Two late drives proved too much to overcome for Tim McGee's Cincinnati Bengals and Pierre Woods' New England Patriots in past Super Bowls.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tim McGee and Pierre Woods are two of many Northeast Ohio natives who have participated in a Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, Woods and McGee had disappointing outcomes in their big game. And each player shared the same experience of watching their Super Bowl dreams fade while standing helplessly on the sideline.

The Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos will play in Sunday's Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Memories of past games, especially for the players, resurface each year during Super Bowl week.

Game: Super Bowl XLII, 2008
Teams: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

Background: Woods, out of Glenville High School, was in his second season as a linebacker with the Patriots in 2007.

That season the Patriots were a victory away from matching the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated NFL champion. The Patriots had defeated the Giants earlier in the year, and the Patriots were heavily favored to win the Super Bowl.

"When we beat the Giants during the regular season, Michael Strahan comes up to me after the game and says, 'Hey youngster, I'll see you in the Super Bowl.'"

Strahan reminded Woods about his prognostication several weeks later at the Super Bowl media day.

"I see him and he says, 'I told you youngster' and he was smiling with that big gap in his teeth. It was an eerie feeling because you didn't want to believe him when he said it weeks before."

View from the sideline: The Pats led 14-10 with 2:39 left. The Giants began a drive inside their own 20. The Giants converted the first key play on fourth-and-1 at the 38 for a first down. The Patriots could have ended the game with an interception but the pass was dropped.

And then came the play.

"That was a heck of pass rush," Woods said. "Someone had (Eli) Manning's jersey and since the refs previously blew the whistle when someone grabbed him, [our rush] let up."

That was costly. Manning went into Fran Tarkenton mode to avoid the rush and heave a pass caught by David Tyree. It was a spectacular catch initially pinned on Tyree's helmet with one hand. Seconds later, Manning threw the winning 25-yard TD pass.

"Tyree made a heck of a catch from God," Woods said. "He was even amazed that he caught it. ... When I say a hell of catch, I mean one hell of catch."

Game: Super Bowl XXIII, 1989
Teams: San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

Background: Issues for the Bengals began a day before kickoff when fullback Stanley Wilson was caught using cocaine in his hotel room.

The Bengals left him off the roster and Wilson, with his third drug violation, was banned from the league for life. It was a brutal blow because Wilson added toughness to the offense.

"That was just the start of it," said McGee, a John Hay grad and the Bengals starting wide receiver back then. "There was a riot on the west side of our hotel, Stanley Wilson and the drugs, we changed hotels the night before the game and our bus was late getting us to the stadium. And [All-Pro nose guard] Tim Krumrie broke his leg early in the game. And despite it all, it all came down to one play."

View from the sideline: The 49ers trailed by three with 3:20 left. Montana began the drive at his own 8.

"It was the most nerve-racking game I've ever been involved with," McGee said. 

The great Montana began the drive with two completions in the middle of the field. The 49ers continued to move the ball. Montana regrouped from a 10-yard penalty and moved the 49ers to the 18. With 39 seconds left, Montana finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor for the winning score.

The Bengals could have ended the game during the same drive when cornerback Lewis Billups allowed a potential interception to slip through his fingers in the end zone.

The winning drive aided Montana's legacy.

"It was the greatest example of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat," McGee said. "The Super Bowl was the most exciting event I've ever been in and the most disappointing event I've been in."

Browns are exploring training camp move to Columbus in near future.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Cleveland Browns' training camp will remain in Berea - at least for this year, anyway.

The organization announced Thursday it has no intention of moving camp in 2016 from its Berea training grounds, where it's been held since 1992.

The Browns and the Columbus Partnership have asked the state to help pay $5 million to build a practice facility in the state capital that also would be used by college teams and community youth programs.

The plan was first reported by cleveland.com's Brent Larkin on Thursday morning. It's one of the projects the Columbus Partnership wants funded in the biennial state capital improvements bill, scheduled to be introduced in late March or early April.

The idea of northeast Ohio taxpayers helping foot the bill to move at least a portion of the Browns' training camp to Columbus is drawing predictable backlash. State Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) called the proposal an "absurd idea" and plans to fight it.

"The notion that the Legislature would support this capital request, which does nothing more than pit regions of our great State against one another - and audaciously proposes to use our hard-earned money to do so - is utterly preposterous," Dovilla wrote in a statement. "I call upon my fellow legislators, Governor Kasich, and leaders throughout Ohio to join me in opposing this money-grab."

It's an embarrassing bit of public relations for a franchise that Forbes valued at $1.5 billion last September. The club might be better served paying for the majority of the project given its relatively low cost.

But Linda Logan of the Columbus Sports Commission noted the final bill for the facility could exceed $15 million depending on where it's located. Ohio State University is a leading candidate, but a final site has not been determined. It's unlikely, Logan said, they would ask taxpayers for additional money.  

The Browns released a statement Thursday afternoon:

Related: Taxpayers would help pay to move Browns camp to Columbus

"When we first explored the potential opportunity to hold training camp out of town, we conveyed that we would make the decision based on what is best for our football operations and their preparation for the season. Our football group believes it would be a positive, as it is for nearly a dozen teams in the NFL. In relocating training camp, we would incur all the costs associated with moving and holding our operations at a remote site.

"Clearly, we need a facility from which to operate and are in discussions with potential partners. Columbus approached us regarding creating a site that would serve area youth for recreational purposes the 11-plus months a year that we are not using the space, but those are discussions and plans that Columbus leaders are working through, which we will review as a serious option. Columbus is a good location for us for multiple reasons, including to give more convenient opportunities to our fans across Ohio to experience their team in person. We will continue to thoroughly evaluate all options ..."

Even if the project was green-lighted by state lawmakers, the Columbus facility would never have been completed in time to host this year's camp, which will open in late July.

