Harris is the third player to announce his transfer from Ohio State this week.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Three transfers in one day.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta announced via a university statement on Tuesday night that freshman guard A.J. Harris has been given permission to transfer from the Buckeyes basketball program.

Harris is the third player to transfer from Ohio State in the last 24 hours. Freshman center Daniel Giddens and freshman forward Mickey Mitchell will also transfer.

"We appreciated what A.J., Daniel and Mickey did for our program as freshmen and we wish them well," Matta said in a statement.

This was the first public comment from Matta since this string of transfers began on Monday night with Giddens. Including guard Austin Grandstaff, who transferred to Oklahoma in December, Ohio State has now lost four of the five members of its 2015 recruiting class.

That class was ranked No. 5 in the country by 247Sports.

Now JaQuan Lyle is the only player remaining. Lyle has said publicly that he intends on being back at Ohio State next year.

In Harris, Mitchell and Giddens the Buckeyes are losing three players on an already short-handed roster. None of the three looked in position to take a starting spot for at least another year, but they would've helped the Buckeyes' depth.

Ohio State does expect its top six scorers to return next season, but outside of that the only other scholarship player currently on the roster is center David Bell. Center Micah Potter and forward Derek Funderburk will join the team this summer as part of the 2016 recruiting class.

The Buckeyes have their eyes on several players to add before next year, too. That includes New Mexico graduate transfer guard Cullen Neal, who will be on campus for a visit next month.

Ohio State's guard situation becomes a little more dire now that Harris is leaving. He was the No. 2 point guard behind Lyle last season, averaging 2.8 points and 1.7 assists per game.

There's a chance that the Indians could open the season with Trevor Bauer, Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin on the same pitching staff.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Trevor Bauer pitched like a man ready to start the regular season Tuesday afternoon when he faced the Angels at Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The question is what role will he be in - starter or reliever?

Bauer, pitching the first game in a split-squad, day-night doubleheader, threw six scoreless innings for the Indians. Bauer, in a game that ended in a 1-1 tie after nine innings, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter. It was his last official start of the Cactus League season.

Last year Bauer led the AL in walks with 79. He was the first Indians' pitcher to do so since Sudden Sam McDowell in 1971. This spring he told reporters that he was concentrating on throwing harder, but it seemed he was working on his control as well. Bauer has four walks and 19 strikeouts in 20 innings.

This was not exactly a dangerous Angels' lineup. Mike Trout and Albert Pujols didn't play. Still Bauer threw a lot of strikes with his fastball and mixed in his curveball when needed. He kept his poise and pitched out of a couple of jams.

Josh Tomlin pitched the nightcap, facing Seattle at Goodyear Ballpark. It was an important start for him and Bauer applied some pressure with his performance against the Angels.

Here's how things seem to be breaking down on the Tribe's pitching staff. There's a good chance Cody Anderson (1-2, 5.50) has moved into the No.4 spot in the rotation, which means Tomlin (0-0, 7.15) and Bauer (1-0, 2.25) are pitching for the fifth spot. The loser will go to the bullpen.

In other words Anderson, Tomlin and Bauer will make the ballclub. Tomlin, who signed a two-year extension with the Indians just before the start of camp, has the most relief experience. Bauer made one relief appearance last year and Anderson has been strictly a starter with the exception of two relief appearances in 2011 at Class A Mahoning Valley.

It was thought that Anderson would open the year at Class AAA Columbus to refine his curveball. He's thrown so well, however, this spring that he's apparently changed some people's minds.

With opening day fast approaching, here are four things we learned about the Indians on Tuesday.

No.1. No help on the way

The Indians could use another outfielder. Veterans David Murphy and Drew Stubbs, who have both done time with the Tribe, are available, but it doesn't sound as if the Indians will sign either one.

No.2. Baby steps.

Prospect Bobby Bradley made his first Cactus League start Tuesday against the Angels. He batted seventh and went 0-for-4. Bradley grounded out, struck out, hit into a double play and flied out to left field with the go-ahead run on second base in the ninth inning.

Not exactly a Roy Hobbs moment, but it was a learning moment. Bradley, 19, hit .269 (108-for-401) with 27 homers and 92 RBI last year at Class A Lake County. He was the a third round pick in 2014 and he will be heard from again.

Manager Terry Francona told reporters after the game that he had a fun talking to Bradley, who was DHing, between innings. He said it was good to get to know him.

No.3. Stop, thief

Catcher Roberto Perez threw out C.J. Cron attempting to steal second in the sixth inning by such a wide margin that one might have thought Cron slipped between first and second base. He didn't.

Not sure if the hit-and-run was on or somebody missed a sign because Cron couldn't have picked a worse pitch to run on - a Bauer fastball right down the middle that Jefry Marte didn't swing at. One more thing, Cron, who isn't a basestealer, couldn't have picked a worse catcher to challenge.

The Indians are in good hands with Yan Gomes and Perez when it comes to controlling the running game.

No.4. Another day, another RBI.

Jose Ramirez supplied the Indians with their only run on a sacrifice fly that scored Perez in the third inning. Perez singled to the hole at short and took second and third on wild pitches.

Ramirez has 13 RBI, which ties him with Francisco Lindor for second place on the team. Mike Napoli leads with 14.

Jose Ramirez's value increasing for Tribe

A running list of players who have announced their intent to transfer from Big Ten basketball programs.

Americans erupt for two first-half goals to move into second place in the group.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Horseshoe is among the nation's most intimidating stadiums for visiting teams.

