A Browns QB has started all 16 games in a season only once since 2000.

BEREA, Ohio - Hue Jackson named Robert Griffin III the Browns' starting quarterback on Monday, ending the suspense where there really was none.

Griffin, who has taken all the first-team reps in camp, will be the team's 25^th starting quarterback since 1999, and he will get his first NFL start since 2014. But Browns fans know well that the team's starter in Week 1 is rarely the team's starter in Week 16.

No Browns quarterback has started all 16 games since 2001 when Tim Couch did it. A couple quarterbacks have managed to start 15 games (Derek Anderson in 2007, Brandon Weeden in 2012), but going wire-to-wire has seemingly become a thing of the past.

Robert Griffin III named Browns starting QB

Since 2000, every NFL team has had a quarterback start all 16 games in a season more than once, except the Browns. Indianapolis, New England and the New York Jets have done it 14 times. Chicago and Tennessee are just above the Browns with two seasons each.

Will Griffin accomplish it?

Check out the poll below and let us know how many games you expect Griffin to start this season. Explain the reasoning behind your vote in the comments section below.

Even in times of great change, the printed word still preserves the memory of our times.

Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, left, and one of his mentors, the retired Bill Millsaps of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The day before the 1989 World Series began, a rental car pulled up to a hotel in Oakland, and one of the passengers opened the door. I walked toward it, peered inside and saw seated there some of the greatest sportswriters in the country.

The Los Angeles Times' Jim Murray was there, along with the Dallas Morning News' Blackie Sherrod and the Miami Herald's Edwin Pope. At the wheel was the sportswriter who was one of my mentors, the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch's Bill Millsaps.

I was someone who grew up with newspapers, who would go to the newsstand in Philadelphia when I worked there and buy the New York papers and the Washington papers as well as the Inquirer's Philly competition and read them all. I would buy newspapers in airports before taking a flight and leave them in the seatback pocket in front of me after ransacking them.

Sometimes, I unwittingly wore them. "That man read his paper, but him doesn't know ink is all over him's hands and face," a mother once said in baby talk to her toddler, nodding at me.

Hard times

When I sat down in the car, I knew enough to be quiet and soak up the stories. The men in the car were newspaper lifers, men who had known the Great Depression, some of whom had been to war. Sherrod once said that, among other things he learned in the Navy was that the officers' mess was a hell of a lot better than the crews'."

They had all worked hard, with a concentrated commitment to excellence at their craft. We drove over the Bay Bridge to San Francisco for dinner. Part of the bridge collapsed in the earthquake that was soon to disrupt the World Series. In all, the quake killed scores and injured thousands.

At least the meal at a Mission district restaurant was admirals' mess in quality.

Good times

Although shadows were gathering over newspapers even then, they still got to go to distant stadiums, and arenas, "glad places," as New York sports columnist Jimmy Cannon called them. It was a break life owed them. Just getting by had been so grim and hard for so long for most of them that that they wanted to have fun.

There was a lot of alcohol-infused fun going around in those days. But the famous "inside newspaper" stories about writers in their cups did not pertain to those writers. The stories are memorable, however, such as the admonition one besotted writer blearily (and, surely, apocryphally) gave to his copy desk in a phone call after covering the Army-Navy game: "Change all Army's to Navy."

Television had already changed journalism greatly, but the printed word still mattered most, because it could explain in greater depth what happened in a game that television could only show viewers. The sports section was the final word. My father never considered a game to be officially over until he read Sherrod's column on it.

The men in that San Francisco restaurant had no corner on superb writing, though.

The written memory

When I was researching my book "George Steinbrenner's Pipe Dream"  on the Cleveland Pipers basketball team, I spent many hours reading the Cleveland Press's coverage of the team on microfilm at the Cleveland State library.

I discovered Frank Gibbons, Jack Clowser and Bob Sudyk. The latter graciously opened his Pipers files for me for the book. I enjoyed the work of a younger Bob August than the elegant writer at the Lake County News-Herald whom I knew.

Like the men in the car, it was their words - and those of their Plain Dealer competitors -- that were posted on refrigerator doors with magnets. It was their sports pages, yellowing and crinkled, that were saved in closets and in garages.

Even today, amid hard times for newspapers, a permanent record still matters, as witness the huge number of reprints The Plain Dealer made of the Cavs' NBA championship edition and the sales of the souvenir coffee table book, "Won for All," by Cleveland.com and Plain Dealer reporters and photographers.

Most of the men I mentioned are either dead or retired now. That is why it was so enjoyable having dinner Sunday with the retired Millsaps, who was in Ohio for the wedding of his grandson, in Central Ohio.

We will all always be linked, not by a url, but by printer's ink and newsprint, as we typed on deadline the first draft of indelible memories.

Salazar owns an 11-4 record with a 3.38 earned-run average. He struck out 133 batters this season before being placed on the DL last Monday with right elbow inflammation. Get to know Salazar in this 60-second video. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Even though Indians pitcher Danny Salazar is on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation, there's no doubt that he has established himself as one of the best young pitchers in baseball this season.

Salazar, 26, was selected for last month's All-Star Game, joining Tribe shortstop Francisco Lindor, and was one of the best starters in the league in the first half of the campaign.

The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, owns an 11-4 record with a 3.38 earned-run average. He struck out 133 batters this season before being placed on the DL last Monday.

Get to know Salazar in this 60-second video created by the Indians, and follow along this month for more players' Indians Spotlight videos. 

Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor was blindsided by Vikings guard Alex Boone saying of him, "I hated everything about him.''

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor said he was surprised to hear that his former Ohio State teammate Alex Boone slammed him during a radio interview last week.

Boone, native of Lakewood, Ohio, and guard for the Vikings, was running through the list of quarterbacks he blocked for at Ohio State, including fellow Cleveland native Troy Smith.

"Unfortunately I had Terrelle Pryor, too," Boone said on KFAN in Minnesota. "I could not stand any minute with him.

"The kid was so arrogant at the time. I hated everything about him."

Pryor was blindsided by the remarks.

"I heard about that,'' Pryor said. "I don't know where that came from. I don't know.''

