ohio State nine years ago.

Florida 41, Ohio State 14 in the BCS National Championship on Jan. 8, 2007. It's a game Ohio State faithful had to get past when Meyer was hired four years ago. 

Because there were some junior high guys nine years ago, who now play for the Scarlet and Gray, that had some middle school days ruined by Meyer.

Ohio State has a long and complicated postseason history in Arizona, with this Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl matchup with Notre Dame the eighth Phoenix-area experience in OSU history. The trips include both arguably Ohio State's greatest triumph and most embarrassing moment in the national spotlight.

Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell will take the field as a 21-year-old fourth-year junior for the Buckeyes against the Fighting Irish, but he's already lived through Ohio State's history in Arizona.

He celebrated as an 8-year-old when the Buckeyes beat Miami 31-24 in overtime on Jan. 3, 2003, in the Fiesta Bowl to win the National Championship, then was crushed as a 12-year-old four years later when the No. 1 undefeated Buckeyes were taken apart in a 41-14 loss to Meyer's Gators.

You lived it. Many of these current Buckeyes lived it the same way. Ohio State hasn't been back to Arizona for seven years, but it doesn't take much to reactivate those memories.

"I was watching in my grandmother's house," Powell said of that double-overtime win over Miami to wrap up the 2002 season, speaking the history ingrained in the minds of the OSU faithful. "There was like a controversial pass interference call, and we got the call and wound up winning the game. Go Bucks."

Powell still vividly remembers the knee injury suffered by Miami running back Willis McGahee - and how he felt when the game ended.

"I was jumping up and down for joy. I had all my Ohio State gear on," Powell said. "I wore it for a week straight."

He said he did the same thing last year with the National Championship gear he and his teammates won on the field. 

Senior left tackle Taylor Decker remembers the pass interference call and the similarities between the Buckeyes beating Miami and what the 2014 Buckeyes did against Alabama and Oregon.

"I don't remember much because it was so long ago, but I loved it," Decker said. "Everyone thought Miami was this great team and no one could beat them, and that was like us last year."

Then came the 2006 season, and these Buckeyes don't want anything to do with those memories.

"It wasn't good. It definitely wasn't good," Decker said.

Decker and Powell were seventh-graders then, "more worried about playing video games," Decker said. Still, that one hurt.

"I wasn't jumping up and down in '06, I was mad," Powell said. "It was one of those where I shut it off, like 'I can't believe this.'

"I was in school that day and everyone was talking about it and I said, 'Look, Ohio State is going to win this game because it's the best team in America.' They went out and lost and I was crushed. I didn't want to go to school for a week, but my mom wasn't having that."

Meyer was a target of that junior high emotion. And now he's coaching the grown men who once were those angry pre-teens.

"I look at him kind of funny about it," Powell said with a smile about Meyer. "Because he's from Ohio. He should have just let us win it. 

"But I understand he had to do what he had to do to help his team win. Congratulations to him on that one. He did a good job. It seems like like he does a great job when he's in National Championship games, he does a great job getting teams prepared.

The Buckeyes proved that last season with their most recent contribution to Ohio State's championship history. In Arizona, the Buckeyes' history runs deep, good and bad. Now Meyer and Ohio State will add to that together, instead of against each other.

Catch up on Ohio State's full seven-game postseason history in Arizona


Cleveland Browns Pregame Scribbles: This is the season when the mess never ends -- Terry Pluto

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Cleveland Browns latest problems with Armonty Bryant and De'Ante Saunders make such a long season even more dismal.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Scribbles in my Browns notebook as they prepare to face the Kansas City Chiefs:

1. When will this season end? That's what crossed my mind when I first heard that Armonty Bryant and De'Ante Saunders were stopped by police at 2:15 a.m. on Christmas. Saunders was driving 75 mph in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 71. He was arrested on an OVI charge. He refused to take a breathalyzer test. He also had an unregistered handgun, according to police. Bryant had Aderall, according to police. Joe Haden was suspended for four games in 2012 for using Adderall, which is not allowed by the NFL. Unless Bryant can produce a prescription for the Adderall, he could face suspension from the NFL.

2. Come on, guys? The coach gave you Christmas Day off and this was how you celebrated? It's just one piece of bad news after another. Bryant has been the best of the 2013 draft by former CEO Joe Banner and General Manager Mike Lombardi. They picked him in the seventh round. They did it knowing he had been arrested twice in the same month for selling marijuana to an undercover policeman. He also had an alcohol related arrest a week after the draft.

3. After that post-draft arrest, I wrote a story that the Browns shouldn't sign Byrant until they sent him to a rehabilitation center first. I was glad to be wrong about that, as Bryant did a good job with the Browns in terms of his personal life -- at least, for a while. Former coach Rob Chudzinski told me how the Browns paired up Bryant with Barkevious Mingo. For all of Mingo's struggles on the field and staying healthy, he has been a solid citizen. He was a good influence on Bryant.

4. This season, Bryant is leading the Browns with 5.5 sacks. He is one of the few real success stories for the defensive coaching staff. He was switched from defensive end to linebacker, taking advantage of his speed and pass rushing ability. He took playing time away from Mingo and others. Now, this...

5. Who is De'Ante Saunders? I knew he was a practice squad guy, but that was it. Turns out, the defensive back began his college career at Florida and faced some marijuana charges. He was kicked off the team and ended up at Tennessee State. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent.

6. Here is part of a scouting report from NFL.com on Saunders: "Saunders' instincts, quickness and coverage ability are NFL-level without question, but his lack of size and inability to play the run with consistency hurt his stock. Ultimately, the biggest hindrance to his draft stock will likely be concerns over his character. Saunders has punt return ability and must play in the slot as an NFL cornerback. My draft grade (don't draft him) represents the talent over how teams might rate his character."

7. A lot of players have arrests and other problems when in college. I don't criticize the Browns for bringing in Saunders and seeing how he performs. But for whatever reason, Bryant hooked up with him and now both players are in a real mess. It's the gun and Adderall in Saunders' car -- assuming the charges are true. Bryant has been suspended for the Chiefs game. Saunders should have been cut the moment the police report arrived in Berea.

8. It's just been such a long year. As I wrote in my weekend Browns notes, coach Mike Pettine brought up how the Browns lost offensive line coach Andy Moeller right before the season opened. It was an alcohol related incident, although no charges were filed. Moeller and the Browns "parted ways." I'm sure this is not the first time a team has lost a key assistant to something like this on the eve of the regular season. But I can't recall it ever happening to the Browns before this incident with Moeller.

9. I'm not going to get into the other incidents this season. You can see how things are just drifting for the franchise. I recall how 2014 ended, the Browns on a five-game losing streak. In the final game of 2014, Josh Gordon was left back in Cleveland. Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert went with the team to Baltimore, but they had to stay in the locker room as punishment for missing meetings, etc.

10. Nearly every team deals with some of these issues. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has some tough decisions to make because things once again are very shaky for his team.

11. OK, there is a game today. Kansas City started the season at 1-5 and has since won eight in a row. During the eight-game winning streak, the Chiefs have scored at least 30 point in five different games. Their defense is allowing only 18.4 points, No. 3 in the NFL. Overall, the defense is ranked No. 8.