The best home-field advantage in America, however, lies 1.6 miles west of the fabled Ohio State venue, and has served as an impenetrable fortress for U.S. Soccer during its greatest hours of need.

With its World Cup hopes in jeopardy, the national team returned here to record a resounding 4-0 victory over Guatemala on Tuesday night in a regional qualifier. Veterans Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and Kyle Beckerman played key roles in helping the U.S. regain its equilibrium as the CONCACAF tournament takes leave until September.

The raucous crowd of 20,642 also had its familiar part as the U.S. improved to 8-0-3 all time in Mapfre Stadium, which the Men in Blazers' dubbed "America's Wembley." The home side has outscored the opposition by a combined 19-1 in those 11 matches.

"This stadium and these people have bailed us out on a lot of occasions," said Bradley, the team captain who earned man-of-the-match honors.

"There are certain things that are hard to put a finger on . . . It's a small stadium and the people are right on top of you . . . (It's) a city that in some ways doesn't have a million other things going on and so they love their soccer and they love when the national team comes into town and we feed on that. People maybe underestimate at times what it means to walk onto a field and from the get-go feel the fans' energy and passion. It pushes us through on nights like this."

USA Should play every game in Columbus. American Wembley #GreatSausage dod,dod,dod,

-- Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) March 30, 2016

The Americans entered Tuesday's match desperate for a result following an embarrassing 2-0 loss in Guatemala on Friday to drop their record to 1-1-1 in qualifying. They sat in third place midway through the semifinal qualifying round with just the top two teams advancing.

A setback would have virtually eliminated the U.S. from reaching the 2018 World Cup and perhaps led to the end of the Jurgen Klinsmann era as coach and technical director.

It was a similar scenario four years ago when a reeling U.S. side arrived in Columbus and earned a precious 1-0 qualifying win over Jamaica en route to a World Cup berth. The Americans are 7-0-2 in this venue in qualifiers.

"We needed a big reaction and everybody had that same reaction, that big reaction," said Beckerman, who played a stout defensive game in the midfield on a night Guatemala managed just two shots on goal.

"Be aggressive, high intensity, moving fast. And I think that aggression led to everything else that went good for us."

The Americans scored twice in the first 35 minutes on goals from Dempsey and Cameron and could have gone to break with a three- or four-goal lead. It reversed a disturbing trend that had seen the U.S. surrender the first goal in nine of the previous 11 matches.

"It didn't take much explaining to realize what was at stake," said Bradley,who's sublime free kick set up Cameron's 2-0 goal. "You're going to play games where everything is on the line, where if you lose you are done. That can't scare you."

Graham Zusi and substitute Jozy Altidore added second-half goals on a night Gyasi Zardes tallied a pair of assists and supplied plenty of energy.

The embattled Klinsmann was the most relieved man in the venue as the Americans (2-1-1) moved into second place in the group standings. He walked from the pitch with a broad smile as chants of "USA, USA, USA" echoed around the grounds.

Although the crowd was boisterous it also was about 4,000 under capacity. The combination of high-ticket prices and poor on-field production likely contributed to the unusual sight of so many empty seats.

Klinsmann's pre-game introduction drew a mix of applause and boos. A plane flew over the field prior to the match pulling a banner calling for the German's ouster.

The Americans haven't played well since the last World Cup cycle save for a few impressive friendly wins over Germany and the Dutch. They failed to reach the Gold Cup final and lost a Confederation Cup's playoff game to Mexico.

Nothing, however, would have stung like an early exit from World Cup qualifying. Klinsmann trotted out his fourth different lineup -- the team has been dealing with injuries -- in as many qualifiers. He's been under attack for his constant lineup tinkering. The coach made five changes to the lineup from Friday, inserting Beckerkam among them."

"I let people say whatever they like to say, that's alright with me," Klinsmann said. "Maybe some comments could be a little more respectful, but it is what it is. It's an emotional game."

The Americans resume qualifying play Sept. 2 at St. Vincent and the Grenadines before hosting Trinidad and Tobago on Sept. 6.A 

LeBron James missed his fourth game this season and the Cavaliers blew a 20-point lead in their loss to the Houston Rockets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - So, blowing a 20-point lead is never good.

Whether LeBron James was on the court or not.

That's what the Cavs did at The Q Tuesday, sans James, losing to the Houston Rockets 106-100 after leading by 20 puntos in the third quarter.

The loss dropped Cleveland to 4-13 over the past two seasons without James, and 1-3 this season. James wasn't voted the NBA's MVP last season and won't win the award this season either, but the Cavs' general ineptness without him is evidence that he should receive closer consideration.

These games can be frustrating to watch for Cleveland's faithful, especially those who paid good money to see James at The Q. James has now sat twice at home this season - the last time March 16 against Dallas.

Come to think of it, the Cavs blew a 20-point that night against the Mavericks, too, but survived and eked out a 99-98 victory. They of course weren't so lucky this time.

When Tyronn Lue does this - rest a healthy James - the intent is obvious. Lue and the Cavs' brass want to preserve James for a deep playoff run. Winning in the short term remains a goal, but there are obviously broader objectives.

The Cavs were without James' 25 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. Add those in against the Rockets, and, presumably, Cleveland would be up 3.5 games over Toronto for first place in the East instead of 2.5 games.

Things like getting more playing time for reserves - Lue called it "rhythm" - finding a groove for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and of course getting through another regular-season game with James healthy, are what really matters.

To that end, Irving not only scored a game-high 31 points, but he registered eight assists. The last time James didn't play - Irving only had one assist. Love contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds, but was just 5-of-14 from the field. He'll have to be better than that in the playoffs, even with James on the court.