Columbus officials would like to get a 10-year commitment from the club starting in 2017. They also want to hold the entire three-week camp here, which is a new development. Browns president Alec Scheiner has said in the past he hoped at least a portion of camp would remain in Berea.

Team representatives and Columbus officials have been discussing the possible move for several years. The Browns have not hid their interest in relocating camp. Twelve other NFL teams held camps away from their home base last year.

"We have been committed to getting this done for a long time," Logan said. "All kind of funding proposals have been explored. We want to find a way to make this work."

The Browns held an inter-squad scrimmage at Ohio Stadium last summer that drew nearly 50,000 fans.

"It's not there yet, but I think we're getting closer," team owner Jimmy Haslam said of a possible agreement last August.

The Browns have been strengthening their ties with Columbus, the nation's 15^th largest city, since they named Scheiner team president in 2012. Central Ohio represents an NFL battleground market, one within 185 miles of four franchises: Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts.

The Browns would love to tap into the Columbus corporate community and Haslam has had business dealings with Alex Fischer, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership.

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to talk about developing positive habits. Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Dan Labbe discuss which area needs to be addressed next. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue has tried to implement changes since taking over for David Blatt. He's asked the Cavs to play with more pace and get Kevin Love more involved offensively. 

But the Cavs are still displaying the inconsistency that troubled General Manager David Griffin enough to make a coaching change.

What should Lue focus on next? Joe Vardon joined Dan Labbe and I on Thursday's Sports Insider to give his thoughts. Watch the video above. 

Watch the entire episode of Sports Insider 

Bill Landis answers the question about how much Michigan has closed the gap on Ohio State. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Another National Signing Day is in the books. So, how much has Michigan closed the gap on Ohio State?

Bill Landis called into Sports Insider on Thursday to answer that question. See his answer in the video above.

Watch the entire episode

Now maybe we know better why the Browns issued a statement Tuesday distancing themselves from quarterback Johnny Manziel so soon after owner Jimmy Haslam said the relationship was "fixable" -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

CLEVELAND, Ohio -  It seems safe to stop wondering what prompted Sashi Brown's edgy statement on Johnny Manziel.

Less than a week after owner Jimmy Haslam termed the relationship between team and quarterback "fixable," Brown all but guaranteeing the team would waive Manziel seemed oddly contradictory even knowing about another sketchy incident in Texas on Jan. 30.

They couldn't waive him until March. So why the need to let everyone know on Feb. 2 they would take action as soon as league rules allowed?

Now we know. They were getting out in front of more disturbing news.

Sashi Brown issues statement on Johnny Manziel's status

Thursday's Dallas TV 8 report adds context and detail to a night that ended with a domestic dispute call to Fort Worth police and a helicopter search for Manziel.

Manziel is denying those details. Dallas and Fort Worth police say the case is closed. 

When Brown made his statement, we only knew some of what allegedly happened. A 9-1-1 call. Police saying the female they talked to said she was worried about Manziel's well-being. The launching of a helicopter to search for Manziel when efforts to reach him by phone failed.

Maybe that was enough for the Browns. But maybe they knew there was more to come.

If the allegations are true,  Manziel should be somewhere other than in the National Football League next season.

Manziel's denial was issued through TMZ Sports. Think about that.

He has not been charged with a crime. He told TMZ he's looking forward to big things ahead. He called himself "stable" and said he's "100 percent committed to football."

That last part we know isn't close to being true. What about the rest? What we heard Thursday suggests the Browns were smartly defusing further questions about an incident between Manziel and ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley.

According to the report, Crowley claims Manziel hit her several times. ABC News 8 in Dallas reported that during an exchange between Crowley and Manziel, the Browns quarterback said "shut up or I'll kill us both."

Crowley allegedly said she thought Manziel was using drugs.

Did the Browns check into the incident enough to conclude they were finished with Manziel? They must have. In Brown saying the team would not have any further comment, it seems likely they expected more details to come.

The Browns don't need to be celebrated for changing their stance on Manziel, whose issues resurfaced during this past season. He really gave them no choice the minute he left the team on the final weekend to go to Vegas.

They chose not to suspend Manziel based on the October incident in Avon involving the quarterback and Crowley. Manziel was questioned along a roadside then, and the two were allowed to leave together. Manziel was not arrested. Police determined he wasn't inebriated after he admitted he'd been drinking earlier in the day.

Crowley told Avon police Manziel hit her. So now we have her second claim of physical abuse. Manziel claimed in Avon he only tried to keep her from exiting a moving car. Now this.

He was not arrested Jan. 30 in Texas either. But talk about a low bar.

The NFL told media outlets Thursday it continues to investigate the incident in Texas.

Based on the reports Thursday and Manziel's off-season stay in a rehabilitation facility, the least of his concerns should be where he plays next season.

Funeral arrangements set for Richie Giachetti, who trained 14 world champions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Former heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas probably speaks for many of the boxers that trained under Richie Giachetti.

"Richie will be missed," said Douglas, who trained with Giachetti for four fights. "Our chemistry was awesome. The best thing about Richie is that he could read well into different situations in a fight. I remember one fight where I was way ahead but I started to get lackadaisical. Richie got into my face and woke me up. I went on to win the fight."

Giachetti died on Wednesday following a heart attack. He would have turned 76 in April. He was a resident of Lodi at the time of his death.

Visitation for the long-time trainer/manager will be held Feb. 12 from 2-4 and 6 -8 p.m. at A. Ripepi and Sons Funeral Home, 18149 Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights. Services are Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. St. Mary's Church, 250 Kraft St., Berea.

Giachetti is survived by his four children, Annette Izsak, Richard, Victoria and Antonio, his three brothers Pat, John and Robert Giachetti, along with grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

It was Giachetti who helped train Larry Holmes to the heavyweight title in 1978. He also trained Mike Tyson in his second fight with Evander Holyfield.

Giachetti was named boxing's manager of the year in 1978.

