Terry Francona has made bold move after bold move in the postseason. He may be doing his best work in this World Series against the Cubs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If Coach Francola keeps this up, he's going to end up making a name for himself.

When the Indians held a simulated game prior to the World Series to fill the time created by a five-game romp over Toronto in the ALCS, the team had some fun with Browns' head coach Hue Jackson's mangling of Terry Francona's name in a press conference by introducing one of the hitters as "Coach Francola."

 Francona receives frequent mentions on the list of baseball's top managers but it's not so much for in-game strategy as for how he connects with players.

That should've changed long ago but if it didn't there's always Game 3 of the World Series, a tense 1-0 Indians' win that began with Francona playing Carlos Santana in left field and grew bolder from there.

 It was a game pitching coach Mickey Callaway would describe as "fun." And it was if your definition of fun is being suspended on a high wire with the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field.

"We used every one of our bench players and Tito's lineup card was a mess," Callaway told reporters in Chicago. "There was stuff going on everywhere."

The Santana decision seemed risky enough. One game after Francona said the Indians "need to play a clean game to win," he uses a player who's spent just a handful of innings in left?

The result wasn't predictable. The result was what we've come to define as predictable after watching Francona pull most of the right strings (Ryan Merritt for one) throughout the playoffs.

One easy chance for Santana in left in Game 3. Francona was able to replace him before calamity ensued. Coco Crisp, of course, then becomes the pinch-hitter who drives in the game's only run.

"We didn't come this far to play it safe," Francona said, in explaining the Santana decision.

Francona's handling of the pitching staff has introduced another risk and sought to mitigate it all at the same time -- pitching Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin on three days rest.

Francona's point  -- that they've pitched less this month than any month this season - sounds good. But his handling of those starts is designed to alleviate the stress of pitching on less than four days rest.

He removed Kluber to save some wear and tear in Game 1. Removing Josh Tomlin early in a scoreless Game 3 was more of the same. Bauer didn't go over 90 pitches in Game 2 but for different reasons.

Francona has also introduced the strategy of going directly from his starter to Andrew Miller, which has shortened the game and put pressure on opposing lineups to get a lead or else.

"I don't think we really want to go 2 1/3 innings all the time," Francona said of the Game 3 move to Miller. "I mean, it's worked out like that, and in the National League it's certainly going to be a little harder. But he threw (17) pitches, and I was OK with where we were there. That was plenty for tonight."

The Indians and their manager are authoring a remarkable playoff run. The team that hit .168 against Toronto, scored all of 12 runs and won four of five games in the ALCS, brought the same economy to Game 3.

For the postseason, the Indians are hitting .216. Through Game 3, they'd won nine of 11.

We don't know for sure where this ends.

But if it ends with Coco Crisp hitting a walk off homer after Ryan Merritt retires the Cubs  with a one-two-three 17^th inning, that may be the only way we'll be surprised.

The Lorain Titans will likely face former football coach Mark Solis and Lewis Center Olentangy in the OHSAA playoffs. They shut down Cleveland Heights and standout Jaylen Harris to get there.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio – Big plays can be contagious on Lorain’s defense.

Kelvin Torres’ blocked punt that led to Naz Bohannon’s 45-yard touchdown.

Aaron Huff’s fourth-down tackle, which sealed the Titans’ 14-13 win Friday at Cleveland Heights.

And, of course, the vital pass coverage by Daesean Brooks on talented Tigers receiver Jaylen Harris.

Lorain needed all of them to secure their first-round home playoff game next week at George Daniel Field. This is the second time Lorain has made the playoffs in three years and the first since coach Dave McFarland took over the program in 2013.

Coincidentally, Lorain (8-2) will likely draw former coach Mark Solis — whom McFarland replaced — and Lewis Center Olentangy (7-3). The Titans are third in Division I, Region 2 and Olentangy is sixth, based on JoeEitel.com’s Harbin rating projections. Lorain will officially know its opponent for Friday when the OHSAA announces its pairings Sunday.

Until then, the Titans can celebrate their city’s first Lake Erie League title since 2006 and outright conference crown since 1987.

It took the defense and an eight-game win streak to do it.