Did he know Boone felt that way?

"You know, when you're young, and you guys know this, all of us -- when you're young, you're different,'' Pryor said. "You act different. Your mind's wired completely different. I'm 18 years old meeting this guy. I wish him well and that's all I've got to say.''

#Browns Pryor on ex-#OSU teammate Alex Boone saying on radio Pryor was "arrogant" & he "hated every minute of him" pic.twitter.com/rUHAHUFAqi

-- Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 8, 2016

Boone, of course, was a lot different too. He admits that his alcohol problem nearly cost him his career.

"I'm from Cleveland. I come from an Irish family,'' he said. "I was very immature. Looking back, I was very, very immature and I'm glad I woke up."

Boone also apparently didn't know that Pryor is a receiver for the Browns.

"He's still playing?" he asked.

I'm a firm believer if you got a problem you say it to a man face not behind back! Guess everyone isn't brought up the same !

— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor) August 8, 2016

The remarks came just before Pryor played at Ohio Stadium Saturday for the first time since his five-year ban for memorabilia was lifted in July.

He owned the day, catching six of the seven passes thrown his way, including touchdowns of 5 and 75 yards.

Terrelle Pryor electric again at Ohio Stadium

Haden was activated off of the PUP list on Monday and returned to practice. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- One of the most difficult chapters of Joe Haden's career is finally over, just as the Browns get set to start a new chapter this week. 

Haden, who last played on November 1 of last season in a loss to Arizona, was activated off of the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Monday and was expected to practice for the first time this training camp. 

Last season was a rough one for the Pro Bowl cornerback. He struggled early in the season and then suffered a concussion in a Week 5 win over Baltimore. He had already come under fire for sitting out the team's loss in San Diego with a broken finger. He missed two games before returning against Arizona, then didn't play again thanks to a concussion suffered against the Cardinals. 

As if all of that wasn't enough, Haden underwent ankle surgery in the offseason, leaving his timetable for returning by the start of the season in doubt. 

"I never really went through any type of adversity like this playing football," Haden said back in May. "It's always kind of been pretty good. Just being able to go through something like this, it definitely brings a newfound respect, a newfound love, passion." 

Now, Haden will have the chance to work his way back onto the field and play in a defense that helped him make his first Pro Bowl in 2013, led by defensive coordinator Ray Horton. 

"I'm super excited," Haden said. "Being able to sit in all the meetings, just re-going over it, it clicked back soon as (Horton) started telling it. No different calls or anything like that. I know all the calls, know all the checks, so now I'm just waiting to get down the plays." 

Haden said he's not sure when he'll be able to start participating in team activities, saying he's just doing whatever the coaching staff will let him. 

"I think they're doing a really good job of just taking their time," he said. "I think a lot of it is precautionary, just making sure there is no rush to get back right now, just trying to get back as soon as possible whenever I'm ready to go they'll put me back in there." 

Ultimately his goal is to still get back by the season opener on September 11 in Philadelphia but said playing in the preseason would be "sweet." 

The Browns coaching staff is counting on Haden, now in his seventh season out of Florida, as one of the team's leaders during yet another time of upheaval. Haden said it's difficult to lead when he can't get out on the field, but he embraced his role as more of a vocal leader. 

"I don't want to be like a rah-rah guy on the sideline," he said. "Just being able to coach them, if I see them doing something off or the alignment or anything that I would call when I was out there, I would let them know, when you see this, you'll want to call that. Just being able to teach them and tell them from my experience and I think they really like that a lot." 

He's also looking forward to helping out the team's receivers once he's back on the field. 

"Being able to go against (Corey Coleman), being able to see the strides (Terrelle Pryor)  has made," Haden said, "when Josh (Gordon) gets back -- just being able to go against our receiving corps -- if they can beat me, they can beat a lot of dudes." 

Coleman is looking forward to going against Haden, too. 

"Me and Joe are really close," Coleman said, "and I'm excited that he's back out there and 100 percent -- or, I believe he's 100 percent healthy -- and he's ready to roll." 

Haden hopes that he'll be able to slow down what has so far been a big-play offense this camp. 

"They've been throwing that thing over our heads a couple times," Haden said. "I definitely want to rush in there to see how they'll do against me." 

----- 

Follow me: on Twitter | on Facebook | Snapchat username: djlobster 

Robert Griffin III will be the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback in 2016.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cinesport called to ask about Robert Griffin III having been named Cleveland Browns starter.

We also talked about Griffin's backup, Josh McCown.

See all of the cleveland.com Ohio Super 25 football teams before the start of the 2016 season. Check back each day as a new team is unveiled.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The countdown to the No. 1 team in cleveland.com's Ohio Super 25 is under way. The preseason rankings for the state's top teams, regardless of division, continues each day until the No. 1 team is announced Thursday, Aug. 25.

Here are the teams featured so far in the Super 25. Click the links below to learn more about each one.

No. 18 Upper Arlington

No. 19 Olentangy Liberty

No. 20 Hudson

No. 21 St. Ignatius

No. 22 St. Vincent-St. Mary

No. 23 Hilliard Davidson

No. 24 Springboro

No. 25 Columbus Bishop Hartley

Every day since July 5, we previewed 50 teams from all across Ohio who were contenders for a spot in the Super 25. (See the full list here)

Robert Griffin III is grateful to be starting for the Browns after being demoted to third-string last season in Washington. "The sky's the limit,'' he said of the Browns. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- When Robert Griffin III was toiling as a safety on the Redskins scout team last season and standing on the sidelines in streetclothes for all 16 games, he had to wonder if this moment might ever happen: being named a starting quarterback again.

"Everything that you go through in life, it's a lesson,'' Griffin said. "It's up to you if you decide to use that lesson in a positive or a negative way. Since I got here, I've been real thankful for just the opportunity because they don't come around that often and when you get one, you've got to seize it.''

Griffin, 26, was named the Browns starting quarterback on Monday, four years after the club offered to ship three first-round draft picks to the Rams to move up to No. 2 to get him and were beat out in those sweepstakes by the Redskins.

He'll be the No. 25 quarterback to start a game for the Browns since 1999 -- and they're hoping they don't have see No. 26 for a long time.

