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David Blatt on Kyrie Irving's minutes restriction: 'We're getting close to being beyond that'

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It was nearly two weeks ago when point guard Kyrie Irving made his much-anticipated season debut against the Philadelphia 76ers. Since that Sunday game, Irving has been on a minutes restriction, yet to top 26 minutes in four games.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- It was nearly two weeks ago when point guard Kyrie Irving made his much-anticipated season debut against the Philadelphia 76ers. Since that Sunday contest, Irving has been on a minutes restriction, yet to top 26 minutes in four games. 

"We're getting close to being beyond that," Cavs head coach David Blatt said Friday when discussing Irving's workload. "He's pretty healthy. I don't see him going out there and playing 40 minutes anytime soon. We've moved along pretty well, we've been pretty specific and committed to a certain path in terms of bringing him back."

Part of the Cavs' plan involved Irving getting rest during a challenging West Coast road trip, a stretch where the team played four games in five nights.

He missed the Portland game, one night after an exhausting game against the Golden State Warriors and sat out the finale against Denver on Tuesday.

But resting on the second of a back-to-back is no longer Irving's intention, as he shared with reporters. It appears the Cavs are on the same page, ready to increase his playing time.

"We're at the point where he's back, more or less," Blatt admitted. "We'll still be conscious of his minutes and probably gradually upgrade from where we were, but we won't be limited to 15, 20, 23 minutes anymore like we have been."

Irving's most recent game, Monday's win against Phoenix, was a flashback to last season and a reminder of his immense talent. The two-time All-Star scored a season-high 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting in 24 minutes. He scored the final seven points for the Cavaliers, including a dagger three-pointer, something that has become his forte (Just ask San Antonio and Portland).

Lost in Irving's offensive flurry, however, was the absence of veteran Mo Williams. Signed this off-season to keep the Cavs afloat with Irving sidelined, Williams got off to a strong start. He averaged 15.6 points while playing 30.8 minutes in November. But injuries and Irving's recovery have caused Williams' minutes to plummet. He has also apparently lost his role as the team's No. 2 point guard, getting vaulted by Matthew Dellavedova.

"We have three and, even under the circumstances, four guys that can play the position of ball guard or point guard if you want to call it," Blatt said of the team's point guard depth. "We've managed to grow in that category obviously with Kyrie coming back."

Since Irving's return, Dellavedova is averaging 27.3 minutes, keeping his grip on the team's backup spot. Williams, on the otherhand, has averaged 12.3 minutes and didn't get any action against the Suns during Irving's big night. Known for his scoring punch, Williams reached double figures in 13 of his first 20 games. He has yet to reach that benchmark since Irving's return, and averaged just 6.7 points in 17.5 minutes during December.

Despite the disparity in minutes and production, Blatt stopped short of disclosing his actual depth chart, even when prodded.

"Because it's situational. It really is more situational than anything else," Blatt said when asked why he was being vague. "And those two guys could find those guys playing together. That's the reason."

There's some truth to that.

Williams, a playmaking combo guard with a scorer's mentality, struggles on defense. Dellavedova, who has improved immensely on the offensive end, raising his three-point percentage to 44.4 percent, is one of Cleveland's most tenacious defensive players.

The Cavs waited months for Irving's return, and it has given the team a noticeable lift, especially on the offensive end. It has also led to challenges for Blatt, as he tries to figure out his rotation and allocate playing time to all three of his point guards.

"I think the great thing about those three guys is they both can play multiple positions," LeBron James said. "All three of them. You can play Delly, Mo and Kyrie at the one or the two, so you can always have two of them on the court if need be, if you needed to have it." 


The Browns try to keep the Steelers from making the playoffs: Crowquill

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The Browns try to keep the Steelers from making the playoffs: Crowquill

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have a chance to end a miserable season on a high note by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers today at First Energy Stadium.

Coming in to today's game, the Steelers can still make the playoffs if the Buffalo Bills beat the New York Jets and the Steelers take care of business against the Browns.

Let's hope the Browns give the Steelers something more to concentrate on than scoreboard watching and that the Steelers will end their season in the same manner as the Browns -- out of the playoffs.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

Follow live coverage of Sunday's Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace

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If you cannot make it to Baldwin Wallace for any or all of Sunday's Scholastic Play By Play Classic, no sweat. Settle in here for live boys basketball coverage, including scores, analysis and video...

BEREA, Ohio -- If you cannot make it to Baldwin Wallace for any or all of Sunday's Scholastic Play By Play Classic, no sweat. Settle in here for live boys basketball coverage, including scores, analysis and video highlights from reporters Matt Goul and Tim Bielik.

Look to the comments section below for updates, beginning with the 10:30 a.m. game between Beachwood, ranked fourth in the cleveland.com Top 25, and No. 17 Bedford.


Click here for a preview of the seven games, which include 11 ranked teams. Here's the day's schedule:


Beachwood vs. Bedford, 10:30 a.m.


Benedictine vs. Warrensville Heights, 12:15 p.m.


St. Edward vs. Medina, 2 p.m.


Garfield Heights vs. Massillon Jackson, 3:45 p.m.


St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Cleveland Heights, 5:30 p.m.


Brunswick vs. Central Catholic, 7:15 p.m.


Holy Name vs. East Tech, 8:45 p.m.


Again, check out the comments section below for updates throughout Sunday's action.


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

Ohio State's Darron Lee, from high school QB to NFL LB in two college seasons

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"I wish I had played linebacker since I was 5, to see where I would be now, to be honest with you." Watch video

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Two seasons of playing college football turned Darron Lee from a high school quarterback into an NFL linebacker.

That was one of the two reasons you could envision the second-team All-Big Ten linebacker maybe staying at Ohio State for a fourth year in 2016 as a redshirt junior, because he's so young in the position.

The other was a disposition that paints Lee as a big-picture guy, but maybe one who isn't afraid to see the picture from a different angle. The son of Columbus television broadcaster Candice Lee, he has said he could imagine going into broadcasting himself someday. Lee is smart and self-assured and certainly wouldn't be afraid to go against conventional wisdom.

Wishful thinking maybe for Ohio State fans.

Saturday night, Lee declared for the 2016 NFL Draft, surrendering two years of eligibility and embracing a future that should land him in the late first or second round in the April draft as an instinctive run-and-chase linebacker with coverage skills and a knack for blitzing.

Yet he's barely played linebacker - three years in practice and two actually starting for the Buckeyes. 

Quick study, which maybe isn't a surprise for a high school quarterback, the position he still misses every day.

"If I had played (linebacker) as long as I played quarterback? It probably would be different for sure," Lee said during the buildup to Ohio State's Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame on Friday. "I probably would be ahead of the curve from what I am now.

"Quarterback is like, or was, it was literally like breathing to me. I always had a feel for it, I was always throwing a ball around. I'd probably have a better feel (on defense) if I was playing linebacker since I was 5.

"That would be interesting. I wish I had played linebacker since I was 5, to see where I would be now, to be honest with you."

In going at Lee from a few different angles during an interview session earlier in the week, the idea wasn't to figure out his college plans but figure out how he was thinking about his decision, his career and his life.

"I love my life, I love it," Lee said. "College life has been good to me. It's still hard to fathom because I guess I'm beating the odds."

Lee played the least amount of college football that anyone, short of battling a major injury, can play before turning pro. He was in Columbus for three years and redshirted the first season. That's just two years in game action, and, again, for someone who had never played his position before.

But when I asked linebackers coach Luke Fickell this week if Lee was more raw than any linebacker he'd welcomed at Ohio State, Fickell said that Ryan Shazier may have needed even more molding. We know how that turned out, as Shazier went from barely playing as a freshman to a two-year star to leaving after his junior season and going with the No. 15 pick to Pittsburgh in the 2014 draft.