Giachetti worked with some of the elite fighters in the game, including Aaron Pryor, Earnie Shavers, Oliver McCall, Riddick Bowe and Greg Page. He trained 14 world champions.

Despite his resume, Giachetti has not been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

"Now that's really sad because Richie is well deserving," Douglas said.

Giachetti was such an expert in the game that he was signed by Sylvester Stallone as a technical adviser for Rocky IV. In an Associated Press interview, Stallone talked about Giachetti's training methods.

"Richie taught me how to collect my feet, how to throw my weight into the hook, the right hook ... And Richie's specialty is, he is very conscious of the footwork and the jab. I think he's really extraordinary. He taught me more about boxing than anybody."

The Buckeyes again couldn't find the offense they needed late in close game.

MADISON, Wis. -- Nigel Hayes scored 21 points and Wisconsin hit a season-high 13 3-pointers to beat Ohio State 79-68 on Thursday night to extend its winning streak to five games.

Wisconsin (14-9, 6-4 Big Ten) took advantage of open looks on the perimeter but nearly squandered a 12-point lead midway through the second half.

The Badgers made things difficult for themselves by going just 10 of 17 from the foul line for the night. Ohio State (14-10, 6-5) drew within 62-59 with 7:04 left on Jae'Sean Tate's layup.

Hayes, though, was clutch in the second half, when he scored 18 points. On defense, he dropped back on his man to intercept a pass into the paint with 3:17 left.

Hayes followed with a dunk on the next possession, and Jordan Hill hit a 3 with the shot clock winding down for an eight-point lead with 1:39 left.

Wisconsin has clawed its way back into the middle of the conference pack after 1-4 start.

The Buckeyes lost their second straight game despite 27 points for JaQuan Lyle, who was 11-of-19 from the field. Kam Williams added 10 points, while Tate finished with nine.

Bronson Koenig scored 13 points for Wisconsin and was 3-of-7 from behind the arc. The Badgers were 13-of-27 from 3-point range.

TIP INS

Ohio State: Tate was assessed a technical foul with 1:10 left in the first half after a play in which he elbowed Wisconsin's Zak Showalter in the face after an Ohio State bucket. Showalter was standing behind Tate. ... Lyle led all scorers in the first half with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He was a combined 6-of-25 from the field in his previous five games.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin led 38-32 at the half after squandering an 11-0 run to open the game. ... In honor of Black History Month, the Badgers wore throwback uniforms from 1976 to honor Bill Cofield, the first black basketball coach in Big Ten history. The uniform featured plain white solid lettering and numerals across the red top, and an image of the Badgers mascot on the side of the shorts.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: Hosts Northwestern on Tuesday.

Wisconsin: Hosts Nebraska on Wednesday.

Irvin said he firmly believes Johnny Manziel, who's currently under investigation by the NFL for possibly assaulting his ex-girlfriend, is worth the trouble. Watch video

SAN FRANCISCO -- Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin believes that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can save Johnny Manziel and wants his former team to sign him after the Browns waive him March 9.

"Yes, I believe he can become a very good NFL player and it would be smart for the Cowboys to take a backup quarterback like that and use that fourth pick on somebody that can help them win right now instead of somebody that may play four years from now,'' Irvin said at an NFL Network media availability Thursday.

Irvin's comments came Thursday afternoon, hours before the police report on the latest Manziel incident over the weekend was made public.

Irvin said he firmly believes Manziel, who's currently under investigation by the NFL for possibly assaulting his ex-girlfriend, is worth the trouble. Manziel has worn out his welcome in Cleveland after multiple missteps in his first 18 months in the NFL.

Johnny Manziel improved enough in his second season that Hall of Famer Michael Irvin believes he's worth giving a chance in Dallas.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com 

"We've all seen the growth from his first year to his second year,'' said Irvin.  "Just watching this kid play -- the tremendous growth. So if you ask can he become (something) --  absolutely if he continues that path of growth.''

Irvin said too much pressure is placed on young college stars to succeed.

"This kid won a Heisman at 18, 19, 20 years old and everybody thinks because you can throw a ball or you win the hardware that you  have to be a role model and that you must be mature,'' said Irvin. "That's not the situation. The two don't always co-mingle. So I'm hoping he gets the opportunity and he gets with some good people, people that have been around people that have had issues and can understand how to bring him along.''

Irvin, who overcame a cocaine addiction while he was with the Cowboys, believes that Jones is the right man for the job.

"I just think we start talking about bringing the man out of the boy,'' he said. "You guys know how Jerry is. He's loyal to a fault. Everybody's talking about Johnny's actions and comparing them to his profession. Jerry's going to help him work with his person. That will bring the best out of him in his profession.

Manziel denies he threatened to kill ex-girlfriend or himself

"That's where the needs to be. When you know you have someone on top that's pulling for you, it just gives you a different feeling. I really believe that. I know how Jerry's helped me. I know the kind of man he is, I know he'll sit down and relate situations and setbacks that he's had in life so you don't feel funny about telling him anything, and it helps to have that. It becomes a sounding board and I just really believe the right situation will really help this kid out.

On Wednesday night, Irvin also told TMZ Sports that "Jerry Jones is one of the right people that can reach down inside the kid and pull out the king. There's a king in every kid, even though he runs astray. You just need the right person to pull down inside the kid and pull out the king, and jerry can help him do that. Cleveland doesn't have any damn body that can help him do that! They're trying to save their own life. Forget about trying to save his."

He added, "Jerry saves a lot of guys, man, 'cause he uses the game of football the way it's supposed to be used -- to save lives and to raise men up."

He also told NFL Network's Rich Eisen that he'll help Manziel succeed in Dallas.

"There will come a time when he will cross over that threshold and become a great football player and I am willing to work with him on that and I hope the Cowboys do get him,'' he said.