And then there is Iman Shumpert, who scored 11 points in 35 minutes, starting in place of James. Shumpert scored all of his points in the third quarter and shot 4-of-14 from the field.

This is Shumpert's worst season statistically. Entering Tuesday's game, he was averaging career lows in points (5.6), minutes (24.0), and field-goal percentage (37.6). He hadn't scored in double figures in a game since he reached 12 points on March 5 against Boston.

That Shumpert played extended minutes and eventually found the basket (scoring all 11 in the third quarter means he was shutout at halftime) could bode well for the Cavs in the playoffs.

Like Love, Cleveland will need Shumpert to be better as the playoffs wear on, even with James in the fold.

"We cant not play guys and then get to the playoffs and someone goes down and they don't have any rhythm, or they haven't played in a month or two," Lue said.

Manager Terry Francona, after watching Josh Tomlin strikeout 10 batters in six innings Tuesday night against Seattle, told reporters that he'd make a decision on what roles Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and Cody Anderson would be pitching in come opening day.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It was a good day for pitching, but not one for stomachs that churn when hard decisions have to be made.

Trevor Bauer, on Tuesday afternoon against the Angels in Tempe, Ariz., threw six scoreless innings for the Indians in a 1-1 tie. Last year's American League leader in walks struck out seven and didn't issue a free pass in his best performance of the spring.

A couple hours after that game, Josh Tomlin faced the Seattle Mariners at Goodyear Ballpark. Tomlin, following Bauer's example, threw six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in a 4-1 victory by the Indians.

It was drama in the desert because the Indians' rotation suddenly isn't as cut and dry as it has seemed to be since the start of camp. Hard-throwing Cody Anderson just may have slipped into the No.4 spot, leaving Bauer and Tomlin to decide the fifth spot with the loser going to the bullpen.

When reporters covering the team in Goodyear, Ariz., asked manager Terry Francona if Bauer was going to the bullpen following the win over Seattle, he said "Can we wait until Wednesday?" Francona said the team was going to talk to the three pitchers Wednesday morning.

Francona said that the decision would not be based on how Bauer and Tomlin pitched Tuesday. Managers and general managers are supposed to say that because spring training is a terrible time to make such decisions. But players seldom listen to such logic. Bauer threw down, so did Tomlin.

Francona: team will talk to Anderson, Bauer, Tomlin in morn. Asked if Bauer could be going to 'pen, Tito said: "Can we wait 'til tomorrow?"

-- Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 30, 2016

After his outing Tomlin told reporters that he doesn't care if he's in the rotation or bullpen. He said no one should because the important thing is to pick the 25 players who give the Indians the best chance to win. Still, six scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts by Tomlin after a miserable spring is a statement all by itself.

Josh Tomlin said he doesn't care if he's in the rotation or bullpen. And says it shouldn't matter to anyone--just try to win with best 25.

-- Ryan Lewis (@RyanLewisABJ) March 30, 2016

At the start of camp, Francona said he hoped players forced him and front office to make difficult decisions at the end of camp. Bauer, Tomlin and Anderson have done exactly that.

So while we wait for the final word, and contemplate the meaning of a 14-12-4 Cactus League record, here are five more things we learned about the Indians on Tuesday night.

No.1. Power by Gomes

Maybe the Indians should ship catcher Yan Gomes back to Cleveland right now so he's ready for Monday's season opener against Boston. Knowing all the bad things that can happen to a catcher on one pitch, why take a chance at this point in spring training?

Yan Gomes looking for bounce back season

Gomes drove in three of the Tribe's four runs against Seattle. He had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and hit a two-run homer in the third. He's hitting .279 (12-for-43) with five homers and 10 RBI this spring.

No. 2. Kids night out

The Indians used some of their prospects to fill out the lineup cards in the split squad games. Bobby Bradley DH'd against the Angels. Bradley Zimmer DH'd and Clint Frazier played right field against Seattle.

No room at inn for Zimmer, Frazier

Zimmer doubled and struck out twice in four at-bats. Frazier singled and struck out twice in three at-bats. Shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang made an error to start the fourth, but hit the ball hard in the seventh. Third baseman Yandy Diaz started a nice 5-4-3 double play in the ninth.

No. 3. Life in the pen

Zack McAllister pitched around a leadoff double in a scoreless seventh. Ross Detwiler pitched a scoreless eighth. Dan Otero lost the shutout when he allowed one run on three hits in the ninth. McAllister's job in the pen was guaranteed when he reported to camp. Detwiler and Otero, spring training invitees, just found out they'll open the season in Cleveland.

No. 4. He was good

Tomlin struck out power-hitting Nelson Cruz three times in three at-bats Tuesday. He struck out former teammate Franklin Gutierrez twice in as many at-bats.

"I think we kind of saw it come together tonight," Francona told mlb.com. "He was really good. Down. Crisp. He used his breaking ball. The one time they had something going, when we started out the inning with an error, he pitched around it. That's what Tomlin can do."

Tomlin told reporters that he was finally able to throw his change up and curveball for strikes.

No. 5. Tick tock

Rajai Davis inner clock is getting louder as opening day gets closer. It started with defense against the Dodgers on Thursday as Davis made a couple of nice plays in center field. Now it's starting to carry over to his offense.

Why Rajai Davis signed with Tribe

He had two hits Monday against Oakland and two more Tuesday against Seattle. It's a good thing because with the Indians jumbled outfield, they are going to need his skill and leadership.

Davis is hitting .440 (11-for-25) in his last seven games.