Lee had an affinity for the game from his quarterback days that brought an understanding even to a new position. Then he soaked up the linebacker learning, approximating Shazier's impact on the defense more than anyone could have imagined.

In the scheme shift the Buckeyes underwent after the 2013 season, Lee wound up the ideal fit as what Ohio State now termed the "walkout" linebacker spot, lining up over slot receivers in coverage or attacking wide throws or run plays on the edge. The Buckeyes didn't need to add an extra defensive back on passing downs because Lee, getting tips from Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell, covered like an extra safety. Getting tips from Fickell and Joshua Perry, he tackled like a linebacker.

"I've taken the initiative to go out of my way and learn a little bit more and do a little bit more," Lee said.

That's the challenge now for either Chris Worley or Jerome Baker, the most likely candidates to replace Lee. Play what is nearly two positions in one, and do it like the guy who had never played the position at all until college.

By the way, Lee still thinks he would have made it as a college quarterback.

"Yeah," he said.

"No," interjected sophomore middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who was seated next to Lee at the interview session.

"I would have been good," Lee said with a smile, "and he knows I would have been good."

At his position of quarterback? Maybe.

At his new position of linebacker? For sure. Good enough that it was time to go.

"It's cool to see how far I came, but I still have a lot of work to do," Lee said before the final game of his college career. "I appreciate all that's happened. Not a lot of guys get to do this, not a lot of guys get to play for Ohio State and not a lot of guys who play for Ohio State have success at Ohio State. So it's a blessing, to be honest with you."

Imagine what his third full of year of playing linebacker in games might be like. 

Cleveland Browns Pregame Scribbles about possible general manager and coaching candidates -- Terry Pluto

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The Cleveland Browns will soon start shopping to find a new leadership group. They should start with a general manager, and here are some ideas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook as the Browns end the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a bunch of people are likely to be fired.

1. By now, Jimmy Haslam has to know that firing people is the easy part, even if  it's costly in terms of dollars. In 2013, Rob Chudzinski signed a four-year contract as coach and was fired after one season. In 2014, Mike Pettine signed a four-year contract as coach. He's likely to be fired after today's game against Pittsburgh. As Haslam searches for a new coach, he'll still be paying Chudzinski and Pettine in 2016. Sometimes, financial settlements are made, but you get the point and they get lots of dollars for not coaching the Browns.

2. General manager Ray Farmer and Pettine are likely to be fired. Farmer signed a four-year deal in 2014. So he'll be paid next year. Not sure what type of settlements were given to CEO Joe Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi when they were fired in February of 2014. But they were in place for only one season, and it's likely they had multi-year contracts.

3. The Browns are known as a place where you will at least get paid. You probably won't win. You probably won't last long. But you'll get paid. Mike Holmgren signed a five-year, $40 million contract in 2010. He was gone after the 2012 season. He got paid and talked about sipping "umbrella drinks" in his farewell press conference.

4. Haslam simply must find the right guy, and I'd start with a general manager. That's because I want the general manager and coach to be working together. I've heard Chris Ballard mentioned for the Browns and other teams. He is the director of player personnel in Kansas City. He is well-regarded. He turned down a chance to be GM in Tampa Bay last season because he wanted to have full power over the roster.

5. But it's hard to know a lot about Ballard. In K.C., John Dorsey is the general manager. Andy Reid has a lot of power as coach. Ballard joined this group in 2013. He clearly has been part of a franchise that rebuilt itself, but it also was a franchise with some talent. The Chiefs were 2-14 in 2012, yet had six Pro Bowlers on their roster.

6. Which brings me to Scott Pioli. Over the years, Pioli has been rumored for the Browns job. He is a Bill Belichick disciple and worked for the old Browns from 1992-95. He later helped Belichick build the Patriots into a powerhouse. He turned down several chances to be the general manager of other teams. Pioli finally left New England for the Chiefs in 2009.

7. Pioli took over a 2-14 team and the Chiefs were 4-12 in 2009, his first season. The next year, they were 10-6. He was praised for his work. But then the Chiefs fell to 7-9 and 2-14. He was fired after the 2012 season.

8. Pioli couldn't find a quarterback. He squeezed one good year (2010) out of Matt Cassel. It was sort of like Derek Anderson with the Browns in 2007. He got hot. His team had a 10-6 record. And he's never come close to anything like that since.

9. Pioli's coaching choices didn't work. He first went to Todd Hailey, who led the Chiefs to that 10-6 record in 2010. But Hailey was fired after a 5-8 start in 2011. Romeo Crennel was named the interim coach and was 2-1. Pioli made Crennel's job permanent in 2012. That became 2-14. It's hard to believe Pioli saw Crennel as a viable long term head coach. He is a very good defensive coordinator, but most Browns fans know Crennel struggles as head coach.

10. I'd still talk to Pioli. He's a smart guy. I'd be curious to know what he learned from being in Kansas City, where things ended very ugly. He is currently an assistant general manager in Atlanta. He may be the most interesting candidate with general manager's experience who is available.

11. Another hot name (besides Ballard) is Terry McDonough, the director of player personnel in Arizona. But this is a situation similar to that of Ballard. McDonough is considered a smart guy. He has been part of a major turnaround with the Cardinals. But that team has Steve Keim as the general manager and a strong coach in Bruce Arians.

12. With men such as McDonough and Ballard, it's hard to know what they will do. They were not the final decision makers. But sometimes a losing team such as the Browns has to take a chance on a executive in their situation. It could be how you find the next excellent general manager. You give a younger man a chance.

13. Several teams will be looking at Ballard and McDonough as general manager candidates. My guess is that Pioli will be interviewed by a few teams. Nick Caserio is New England's director of player personnel. He is a Cleveland native and a John Carroll graduate. He has turned down chances to work for other teams in the past. He's well respected. Would he be interested in trying to fix the Browns? Worth finding out.

14. Dick Tobin is an intriguing possibility. The Bengals really don't have a general manager. For years, owner Mike Brown had the title. In 2014, coach Marvin Lewis has been the main football man. Tobin is the director of player personnel. In this setup, it seems he had a lot to say about many of the Bengals good drafts. Could the Browns pry him away with a bigger title? The Bengals have what the Browns want. They are stable and they are a playoff caliber team. And they have done it with Andy Dalton, who never came close to being an elite quarterback until this season.

15. Coaches? Who knows? I heard Haslam really liked Doug Marrone in 2013. The Browns were chasing Chip Kelly back then. Marrone became impatient and was hired in Buffalo. He had records of 6-10 and 9-7. Marrone's contract had an opt-out clause in the event the team was sold. It was sold. He opted out in 2015, but didn't receive another chance to be a head coach. He is likely to be interviewed by several teams. Do read this long story on Marrone, who is an interesting character.

16. Chip Kelly and the Browns? I hope not. He wanted full power in Philadelphia. He got it after 2014. After a pair of 10-6 seasons, he was 6-9 this season. He convinced ownership to let him have full power and made several awful player personnel moves.

17. Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is likely to become a head coach somewhere. He was 8-8 in his only season as a head coach, and that was with Oakland. You'd think the Raiders would have been happy with that. Instead, there was a front office shakeup and he was fired.

18. There will be many more names. The Browns supposedly loved Adam Gase in 2014. He is still on a the market. He's an assistant with Chicago. Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reports the Browns are very interested in Gase.

19. I know, there is a game today. The Steelers are in town. The Browns are 3-12. They might as well lose this game, be 3-13 and have a real shot to secure the highest draft pick possible.