Demonte Flannigan scored 25 points but Cleveland State dropped a 71-63 decision to Detroit on Thursday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Demonte Flannigan scored 25 points but it wasn't enough as the Cleveland State Vikings lost to the Detroit Titans in a Horizon League men's basketball game on Thursday in the Wolstein Center, 71-63.

With the loss, CSU fell to 7-17 overall, 2-9 in the Horizon League. Detroit, which snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Wright State on Sunday, is 11-11, 5-6.

Flannigan was dominant, hitting 11 of 15 shots from the field, including his only 3-pointer. He also had a team-high 10 rebounds. Vinny Zollo added 16 points for the Vikings.

Chris Jenkins led Detroit with 20 points, followed by Carlton Brundidge with 12 and Jaleel Hogan and Gerald Blackshear with 10 apiece. Parris Bass had a game-high 17 rebounds.

After the two teams each scored a basket in the first 50 seconds of the game, they went 5:03 seconds before putting another point on the board, the streak finally ending when Bass made a free throw with 14:07 left in the half.

Detroit eventually built a 29-20 lead on a 3-pointer by Brundidge with 5:06 remaining, but CSU closed with an 11-4 run to trail 33-31 at the break. Flannigan had 19 points in the half, making 9 of 12 field goals.

The Vikings tied the game, 36-36, on a layup by Andre Yates with 16:32 remaining, but Detroit went on a 15-2 run for a 51-38 lead with just over 11 minutes left and held on from there.

Up next: Cleveland State will host Oakland on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Wolstein Center, followed by the CSU women playing Oakland at 3. Former CSU basketball standouts Norris Cole and Kailey Klein will be on hand to have their numbers retired.

Wisconsin beat Ohio State 79-68 on Thursday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nigel Hayes had a microphone. Usually something interesting happens when that's the case.

Hayes, Wisconsin's junior forward from Toledo, could've left it at the 21 points he scored in a win over Ohio State on Thursday night, and that alone would've rubbed the Buckeyes the wrong way. But Hayes was given an opening, and he took it.

He's opportunistic. Give him that much.

Asked by Columbus Dispatch reporter Adam Jardy after Thursday's game what he thought about the Badgers having more Ohio players on the floor than the Buckeyes, here's what Hayes said:

.@NIGEL_HAYES (Ohio native) with the mic drop, literally, when asked about #OSU, the team he grew up cheering for: pic.twitter.com/dkocP1BzxX

-- Stephen Watson (@WISN_Watson) February 5, 2016

That's pretty good. Remember Hayes is also the guy who forgot he had a hot mic in front of him at last year's NCAA Tournament:

Hayes moved to 2-1 in his career against Ohio State on Thursday night. The Badgers reached the Final Four in each of the last two seasons.

The Badgers have three Ohio players on their roster.

Hayes was the No. 5 player in Ohio in 2013 according to 247Sports, and received an offer from the Buckeyes but ended up going to Wisconsin. The Buckeyes signed two players that year: Marc Loving, who was No. 2 in Ohio, and Kam Williams from Maryland.

I asked Nigel Hayes about 3 Ohioans on court for #Badgers against none for #Buckeyes. His response:

-- Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) February 5, 2016

Nigel Hayes on #Buckeyes: "They got the guys they wanted. I'll take my 2 Final Fours & carry on my merry way." Then he knocked over the mic

-- Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) February 5, 2016

Johnny Manziel denies to TMZ Sports a report that he threatened to kill Colleen Crowley and himself or that he struck her.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Johnny Manziel denied a report Thursday that he threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley and himself during their argument early Saturday morning.

News 8 in Dallas reported that Crowley told police that Manziel told her to "shut up or I'll kill us both" after forcing her into a car, hitting her, and dragging her by the hair. The ABC affiliate reported exclusive details of the altercation after Fort Worth police released their police report and 911 call to cleveland.com and other outlets on Thursday.

But Manziel told TMZ Sports -- who has chronicled his every partying move over the past 18 months -- that he did not strike Crowley or threaten to kill them both, saying "It didn't happen."

"I'm completely stable. I'm safe and secure,'' he told the site.

However, Manziel's father, Paul Manziel, told News 8: "We're trying to get our son better. We're not there yet."

According to the police report, Crowley would not let police photograph her injuries and became uncooperative -- similar to what happened during their roadway argument Oct. 12 that ended in Avon, Ohio. She also said that Manziel "struck her several times'' and that he acted like he was on drugs.

Manziel will not be charged by either the Dallas or Fort Worth police and investigations in both cities are closed, according to statements from both. As in the Avon case, Crowley would need to cooperate for police to proceed.

"The Dallas Police Department has conducted the appropriate investigative follow-up,'' the statement read. "Investigative efforts to date have not resulted in the filing of a criminal complaint and the incident is determined to be closed. No further statement is expected at this time.''

Fort Worth police -- who searched for Manziel via helicopter Saturday morning -- said the possible assault did not occur in their jurisdiction "and there is no criminal investigation here.''

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is aware of the report and will continue the probe that began on Saturday. It's the second time in three months that the NFL is investigating Crowley's claims that Manziel hit her. He was cleared the first time under the personal conduct policy by NFL chief investigator Lisa Friel.

A Browns spokesman said the Browns have no further comment from the statement they released on Tuesday. A source told cleveland.com that Manziel will be waived March 9, and Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown made it clear in the statement that the Browns are done.

"Johnny's continual involvement in incidents that run counter to those expectations undermines the hard work of his teammates and the reputation of our organization,'' Brown said. "His status with our team will be addressed when permitted by league rules. We will have no further comment at this time."

Manziel, who was spotted out at the Mavs-Heat game in Dallas on Wednesday night, seemed in good spirits when he spoke to TMZ Sports.

"I have great things coming ahead,'' he said, declining to elaborate. "I know I've been having fun but I just need to get my body right. I'm 100 percent committed to playing football."

