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

On Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and the ultimate test of NFL patience: Tom Reed

0
0

As the Browns' rebuild starts in earnest will an owner with an itchy-trigger finger endure more losing and give his unconventional front office time to grow into their jobs?

BEREA, Ohio - When she's not tackling league issues or assisting in a coach's search, Browns co-owner Dee Haslam runs a production company specializing in reality television.

If only she knew the NFL's most impatient owner and got him to agree to a total franchise makeover under the direction of a football outsider. Now, that would be entertaining.

Jimmy Haslam has hung onto flip phones longer than some of his head coaches. He's fired more people than Donald Trump before the latter became a presidential candidate and had his hand size scrutinized like a quarterback at a scouting combine.

So it's noteworthy that an owner who's changed regimes three times during his four years with the Browns is leading the most audacious experiment the NFL has witnessed in recent memory. He's entrusting his team to a Harvard-educated, analytics-driven front office that many around the league want to see fail.

Other than that it's just business as usual in Berea.

As Paul DePodesta and Sashi Brown begin to tear down the roster and build through the draft, it's anyone's guess as to whether the plan succeeds. Maybe the biggest test, however, will be Jimmy Haslam's patience.

How will a man who becomes more red faced than Chief Wahoo after a loss in September handle a long-term project that should carry the slogan: Check Back With Us In 2018. (By the way, you should see my ugly rose-colored mug on deadline. I resemble a walking hockey goal light.)

Screen Shot 2016-03-17 at 3.52.42 PM.pngOwner Jimmy Haslam with his flip phone at the 2014 NFL scouting combine. 

Haslam spent months criss-crossing the country last year talking to top sports executives, learning the best ways to build an organization. Jimmy and Dee have put lots of work and thought into their non-traditional approach and it takes courage on their part to go this far against the grain. But does Jimmy have the stomach to sit through two or three years of losing while other owners he respects tell him privately: "Get rid of those geeks."

DePodesta's confessions about overhearing disparaging remarks aimed at him and the Browns' methods should come as no surprise. Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot shared similar sentiments from league personnel in January.

Some NFL execs seeing red over Browns' non-traditional approach

The Browns have been pitied, mocked and ridiculed since their 1999 return. This reaction, however, is different. While analytics has been part of football for years - Joe Banner started a deeper dive here in 2013 -- it's never been employed on such a grand scale. Or, spearheaded by an executive with a baseball background.

If it works in Cleveland, it could make some in the NFL's old guard look as obsolete as Haslam's flip phone.

You can bet there were plenty of surreptitious fist bumps among general managers when word leaked out the Browns might have bungled the last-minute negotiations to retain right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who opted to sign with the Chiefs.

Meanwhile, the hiring of coach Hue Jackson received almost universal praise, as well it should. But unlike his predecessors in the Haslam era, the new coach didn't make any free-agent splashes, a la Paul Kruger, Desmond Bryant, Ben Tate, Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner. Jackson saw his front office allow Schwartz, Alex Mack, Travis Benjamin and Tashaun Gipson to walk. It also cut ties with Dansby, who despite being 34, remains productive. Who knows what happens in the hunt for Colin Kaepernick, or if that pursuit remains ongoing.

DePodesta told Baseball America last week he received assurances from the Haslams that they were willing to endure the growing pains while essentially starting over.

"I said, 'I need someone who's going to want to get on the roller coaster with me knowing that it's not always going to be fun,'" DePodesta said.

Jimmy Haslam also said he didn't plan to "blow things up" about his last regime before admitting, "I don't think any of us anticipated going 3-13" on the Jan. 3 night he blew things up.

The Browns could be facing a string of 3-13s before fortunes start to turn. We have no idea whether the men in charge can orchestrate such a massive overhaul and make the right choices with their war chest of draft picks. Maybe. Maybe not.

Many believe the rebuild will take several years, perhaps as many as four or five.

All eyes will be on Jimmy Haslam. Wouldn't you like to hear some of his conversations with DePodesta and Brown on Monday mornings after the club gets motor-boated by the Steelers and Bengals next fall?

If only there were someone with the access and ability to produce a reality show.


Hue Jackson defends Browns losing all their free agents: 'We're headed in the right direction'

0
0

Browns coach Hue Jackson says the Browns are headed in the right direction despite letting all of their free agents walk.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In an NFL Network interview before Cal quarterback Jared Goff's Pro Day Friday, Hue Jackson defended the Browns losing all their free agents, for which they've taken a beating by the local and national media.

At one point during the interview, Jackson's friend and NFL Network analyst Mike Silver observed that "a lot of people think Hue's team is not going to win a game next year. I have enough faith in this man to believe he would never think that.''

So when Jackson was asked a question about Goff, he used the opportunity to explain the Browns' approach in free agency.

"I had to back up to that (statement), because that's not the case at all,'' Jackson, sitting on the set at Cal, said of the Browns not winning a game this season. "There's a been a lot of things going on within our organization. I'm very proud of the direction and the things that we're doing. You know, there's a process and a plan to everything you do and sometimes people don't understand but I'm okay with that because I know exactly where we're headed and what we're trying to do and what we're trying to accomplish.''

The Browns have been hammered from coast-to-coast for their approach, including on NFL Network the first day of free agency.

"I can't wait until everybody jumps on the bandwagon when things are going good,'' Jackson. "I know some things will take time, but I'm not built that way where I'm comfortable with ever losing, and I don't think anybody in our organization is, so I know we're turning every rock to improve our football team.''

The Browns have explored trading for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and are also strongly considering Goff or North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz with their No. 2 overall pick.

Asked about the pressure of getting that pick right, Jackson said, "Absolutely and we plan on getting it right, and what right is, we're still in that process of what's best for us as we continue to move forward. I know everybody wants us to say it's going to be a quarterback and it may be, but it also may not be, because again, we have to continue to look at our roster, look at what we're trying to accomplish and do what's best for us and not what everybody else thinks is best for us.''

Jackson was asked if those first few days of free agency were rough, when he watched Alex Mack, Mitchell Schwartz, Travis Benjamin, Tashuan Gipson and Johnson Bademosi leave. The Browns also cut Karlos Dansby and Dwayne Bowe this week.

Karlos Dansby says Browns told him 'we're going to rebuild with younger guys'

"When you have the players and guys have been good players, you want to keep them all, but sometimes it just doesn't work that way,''  said Jackson. "I think we all understand that's just the way the league is set up now. Guys have a chance to go do what they want to do and I've gone on record as saying that, that if we lost players we're not going to bury our head in the sand. We're going to do the next best thing.''

Jackson reminded folks that the Browns added free agents too, including offensive lineman Alvin Bailey, linebacker Justin Tuggle, linebacker Demario Davis and safety Rahim Moore.

"I don't think people know we've signed four or five guys already for our football team to help improve and offset some of those losses and those things are going to happen,'' he said. "But I think at the end of the day Sashi (Brown) and Paul DePodesta and Andrew Berry and myself, we're all joined at the hip and we know exactly what this is that we're trying to accomplish and what we're trying to do and I think we're headed in the right direction. But that being said, we also know that it's a process and it's going to take time to get to exactly where we want to be."