“After starting the season 0-2, nobody but us in the locker room believed we could get here,” Bohannon said.

What team could lose its starting quarterback to an injury and come back in that same game against an unbeaten team? Lorain did that against Sandusky three weeks ago, when junior Justin Sturgill emerged for Davion Dower at QB.

“We came together as one family,” senior running back Carlos Chavis said. “With the QB switch, that helped a lot. He’s a spark.”

Bohannon broke Lorain’s huddle by screaming “family,” which his teammates repeated. They then trotted off the field, not overly celebratory but together.

Sturgill isn’t flashy. He threw for just 40 yards.

He also isn’t big. His 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame isn’t as big as the 6-2, 200-pound Dower.

But he’s still the complement to a defense that slayed a mighty offense. Only St. Vincent-St. Mary shut out Cleveland Heights (6-4), and Lorain came close.

The Titans held the Tigers to just 128 yards.

“They don’t miss a lot of tackles and that was probably the difference in the defenses in the first half,” Cleveland Heights coach Mac Stephens said. “They’ll probably do pretty well in the playoffs.”

Stephens said that after witnessing Lorain’s secondary limit shut down his receivers.

Harris caught just one pass for 12 yards in his final high school game. Brooks guarded him throughout the night. Stephens’ staff shuffled Harris to the slot, motioned him and tried anything to shake Brooks.

None of it worked.

“To me, he’s a big-time college recruit,” McFarland said of Brooks, who also locked down Maple Heights standout and Kentucky commit JaVonte Richardson two weeks ago.

Harris will head to one of colleges: Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan State, Tennessee or Penn State.

“That’s a D-I kid, like five stars,” Bohannon said. “You don’t see too many of those guys.”

That should give Brooks similar consideration from colleges. Also a basketball player, McFarland talked him into playing football last year. Brooks eased in first as a receiver before flourishing this year as a cornerback.

His maturation at the position showed in a close Week 1 loss to Midview, when 2,000-yard quarterback Dustin Crum was limited to his lone double-digit passing game of the year.

Nine weeks later, Cleveland Heights quarterback Cam Searight finished just 8-of-28 passing against Brooks and the defensive backs.

The play spread to Lorain’s linebackers, who allowed just 65 yards — mostly to running back Xavier Pillar — on the ground.

Win or lose, Lorain had its playoff spot sewn up. But a home playoff game is something it has not enjoyed during its players’ lifetime. Even Lorain athletic director Bryan Koury was unsure of last time George Daniel Field played host to a postseason game outside of serving as a neutral site host.

The grass surface and stingy defense should make it difficult for Olentangy or whoever shows up.

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

Here are some numbers to keep in mind when the Browns take on the Jets Sunday.

Reporters and columnists at cleveland.com have made their picks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns (0-7) face the Jets (2-5) on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 8 of the NFL season. Kick off is at 1 p.m.

The Browns are coming off a 31-17 loss to the Bengals. The Jets beat the Ravens last week, 24-16.

So how will Sunday's game go? Reporters and columnists at cleveland.com have made their picks:

Mary Kay Cabot (7-0)

Browns 23, Jets 20: Josh McCown ends the 0-7 skid.

Dan Labbe (7-0)

Jets 21, Browns 20: A close home loss sets up what could be a very long November.

Doug Lesmerises (7-0)

Browns 20, Jets 13: New York's quarterback situation is worse than the Browns. Cleveland just has injured QBs. The Jets have a lousy, complaining benched starter forced back into action. 

Scott Patsko (4-3)

Browns 23, Jets 20, OT: This score just came to me today. Out of the blue. I don't know why. It seems familiar.

Bud Shaw (4-3)

Jets 24, Browns 20: No helicopter ride for Josh McCown this time. Just the usual rollercoaster.

The Buckeyes host Northwestern in Ohio Stadium, and Ari Wasserman, Bill Landis and Doug Lesmerises are all on hand to provide updates, analysis and stats in the live chat.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It was a long week for Ohio State filled with questions regarding how it could lose at Penn State last weekend. 

Saturday is about turning the page on that loss. 