Widespread speculation is that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who wanted to draft Manziel at No. 16 in 2014, will sign him after he clears waivers. Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin said at the Super Bowl Thursday -- before the reports came out -- that it "would be smart for the Cowboys'' to land Manziel and that he'll help guide him. He added that Jones can save him like he has others.

The Browns only regret, one source said, is that they have to wait until March 9th when the new league opens to waive him. The waiver opens Monday, but the Browns have pushed their remaining $20 million cap space out to next season and can't absorb the $4.62 million until next month.

Related: The Browns will waive Manziel March 9

It will be 30 days of agony for the team -- which reached the end of its rope the final week of the season when Manziel fled to Las Vegas two days after being diagnosed with a concussion and was spotted wearing a blond wig and fake mustache.

Browns coach Hue Jackson, interviewed by TMZ at an event here on Wednesday night, said Manziel "is not my concern right now.'' Asked if Manziel has a future in the NFL, he said, "Johnny Manziel has to determine that. Not me."

According to News 8, Crowley has told authorities that she fears for her safety and has drafted a restraining order. They dated for two years and lived together for about four months in Cleveland before they broke up in December, sources told the station.

Here are the other events of the night, according to News 8's sources:

* Crowley and Manziel argued in his Dallas hotel room over another girl, and when she tried to leave, Manziel restrained her and led her down the back stairway to the valet area.

* Crowley told police that she begged the valet, "Please don't let him take me. I'm scared for my life!'" But the valet let Manziel leave with her.

* He drove her to car, and she jumped out and tried to hide from him, but he found her. "He grabbed me by my hair and threw me back into the car and got back in himself," she reportedly told police. "He hit me with his open hand on my left ear for jumping out of the car. I realized immediately that I could not hear out of that ear, and I still cannot today, two days later."

* Crowley hit Manziel several times, but he "threw me off of him" and she hit her head on the car window. (Again, the events of the night are eerily similar to what happened in Avon).

* The source said Manziel told her "he was going to drop me off, take my car and go kill himself."

* Crowley suspected Manziel was on drugs. He ''started laughing" and then yelled at her to "shut up or I'll kill us both."

* The argument continued at her Fort Worth apartment, where she says he smashed her phone. Sources also told News 8 that she told police, "out of fear for my life, I pulled a knife out of my knife block and advanced toward him."

* She said he ran out of the apartment and left the premises on foot. Crowley then knocked on a neighbor's door and asked for help.

According to the police report, Fort Worth officers patrolled the area in search of Manziel and couldn't find him. They couldn't reach him by phone and his mother, Michelle, didn't know where he was. Ultimately, they dispatched their Air One helicopter to search for him. Finally, they reached his father, who said he had seen Manziel and said that he was doing fine.

Last season at this time, Manziel checked himself into an inpatient rehab facility for an unspecified addiction, where he remained for 73 days. As the season wore on, Manziel was seen out drinking frequently and showing up on social media again appearing intoxicated. Sources close to Manziel said he's been on a downward spiral of excessive drinking over the past several months.

One told cleveland.com "he's a train wreck."

The Browns ignored Manziel when he showed up the day after the season, and Jackson had no contact with him in his first two weeks on the job, telling cleveland.com that Manziel wasn't "in the first batch of players'' he reached out to. Manziel also didn't attempt to contact his new coach.

By then, it was all but over for both sides.

With concussions and brain damage on the rise, the game needs to get serious about worst hit in football. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio - The hiring of three Harvard-educated executives aside, the past seven months on the Browns' beat has been spent chronicling brain drain.

The club finished a miserable season tied with the Chargers for most concussions (16), according to a PBS/Frontline database, while the NFL reported a league-wide spike in head traumas (271) in 2015.

A good chunk of the year was dedicated to explaining protocols, sifting through medical jargon and searching for answers as to why the Browns have led the league in concussions since 2012. I have written about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) so often I can spell the degenerative disease from memory.

What I haven't done until now is offer solutions to be biggest problem facing the future of football. Even as the league celebrates its 50^th Super Bowl and unparalleled popularity, the long-term impact of concussions is inescapable. Not a week seems to pass without the revelation of another deceased player having been diagnosed with CTE. Legendary Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler became the latest, the news coming just days before he's likely to be voted posthumously into the Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Football will never eliminate concussions. The game is inherently violent and part of its appeal lies in the promise of spectacular collisions. Prompted by lawsuits and mounting medical research, the NFL is finally taking steps to make the game safer. The next one should be penalizing almost all helmet-to-helmet hits occurring outside the tackle box.

Related: Browns have led NFL in concussions since 2012

Such a bold move would produce a predictable backlash from fans and some players who believe the game is growing too soft. But TV ratings and profits continue to skyrocket even as the league introduces more safeguards.

Every time a player lowers his head in the open field and drives the crown of his helmet into an opponent's helmet it should carry an automatic 15-yard penalty. The Ryan Shazier hit that separated Gio Bernard from the football and consciousness in the epic Steelers-Bengals playoff game should be illegal. Jarvis Jones' predatory shot on Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins following a Steelers interception has no place in football. Neither play drew a flag. Both warranted one.

Hawkins, who suffered two concussions last season, missed the final six games because of the Jones hit near the end of a blowout loss. He was hospitalized and kept overnight for observation. The Steelers linebacker didn't get as much as a fine.

Until the NFL legislates these blows out of the game I don't want to hear commissioner Roger Goodell talking about player safety. Also, spare me the rhetoric of players needing to police themselves. The warrior mentality is real in a league with no guaranteed contracts. Players will do anything to gain a competitive edge, and many have grown up being taught to use their helmet as a weapon. It's a learned behavior and it's up to the game's custodians to change it.

The NFL notes that 92 of the 182 concussions suffered during regular-season games in 2015 were the result of helmet-to-helmet shots. It's time to aggressively crack down on these hits. Eliminate the gray areas and distinctions as to whether a player is "defenseless" or the hitter is "lining up" a runner.

