Fresh Brewed Tees wasted no time making a blond-haired Johnny Manziel shirt.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Want a T-shirt to commemorate Johnny Manziel's reported trip to Vegas disguised in a blond wig and mustache? Here you go:

Billy Vegas. https://t.co/LlRfdsRORS RETWEET pic.twitter.com/70px10ydn0

-- Fresh Brewed Tees (@FreshBrewedTees) January 5, 2016

There are at least two things we're good at in Cleveland: quarterback drama and making T-shirts. This latest entry from Fresh Brewed Tees captures both. The shelf life of the shirt is questionable, but at least you'll have something to wear when you're mowing the lawn this summer.

The Cleveland Browns are interviewing about half a dozen coaching candidates already this week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --- Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott are among the coaches the Browns plan to interview for their head coaching vacancy.

The other new candidates to join the mix are Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.

The four join the list of potential head coaches that have already scheduled interviews with the Browns. Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will interview with the Browns on Wednesday, as will Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase. The Browns will interview former Bills head coach Doug Marrone on Thursday.

They'll also travel to Charlotte, N.C. to conduct their interview with McDermott there. McDermott is on a bye in this first round of the playoffs.

The Browns will also have to interview Patricia this week or wait until after the Patriots' Super Bowl run is over.

Almost all of the candidates will interview with other teams, including the Dolphins, Eagles, Giants and 49ers.

* Patricia, who is also coveted by the Dolphins, has been with the Patriots since 2004, led New England to a No. 9 ranking this season and 10th in points allowed.
If they hired him, it will mark the third time since 2005 that they've called upon a Bill Belichick defensive coordinator. The first two were Romeo Crennel (2005-08) and Eric Mangini (2009-10).
Patricia has also coached linebackers and safeties and has assisted with the offensive line.

* McDermott, the Panthers' coordinator for the past four seasons, led the defense to a No. 6 ranking this year and top 10 the past four seasons. In 2013, he was named Sporting News' Coordinator of the Year after his unit finished No. 2 overall and first in sacks.

But McDermott indicated to 97.5 The Fan in Philadelphia that he'd love to coach the Eagles, who have not yet requested permission to interview him. He spent 12 years with the Eagles, including as defensive coordinator in 2009-10.

"I love the Philadelphia area, and quite honestly, it's been tough to watch the last several years having grown up in the area and worked there for 12 years," McDermott told host Anthony Gargano. "Let's just say that at the present time, with any and all jobs, I'm going to defer to my agent. It's a process, and I'm humbled and honored to be in that conversation, whether it's with the Eagles or the other teams that are interested. I would just love to see the Eagles recapture that magic, and that's probably the best I can say at this point."

* Austin was the runner-up for the Falcons job last year that went to Dan Quinn. He interviewed with the Dolphins on Tuesday.

* Gase was highly sought-after by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam in the previous search that netted Mike Pettine, but Gase pulled himself out of the running before even interviewing to focus on the Broncos' Super Bowl run.

* Marrone, currently assistant head coach/offensive line coach of the Jaguars, went 15-17 in his two seasons as head coach of the Bills in 2013 and 2014. Pettine was his defensive coordinator in 2013 and Jim Schwartz, who's also reportedly on the Browns' radar handled that chore in 2014. This year, Schwartz worked with the NFL Officiating department, providing a coaches' perspective.

* Jackson, former head coach of the Raiders, has 15 years' experience as an NFL coach, including four as an offensive coordinator. He helped coach Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton to No. 2 in the NFL this season with a 106.3 rating. The 49ers and Dolphins also plan to interview him, and he will be a top candidate for several teams.

* Guenther is in his 13th season an NFL coach, and 11th with the Bengals. It's his second year as defensive coordinator. The Bengals finished second in points allowed.

The Browns received a new addition to the head coach search committee Tuesday. They hired former Mets executive Paul DePodesta as their new Chief Strategy Officer, where he will help oversee all aspects of the club.

Related: Browns hire Moneyball man Paul DePodesta as Chief Strategy Officer

He joins Haslam, his wife Dee, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown and Jed Hughes of the Korn Ferry search firm in finding the new coach of the Browns. Oddly, Browns president Alec Scheiner is not part of the search team, which may or may not bode well for him.

After the coach is hired, he'll help the committee hire the new general manager.

Ohio State wide receiver Mike Thomas became the eight Buckeye with remaining college eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Make it eight underclassmen. 

Ohio State wide receiver Mike Thomas became the eighth Buckeye with remaining college eligibility to enter the NFL Draft. 

The Buckeyes also have to replace Jalin Marshall, Ezekiel Elliott, Cardale Jones, Eli Apple, Darron Lee, Tyvis Powell and Joey Bosa, all of which had the option to return to Ohio State next season. 