When Silver, a huge Goff fan, mentioned how great it would be for the Browns to add another Cal guy after losing Mack and Schwartz, Jackson once again took the opportunity to set the record straight.

"They were great players for the Cleveland Browns and we respect their time and what they did for our organization, but at the same time, we're moving forward and they've chosen a different route and we have too and we need to do that and move forward and feel good about where we're headed."

STVM-John Glenn rematch in OHSAA Division II boys basketball final two months in making (video)

0
0

St. Vincent-St. Mary has not tasted a boys basketball defeat since New Concord’s John Glenn High School visited Akron in late January.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary has not tasted a boys basketball defeat since New Concord’s John Glenn High School visited Akron in late January.

Looking back, STVM standouts Henry Baddley and Jayvon Graves admitted they took the Muskies lightly. STVM held the state’s top ranking in Division II before giving way to John Glenn with a 54-51 loss on Jan. 23.


The Fighting Irish (26-3) get their rematch at 2 p.m. Saturday in Schottenstein Center for the state championship.


“That game, it made us think about different things: what we need to improve on,” Graves said. “We’re prepared to play them again.”


This has been a business-like season for STVM. Coach Dru Joyce said he looks at the regular season only as preparation for this time of year. He had no better prep than John Glenn’s performance almost two months ago at LeBron James Arena.


STVM has won 15 straight since then.


Think the coach wants another shot at the Muskies (27-1)?


“If I said I didn’t, I’d be lying,” Joyce said Thursday after an 85-68 state semifinal win against Cincinnati Aiken.

This will be the Irish’s third state final in six years and John Glenn’s first.

“I’m sure they’ll be ready as well,” John Glenn coach Greg Woodard said after beating Bay, 84-56. “I think the game up there was neither team played well; just a gritty, grind-it-out game.”

John Glenn standout Drew Rackley remembers the first meeting for shooting 33 percent as a team. He leads the Muskies in scoring. On that night, he had just 12 points.

The Virginia Military Institute recruit shot 5-of-6 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter as John Glenn rallied from a small deficit.

“Not changing my shot,” said Rackley, a 6-foot-2 guard. “Had Baddley on me. He’s long and athletic. I’m not going to force anything.”

STVM should have a size advantage in Saturday’s rematch.

The Irish possess 6-6 football player Niko Lalos and the 6-5 Baddley, a Butler recruit, in their lineup. John Glenn counters with a guard-oriented rotation that includes lanky 6-4 senior Tanner Slack and 6-4 sophomore Jah Blevins.

“I knew we could be good, but the pieces or parts fell together,” Woodard said. “We hoped we could find a 6-foot-6 kid in the building, but we didn’t.”

The Muskies reached the regional finals each of the last three seasons, but this is the first time they left Athens victorious. Previous setbacks came against Columbus Bishop Watterson and Walnut Ridge, which beat them last year by four points.

“If we lost another one, I don’t know what would have happened,” Woodard said.

New Jersey state champion Linden is the only school to beat John Glenn this season. STVM is the only other team to stay within single digits.

Bay tried to keep pace Thursday night, but it lasted for about 12 minutes. Twenty-two turnovers led to 26 John Glenn points.

“They get in passing lanes so well,” Bay coach Jared Shetzer said. “Because they’re so long, they anticipate so well. They bait you into what you don’t want to do.”

Shetzer added there’s a sense of mystery with a team from another part of the state. Coaching staffs cannot always accurately gauge its opponent's competition.

Baddley thinks his STVM team fell victim to that in late January.

“I feel like we overlooked those guys a little bit,” he said. “They came out and played hard the whole game. We were lackadaisical, so when we lost we knew that we need to come out and play hard every minute that we’re on the floor.”

Like John Glenn, all of STVM’s tournaments wins were by 13 points or more.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Maishe Dailey, three-star guard from Beachwood, announces decommitment from Rutgers

0
0

Forbes announced his decommitment from Rutgers on Friday.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- Rutgers basketball lost its coach, and now it's losing recruits.

Maishe Dailey, a three-star combo guard from Beachwood, announced on Friday that he's decommitting from Rutgers 2016 recruiting class. Dailey announced the news on his public Twitter account.

He was on of three players committed to Rutgers, which fired head coach Eddie Jordan after the Scarlet Knights went 7-25 this season. Dailey is the No. 25 combo guard in the country and the No. 18 player in Ohio, according to 247Sports' composite ratings.

That Rutgers landed a player like Dailey during the kind of season it had was a good sign for the Scarlet Knights.

If Rutgers is going to be playing in the Big Ten, it should be able to mine traditional Big Ten states for prospects, just like every Big Ten power does in football with prospects from New Jersey.

Dailey may not be the top player in Ohio, but he's the type of player whom other Big Ten programs could eventually start recruiting, and now Rutgers lost him. Dailey did say in his Twitter message that he will keep Rutgers in consideration when he eventually makes his final decision.

He committed to the Scarlet Knights in January, after the early signing period for basketball had ended. So he has not signed a National Letter of Intent with Rutgers and is free to commit to any program.

Dailey also held offers from Northern Iowa, Akron, Ohio, Winthrop, George Mason and others.

Ohio State women's basketball beats Buffalo to advance to NCAA Tournament second round: Instant recap

0
0

The No. 3 seed Buckeyes won without second-leading scorer Ameryst Alston.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Asia Doss flipped a pass behind her back, Makayla Waterman converted the layup, drew a foul and let out a scream, and then scorer and passer met for a celebratory chest bump.

Good day. Good start.

Despite the absence of second-leading scorer Ameryst Alston, No. 3 seed Ohio State rolled to an 88-69 win over No. 14 seed Buffalo in a first-round NCAA Tournament game Friday.

Doss (16 points, eight rebounds, five assists), Waterman (six points, eight rebounds) and Shayla Cooper (17 points, seven rebounds) all played very well in picking up the slack lost with Alston's 18.6 points per game.

As the result of being a top-four seed in their region, the Buckeyes (25-7) are hosting the first two rounds at St. John Arena. They put this one away pretty quickly against the Bulls (20-14), who were making their debut in the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC Tournament as the No. 8 seed in that conference.

Resting Alston

Alston watched from the bench with her right wrist in a brace. Alston sprained her wrist in the Big Ten Tournament 13 days ago, and though the Buckeyes had talked with some optimism Thursday about her returning to action, the senior sat.

Alston was in uniform but didn't take any shots in warmups. 

Slow start

Buffalo jumped to an early five-point lead. But from an 11-8 deficit, Ohio State went on a 22-1 run to end the first quarter and take a 30-12 after the first 10 minutes. Kelsey Mitchell missed her first five shots, then made her next five shots and finished the first quarter 5 of 10 for 13 points.

The fourth-leading scorer in the nation at 25.7 points per game, Mitchell finished with 27 points on 10-for-21 shooting.

Everyone in action

With junior center Lisa Blair also continuing to miss time due to injury, the Buckeyes only had six regular members of the rotation available. That meant some extra time for forward Kalpana Beach and guard Chelsea Mitchell.

Mitchell, who averaged 1.3 points and 4.8 minutes while playing in 18 of 31 games, scored four points in 16 minutes.

Beach, who averaged 4.3 points and 5.7 minutes while playing in nine games, scored six points in nine minutes.