12. Yes, it looks like another long day for the Browns. I'm not even going to write another set of pre-game scribbles wondering if Pettine can rally the team for a respectable performance. I just don't see it happening. The defense may be working hard, but it certainly doesn't play smart. Nor does it stop much of anyone. In 9-of-14 games this season, the Browns have allowed at least 30 points. To be fair to the defense, in the 33-27 loss to Baltimore, it was the Browns special teams that gave up 14 points.

13. With Bryant out, I checked who was second on the team in sacks. It's Christian Kirksey with 3.5. Never would have guessed that. Third is Paul Kruger with 2.5. It's amazing how Kruger has just disappeared as a pass rusher following his 11-sack season in 2014. Supposedly, a change in defensive scheme is partly to blame.

14. Rich Smith emailed me this information: Last year, the Browns defense gave up 22 passing touchdowns. But at least they picked off 21 passes. This season, it's 29 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. That's a huge swing that points to the decline of the secondary.

15. Some fans and media members were making a big deal about rookie Danny Shelton being excited about his "Play like a Brown" belt. He was awarded the belt for his performance in the 30-13 loss to Seattle. They thought no awards should be given when the team loses. I'm not a big fan of Jim O'Neil, but I agree with the defensive coordinator that it makes some sense to award good play -- even in a loss. It's a long, 3-11 season. It really is pretty grim around the Browns, so it's not like it's one big party.

16. Of course, the Browns have had too many guys who like to party too much in the last few seasons. And we saw it again on Christmas.

17. In the last three years, the Browns first-round draft picks are Johnny Manziel, Justin Gilbert, Cameron Erving, Mingo and Shelton. Who are the best? Probably Manziel and Shelton. Mingo would be third. Then Erving and Gilbert, Sigh!

18. Do read Tom Reed's story on Erving's problems.

19. My prediction: Chiefs 34, Browns 15. Fans have been watching this kind lopsided game most of the season.

Peyton Manning says report of HGH shipment is 'totally made up'

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Peyton Manning strongly denied a report set to air on Al Jazeera that contends the Denver Broncos quarterback received human growth hormone through his wife during his recovery from neck fusion surgeries in 2011 in Indianapolis.


ENGLEWOOD, Colo.  -- Peyton Manning strongly denied a report set to air on Al Jazeera that contends the Denver Broncos quarterback received human growth hormone through his wife during his recovery from neck fusion surgeries in 2011 in Indianapolis.

In a statement Saturday night, Manning said: "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never."

He added, "I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up."

The allegations surfaced in an Al Jazeera undercover probe into doping in global sports that is set to air Sunday and was shared in advance with the Huffington Post.

The report claims Manning received HGH from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic in 2011 while he was still with the Colts. It said the drug, which was banned by the NFL in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, was delivered to his wife, Ashley, so that the quarterback's name was never attached to the shipments.

Liam Collins, a British hurdler, went undercover and spoke with Charlie Sly, an Austin, Texas-based pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute, the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic in 2011. Sly allegedly names Manning and other high profile athletes as having received HGH from the clinic.

However, Sly backtracks in a subsequent statement to Al Jazeera, saying Collins secretly recorded his conversations without his knowledge or consent.

"The statements on any recordings or communications that Al Jazeera plans to air are absolutely false and incorrect," Sly said. "To be clear, I am recanting any such statements and there is no truth to any statement of mine that Al Jazeera plans to air. Under no circumstances should any of those recordings, statements or communications be aired."

The NFL and players union added human growth hormone testing to the collective bargaining agreement signed in 2011 but the side didn't agree to testing terms until 2014. Nobody has tested positive, which would trigger a four-game suspension.

Manning, who joined the Broncos in 2012, has been sidelined since Nov. 15 by a left foot injury. Brock Osweiler makes his sixth consecutive start in Manning's place Monday night when the Broncos (10-4) host the Bengals (11-3).

Cleveland Browns pregame chat with Mary Kay Cabot, Tom Reed at 10:30 a.m.

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Get ready for Browns-Chiefs with our pregame chat.

The Browns take on the Kansas City Chiefs on the road on Sunday afternoon. Get ready for the game with our pregame chat featuring beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed. Leave your questions in the comments below and, starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., Mary Kay and Tom will drop in and answer your questions for about an hour. I'll also be in the comments.

When the game starts, join in our live game chat beginning at kickoff. All of it will be at cleveland.com/browns.

LeBron James used that word again -- 'rhythm' -- which is sorely missing on the Cavaliers

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LeBron James again cited a lack of continuity in David Blatt's lineups as a cause for the Cavs' missing rhythm.

PORTLAND, Ore. - LeBron James said the Cavs should take what happened here Saturday night and "throw it in the trash."

OK. Done. Their 105-76 embarrassing loss to the Portland Trail Blazers is awaiting pickup on the curb.

"That was a pretty bad night though," coach David Blatt added.

Indeed. But, again, it's in the garbage can.

The Cavs still lead the East at 19-9, but they've had a bad week, with problems deeper than perhaps their 2-2 record would indicate.

You could chalk it up to the knuckleball effect, which is, after trying to hit a pitcher who throws knuckleballs, it can take a big leaguer days to catch up to 95 mph fastballs again.

The Cavs hosted the 76ers - who won their second game this season - last Sunday. They haven't played well since, needing to hold on for dear life at home against a Knicks team sans Carmelo Anthony and then suffering through consecutive porous shooting performances in these two losses.

Cleveland followed up its 89-83 loss to the defending-champion Warriors - in which the Cavs shot 31.6 percent - with a 28-of-77 clunker against the Blazers.

James is shooting 14-of-39 in his last two, with the 4-of-13 effort for 12 points he turned in Saturday night.

"Offensively we're just in a funk right now," James said. "We just got to find our rhythm."

There's that word again, rhythm.

James used it after the Cavs lost to the Warriors, when he said "it's going to take some time to get back into rhythm, and all of us, not just the players, but everyone, to get back in rhythm."

wrote in Oakland Christmas night to monitor this - James calling for Blatt to bring clarity to the Cavs' rotations.

Last Sunday (when the Cavs faced the knuckleballer 76ers) was Kyrie Irving's first game back. Iman Shumpert returned, too, after missing a game with a groin injury. The next game, against the Knicks, was Mo Williams' first after two absences because of a thumb injury.

With all these players at Blatt's disposal, the Cavs look discombobulated. No one disputes it and both James and Blatt said it's to be expected, to a certain extent. And Irving didn't even play against the Blazers, per the team's decision to protect his surgically repaired knee from the rigors of games on consecutive nights this early in his comeback.

But Blatt said he spoke with his coaches after the loss Saturday about the impact the changing lineups was having on the team, and James had already taken it a couple steps further after the Warriors game, mentioning the lack of rhythm and continuity because of the uncertainty in Cleveland's rotations.

Now, consider what James said about this very same topic on Saturday:

"For the first eight weeks we had built chemistry, we knew who was playing, we knew who wasn't playing," James said. "We had rotations, coach had rotations down, so we got to get back to that. We have no rhythm. Guys are, we have some guys who don't know if they're going to play, or if they are going to play, and it's hurting our rhythm a little bit."