"There's no sense of relief,'' said Griffin. "You come out every day for an opportunity, thankful to a coach that believes in me. I'm thankful to my teammates that they believe in me. You just get ready for today's practice, go out and get ready for Green Bay."

Although the Redskins gave up on him last season, he didn't let it destroy him. In fact, he's repeated his familiar refrain here many times: no pressure, no diamonds.

"You should never doubt,'' he said. "There's a quote out there that says, 'if you don't believe, who will?' I'm thankful for my teammates and coach (Hue) Jackson, Sashi (Brown) and all these guys for believing me as a player and giving me an opportunity."

The 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Griffin acknowledged that his struggles in Washington, where he was demoted to third-string behind Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy, could've broken a lesser man.

"When you're going through tough times or going over hurdles in life, you always have to realize those who don't give up are the ones that end up winning in the end,'' he said.

RG3 as the Browns starter: 5 reasons it could work

Jackson, who believes that Griffin's best days are ahead of him, noted the hard work has only just begun. The former Heisman Trophy winner and Baylor product has excelled in practice, but he hasn't gotten hit yet. That will begin Friday when the Browns open the preseason in Green Bay, and that's always been the knock on Griffin -- that he struggles to make decisions quickly enough and get rid of the ball. He's held on too long, taken too many sacks and has been reluctant to slide and throw it away.

"It's now on Robert to show the organization and our fans that this is the right decision,'' said Jackson. "I've been crystal clear on what we expect from Robert. He fully understands the responsibility and I feel he is ready to handle this role.

"He played the way a quarterback has to play. He did it flawlessly. He did everything I asked him to do. He's continued to do a great job. But he's got to continue to get better, too."

Jackson acknowledged he's 'tickled pink' by the thought of what Griffin can do this year.

"I know what he's capable of doing,'' he said. "I know what our offense is capable of doing. We've just got to do it consistently every day.''

Jackson, who will take advantage of Griffin's dual-threat ability, has surrounded the former Pro Bowler with everything he needs to be successful: a load of weapons in Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon and Terrelle Pryor, Gary Barnidge and others; a running game; and good protection.

"It's all about the quarterback,'' said Jackson. "Our football team is driven by the quarterback, so everything we do on offense is about the quarterbacks. It's not about the running backs, it's not about the line, it's about the quarterback.

"How do we make him successful? Because  we all know if the quarterback plays well, then the team normally plays very well.''

Griffin, however, deflected attention to the rest of the team. He learned the hard way in Washington how important that is.

"It's not about what's within my reach,'' he said. "It's about this team and the sky's the limit.''

Griffin 'beat out' Josh McCown, Cody Kessler and Austin Davis, but it wasn't really 'an open competition' like Jackson promised it would be. Griffin took all the first-team reps in camp and his status as the No. 1 was never in doubt. The contest was effectively over when Jackson announced on the eve of camp that he'd name his starter before the first preseason game.

Likewise, Jackson will not have Griffin on a short leash.

"I don't see any reason to right now,'' he said. "When I make a choice, I stand behind it. And my job is to create the right environment for him to be the best he can be, along with the rest of our coaches. That's what we're committed to. he has to do the work, but we've made a commitment to him and he's got to go make it right.''

LeBron James will play at home on Christmas for just the fourth time in his career when the Cavs host the Golden State Warriors at The Q on Dec. 25.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers and Warriors will again play in the NBA's marquee slot on Christmas, this time at The Q.

For the second consecutive year, Cleveland and Golden State will engage in a rematch of the previous season's Finals, a source confirmed to cleveland.com. ESPN was first to report.

The Cavs, who pulled off the largest comeback in Finals history in June by recovering from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors for the franchise's first championship, will be the home team on Christmas -- perhaps the NBA's most important day from a viewing perspective during the regular season. The game will be at 5 p.m.

The NBA's full 2016-17 schedule will be released some time this week or next week, so stay tuned as to whom Cleveland's opponent will be when the season starts at The Q and the Cavs raise their banner and get their rings.

The Cavs-Warriors Christmas tilt carries a little extra sizzle, of course, because of the Golden State's signing of Kevin Durant after the 2016 Finals.

Durant, who left Oklahoma City as a free agent to create what many consider a "super team" on the Warriors with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, made them a prohibitive favorite to win the 2017 Finals even though Cleveland is defending champ.

For LeBron James, the three-time champion and Cavs leader who as of today remains a free agent (he's going to re-sign with Cleveland at some point), this will be his 11th game on Christmas in what will be his 14th pro season.

This will be just the fourth time he's played at home on the holiday. His teams are 7-3 on Christmas, having lost in each of the last two seasons -- in Miami in 2014 and last year to the Warriors.

According to ESPN, the Warriors will host Duran't old team in November and travel to Oklahoma City for Duran't homecoming in February. 

Curry and his father, former Cavaliers sharpshooter Dell Curry, golfed with President Barack Obama on Martha's Vineyard Monday, according to a White House pool report.

As for James, he posted two pictures to his Instagram account, both of him wearing a hat with a caricature of Kermit the Frog wearing a Cavs jersey and kissing the Larry O'Brien trophy.

James said he posted the second one because: "actually I like this one better because I'm as happy as can be. Well I'm always happy actually!"

Actually like this one better because I'm as happy as can be! Well I'm always happy actually!

A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Aug 8, 2016 at 12:39pm PDT

It sounds as if Michael Brantley's comeback from surgery on his right shoulder has stalled again. The Indians, meanwhile, have no choice but to hit the stretch run of the season without him.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Michael Brantley's comeback from surgery on his right shoulder has apparently stalled again, which means the Indians will continue to do what they've been doing for most of the season - play without one of their best players.

Brantley, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum in November, recently underwent a procedure to break up scar tissue along his right biceps tendon. It initially eased the discomfort in Brantley's swing that has limited him to 11 games this season, but apparently he still can't generate enough pain-free force with the bat to be effective.

The Indians' plans don't change much because of Brantley's latest setback. For about the last two months they've been playing with the idea that whatever they can get from him will be a bonus. They will continue to do so for the final 53 games of the season.