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue has been wildly inconsistent with his plans on how to rest LeBron James and others ahead of the playoffs.

Trevo Ariza swished a three, capping off a 20-point comeback as the Houston Rockets beat the Cavaliers 106-100 Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - With the Cleveland Cavaliers down one point with fewer than 24 seconds remaining in the game, James Harden was trapped and swung the ball to Patrick Beverley, and then Beverley passed it to a wide-open Trevor Ariza in the corner for a trey.

Ariza swished it, capping off a 20-point comeback as the Houston Rockets beat the Cavaliers 106-100 Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

Harden had 27 points, six rebounds and eight assists to lead Houston (37-38).

LeBron James was given the night off for rest purposes. It was his fourth missed game of the season, all due to maintenance and recovery. Although he wasn't in uniform, he was still very much active. When Tristan Thompson crashed to the floor in the second quarter, James raced onto the court to help pick him up.

And as the quarter approached a close, James was side-by-side with head coach Tyronn Lue near the half court line barking defensive orders to his teammates.

It was another valuable opportunity for players who happen to be struggling to play themselves out of it and build continuity. That was happening initially.

Cleveland (52-22) had a 20-point lead late in the second quarter, holding Houston to 5-of-18 (28 percent) second-quarter shooting. Most shots were contested and active hands were constant. When a Rockets player got to the basket for what looked like an easy layup, the ball was swiped out of his hands at the last minute.

The white and red uniforms went into the locker room down 19 at half with heads lowered in disbelief. You knew they would make a run, but not to this extent.

The Rockets trimmed it to 13 at the end of three, but then really made their push by going on a 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to half a dozen.

Cleveland took its foot off the gas and played hesitantly to maintain its lead instead of doing what got it up 20. The ball stopped moving and started sticking, playing right into the Rockets' hands. A Harden driving layup and a Dwight Howard free throw ate some more of the Cavaliers' lead that was now three midway through the fourth.

The Cavaliers proceeded to shoot two consecutive bad, contested shots that clanked off the rim. Michael Beasley capitalized with a transition jumper, and Howard hit another solo free throw to tie the game with 4:03 left on the clock.

Beverley put his team over the top by nailing a wing three to give the Rockets a three-point advantage. That capped an 11-0 run.

Cleveland couldn't stop Houston from scoring so it went to the hack-a-Howard method and it resulted in a 1-for-4 showing.

That plan worked, but the Cavaliers couldn't score the ball and only managed to put up 16 fourth-quarter points to the Rockets' 35.

Kyrie Irving tried his best to will his team to a victory, but he had little help as he ended the night with 31 points and eight assists. Kevin Love didn't score a single point in the fourth quarter, but did finish with 13 points and 11 rebounds on 5-of-14 shooting.

Cleveland shot a terrible 36 percent for the game. That's not going to get it done.

The Rockets are in the midst of clinging onto their playoff lives, entering tonight's game tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They played like they were in a battle in the second half.

Ever since Lue took over as the Cavs' coach in late January, the team's focus has been on pushing the ball and picking up the pace. In many regards, they have succeeded. But in order to reach their full potential in the playoffs, he recognizes their makeup needs to be about getting stops.

"I think our identity has to be defense," Lue said. "I think we have to continue to try to get stops because if we have a defensive identity and we play defense, we can get out and run in transition and that kind of opens up everything for us."

They still need work in that area. The Cavaliers are now 4-13 with James sidelined in the last two seasons. They are now 2 A1/2 games up on the Raptors for the No. 1 seed with eight games remaining in the regular season.

Thompson's participation in this game moved him past Jim Chones (361) for the longest consecutive played-game streak in franchise history. He registered 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

"I think a lot of times when guys are sick or you can be hurt and he still plays through the pain, that means a lot," Lue said. "...For a guy that plays hard like he does and takes the pounding that he does, to play this many games in a row means a lot. It's a tribute to him."

On deck

The second of this two-game homestand is a rematch with the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio. Brooklyn defeated Cleveland 104-95 last Thursday at Barclays Center.

Corey Jones wasn't in the "Fab 5," but he was also LeBron James' friend and teammate in high school and he too isn't living off of James' stardom.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If you attend one of Corey Jones' inspirational speeches at a middle school somewhere across the United States, you'd learn he was once a high school teammate of LeBron James.

But you might have to wait a while.

Jones, 30, was a junior guard for Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High in 2003 when James and his friends won a basketball state championship as seniors.

Jones was not a part of the "Fab 5" at the school -- that group was James, Romeo Travis, Dru Joyce III, Sian Cotton, and Willie McGee. In fact, Jones replaced McGee in the starting lineup in 2003, and had to earn James' respect.

Jones succeeded both in the lineup and as James' friend. But like James' closest high school pals, Jones charted his own life course, rather than try to live of the fame and fortune James has created as an NBA superstar.

He's a motivational speaker, earning roughly $50,000 per year. For a quick comparison, James' current contract with the Cavs is for two years and $47 million.

"It was an unwritten rule, just do your own thing," Jones said in a phone interview with cleveland.com as he drove back from one of his speeches in Salina, Kan. Jones and his wife reside in Westerville, Ohio, near Columbus.

"They grew up with LeBron, competed with him," Jones said, speaking of James' close friends. "They want to compete with him. Maybe it's a pride thing, prove to others they can make it.

"Me, I've had conversations at bars watching games with LeBron, and people leave not knowing I played with him. I think we're all competitive people. We want to be successful and we don't want anything handed to us."