The Cavs didn't suffer their worst loss this season because Blatt is unsure who should come off the bench first, Matthew Dellavedova or Iman Shumpert, or whether Richard Jefferson should play at all. James knows this.

But the topic - how Blatt handles the rotations - is clearly on James' mind.

"The only thing that is gonna help it is practice and games," James said, talking again about rhythm. "This is, what, game 3 since everyone has been back? It's not looked very well so far."

Mitch Peterson leads No. 15 Walsh Jesuit boys basketball to 63-37 win over No. 5 East Tech in Akron Holiday Classic

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Mitch Peterson scored 26 points to lead the Walsh Jesuit boys basketball team to a 63-37 win over East Tech on Sunday evening.

AKRON, Ohio – Mitch Peterson scored 26 points to lead the Walsh Jesuit boys basketball team to a 63-67 win over East Tech in the penultimate game of the Kicks Lounge Akron Holiday Classic at Buchtel on Sunday evening.

The two teams were tied, 13-13, after the first quarter before Walsh Jesuit (5-1), ranked No. 15 in the cleveland.com Top 25, scored the first 10 points of the second quarter in what turned into a 20-1 run for the Warriors.


No. 5 East Tech (6-3) scored just one field goal in the second quarter when Markell Johnson hit a 3-pointer and was fouled with 1:09 to play before halftime. A 20-5 second quarter propelled Walsh Jesuit to a 33-18 halftime lead.


“I think we were consistent with the gameplan and executed really well,” Walsh Jesuit coach John Norris said. “That goes not just for the starters, but for the bench as well.”


Peterson started the game out by scoring 11 of Walsh Jesuit’s 13 points in the first quarter and had 19 at the half. The Kent State commit did all of this as Kent State men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff was in attendance.


“The mindset at the beginning was to get the team off to a good start because that’s big for any game,” Peterson said. “I put that in my head and played like I can. The team picked me up and I picked them up and we played well.”


The second half was more of the same as the second quarter, with Walsh Jesuit starting the third quarter on a 7-2 run and pushing the lead out to 24 points at 51-27 when Kyle Kuczynski hit a layup as time expired in the quarter. The Warriors led by as many as 31 in the fourth quarter.


Walsh Jesuit seemed to have a defensive gameplan in place to try and stop Johnson, who was coming off a knee injury in East Tech’s previous game. It worked as Johnson scored just 16 points and fouled out in the first minute of the fourth quarter. The junior had scored 40 or more points in four of his previous six games.


“Try not to let him score, that’s the gameplan every night for us,” Norris said. “That’s our identity. We want to win games on the defensive side. Part of it was to make sure we didn’t give up easy baskets.”


While it was Peterson who stood out on the night, he was quick to point out that his teammates were just as much a part of the win as he was.


“I think more about the team around me,” Peterson said. “We won the game not just individually, but as a team. I played well and the team played well and followed suit.”


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

Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes win fourth straight, 73-57 over South Carolina State

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The Buckeyes completed their nonconference schedule with an 8-5 record.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Keita Bates-Diop scored a career-high 24 points and Ohio State won its fourth straight with a 73-57 victory against South Carolina State on Sunday night.

Bates-Diop was 8 for 14 from the floor, including 5 of 9 on 3-pointers, and tied a career-high with 10 rebounds.

The Buckeyes completed their nonconference schedule with an 8-5 record.

Bates-Diop was the story in the first half, scoring 17 points to top his previous best in a half by one. He made 5 of 7 3-pointers while his teammates missed all eight tries from beyond the arc and the Buckeyes held a 34-21 halftime lead.

Kam Williams added 12 points for Ohio State, and Trevor Thompson had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Gabriel McCray had 17 points and Ed Stephens scored 11 for South Carolina State (5-9), which lost its fourth straight.

The Bulldogs were ahead 15-11 nine minutes into the game but went cold from there, enduring a four-minute drought that enabled Ohio State to reel off eight straight points.

After a bank shot by DouDou Gueye drew South Carolina State to within 19-17, Bates-Diop connected on consecutive 3s off assists by Marc Loving to make it 25-17. Bates-Diop added two more treys in the final 2:15 of the half.

South Carolina opened the second half with six straight points, four by McCray, to cut the deficit to 34-27 before a JaQuan Lyle's mid-range floater restored a nine-point advantage.

Ohio State's defense caused problems, forcing the shot clock to seven or fewer seconds on eight occasions. The Buckeyes also blocked nine shots, six coming in the first half.

A.J. Harris had five assists in the second half, with four leading to alley-oop dunks.

TIP-INS

South Carolina State: The Bulldogs were picked to finish eighth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason poll. They are 1-1 in league play. ... South Carolina State doesn't have any players from Ohio but director of athletics Paul Bryant is from Dayton.

Ohio State: Although the Buckeyes played the Bulldogs for the first time, they are familiar with the MEAC having compiled a 19-0 record vs. current members. The most recent meeting prior to Sunday was last season, a 97-55 win against North Carolina A &T.

UP NEXT

South Carolina State plays at Akron on Wednesday.

Ohio State opens the Big Ten season on Wednesday by hosting Minnesota.

Johnny Manziel beats himself up after 17-13 loss to Chiefs: 'I didn't do the right thing in crunch time'

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Johnny Manziel regretted the plays the offense left on the field during Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- Johnny Manziel whipped his helmet to the ground in frustration after time ran out on him in the Browns' 17-13 loss to the Chiefs, and if there had been any Microsoft Surface tablets handy, he might've banged himself in the head again.

As it was, he was still beating himself up over the loss by the time he walked to the podium for his post-game press conference. Suffering from a cold, he spoke in hushed tones with a raspy voice and piled on himself.

"I'm definitely shouldering a lot for this loss,'' said Manziel. "This is weighing [on me]. Regardless of what our record is, where we are in the season, it sucks not to win, especially when our coach and the other 10 guys put us in position to try to get in the end zone there at the end. I just felt like I didn't do the right thing in crunch time. That's the moral of the entire story of the game."

Manziel dusted off Johnny Football and bobbed, weaved and darted through the Chiefs' defense for a team-high 108 yards on 11 carries -- the most rushing yards by a Browns quarterback in team history. The previous high was 80 by Frank Ryan in 1962. Eight-four of those rushing yards came in the second half and were part of a season-high 232-yard effort, third most since 1999.

Manziel's ground game -- achieved against a Chiefs' defense minus it's two best pass-rushers -- had everyone from teammates such as Donte Whitner to Chiefs defenders to Hall of Famer Len Dawson christening Manziel the Browns quarterback of the future.

But it was his passing game that was the disaster --- and Manziel was the first to admit it. He completed 13 of 32 attempts (41%) for 136 yards with no touchdowns and one interception for a dismal 40.6 rating.  In the decisive second half, he completed only 8-of-21 attempts  -- and only 5-of-18 in the fourth quarter when the Browns needed a touchdown and had three chances to get it.

"I just missed too many throws,'' he said. "I didn't feel like I put it exactly where I wanted today. Luckily, we were in it because of the run game because I didn't do enough job in the pass game."