Still, in the long view of the season, offense hasn't been the Indians' problem. They rank second in the AL in runs scored behind Boston. In fact, until July the Indians have sailed on surprisingly smooth seas.

They're still in first place in the AL Central at 62-47 with a two-game lead over Detroit. While the Indians were off Monday, the Tigers played a late game against Seattle at Safeco Field.

On July 20, the Indians had a 7 1/2 games lead over the Tigers. They've gone 8-9 since then, while the Tigers have gone 12-4.

"I never thought we were going to run away and hide in this thing," said manager Terry Francona. "I wish it didn't happen, but I think it's unrealistic to think someone isn't going to make a run."

After the Indians acquired left-hander Andrew Miller from the Yankees on July 31, Francona held a team meeting to talk about the race ahead.

Tribe acquires relief ace from Yankees

"No.1, when there are outside expectations - we really haven't had that here - I said that the way to come back at it is that (only) the expectations in or clubhouse are important," said Francona. "We expect a lot out of ourselves.

"So when you prepare and play the game the right way, that takes away all the anxiety of anything from the outside. The guys who have been through it know how much fun it is to be in a pennant race. And the guys who haven't will learn how much fun it is.

"This is what you work for. . .to get into this situation. To not enjoy it would be a big mistake."

The Indians big problem over the last month or so has been pitching. First the bullpen, then the rotation struggled. The shuttle between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus has been running at high speed to help the pen. Danny Salazar's trip to the disabled list with a sore right elbow on Aug. 2 didn't help the rotation, but perhaps consecutive solid starts by Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco on Saturday and Sunday against the Yankees will help restore order in what has been one of the top rotations in baseball for much of the season.

Does Tribe's Salazar have peace of mind

The one spot in the lineup that has not been producing offensively has been catcher. The Indians tried to upgrade that with Jonathan Lucroy, but that didn't work. When Lucroy vetoed the trade, the Indians looked at the rest of the available catchers and decided to stay in-house with Roberto Perez and Chris Gimenez. They haven't hit a lot, but the Indians know they're focused on handling the pitching staff, controlling the running game and playing defense. The Indians weren't sure they could find the same qualities if they brought a catcher in from the outside.

Lucroy, agent should have read between the lines

The Indians have been watching the progress of third baseman/outfielder Yandy Diaz at Class AAA Columbus. They've been impressed, but the trade for Brandon Guyer from Tampa Bay gives them an experienced big league outfielder, who is hitting left-handers well. It also lets Francona play Jose Ramirez almost fulltime at third base.

Right now there isn't a need for Diaz, but that's not to say there won't be in the coming weeks, especially when the rosters expand on Sept. 1.

Tribe acquires Brandon Guyer from Rays

Monday was the 66^th day this season that the Indians have been in first place in the Central. From here on out each day the Indians can stay there grows in importance.

"If someone asked me on March 15 if I would take being three games up on the Tigers in the loss column on Aug. 8, sure I would have said yes," said Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations. "That's the position we're in. It's exciting. Every game from here on out is going to be fun.

"Hopefully, we play well enough to earn a spot in the postseason, but we know it's not going to be an easy road."

Josh McCown wasn't surprised when RG3 won the job. Afterall, he didn't take any first-team reps in training camp.

BEREA, Ohio -- Josh McCown was happy that the "quarterback competition'' ended Monday, even though he lost the job to Robert Griffin III.

Given that he never took any reps with the first team in training camp, he was hardly shocked when the announcement was made.

"Obviously as a competitor you want to play and you want to be the guy, but I understood he direction we were going and so, I'm excited for our team,'' McCown said. "I've been on both ends of it and when the quarterback competitions drag out through training camp, I don't know if you're any better off because then you have two guys that have kind of had half reps. It's great that we know who it is moving forward, we're behind that guy and our team can rally around that guy.''

Ever the team guy, McCown had no beef with not getting a real chance to win the job.

"I've been in the league almost 10 years longer than Robert, so the evaluation process for he and I are different,'' he said. "They kind of know what type of player I am and so on, but it's relatively new for Rob and learning the system, the reps were necessary. Not in any way, shape, do I think that it was unfair. I trust their judgement, I trust their evaluation and then we move on.''

Besides, it became evident over the last three our four practices that the lights had come on for Griffin, who's been hitting big plays in practice Coleman, Pryor, Duke Johnson and others.

"Just watching him these last few days, he's just throwing the ball really well,'' said McCown. "The last five, six days of camp he really settled in and he's starting to stack one day after the next of good days. As a member of this team, that's encouraging because you want that out of your top quarterback.''

Class-act Josh McCown talking about how well new #Browns starter RG3 has been playing in camp pic.twitter.com/rTyyY0mVnw

-- Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 8, 2016

McCown has sensed a burning desire in Griffin to rebound from being demoted to third-string quarterback in Washington last year.

"Anytime as a competitor you go through something like that, you never get a chance to play, you step back and refocus,'' he said. "That will certainly ignite a new fire and I feel that with Robert. He's definitely got a focus and to have Pep (Hamilton) and to have Hue (Jackson) and this group of guys and the talent we have around them, just the confidence that they're placing in him is awesome.''

Jackson credited McCown with helping Griffin, both on and off the field, and the 14-year veteran will continue to do so.

"No matter your circumstances, you try to help the person next to you as much as you can to help their journey in life whether it's inside of football or outside of football to be better,'' he said. "It's a fun room to be around. I'm thankful to be here.''

RG3 grateful to have starting job again: 'When you get one, you have to seize it'

Question is, will he be around for long? The Cowboys tried to trade for him last week to replace backup Kellen Moore, but the Browns' asking price was too high. If a starter goes down in preseason or early on in the season, his value could increase.

"It's quiet in that regard,'' McCown said in regard to trade talks. "If that happens, it happens, but my focus is here and doing everything I can to help this team. I'm having a blast at this camp. It's been one of my more fun camps so far, just being around these guys and I look forward to hopefully that continuing.''

He's not the only one in Griffin's corner. Cornerback Joe Haden, who came off the physically unable to perform list Monday and began practicing on a limited basis, has watched his new quarterback improve by the day.