The Buckeyes host Northwestern in Ohio Stadium, and Ari Wasserman, Bill Landis and Doug Lesmerises are all on hand to provide updates, analysis and stats in the live chat below.

They'll also chat with readers who post, so we urge you to share your thoughts, opinions and commentary below. 

Kerry Coombs, who is already known for being a madman filled with intensity, took the microphone and did what he does best: Fired up the crowd. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- You could tell Ohio State is coming off a loss. 

When Urban Meyer addressed the crowd in St. John Arena for the Skull Session before the Northwestern game Saturday, he had an intensity that wasn't quite as apparent in previous home games.

And guess what -- Kerry Coombs, who is already known for being a madman filled with intensity, took the microphone and did what he does best: Fired up the crowd. 

To see the speeches, watch the videos above. 

When the postseason started, the Indians' starting rotation was in trouble, but the entire pitching staff has found a way to thrive in October. Watch video

CHICAGO - The stack of statistical accomplishments keeps getting higher. They're everywhere, like piles of leaves in October.

Who's shaking the tree? That would be the Indians' pitching staff, the staff that limped into the postseason with three injured starters and another ready to be blindsided by a rogue drone attack.

The Indians pitched their fifth shutout of the playoffs Friday night to beat the Cubs, 1-0, and take a 2-1 lead in the World Series. The five shutouts are a record for a single postseason. Corey Kluber, the point man on three of them, will start Game 4 on Saturday night at Wrigley Field.

"It says they're going to step up in a big situation," said pitching coach Mickey Callaway. "They're focused on the next pitch. It's hard to do that for a whole season. Things are going to happen. In the postseason, you have to do it to win, and that's what they're doing."

There is more going on than just stepping into the moment. There is the ability to do the right thing at the right time, to lend a helping hand when it is needed.

The Indians had just taken a 1-0 lead Friday night in the seventh inning on Coco Crisp's pinch-hit single. Crisp hit for ALCS MVP Andrew Miller, so Bryan Shaw was on the mound to protect the lead. He retired Ben Zobrist on a grounder to second and Wilson Contreras on a diving stop by Mike Napoli at first.

Jorge Soler was next. He sent a ball down the right field line with Lonnie Chisenhall giving chase. That part of Wrigley Field, in shadows because of the concrete grandstand, has a narrow strip of foul territory right before the wall. Chisenhall and the ball arrived at the same time, but he couldn't put a glove on it as it fell and skipped away for a triple.

Shaw gathered himself and retired dangerous Javier Baez, co-MVP of the NLCS, on a grounder to short to keep the lead intact.

"Bryan picked me up right there, and that's kind of a metaphor for this team this year - guys picking each other up," said Chisenhall. "I made a mistake right there, and on the very next batter he gets a ground ball to Frankie (Lindor) and we're all set."

In the ninth, Anthony Rizzo opened the inning with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Chris Coghlan. Closer Cody Allen struck out Zobrist and retired Contreras on a grounder to third as Coghlan went to second. Jason Heyward followed with a grounder to Napoli's right that he made an error on.

Napoli wisely kept the ball in front of him to freeze Coghlan at third.

"Keeping the ball in front of me is the main priority right there," said Napoli.

This time it was Allen who lent a helping hand. Allen, after Heyward stole second, struck out Baez to end it. It was his sixth save of the postseason and 38^th of the year.

"I've got to give a lot of credit to Cody for picking me up," said Napoli. "I gave him a big hug after the game. It was a good moment."

Tito pulls right strings, Coco delivers in Game 3

Josh Tomlin started the game and pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out one and walked one.

Once again, Tomlin did well on enemy ground. In the Game 3 clincher against Boston in the ALDS, with The Green Monster staring over his right shoulder and the Fenway Faithful trying to rattle him by chanting his last name, Tomlin held the powerful Red Sox to two runs in five innings for the win.

Tomlin wraps up ALDS for Tribe at Fenway Park

Friday night he pitched in front of his father, Jerry, who was paralyzed from the waist down in August because of a spinal cord injury. Tomlin's father and the rest of his family were seated behind home plate.

"I knew if stuff sped up on me during the game, I could look up there and find that comfort and settle back down," said Tomlin. "I used it a couple of times. I looked up at him - absolutely."