20. My prediction: Steelers 27, Browns 13. That would be the third game in a row that the Browns have scored exactly 13 points. It would give them 13 losses for the season. My prediction record is 11-4.

Browns will go hard after Bears OC Adam Gase, groundwork laid for interview, sources say

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Bears OC Adam Gase is high on the Browns list for their head coaching vacancy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns will go hard after Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase as soon as they fire Mike Pettine, which could be as soon as Sunday night, league sources told cleveland.com.

The groundwork has already been laid for the interview, sources said.

 Gase, 37, was high on the Browns' list in the last search, but he pulled himself out of the running to focus on the Broncos' Super Bowl run.

Gase -- a Nick Saban protege -- comes highly recommended to Jimmy Haslam from their mutual good friend Peyton Manning, who would like to play at least one more season despite a foot injury that relegated him to backup in Denver behind Brock Osweiler.

It doesn't mean, however, that Manning will automatically come along with Gase if he takes the job.

Manning will have other offers, both to play in 2016 and to move into the front office.
Gase, a finalist last year for the 49ers job, will also be in hot demand.

Related: Pettine and Farmer likely to be fired, as soon as Sunday night

Profootballtalk.com reports that in addition to the Browns, the Eagles and Dolphins will likely aggressively pursue him. As other jobs come open, he'll receive more calls, with teams such the Lions expected to join the hunt if they fire Jim Caldwell.

Despite the Bears' 6-9 record heading into today's game against the Lions, Gase has been lauded for getting the best out of Jay Cutler, who completed 63.9 percent of his passes, with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He earned a 92.8 rating.

Gase seems to favor big, pocket passers such as Manning and Cutler, and would likely not be thrilled about the prospect of heading into 2016 with Johnny Manziel as his starting quarterback.

Gase and other offensive candidates such as Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels of Canton, Ohio would likely need some assurances that they can use a high pick on a new quarterback of the future, especially given Manziel's off-the-field problems. Quarterback will weigh heavily in their decisions.

The following is Gase's bio from the Bears media guide heading into this season:
Gase spent the last six seasons on the Broncos coaching staff including the last two as Denver's offensive coordinator. Over the last two seasons, the Broncos led the NFL in scoring offense (34.0 points per game), total offense (430.1 yards per game) and passing offense (315.8 ypg). Denver's offense also ranked second in the league in plays of 20 or more yards (157) and third in third down conversions (189-of-418, 45.2 percent).

The Broncos set an NFL record with 606 points scored in 2013, including a league-record 76 touchdowns. They finished second in the league with 482 points in 2014 (25th most in NFL history). Their 7,317 net yards in 2013 are second most in league history. In 2014, they finished fourth in the NFL with 6,446 net yards, 25th most in league history.

In 2013, quarterback Peyton Manning was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player for the fifth time in his career by the Associated Press, while breaking NFL single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55). His 450 completions in 2013 are tied for third most in NFL history. He was also honored as the Maxwell Club Player of the Year for the third time in his career and AP Offensive Player of the Year for the second time.

Seven players from the Broncos offense were named to the Pro Bowl over the last two seasons: RB C.J. Anderson (2014), T Ryan Clady (2014), Manning (2013-14), WR Emmanuel Sanders (2014), WR Demaryius Thomas (2013-14), TE Julius Thomas (2013-14) and G Louis Vasquez (2013).

From 2011-12, Gase oversaw the Broncos quarterbacks. In 2012, Denver's passing offense was fifth in the NFL (283.4), while the unit as a whole finished second in scoring (30.1 ppg) and fourth in total offense (397.9 ypg). Manning was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year after finishing second in the NFL in passer rating (105.8), his first 100-plus passer rating since 2006. Manning was also named a First-Team All-Pro by the AP, earned a Pro Bowl nod and finished as the runner-up for NFL MVP.

In 2011, Gase worked with quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow, helping lead the Broncos to the AFC West crown and a Wild Card Playoff victory. The duo threw for 20 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions, including Tebow's 12:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Tebow added a franchise quarterback record 660 rushing yards, 12th most in NFL history among quarterbacks, and six rushing touchdowns.
Gase joined the Broncos as the wide receivers coach, a title he held for two seasons from 2009-10. He had a Pro Bowl wide receiver in each season with the team as Brandon Marshall earned a nod in 2009 and Brandon Lloyd earned his first trip to the contest in 2010.

In 2010, Gase helped Lloyd lead the NFL with 1,448 receiving yards, the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his, at-the-time, eight-year career and the first time a Broncos player led the NFL in receiving yards. In 2009, Marshall finished tied for third in the NFL with 101 receptions (for 1,120 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns), including an NFL record 21 receptions on December 13 at Indianapolis.

In 2008, Gase was an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to his time in San Francisco, Gase spent five seasons in the Lions organization, including the last three on the coaching staff after starting out as a scouting assistant (2003-05). As a Lions coach, Gase held the titles of offensive assistant (2005), offensive quality control (2006) and quarterbacks coach (2007). In 2007, Gase helped Lions quarterback Jon Kitna finish sixth in the NFL in passing yards (4,068) and fifth in completions (355).

Prior to joining the NFL ranks, Gase worked at Louisiana State University for three seasons (2000-02) under head coach Nick Saban, starting off as a defensive graduate assistant in 2000 before working in recruiting from 2001-02.

Gase attended Michigan State University from 1996-99 earning a bachelor's degree.

Robbie Lawler, Stipe Miocic winners at UFC 195

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Euclid's Stipe Miocic stopped Andrei Arlovski with punches 54 seconds into the first round, likely earning a heavyweight title shot with a victory in the UFC's traditional New Year's week show in its hometown.

LAS VEGAS  -- Only the fifth-round bell could stop Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit from punishing each other. When it finally rang, the champion and challenger stood side-by-side with their arms leaned up on the cage, wearing exhaustion and respect on their bruised, bloodied faces.

Although Lawler kept his title by a narrow margin, he can't wait to do it all again.

Lawler defended his UFC welterweight belt with a split-decision victory over Condit at UFC 195 on Saturday night, getting the promotion's new year off to a thrilling start.

"That's just two competitors with a lot of heart and a lot of skill just trying to get the job done," Lawler said.

Lawler (27-10) was awarded the decision after a 25-minute brawl that had the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd on its collective feet in the fantastic fifth round. Condit (30-9) landed 120 more strikes and wobbled the champion multiple times, but Lawler's power did enough damage to win three rounds on two judges' scorecards.

A few moments after they spontaneously leaned on the cage together, taking deep breaths and basking in cheers, they ended the night with their arms mutually raised in victory. While Condit said he would consider retirement, Lawler had a better idea.

"There was two winners tonight, and let's do it again," Lawler said.

Earlier, Stipe Miocic stopped Andrei Arlovski with punches 54 seconds into the first round, likely earning a heavyweight title shot with a victory in the UFC's traditional New Year's week show in its hometown.

But Lawler and Condit established a lofty benchmark for the best fight of 2016 with their draining slugfest. Both fighters landed huge strikes and big knockdowns, yet both bounced up and kept fighting into a brutal fifth round in which they struggled to lift their arms for punches or defense.

"I thought there was a good chance I was ahead," Condit said. "I knew he was going to come out guns-a-blazing. You have to come out and fight. I wasn't hurt neurologically, but I was roughed up a little bit. I thought I had three rounds in the bag, but that happens."

Condit was disappointed, but not surprised, after losing for the fourth time in six fights despite landing 198 strikes to 78 for the champion. The third round was the only one in dispute on the judges' scorecards, with Lawler getting the nod on two cards despite Condit's 22 strikes to Lawler's 10, which included a vicious elbow.