The nephew of former NFL Pro-Bowler Keyshawn Johnson, Thomas is considered one of the most complete wide receivers in the upcoming NFL Draft. Many experts project that he'll be selected in the first round.

"First off, I have to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him, none of this would be possible," Thomas wrote on his Twitter account Tuesday. "Coach (Urban) Meyer and Coach (Zach) Smith, thank you for everything. And everyone else, from Coach (Mikey Marotti) and his crew all the way to the academic support staff and training staff, taking a chance on me and teaching me how to become a leader. The tools and relationships you've helped me develop will help me the rest of my life. 

"I've had the chance to speak with my dad and my family, the people I lean on, and I've decided to forgo my senior year and chase my lifelong dream of playing on Sundays. I've graduated from the best university in the world, which was a major goal of mine. My time here has been a blast. I had a chance to play with a great group of teammates who made my college career that much more amazing. And have had the chance to accomplish things others could only imagine and dream about. 

"This was a very hard decision for me, honestly, because I genuinely love Ohio State/Urban Meyer and everything this institution has to offer. It's hard to say goodbye, but this is the opportunity of a lifetime I can't pass up. 

"I will always bleed Scarlet & Gray for as long as the good Lord pumps air through my lungs! And to #BuckeyeNation, you guys will be missed the most. The atmosphere you guys created, both home and away, I will cherish for the rest of my life. 

"Thank you! OH- it's been a pleasure.... #shhhhhh" 

Thomas finished his career with more than 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns. This past season he led Ohio State with 56 catches for 781 yards and nine touchdowns, including one in the first quarter of the Buckeyes 44-28 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. 

I remember I prayed for times like this.... #shhhh #OH pic.twitter.com/bTBx4GYQWb

-- Mike Thomas (@Cantguardmike) January 5, 2016

Michael Reghi says it's time for Jimmy Haslam to get to work on the promises he made to fans. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns blew it up again and Michael Reghi is riled up. What's he riled up about? Jimmy Haslam failing to deliver on the promises he made to the fans when he first bought the team.

Watch the video above to see what Reghi has to say about the Browns owner's next steps.

s Johnny Manziel trying to orchestrate a move to the Cowboys? The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com's Dennis Manoloff and CineSport's Brian Clark discuss Manziel and the Browns' hiring of Paul DePodesta.

Is Johnny Manziel trying to orchestrate a move to the Cowboys? The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com's Dennis Manoloff and CineSport's Brian Clark discuss Manziel and the Browns' hiring of Paul DePodesta.

"I didn't really like my official visit," Warrior told SECCountry.com. "And then it's cold, anyway. That was one of the worst games to go to. It was raining, windy."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star defensive back Nigel Warrior of Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge removed Ohio State and Auburn from his list earlier this week. 

Now there's some clarification as to why the Buckeyes didn't make the cut. 

Rated the No. 4 safety in the country in the 247sports composite rankings, Warrior officially visited Ohio State on Nov. 21 for the Buckeyes loss to Michigan State. 

That wasn't Ohio State's best sales pitch. 

"I didn't really like my official visit," Warrior told SECCountry.com. "And then it's cold, anyway. That was one of the worst games to go to. It was raining, windy."

Ohio State used the Michigan State game as its premier recruiting weekend and nothing went according to plan. 

When Urban Meyer and Mark Pantoni made that weekend Ohio State's recruiting showcase, they probably pictured a nationally-televised night game in Ohio Stadium that featured the top two teams in the country, a rocking crowd and a dramatic and important win for Ohio State's drive into the College Football Playoff. 

What happened was way different. 

The afternoon game was rainy and cold, Ohio State had only 132 yards of total offense and the Buckeyes lost their first regular season conference game under Meyer. 

"It's not ideal like other games we've had this year," Meyer said two days after the Michigan State loss. "So, it's tough. But it's not the first time we've all been down that road." 

Usually a single game visit won't be end-all for a prospect making a decision. 

But on an official visit like Warrior's, a poor experience can be enough to remove a program from contention. A bad display for the Buckeyes, it seems, cost them a shot at the defensive back from Georgia. 

LeBron James said Kyrie Irving "can do something that's very special around this league." And then he said he would be MVP.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It's not exactly clear how good LeBron James thinks Kyrie Irving can become, beyond, well, really, really good.

"He's much better than an All-Star," James said Monday night, after the Cavaliers walloped the Raptors 122-100 in a game where Irving was so good that James didn't even have to play in the fourth quarter.

"If he continues to play the way he's been playing but also continues to progress in his game over the years he can do something that's very special around this league," James said. "I'm not going to put too much pressure on him, but I know in my head what he can become in this league and tonight he showed it."