The defense did its part in the second half, shutting out the Chiefs' high-powered offense and forcing them to punt twice in the fourth quarter to give Manziel two last chances to pull it out, but he failed to complete the one or two attempts he needed to triumph.

"You've got to give a lot of credit to our defense in the second half,'' he said. "I thought we put some good drives together but when it came down to it, I don't think I was good enough in crunch time today. I thought I was extremely sub-par and cost us some points.''

With the Browns trailing 17-10 in the fourth quarter, Manziel failed to punch it after a 21-play drive -- on which he scrambled twice to convert third downs. On second and 8 from the Chiefs' 8, he frantically flipped the ball to ineligible right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and was also flagged for intentional grounding. The 10-yard grounding flag moved him back to 18, where he threw behind Gary Barnidge at the 10-yard line.

The Browns -- who fell to 3-12 -- settled for a 36-yard Travis Coons field goal that produced the final margin.

"I saw somebody flash and made a mistake,'' he said. "I had plenty of time and was out of the pocket to throw that ball away. Like I said, that was the play that really sticks out where we gave up points. That's our touchdown drive that we needed right there. Instead we had to got three and had to try and get another one, so I'm pretty upset.''

Manziel took over again at his 42 with 5:35 remaining, but threw three straight incompletions from the K.C. 30, including a third down pass thrown behind Barnidge again in the left flat, and a deep ball in the end zone to a phantom receiver. No one was even close.

 "That was just my fault,'' said Manziel. "I thought Trav (Travis Benjamin) had a go ball and Trav had a post. I wanted to give him a chance. Really, Gary was the matchup one-on-one and probably would've kept the sticks moving but it sucks. That's on me.''

The defense bailed him out again with a three-and-out against a team that had outscored its opponents 50-0 in the fourth quarter over the past five games. But again, Manziel came up short, completing 3-of-9 attempts on his final drive.

Related: Johnny Manziel 'night and day' different as he faces Chiefs

Starting at his 30 with 1:52 left and no timeouts, Manziel drove to the 18 -- including another 11-yard scramble -- but ran out of time. He spiked the ball on first down at the 32 to stop the clock, then threw the ball away on second down. He missed Benjamin on a deep post on third down and then with 15 seconds left he fired a 14-yard pass to Darius Jennings to the 18 for a first down. But time expired before Manziel could run another play.

"The refs aren't going to hurry because we need them to hurry,'' said Manziel. "The only thing that probably could've happened is Darius throw the ball back into the middle of the field but still, we're not going to be able to spot it ourselves. There's going to have to be a ref that comes out of somewhere and spots it. So it would've been close anyway. You never know but obviously frustrating there.''

Manziel also lamented his second quarter interception, which came less than a minute after Nate Orchard swiped a pass from Alex Smith and returned it 46 yards -- only Smith's fifth pick of the season. Rookie cornerback Marcus Peters bailed out his quarterback, grabbing a pass intended for Barnidge and taking it back 46 yards.

"Sure, yeah, it's 100 percent (frustrating),'' said Manziel. "I make that throw nine times out of 10 on the deep over to Gary that was intercepted. I hit him on that route all day every day in practice since OTAs, since frickin' last year, and to leave that inside versus a good corner who's speedy, that's a mistake.''

He also kicked himself for overthrowing a wide open Barnidge in the right flat on his second play of the game.

"A little more touch on that ball and Gary scores,'' said Manziel.

In his defense, Manziel didn't have many weapons to choose from. Terrelle Pryor was inactive, Dwayne Bowe was ineffective and Marlon Moore left the game with a concussion. Brian Hartline, who had come on strong late in the season, is on injured reserve with a broken collarbone.

"It was not very good execution by me, so I'm pretty sour about it right now from a personal standpoint, because I think the guys around me played good enough for us to win the game today and I didn't do enough for them,'' he said.

Despite the woeful passing game, coach Mike Pettine saw progress and perhaps a quarterback of the future.

 "He battled,'' said Petitne. "The play that he made on the bootleg where the end didn't bite and when he turned and that guy was in his face and delivered a strike to Gary (Barnidge) for a huge first down. I just thought that was indicative of him - he took a major shot, delivered the ball on the money.

"He's a competitor. There's a couple throws he'd want to have back, some reads that he missed. Obviously I have to look at the tape but you can see the competitiveness, the fire in the kid, wanting to get it done. Overall I think he took a step forward."

Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford, who played against Manziel at Texas A&M when he was at Auburn, was impressed.

"He's scary to play against,'' he said. "He's able to extend plays and any quarterback who can do that to a defense kind of frustrates any pass rusher and frustrates any secondary 'cause you have to plaster your coverage."

He saw flashes of the old Johnny Football and believes he'll be successful in the NFL.

"Yes, he can really create some matchups problems, especially any defense that's used to seeing just the dropback pass type of quarterbacks,'' said Ford.  "That's what he does. that's what he brings to the table. He rushes the ball. he did a good job."

 Whitner believes the future is bright with Manziel behind center.

"I think we have a starting quarterback for next year,'' said Whitner. "Anyone who's seen the things he's done the last couple of weeks can see we have starting quarterback and he's only going to get better with a little more time, a little more work.''

Pettine acknowledged that Manziel is stringing together some encouraging performances, including holding his own against the Seahawks last week. But the Browns must still decide if they need to draft a quarterback with their top pick -- which will likely be in the top two.

"He is,'' said Pettine. "But he'll be the first one to tell you bottom line is finding a way to get the W. But this is on-the-job training, there's no substitute for this. This will only just be a positive when we look back at the foundation and know that he came into Kansas City and wasn't fazed by the defense or the crowd, went into Seattle, two teams that are more than likely playoff teams playing well at the end of the year, less than ideal weather.

"Not a lot of quarterbacks can say that, especially coming into these environments for the first time."

Manziel admitted it felt good to get those old Aggie legs churning again, but it was still of little consolation. He's now down to one more chance against the Steeelers in the season finale next week to prove to the Browns he's the guy. The game is still meaningful for the Steelers, who can clinch a playoff spot with a victory and a Jets loss to the Bills.

"Today wasn't good enough,'' Manziel said. "They may be hostile environments, but we're still 0-2, 1-2 since I've been back in there. We've got a home game next week against Pittsburgh to try and right the ship. It's the last one of the year. What better way for us to than to go out the season with a win. So that's what we're on to now. As disappointing as this is, we'll learn from it. I've got to be better in crunch time next time."

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See the complete photo gallery of Ohio State's arrival in Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl vs. Notre Dame

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We were on the tarmac waiting for the Buckeyes to get off the plane and we snapped a ton of pictures from the scene. It's also a good chance to get a look at some of the younger guys. Watch video

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Ohio State arrived in Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl matchup with Notre Dame on Sunday evening.

Waiting for the Buckeyes on the tarmac at the Airport was a tent filled with bowl reps, fans and the Fiesta Bowl mascot, Spirit.

Urban Meyer said in his first availability from Phoenix that everyone on the team made the trip except senior defensive lineman Adolphus Washington, who is suspended, and freshman quarterback Joe Burrow, who suffered a concussion from a car accident. 

We were on the tarmac waiting for the Buckeyes to get off the plane and we snapped a ton of pictures from the scene. It's also a good chance to get a look at some of the younger guys. 