"I don't even remember much about what happened in the third," Lawler said. "I was trying to live it minute by minute."

Condit connected in the fourth with a short left hand and a right behind Lawler's ear, wobbling the champion and unloading on him before the bell. The fifth was a flat-out brawl.

I'm not dejected," Condit said. "I have to evaluate, but there's a possibility that might be my last one. We'll see."

UFC 195 kicked off the new year after a tumultuous, successful 2015 in which seven of the UFC's 10 champions lost their belts, including Ronda Rousey, Jose Aldo and Jon Jones. Lawler was among those who hung on to his title, winning a similarly grueling decision over Rory MacDonald in his only fight of 2015.

"He's our Evander Holyfield," UFC President Dana White said of Lawler. "He's never in a boring fight. When he gets hurt, he continues to go toe-to-toe."

Lawler's matchup with Condit only underlined his reputation as a tenacious veteran willing to do anything to preserve the title that he finally won 12 years after his first UFC fight.

"I'm just going out there to knock someone's head off and get a quick victory, but for some reason these guys won't stay down," Lawler said.

Condit had done just about everything in MMA aside from winning an undisputed UFC belt. The 13-year veteran pro held the interim UFC title in 2012 before losing the belt to Georges St. Pierre, who described the New Mexico wrestler as his toughest opponent.

Before the main event, Miocic likely earned a shot at the UFC heavyweight belt with an opening-minute victory. The 6-foot-4 firefighter from the Cleveland suburbs has won five of six fights despite enduring winter travel delays on his way to Vegas this week.

Miocic ended it abruptly when he caught Arlovski with a short right hand to the chin and another against the cage moments later, sending the veteran Arlovski defenseless to his knees. Miocic celebrated his victory by running across the cage to White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, yelling at them to "Give me my shot! Come on!"

The 33-year-old Miocic is likely to be the next contender for the heavyweight belt after champion Fabricio Werdum's rematch with former champ Cain Velasquez next month at UFC 196 in this same Las Vegas cage.

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

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Get ready for Browns-Steelers with our pregame chat.

The Browns take on the Pittsburgh Steelers 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.


Ohio State football: Tyvis Powell, Buckeyes safety, announces plans to enter NFL Draft

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Powell, who graduated early, will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell is a graduate and a national champion. There isn't much that would keep him in Columbus for one final year as a Buckeye.

So Powell announced his intentions to forgo his senior season at Ohio State and enter the NFL Draft. Powell posted the news on his public Twitter account on Sunday, one day after teammate Darron Lee made the same announcement.

"Over these few seasons I have accomplished almost everyone one of my dreams that I set out for back when I committed, including being a graduate of the Ohio State University" Powell wrote in a message on Twitter. "I personally would like to thank Coach (Jim) Tressel for extending me the offer, and Coach (Urban) Meyer for developing me physically and mentally."

Powell would've been a fifth-year senior next year. He graduated in three-and-a-half years in May 2015 with a degree in marketing.

A Northeast Ohio product from Bedford High School, Powell finishes his career with seven interceptions, including one in Ohio State's Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame on Friday.

Powell brings the list to five Buckeyes who have declared early for the draft. He joins Le, quarterback Cardale Jones, defensive end Joey Bosa and running back Ezekiel Elliott. The deadline to declare early for underclassmen Jan. 18.

Draft tracker: Which Ohio State players are leaving early?

According to NFLDraftScout.com, Powell is the No. 4 free safety in his draft class.

Powell isn't as highly rated as some of his other teammates who have declared, but part of the consideration too is that all of the players you came into the program with are gone. For Powell that's expanded a bit, when you consider his close relationship with Jones, who won't be back next year.

Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers score updates and chat

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Get live updates and chat as the Browns take on the Steelers on Sunday afternoon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and Steelers face off on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns are 3-12 while the Steelers need a win and a Jets loss to make the playoffs.

Join in the discussion in the comments during the game with live updates and chat with other fans. I'll be in the comments throughout the game, plus you'll see tweets from Mary Kay Cabot, Tom Reed and others. The game will be broadcast live on CBS with kickoff at 1 p.m.

App users, click here to join in the chat.

By the way, you should like my page on Facebook.

Listen to our live postgame show following the game in the player below.

Rashard Lawrence, a five-star Louisiana DT, has a final two: Ohio State and LSU

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Ohio State has moved into five-star defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence's final two along with LSU, and the 6-foot-3, 305-pound prospect is planning on announcing his decision soon.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- There has been some growing concern from Ohio State's fan base because Urban Meyer and his staff have had trouble earning a commitment from a top defensive tackle in the 2016 recruiting class. 

The Buckeyes could be close to erasing those concerns. 

That's because Ohio State has moved into five-star defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence's final two along with LSU, according to NOLA.com, and the 6-foot-3, 305-pound prospect of Monroe (LA.) Neville is planning on announcing his decision soon. 

Rated the No. 5 defensive tackle in the 2016 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Lawrence officially visited Ohio State on Oct. 17 for the Buckeyes home win over Penn State. 

Lawrence, who is working out at the Under Armour All-American game in Orlando, Fla., told NOLA.com that Ohio State has been a constant presence in his recruitment since that official visit. 

"I took an official then, they've been coming every week they could,"  said. "And that's why they are one of my top schools and the relationship with (Ohio State defensive line) coach (Larry) Johnson."  

Meyer has never signed a prospect from Louisiana, even dating back to his time at Florida, so the fact that the Buckeyes are going head-to-head with LSU has to be concerning. 

However, Lawrence is big on coaching stability, so this could be Meyer's chance to pluck a Louisiana prospect. LSU retained coach Les Miles after the season, but months of rumors about his potential firing has to raise some issues about his longer term stability in Baton Rouge. 

LSU lost defensive coordinator Kevin Steele for Auburn, though, and Lawrence said it was tough to see him go. 

"It's a business though," Lawrence said. "It's a coach's business, whereever they got the best job, that's what they got to do. But from what I've heard they've got a new guy that's pretty good from Wisconsin so I'll check him out."

Which Ohio State, Big Ten players are leaving early for the pros? NFL Draft tracker 2016

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There's a large group of Ohio State players who could leave early for the NFL Draft.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's roster will have a drastically different look next year. That's the case for college football programs all over the country.

The Buckeyes, though, could be be looking at a mass exodus of not only seniors, but younger players who could make the jump to the NFL. That move has already started with players like Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft.

Who else decides to make the jump will have a major impact on the makeup of Ohio State's 2016 roster. It's part of recruiting and playing at a high level, and it's something every program has to deal with at some point.

It's happening to Ohio State now, and this will be your one-stop place to keep track of who's going and who's staying. The deadline for players to declare is Jan. 18. We'll update this every time an Ohio State player makes his decision to declare for the draft, or stay with the Buckeyes for another year.

We'll also include the decisions of some other high-profile players from around the Big Ten and the country.

Ohio State NFL Draft Tracker

Joey Bosa, Jr., DE: Going

It was expected, but Bosa comfirmed after the Fiesta Bowl that he'll forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. Bosa, who was ejected for targeting in his final game, is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Ezekiel Elliott, Jr., RB: Going

Elliott made his intentions known after the loss to Michigan State, and Urban Meyer confirmed it again after the Fiesta Bowl. Elliott is a near lock to be a first-round pick, and should be the first running back selected.

Cardale Jones, Jr., QB: Going

This was always the plan for Jones when he decided to return after last season. He wanted to get his degree and he's two classes away from doing that. Jones will make the jump to the NFL, and could do enough in the pre-draft process to be a mid-round selection.