What does that mean? What does James think Irving can do by the time it's all over for him?

No one can say for sure. James was asked a question about Irving making the All-Star game this year despite his injury-shortened season, and James responded that Irving is an "MVP." Freudian slip? Is that what James sees for Irving?

Part of James' fawning over Irving Monday was due to the 25-point, eight-assist, six-rebound performance he turned in against the Raptors. But consider this: Irving is 23.

He's a three-time All-Star, sure, and if the voting holds he'll start in the 2016 Toronto game next month.

Irving was Rookie of the Year in 2012 and All-Star MVP in 2014.

His playoff resume is severely limited, as the Cavs were awful his first three seasons and he began suffering lower body injuries early in the playoffs last spring that reached their worst when he broke his kneecap in Game 1 of the Finals.

There is a strong suspicion the playoffs piece will improve for Irving (dramatically) with health and James by his side.

As of now, Irving's averaging 20.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds for his career. By the age of 23, Stephen Curry (heard of him?) was averaging 16.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.9 boards. Russell Westbrook, at that age, 19.2 points, 6.75 assists and 4.75 boards.

Those two players, now, at age 27 (both of them) are considered along with James as the very best players in the NBA. Curry's the reigning MVP. James has won the award four times. He wants a fifth.

When James is 35, four years from now and obviously a step or two slower, how old will Irving be?

Yep, 27.

On Monday night, the Cavs led by seven with 3:43 left in the third quarter when James scored his first of nine points to end the quarter. James' last bucket of the period, which turned out to be his last of the game, was a 3-pointer with 11.9 seconds left that put Cleveland up by 12 and gave him 20 points.

James went to the bench expecting to return to the game, probably after a rest of two or three minutes to start the fourth. Irving had other ideas.

The Raptors cut Cleveland's lead to seven, then Irving responded with a 3-pointer. And then one of those moves where he drives as hard as he can into the lane, stops on a dime and throws up a bank shot that bounces through the hoop.

Then Irving found Timofey Mozgov on a sweet dish for a dunk, and fed Iman Shumpet for a 3. Then he floated one on the run that splashed. All of this in two minutes and 36 seconds. A 12-0 run. Game over.

"It's great to know that you can have two All-Stars that can go in the game when you sit down," James said, referring to Irving and Kevin Love.

Irving didn't play this season until Dec. 20 while recovering from knee surgery. He's averaging 15 points through six games thus far; he hadn't looked anything quite like he did against the Raptors in his first five.

James told reporters, and team officials reinforced privately afterwards, that Irving improved when he wasn't playing by sitting in street clothes and watching from the bench.

"You get to see the game a lot better from the sidelines at times," James said. "You see ways you can help the team, ways you can help yourself as well, and I think he's done that for himself."

What does James see for Irving?

In the short term, Irving has a chance to be the ultimate No. 2, with the skills to devastate opponents off the dribble or from the outside and the ability to take over instead of James some nights.

The playoffs this year, and next, and perhaps the following year, they should belong to James.

But one day, maybe even sooner than that, someone is going to be Irving's wingman.

The linebacker is the 25th Ohio State player elected to the hall.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tom Cousineau, whose football career went from St. Edward to Ohio State to the Browns, was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Friday.

A two-time All-American linebacker and still Ohio State's second-leading tackler, with 572 stops between 1975 and 1978, Cousineau becomes the 25th Ohio State player elected to the hall.

Seven Ohio State coaches - Woody Hayes, John Wilce, Francis Schmidt, Earle Bruce, John Cooper, Howard Jones and Jim Tressel - have also been selected for the hall. Tressel was part of last year's class.

The Hall of Fame balances each class by position and region, but this will be the fourth time in five years a Buckeye has gone in, with Cousineau following Tressel, Orlando Pace in 2014 and Eddie George in 2012.

Cousineau was the first pick in the 1979 NFL Draft after winning three Big Ten titles in the final four years of Hayes' career in Columbus. The Buckeyes were 36-10-2 and 28-4 in the Big Ten during those seasons, and Cousineau was a captain and team MVP as a senior.

Instead of signing with Buffalo, the team that selected him, Cousineau chose to play three seasons in the Canadian Football League before joining the Browns in 1982. He played with the Browns for four seasons before finishing his football career with two seasons in San Francisco.

Tom Cousineau: Former @OhioStAthletics LB and now ... College Football Hall of Famer. Congrats! https://t.co/pvnKinhJpo

-- Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) January 8, 2016

Here's the full list of 25 players.