Kalpana Beach's story

What's next

The Buckeyes will face No. 6 seed West Virginia on Sunday. The Mountaineers beat No. 11 seed Princeton 74-65 in the first game Friday. With a win Sunday, the Buckeyes would advance to the Sweet Sixteen in Sioux Falls, S.D., next week, where South Carolina is the No. 1 seed and Arizona State is the No. 2 seed.

A year ago, the Buckeyes, as a No. 5 seed, lost in the second round.

Is Browns new front office making the grade? -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

0
0

Cleveland sports fans wonder about the Browns front office making the grade, camouflage jerseys and why Dwayne Bowe had such a high opinion of himself -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

Cleveland Indians' Michael Brantley makes Cactus League debut Saturday night

0
0

Michael Brantley, after playing in an intrasquad game Thursday, will start in left field against the Cubs on Saturday night in his Cactus League debut.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Michael Brantley is starting to gain speed.

From two at-bats in a minor league intrasquad game Thursday, Brantley will make his Cactus League debut Saturday night in left field against the Cubs. If he continues at this pace, he just might make his goal of starting opening day on April 4 at Progressive Field.

"Brantley is going to play in our game Saturday night," said manager Terry Francona on Friday morning. "He's going to get a couple of at-bats."

Thursday was Brantley's first game action of the spring. He played left field, grounded out twice and threw a runner out at second base.

"I could care less if he gets a hit on field whatever," said Francona. "Just the fact that he was in a game. He was excited that he was playing the game. "

After Thursday's game Brantley said his next step would depend on how his surgically-repaired right shoulder felt Friday morning. Apparently it felt just fine.

"There's no repercussion," said Francona. "I don't think there would have been or they wouldn't have allowed him to play in the game. The stuff he's been doing is so taxing that he's going to have to be healthy. He's getting after it."

Michael Brantley takes another step toward opening day

Starting position players usually get between 50 and 75 at-bats in spring training in preparation for the regular season. Brantley would be hard pressed to get that many at-bats in the remainder of the Cactus League season.

"I don't think there is a number," said Francona. "It's different for everybody. A guy could get a handful of at-bats and do well. And he has probably the least maintenance to his swing of anyone in camp.

"But it is nice to play your first handful of games and your legs get heavy and your hands get sore. Now he's worked really hard so that doesn't happen. He's really been getting after it on the agility field. So I'm not really worried about his number of at-bats.

"If he's healthy, and he's able to do what he can do - he's a very good player."

Francona, like Brantley, seems to leaning more and more toward him being in the opening day lineup against Boston.

"If we knew going into (the season) that maybe he wasn't quite ready to play a day game after a night game," said Francona, "having Michael for three out four games as opposed to not having him, we'll take."

Francona said Brantley will be involved in every discussion concerning his readiness for the season.

Brantley could miss part of April

"I'm optimistic just because how he's feeling and how he's doing," said Francona, in regards to Brantley opening the season on time. "Again, I'm not ready to do that to him. I don't think it's fair to him. I'm just really excited about where he's at in his progression. Other than that, I'm just going to let it play itself out."

If Brantley is ready at the start of the season, it could change the look of the outfield. When the Indians thought he'd open the year on the disabled list, they were preparing to carry five outfielders. If Brantley is healthy, they could carry four with utility man Jose Ramirez helping out when necessary.

The Indians still have 11 outfielders in camp, including Abraham Almonte, who will serve an 80-game suspension at the start of the season. Joey Butler, Lonnie Chisenhall, Collin Cowgill, Rajai Davis, Tyler Naquin, Robbie Grossman, Shane Robinson, Will Venable, Brantley and newly-signed Marlon Byrd are the others.

Davis is signed to a one-year $5.25 million deal. They acquired Cowgill in a deal with the Angels and signed him to a one-year $1 million deal to avoid arbitration. Chisenhall signed a one-year $2.725 million deal to avoid arbitration. Butler and Naquin just signed one-year deals, while Byrd, Grossman, Robinson and Venable are in camp on minor league deals.

Brantley, Davis and Chisenhall, based on salary alone, should fill three of the outfield spots. So what about the fourth spot?

If Brantley is ready, would Davis slide over to center or would Naquin make the club as the starting center fielder? Naquin has had a fine spring offensively and defensively.

They could go with Brantley, Davis and Chisenhall and pick a right-handed hitting platoon outfielder to pair with Chisenhall. There are plenty of candidates among Cowgill, Byrd, Butler, Robinson and Grossman. Byrd is the only player among that group with bonafide big league power, but can he show them enough in the final three weeks of spring training?

Then again if the Indians decide Brantley should open the year on the disabled list, a whole new set of scenarios present themselves. Right now that does not seem likely.

Michigan State suffers biggest March Madness upset: NCAA Tournament 2016

0
0

Many claim that Middle Tennessee State's victory is the biggest first round upset in tournament history.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Apologies to the NCAA Tournament committee that decided Michigan State was a No. 2 seed instead of a No. 1.

That decision led to plenty of criticism but it looks like the committee actually did the Spartans a favor. They could have been the first No. 1 to lose to a No. 16.

Former consensus No. 1 team Michigan State, with national Player of the Year candidate Denzel Valentine, suffered the biggest upset so far in the tournament with a 90-81 loss to Middle Tennessee State on Friday afternoon.

Michigan State, a No. 2 seed, was heavily favorite against No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee. But it was Middle Tennessee that played as the favorite from start to finish. These are the same Blue Raiders that lost non conference games to Murray State and Georgia State. And according to the stats, their 72.7 points per game average is 189th in the country.

Middle Tennessee is the eighth No. 15 seed to win a first-round game since the field expanded to 64.


Down goes Sparty! Some thoughts on the March Madness: Bill LIvingston

0
0

Michigan State, the flagship Big Ten team this season, is sunk by a GPS school named for a geographical position, Middle Tennessee State, and Hawaii finds gold at the end of a rainbow.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bracketville is in flames.

1. Middle Tennesse State, an obviously underestimated 15th seed, stunned the second-seeded Spartans of  rough, tough, golly, they practice in football-pads  Michigan State and coach Tom Izzo, 90-81.  The NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Friday produced shockers, none of them bigger than that.

2. One  creative aspect of the game, according to Twitter,  was the way MTSU fans at the game in  St. Louis would chant, "Roll, Tide" after big baskets by the Blue Raiders.

It referred to the Alabama  Crimson Tide's 38-0 pants-ing of Michigan State in the College Football Playoff semifinals. It has to be one of the cooler  examples of dual-sport, crossover, hybrid humiliation.

3. The game was the worst thing to happen to Spartans since Ephialtes of Malis -- whose name means "nightmare" in Greek and who went down in history as "The Art Modell of Thermopylae" --Oh, sorry, I mean as " Ephialtes, the Traitor" -- showed the Persians a goat path that led to the rear of the Spartans' position.

End of the defense of the narrow pass. End of  the "300."

4. But the time gained  allowed the other Greek city-states to win the big Western Civilization Bowl later on at Salamis. So there is that.