Exceptions would be made, of course. Obviously, anything in the tackle box is nearly impossible to enforce because of the multiple collisions at the line of scrimmage and the pinball nature of run plays.

Also, a helmet-to-helmet hit that occurs as the result of a runner being knocked off course by initial contact would be exempt. Perhaps, the best example is the concussion Josh McCown sustained in the season opener. Jets linebacker Demario Davis hammered the Browns quarterback in the head only after a teammate sent McCown airborne with perfectly legal low hit.

Otherwise, any player ramming his helmet into the head of an opponent - offensive or defensive - earns a 15-yard penalty. Three such violations by the same player during the course of a season would merit an automatic one-game suspension.

The speed of the game is such that officials sometimes miss these hits. It's why I would make these plays subject to coaches' challenges, where a team could ask officials to overturn a call or tack on a penalty using video review.

Making almost all helmet-to-helmet hits illegal would produce a blizzard of flags in the first five or six weeks of a season. Chaos and controversy would ensue. Players would adjust, however, as they did a year ago when the league began stricter enforcement of defensive holding and illegal contact on pass plays.

USA Football is trying to do its part with the "Heads Up" program, one endorsed by the league. The goal is promote proper tackling and minimize the amount of head shots at the amateur levels. USA Football senior manager Joe Frollo said 6,500 youth teams and 1,100 prep teams are participating in the program.

In 2013, the NCAA added automatic ejections to its targeting rule, which assesses a 15-yard penalty for players using the crown of their helmet or initiating contact above the shoulders on a defenseless player. Although I applaud the spirit of the rule, an ejection for first-time offenders is harsh. Ohio State's Joey Bosa should never have been tossed for his helmet-to-chest thump in the Fiesta Bowl. Again, repeat violators are the ones who should be forced to sit.

Two years ago, the Buckeyes were among college teams that began following the lead of the Seahawks, who teach "rugby-style" tackling. The tactic encourages defenders to track the ball carrier's hips and to make contact with the shoulder. The technique focuses on leverage and dissuades defenders from leading with their heads.

Coach Urban Meyer believes the shift played a role in their national championship season.

"We went from one of the worst tackling teams in America to the best," Meyer said. "We had the fewest missed tackles in the country."

A safer and more effective way of tackling is a win-win for football. Maybe Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton should consider the switch given his team's poor tackling from a season ago.  

Near the end of last year, I spoke to Browns defensive back K'Waun Williams about concussions. Williams suffered three during an 11-game stretch over two seasons, raising concerns about his future in the sport.

The diminutive nickel back, however, made it through the final 14 weeks of last season concussion free. I asked him if a change in helmet or mouthpiece had contributed to his run of good health.

"No, it wasn't anything like that," he said. "I've just tried to stop leading with my head on tackles."

From Williams' lips to Goodell's ears.

The Cleveland Browns aren't moving their training camp in 2016 to Columbus, but the conversation is ongoing. Here's what you need to know about what training camp means to Northeast Ohio.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said the club has reached out to Johnny Manziel several times since Saturday and that he hasn't responded. "It's an unfortunate situation.''

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jimmy Haslam said Friday that the Browns have reached out to Johnny Manziel several times to help him and hopes that Manziel will respond.

"We'll do anything we can to help, but he's got to call us back and work with us,'' Haslam told cleveland.com after Roger Goodell's Super Bowl press conference here. "We've already addressed the football side in a statement, but right now, we're worried about Johnny Manziel the person, not Johnny Manziel the football player.''

Haslam stressed that the club is "trying to help one of our team members and we would do the same thing for someone in accounting or sales as we would for a quarterback who's well-known. We've reached out to him several times since Saturday when this all came out and he hasn't responded. The thing is, we want him to get well."

Haslam said the club has also reached out to Manziel's family and "we're doing everything we can to support them."

Manziel's father, Paul, told the Dallas Morning News Friday that he fears Manziel is suicidal and that Manziel refused two attempts to get into rehab this week.

"I truly believe if they can't get him help, he won't live to see his 24th birthday," Paul Manziel said.

A source told cleveland.com they spoke with Manziel on Friday and that he was "okay.''

News 8 in Dallas also reported Friday that Manziel has been ordered by the court to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley for two years and that a Tarrant County judge said "there is reason to believe that family violence occurred.'' He has not yet been charged by Dallas police, who said Thursday their investigation was closed.

News 8 reported Thursday that Manziel threatened to kill Crowley and himself during their argument early Saturday morning, which Manziel later denied to TMZ Sports. The Fort Worth police report stated Crowley said Manziel struck her several times.

Haslam noted that it's difficult for Manziel to get the help he needs amid all the media scrutiny. He's still under investigation by the NFL for possibly assaulting Crowley.   

"He's 23 years old and he has major issues that he and his family are trying to deal with right now,'' said Haslam. "It's a very difficult and unfortunate situation and with all due respect, I wish everyone would give the family a little break. Imagine if this were your own son or daughter and how hard this must be on the family.''

Johnny Manziel denies he threatened to kill Crowley or himself

Haslam was asked if the club should've shut Manziel down after the Oct. 12 roadway incident with Crowley and recognized that he was in trouble at that time. He admitted drinking during the day and Crowley said he struck her during that incident, although he was cleared by the Avon, Ohio police and by the NFL.

"It's always easy to look back and second-guess yourself,'' Haslam said. He stopped short of saying the club has done everything it could to help Manziel since he was drafted in May of 2014.

"That's a really strong statement to say we've done everything, but we've tried really hard to help Johnny in every possible way,'' he said. "I'm sure there are things we could've done better, but we put a considerable amount of time into helping Johnny because we really wanted him to get well -- whether he plays football or not.''