"On the football field, he's just looking and feeling more comfortable, looking like he knows where he wants to go with the ball and he throws one of the prettiest deep balls I've seen,'' said Haden. "He throws a catchable ball and he just seems a lot more comfortable and a lot more like this is his offense. He understands what's going on.''

As far as winning over his teammates, Haden insists he had them at hello.
"He hasn't changed,'' Haden said. "I would just say as far as a person, he's been the same dude ever since he stepped in here.''

Griffin has been connecting deep with Coleman, who tweaked a hamstring Friday night during the scrimmage and has been resting ever since.

"He throws the ball as well as anybody,'' Coleman said. "The deep ball is beautiful. He has a lot of touch on it. He knows where to put it. He has a really strong arm."
As for Griffin's mobility, Coleman said, "he can do a lot of things. So we always got to be alive like you said. We got to make sure we are not thinking about oh lets get to the next play because he can be back there scrambling around and the play is still alive so we always got to be aware."

Pryor noted that "it could've gone different ways too. But RG definitely earned it. He's been awesome. Our other quarterbacks are doing well too. Definitely hats off to coach Hue and Pep (Hamilton) for getting those guys ready so we're happy with RG and looking forward to moving forward.''

Pryor, who like Griffin worked with quarterback guru Tom House, has noticed the technique improvement.

"Some of the footwork, getting the ball out quick, he's gotten a lot better at some of that stuff,'' said Pryor. "You can definitely tell he's been working with Tom on some of his deeper routes by how he's stretching his arm and throwing it up,  a lot of stuff Drew Brees does as he's working out. It's definitely beneficial to work with Tom.''

A former NFL quarterback under Jackson, Pryor has admired Griffin's approach to the game.

"He's very intelligent,'' he said. "What I really like the most about him is he's protecting himself. He's working on sliding and giving himself up because we know we need him not just for that play right there, we need him the whole season. We need him all the time. That was one of his weaknesses is not sliding and he's a tough guy.''

Griffin is grateful that his teammates have rallied around him -- something Jackson wanted to see.

"That's what you always want,'' he said. "You want to come out and show your teammates that they can trust you, that you're going to get the job done, you're going to put them in the right positions to be successful and get them the ball. It's just been really enjoyable to come to a new city with a new coach on a new team and have an opportunity to just go out and play the game of football the way you love and do it with great people."

As Jackson has said, now it's up to him.

Quick Hits

* Receiver Corey Coleman sat out practice again today with his tweaked hamstring. He said they'll "play it by ear'' as to whether or not he'll play Friday in Green Bay. Jackson said he doesn't expect him to be out long.

* Andrew Hawkins is still resting his tweaked hamstring, and Josh Gordon is close to returning from his pulled quad muscle. But the Browns have far fewer soft tissue injuries than last season.

* Starting defensive end John Hughes missed his fifth straight practice for a personal reason. Jackson said at some point the team will have more to say about it.

* Fullback Malcolm Johnson (concussion), tight end Randall Telfer (knee) and center Cam Erving (elbow) returned to practice on a limited basis.

* Coleman and Pryor are listed as the starting receivers on the first unofficial depth chart of the season.

* The Browns signed defensive lineman Chigbo Anunoby and waived DL Kyle Rose. Anunoby (6-3, 316), originally signed by Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent in 2012 out of Morehouse, he has spent time on the practices squads in Indianapolis, Washington and Tennessee.

Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe look back on Day 9 of Browns training camp. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Day 9 of Browns training camp was probably the most eventful day so far. Hue Jackson officially named Robert Griffin III his starting quarterback. Joe Haden was cleared to return to practice. Rookie Corey Coleman, who has been camp's biggest star, remained sidelined with a hamstring issue.

Mary Kay Cabot and I looked back on all the day's news. Check out our video above as we discuss the quarterbacks, the cornerbacks and all the problems that hamstrings can cause. 

Canadian-bred Betting Line is the early favorite for Saturday's $300,000 Carl Milstein Invitational at Northfield.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Betting Line, riding a seven-race win streak, has been made the favorite to win the $300,000 Carl Milstein Invitational on Saturday at Northfield Park.

Betting Line has won 13 of 20 career starts and $1,277,422. His last win was Sunday in the $105,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series at Georgian Downs where he defeated Sintra, a Milstein rival, by a length in 1:51.4.

Betting Line, trained by Casie Coleman, is tracking for the Little Brown Jug. Coleman was the second woman to train a Jug winner, first with Michael's Power in 2012, then with Vegas Vacation in 2013.

The last two Jug champions, Wiggle It Jiggleit and Limelight Beach, both raced in the Milstein.

Sintra has won seven of 10 starts and all three losses have been to Betting Line. Both horses, along with entry Magnum J, are from Canada and have not raced outside of Ontario. The field also includes its first female entry in Pure Country, who won all 10 of her starts last year and has won six of 10 this year.

The Milstein, in its third year, is being raced as an invitational for the first time and will be the 11^th event of a 15-race card Saturday. First race post time is 6 p.m.

The starting lineup and the morning line odds were announced Tuesday morning.

Post position, horse, driver, trainer, odds

1. Mr Wiggle Pants, Kayne Kauffman, Jim Mulinix, 10-1
2. Betting Line, David Miller, Casie Coleman, 3-5
3. Duel Of Truth, Chris Page, Brian Brown, 20-1
4. Sintra, Jody Jamieson, David Menary, 6-1
5. Don'tcallmefrancis, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, 8-1
6. Pure Country, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter, 9-2
7. Magnum J, Doug McNair, Gregg McNair, 25-1
8. Boston Red Rocks, Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Steve Elliott, 12-1

The Calder Cup champion Lake Erie Monsters are changing their name to the Cleveland Monsters.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Lake Erie Monsters, fresh off winning the first Calder Cup championship in franchise history, announced Tuesday they will change their name ... to the Cleveland Monsters.

The name change was announced during a press conference at Quicken Loans Arena.