5. Middle Tennessee is the alma mater of among others, former Browns' quarterback Kelly Holcomb.

Friday's upset left brackets much more thoroughly busted nationwide  than the 'teeny-weeny fracture"  of the leg Holcomb suffered on a quarterback sneak, which  the inimitable Butch Davis pooh-poohed in severity  when he was the Browns coach.

6. MTSU is located in Murfreesboro, 35 miles from Nashville. When I was a freshman at Vanderbilt in the "Music City," another kid and I borrowed the Ford Mustang of the resident adviser on our dorm floor to drive there to attend a Righteous Brothers concert.

"You drive," the RA said, flipping the keys to the other kid.

In other Tournament news: In all fairness, Dayton, a 70-51,  victim of Syracuse and the ethically challenged Jim Boeheim. has had its moments over theyears.

6. The Flyers won the NIT in 1962 as a complete surprise. Bill Chmielewski, whose name includes a mandatory stop at Spellcheck,  was a one-season wonder for the low-ranked Flyers, dropping out of school after being  the Most Valuable Player of the New York tournament.

7. The Donnie May-led team of 1967 reached the NCAA championship game and won the NIT the next year, when that tournament still mattered.

8.The Flyers also beat Ohio State in the round 64 in 2014 when Buckeyes basketball still mattered..

9. The 13th-seeded Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (known as 'Bows in newspaper headlines out in the land of McGarrett and Dan-o) flew nearly 2,900 miles to gain the first NCAA Tournament win in school history against fourth-seeded  Cal-Berkeley.

I wrote a column earlier in the week about a vastly overpaid and under-performing Browns wide receiver and how he was a blot on those with similar names. 

As the game wound down,  Twitter comment was inescapable: "Dwayne Bowe is also a disgrace to the 'Bows."

10. Iowa had lost six of its last eight games, but beat Temple, 72-70, in overtime when Adam Woodbury egregiously pushed off on the winning put-back of an airball. Referees missed the call.

Much as I said of Kyrie Irving and his defense with the Cavs, so  rebounding in basketball often comes down to what you can get away with.

11. Purdue and Michigan State are out? Iowa is still alive?

As the fellow said, at the end of "The Bridge on the River Kwai,"  "Madness! Madness!"

Joe Haden has unexpected ankle surgery, 'should be ready' for start of 2016

0
0

Browns cornerback Joe Haden underwent surgery on his left ankle Wednesday. The hope is that he'll be ready for camp in July and the season in September.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Joe Haden, the Browns' shutdown corner, underwent surgery on his left ankle Wednesday, but "should'' be ready for the start of the 2016 season, the club said in a release.

Haden, who underwent the surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina by Dr. Robert Anderson, is also "expected to resume football activities during training camp'' the release said. That means the Browns are making no promises.

Haden, who finished the season on injured reserve with a serious concussion, suffered the ankle injury during a Week 8 home game against the Cardinals, but it didn't start bothering him until he began working out again recently.

Haden started only five games in 2015 and was inactive for eight with various injuries including the concussion, a broken finger, the ankle and a rib injury.
He was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 14 after not clearing the NFL's concussion protocol. Haden cleared the tests on Jan. 12, 2016.

The loss of Haden for most of last season was a huge blow, especially considering that 2014 No. 8 overall pick Justin Gilbert was a huge disappointment for the second straight year and started only one game.

If Haden isn't ready for the start of the season, the Browns could be in dire straights. They also lost starting free safety Tashaun Gipson to the Jaguars in free agency.

Entering his seventh season, the No. 7 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and two-time Pro Bowler has started 68 of 77 games and compiled 16 interceptions with the Browns.

How to make college pro days more valuable to NFL scouts and watchable for fans: Tom Reed

0
0

Enough with quarterbacks throwing against air Lets spice up events with competition involving draft-eligible players from surrounding schools.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Imagine a pro day in which Michigan State's Connor Cook took a three-step drop and swung a pass to Indiana's Jordan Howard who was tightly covered by Ohio State's Joey Bosa.

Would that scenario be more beneficial to NFL scouts and entertaining to fans than watching Cal's Jared Goff throw against air for 20 minutes? Air is historically poor as a defender and yet that's the opponent of choice for Goff and every other passing prospect since pro days began.

The highlight of his performance, attended by Browns coach Hue Jackson and many other top NFL decision makers, was watching Cleveland assistant Pep Hamilton squirt water on footballs in an attempt to simulate poor weather conditions. Oh, the unscripted drama.

This isn't meant as a knock on Goff, who along with North Dakota State's Carson Wentz will be among the first quarterbacks selected in next month's draft. It just seems like we should demand more out of the pro-day process than follow-up measurables and a few minutes of prospects competing against phantom foes.

I texted one talent evaluator before Goff's workout and asked him how much a pro day factors into a quarterback's overall grade. He replied: "Two percent." That's how I like my milk, not my analysis on the sport's most important position.

So here's a suggestion for ways to spice up pro days and make them more meaningful. Why not assemble draft-eligible players from surrounding colleges and let them compete in non-contact drills?

Let's see Ohio State's Cardale Jones throwing passes to teammate Michael Thomas while being defended by rival Big-Ten cornerbacks. Maybe include some select players from the Mid-American Conference.

Let's watch Bosa, a classic 4-3 defensive end, dropping into coverage against a few running backs and tight ends from other schools to see if he can function as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

It's supposed to be about competition, right? But anyone who's attended a pro day witnesses nothing but players working out against air. That's what the NFL scouting combine drills represent. Why repeat the process?

Related: Why you shouldn't put too much stock in pro days

To be fair, there's more to the pro-day evaluation process than on-field drills and a chance to improve 40-times and bench-press reps. Coaches and scouts get to meet with players and see how they interact with teammates. They also can ask participants to perform certain drills tailored to their specific schemes.

But isn't that the purpose of private workouts? Somewhere during the four-month run-up to the draft wouldn't it be nice to see some actual competition without risking the safety of those involved?

Game films make up a big chunk of a player's grade, yet with so many teams running spread offenses it doesn't give evaluators a chance to observe prospects in pro-style drills. That's what makes the Senior Bowl practices so valuable. Unfortunately, a lot of high-end talent skips all-star games.

The guess here is agents would not be in favor of the proposal. Picture Goff having a subpar pro day against cornerbacks from Pac-12 schools. It doesn't mean, however, we shouldn't push for more competitive ways to evaluate players whom teams will invest millions of dollars.

Would Justin Gilbert's coverage flaws have been exposed at a pro day featuring opponents from other schools? Maybe. The Browns' scouts and coaches - assuming they sent any to Oklahoma State during the Ray Farmer era - could have seen how the corner reacted to getting beat once or twice in drills.

The competitive pro-day concept allows colleges to be as creative as they want. Imagine four western Big-Ten universities staging an event in which they invite small-school standouts such as Wentz. How would the quarterback fare against better players? We caught a glimpse of it at the Senior Bowl, but it would enable evaluators another opportunity to see him in such an environment. It also would let defensive backs who either weren't invited to the all-star game or combine a chance to excel on a larger stage.

Don't tell me there wouldn't be an audience for these uber pro days. ESPN and NFL Network could give them prime-time slots. They also wouldn't destroy traditional pro days because the compulsory running and jumping exercises would be excluded. Same for activities including most linemen.