Darron Lee, Soph. LB: Going

Lee announced his intent to declare for the draft one day after the Fiesta Bowl. It seemed inevitable, and ultimately was. Lee is the No. 2 linebacker on ESPN analyst Todd McShay's big board, and has a good shot of being a first-round pick.

Tyvis Powell, Jr., SAF: Going

Powell on Sunday announced his intentions to forgo one more season as a fifth-year senior and enter the NFL Draft. Powell graduated early, and will join roommate Cardale Jones on the journey to the draft. So there's now an open apartment in Columbus.

Vonn Bell, Jr., SAF: Decision pending

Like Lee, Bell has an outside shot at being a first-round pick this spring. He's a good cover guy for a safety, and has a knack for making big plays. Bell hasn't hinted either way on where he's leaning.

Eli Apple, Soph., CB: Decision pending

Apple said after the Fiesta Bowl that he'll sit down with his family to ponder his decision. He wasn't a guy on many draft boards when the year began, but could make the jump and be a mid-round pick in the spring.

Michael Thomas, Jr., WR: Decision pending

Thomas feels like a go. He's in a battle with Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss for the top receiver spot in the draft. He's got NFL lineage, and has been under-used in the last two years. It makes sense for Thomas to go now, but he hasn't announced a decision yet.

Jalin Marshall, Soph. WR: Decision pending

Marshall is a part of this big 2013 recruiting class that has a lot of guys who appear to be on the move. He said that will factor into his decision a little bit, and he'll make a call in the next few days. Something to consider for him is the thin receiver crop this year. Marshall could go higher than expected if he leaves.

Pat Elflein, Jr., G: Coming back

Elflein announced his decision to return before the Fiesta Bowl. He'll be Ohio State's starting center next year, and passed up on the NFL to get better at the position he envisions himself playing in the pros.

Around the country

Going:

Christian Hackenberg, Penn State QB

Austin Johnson, Penn State DT

Jordan Howard, Indiana RB

Maliek Collins, Nebraska DT

Steve Longa, Rutgers LB

Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland DE

Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky DE

Tyler Boyd, Pitt WR

Scooby Wright, Arizona LB

Jared Goff, Cal QB

C.J. Prosise, Notre Dame RB

Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss DT

Myles Jack, UCLA LB

Corey Coleman, Baylor WR

Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech CB

Paxton Lynch, Memphis QB

Staying:

Jake Butt, Michigan TE

Jourdan Lewis, Michigan CB

Chris Wormley, Michigan CB

Corey Clement, Wisconsin RB

Will Fuller, Notre Dame WR

Dwayne Bowe inactive for Cleveland Browns final game of season

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Veteran wide receiver will sit out final game of 2015 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Veteran wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, signed during the offseason, will be inactive for the Cleveland Browns final game of the 2015 regular season. Bowe will finish the season having been active for just seven games, registering five catches for 53 yards.

The Browns will be shorthanded again in their secondary. Rookie Charles Gaines is inactive after his girlfriend went into labor. Veteran Tramon Williams is also inactive. He has been in the league's concussion protocol. The team is already missing Joe Haden, on injured reserve with a concussion.

Other inactives include cornerback Johnny Manziel, in the league's concussion protocol, wide receiver Marlon Moore (concussion), running back Glenn Winston (concussion) and linebacker Armonty Bryant. Bryant is inactive due to his Christmas Day arrest.

Jordan Poyer will start in place of Williams and second-year cornerback Pierre Desir will start in place of Gaines. Austin Davis will start at quarterback for the Browns. They signed Pat Devlin this week and also have Terrelle Pryor, who is active, available to play quarterback.

No. 17 Bedford boys basketball hands No. 4 Beachwood first loss, 74-59, at Play By Play Classic (photos, video)

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Bedford needed a win like Sunday’s 74-59 statement against previously unbeaten Beachwood in the opener of the Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University.

BEREA, Ohio – Bedford needed a win like Sunday’s 74-59 statement against previously unbeaten Beachwood in the opener of the Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University.

The Bearcats (7-3), ranked No. 17 in the cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25, struggled to find consistency in December. Lamont Rhodes didn’t waver during the first month, and the 6-foot-7 senior used his long, athletic frame Sunday to frustrate the fourth-ranked Bison with a game-high 24 points and 13 rebounds.


“Big statement game with a tough schedule coming up,” said Rhodes, whose team approaches the heart of its Lake Erie League slate.


All five Bedford starters scored in double figures, including Daron Falkner’s 12 points, point guard Cam Brandon’s 11 and 10 each from guards Tre Granger and Armond Perry.


Their play sends them into matchups Friday at Shaw and next week against defending LEL champion Lorain.


Beachwood (8-1), meanwhile, returns to Chagrin Valley Conference play Tuesday against winless Geneva with coach Matt Miller looking for a spark. He described his team Sunday as deflated.


“They don’t have a pulse if something like this doesn’t spark them to play harder,” he said. “We’ve had stretches like this against other teams and we were able to squeak by playing with a low energy level.”


Miller said he knew that could not happen against Bedford, a program he coached for three seasons until taking the Beachwood job in 2013.


The Bearcats forced Sunday's pace into a half-court game from the beginning. Beachwood responded with a late second quarter run to take a 34-33 halftime lead, but Perry's early, third-quarter 3-pointer from the left corner gave Bedford back the lead for good. Granger followed by attacking the basket, and the Bearcats’ advantage quick grew to double digits.


“Other than that little two minute spurt right before halftime, this is the first game where we followed the game plan for four quarter,” Bedford coach Pete Priola said.


His team 41 second-half points and used a 20-7 third quarter to seize control. It also overcame 23 points from Tyrone Gibson and held the Bison to 25-of-59 shooting.


The Bearcats shot 28 of 46 from the floor.


“It was a big step because we finally played like a team for all four quarters,” said Rhodes, a Lake Erie College commit. “We now have to carry it through the rest of the season.”


Rhodes said “dumb turnovers” held Bedford back in previous games. With 19 turnovers Sunday, he admitted they can still work on ball control.


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.

Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jamie Turner's in-game diary

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The Steelers need a win and a Jets loss to make the playoffs. The Browns just need another season of rebooting to begin. What happens in Week 17?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Another year of good intentions, of a commitment "not to blow things up" ends in predictable fashion today: with the end to another slog of a season and Black Monday waiting -- unless the news comes today.

The Steelers, meanwhile, could pay the price today of taking an AFC North rival too lightly a week ago. That loss in Baltimore forced Pittsburgh to need a Jets loss in Buffalo and a win over the Browns to reach another postseason.

Can the Browns really muster much fight with Austin Davis at QB and a (reportedly) lame duck coaching staff? As always, we'll have analysis and observations here from reporters and columnists from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, as well as around the NFL Twitterverse.

Keep refreshing for the latest.

1:51 p.m.: Steelers had a 109-19 edge in offense in the first quarter

On second-and-11, false start on G David DeCastro backs Steelers up to the 24. On second-and-16, Roethlisberger hits Brown for 20 yards against Gipson -- who was spun around and was four yards away from Brown when the ball was caught.

On first down at the 44, Roethlisberger to Brown for 14 yards against Gipson at the Browns 37.

On first down, Roethlisberger's fastball zips past Bryant at the 30. On second-and-10, Williams runs for six and writhes in pain from an injured right ankle -- tackle was by John Hughes. Injury timeout.

Ex-Michigan RB Fitzgerald Toussaint in Steelers backfield. On third-and-4, dumpoff to Antonio Brown stopped for two yards by K'Waun Williams.

A 48-yard field goal by Chris Boswell is wide right. Browns ball at the Steelers 38.

Meanwhile in Buffalo...


Steelers 7, Browns 3; end of first quarter


1:42 p.m.: After a touchback, Steelers start on their 20.