So for a complete photo gallery from Ohio State's arrival, see the slides above. 

Below is a video from the arrival. 

Donte Whitner on Johnny Manziel after loss to Chiefs: 'We have a starting QB for next year'

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Johnny Manziel had a good day running the ball and caused the Kansas City defense problems all game long. He struggled in the passing game, but his teammates are encouraged.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While Johnny Manziel was at the podium beating himself up for the 17-13 loss to the Chiefs, teammates such as Donte Whitner were down the hall in the locker room christening him the Browns quarterback of the future.

Of course, the Browns -- who will likely have one of the top two picks in the draft -- might have something to say about that, but Manziel continues to win over his teammates and opponents trying to chase him down.

 "I think we have a starting quarterback for next year,'' said veteran safety Donte Whitner. "Anyone who's seen the things he's done the last couple of weeks can see we have starting quarterback and he's only going to get better with a little more time, a little more work.''
Whitner said the players are excited watching Manziel zip around the field making plays. He rushed for a team-high 108 yards on 11 carries against a defense that was seventh against the run heading in. It was the most rushing yards by a quarterback in team history, with the previous high being 80 by Frank Ryan in 1962. It was also part of a season-high 232-yard effort, the third-most rushing yards since 1999.

Granted, the Chiefs were without their two best pass-rushers in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, but it didn't take the edge off for Manziel's teammates.  

 "He's making plays with his legs,'' said Whitner. "That's a defense's worst nightmare because he can break the pocket and make you miss and get his yards with his legs and throw the ball down field.''

Related: Johnny Manziel beats himself up after 17-13 loss to Chiefs

Whitner has watched Manziel improve each week -- against the Steeler, 49ers, Seahawks and Chiefs -- despite the fact he has only one victory during that stretch, over the 49ers.

"He's showing his leadership capabilities,'' said Whitner. "He's doing things with his legs. I think you can honestly make a comparison to him and guys like Russell Wilson and Alex Smith (six rushes, 54 yards) -- guys who can hurt you with their legs, hurt you with their arms. He's picking up the game more and more. We're excited about what he's doing.''

Normally, Manziel throws well on the run, but his passing game was off in Kansas City. He was playing with a bad cold and sounded horrible after the game, but never let on that he was sick.

 He completed only 41% of his attempts -- 13-of-32 for 136 yards with no touchdowns and one pick for a 40.6 rating. In the decisive second half, he completed only eight of 21 attempts, including 5-of-18 in the in the fourth quarter and 3-of-9 on the final drive with the Browns needing a touchdown to win and no timeouts remaining.  

But on a day the Browns were thin at receiver, Manziel strapped the game onto his legs and scrambled, slid and dipped his way to only the second 100-yard  rushing performance by a Brown this season. Terrelle Pryor was a healthy scratch, former Chief Dwayne Bowe had one pass thrown his way for an incompletion and Marlon Moore left the game with a concussion.

"If it weren't for (Manziel), we would not have been in the position we were in today,'' said receiver Travis Benjamin (two catches, 20 yards). "He made plays and kept his eyes down field.  Sometimes, when he scrambled, he looked like the old Johnny where he would get the first down and keep us in the game."

Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford, who started in place of second-leading sacker Tamba Hali, recognized that old Johnny Football from his days at Auburn, when he played against Manziel's Aggies.

The Browns, who promised again to 'cut it loose,' even called some runs for Manziel, who opened the second half with a 34-yard blast that led to Isaiah Crowell's 10-yard touchdown run. He also had a 23-yard gain in the first half that led to a field goal.

 "He's scary to play against,'' said Ford. "He's able to extend plays and any quarterback who can do that to a defense kind of frustrates any pass rusher and frustrates any secondary 'cause you have to plaster your coverage."

The Browns kept Kansas City -- who won their ninth straight game to improve to 10-5 and clinch a playoff spot after 1-5 start -- off balance with some new wrinkles, including the read option.

"They did a good job of doing some new things to us and putting him in position to make those types of plays,'' Ford said.

Did he remind him of the Johnny Football he used to know?

"Yes,'' said Ford. "That's what he does. That's what he brings to the table. He rushes the ball. He did a good job."

And can he see him being successful in the NFL?

"Yes, he can really create some matchups problems, especially any defense that's used to seeing just the dropback pass type of quarterbacks,'' he said.

Manziel even earned praise from tight end Gary Barnidge, despite the fact he threw behind Barnidge at least three times and was picked off on one pass intended for him. Barnidge only corralled three of his eight targets for 47 yards.

"It makes it so tough on the defense because you never know what's going to happen,'' he said. "He's able to extend plays 5, 6, 7 seconds when they are done in four. That makes it tough. It helping our running game b/c it forces the defense too keep an eye on another person in the running game. As soon as they commit too much, the passing game becomes open.''

And while Manziel -- who had three chances in the fourth quarter to win the game -- blamed himself for botching the end when time ran out on him and he couldn't run a final play, Barnidge took the onus off the young signal caller.

"It's tough we ran out of time,'' said Barnidge. "He was doing a good job. He was hustling up the plays. You could see the leadership in him. He got everyone going, got the plays called. I don't think we wasted any time.''

Crowell, who rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries, cited Manziel's leadership in the huddle.

"I felt like Johnny was in control,'' he said. "We made some good plays and we made a couple of bad plays. We made a bad play at the wrong time and I feel like that cost us the game."

Coach Mike Pettine felt Manziel took a "step forward'' against another good defense and feels the Browns have something to build on. Defensive end Desmond Bryant agrees.

"Absolutely,'' he said. "Johnny has been progressing more and more. He's getting more comfortable back there every game. I saw a lot of great things out of him today. If he can continue to do that, we're going to great places."

But will Manziel be around to take them there?

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Medina Invitational Wrestling Tournament 2015 semifinal pairings

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Brunswick leads after the first day at the MIT.

MEDINA, Ohio – Brunswick leads the team standings and has four wrestlers in the semifinals after Day 1 of the Medina Invitational Wrestling Tournament. The event concludes Monday with matches beginning at 10 a.m., and finals at 6:30 p.m.

Here’s a look at the MIT semifinal pairings, and how the teams stand entering Day 2:


Team standings (top 10)


1. Brunswick, 110.5; 2. Oak Harbor, 99.5; 3. Wadsworth, 88.5; 4. Olmsted Falls, 85; 5. Sandusky Perkins, 79.5; 6. Massillon Perry, 75.5; 7. Uhrichsville Claymont, 75; 8. Genoa, 74.5; 9. Copley, 69; 10. Central Crossing, 68.


Semifinal pairings


106: Capidice (Sandusky Perkins) vs. Shaw (Olmsted Falls); Craker (Mayfield) vs. D’Emilio (Genoa).


113: Sanchez (Genoa) vs. Chase (Lancaster); Shore (Miami East) vs. Edwards (Lorain).


120: Beard (Napoleon) vs. Berry (Dayton Carroll); Hrynciw (Oak Harbor) vs. Brooks (Columbus Bishop Ready).


126: Warner (Uhrichsville Claymont) vs. Mansor (Oak Harbor); D’Emilio (Genoa) vs. Kilburn (Richmond, Mich.).