2016   Tom Cousineau, LB

2014    Orlando Pace, LT

2012    Eddie George, RB

2009    Chris Spielman, LB

2007    Rex Kern, QB

2005    Jim Houston, E

2004    Jack Tatum, DB

2001    John Hicks, OT

1998    Randy Gradishar, LB

1996    Bob Ferguson, FB

1991    Jim Stillwagon, DT

1989    Aurealius Thomas, G

1986    Archie Griffin, RB

1984    Warren Amling, G/T

1979    Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, RB

1978    Gomer Jones, C

1977    Jim Daniel, T

1976    Vic Janowicz, HB

1975    Gust Zarnas, G

1974    Jim Parker, G

1973    Gaylord Stinchcomb, HB

1971    Bill Willis, T

1969    Les Horvath, QB

1954    Wes Fesler, E

1951    Chic Harley, HB

Browns tackle is an AP All-Pro first-team selection for the sixth time.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the midst of pondering whether he's played his last game with the Browns, left tackle Joe Thomas keeps reeling in the awards.

Thomas was voted to the Associated Press 2015 All-Pro first team on Friday, the sixth time in his career he's been named to the first team. Overall, he made the All-Pro team for the eighth time, getting first-team accolades in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.

The honor comes weeks after Thomas was voted to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time in as many NFL seasons. It also comes less than a week after he revealed that he might not want to be here if he doesn't like the new coach or general manager.

Sources have told cleveland.com that some veterans would be leery of playing for former Bills coach Doug Marrone, and that they'd have to have assurances that he's changed from his days in Buffalo, where the players didn't like him.

"I don't know,'' said Thomas after the final loss to Pittsburgh. "I'm not saying yes. I'm not saying no. But there's a lot of unknowns and who knows what's going to happen next week."

Thomas acknowledged that it's a shift from what he's always said: That he wants to finish his career here. Thomas was almost traded before the deadline in November, but the fact that he came out and said publicly that he didn't want to be traded helped influence the Browns' decision.

The Browns are now also shifting to more of an analytics-based program, meaning more players could be dealt for draft picks.

"Yeah, I was always wanting to be here and be part of the turnaround, but when there's changes in the front office, changes in the coaching staff, they may not want me,'' he said after Sunday's loss. "They [may] want to go younger. It may be a situation where I don't want to be here. I don't know. There's too many unknowns to really say one way or the other."
 
Related: What the loss of Thomas could mean to a rookie QB

Thomas said he still very much wanted to remain in November. Now, it will depend on whom the Browns bring in.

"I didn't think of it too much when the near trade almost happened, the horseshoe and hand grenade trade, but when you come to the end of the season and you hear reports that the coaches are gone and the front office is gone, there's a lot of free agents and things like that, you wonder what the future holds,'' he said. "You certainly start thinking about it."

He acknowledged, "Maybe when we find out what happens there'll be some more certainly as far as the direction that the team wants to go, the direction that my career is going to go."

He added, "The older you get the harder the changes are. They're the hardest on the older guys."

He said winning is important, but that he's always felt the Browns could win.

"That's always been my desire is to turn this team into a winner,'' he said. "That's certainly still my goal, but it's impossible to say what the future's going to hold with a lot of potential changes looming."

When Thomas wasn't traded, former coach Mike Pettine was relieved.

"You talk about the Cleveland Browns and that is usually the first name you think of,'' he said. "He is one of the best players I have ever coached. From a personal standpoint, one of my favorite guys I have been around. On the field, off the field, he has been outstanding for us."

Dennis Manoloff and Dan Labbe talk all things Cleveland sports (and more) in their latest podcast.

(To have this podcast delivered straight to your mobile phone or device, subscribe to our iTunes channel.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are searching for a new coach and GM. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are playing well and have some tests approaching.

Dennis Manoloff and I discussed all that and more in our weekly podcast today. Among the other topics discussed:

Preferred head coach.

This weekend's playoff game picks.

The Cavaliers getting healthy.

Getting all sappy about Christmas.

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.

The Indians dealt reliever Kirby Yates to the New York Yankees for cash considerations on Friday. The club had designated Yates for assignment earlier this week to clear a spot on the roster for first baseman Mike Napoli.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- We hardly knew Yates.

The Indians dealt reliever Kirby Yates to the New York Yankees for cash considerations on Friday. The club had designated Yates for assignment earlier this week to clear a spot on the roster for first baseman Mike Napoli. By doing so, the Indians had 10 days to trade, release or attempt to pass Yates through waivers.

Cleveland had acquired Yates from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash in late November. The 28-year old native of Hawaii owns a 5.27 ERA in two seasons as a big league reliever. He has tallied 63 strikeouts -- and served up 14 home runs -- in 56 1/3 innings. 