"We are excited to announce today that our team will be named the Cleveland Monsters." - COO @_MikeOstrowski pic.twitter.com/GE0a1jIJPC

-- Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) August 9, 2016

Monsters SVP/COO of Franchise Operations Mike Ostrowski said the change has been in the plans for some time.

"This brand refresh has been in the works for several seasons and we are thrilled to make the Cleveland Monsters a reality at long last," Ostrowski said on the team's website. "In the wake of the Monsters' Calder Cup Championship and the Cavs' NBA title, and heading into the Monsters' 10th anniversary season, we feel now is the perfect time for our organization to honor our great city and proudly become in title what this team has always been in spirit, the Cleveland Monsters."

The Monsters just completed their first season as an affiliate of the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets.

The team also displayed the new look uniforms.

The #CLEMonsters will wear these NEW sweaters in the 2016-17 season! pic.twitter.com/2yjCMOvN2W

-- Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) August 9, 2016

Get to know Perez in this 60-second video created by the Indians, and follow along this month for more players' Indians Spotlight videos. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It hasn't been the smoothest of seasons for Roberto Perez. He missed more than two months after he underwent thumb surgery following a home-plate collision in Philadelphia. The 27-year-old has struggled at the plate since he returned from his injury.

Perez has collected only four hits in 43 at-bats (.093 average), though his on-base percentage stands at .268 thanks to 11 walks. Perez did notch a two-hit performance in Sunday's loss to the Yankees.

Last season, Perez provided an admirable effort behind the plate during Yan Gomes' six-week absence. Overall, Perez posted a .751 OPS, with seven home runs in 184 at-bats in 2015.

With Gomes again on the shelf, Perez and Chris Gimenez have been tasked with handling the catching duties.

Get to know Perez in this 60-second video created by the Indians, and follow along this month for more players' Indians Spotlight videos.

Get to know: Danny Salazar

Mount Union has been picked to win its 25th consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference football championship by the league coaches and a media panel.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mount Union, the defending Division III football national champion, has been picked to win the Ohio Athletic Conference championship for the 25th consecutive year by both the league coaches and a media panel.

Poll results were announced Tuesday during the OAC football media day at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Museum in Canton.

The Purple Raiders received nine first-place votes and 81 points in the OAC Coaches poll. John Carroll was second with 69 points, Ohio Northern received the other first-place vote and 67 points, and Baldwin Wallace was fourth with 56 points.

In the media poll, Mount got all 30 votes for 300 points, followed by John Carroll with 251 points, Ohio Northern 244 and BW 202.

"We appreciate the respect that coaches and the media in the OAC have for our program," Mount Union coach Vince Kehres said in a release. "We also know that playing in this conference is a tremendous challenge week in and week out."

Here are the complete poll results, with first-place votes in parenthesis:

OAC Coaches Poll

1. Mount Union - 81 (9)
2. John Carrroll - 69
3. Ohio Northern - 67 (1)
4. Baldwin Wallace - 56
5. Heidelberg -- 52
6. Otterbein -- 40
7. Muskingum -- 26
8. Marietta -- 25
9. Capital -- 21
10. Wilmington -- 13

Media Poll

1. Mount Union -- 300 (30)
2. John Carroll -- 251
3. Ohio Northern -- 244
4. Baldwin Wallace --  202
5. Heidelberg -- 188
6. Otterbein -- 152
7. Capital -- 98
8. (tie)Muskingum, Marietta 87
9.  --
10. Wilmington -- 41

Not surprisingly, the Browns named Robert Griffin III the starter for the 2016 season. He may not be the answer, but the organization is at least pulling in the same direction for once -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

CLEVELAND, Ohio -  Whatever came first - belief in Robert Griffin III or the organizational decision to bypass a QB at the top of the draft until the rebuild was closer to fruition - is inconsequential.

Either way RG3 is Hue Jackson's project and Hue Jackson is RG3's lifeline.

The byproduct for Browns fans is not only a clear (for now) choice at quarterback but a commitment evident since Griffin began taking first-team snaps and never stopped.

There's no guarantee of success in that commitment. RG3 is still the quarterback who sat behind Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy -- until he proves the Washington Redskins were delusional in making that decision.

But what we can say after so often seeing the absence of commitment at the position is that without the support Hue Jackson is lending RG3 is just another QB doomed to failure.

So if Jackson is artificially propping Griffin up with his talk of being "tickled pink" at his quarterback's progress, at least a Browns head coach is doing some propping, and the front office is on board.

Quarterback grooming is Jackson's area of expertise. We have awarded other Browns coaches that same designation, most recently Pat Shurmur.

What we haven't seen is a group pull in the same direction, or a head coach as confident in himself.

The Browns decision not to challenge Griffin with a top draft pick wasn't so much trust in him as it was trust in Jackson's ability to manage the position.

Jackson's resume as an offensive coach made it easier for the organization to justify its decision to collect draft choices in 2016.

Jackson believes in himself in ways Browns coaches either haven't or at least haven't felt nearly as comfortable showing. And that belief starts at his work with quarterbacks.

While RG3 is Jackson's project, it's a 2016 project. RG3 was once considered a franchise quarterback, so the Browns are giving that notion a year to see if it's still viable.

They didn't draft him. They didn't trade draft picks for him. They have no permanent stake in him.

The guess is he will get this season, if he can stay healthy, and another assessment will follow.

For now, the Browns are better off at quarterback than they were a year ago.

Look at it this way. RG3 isn't nearly the project Johnny Manziel was.

And more importantly, the organization isn't nearly as splintered as it was on the importance of committing to a quarterback.

All of this, of course, is faint praise but it beats the alternative.

 If the higher hopes result more from trust in Jackson than Griffin, RG3 will get a chance to change that. He'll have the support of his head coach and front office.

What a concept.

Higgins believes he should have been drafted higher and he's out to prove it. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Rashard Higgins knows exactly what he wants to do in his rookie season with the Browns. 

"I want seven touchdowns, man," Higgins said. "However I can get them, I'm going to do it." 

Seven's been a lucky number for Higgins, he said. It has also been a number that only two Browns receivers have eclipsed since 2007. 

"Right now, they've got Corey (Coleman) in front of me," Higgins said. "I know he was drafted in the first round. So if I come in, he needs a blow, I'm going to make that touchdown that he should have been in for, man." 