Tomlin finds peace, comfort when he sees dad in stands

Some numbers to digest before Game 4:

Tomlin and Kluber have combined to allow five earned runs in 39 2/3 innings this postseason for a 1.13 ERA. They have allowed two or fewer runs in each of their seven starts.

The Tribe's staff is 9-2 with a 1.65 ERA (18 earned runs in 98 innings) this postseason. They've struck out 112 and walked 30.

The bullpen is 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA (eight earned runs in 45 innings) with 15 walks and 60 strikeouts. They are 7-for-7 in save situations.

The bullpen's 60 strikeouts rank fourth all-time in a single postseason. The Indians trail the 2015 Royals with 89, the 2014 Royals with 70 and the 2002 Angels with 66.

Allen and Miller have thrown 25 combined scoreless innings this postseason with 45 strikeouts.

Miller's 27 strikeouts are the second most by a reliever in a single postseason. Francisco Rodriguez had 28 in 2002 for the Angels.

In this postseason Miller has struck out three or more batters in seven different appearances. He is the only reliever to do that in history.

The Indians have struck out eight or more batters in 12 consecutive postseason games going back to their wild card loss to Tampa in 2013. It's the longest such streak in postseason history.

"How could you plan it out or write it out any better than what it is?" asked Josh Tomlin's father, Jerry. Watch video

CHICAGO -- Whenever Josh Tomlin needed a calming presence, a reminder to relax, he directed his attention to Section 122.

Whenever the Wrigley Field crowd produced pandemonium, he focused on those familiar faces behind home plate. There, in the center of all of the commotion, he could find that soothing silence.

Tomlin pitched the game of his life on Friday night, on baseball's grand stage, at the sport's hallowed grounds, in front of some starved fans. And he did it with his father -- paralyzed from the chest down since mid-August -- watching from the stands.

Jerry Tomlin suffered an arteriovenous malformation, a tangle of blood vessels on his spinal cord, which required emergency surgery. Two months later, on his son's birthday and the day the Indians clinched a World Series berth, he was finally released from the Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation.

On Friday night, he sat in a wheelchair beside his wife, Elana, in a building that hadn't hosted a World Series game in 71 years.

"How could you plan it out or write it out any better than what it is?" Jerry said. "To be here for this historic thing they're having here and to be the first World Series here and my first World Series and my son to be here -- I don't know, it's just hard to explain."

Tomlin spotted his parents in the stands as he walked to the weight room before the game.

"That way," he said, "I could go to him throughout the course of the game, if the game was speeding up on me, just to find that sense of calm there. It calmed me down and just let me go out there and settle into the game and try to go out there and do the best that I could for him."

Tomlin delivered 4 2/3 scoreless innings, as he lowered his postseason ERA to 1.76. He limited the Cubs to two harmless hits and one walk. He handed the reins to Andrew Miller after only 58 pitches, which could bode well should he start on short rest if there's a Game 6.

"Unbelievable. That guy has [guts]," said first baseman Mike Napoli. "It's so much fun playing behind him because you know he goes out there and competes and we know he's good. He went through a rough patch but he got a little rest and got himself back under him and he's been unbelievable for us."

Dream becomes reality for the Tomlins

Tomlin posted an 11.48 ERA in August. He returned to Texas in the middle of the month to spend a few days with his ailing father, as the team placed him on the family medical emergency list. He temporarily lost his spot in the starting rotation at the end of the month. Since the calendar flipped to September, however, he has logged a 1.71 ERA across 42 innings and has allowed only one home run.

His Game 3 start might have been his best yet in October. It's certainly one he'll never forget. The father and son dreamed of Friday night's experience when a 4-year-old Tomlin threw to his father, who sat on a bucket in their yard. The two would pretend it was a World Series situation, and when the little kid fired his fastball to his father, they tossed their gloves in the air and celebrated.

Tomlin might not have thrown his glove after the Game 3 win, but he and his father both lived out a dream.

"It was probably one of the more emotional starts I've ever had in my entire life, career, any baseball-related situation ever," Tomlin said. "I'm fortunate enough for him to even be here. So to have him get to experience a World Series game and, obviously, my first World Series start, it meant everything."