The Rays signed the right-hander as an undrafted free agent in 2009. Yates owns a 2.67 ERA across 209 minor league appearances.

Aside from the usual cast of characters -- which includes Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister, Jeff Manship, Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong, Kyle Crockett and Giovanni Soto -- the Indians will also have veteran relievers Joba Chamberlain, Felipe Paulino, Joe Thatcher and Tom Gorzelanny in spring camp.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to the Indians' complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 17.

The Browns should not even talk about division rivals until they improve pathetic AFC North record.

BEREA, Ohio - As the Browns conduct their fifth coaching search since 2009, the Steelers and Bengals will meet Saturday night in a rivalry welling with venom and animus.

The dislike developing between the sides is something to behold in an era when everyone seems to be exchanging jerseys like soccer players after games. Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who ended Le'Veon Bell's season on Nov. 1, said this week: "I hate Pittsburgh. It's nothing personal. That's just the way it is."

After the Steelers ripped the Bengals in the rematch on Dec. 13 and injured Andy Dalton in the process, offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert tweeted:

"All I want for Christmas is the bengals. Would love to see them in the playoffs where they choke. The talking is done between the lines."

Saturday's playoff game - coming almost 10 years to the day Kimo von Oelhoffen shredded Carson Palmer's knee en route to a Steelers' Super Bowl title - reminds us of the great blood feuds within the AFC North. It's Steelers-Ravens, Ravens-Bengals, Bengals-Steelers.

That sums it up, right? We're not missing anyone, correct? The Browns are in the division, but they have lost the right to call anyone a rival. In fact, the very idea should be suspended until NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell approves its reinstatement.

If the AFC North were the Corleone family we might not know who to call Godfather, but we sure as hell can identify Fredo.

Since the Browns returned in 1999, they are 29-85 (.254) in divisional games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no team has been worse within its division. The Lions are next at 34-74 (.315). The preseason battles with Detroit for The Barge are the closest the Browns have come to competing for a trophy in a decade.

The club hasn't beaten much of anybody since the Bengals ended its out-of-nowhere playoff bid in 2007. The indignity has reached new lows in recent years, however, and not just because the Bengals -- who used to play down to the Browns' level -- have whipped them by a combined 98-13 in the past three meetings. It's a run that started with Marvin Lewis calling Johnny Manziel a "midget" before his first start.

Prior to last season, Browns running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery shed light on how the Ravens have viewed Cleveland over the years:

"When I was in Baltimore, we faced this team twice every year. And my expectation was (that the Browns had) a great defense. A great defense, but they'd always find a way to give it up on offense ...

"It's going to be a tough ballgame, but if we hang in there, hang in there, (the Browns) are going to find a way to lose the game."

The Browns are 1-3 against the Ravens in the past two seasons, squandering late opportunities to win in all three losses.

The most telling comment, however, came from Steelers coach Mike Tomlin prior to his team's 30-9 thrashing of the Browns on Nov. 15. Asked what "the Cleveland game" means to him, he replied:

"It is a game that we face this week, to be honest with you," he said in a conference call. "It is important from that standpoint."

The words don't do justice to the dismissive tone. The Browns' new coaching staff and management team should be made to listen to the audio replay. The Steelers coach wasn't being a jerk about it. He was just stating fact. Those great Browns-Steelers games of the 1970s, 80s and 90s are ancient history.

You think Tomlin takes the same view of the Ravens? The Steelers backed their way into the playoffs in part because of two losses to Baltimore, which finished 5-11. That is a rivalry -- a team going nowhere summoning the strength to upset on opponent twice in a year. The Ravens were 0-3 when they beat the Steelers the first time and without Joe Flacco and Steve Smith the second time.

The Ravens are never "a game that we face this week" in the eyes of the Steelers.

The Steelers, Ravens and Bengals no doubt have ample respect for individual Browns. But as an organization? Come on. It's why when the Browns' public relations team bills the run-up to a division game as "rivalry week" many just shake their heads.

Prior to covering the Browns on a daily basis in 2012, I spent four seasons on the Columbus Blue Jackets beat. The Blue Jackets and post-1999 Browns share a tortured history. Like the Browns, the Jackets have no rivals.

Columbus coach John Tortorella recently addressed the issue:

"I don't want to boohoo what you think is a rivalry here, but I don't buy it," Tortorella said. "From an outsider, I just don't think it's there. I think it has to happen when you have competitive series against that team. You have to break their hearts (in the playoffs) ..."

That's dead on.

The closest the Browns came was on Jan. 5, 2003 when they led the Steelers by 13 points in an opening-round playoff game. Steelers fans by the hundreds left Heinz Field in the fourth quarter convinced their team was finished. Naturally, the Browns lost, but the sight of Pittsburgh faithful abandoning hope serves as the high point of this series for Cleveland since 1994.