132: Mattox (Central Crossing) vs. Define (Massillon Perry); Buils (Cincinnati Oak Hills) vs. Lambert (Brunswick).


138: Wimer (Central Crossing) vs. Briggs (Cloverleaf); Whitehead (Massillon Jackson) vs. Bunting (Marengo Highland).


145: Carr (Massillon Perry) vs. Pugh (Copley); DeFraine (Medina) vs. Heil (Brunswick).


152: Thatcher (Hilliard Darby) vs. Surratt (Wadsworth); Hall (Bloomdale Elmwood) vs. Boggs (Sandusky Perkins).


160: Kiussis (Brunswick) vs. Ball (Hilliard Darby); Baughman (Wadsworth) vs. Locklear (Olmsted Falls)


170: Handwerk (Lutheran West) vs. Harrell (Licking Heights); DeFraine (Medina) vs. Steiner (Norwayne).


182: Deluse (Lancaster) vs. Thompson (Oak Harbor); Blackiston (Massillon Perry) vs. Morland (Detroit Catholic Central).


195: Naples (Brunswick) vs. Thorp (Oak Harbor); Lester (St. Vincent-St. Mary) vs. Baker (Marengo Highland).


220: Caraballo (Olmsted Falls) vs. Marchetti (Cincinnati Oak Hills); Ours (West Salem Northwestern) vs. Chaney (Sandusky Perkins).


285: Winderlick (Upper Arlington) vs. Adams (New Lexington); Teacher (Central Crossing) vs. Garber (Oak Harbor).


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Red zone remains dead zone for Cleveland Browns even on a 21-play drive: Tom Reed's analysis

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The Browns showed the ability to move the ball down the field against the Chiefs, but once again their failure to cash in with touchdowns came back to hurt them.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - Nobody shoots 3's like Steph Curry. Nobody settles for them quite like the Browns.

One is a champion. The other might hold the first pick in the NFL Draft.

If there's been one offensive constant in the Browns' dreadful season it's their inability to turn promising drives into enough touchdowns. You can say it's been an issue since 1999, but Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium they took it to an absurd level in a 17-13 loss to the Chiefs.

The Browns drove the ball 62 yards on 21 plays, spanning two quarters and draining 12-plus minutes off the clock. Their only reward: a 36-yard Travis Coons' field goal to cut the deficit to four points with 8:26 remaining.  

Twenty-one plays? Twelve minutes? Some Kardashian marriages almost don't last as long. The Browns managed three points when they needed seven to fuel their fourth-quarter comeback.

The good news is the club discovered a big-bodied pass catcher with soft hands in the red zone. The bad news is it's right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and his grab of a Johnny Manziel desperation toss was highly illegal.

"That's one that sticks out where we really gave up points," Manziel said. "That was the touchdown drive that we needed right there and instead we got three and had to go back out and get another one."

The Texas A&M product was critical of himself on a day he finished with 108 yards rushing, a franchise-record for a quarterback. Manziel completed just 13 of 32 passes and missed some key throws at winning time.

But a fourth quarter filled with frustration speaks to a larger issue - one that must he addressed in the offseason. The Browns (3-12) don't have enough playmakers and the problem becomes more acute the closer they get to the goal line.

They entered Sunday's game tied for last in red-zone touchdown efficiency (42.5 percent) and ranked 29th in scoring (18.1 points). There's a strong correlation between those two numbers.

It's all about what you do in the final third of the field and for the Browns it's almost never enough. Sunday marked the fourth time in the last six games they scored fewer than two TDs. You just can't win that way.

From 36-year-old Josh McCown getting concussed on the season's first drive to the clocking running out against the Chiefs with the ball in the hands of Darius Jennings, the Browns lack difference makers.

If it's not Gary Barnidge (nine TDs) crossing the goal line, the odds of the Browns scoring six points become greatly diminished. When Isaiah Crowell tallied on a third-quarter run it represented just the fifth rushing touchdown of the season.

Give the Browns ample credit for the fight they showed against an opponent that's won nine straight. They clawed back from 14 points down and rushed for an outrageous 232 yards - the Browns' third-best total in the post-1999 era.

Despite a poor day throwing, Manziel showed progress with his leadership and ability to play faster. He wore out the Chiefs' defense, running effectively by design and, at times, desperation.

But the NFL is about scoring touchdowns and the second-year quarterback couldn't deliver. He twice was penalized inside the Chiefs' 30 - once for an illegal forward pass and the second time for grounding on the ball tossed to Schwartz.

"I thought we had some good drives going," Manziel said. "It comes down to I don't think I was good enough during crunch time today. I thought I was extremely subpar and it cost us some points."

It was encouraging self-analysis, but look at the supporting cast around him?

Big-ticket receiver Dwayne Bowe was targeted once and finished with no catches. The former Chief who touts himself a "big red-zone threat' was invisible inside the 20. Benjamin (two catches, 20 yards) had a quiet day. The rest of the quarterback's weapons at wideout consist of Taylor Gabriel, Jennings and Marlon Moore, who left the game with a concussion.

The Browns lack the size and play-making skills on the business side of the 50-yard line where good teams find ways into the end zone. That doesn't change when Brian Hartline and Andrew Hawkins, both lost to injury, are in the lineup.

General manager Ray Farmer, who didn't see the need to add a high-profile receiver, watched the Browns' final three drives end at the Kansas City 18, 30 and 14.

Naturally, many fans will focus on the last series, but the killer was generating just three points on the 21-play drive that included two fourth-down conversions and a successful fake punt.

The Browns ran seven plays inside the Chiefs' 20 before Coons trotted onto the field. The NFL's longest drive in terms of plays by any team since Jan. 1, 2012 ended with a field goal.

In a year of red-zone failures it was only fitting.

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Sunday’s winter sports roundup: Basketball, hockey and wrestling highlights

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See a roundup of Sunday's basketball, hockey and wrestling action.

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

BOYS BASKETBALL


No. 15 Walsh Jesuit 63, No. 5 East Tech 37: Read freelancer Ryan Isley's recap of the game here.


Holy Name 62, Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas 54: 23 points from Dwayne Cohill and 22 points from Sean Hickey helped lead the Green Wave (4-4) to the win at the Tuscarawas Central Catholic Holiday Shootout.


GIRLS BASKETBALL


Euclid 66, Kenmore 43: Rayjon Harris led the Panthers with 25 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks in the win. Constance Chaplin added 13 points and six assists for Euclid.


HOCKEY


Avon Lake 4, Aurora 2: Alex Kelly had two goals and two assists in the Shoremen's win. Teammate Dominic Barilla scored twice an added an assist.


Brooklyn 3, Nordonia 2: Aidan Supek scored two goals an added an assist for the Hurricanes in the win. Brooklyn's Matt Crossman had a goal and two assists. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period.


Lake Catholic 6, Medina 3: The Cougars had a 3-0 lead after the first period on their way to a win at the Cougar Holiday Extravaganza. Six different Lake Catholic players scored, including Kyle Horvath who had a goal and three assists. Medina's Ryan Cole had two goals to lead his team.