Haslam declined to say what the club's involvement might be if Manziel is waived March 9, which league sources told cleveland.com will happen. He said he's not sure about the league guidelines on that.

Speculation has been that the Dallas Cowboys would sign Manziel once he clears waivers, but News 8 reported Friday that the team will not pursue him in the wake of domestic violence allegations.

Manziel's agent, Erik Burkhardt, also dropped him Friday.

In a statement he said: "It is with deep regret that after several emotional and very personal discussions with his family, his doctors, and my client himself, I have made the decision to terminate my professional relationship with Johnny Manziel. Though I will remain a friend and Johnny supporter and he knows I have worked tirelessly to arrange a number of professional options for him to continue to pursue, it has become painfully obvious that his future rests solely in his own hands.

"His family and I have gone to great lengths to outline the steps we feel he must take to get his life in order. Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive."

Manziel's publicist, Denise Michaels, told cleveland.com that she's sticking with Manziel.

"Sanderson Strategies Group and I are still working with Johnny and I don't expect that to change,'' she said in a text.

Goodell was asked during his press conference about the NFL helping Manziel and other players, and he answered in general terms.

"These are young men that we respect, we admire, we're glad if they want to make this an NFL career, but they're young men first, and they're young men that are going to lead long and healthy lives and we would like to encourage that,'' he said. "I think our policies have done that and if we can make it better, if we can make changes to that, we will certainly engage in that dialogue."

Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Boston Celtics.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Boston's Avery Bradley hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer and the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their second game in a row, 104-103. 

LeBron James scored 30 points in the loss. J.R. Smith added 20 points, but committed a costly foul that helped set up the Celtics' late dagger.

Kevin Love scored 10 points before leaving in the third quarter with a thigh bruise. 

The Cavs (35-14) will play the second game of a back-to-back Saturday. 

Scoring Summary:

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs lead Celtics, 49-43. J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving each have 11 points to lead the Cavs. LeBron James has added nine points. The Celtics are led by Avery Bradley and Tyler Zeller, who have eight points apiece.

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs lead Celtics, 32-20. The Cavs are led by LeBron James and Kevin Love -- each with eight points. Avery Bradley has five points for the struggling Celtics. 

Johnny Manziel has had a volatile relationship with Colleen Crowley, but now he must stay away from her for two years.

SAN FRANCISCO -- A  judge in Texas ordered Johnny Manziel to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley for two years, saying "there's reason to believe family violence occurred," according to News 8 in Dallas.

The protective order states that Manziel must stay at least 500 feet from Crowley's home and workplace. He also owes $12,000 in legal fees.

News 8 reported Thursday night that Crowley told police, according to sources, that Manziel threatened to kill Crowley and himself during their argument Saturday morning.

In a police report released by Fort Worth police, Crowley said Manziel struck her several times and that she feared for her life. Crowley also told police in Avon, Ohio that Manziel hit her on Oct. 12, but she recanted and he wasn't charged. The NFL also cleared him of wrongdoing in that case but is still investigating this one.

In her application for the order Wednesday, Crowley stated that Manziel was "likely to commit family violence against me if a protective order is not granted."

Manziel must also not commit more family violence or possess a firearm or ammunition. He could face federal charges if found with a gun. Manziel faces up to a year in jail and fines up to $4,000, News 8 reported.

Manziel's father, Paul, told the Dallas Morning News Friday that he fears Manziel is suicidal and that he refused two attempts to get him into rehab this week.

"I truly believe if they can't get him help, he won't live to see his 24th birthday," Paul Manziel said.

A source told cleveland.com they spoke with Manziel on Friday and that he was "okay.''

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said the club has tried to reach out to Manziel several times but hasn't heard back. The team will waive him March 9, sources told cleveland.com.

"We'll do anything we can to help, but he's got to call us back and work with us,'' Haslam told cleveland.com after Roger Goodell's Super Bowl press conference here. "We've already addressed the football side in a statement, but right now, we're worried about Johnny Manziel the person, not Johnny Manziel the football player.''

Related: Johnny Manziel's dad says without help 'he won't live to see his 24th b-day'

Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders said Thursday that Johnny Manziel's volatile relationship with Crowley is his No. 1 problem.

"Johnny's in love,'' Sanders told cleveland.com at an NFL Network media availability Thursday. "And Johnny's in love with something that's crippling him right now. I understand it. And it upsets me that grownups don't understand it.

Deion Sanders points at relationship as Manziel's problem

"Because he feels as though this game don't love him, the people in this game don't love him, so the only thing that he associates with love is that thing that's really inflicting a lot of pain on him and that's his girlfriend."

Sanders, who made his remarks before the News 8 details or the protective order emerged, attributed Manziel's woes to his turbulent relationship with Crowley.

"It's hard to be a young kid,'' said Sanders. "You have to go through these trials and tribulations to find yourself and that's what he doing right now. He's trying to find himself. And I empathize with him. Johnny's girlfriend. That's his issue.''

Sanders clarified, "I'm not saying she is the problem. I'm saying their relationship is inflammatory.''

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has to be convinced that Josh Gordon is rehabilitated before he'll let him back into the NFL.

SAN FRANCISCO -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear that Browns receiver Josh Gordon must convince him he won't slip up again if he's to reinstate him from his indefinite drug ban.

"We did get the letter from Josh,'' Goodell confirmed in his Super Bowl press conference Friday. "The process is that we'll go back and we'll look at how he's conducted himself over the last several months, what he's done to make sure it's consistent with the terms of his suspension.

"And at some stage we'll have a report on that and I will engage with our people to understand where he is, where he's been, but most importantly it's where he's going. When these things happen, it's about trying to avoid them in the future.

"Our No. 1 issue here is to prevent these things from happening. I'm hopeful that Josh understands that he's going to have to conduct himself differently going forward to be a member of the NFL and to be representing the Cleveland Browns, or any team in the NFL.