And so the Browns are in the middle of another coaching search. Maybe the team's deep dive into analytics will uncover players and methods to rally the franchise. But don't try to sell us on divisional rivalries. We saw the legions of Bengals and Steelers fans occupying FirstEnergy Stadium late in the season.

Until the Browns start winning, their words are as meaningless as preseason victories against the Lions.

Here is an update on four area high school football coaching searches.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Here is an update on four high school football coaching vacancies among Northeast Ohio teams for the 2016 season.

Brooklyn
Departed coach: Jay O’Hanlon (3 seasons).
Update: Deadline for candidates to submit resumes to Athletic Director Ryan Kelber was Jan. 4. Kelber said 46 candidates submitted credentials and that interviews will begin late next week. The key, Kelber said, will be identifying candidates who are interested in coaching exclusively, as the district does not have any teaching positions available to go with the job. Add to that any delays experienced by administrators following a fire last week at the Brooklyn Athletic Complex that torched the locker rooms and caused damage that officials estimate in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Wadsworth
Departed coach: Greg Dennison (21 seasons).
Update: The school has received interest from about 55 candidates accoring to athletic director Brad Musgrave. Wadsworth is still taking applications for the position and has not yet scheduled interviews with any potential candidates. Musgrave plans to begin the interview process by the end of January and have a coach hired by March.

Tallmadge
Departed coach: Scott Pollock (1 season).
Update: The school is accepting applications through Jan. 9. Athletic Director Don Seeker said Tallmadge has already received interest from 50 candidates, and administrators will begin screening and setting up interviews soon.

Berea-Midpark
Departed coach: Ray Hradek (3 seasons).
Update: Titans Athletic Director Adam Howard says the deadline for candidates to apply was Jan. 4. More than 50 coaches submitted resumes, and interviews are set to begin in the next few weeks. “In my opinion, it’s the most attractive coaching position available in Ohio,” Howard said.

ESPN followed along during Johnny Manziel's audition over the final four weeks of the regular season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The final four games of the Browns 2015 season were supposed to be an audition for Johnny Manziel. It didn't work out that way. He ended up playing in just three of the games and controversy swirled around him missing the team's final game against Pittsburgh.

ESPN reporter Elizabeth Merrill was in and around the Browns practice facility during that stretch as well as in Kansas City and Seattle for two of Manziel's final three starts. The work she produced out of that time is a must-read for those looking for a deeper dive into what could be Johnny's final moments as a member of the Browns.

The story starts in Kansas City:

"He was the man that day, for 20 minutes at least, and in the bowels of Arrowhead Stadium, a crowd of Kansas City workers gathered around a TV mouthing, GET HIM. Johnny Manziel slipped through tackles, dashed for 108 yards, more than any quarterback in Browns history. He drove the Cleveland Browns to Kansas City's 18-yard-line in the closing seconds, ran out of time and dropped an F-bomb as he slammed his helmet to the ground. But in two locker rooms, he was all the buzz. One of the linebackers who tried to chase him down, Dee Ford, used to play against Manziel back in college. Ford said it was like the old days of Johnny Football."

Merrill documents everything from Manziel's start against San Francisco to his disappearance at the end of the season:

"In a past life, (Gareth) Kirk was one of the guys Manziel would call to go on a quick vacation. But he didn't call this time. Kirk, like the Browns, doesn't know where Manziel was Saturday night. He says his friend is talented and smart enough to do anything if he walks the right path. Like so many others, he can't understand why a man who can be so competitive on the field is doing so many things to jeopardize his career off of it."

Seriously, go read the whole thing. Merrill does some great work here.

(ESPN: How Johnny Manziel failed his last great audition)

More Browns links

Moneyball and the Work of the Strategist -- a reader's theory on what Paul DePodesta's role might look like. (LinkedIn) 

Coaching change in Cleveland could lead to new team for Justin Gilbert (ESPN.com)

Lastly, a reader sent me this video:

Mitchell had three assists in Ohio State's win over Northwestern on Wednesday. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thad Matta didn't react the way that Ohio State's bench did to Mickey Mitchell's no-look bounce pass against Northwestern.

The bench went crazy, as players are known to do when a teammate adds a clip to the highlight reel of a win. Matta just stood there with his arms crossed at the end of the bench as Mitchell moved methodically down the floor.

Daniel Giddens and Kam Williams trailed the play. Mitchell pulled up at the 3-point line, looked at Williams on the wide side of the floor but instead sliced a bounce pass to Giddens on the block for an easy dunk.