We're just trying to find ways to make pro days better. How many times have you heard draft analysts say few quarterbacks have poor ones? NFL Network's Mike Mayock admitted Friday the best QB pro day he ever attended was JaMarcus Russell's. We all know how that career turned out.

There are too many smart decision makers in the pro and college ranks not to devise an upgraded model. Unless, of course, they're satisfied with watching quarterbacks throw against air.

Tray Walker of Baltimore Ravens dies after dirt bike crash

0
0

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker has died after suffering critical injuries in a dirt bike crash in Miami, the Baltimore Sun reported.

MIAMI -- Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker has died after suffering critical injuries in a dirt bike crash in Miami, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Walker died around 5 p.m. Friday, the Sun reported. He was 23.

NFL.com also confirmed the death.

Miami-Dade Police said Walker was riding a Honda dirt bike with no lights and wearing dark clothing when he collided with a Ford Escape at about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Walker was treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Police are investigating.

Walker was selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played in eight games last season, mostly on special teams.

In a statement following the accident, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, "This is devastating news. Our prayers and hopes are with Tray and his family tonight."

A native of Miami, Walker attended Miami Northwestern High School before playing in college at Texas Southern.



PennLive.com contributed to this report.

Lima Senior holds off Wilmington in OHSAA Division I boys basketball semifinal, 61-58 (video)

0
0

Undefeated Lima Senior advanced to the OHSAA Division I boys basketball championship game for the first time, as Ohio Mr. Basketball winner Xavier Simpson scored 25 points.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Undefeated Lima Senior advanced to the OHSAA Division I boys basketball championship game for the first time, holding off a last-second shot by Wilmington in their semifinal Friday night at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center.

The Spartans won, 61-58, after Jarron Cumberland's final 3-point attempt fell to the side of the hoop. Lima (29-0) will play the winner of Friday's other semifinal between Garfield Heights (23-4) and Westerville South (24-4) at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night.


Michigan recruit and Ohio Mr. Basketball winner Xavier Simpson scored 23 points to lead Lima, but he missed two free throws with 8.8 seconds left to allow Cumberland's last shot. With a defender on him at the top of the arc, Cumberland twisted before firing the off-balanced attempt. The Cincinnati recruit finished with 25 points and nine rebounds, as the Hurricanes (27-2) rallied from a 20-point deficit.


They played in front of 15,292. The OHSAA reported it as the highest Division I semifinal attendance since 2007.


Rico Stafford added 11 points and Jarius Ward had 10 for Lima. Wilmington also had double-figure performances from Jeffrey Mansfield (14 points) and Dylan Beaugard (11).

Browns' Pep Hamilton throws water on Jared Goff's Pro Day

0
0

Browns top offensive assistant Pep Hamilton surprised Cal quarterback Jared Goff by making him throw a wet football at the end of his Pro Day scripted workout.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns' assistant head coach/offense Pep Hamilton threw water on Jared Goff's Pro Day Friday.

After the Cal quarterback completed 61-of-69 attempts in his scripted workout in front of representatives from most NFL teams -- including Browns coach Hue Jacksom -- Hamilton put him on the spot.

He grabbed a Gatorade bottle and doused the football with water, then asked the California native to step up and make a few more throws. He passed the test, completing all of the passes except for one dropped by a receiver.

"Growing up in California, they probably wanted to see that and that makes sense," Goff told the Associated Press after the workout. "At the same time, I've played in cold weather before and I wouldn't be the first quarterback to go from California to cold weather. I think Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are doing pretty well. They're able to do it."

Goff has taken some heat for struggling in inclement weather after a poor outing against Oregon in the driving rain as a freshman, during which he fumbled on two of his first three possessions. All told, he fumbled 23 times at Cal, but only four times last season.

"[Some scouts] told me to go back and watch Goff's game his freshman year at Oregon,'' NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "Apparently he got pulled against Oregon at the rain and bad weather as a freshman and then this year at Oregon was a tough night again as far as weather and he struggled that day. I think he was 18 for 40 plus or minus. So one of the minor complaints with this kid with hand size, et cetera, is can he drive the football in wet, inclement weather."

That's one reason why the Browns, who have the No. 2 overall pick and are seriously considering drafting Goff or North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz, wanted to see how he'd handle a slick ball. In fact, Hamilton told Mayock before the workout, "I hope it pours today. I want to see him throw a wet ball.''

Goff handled the test well, completing several deep and short passes with the slippery ball.

"He can expect more of that because what we saw at the end of his scripted workout is more like what a private workout will be,'' NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks. "So when the Cleveland Browns work him out, you can expect them to have wet balls and to have some things in place to see if he can thrive in inclement conditions. He threw the ball really well at the end of the workout when it was a wet ball. He'll get a full menu of those kind of throws.

In addition, his hand grew from a smallish 9 inches at the NFL Combine -- which created quite a buzz -- to a more acceptable 9 1/8 at his Pro Day, as measured by his head coach. Teams consider 9 1/8 to be the threshold of adequate hand size.
"They got me a new measuring tape that's made for small-handed people I guess," he joked.

Joe Haden has ankle surgery, 'should be ready' for start of season 2016

Jackson admitted at the NFL Combine that hand--size does matter, but that it's only piece of the puzzle.

"Oh yes it does,'' he said. "It does. It matters because we play in a division where all of a sudden there's rain, there's snow and it's different. I think guys that have big hands can grip the ball better in those environmental situations and so we'll look for a guy that fits what we're looking for in a quarterback and is hand size important? Yes it is.''

Before the workout, Jackson complimented Goff in an NFL Network interview.
"He's a tremendous kid,'' said Jackson. "Obviously him being here at Cal, we have a

little insight as to what he is, but he's a tremendous young man. Had a tremendous career, has a lot of poise, obviously accuracy, can throw the ball with anybody, make all of the throws, but I think you guys all know it's more than that than just playing quarterback. That guy has to be the face of the franchise, so just kind of want to find out as much as we can and be able to evaluate it all as we go through this process.''

Jackson, who almost got Cal head coaching job in Goff's freshman year, said he'd rely on his instincts to know if Goff can be the guy. At Cal, he turned the program around from 1-11 his freshman year to 8-5 and a Bowl appearance this year.

"You try to spend as much time as you can and talk to as many people as you can and then at the end of the day it really comes down to your gut and what you feel inside about the person,'' he said. "I've been in this league long enough to have an understanding of what those guys feel like, act like, look like, talk like. So you've got to try to kind of trust yourself as you go through this process.''

Jackson said he's noticed all the intangibles about Goff, who threw 96 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.

"Watching him go through his process here of starting where things weren't as good to watch the team grow over his career and get better says a lot about him,'' he said. "The stick-to-itness, the leadership, the ability to have some charisma through it all is really important and I think he's handled that all extremely well.''

Afterwards, Jackson, Hamilton and Browns Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry all congratulated Goff on a fine performance, which included seven-step drops and other things NFL talent evaluators like to see from a spread quarterback. Before the wet-ball test, he concluded the scripted part with a nicely-thrown 40-yard deep ball.

"I felt good overall," he said. "Finished it pretty well and felt good about it. There are always going to be a couple, two or three, you want back. I'd like to have zero I'd want back but that's hard to ask sometimes. It went well. I was really happy about it."