During a game in 2003, St. Vincent-St. Mary's LeBron James pulls down a rebound as teammate Corey Jones looks on against Detroit's Redford Huskies at Cleveland State.Mike Levy, Plain Dealer file 

Jones said he and James became friends through basketball, though they don't keep in touch today. However, Jones is close to a member of James' inner circle, Brandon Weems, who like Jones was a year behind James at St. Vincent-St. Mary and went on to star with Jones at Walsh University after high school.

Jones was a merchandiser for a Columbus distributing company a few years ago when he was drawn into public speaking by his uncle, Jim "Basketball" Jones.

The way Uncle Jim got his nephew in the door at schools was, of course, that Corey Jones was once James' teammate. Now, Jones only uses an anecdote or two from his days with James in speeches, after several minutes.

Like James' close friends, Jones is thrilled for James' success and harbors no jealousy or wish to gain personally from his former teammate's wishes.

But, there are times when Jones merely compares where he and James are in their lives now with where they were in 2003 when they were wearing the same St. Vincent-St. Mary uniform.

"We were buying a $260,000 home, and I looked at my wife and said LeBron will make that much money tonight, and he's going to play about 30 minutes," Jones said. "We had the same (high school) education. We shared pizza. It's not jealousy, just pretty unique, you know? To say you were friends with someone like LeBron."

James makes roughly $23 million for playing basketball this season. Divide that by 82 regular-season games, and it comes out to $280,488 per game.

More than Jones' house in affluent Westerville.

In January of 2003, Corey Jones defends for St. Vincent-St. Mary against Walsh Jesuit.Roadell Hickman, Plain Dealer file 

LeBron James may want to play on the same NBA team with close friends Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, but he wanted his old friends from St. Vincent-St. Mary High to split from him and find their own paths to success.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - We learned last week that LeBron James dreams of one day playing on the same NBA team with his three closest friends in the league: Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul.

For his four best friends from high school, though, James wanted something entirely different.

The "Fab 5" from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary had to split up to achieve success. They weren't welcome to live off of James' stardom. None of them wanted to.

"That was just our friendship," James told cleveland.com. "We all said we would figure it out, do it together, but when it was time to split up, we were going to find our ways.

"We never leaned on nobody. We only leaned on each other for emotional help, but we never leaned on each other for anything that didn't have any substance."

After the uproar caused last week over revelations that James hopes a Big 4 with him, Wade, Paul and Anthony becomes a reality, cleveland.com examined what it means to be James' friend for the people who actually fill the role.

Interviews with not only James, but childhood buddies Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Willie McGee, and Brandon Weems - all members of the St. Vincent-St. Mary 2003 state champion hoops team - were conducted before Bleacher Report's published comments from James about wanting to unite with his three best NBA friends.

REPORT: LeBron would take 'pay cut' to play with Wade, Melo, Paul

But the characterizations of childhood friendships with James support what is now apparent through his relationship with Wade, Anthony, and Paul: James is so fiercely loyal to those close to him, that he'd willingly declare in an interview he wants to join forces with them on an NBA team - knowing full well the controversy it would stir and the potential impact such a union could have on several franchises, including the Cavaliers.

Part of James' support for his childhood friends, though, is the insistence they all shared that each make his own path, rather than live off James' stardom - no matter how difficult or less lucrative.

James would be there to empower, but not enable. For him, it was a matter of principle. For his friends, a matter of personal pride. Each has lived up to his end of the bargain.

"None of those guys ever wanted to live off LeBron," said Dru Joyce II, long-time coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary and father of Joyce III, one of James' oldest friends. "All of them had their own dreams, wanted to chase their own dreams, and I couldn't be more proud of them for that.

"A lot of guys are good friends with an NBA player, and they hang on. That's not our guys, and honestly LeBron respects them more for that too."

The "Fab 5" from St. Vincent-St. Mary is James, Joyce III, Travis, McGee, and Sian Cotton - who'd known each other since they were small children in Akron.

Their friendship was immortalized by the 2009 documentary More Than a Game, which chronicled their run to a state championship in 2003 and traced their friendship back to elementary school.

Weems is a year behind the Fab 5, but his late mother was James' godmother and he was on that 2003 state title team.

SEE: LeBron's game paycheck costs more than ex-teammate's house

James is a four-time NBA MVP and two-time champion. He's worth at least $300 million now, and his earning potential is trending up.

Joyce III and Travis each starred at the University of Akron and have carved for themselves lengthy, successful careers playing professional basketball overseas.

McGee is in his first year as athletic director at the group's alma mater - St. Vincent-St. Mary. Before that, he was an assistant coach at a small college in North Carolina, making $23,000 a year.

Weems is a college scout for the Cavaliers. Yes, those Cavs. James' Cavs. Weems knows how it looks. More on that, later.

Cotton works an undisclosed job in the Akron area and continues to pursue a career in hip-hop music.

"LeBron's life path is his, not ours," said McGee, 32. "We're all strong minded, all strong individuals. We're more than excited about where LeBron and his family is right now, but we understood we had to work hard to get to where we want to be."

In McGee's case, James wrote a letter of recommendation on his behalf when he applied to be athletic director at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Think James' letter carried any weight?

James arranged for both Joyce III (2008) and Travis (2007 and 2008) to try out with the Cavaliers' summer league team. Travis credits James for helping him land a European Nike contract.

Both Weems and Cavs general manager David Griffin insist Weems was hired this season to be a scout because of the relationship the two of them built while Weems was an assistant coach at both Kentucky and Oakland University in Michigan.

But Weems thanks James for getting him in the door at Kentucky as a graduate assistant with coach John Calipari.