WRESTLING


Kenston Invitational: Kenston is second in the team standings to Fairfield after the first day of competition. The Bombers, who have 91 points, have four wrestlers in the championship semifinals, including 2015 state qualifier Noah Georgian at 113 pounds. He won his first match by pin and his second by an 11-6 decision against Fairfield's Jabari Thomas. Strongsville is in fourth place with 67 points and has four championship semifinalists as well, including 2015 state qualifier Ray Porter (126). Porter won his first match by pin and his second by an 11-2 major decision.


Medina Invitational: See semifinal pairings and team standings from the first day of competition. Reporter Scott Patsko will be in Medina on Monday for the finals. Follow him on Twitter (@ScottPatsko) for updates from the finals.


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

Players of the Week nomination deadline Monday at noon (basketball, wrestling, hockey, swimming, gymnastics, bowling)

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See how winter sports coaches can nominate athletes for Players of the Week in the 2015-16 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Time is running out for coaches in winter sports to submit nominations for Players of the Week. The deadline is Monday at noon each week.

Here’s instructions on the nomination process for all sports:


Nominations are only accepted it they are submitted by coaches. Coaches can nominate an athlete anytime between the end of all that week’s games and Monday at noon.


Click here to access the nomination form. Fill in all the blanks, especially the part on what the athlete did last week. Again, the deadline is Monday at noon.


We will have Players of the Week for every week in the regular season for all winter sports.


See the athletes selected as Players of the Week winners Thursday on cleveland.com and Friday in The Plain Dealer.


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


Cleveland Browns Scribbles: What would it be like for fans if Browns were having a season like Kansas City -- Terry Pluto

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The Kansas City Chief started 1-5 and then won nine in a row. Imagine that happening to the Cleveland Browns.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Scribbles in my Browns notebook after their 17-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs:

1. Suppose the Browns were having a season like the Chiefs. Suppose they had started 1-5, and then won nine in a row. Can you imagine how much fun the fans ... and the media ... would be having right now?

2. Actually, it's hard to imagine because Browns fans have not seen anything like that since the late 1980s. I'm not talking about a nine-game winning streak. I am talking about a season that looked lost early, then suddenly came alive. The Browns missed the playoffs with a 10-6 record in 2007. They made the playoffs with a 9-7 mark in 2002. But neither of those teams truly captured the hearts of the city.

3. I keep thinking that one of these years ... or maybe one of these decades ... the Browns will have one of those "special seasons," a year that will be one to remember.

4. I bring this up because the Browns are 3-12. It seems a turnaround happens nearly everywhere in the NFL ... except Cleveland. Andy Reid was hired to coach the Chiefs after the 2012 season. He inherited a team that was 10-6 (2010), 7-9 (2011) and 2-14 (2012). Clearly, they were trending downward. Reid's records: 11-5, 9-7 and 10-5 this season.

5. Reid has done it with Alex Smith, a solid veteran quarterback. But Smith is not a franchise-changer. The team is built around a strong defense, a rugged running game and a smart quarterback. That also was supposed to be the Browns winning formula back in 2014. That was when Mike Pettine was hired as coach, Brian Hoyer taking over at quarterback.

6. Meanwhile, the Browns have lost 18-of-21 games dating back to the end of last season. This final week will be filled with speculation about who will be fired. Just another grim season coming to an end.

7. As I wrote about in my game column, Johnny Manziel has shown some promise. He certainly has made huge strides from this time a year ago, when he was an embarrassment. He is now prepared and keeps his offense organized. He still has to improve his passing from the pocket, but he is intriguing. Manziel is perhaps the only reason to watch the Browns last game against Pittsburgh.

8. This game appears to be a step forward for Cameron Erving, who started at right guard. He had no holding penalties, no false starts. He appeared to fall short a few times in blocking, but this was not a disaster. His last few games have been awful.

9. Nate Orchard had another sack -- his third in three games. The rookie also had his first career interception. He is another player making progress.

10. I watched Dwayne Bowe on a few plays. He seemed to have a hard time getting open. The Browns threw one pass in his direction. It was incomplete.

11. I also thought Danny Shelton and Jamie Meder did a good job in the middle of the defensive line. The Chiefs ran for 136 yards and a 5.0 average. But quarterback Alex Smith had 54 yards on six carries. He did much of the damage on the ground.

12. Maybe I'm getting grumpy, but the Chiefs scored on an 11-yard slant pass to Jeremy Maclin, their star receiver. The Browns had very soft coverage on him. Kansas City was on the Browns 11-yard-line. It's amazing that Maclin was so open so close to the goal line.

13. Mike Pettine said Justin Gilbert "is trending upward." That was the comment from the Browns coach on Thursday. He did not activate Gilbert in Kansas City. Why would Pettine make that comment, and then not have the player in uniform? It made the coach sound silly.

14. Terrelle Pryor also was inactive. Why? The team is 3-11. The team's active receivers were Marlon Moore, Travis Benjamin, Taylor Gabriel, Darius Jennings and Bowe. It seems they would at least have Pryor available for something, or why bring him back to the team a few weeks ago?

15. Travis Coons kicked a 45-yard field goal into the swirling wind. He had a 47-yarder earlier in the season, his longest. But given the cold and windy conditions here, this is the best kick of the season for the rookie. Coons also had a kicked blocked. He is 24-of-24 on field goals not blocked. But the four blocks are on Coons because those long-distance field goal attempts were booted too low.


Browns loss in Kansas City reminiscent of all those other December losses

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The Browns lost on Sunday and play Pittsburgh next Sunday. It's all just precursor to what could be more change.

Just in case December wasn't long enough for the Browns and their fans, they have to play their final regular season game in January this season. The Browns, of course, don't play playoff games in January. They've played just one of those since returning in 1999.

This team has a different tradition this time of year. They retool coaching staffs and front offices at a rate that few teams could match. It feels inevitable that they'll embark on their third coaching search in four years, and it will start a week from today.

Few could question owner Jimmy Haslam's actions if he does in fact go back on his training camp claim that he was "not going blow things up." Trusting Haslam to get it right this time around is another question, of course, and it's a dicey proposition based on the results we've seen.

The Browns are still playing hard. That was clear in Kansas City. They almost pulled an unlikely upset. In the end, though, Sunday offered us nothing new as far as December games are concerned.

Johnny Manziel has shown tremendous progress, but he missed on 19 of 32 passes Sunday, a good number the result of mechanical flaws and bad foot work. He was rightly praised after the game for his grit and guts in a loss to a playoff-bound team. Somewhere, Connor Shaw and Colt McCoy remember those days.

The second half rally was fun, but in the end there was still the hopelessness that comes with looking at a roster and wondering if there are any pieces in place for a quick turnaround. There were veterans who were still playing hard but, in the big picture, seem out of place. There were young players serving as square pegs the coaching staff shoved into round holes. There were, too, the glaring inactives: Justin Gilbert, now 31 games into his career and a healthy scratch; Armonty Bryant, a bright spot for the defense this season, inactive as punishment for his Christmas Day arrest; Terrelle Pryor, a week after two targets in his debut at wide receiver, back to inactive.

Next up is a home game that will be a home game in name only. The Steelers laid an egg on Sunday in Baltimore, increasing the importance of their trip to FirstEnergy Stadium. We saw a Browns team at Arrowhead Stadium that might have the heart to play spoiler but may have finally run out of bullets.