The Cleveland Indians have thrown five post-season shutouts, a Major League record. And they have done it with some unheralded pitchers.

CHICAGO -- Several times in the postseason, Cleveland Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway has mentioned how his pitchers were made for this.

"If you think about it, about all of them had to overcome a lot just to get here," Callaway told me after Friday's 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the 2016 World Series. The Indians lead the series, 2-1.

Callaway meant that none of the Tribe starters or key relievers had an easy road to the Major Leagues.

Closer Cody Allen came up to the Indians to stay in 2012.

But Allen was first drafted by the Tribe in 2010 -- the 16th round.

It was Mike Soper who initially brought Allen to the attention of the Tribe. Soper is the scout who discovered Roberto Perez. He also is the scout who did the most work on Francisco Lindor.

Allen didn't sign in 2010. He was coming off Tommy John surgery. Allen went back into the 2011 draft. Once again, the Indians picked him. Only this time, he fell from the 16th round to the 23rd round.

The man who went into Saturday night's game being 6-of-6 in post-season saves was the 698th player selected in the 2011 draft. He already had reconstructive elbow surgery. He came from High Point University, a Division I program but not a national college baseball powerhouse.

Allen is the most underrated Tribe player in October. Andrew Miller has been so dominating, and it's easy for the media's eyes to be upon the lefty.

But as manager Terry Francona has said several times, "If Cody doesn't do what he's done in the back end -- it doesn't work."

What Allen has done is close out tight game after tight game. What he's done is pitch more than one inning.

What he's done is stunning. And remember, this was the 698th pick in the 2011 draft.

In the postseason, Miller and Allen have combined to throw 25 SCORELESS innings heading into Saturday night. In those 25 innings, they have combined for 45 strikeouts.

Callaway and the pitchers give a ton of credit to catcher Roberto Perez for his game-calling. Right now, they are all working together.

LOOK AT THE HEROES

Consider the following pitching stars of the postseason:

1. Josh Tomlin (1.76 ERA in postseason) has come back from two arm operations -- elbow and shoulder. Tomlin was like Allen, in terms of what happened in the draft. Tomlin was selected in the 11th round in 2005 by San Diego. He went back in the draft -- and dropped to the 19th round in 2006. He signed for $20,000 with the Tribe.

2. Cory Kluber was picked in the fourth round by San Diego in 2007 -- the 134th selection. The Padres weren't sold on Kluber and traded him to the Tribe in 2010 as part of a three-way deal involving Ryan Ludwick and Jake Westbrook. It took Kluber four trips to and from the minors to finally stick with the Tribe in 2013.

3. Bryan Shaw was a second-round pick by Arizona in 2008. Arizona couldn't find a bullpen role for Shaw, who was a throw-in as part of the trade bringing Trevor Bauer to the Tribe after the 2012 season.

4. Dan Otero was a 21st-round pick by the Giants in 2007 -- the 644th pick. He has bounced around from San Francisco to Oakland to Philadelphia to the Tribe. He has joined Allen, Shaw and Miller as the Big Four in the bullpen. I was told the Indians bought him from the Phillies for "small cash considerations" last winter. He was 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA for the Tribe.

5. Miller was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 draft by Detroit. He was supposed to be a star starting pitcher. It never happened. Miller went from the Tigers to Florida to Boston to Baltimore to the Yankees and finally to the Tribe. It was only in 2012 when he moved to the bullpen that things came together for Miller.

"This stage is not too big for them," said Callaway. "They fought to get here. Sometimes, I'm more nervous than they are in these games. You look at them and you'd swear they are acting as if this is another regular season game."

ABOUT PITCHING AND MORE PITCHING

1. In the first 11 games of the postseason, the Indians were 9-2. In those 11 games, they scored only 35 runs. So they aren't pounding the ball. But they have set a postseason record with FIVE shutouts. That has never been done before. The Tribe's ERA for the first 11 postseason games was 1.65.

2. Francona is the first to say the handling of the pitching staff is done in collaboration with Callaway. He is an impact pitching coach. He knows his stuff, and he knows how to sell it to his pitchers.