Tayshaun Gipson getting some run at corner against Antonio Brown. On first down, D'Angelo Williams gains one -- nice hit at the line by Craig Robertson. On second-and-9, Roethlisberger can't find anyone early, scrambles left and zips a pass to Wheaton for a first down at the 30. Browns illegal contact declined.


On first down, Williams sweeps right, but Browns get penetration from Dansby and Nate Orchard and Williams loses a yard.


Quarter ends and a promo urging season ticket deposits for 2016 airs on Browns radio.




Steelers 7, Browns 3; 1:11 left in first quarter


1:37 p.m.: On first down at the 24, a bubble screen to Darius Jennings gets nothing, with blocker Taylor Gabriel seemingly dinged. On second down, Crowell finds a crease around the right side for 15 to the 9.


On first down, Crowell ignores the zone block to the left and bounces right, losing two yards. On second-and-goal, Davis has to scramble left and a desperate throw to Benjamin is incomplete. On third-and-goal, Davis pressured and throws it away. It's another safety blitz by Allen that breaks free.


Travis Coons' 29-yard field goal is good.


Gabriel heads to the locker room with a towel covering his head.



1:32 p.m.: On first down at the 29, Roethlisberger suffers his second interception by Jordan Poyer this season -- Poyer undercut a very late throw to Bryant at the 39, returned to the 24.


1:29 p.m.: Raheem Mostert returns the kickoff 45 yards to the Browns 47, but (of course) the Browns are flagged for illegal block on Barkevious Mingo. Ball moved to the 21.


On first down, Davis to Barnidge for six. On second-and-4, Davis to Benjamin for for six and a first down at the 33, absorbing a big hit by Antwon Blake.


On first down, Davis incomplete to Benjamin, but Blake is flagged for illegal contact -- five yards to the 38 and a first down.


On first down, empty backfield for Davis, who scrambles and is sacked by Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons for loss of six. On second-and-16, Duke Johnson loses a yard on sweep right. Steelers caved in the right side of the Browns line. On third-and-17, Will Allen sacks Davis at the 22 after Steelers blitz six players.


Andy Lee's punt caught by Antonio Brown at the Steelers 24, pushed OB by Done Jones at the Steelers 29.


Offense looks less than inspired on a Farewell Sunday. Then again, there's nothing like Finishing A Season Like A Brown.

1:21 p.m.: Oh, the ignominy ...

Steelers 7, Browns 0; 7:06 left in first quarter

1:19 p.m.: So far, both Steelers and Browns are running shotgun offenses. On first down at the Steelers 30, Pittsburgh flagged for false start. On first-and-15, Roethlisberger is finally under center and and gives to Williams for two. On second-and-13, Roethlisberger to Brown for 27 yards -- Pierre Desir's cushion was so big that Brown was easily able to run around him after catching the ball.

First down at the Browns 47, Roethlisberger to Williams on a dumpoff for seven. On second-and-3, a no-huddle attack has another completion to Antonio Brown for six at the 34 -- Poyer was far off Brown.

On first down at the Browns 34, pass to Martavis Bryant loses a yard on the left sideline. On second-and-11, Roethlisberger to a double-covered Brown (well, in a fashion) for 26.

On first down at the 8, a dumpoff to Williams for six. Browns offside (Xavier Cooper) is declined. On second down at the 2, Steelers bring in two TEs and a fullback. Roethlisberger on play action hits Heath Miller at the back of the end zone for the touchdown.

1:11 p.m.: Quick review and fumble is confirmed.

On first down, Austin Davis quick screen to Travis Benjamin for five. On second-and-5, Isaiah Crowell up the middle for no gain. On third-and-5, Davis is far too high to Barnidge that is nearly intercepted by Mike Mitchell. Browns will go for it at the 34, and Davis hits Barnidge inside the 30, but he's a couple of feet short of the first down.

Steelers ball.

1:07 p.m.: Markus Wheaton returns the kickoff 23 yards to the 22.

On first down, Ben Roethlisberger in shotgun hits Darius Heyward-Bey for eight yards, covered by Pierre Desir. On second-and-2, Roesthlisberger incomplete for Antonio Brown on pick play over the middle -- throw was way high. On third-and-2, pass to Brown on quick slant to the right sideline for three yards and a first down at the 31.

On first down, quick pitch to D'Angelo Williams for a yard. On second-and-9, Roethlisberger hits a wide-open Brown at the 44, who fumbles at the 48, recovered by Craig Robertson and returned to the Steelers' 39. Karlos Dansby forced the fumble.

Steelers challenge the call.


1:02 p.m.: Steelers call tails, lose the coin toss and the Browns will start on defense.


Your final dose of Nathan Zegura Zen: "It's a strange atmosphere here ... but you wouldn't know it on the (Browns) sideline, where there's a 'we can't lose" attitude."


And away we go.


12:59 p.m.: Plenty of good seats still available.



12:57 p.m.: Trent Green on CBS before kickoff today focused of course on the Steelers' playoff needs. But when the topic turned to the Browns, he said this:

"When you talk about a head coach you talk about wins. It's a success-driven league. ... From a personnel standpoint, I have to question (firing Ray Farmer). Over the two years in the draft and free agency, he's had some successes."

Well, that's ... interesting.

12:54 p.m.: If it's Browns-Steelers in Cleveland late in the season (at least since 1999), there's one constant...


12:51 p.m.: The men charged with keeping Antonio Brown from multiple endzone somersaults today? We mean you, K'Waun Williams, Jordan Poyer, Pierre Desir, Justin Gilbert and Johnson Bademosi.


Oh joy. Oh rapture.

12:47 p.m.: With plenty of reports suggesting that Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase is a target of interest for the Browns, MMQB's Jenny Vrentas had a piece earlier this week on how Gase has improved his reputation despite being on a team that did little during the season:

"Adam Gase, the Bears' offensive coordinator, has aced the Jay Cutler reclamation project, building an offensive system that keeps the quarterback in check with good coaching and smart play-calling; by doing that, he's expanded his coordinator resume beyond Peyton Manning, the future Hall of Famer many assume operates as his own OC.

"(Gase) has been at the wheel as Cutler has turned it around from potential $16.5 million liability to an asset. The ability to work with players at all wavelengths of the quarterback spectrum--Gase was Tim Tebow's quarterbacks coach when Tebowmania reached the second round of the playoffs, and Manning's offensive coordinator for the best statistical season an NFL quarterback has ever had--will be an attractive quality for when teams begin head-coaching searches next week."

And, of course, there's this ...


Meanwhile, a cautionary note to the never-ending river of "reports," "rumors" and "speculation" that's headed our way for the next few weeks.



12:39 p.m.: Yeah, there's always some morbid curiosity when coaches are dead men walking.

12:37 p.m.: On Ch. 19's pre-game show, former Browns Bernie Kosar and Joe Jurevicius didn't hold back on their frustrations and expectations of a franchise that never seems to be able to find its way.

From Kosar: "Seventeen years of the same mind-numbing conversation. ... When it's more uplifting to see the "Concussion" movie with your children than talk about the Browns, you know you've hit a low point. I can tell you exactly what I'm going to be talking about over the next six months. Offense ahead of the defense. New system. Who we like in the draft, who should be here. What quarterback coach you like. Are you kidding me?

"And I'm not allowed to help. I'm not allowed in the building. C'mon."

From Jurevicius: "My key to the game doesn't have anything to do with football, it has to do with investments. Apple and Intel are leaders in the (technology) industry. They have strong leadership from the top. They have good management in their workplace. They have great spreadsheets. And if the Browns are smart they're going to hire somebody who's among those blue chips that I mentioned.