Cotton, who first agreed to speak to cleveland.com but then declined to return numerous phone messages and texts, landed one of his rap songs on the video game NBA 2K14 with James' help.

"My guys, they weren't always about the handouts, and that lets me do more for them when they don't ask me," James said.

The difference between empowering and enabling is important for James and his friends.    

"LeBron's not the kind of guy to live off of," said Travis, 31, a former MVP in Israel and the Philippines who's playing this season for Le Mans Sarthe Basket in France. "He's not a guy who is going to hand you anything. He wants you to be able to take him out to dinner."

"LeBron's the type that, if you're just sitting around, he's really not going to do a whole lot for you," added Weems, 29.

Weems earned $53,000 his first year as an assistant at Oakland and $79,000 his second. He was a member of Calipari's staff when Kentucky won a national championship in 2012.

Before McGee took a job as an assistant coach at Chowan University in North Carolina, he was making about $27,000 in Akron working as a case manager for at-risk youths and as a part-time high school basketball coach.

Travis and Joyce III both earn very comfortable livings as pros in Europe - pulling in six figures - but forging careers overseas can be difficult. Players typically play on one-year contracts. It's more common to not only switch teams, but countries from season to season.

Joyce III, 31, is the German league's all-time leader in assists -- a testament not only to his considerable skills, but also his unique staying power.

See: Dru Joyce III is Germany's top assists man

Travis' career -- remember, he's a two-time MVP -- was almost cut short in his first pro season, when he was released by teams in both Spain and Mexico as a 22-year-old. He returned home and re-enrolled at the University of Akron. It was Joyce III, not James, who got Travis back into the European leagues, linking Travis up with Joyce's German team.

"I never thought about hitching my wagon to LeBron's," Travis said. "When all that happened, I went back to school. I was going to exhaust all possibilities, then ask for help. LeBron's not my first step, he's my last."

None of James' friends runs from his relationship with the Cavs' superstar, either. They call it a "blessing" - something that "has afforded me opportunities others may not have gotten," according to McGee.

Weems even says "if there's an opportunity down the line for us all to be together, then that will be great," though their careers don't seem to be converging now.

James, with a massive business portfolio, has a growing footprint in Hollywood. Travis is going in with another of James' close friends, Frankie Walker, on a clothing store in Akron. Walker and James were business partners in starting a clothing line in south Florida.

Joyce III has started his own summer basketball camp. He could be a coach.

Weems, it appears, is heading for fulfilling work in an NBA front office. Cotton has released several music singles.

Maybe James buys an NBA team one day and fills the top spots (GM, coach, VP of entertainment, etc) with his friends? But it would only happen if they all thought it a good idea.

Think of the relationship this way.

James, of course, is very, very rich. He had a small group of close friends when he was young.

Today, he's a producer of a TV show called Survivor's Remorse, a comedy about a superstar basketball player and the responsibility he feels to share his wealth and fame with the people close to him since childhood.

But that's just TV fiction, and not James' reality. Why?

"They lessen the burden on me, for sure, because we all have our own grind," James said.

Cleveland sports fans wonder about RG3's pocket presence, Collin Cowgill's chances with the Indians and whether the Cavs are an accident waiting to happen in the postseason -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

The Buckeyes coach isn't happy with where the receivers are, and he had strong ideas on the use of the word "potential." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Somewhere between the three NFL receivers the Buckeyes played last season and the infamous "clown show" that Urban Meyer found at the receiver position when he arrived at Ohio State lies the 2016 group of receivers.

There is little experience. There is much potential.

Just don't remind Meyer of that.

"After you've been here six months," Meyer said Tuesday, "if you're tagged with the term, 'you have a lot of potential,' that's really a bad thing. That means you're not very good, but you should be.

"And I do see that."

(Sorry young guys. Was thinking the boss might throw some praise your way with my question. He wasn't buying it.)

Watching the Buckeyes in practice right now when it comes to their passing game can often prove to be an exercise in futility. As Meyer said before and repeated again Tuesday, what he considers to be the top three OSU targets are all completely sidelined for spring practice by serious injury.

That's sophomore Noah Brown, recovering from a broken leg at an outside receiver spot ...

On Noah Brown's recovery

Sixth-year senior Corey Smith, who earned an extra year of eligibility after tearing his ACL last season at another outside receiver spot ...

And H-back Curtis Samuel, with the junior out after foot surgery but figuring to play a major role in the offense either as a receiver, running back or both.

Curtis Samuel's fixed foot

So you watch what the Buckeyes are throwing out there at practice in the receiver group. And you go from raising your eyebrows at what could be, to shaking your head at what is, especially after a drill Tuesday started with three drops.

From true freshman Austin Mack, who enrolled early and is making a name for himself very quickly; to converted quarterback Torrance Gibson and his 6-4 frame; to senior Dontre Wilson, who has tantalized coaches and fans for three seasons; to players who have been around and battled injuries like James Clark and Johnnie Dixon, the Buckeyes have plenty of options.

Options with ... uh ... potential.

This for an offense that both Meyer and quarterback J.T. Barrett have said will throw the ball more compared to a year ago. I reminded Meyer of that as well Tuesday. At some point, the potential transition to something more has to take place if that offensive idea is going to come true in five months.

"We're going to have to. We're going to have to," Meyer said of developing the receivers to play that way. "It was a long hard conversation today that has to happen.

"It's not happened yet."

There's time. Ohio State is just six practices into the 15 that will take place this spring. Then there's the entire preseason camp in August.

Here's the thing. 

If this goes well, the receivers this season could be better than the receivers last season.