3. Since Miller arrived at the end of July, the Indians are 23-0 in games where Miller and Allen both pitch, according to ESPN. That's counting the playoffs and heading into Saturday night.

4. I was talking to Callaway about the last at-bat by the Cubs' Javier Baez in Game 3. Baez struggles with breaking stuff, but Allen fired a fastball for a strike on the first pitch.

"That wasn't a bad pitch," said Callaway. "It's hard for many hitters to make good contact with the first pitch when they first face a pitcher. Even in batting practice, watch how many first pitches are fouled off. Guys are still trying to get their timing at the plate."

5. Callaway not only believes in first-pitch strikes (conventional wisdom), he has a chart up on how many strikes are thrown on a 1-and-1 count. He believes that pitch often determines the at bat. It's the difference between 2-and-1 and 1-and-2 counts. And that's the difference between the typical hitter batting over .300 (at 2-and-1) and under .180 (at 1-and-2).

ABOUT THE TRIBE

1. It was sort of a yawner when the Tribe picked up Coco Crisp from Oakland. But think about what the 36-year-old veteran has done as a part-time player. He belted a two-run homer in the Game 3 clincher of the Boston Series. He hit a homer in the Game 5 clincher in Toronto, a 3-0 victory. His pinch-hit won Game 3 in Chicago.

2. The Tribe traded 31-year-old career minor league pitcher Colt Hynes to the A's for Crisp. Both Francona and the front office have had the magic touch this season.

3. Think of how Miller, Crisp and Brandon Guyer have all helped this drive to the World Series. All were picked up after July 30.

4. When Allen fanned Baez to end Game 3, I watched Mike Napoli scream for joy. The veteran first baseman made an error in the ninth to keep the inning alive. He has been struggling. Napoli entered Saturday's game batting only .184 with 1 HR and 2 RBI in the postseason.

We put together a quiz to see how much you know about the 1986 Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The 1986 Browns will be honored during halftime of Sunday's Browns-Jets game at FirstEnergy Stadium. More than 25 players are expected to attend from the team that remains one of the most beloved in the franchise's history.

Of course, we all know how that season ended. But how good are you at remembering other aspects of the 1986 season? Are you an expert on the 1986 Browns? We've put together a quiz to see just how good you are. 

The Shaker Heights field hockey team will make its 11 state playoff appearance on Nov. 4 against Bishop Watterson.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Senior Meagan Mitchell’s goal in overtime gave Shaker Heights field hockey team a 3-2 victory at Hawken defeating Hudson in the Gates Mills District championship on Saturday.

Shaker Heights will make its 11th state appearance after defeating Orange, Magnificat and the defending district champion Hudson.

Senior Caroline Kruithoff scored the first goal for Shaker Heights off an assist by Mitchell. Senior Haley Brady followed with a goal in the second half. Hudson answered with two goals after halftime to send the game into overtime.

Meagan Mitchell with the game-winner for Shaker! On to States! pic.twitter.com/aHqh9EjyGp

— Shaker Raiders (@raidersofshaker) October 29, 2016

Shaker Heights will have a shot to earn the program’s third state title (1991, 2014) beginning on Nov. 4 at Upper Arlington. The team will face Powell 1 District winner Bishop Watterson at 2:30 p.m.

Should Shaker Heights win, the team will advance to the state on Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. Shaker Heights could face one of four teams vying for a spot in the state semifinals: Cincinnati District (Ursuline Academy-Mount Notre Dame) or Powell 2 District (Thomas Worthington-Columbus Academy).

Thomas Worthington defeated Hudson last year, 3-0, in the state final for its fourth title.

Shaker advances to the OHSAA Field Hockey State Final Four Tournament at Upper Arlington HS. pic.twitter.com/F18V2XLzqH

— Shaker Raiders (@raidersofshaker) October 29, 2016

The 0-7 Browns will host the 2-5 Jets Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. Here are 5 things to watch, including Isaiah Crowell vs. the Jets No. 2 run defense.

One big reason the Cleveland Cavaliers have been successful with their Big Three is LeBron James being the clear leader. Who is the clear leader of the Golden State Warriors?