"I don't want to see a first-time head coach in here, I don't want to see a first-time general manager, I would like to see someone knock it off the charts ... somebody who's going to bring a little bit of excitement here to Cleveland -- AKA the Apples and the Intels."

12:30 p.m.: Let's get the basics out of the way in what is going to be a busy afternoon.

Inactives for the Browns: QB Johnny Manziel, WR Marlon Moore, CB Tramon Williams, RB Glenn Winston, CB Charles Gaines (whose girlfriend has gone into labor), WR Dwayne Bowe, DE Armonty Bryant.


For the Steelers: QB Michael Vick, WR Sammie Coates, CB Doran Grant, RB Jordan Todman, LB L.J. Fort, OT Byron Stingily, DE L.T. Walton.


And, of course, a moment of gallows humor on what will be a busy off-season beginning about 4:05 p.m.:





Browns don't know if Johnny Manziel went to Las Vegas, wasn't required at game because of concussion

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The last the Browns saw of Johnny Manziel, he came to the Browns facility for concussion treatment Saturday morning.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel, who's out for today's season finale against the Steelers, is not at FirstEnergy Stadium, but the Browns have no idea if he's in Las Vegas, a team spokesman told cleveland.com.

The last anyone in the Browns organization saw him, he was at the team's facility in Berea for concussion treatment on Saturday morning.

Because Manziel is in the concussion protocol, he was not required to be at the game.

In fact, depending on the severity of the concussion, some players are not permitted to attend games. Some, including Joe Haden, are even advised to stay at home and avoid light and other taxing situations.

Browns Vice President of Communications Peter John-Baptiste said there was no rule preventing Manziel from going to Las Vegas Saturday night, as USA Today Sports reported. He stressed, however, that he does not know if Manziel was there.

Several other sources close to Manziel do not know if he went to Las Vegas in spite of his concussion and have not seen or heard from him lately.

Manziel came to the Browns facility on Wednesday morning and reported concussion-like symptoms. He was sent to the doctor and placed in the concussion protocol that afternoon.

On Thursday, he was officially ruled out of the game by the Browns and Austin Davis was installed as the starter.

Manziel, who suffered the concussion on Sunday against the Chiefs, seemed fine to those in the building on Monday, and again on Tuesday when he came in to watch film.

Related: Mike Pettine admits 'there are problems' with Manziel that need to be addressed in offseason

Sources said he wasn't himself during a meeting early Wednesday morning, and that he soon went to the trainer and reported the concussion-like symptoms. His protocol included treatment at the Browns facility.   

On Saturday evening, Manziel was spotted at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood casino, employees and patrons told USA Today Sports.

USA Today reported that he paid cash for a meal at the Heart Bar at Planet Hollywood, and interviewed Tina Samira, a waitress who served Manziel and his guests.

A casino employee also examined Manziel's photo ID at a blackjack table and said "we've got Johnny Manziel with us tonight," John Hornacek, 43, a patron who was there at the time, told USA Today.

John-Baptiste could not confirm for USA TODAY Sports if Manziel was in Cleveland. He told cleveland.com the report was untrue when USA Today MLB digital editor Scott Boeck first tweeted it.

Manziel's agent, Erik Burkhardt, did not respond to texts seeking comment.
After word spread on social media that Manziel was in Vegas, he posted a photo of himself on Instagram with his dog and the hashtag #Saturdaynights. He later added his home in Avon, Ohio, as his location.

The report came  two days after coach Mike Pettine -- who's expected to be fired as soon as Sunday night -- made it clear that "there are problems'' with Manziel that need to be addressed in the offseason.

Sources told cleveland.com that the Browns have been increasingly concerned about Manziel's well-documented partying over the past few months -- particularly over the past few weeks.

"Here is a guy that has an NFL skill set, he's very talented, if you spend some time with him, he's a likable guy, you root for him,'' said Pettine, who's expected to be fired as early as Sunday night. "But there are problems there that we'll talk as we're headed to the offseason about getting addressed. And I've said this before, we want to make sure that all of our players are in good shape as people first, players second. Because I don't think you can be as effective as you can be as a player if things aren't right off the field. And he's a good example of that.''

He stressed that the Browns can't force him to get help again in the offseason. Last January, Manziel checked himself into an addiction treatment facility for an undisclosed issue, where he remained for 73 days. When he began admitting publicly that he was drinking -- including during his Oct. 12 roadway incident involving his girlfriend and the Avon, Ohio police -- his former high school coach Julius Scott told USA Today Sports that Manziel is "out of his mind'' if he thinks he can have a couple of drinks.

Over the past few months, Manziel has been spotted out frequently at local bars. On Christmas Eve, three days before he started in Kansas City, a video was posted to social media of him drinking a Four Lokos, an alcoholic beverage.  

"I don't think we can really mandate it, but there can be strong suggestions as far as how he handles it,'' said Pettine. "But by the rules of the league, we can't [say], 'Hey, you need to come in here and meet with Kevin O'Connell three times a week.' It's against the rules. You can't do that. You've got to be able to send him off with a plan and check in every so often, and when the desire is there to want to get it changed and want to be better, hopefully you'll have a good result."

Manziel took several hard shots to the head during Sunday's game against the Chiefs. He did not look or sound good after the game, but also had a cold. He seemed fine to those at the Browns facility on Monday and also when he came in to watch film on Tuesday.

If Manziel was indeed in Vegas it adds another bizarre chapter to his endless off-the-field partying that the Browns feel is preventing him from being the best quarterback he can be.

Two ways LeBron James and the Cavaliers are keeping the peace

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The Cavs have defended all season and LeBron James' jumper is coming back, two reasons people in that Cleveland locker room are pretty happy right now.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James really likes the way the Cavaliers play defense this season. And his teammates are happy about his re-discovered jumper.

The two items go a long way to forging harmony on the East-leading Cavs.

Before Cleveland destroyed the Orlando Magic 104-79 on Saturday night, James said his team was doing a "heck of a job flying around and helping one another when the team breaks down" on defense.

Then the Cavs went out and limited the Magic to 38 percent shooting and forced 14 turnovers. In the last 10 games, the Cavs have held their opponent to fewer than 90 points and are giving up an average of 88 points on 40.4 percent shooting during that stretch.

For his part, James registered two steals in 29 minutes against the Magic, and the opposing small forward (Tobias Harris) scored just four points. Then again, James posted 29 points against 20 for Orlando's entire starting roster.

For the first time this season, James didn't commit a turnover. The Cavs coughed the ball up just seven times, which made it easier to hold the Magic to four fast-break points.

The Cavs' injury situation, which has been well documented, forced them to play most of the season to date without Iman Shumpert, possibly their best on-ball defender. Furthermore, the team's top rim protector, Timofey Mozgov, has been in and out of the starting lineup because of some nagging injuries and inconsistent play.

And yet, the Cavs' defense has been strong all season. Through 31 games, they're giving up 94.5 points per contest, second fewest in the league behind San Antonio. Opponents are shooting 43.3 percent, that's eighth lowest in the NBA.

The Cavs were not a good defensive team until Mozgov, J.R. Smith, and Shumpert joined via trade last January, and coach David Blatt switched the defensive scheme to better suit the roster. James has preached defense since he returned, but he struggled at times early last season on his own. The Cavs truly learned defense and practiced it when two of their top scorers went down with injuries during the playoffs.

Now, they're programmed to defend. There's been very little to lament on that side of the court -- where we're often told championships are won.

"It's been our talk since training camp, since Day 1, in order for us to win long term we have to defend, and we've been doing that. We've been playing great ball defensively."