We'll spend the week leading up to the game debating the merits of Johnny Manziel's impressive 108 rushing yards. There will be arguments over whether Browns fans should be rooting for a win or draft position. There may even be predictions of a game similar to the 41-9 thrashing that sent Eric Mangini off to ESPN and brought Pat Shurmur to town. Sometimes change doesn't work out.

This game -- this week -- will be among the most meaningless since the Browns came back. The possibility of regime change will come up. The answers from players and coaches alike will be some variation of "our focus is the Steelers" or "control what we can control." Everyone will go through the motions.

There is, after all, somehow still one more game to play. Everyone's minds, though, will be on one thing: Black Monday.

Minnesota vs. Central Michigan: Quick Lane Bowl 2015 quick preview, TV, updates, links

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The Big Ten's Minnesota Golden Gophers are only 5-7, but will take on the Central Michigan Chippewas (7-5) today in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Central Michigan Chippewas take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers today in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit (ESPN2, 5 p.m.). Here's a quick preview, with Twitter updates from across the MAC and links to other stories of interest.

The plus for the Chippewas (7-5) is they sold all their tickets to the local game against the Big Ten entry. The negative is CMU has the burden of not losing to a bowl team with a losing record. The Gophers (5-7) struggled to wins over MAC teams Kent State and Ohio early in the season and now are breaking in new coach Tracy Claeys.

This is the last bowl game involving a MAC team and the conference stands 3-3. The Big Ten is 1-1 in bowl games with eight games remaining.

Quick Lane Bowl fact box:

Who: Central Michigan (7-5) vs. Minnesota (5-7).
When: Monday, 5 p.m.
TV: ESPN2.
Line: Minnesota by 4 1/2
Series record: Minnesota leads 1-0
What's at stake: The Golden Gophers hope to end the season on a solid note after reaching a bowl despite a losing record. Minnesota is in this game because not enough teams reached six wins to fill all the bowls. Central Michigan is the only Mid-American Conference team facing a Power Five school this postseason, and the Chippewas will try to represent their league well.
Key matchup: CMU QB Cooper Rush against Minnesota's defense. Rush has completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 3,703 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Gophers will need to contain him.
Players to watch: CMU DB Kavon Frazier -- The senior leads the team in tackles and also has an interception, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt. Minnesota QB Mitch Leidner -- The Minnesota signal caller has completed 218 passes this season, a school record for a junior.
Facts and figures: CMU's Brian Eavey has made 16 FGs this season and needs five more to break the school's single-season record. ... CMU has won the time of possession battle in 10 of its 12 games this year. ... Tracy Claeys took over as Minnesota's coach in October after Jerry Kill resigned for health reasons. ... The Gophers are one of 13 schools with three or fewer seniors at the offensive skill positions -- quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.

-- Associated Press

Twitter updates from across the MAC:

Links:

Cleveland Cavaliers at Phoenix Suns: preview of Game 29

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The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-9) are searching for their first win on this four-game road trip and the struggling Phoenix Suns (12-20) couldn't come at a better time.

PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-9) are searching for their first win on this four-game road trip, and the struggling Phoenix Suns (12-20) can't come along at a better time tonight.

Phoenix has dropped 10 of its last 11 contests. Management fired assistants Mike Longabardi and Jerry Sichting on Sunday to ignite a spark and to send a message to head coach Jeff Hornacek.

Cleveland has its own problems to deal with, but the two-game slide is apples to oranges compared to Phoenix's situation.

Tipoff: 9 p.m. at the Talking Stick Resort Arena.

TV/radio: FOX Sports Ohio; WTAM 1100, 87.7 La Mega.

Last game: The shorthanded, rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers destroyed Cleveland 105-76 on Saturday.

Primer: The Cavaliers have been getting kicked in the keister.

Cavaliers' probable starting lineup: 6-3 Kyrie Irving (10.0 ppg, 3.3 apg), 6-6 J.R. Smith (10.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 6-8 LeBron James (25.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 6.1 apg), 6-10 Kevin Love (17.1 ppg, 10.7 rpg) and 7-2 Timofey Mozgov (6.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg).

Suns' probable starting lineup: 6-3 Brandon Knight (19.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.2 apg), 6-6 Devin Booker (6.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 4.0 apg), 6-8 P.J. Tucker (5.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg), 6-10 Jon Leuer (9.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and 7-0 Alex Len (7.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg).

2014-15 season-series record: Tied, 1-1.

Suns' record last season: 39-43.

Key additions: Tyson Chandler, Devin Booker, Sonny Weems, Ronnie Price, Mirza Teletovic and Jon Leuer.

Key losses: Marcus Morris, Brandan Wright and Gerald Green.

Injuries for Cleveland: None.

Injuries For Phoenix: Eric Bledsoe (knee) is out. Markieff Morris is suspended.

Cavaliers' next opponent: The Denver Nuggets conclude the four-game roadie on Tuesday. The ball will be tipped up at 9 p.m. on FOX Sports Ohio. It will be the first meeting of the season between the teams.

15 from '15: The year's craziest sports fan moments off and on the field (with or without an invite)

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Browns safety De'Ante Saunders pleads not guilty to drunken driving following Christmas arrest

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Browns safety De'Ante Saunders pleaded not guilty Monday after he was charged with suspicion of drunken driving and speeding on Christmas.

De'Ante SaundersCleveland Browns safety De'Ante Saunders 

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns safety De'Ante Saunders pleaded not guilty Monday after he was charged with suspicion of drunken driving after he was stopped for speeding on Christmas Day.

Saunders, who is a member of the team's practice squad, was arrested with linebacker Armonty Bryant during a traffic stop along Interstate 71 in Brook Park.

Saunders was found in possession of a handgun and Bryant was found in possession of Adderall. Both players were arrested but Bryant has not been charged with a crime, the State Highway Patrol said.

Saunders attorney pleaded not guilty on his behalf via a fax sent to the Berea Municipal Court. His next court date has not been scheduled, according to court records.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office will determine if Saunders will face charges accusing him of having a weapon while intoxicated or if Bryant will face charges related to the Adderall. Bryant was unable to produce a prescription at the scene and it's unclear if he has one, the Highway Patrol said.

A spokesman for the prosecutor's office said Monday that the office has not yet received any information about the incident.

A State Highway Patrol sergeant stopped Saunders' 2015 Dodge at 2:16 a.m. Friday. The sergeant reported that Saunders was traveling 75 mph in a 60 mph zone, according to a traffic ticket.

The sergeant determined that Saunders was drunk and took him to the State Highway Patrol post in Brook Park. Saunders refused to submit to a breath test.

The two were released after Saunders was issued a citation.

Bryant sat out Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Browns general manager Ray Farmer said in a statement that the team is taking the charges "very seriously" and that the NFL could review the incident under its personal conduct policy.

This is at least the third time Bryant, second on the team with 5.5 sacks, has been arrested since 2012.

Bryant was arrested for a drunken driving less than a week after the Browns drafted him in 2013. He was suspended for three games in college for selling marijuana to an undercover officer in 2012.

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