CHICAGO -- I was talking to someone who has spent nearly all of his adult life working in pro basketball. We were comparing the Golden State Warriors to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Most of the discussion covered the usual ground. The Warriors added Kevin Durant. They now have a Big Four, rather than a Big Three ... how will that work?

To set a context to the story, my talk with the NBA veteran was before the Warriors were spanked, 129-100, by the San Antonio Spurs in Oakland's Oracle Arena.

Our key point was that Golden State has no one like LeBron James, and it reaches beyond the basketball court.

James is the Cavs leader. He is the heartbeat. He is the strongest voice in the locker room. He truly is a coach on the court.

Who is that with Golden State?

The Warriors have some great players. My favorite on that team is Klay Thompson, who is extremely underrated because of his defense.

Stephen Curry is the back-to-back MVP.

Durant is one the top five players in the NBA.

Draymond Green is a very good player.

But who is the leader? That will be one of their issues.

As Warriors coach Steve Kerr told the Bay Area media a few days ago: "We have plenty of talent, but talent isn't going to be enough."

I sense he was talking about team chemistry -- and yes, leadership.

ABOUT LEBRON'S IMPACT

From the moment James announced his return to the Cavs, he became the sun around which all the other player planets revolved. James could organize team dinners, take the team to Tribe games -- and everyone shows up.

Despite blowing a 3-1 lead to the Cavs in The Finals, the Warriors did have real team chemistry in the last few years. Kerr came up with the "Strength In Numbers" motto to stress the idea of team unity.

Kerr often stressed how the bench players are as critical to the team's success as its stars.

The Warriors had worked out team leadership with Green, Curry and Thompson serving various roles.

And it was successful until the Cavs pulled off the most remarkable comeback in NBA Finals history.

Over and over, James kept talking about how all the Cavs needed to do was get to a Game 7 in The Finals -- and he'd take care of the rest.

James didn't mean he'd dominate the ball and the scoring. He was talking about how he knew the type of leadership needed for his team to win a Game 7 on the road.

And it showed in that game.

SPREADING OUT SHOTS

Adding Durant is fascinating.

Cavs fans know how hard it has been for Kevin Love to find his place on the court with Kyrie Irving and James.

Chris Bosh went through the same frustrations during his four years in Miami with Dwyane Wade and James.

Yes, there is a Big Three ... but often the third guy feels like a third wheel or a spare tire.

Golden State is trying to make it work with four. And the player they added to the mix -- Durant.

Last season, here is how the Warriors Big Three divided up shot attempts:

1. Curry: 20.2
2. Thompson: 17.3
3. Green: 10.1

Durant averaged 19.2 shots with Oklahoma City last season.

The Warriors can create more shots for their new Big Four by playing those guys more -- and other players shooting less. Perhaps that is what will happen.

But most nights, at least one player will not be seeing the ball as much as he did before this season.

With the Cavs last season, here's how the Big Three shot attempts broke down:

1. James: 18.6
2. Irving: 16.6
3. Love: 12.7

The Cavs have won a title and Love received a lot of attention for his defense on Curry in the final minute of Game 7. After that, Love is more comfortable with the Cavs.

Winning a title does that.

Love also earned the respect of James and his teammates by sacrificing some of his offense to concentrate on defense and rebounding.

LEBRON VS. DURANT

Durant has had a terrible time trying to figure out how to beat James, no matter what jersey James is wearing.

In the regular season, James has a 13-3 record vs. Durant. It's 8-0 with the Cavs, dating back to the first tenure of James in Cleveland.

James also beat Durant in 4-of-5 games when Miami met Oklahoma City in the 2012 NBA Finals.

In terms of scoring, they are almost identical, both averaging 27 points in the games where they met.

But James has consistently found a way to make sure his team got the best of Durant and Oklahoma City.

Will that change now that Durant has joined the Warriors? It's a fun story to watch during their two regular season games, and probably in The Finals.

Here's where the Buckeyes stand in the race for the Big Ten East Division title.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State still technically doesn't control its own destiny in the chase for a Big Ten Championship berth. But the path in Indianapolis is still there.

There was a moment on Saturday when Purdue looked like it was going to change things.