The buzzword after the workout was 'solid.'

"I would probably give him a B overall,'' NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said. "The deep ball you saw. You saw some nice touch on a couple of them. And then I wrote down he'd overthrown two and had one underthrow. So I thought it was a little bit mixed on the deep ball.

"But I liked the fact that they were taking shots in this workout. I mean it was an aggressive, downfield workout, and if you wanted to see a couple pinpoint throws, he gave you that. It just wasn't a flawless pro day. It was solid. That's the word I keep coming back to -- solid day for Goff."

And a wet one too.

Ohio State women gambled and won without their second-best player, but will she play Sunday?

0
0

Senior Ameryst Alston could be back against No. 6 seed West Virginia as the No. 3 seed Buckeyes play in a second-round NCAA Tournament game Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Her right hand and wrist wrapped in ice, Ameryst Alston, the fourth-leading scorer in the history of Ohio State women's basketball, sat in a folding chair on the sideline at St. John Arena.

This was about 40 minutes after the Buckeyes beat Buffalo 88-69 in an NCAA Tournament opener Friday. But this was also what Alston had done for 40 minutes during the game, though she was sitting next to her teammates then, not her boyfriend.

"It was a little bit of a gamble," Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said after the win without the first-team All-Big Ten player, "but we were obviously able to get through today's game without her, and so I'm still optimistic that she can help us on Sunday."

Optimism was in the air Thursday as well, before this game. Optimism only takes you so far. You almost get a feeling the Buckeyes could be optimistically waiting for Alston right up until the end of the season, while she's still watching.

Buckeyes beat Buffalo

This is what athletes do every day, balance pain. Asked whether the issue with her two-week-old wrist injury was pain tolerance or a risk of further injury, Alston told cleveland.com it was both.

As the Buckeyes move deeper in the NCAA Tournament, the context around the injury changes. The second round Sunday is different than the first round Friday.

Sunday is against No. 6 seed West Virginia, the third-place team in the Big 12 during the regular season. Friday was against No. 14 seed Buffalo, the eighth-place team in the MAC during the regular season.

"I would like to play," Alston said. "But I'm taking it day by day, depending on how I feel."

The Buckeyes waxed West Virginia last season, but that was right before Christmas break and the Mountaineers may have been dreaming of sugar plums in a 42-point loss in Columbus. Don't expect that this time.

But maybe expect that if Alston's not out there Sunday, her nearly 19 points and 36 minutes per game will be ably filled.

Sophomore Asia Doss found a balance of asserting herself without trying too hard while scoring a career-high 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting Friday. 

"She's got enough experience now where she's going to get a few more shots, but get them in the flow of the game," McGuff said of Doss finding more room to work in Alston's absence. "And that's what I really liked today. Everything she got was within the flow and that's why I think the results were so good for her."

Against the Bulls, the Buckeyes' offense didn't look like it had a gaping hole. That was especially true when they ran. They're always better up-tempo, but against West Virginia, no Alston might mean a six-player rotation. Friday, subs Kalpana Beach and and Chelsea Mitchell were able to contribute 25 minutes that can't be assumed against the No. 23 team in the country.

Even an Alston who can't shoot could be of service for a few minutes here and there Sunday.

It won't just come down to Alston. If the Buckeyes get efforts like they got from Doss and Makayla Waterman, if Shayla Cooper is active and confident like she was during her 17-point effort Friday, they can win without her. And Friday was a typical Kelsey Mitchell day, the 25.7 point scorer dropping in 27. She has three games of 40-plus points this season, so there's a chance she adds a fourth if the Buckeyes need it Sunday.

You'd just like to see the senior out there. 

Alston has already dealt with the how-can-this-be-happening feelings that would hit any star looking at an injury-plagued end to her career. Now there's pragmatism with the optimism. 

Friday, Alston and McGuff trusted the other Buckeyes could get it done. They were right.

Sunday, they could do the same and still punch a ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.

Or Alston could hit the court with a smaller brace and a tape job, not the larger brace that went over her thumb that she wore as she watched warmups Friday.

She's tried that brace out.

"It's cool," she said.

The Buckeyes have tried out winning without her. It was cool. They were able to plan for two weeks this time after losing in the Big Ten semis two weeks ago the first time they tried to go without Alston.

Whether Alston plays or not Sunday, it feels like a bit of a gamble either way. That means the Buckeyes will need a little luck. 

But not just luck. They're better than that.


Gio Urshela makes hay for Cleveland Indians, while Juan Uribe has been away

0
0

Veteran infielder Juan Uribe is scheduled to rejoin the Indians on Sunday after tending to visa problems in the Dominican Republic. In Uribe's absence Gio Urshela has made a good impression at the hot corner.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - The Indians, with the clock spinning toward opening day, will soon be whole.

The last piece to the puzzle, Wandering Juan Uribe, is scheduled to rejoin the team Sunday. Uribe left the team on March 12 to tend to lingering visa problems in the Dominican Republic.

Uribe, who turns 37 on Tuesday, has missed about two weeks of camp with visa issues since agreeing to a one-year $4 million deal with the Indians. He didn't report to camp until Feb. 28 after obtaining a visitor's visa. Then he had to return to the Dominican to a work visa.

Manager Terry Francona admitted that he was concerned about the time Uribe has missed this spring.

"I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't," said Francona. "He swung the bat pretty well (when he was here). We just need to use common sense so we don't rush and be so concerned that we hurt him."

Uribe is scheduled to be the opening day third baseman. Francona said utility man Jose Ramirez will see time at third so Uribe isn't overextended early in the season.

Uribe goes home, Urshela mans third

"We've got Ramirez here," said Francona. "He's been playing a bunch. We just don't compound his absence by playing catch up and doing something silly."

Uribe is hitting .500 (3-for-6) in two games with the Indians.

"We're just going to try and get him the most at-bats that we can without overdoing it physically," said Francona.

While Uribe has been away, Giovanny Urshela has looked like a combination of George Brett and Mike Schmidt at third base. Urshela, who played 80 games at third last year for the Tribe, has been relegated to Class AAA Columbus after Uribe was signed. But he hasn't played like someone destined for Triple-A.

Urshela is hitting .300 (9-for-30) with a team-high four homers and 10 RBI this spring.

"Good for him," said Francona. "When the season starts, those home runs aren't going to count. But it sure is fun to watch them.

"He's taken a couple of swings this spring that he didn't take last year. There's been a fastball inside with decent velocity, he's been nice and short and quick to the ball. That's nice to see because you know it's in there."

Urshela had a tough time staying healthy last year. He injured his knee playing winter ball. Then he injured a disc in his back in spring training. When he was called to Cleveland in June, he dealt with a sore right shoulder.

This spring he's been healthier and given the Indians a lot to think in the months ahead.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic: Live chat and updates

0
0

Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Orlando Magic.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will play the first game of a back-to-back when they take on the short-handed Orlando Magic, who will play without leading scorer Nik Vucevic, on Friday night.

Follow along in the comments section as Chris Haynes, Joe Vardon and Chris Fedor bring you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Haynes, Vardon and Fedor on Twitter.