Offensively, the Cavs...well, James, specifically, had been in a bit of a rut. He's come out of it the past two games, shooting 24-of-42 (57.1 percent) after sinking just 38 percent of his shots (27-of-71) in the four games before that.

James watched some film and he shoots on the court before games now. It's working. And that helps the Cavs' offense work better, too.

Kyrie Irving (13 points against the Magic) and Kevin Love (10 points), when paired with James or even by themselves, make for a touch matchup for opposing defenses. But if James can knock down his shot, it draws defenders toward him, making it easier for him to cut to the hoop for dunks (he dunked three times Saturday night) and of course creates more room for Irving and Love, too.

James has had a miserable time shooting 3s this season (career-worst 25 percent), and Saturday night he drained 4-of-6 from deep.

"It's not only good for us but it's great for him," Irving said. "When he's steam rolling like that, I'm coming off pick and rolls and looking for him at that 3-point line. He knows that the work he puts in translates to the game. That's what it's about. He becomes that much bigger of a threat.

"When he's knocking down that jump shot," Irving continued, "I don't know the words to describe what kind of player he is. He's that dangerous when he's knocking down that 3-ball. I'm glad he's getting his confidence back."

Something seemed wrong with James after the Cavs beat Phoenix 101-97 on Monday. Little was made of it, but James' answers were short, his voice was soft, and he bolted from the locker room much, much quicker than usual. Anyone within ear shot of James noticed.

He scored 14 points that night on 10 shots, making four. He never got into the flow of the offense, and it was evident in his body language that he didn't feel involved in the fourth quarter.

On Saturday night, Love said "in the first quarter in some games, you look at the stat sheet and he doesn't (have many shots).

"We weren't necessarily making it a point to get him going. And we do need to do that," Love said.

That night in Phoenix, James attempted three shots in the first quarter with three free throws. Against the Magic, he was 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line for nine points in the opening period.

Hard to see much separation there judging solely by the numbers, but the rhythm and flow James had against Orlando was apparent.

"I mean, we feel he's the best player in the world and that's what we need to do," Love said. "We feed off of him and when he sucks in the defense like that and brings so much attention, that's when other guys step up and hit big shots."

Jordan Fuller, an elite '16 New Jersey athlete, to officially visit Ohio State, Michigan in January

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Rated the No. 8 athlete in the 2016 recruiting class, Fuller last visited Ohio State in April and the Buckeyes have been a main contender ever since.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jordan Fuller's recruitment was kind of awkward for Ohio State for a while.

Because the four-star athlete of Westwood (N.J.) Old Tappan was being recruited by newly-hired Rutgers head coach Chris Ash while Ash was still serving as Ohio State's defensive coordinator through the Fiesta Bowl.

Everything is straight now. Ash is at Rutgers on a full-time basis and Fuller is still a top 2016 recruiting priority for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes still have a chance to really sell Fuller despite losing Ash, as the 6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect is set to officially visit the Buckeyes on Jan. 15. But it's still going to be a long road ahead for Ohio State in Fuller's recruitment.

Fuller, who has already officially visited Notre Dame on Dec. 12, is also scheduled for an official visit to Michigan the following week on Jan. 22, and he's also still considering visits to Penn State, Virginia Tech, UCLA and Rutgers.

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Rated the No. 8 athlete in the 2016 recruiting class, Fuller last visited Ohio State in April and the Buckeyes have been a main contender ever since.

Getting him back on campus -- especially in an official capacity -- is a big step for the Buckeyes.

Below are some of Fuller's highlights:



Mike Pettine statement to Cleveland Browns fans: 'You deserve a winner and I wish that for you in the near future'

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Fired Browns coach Mike Pettine released a statement this afternoon thanking the Haslams, his assistant coaches and Browns fans. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio --- Browns coach Mike Pettine didn't address the team in exit meetings Monday, but left guard Joel Bitonio talked to him on his own and found him to be understandably down.

"He's definitely a little sad, a little disheartened,'' said Bitonio. "I think he understands the business, though. Like he's told you guys this whole year, you've got to win games, and he understands he didn't win enough. I think he wishes he had some more time."

Bitonio put the onus on the players for the 3-13 mark. In his two seasons, Pettine went 10-22, including losses in 18 of his last 21 games.

"I feel like we didn't do enough as a team to keep him around,'' he said. "He brought me in here. He's one of the people who brought me in, and I think you always remember your first NFL coach. He has a heavy place in my heart today. I feel bad seeing him go. I know it's part of the business, and I know you've got to win NFL games. But it was tough."

Pettine, who also didn't address the media, issued the following statement through the team Monday:

"I would like thank Dee and Jimmy Haslam for the opportunity they granted me to lead the Cleveland Browns as head coach for the past two seasons. Although I wish I could have brought more wins to the franchise for the passionate fans of this great city, I will have many fond memories to cherish from my time in Cleveland. I also want to thank all the players that I've been able to coach in my time here. 

"I'm grateful for the effort they put forth, their willingness to take coaching and their overall dedication to the foundation we built. Additionally, it is very important for me to thank the coaching staff for all their hard work. I appreciate all the sacrifices that were made by their families while their husbands and fathers were enduring the long hours that are the norm for NFL coaches. Lastly and just as importantly, I want to thank the fans of the Cleveland Browns. I appreciated all the support, you deserve a winner and I wish that for you in the near future."

Pettine, who said goodbye to a few reporters as he was packing his truck, said Sunday night he was most proud that his players fought hard until the end. In addition, most of them supported him publicly and privately and didn't want to see him go. One of the only ones who didn't was running back Isaiah Crowell, who said, 'we needed new leadership.'

But Pettine was grateful for the work ethic right up through Sunday's 28-12 loss to Pittsburgh in the season finale.

"You know that's when guys have bought in to what you are doing,'' he said. "The professionalism, the competitiveness - when you fill your roster and you get more of those guys and fill your roster with those guys, you are going to be successful. Despite the tough times that we went through with the losses, I am proud of how our guys showed up every day and their approach, and I can't tell you how proud I am of the coaching staff."

Related: Jimmy Haslam says 'It's still an extremely attractive job

Pettine acknowledged again that the offense overachieved while the defense was a big disappointment.

"Offensively, what we were able to accomplish this year - threw for over 4,000 yards and rushed for over 1,500,'' he said. "I think that is only the fourth team in Browns history to do that. Defensively, it was tough. Battling injuries and lineup changes, we had our struggles. I am proud of that staff. I am proud of those guys. They showed up to work every day and left no stone unturned and went out to the practice field and tried to get it taught. Unfortunately, we came up short."

The Browns have begun the interview process, with Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin set to talk to the team Tuesday and Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase due in Wednesday. A source told cleveland.com that former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz is also on the radar.

Cleveland Browns 2016 opponents include Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots at home

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The Browns know who their 2016 opponents will be and where they'll play them.

BEREA, Ohio -- It's never too early to play the schedule game. We don't know when, but we know who the Browns' 2016 opponents will be and where they will play. Here's a quick rundown:

Home:

Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore -- The Browns have had little luck against their division at FirstEnergy Stadium lately.

San Diego -- Thank God it's not the Raiders again.

New York Giants -- A chance to get beat by a Manning in consecutive seasons.

Dallas Cowboys -- The return of Johnny Manziel?

New England Patriots -- Tom Brady will be a year older.

New York Jets -- Sorry about helping keep you out of the playoffs.

Road: 

Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore -- The Browns have had little luck against their division on the road lately.

Tennessee -- Top 5 picks everywhere!

Buffalo -- The Playoff Drought Bowl. 

Miami -- The lesser Playoff Drought Bowl.

Philadelphia -- The return of Chip Kelly?

Washington -- Kirk Cousins used to only have success against the Browns. Just think what he'll do now.

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