Michael Thomas (56 catches, 781 yards) is a potential first-round NFl Draft pick, but he was underused in 2015. It's a high bar, but in my mind that's the kind of player Noah Brown could be this season, but maybe more athletic. And I think Thomas is really good.

Jalin Marshall (36 catches, 477 yards) was a fine player but far from irreplaceable. Mack or Gibson or Dixon or someone like that could scare defenses more.

Braxton Miller (26 catches, 341 yards) in his first year as a receiver was more potential (there's that word) than performance last season. I argued a year ago Samuel might be better, and between Samuel, Wilson and K.J. Hill this season, the H-back could and should be more involved in the offense.

So watch this group. Watch them even as it eats away at Meyer to do it.

"We have some guys with potential," Meyer said. "That's not a positive. That means we have guys that have gifts but we're not using them. Either we're not coaching them properly or they're not executing properly. 

"Potential is kind of a neat word for the first three or four months. Then after six months if you hear, 'That guy's got potential,' it's another way or saying he's not very good, or he doesn't care. 

"And that's not a good word to have."

Michael Reghi, Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe discuss why the Cleveland Indians won't make the playoffs this season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's no Sports Illustrated cover jinx for the Cleveland Indians this season. That won't be the team's undoing. 

What will? Anything? Or is this the year for the Tribe to make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2013?

Michael Reghi, Dan Labbe and I played fill-in-the-blank about the Indians. The Indians will not make the playoffs because _____. Take a look at our answers above.

Also, check out the other video, as we discuss why they will make the playoffs.

The Indians will make the playoffs because...

A video Russell recorded of teammate Nick Young surfaced on a celebrity gossip site.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Just a few weeks ago, D'Angelo Russell was making a name for himself in the NBA.

Back in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers, the former Ohio State star was flourishing and looked like he was on his way to becoming an NBA star. That can still happen, but now Russell is making news for another reason.

Russell is in hot water with his Lakers teammates now after a video of teammate Nick Young, which Russell secretly recorded in a hotel room, found its way onto a celebrity gossip site. In the video Young, who is engaged to popular rapper Iggy Azalea, talks about having relationships with other women.

Now Russell is being ostracized by his Lakers teammates for what they view as a breach of locker room trust. ESPN was the first to report the story and has the full details here.

There's been no reason given for why Russell recorded the video. Maybe it was a prank gone wrong. Maybe he had more nefarious intentions. Doesn't matter. The video is out and now Russell has a serious mess to clean up. These are the kind of trust issues that can hang over Russell in Los Angeles and follow him wherever else he might go in his NBA career.

It's also a sign of something that's always been a concern for the Lakers since drafting Russell No. 2 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.

"D'Angelo is sometimes 20 going on 14," a person familiar with the situation told the Los Angeles Times. "They've all been trying to prank each other this season. This was a stupid prank."

That was always going to be the thing that held Russell back in the early stages of his career. He no doubt has the skill to become a star in the league, but it's about more than skill.

It's a problem any young rookie in any sport encounters, learning how to handle yourself in that kind of public spotlight without the kind of supervision you get in college. Even if Russell was just joking around with a teammate, it backfired and now there are serious repercussions for him and possibly for the personal relationship of one of his teammates.

Now that we know the Lakers are shunning D'Angelo Russell, this vine is amazing https://t.co/Pa9JjpVdjE

AC/AA BuckeyesNews (@BuckeyesNews) March 30, 2016

Russell has never been one to shy away from his thoughts on something. So expect him at some point to speak on this. But keep in mind that what Russell says may not always be well thought out. This action clearly wasn't.

Why are we mad if D-Lo didn't post it himself? He clearly got hacked. I see no violation of "Man Code" if he did not do it himself

-- Darron Lee (@DLeeMG8) March 30, 2016

...BUT, the video should not have existed to begin with

-- Darron Lee (@DLeeMG8) March 30, 2016

Russell made news back in Columbus a few weeks ago when he criticized the work ethic of some former Ohio State teammates in a Bleacher Report article. Thad Matta said that he and Russell spoke about the comments, and that Russell said he was misquoted.

He likely wasn't. He just wasn't thinking about what he was saying, even if it was true.

Not thinking gets you into trouble sometimes.

And Russell isn't going to live this down any time soon.

The internet the most ruthless thing out there beware of it lol #NoOnesSafe

a Eli Apple (@EliApple13) March 30, 2016

After legal issues prevented him from signing his National Letter of Intent on National Signing Day, DE Auston Robertson signed with Michigan State on Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fort Wayne (Ind.) four-star DE Auston Robertson officially signed his National Letter of Intent to Michigan State on Wednesday.

It's over with [?] [?] [?] [?]

-- CallMeAus (@auston_robertsn) March 30, 2016

Robertson, the No. 101 overall player according to 247Sports.com, did not sign on National Signing Day after he was charged with misdemanor battery in January.

He entered into a diversionary program earlier this month and can have his charges dropped within a year.

Robertson originally committed to Michigan State in June.

The Indians have relocated Trevor Bauer to the bullpen as it announced its 2016 Opening Day roster. Cody Anderson will be the club's No. 4 starter. Josh Tomlin claimed the fifth spot.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- All spring, Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin battled for a spot in the Indians' rotation for Opening Day 2016. Turns out, both hurlers earned a starting gig.

The Indians have relocated Trevor Bauer to the bullpen. Anderson will be the club's No. 4 starter. Tomlin claimed the fifth spot.

Anderson reported to spring training in great shape. He spent the majority of the offseason -- when he wasn't recovering from an emergency appendectomy -- at the Indians' complex in Goodyear, Arizona.