The bench erupted. Jake Lorbach and Joey Lane jumped in the air and flexed in unison. Matta didn't react to the pass. He clapped his hands five times after the dunk then his attention shifted to the other end of floor. Next play.

Matta actually looked rather unimpressed with the pass. He wasn't. He just saw it coming too.

"Mickey and I laugh, and this is how it was with D'Angelo (Russell), I could really pass when I played," Matta said Friday. "Sometimes I see what they see before they see it. With Mickey I joke with him sometimes that you and I were the only two who saw the pass you just made."

So Matta's not going to jump for joy when Mitchell does something like that. Though he did admit that the bounce pass to Giddens was his favorite Mitchell helper in the win over Northwestern.

Marc Loving liked it too.

"That was kinda hot," Loving said.

Throw it down big man! @OhioStAthletics' Mickey Mitchell drops a dime to Daniel Giddens for the two-handed dunk. https://t.co/vfvQpY5kTg

-- Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) January 7, 2016

Mitchell didn't have a favorite.

"I'm just happy we scored off of them," he said.

The other two came on underhand feeds to Trevor Thompson. Not as flashy, but still not easy passes. Mitchell doesn't view them as a risk, because he's seeing these things happen before they actually do.

Three assists in 11 minutes are relatively inconsequential when viewed in the larger picture of another win for the Buckeyes. But they should be a good sign for Ohio State fans that Mitchell is starting to feel more comfortable after missing the first 11 games of the season due to an undisclosed NCAA eligibility issue.

"I'm getting more comfortable every game," Mitchell said. "It's a lot different making the transition from being in practice to being in the full game with lights on."

Those three dishes are what Matta envisioned for Mitchell when he recruited him out of Texas. It's what everyone saw on the various Mitchell highlight tapes on YouTube. The kid can pass.

That Matta would mention Mitchell's passing ability in the same breath as Russell's should tell you all you need to know. Russell is still ahead of Mitchell, obviously. Matta shared a story from last year when Russell threw a pass in practice that seemed to stop on the bounce for more than a second before the intended receiver caught up to it.

"(Russell) turned to me and said, 'You didn't see that one did you?' I said, 'No I did not,'" Matta said. "I still to this day, I don't know how he did it. Mickey's got that, his vision and timing is really good."

Mitchell hasn't left Matta dumbfounded like that with a pass yet.

It's that kind of skill that led Matta to mention Mitchell as a possible option at point guard before this season started. We still haven't seen that, and maybe we won't this season. Matta had an opportunity to use Mitchell in that role against Illinois when JaQuan Luyle picked up two early fouls. Instead A.J. Harris played the majority of the first half and Mitchell played four minutes in the game.

It will take more than three slick passes for Mitchell to get more than the season-high 12 minutes he saw against South Carolina State. But he's giving Matta incentive to give him more of a look, and Ohio State a creative player off the bench to use when the offense needs it.

"He's much more athletic than people think he is and he's really strong," Matta said. "He's starting to get the flow and timing and understanding. Guys are playing pretty well with him right now."

Cleveland sports fans wonder about Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's horoscope and what would've happened had season ticket holders used analytics to justify their expenditure over the years -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

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

YOU SAID IT

Bud: Is Jimmy Haslam going to hire the new head coach before or after he hires a Wizard, an Alchemist, and an Astrologer? - Dale, Medina

Don't be ridiculous. He would never hire an alchemist.

Bud: Is your writing "trending upward" after all these years of Spin? - Bob S, Mentor

Thanks for considering what I do "writing."

Bud: Looking back, the high point of the Browns' season was the new, marginally different uniform colors. Remember that? Good times - Rick, Parma

The uniform change served its purpose. Think how often you thought you were watching the 1972 Dolphins and were reminded the name on the pants was "Browns."

Bud: Do you think hard sleeping, smoking weed, and an affinity for pools with inflatable dolphins may be part of the Browns analytics used in this year's draft? - Bob, Shaker Heights

 Once again, try to refrain from exaggeration. It was a swan.

Bud: I know for a fact that analytics works in the NFL. In 1999, after analyzing the Browns front office, players and strength of other teams in the league, I cancelled my season tickets and saved $32,000 over 16 years - Warren F, Highland Hts.

If only you'd been hired to consult on the Dwayne Bowe signing.

Bud: Just curious. Does Haslam have anyone with Truck Stop experience working for him at Pilot? - Mel Maurer

You Said It winners are showered in glory.

Tony Shuman informed players Friday that he has stepped down as head football coach at Padua.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Tony Shuman has stepped down as football coach at Padua High School.

Shuman, who coached at the school for 20 seasons, including the last 10 as head coach, informed players at a meeting after school on Friday and said he has been considering the move for a few months.