Scoring Summary: 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs lead Magic, 63-54. The Cavs are led by Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving -- each with 13 points. LeBron James has added eight points and seven assists. Orlando's Victor Oladipo leads all scorers with 24 points on 8-of-11 from the field. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs trail Magic, 29-27. The Cavs are led by Channing Frye, who has six points off the bench. Kyrie Irving and Timofey Mozgov each have five points. Orlando's Victor Oladipo leads all scorers with 16 points. 

Game 68: Cavs (48-19) vs. Magic (29-38)

Tip off: 7 p.m. at Amway Center.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM, 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

Magic probable starting lineup: Victor Oladipo, Brandon Jennings, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and Dewayne Dedmon.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

NCAA Wrestling 2016: Ohio State's Kyle Snyder, St. Edward grad Dean Heil in finals tonight (photos)

0
0

Ohio State has been eliminated from the NCAA Wrestling Championships 2016 team race, but Kyle Snyder and Miles Martin in the finals, as is Oklahoma State's Dean Heil of St. Edward.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio State world champion Kyle Snyder, Buckeyes freshman sensation Myles Martin and St. Edward graduate Dan Heil of Oklahoma State are in the finals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships tonight in New York's Madison Square Garden (ESPN, 8 p.m.).

Penn State appears headed for its fifth title in six years. Defending champion Ohio State is fifth and has been eliminated from the team race heading into this morning's medal round (11 a.m., ESPNU).

Locals fall: Ohio State sophomore Nathan Tomasello of Parma, who won last year as a redshirt freshman, saw his dream of becoming a four-time champion end in Saturday's semifinals. He was pinned in sudden-victory overtime by rival Thomas Gilman of Iowa, ending Tomasello's 43-match winning streak.

Tomasello just missed a potential match-winning takdown at the end of the third period. Gillman stuck Tomasello in the first sudden-victory period.

"When I got into overtime, I hooked his head with my foot. I made an adjustment there,'' Gillman said. "And that's something -- if you look at my career, that something I've really done well is making adjustments, not only day-to-day or year-to-year but within the match itself. And that's what good wrestlers do. They make adjustments within the match. I thank my ability there."

Also losing in the semifinals were Solon graduate Anthony Collica of Oklahoma State, St. Edward grad Ty Walz of Virginia Tech and Kent State's Ian Miller.

After a pair of upset wins, No. 11 seed Collica lost to Iowa's Brandon Sorensen, 4-2.

Snyder beat Walz, 10-6. With Snyder on bottom and ahead 7-4 to start the third, he escaped, got a takedown and accumulated more than a minute of riding time.

"It was a tough match,'' Snyder said. "Ty Walz is a good opponent. Haven't wrestled him in a while. We used to practice together, but first time I wrestled him in competition. So it was fun.''

Titanic final: The finals will begin at 125 pounds so that Snyder's match against two-time defending NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State is the last bout in one of the most highly anticipated finals in recent years. Gwiazkowski beat Snyder in last year's final, but Snyder went on to become the United State's youngest freestyle world champion last summer as a 19-year-old. Snyder is a sophomore from Maryland.

"I know he is a good game planner,'' Snyder said. "So I know he's going to have a game plan for me, and I just want to make it a wrestling match. I want to get in wrestling positions and I feel like if I can get into lots of wrestling positions I'll come out on top. I'll win the majority of them."

Myles to go: Martin controlled unseeded Lelund Weatherspoon throughout an 8-2 semifinal win, setting up another showdown with Penn State's Bo Nickal, the top seed. Martin and Nickal have faced each other three times this season. Martin's win also makes the second true freshman NCAA finalist in as many year for Ohio State.

"For me, I wanted to redshirt in the beginning of the year because I didn't think I was experienced enough at college and I argued with the coaches a bunch of times and they knew I was ready,'' Martin said. "But I failed to believe that. It's all a mind-set for people, and I didn't think I was good enough to keep wrestling.''

DiJulius done: Walsh Jesuit Johnni DiJulius lost a 13-8 consolation bracket match to Air Force's Josh Martinez at 133 that ended the redshirt senior's career. DiJulius finished his career 115-47 with four trips to the NCAA Championships, but he did not achieve All-America status.

Walters an All-American: Ohio University senior Cody Walters (St. Peter Chanel) of Macedonia will wrestle for seventh place against Alex Meyer of Iowa in the morning session Saturday. 

Kent State duo All-Americans: Kent State seniors Ian Miller and Mike DePalma are All-Americans and will wrestle for third place today. Miller earned a second career trip to NCAA semifinals and DePalma was 4-0 Friday.

In his semifinal, Miller led No. 1 seed and defending champion Isiah Martinez 2-0 and 5-4, but Martinez pulled out a 7-5 win in sudden victory.  Miller recorded a takedown in the first on a reshot and one in the third on an inside trip that brought the crowd to life.

"In regulation, Ian had more takedowns," KSU coach Jim Andrassy said.  "What came back to haunt him was when he didn't get away in the first when he got taken down.  It was a great match. People have told it was the greatest match of the night."

Vikings vanquished: Cleveland State seniors Riley Shaw and Sam Wheeler both fell in the round of 16 on Friday, coming up just short in their quest to earn All-American status.

Team standings through Friday
1. Penn State 114.0
2. Oklahoma State 79.5
3. Iowa 77.5
4. Virginia Tech 69.5
5. Ohio State 68.0
6. Missouri 58.5
7. Nebraska 56.0
8. Cornell 53.5
9. North Carolina State 43.0
10. Illinois 42.0

Championships Finals, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
125 lbs. - No. 4 Thomas Gillman (Iowa) vs. No. 3. Nico Megaludis (Penn State)
133 lbs. - No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) vs. No. 2 Cory Clark (Iowa)
141 lbs. - No. 1 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 14 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming)
149 lbs. - No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) vs. No. 2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa)
157 lbs. - No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs. No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
165 lbs. - No. 1 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 2 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin)
174 lbs. - No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) vs. No. 11 Myles Martin (Ohio State)
184 lbs. - No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) vs. No. 7 Timothy Dudley (Nebraska)
197 lbs. - No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) vs. No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri)
285 lbs. - No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (North Carolina State) vs. No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State)

Some additional notes from USA Wrestling:

All-Americans by Team
6 - Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Virginia Tech
4- Ohio State, Missouri
3 - Nebraska, Cornell., NC State, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa State
2 - Oklahoma, Kent State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Stanford,
1 - Wyoming, Navy, Penn, Wisconsin, Oregon State, Northern Iowa, Old Dominion, Rider, American, Princeton, Indiana, Ohio, Central Michigan, Duke, North Carolina, Utah Valley, Boise State

All-Americans by Conference
31 - Big Ten
13 - Big 12
11 - ACC
10 - MAC, EIWA
4 - Pac 12
1 - EWL

Finalists by Team
5 - Penn State
3 - Iowa
2 - Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Cornell
1 - Missouri, Nebraska, NC State, Illinois, Wyoming, Wisconsin

Returning NCAA champions in the finals
2x - Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State, 165)
2x - Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State, 285)
1x - Isaiah Martinez (Illinois, 157)
1x - Gabe Dean (Cornell, 184)
1x - J'Den Cox (Missouri, 197)

An Opening Day return no longer out of the question: A timeline of Michael Brantley's recovery timetable

0
0

It all began with one, ill-fated, September dive. Tuesday will mark exactly six months since Michael Brantley lunged for Aaron Hicks' fly ball to left-center at Target Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It all began with one, ill-fated, September dive.