The right-hander posted a 5.50 ERA, with 15 strikeouts in 18 innings. He routinely threw his fastball in the mid-90s throughout the spring.

Tomlin logged a 4.67 ERA during the exhibition schedule. He surrendered 24 hits in 17 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .338 off of him. He walked three and fanned 19.

Tomlin saved his best for last, as he blanked the Mariners through six innings on Tuesday evening. He allowed three hits, didn't walk a batter and he struck out 10.

Bauer also fared well on Tuesday, as he tossed six scoreless innings against the Angels. He allowed seven hits, didn't issue a free pass and he racked up seven strikeouts. He finished the spring with a 2.25 ERA, with four walks and 19 strikeouts in 20 innings.

"We know that each one of those six [starters] is going to make meaningful starts for our team at some point this year," Chris Antonetti, the Indians' president of baseball operations, told reporters. "To start the season, this is the way we felt was best for the team. Building on the success that Josh and Cody both had in the second half of last season and what they were able to carry forward in the offseason and this spring led us down this path."

Antonetti said he passed along that same message to Bauer. Tribe manager Terry Francona said he understands if Bauer wasn't pleased to hear the news. Bauer did not speak with reporters on Wednesday.

"I wouldn't be happy if I was him today," Francona said. "I don't blame him for that. What's important is handling it and moving on as a team. That's part of why we're here, not just to deliver bad news, but to put the best team we can on the field and also to be there when guys need help."

Bauer made one bullpen appearance last season, the only one of his career. Overall, he went 11-12 with a 4.55 ERA. He tallied 170 strikeouts in 176 innings, but he also led the league with 79 walks.

"We still expect him to make a meaningful number of starts for us this year," Antonetti said. "When that happens, we're not exactly sure. He's going to be a big part of our team. It'll just start in the bullpen."

Following his outing on Tuesday, Bauer told reporters his "stuff is good. Body feels good."

Bauer aimed to amp up his velocity this spring, especially with his cutter.

"I wanted to throw that hard," he said, "throw a lot of strikes and feel what it's like to compete again and I feel like I've been able to accomplish all of that, so I'm in a good spot."

As for what his role would be, Bauer didn't seem concerned with the options at hand.

"They tell me when to pitch and I go pitch," he said.

As a reliever, he'll have to revise his pre-start routine, which included a session of long toss that spanned the entire width of the outfield.

"I don't see anybody down there not being used in a meaningful role," Francona said. "Trevor gets left-handers out. He has an arm that's really resilient. Guys morph into roles at the season progresses. He's not going out there to sit."

The Indians will carry 13 pitchers on their Opening Day roster. They don't necessarily need a fifth starter -- unless they want to give their starters some extra rest in the early going -- on a regular basis in the first month or so of the season. The club has five off-days in the first 28 days of the year.

The Opening Day bullpen will include seven right-handers and only one lefty: Ross Detwiler, who has spent part of his career as a starter.

Of course, the roster will undergo changes during April. Right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall is expected back during the second week of the schedule. Left fielder Michael Brantley could return during the season's first month as well. Tribe manager Terry Francona told reporters on Wednesday that Brantley would resume his hitting program on Friday. Chisenhall, Brantley and reliever Tommy Hunter will open the season on the disabled list.

Can Bauer, Tomlin and Anderson fit on the staff?

Roster

Manager: Terry Francona

Note: Brantley, Chisenhall and Hunter will begin the season on the disabled list.

Take a look at all the Browns starting quarterbacks in one GIF, plus Hue Jackson's tough job and Robert Griffin III.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Much has been made of the Cleveland Browns history of starting quarterbacks. Some idiot even went to the Muni Lot last season to see if tailgaters could name all of the starters since 1999.

This is life for the Browns and, to paraphrase Jimmy Haslam, until the team starts winning, they're going to get made fun of.

Which brings us to this:

The Browns' QB Factory of Sadness, visualized in one GIF. AKA, the saddest GIF ever made. https://t.co/oBJiWHzEGp pic.twitter.com/tEaJKebyjC

-- Eric Orvieto (@eorvieto) March 29, 2016

Yes, that's a GIF of every Browns starting quarterback (including RG3, even though he hasn't started a game yet) since 1999. Mind you, it's not just a boring GIF. It highlights every starter, when they started and takes care to circle back to the quarterbacks with multiple starting stints. It even highlights the text at the top in case you're having trouble keeping up.

This is impressive work, especially when you consider the best GIF I can make is this one:

Dan Labbe, Cleveland.com 

More links

So many questions, so little time for Hue Jackson to solve Browns QB puzzle (Sporting News)

Browns following same old path by signing Robert Griffin III (ESPN.com)

Cleveland Indians: Terry has questions about the upcoming baseball season.

The American League could be a crapshoot. Where do the Indians fit into the equation? Can the Royals repeat? Can the Cubs break the curse? Here are the answers.

Ohio State released two spring football highlight videos on Wednesday. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State is looking to identify playmakers on defense this spring, among other things. Guys who can make extraordinary plays on that side of the ball can win starting jobs.

Jerome Baker is in a fight for an outside linebacker spot right now with Chris Worley. Plays like one-handed interceptions during live scrimmages could go a long way in helping him.

Ohio State released two spring highlight videos on Wednesday: One from the first day of spring ball on March 8, which you can see below. The other is from last Saturday, March 26, when the Buckeyes held a scrimmage at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. You can watch that one above. The Baker interception comes around the one-minute mark.

Something else you see in both videos: A lot of passing.