“It’s time,” he said. “It’s the best decision for me and for my family and for this football program. I’m not going anywhere. My kids are about to come here. My wife works here, so I’m pretty entrenched.”

Shuman said the move gives the school a chance to have a fresh start and get a change of perspective on the sidelines.

“We’ve had playoff years and wins overrivals, close games, wild games and everything in between,” But what stands out the most to me is the quality of people that I’ve been associated with here at Padua.”

Shuman, 42, will continue to teach business at the school and did not rule out the possibility of returning to coaching somewhere down the line.

“I’m sure I’m going to be involved in the sport of football again someday,” he said.

Under Shuman, the Bruins won a North Coast League division title in 2008 and reached the OHSAA playoffs four straight years from 2007-10. The young Bruins struggled the last two seasons, going 2-8 in 2014 and 1-9 in 2015.

Shuman coached more than 50 players at Padua who went on to play college football, including five that played in the NCAA football bowl subdivision and another seven that played in the championship subdivision.

Jerome Henderson was the fourth candidate to interview with the Browns for their head coach vacancy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --- The Browns confirmed they interviewed Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson on Friday, who coached Joe Haden and T.J. Ward to consensus All-Rookie selections in 2010.

He was secondary coach here from 2009, first under Eric Mangini and then Pat Shurmur.

He was the fourth candidate interviewed by the Browns. They've also interviewed former Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, and former Bills head coach Doug Marrone.

On Sunday, they will interview Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. They are not scheduled to interview Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, as has been widely reported.

 "Coach 'Rome was a great coach," Haden said when Henderson left to take the Cowboys job in 2012 after Pat Shurmur was fired. "He loved his players and his players loved him. He and my college coach taught me everything about playing cornerback. We're going to miss him, but this is a step for him in his coaching career."

A former NFL cornerback, Henderson's defensive backs in Cleveland in 2011 recorded seven of the club's nine interceptions and the Browns finished second in the NFL in passing defense.

In 2010, Henderson developed Haden and T.J. Ward into two of the best rookies in the NFL.

Despite starting just seven games, Haden led the team with six interceptions, which tied for fourth in the AFC and fifth in the NFL. It was also second-highest figure among NFL rookies in 2010. Haden's picks were the most since 2001 and fourth most by a Browns rookie.

Ward led the team with 105 tackles in 2010, most in the NFL for a rookie that year. He also became the first rookie to lead the Browns in tackles since 1999.

The Cowboys finished No. 5 in pass defense this year.

Henderson has spent the past four years coaching Dallas' secondary.

From Henderson's bio, the defense in 2014 improved in pass yards allowed (from 4,835 to 4,187), yards-per-attempt (7.76 to 7.50), interceptions (15-18), passing touchdowns allowed (33 to 22) and passes of 25+ yards allowed. The unit played fast, physical and as a team, with the hallmark being preventing the big play down the field, evidenced by their big passing plays allowed dropping from 43 in 2013 to 27 in 2014.

This week's game ball goes to Nicole Popovich from Rocky River.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Rocky River's Nicole Popovich won the Game Ball girls basketball contest for the week of Jan. 6, 2016 with 12,290 votes. (see related story for results)

Last week, the senior finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists in a 50-33 win against Charlotte Christian at the Carolina Invitational. Then in the 56-45 win against Charleston Northwood, she finished with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists. She ended up being named to the all-tournament team.

Valley Forge's Brooke Adkins was the runner-up with 7,981 votes.

The full results are below.

RESULTS

Nicole Popovich, Rocky River 12,290 votes

Brooke Adkins, Valley Forge 7,981 votes

Anne Bloomfield, North Olmsted 761 votes

Lexi Civittolo, Cloverleaf 529 votes

Total votes: 21,561

GIRLS BASKETBALL

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Colon, currently on the roster at Triple-A Columbus, was banned for a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians reliever Joe Colon, one of the club's non-roster spring training invitees, received a 50-game suspension from the league on Friday.

Colon, currently on the roster at Triple-A Columbus, was banned for a second positive test for a drug of abuse. The suspension will begin at the start of the regular season. Colon's status as a non-roster invitee is unchanged.

The Indians have also extended invitations to veteran relievers Joba Chamberlain, Joe Thatcher, Tom Gorzelanny and Felipe Paulino.

Colon, 25, was the Indians' 12th-round selection in the 2009 amateur draft. He posted a 3.14 ERA in 33 outings between Double-A Akron and Columbus last season. He tallied 47 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings. Across six minor league seasons, he owns a 3.50 ERA.

Also on Friday, the Indians dealt right-handed reliever Kirby Yates to the New York Yankees for cash considerations. The Tribe had acquired Yates from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash in late November.

Indians trade Kirby Yates to the Yankees