Higgins knows Corey Coleman's draft position, obviously. He knows his own draft position, too. It's right there on his Twitter profile: 18-172. The 18 is the number of receivers picked before him. The 172 is where he was picked. 

"I've got a lot of motivation coming my way," he said. "I feel like I should have been higher than that, but you know what, God put me in this predicament for a reason and I'm going to go out and show the people what I'm about." 

Higgins, for his part, believes he should have been drafted in the first round. Instead, he lasted until the fifth round. He was the fourth receiver picked overall by the Browns and the second receiver they picked in that round alone. Higgins says that he can "just about" list all the receivers taken before him. 

"I mean, it's no hate against those guys," he said, "but I just got like a revenge to go out and show the people what I'm really about." 

Higgins comes to the Browns as highly a decorated college receiver as there was in last April's draft. He set Colorado State career records in catches (239), yards (3,649) and touchdowns (31). He led the nation in 2014 with 1,750 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions, both also single-season school records. 

He also arrives with one of the better nicknames on the Browns roster: Hollywood. His pee wee football coach gave him the nickname while he was playing safety. 

"I was just making big plays," Higgins said. "Just stuck around." 

Kind of. Higgins has since shortened it. 

"I changed to 'Wood,'" he said. "I like 'Wood' for short." 

He first moved to the offensive side of the ball when he was a sophomore in high school after his coach decided he needed him to play wide receiver. 

"It got me a scholarship," Higgins said. "Colorado State, and I just took it and ran with it." 

Since then, he's impressed his coaches with his ability to catch and his route running, something that can sometimes present a challenge to a young receiver. 

"He can do a lot of things with regards to beating press coverage and running routes," Associated Head Coach on offense Pep Hamilton said last week. "His routes are fairly detailed for a young guy and he's still a work in progress, but he's shown tremendous progress over the course of training camp." 

Higgins credits his time spent in the offseason training with David Robinson, a man he's trained with since high school, and Coach Reggie Fish in Dallas for his progress as a route runner. 

"I know every time I get a chance I'm always working on how I can beat my defender coming in and out of my break," he said. "I know if I'm pitter-patting trying to get out of my break, that gives the (defensive back) more time to close in on me and break the ball up. There's just all kinds of times where I'm doing the little things to try and help my game." 

Robinson boasts on his Twitter profile that he has trained the likes of Denver's Emmanuel Sanders, Washington's Jordan Reed and Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown.

"I was basically on the board drawing up a lot of plays, a lot of defenses, a lot of stuff with D-Rob. ... Footwork, a lot of speed work," Higgins said. "People say I'm not fast, but I feel like when the time comes, s---, I'm fast enough. So that's just about what I did."

Higgins added of Robinson, "He trained the top dogs and I'm one of them." 

One particular drill Robinson put him through paid off last week when he made a one-handed catch as the wide receivers were running through drills, a catch that even Coleman attempted but couldn't haul in. Robinson would take his receivers out at night and throw balls at them as hard as he could and it was up to them to catch it. 

"It's like if you can do it at nighttime you can sure do it with the lights on, man," Higgins said. "I just take a lot of emphasis on catching the ball and running routes and I just let everything else handle the rest." 

The nickname. The numbers. The confidence. It all paints quite a picture. 

"I've got to have a little swag about myself," he said. "I've got to show out a little bit, but not only that, make plays on the field, and that name will stick around for a long time." 

All of it, at least for the man called 'Wood,' points towards his goal of seven times in the endzone. 

"Then next year man, it might be -- I'm going to tell y'all that number next year, man," Higgins said. "Y'all stay tuned for that one."

----- 

Follow me: on Twitter | on Facebook | Snapchat user name: djlobster 

Browns Robert Griffin III came in 32nd out of 33 starting quarterbacks in the NFL in a poll of 42 coaches and personnel men. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio  -- Robert Griffin III may be No. 1 in Hue Jackson's eyes, but he's No. 32 in the opinion of many NFL coaches and personnel executives.

A day after Jackson named Robert Griffin III the starting quarterback of the Browns, he was ranked 32nd out of 33 starting quarterbacks in the NFL by a poll of 42 NFL coaches and personnel executives. 33 are included because the 49ers have not yet decided between Colin Kaepernick (No. 29) and Blaine Gabbert (No. 30).   

The poll was conducted by ESPN's Mike Sando, who was at the Browns facility on Monday and Tuesday.

Sando interviewed 10 general managers, five head coaches, seven offensive coordinators, five defensive coordinators, eight personnel evaluators and seven other position coaches/executives for his third annual NFL QB Tier Rankings.

The rankings are part of the ESPN Insider subscription service and not available to everyone.

The tiers are as follows:

Tier 1: Can carry his team each week. Team wins because of him.

Tier 2: Can carry team sometimes but not as consistently.

Tier 3: Legit starter but needs heavy run game/defense to win.

Tier 4: Might not want this guy starting all 16 games.

Tier 5: Do not think this guy should be starting.

Griffin, who will start for the Browns after being demoted to third-team quarterback in Washington last season, ranked as a Tier 4 passer and just one from the bottom. The only quarterback ranked lower was Case Keenum of the Rams.

Griffin tumbled four spots from his 2015 ranking of No. 28.

RG3 named Browns starting QB: 'It's time'

One offensive coach told Sando last summer said he thought Griffin was 'finished' because his big ego would prevent him from hitting the requisite rock bottom to build his career. The coach placed Griffin in the fifth tier again this summer.

While some of the insiders believe Griffin's career can be salvaged, none sounded sure of it.

"I think there is hope because there are some traits, but I don't think he is going to be the decision-maker Hue is used to or wants," one GM said. "Hue is demanding on the ball coming out on time to the right place accurately, and I just am not sure that is what he is going to find in him. (Griffin) has been the guy who views himself as the guy to make the play, rather than let the other guys make the play."

One personnel man questioned whether or not Griffin has the playmakers here to revive his career, but he hasn't seen the likes of Corey Coleman, Terrelle Pryor, Gary Barnidge and Duke Johnson -- not to mention Josh Gordon on the horizon.