"So our job is to try to get people to understand that, try to make sure that they live by the policies that we have and ensure that this is what all of us in the league want, but also I think our fans want. our fans want players playing by the same rules.''

Gordon, who's been suspended in each of his first three seasons in the league for violating the substance abuse policy, was banned indefinitely on Feb. 3 for violating terms of his Stage 3 program. 

Related: Josh Gordon applies for reinstatement to the NFL

He was suspended for two games in 2013 for what he said was codeine in his cough syrup, 10 games in 2014 for marijuana, and all of 2015 for what he said was two drinks on a plane, which violated his no-alcohol mandate.

A source told cleveland.com that Gordon is doing well and is confident he'll be re-instated.

Goodell has 60 days from the date of the application to rule, but he did not indicate when a decision could come. He also did not specify if he'll meet with Gordon.

If Gordon violates the terms of his program again, he'll again be suspended -- with a much tougher chance of getting back into the league.

Browns coach Hue Jackson has said he'll treat Gordon like any other player.

"What I'm anxious to do is evaluate him just like we're going to evaluate every player on our roster and see if they are the right fit for the Cleveland Browns,'' he said at his introductory press conference. "That's what we have to do with every player, whether that's Josh Gordon to whoever the last guy is on the roster.''

Cleveland Cavaliers fans have not forgotten what happened during last year's physical series against the Boston Celtics, especially the play that ended Kevin Love's season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers fans have not forgotten what happened during last year's physical series against the Boston Celtics, especially the play that ended Kevin Love's season.

When Kelly Olynyk, who got tangled with Love during Game 4 of the first round and ultimately dislocated his left shoulder, popped off the bench for the first time on Friday night, he was showered with boos.

Olynyk waited at the scorer's table along with two other teammates while Kyrie Irving attempted a technical free throw. But even with Irving at the line, the fans didn't hold back.  

It wasn't just a one-time greeting for the ponytailed big man either. The heckling continued every time he touched the ball and it's unlikely to stop anytime soon.  

Everytime Kelly Olynyk touches the ball. #Booooooooo #CavsCeltics #19Cavs pic.twitter.com/c26CHzpYSI

-- Cleveland 19 Sports (@WOIOSports) February 6, 2016

"I know it's unfortunate what happened with that particular play," LeBron James said Friday morning. "We already talked about that long ago. It makes no sense for me to build up. That's not what we're here about. We're trying to move forward in our progress."

Dallas police are now investigating Johnny Manziel for domestic violence for the Saturday incident with Colleen Crowley.

SAN FRANCISO -- Dallas police are now investigating Johnny Manziel for domestic violence against Colleen Crowley after receiving a complaint Friday.

From a department statement.

"Following yesterday's release, today the Dallas Police Department received a complaint of a domestic violence assault that occurred in Dallas on January 30, 2016,'' the statement read. "A criminal investigation into the incident, in which Johnathan Manziel is the listed suspect, has been initiated.  Detectives will thoroughly investigate the case to determine what criminal charges, if any, will be filed and victim services will be offered.

"As there are many emotional factors involved, it is not uncommon for a victim of domestic violence to question or delay reporting an assault. This is an on-going investigation and updates will be made as information becomes available.''

Dallas police had closed the case on Thursday when they had no contact with Manziel's ex-girlfriend, who is not named in the statement. But Crowley apparently came forward after securing a protective order against Manziel on Friday after their argument last Saturday.

Paul Manziel worried about son's condition

A judge in Texas ordered Manziel to stay away from Crowley for two years, saying 'there's reason to believe family violence occurred,'' according to News 8 in Dallas.
The protective order states that Manziel must stay at least 500 feet from Crowley's home and workplace. He also owes $12,000 in legal fees.

News 8 reported Thursday night that Crowley told police, according to sources, that Manziel threatened to kill Crowley and himself during their argument Saturday morning.

Browns' Haslam wants to help troubled QB

In a police report released by Fort Worth police, Crowley said Manziel struck her several times and that she feared for her life.

In her application for the restraining order Wednesday, Crowley stated that Manziel was "likely to commit family violence against me if a protective order is not granted."
Manziel must also not commit more family violence or possession a firearm or ammunition. He could face federal charges if he's found with a gun. Manziel faces up to a year in jail and fines up to $4,000.

Manziel's father, Paul, told the Dallas Morning News Friday that he fears Manziel is suicidal and that he refused two attempts to get him into rehab this week.

A source told cleveland.com they spoke with Manziel on Friday and that was "okay.''
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said the club has tried to reach out to Manziel several times but hasn't heard back.

"We'll do anything we can to help, but he's got to call us back and work with us,'' Haslam told cleveland.com after Roger Goodell's Super Bowl press conference here.

"We've already addressed the football side in a statement, but right now, we're worried about Johnny Manziel the person, not Johnny Manziel the football player.''

Haslam stressed that the club is "trying to help one of our team members and we would do the same thing for someone in accounting or sales as we would for a quarterback who's well-known. We've reached out to him several times since Saturday when this all came out and he hasn't responded. The thing is, we want him to get well.''

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love left Friday night's game against the Boston Celtics late in the third quarter after crumbling to the baseline in obvious pain and will not return.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love left Friday night's game against the Boston Celtics late in the third quarter after crumbling to the baseline in obvious pain. He will not return. 

After walking gingerly to the locker room with a grimace on his face, Love was diagnosed with a left thigh bruise and quickly ruled out. 

At the time of the injury, which occurred when Love collided with Boston's Marcus Smart on a box out attempt, Love had 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting to go with five rebounds.

The Cavs were leading at the time, 69-63.

Love's had bad injury luck against Boston recently. His postseason ended during Game 4 of the the first round last season, as he got tangled with Kelly Olynyk fighting for rebounding position. The play resulted in a dislocated left shoulder for Love and surgery shortly after. 

The early indications of Love's most recent thigh injury appear to be much more promising.