Tuesday will mark exactly six months since Michael Brantley lunged for Aaron Hicks' fly ball to left-center at Target Field. Brantley nearly hauled in the baseball, but it scooted away and Hicks wound up on third base with an RBI triple.

Brantley proceeded to bat in the ensuing half-inning. Then, he was lifted for reserve Michael Martinez. Nearly a half-year later, he's still working his way back. Brantley will appear in his first big league spring training game on Saturday evening. He appeared in a minor league contest on Thursday.

He has not been ruled out for Opening Day, a drastic turn of events, considering the Indians' initial timetable following his November surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Of course, the Indians also hoped he could avoid an operation altogether at the end of last year's regular season. Instead, here he is, ready to log as many spring at-bats as he can, following a winter of uncertainty.

Let's revisit Brantley's offseason timeline.

* Brantley missed four games after the Sept. 22 bout at Minnesota. He returned to play in a pair of contests on Sept. 27-28, but he sat out the Tribe's final week of action.

* The left fielder remained in Cleveland following the conclusion of the regular season. He received an injection and he completed a two-week rehab and hitting program. The Indians hoped the labrum would heal without surgery.

* It didn't. Brantley underwent surgery in early November. The Indians initially pegged his recovery at five to six months.

* At the Winter Meetings in early December, the Indians' front office stressed that nothing had changed with Brantley's timetable, despite reports that the 28-year-old could be sidelined until June, July or even August.

* With or without Brantley, the Indians' outfield lacked some thump. So, the front office proceeded to scoop up every inexpensive outfielder with a pulse during the off-season, from Joey Butler to Rajai Davis to Collin Cowgill to Shane Robinson and others.

* Brantley said at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards in late January that he was targeting an Opening Day return, though he admitted it might be a bit ambitious. Manager Terry Francona preferred not to attach an artificial deadline to Brantley's recovery.

Brantley targeting an Opening Day return

* As spring training got under way, Brantley continued to declare that Opening Day was his goal. Francona admitted that while Brantley could still begin the season on the disabled list, the All-Star was "coming quickly" and could certainly beat the original timetable of late April or early May.

* Francona is coming around to the notion that Brantley could indeed be ready for the Indians' opener on April 4.

"If we knew going into (the season) that maybe he wasn't quite ready to play a day game after a night game," Francona said, "having Michael for three out of four games as opposed to not having him, we'll take it."

Brantley to make Cactus League debut on Saturday

What we've written

Giovanny Urshela making the most of his time while Uribe is away

Joey Butler's slam and 8 things we learned Friday

The Byrd is the word, and Indians trim roster to 48

Tribe minor league pitcher hits 108 mph on radar gun

Cleveland Indians scribbles about a hot Carlos Santana, Joba Chamberlain and the outfield -- Terry Pluto

0
0

Cleveland Indians are hoping for a good early season from Carlos Santana, who has struck out only once in 32 spring at bats.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Scribbles in my Tribe notebook after watching the team up close and personal in the last few days:

1. I hesitate to write this because there are more than a few mirages in the desert. But Carlos Santana is off to a strong start. I'm not just talking about his .375 batting average. He has 1 HR and 3 RBI, which is modest. So what's the big deal? His swing seems a bit shorter. Think about this: 1 strikeout in 32 at-bats.

2. Santana does have five doubles, so he's not just slapping the ball to the opposite field. He's a career .256 hitter in the spring, so it's not as if does this every year.

3. It would be such a boost to the Tribe if Santana starts reasonably strong. Here is what he hit in the first three months of last season: April (.239), May (.217), June (.189). For his career, Santana's two worst months are April (.240) and May (.215).

4. One of Terry Francona's goals for the team is to have a better start. They were 7-14 last April. In his three seasons as Tribe manager, the Indians have a 29-44 record in April. Santana hitting could help that change.

5. For some players, spring stats matter. They do to Tyler Naquin (.452), who is blowing out all the competition for center field. The stats matter to Collin Cowgill (2-of-29), Will Venable (2-of-23) and James Ramsey (2-of-21). All are competing for outfield spots. Friday, Ramsey was sent to Class AAA.

6. The fact that Jose Ramirez (having a super camp) has shown he can play a little center also makes it tougher on some of the guys trying to make the club. Venable is 33 and on a minor-league deal. Cowgill will be 30 on May 22. He is a career .236 hitter. They need big spring performances to be in discussion to come to Cleveland.

7. The Indians were very excited when they traded for Ramsey on July 30, 2014. He came from St. Louis in exchange for Justin Masterson. In 2014, he split the season between Class AA and Class AAA, hitting .295 (.890 OPS) with 16 HR and 52 RBI. He was ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the rich St. Louis farm system.

8. But Ramsey fell apart at Class AAA Columbus last year, batting .243 (.709 OPS) with 12 HR and 42 RBI. He's 26. It's time for the former 2012 first-round pick (by St. Louis) to pull himself together. His swing looks very long and slow this spring.

9. Another guy with a big, slow swing is Jesus Aguilar. He is batting .214 with 1 HR and 5 RBI. He has struck out 9 times in 28 at-bats. Aguilar's failure to develop as a right-handed hitter is why the Indians have brought in veteran free agents Marlon Byrd, Mike Napoli and others.

10. I watched Austin Adams throw 1 2/3 innings. His fastball is in the middle 90s. He has allowed three runs in 7-2/3 innings this spring, striking out seven. He was 2-0 with a 3.78 ERA for the Tribe last season, making five ... FIVE ... trips between Cleveland and Columbus. I like him as a middle reliever.

11. Stats that matter: Yan Gomes hitting .320 with 3 HR. He had a miserable time at the plate last year after suffering an April knee injury. Gomes can be a right-handed power bat. Gomes ripped 21 HR in 2014, but only 12 in 2015.

12. I hope these stats don't matter: Josh Tomlin has been hit hard a few times. Tomlin was knocked around for 10 hits in 3-1/3 innings in Friday's game. Somehow, he allowed only three runs when surrounded by more runners than a starter at the Cleveland Marathon. For Tomlin this spring, it's 21 hits and 9 earned runs in 11-1/3 innings. Francona said Tomlin is healthy, and perhaps even "feeling too good."

13. Tomlin signed a 2-year, $5.5 million contract extension, and he'll make the team. He was superb coming off shoulder surgery last season with a 7-2 record and 3.02 ERA in 10 starts. He is battling Cody Anderson for the No. 5 starter's spot. If Anderson wins it, Tomlin goes to the bullpen. If Tomlin wins it, Anderson goes to Class AAA.

14. The Indians say Lonnie Chisenhall has a minor forearm problem and he has been taking a few days off. He's batting .048. Francona talked about getting Chisenhall healthy and having him hit well near the close of camp. He is on the team -- out of minor league options. The Tribe loves his glove in right field.

15. I thought Joba Chamberlain threw very well in his scoreless inning. He allowed three runs on March 7. Since then, he has thrown four scoreless innings in four outings. He has an excellent chance to make the team.

Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images