At least one quarterbacks coach has some faith in Jackson to get the most of Griffin.

"I think it is going to be fun to watch Robert because Hue Jackson is very creative," he said. "I'll just be interested in what he asks him to do. Robert is smart enough to read defenses, but it is new to him. He never had to do it at Baylor. The kid was a true junior coming out. It is a big learning curve."

Interestedly, Griffin ranked lower than Josh McCown, who's currently his backup.
A look at some of the other quarterbacks in the AFC North:

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, Tier 1

Roethlisberger received 33 top tier votes and moved up from No. 4 last year. He's one of only three tier ones, along with Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.

"He is a stud," a quarterbacks coach said. "He does some s--- that is just off the map. There are some things that fall apart, and he gets off schedule and that guy just makes plays. He has a hose. He is huge. He is so hard to bring down. He is competitive. He is gritty. He is smart. We played him this past year and our defense struggled that day because of him. That guy can win for you every week."

12. Joe Flacco, Ravens, Tier 2

Flacco, coming off a torn ACL, has moved down two spots from last year.

"He is unbelievably physically gifted," a coordinator familiar with Flacco said. "He makes some throws that are unbelievable. But I don't think he processes things enough mentally to become a 1. I don't think he can lead a team or carry a team. He can take what is there, and if you give him help, he can be pretty good."

15. Andy Dalton, Bengals, Tier 2

Dalton, who finished second in the NFL with a 106.3 rating last season, climbed three spots to No. 15 despite losing Jackson as his coordinator and two of his best receivers in Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu.

"You can argue the fact that he had a plethora of talent around him and he did," one pro personnel director said. "But you see the way the team played with him at the helm, and then you see how it fell off dramatically when they put another guy in there to manage it. He has grown, he knows his limitations and he plays within those and doesn't hurt your team. That is the maturation of a quarterback who knows what he needs to do to make his team successful."

Before this year's run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Channing Frye hadn't been to the postseason since 2010 when he was a member of the high-scoring Phoenix Suns, a season that helped change his NBA career.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Before this year's run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Channing Frye hadn't been to the postseason since 2010 when he was a member of the high-scoring Phoenix Suns, a season that helped change his NBA career and began molding him into a champion.

"The big men on the team were myself, Robin Lopez, Amar'e Stoudemire and Lou Amundson," Frye wrote in an essay for the Players' Tribune. "One day, we were playing three-on-three, and Robin was guarding me and I had my two feet planted on the three-point line. Alvin (Gentry) started yelling, 'Channing, what the hell are you doing? Take a step back.' I was like, 'I can shoot a three? For real?'

"He said, 'You shoot a thousand of those. If you don't shoot, I'm going to take you out of the game, so shoot it every time you touch it.' That changed my whole mentality. From that day on, the entire floor opened up for me."

Prior to that season, Frye was a little-used former first-round pick who had made just 20 3-pointers in his first four seasons. 

But during the 2009-10 campaign in Phoenix, Frye made a career high 172 triples, connecting on 43.9 percent from beyond the arc. That growth, into a stretch-forward, eventually led to his much-anticipated playoff return when the Cavaliers made a midseason trade, taking him out of lottery-bound Orlando and targeting him as a missing piece to their championship puzzle.

"When I got traded to the Cavs in February, I knew it was going to be special," Frye wrote. "I almost cried on the plane because I was getting the chance every player wants -- a shot at the title. From the jump, I told myself that I was not gonna waste a day. I was not going to waste a moment. I was going to enjoy everything."

Frye shined on the court during the playoffs, canning seven of nine triples during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. 

"They liked to play a big lineup, and they put Paul Millsap on LeBron in the second unit," Frye said. "Al Horford was on me, and he's a center. It was Horford's job to sag off the center some in order to help defend the lane from LeBron's drives. That was just their defensive scheme. So I let it fly. The first one went in, and I said to myself, 'It's your time.'"

He made positive contributions in the conference finals against Toronto as well, but what he did behind the scenes, proving to be a great fit in Cleveland's locker room, helped bring the team together.

"We're one of the closest teams I've ever been on," Frye said. "We have text chains about all types of stuff. Everybody's always talking s--- to each other, except we don't really say too much to LeBron. Sometimes I'll say like, Bron, you weak. You only got 40? Then he'll go out and try to drop 50."

But as Frye states in his heartfelt essay, things weren't always fun.

He was booed on draft night, had to overcome a scary heart condition where a doctor told him he would never be able play basketball again and had to stay positive during his daughter's medical problems when she was just eight weeks old.

All of those experiences have given Frye a greater appreciation for basketball and everything that comes with it, including little things like brunch. 

"The burritos that the Cavs provide are next level," he said. "Every other place I've been, the preshootaround spread had been nonexistent. In Cleveland, they give us burritos, coffee, yogurt, parfait and some wonderful French toast. When I first saw the spread, I was like, 'Free burritos before shootaround? This is the best!' They're not standard, O.K.? I'm talking a whole wheat tortilla, egg white, maybe a little goat cheese, maybe some cheddar. Sometimes they have pork sausage, sometimes chicken sausage. They switch it up to keep it fresh.

"This might sound crazy to you. But life moves so fast in the NBA, sometimes we players don't appreciate the little things. Let's enjoy this wonderful French toast. Made-to-order omelets. Let's eat these breakfast burritos. Let's get some wins and let's make history. That's exactly what we did. And I was a part of it."

The Cavs rallied from 3-1 down in the NBA Finals, beating the record-setting Golden State Warriors and capping Frye's at-times tumultuous journey from "hot garbage" high school basketball player to where he is now. 

"Who the hell would have thought I'd ever be in the NBA Finals," Frye wrote. "Who'd have thought I'd be playing against Atlanta in the second round, much less that I'd score 27 in a big Game 3? Or that I'd come off the bench to help us win the Toronto series, leading up to the Finals? And who'd have thought I'd be playing with LeBron -- the best player (along with Kobe and Tim Duncan) of our generation?

"Who the hell would've thought Channing Frye would be an NBA champion?"

Click here to read Frye's entire essay.