But Penn State came out in the second half after being tied at 17 and put the Boilermakers away, 62-24. Michigan kept rolling by beating Michigan State, 32-23.

So Ohio State's standing in the Big Ten East Division race remained the same as the Buckeyes prepared to host Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Right now the Buckeyes need to keep winning, Michigan needs to keep winning and Ohio State needs to hope for a three-way tie at 8-1 in the Big Ten with the Wolverines and Nittany Lions. A three-way tie between those teams would give the Buckeyes a berth in the Big Ten title game by virtue of having a better overall record than Penn State, and beating Michigan head to head.

A Penn State loss to Purdue would have changed that, and truly put Ohio State in a "win-and-your-in" position. It's still slightly more complicated than that.

As long as Penn State keeps winning, you as an Ohio State fan want Michigan to win, too.

Here are how the Big Ten East Division standings looked as Ohio State and Northwestern kicked off:

1. Michigan 8-0 (5-0 Big Ten)

2. Penn State 6-2 (4-1 Big Ten)

3. Ohio State 6-1 (3-1 Big Ten)

Here's who Penn State and Michigan play the rest of the way:

Penn State

* vs. Iowa, Nov. 5

* at Indiana, Nov. 12

* at Rutgers, Nov. 19

* vs. Michigan State, Nov. 26

Michigan

* vs. Maryland, Nov. 5

* at Iowa, Nov. 12

* vs. Indiana, Nov. 19

* at Ohio State, Nov. 26

The final out of the Cleveland Indians' 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the World Series drew a huge 48 rating and 75.6 percent share of audience for Fox 8 in Cleveland Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Northeast Ohio was watching when the Cleveland Indians nailed a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night. Was it ever.

Local overnight numbers from Nielsen gave the end of the Fox broadcast on WJW Channel 8 a 47.7 household rating and an enormous 75.6 share of audience.

Translated, that means the final out, at about 11:30 p.m., was watched in almost 48 percent of the 1.49 million homes with TV in the Cleveland market, and in more than 75 percent of those in which a TV was turned on.

The numbers don't include more than 20,000 fans who watched the big screen at Progressive Field, or the crowds watching in local nightspots.

For its entirety, Game 3 averaged a 39 rating and 60 share in Cleveland, and a 35 rating and 57 percent share of audience in Chicago.

Nationally, the game drew a 12.4 overnight rating in Nielsen's metered markets, which was the best for a Game 3 since 2005 (White Sox-Astros). This year's Series so far ranks as the most-watched and highest-rated since 2009 (Phillies-Yankees), the Hollywood Reporter found.

Dez Bryant is expected to return from injury for the Dallas Cowboys when they face Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles tonight on Sunday Night Football.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The biggest game of the week is the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Dallas Cowboys (8:30, NBC).

And the good news for the Cowboys is that wide receiver Dez Bryant will return.  Bryant has been out since suffering a knee injury in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears. Bryant has 8 catches for 150 yards and one touchdown.

It's a game where the biggest question surrounding the surprising Cowboys is how long will rookie quarterback Dak Prescott remain as the starter, especially since Tony Romo is due to come back soon from his back surgery.

But the other rookie quarterback in the game is Carson Wentz, who led the Eagles to victory last week over the Minnesota Vikings. A victory over the Cowboys by Wentz would generate even more buzz about the rookie quarterback.

You can get live scores along with previews and updates from all the games all weekend on our NFL Scoreboard.

Here's a look at some prime games to watch, along with the complete weekend schedule and TV.

TODAY'S PRIME MATCHUPS

Green Bay Packers (4-2) at Atlanta Falcons (4-3)   

• When: 4:25 Sunday on FOX
• Why watch: The Packers struggled offensively this season until quarterback Aaron Rodgers came back with an incredible quick-hitting passing game to complete a team-record 39 passes in last week's victory. The Falcons began the season with consecutive wins over last season's Super Bowl teams but the Falcons have recently struggled with two straight losses.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) at Dallas Cowboys (5-1)

• When: 8:30 p.m. Sunday on NBC        
• Why watch: Is this the last start for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott because of the possible return of Tony Romo?  Or will Eagles rookie sensation Cam Wentz defeat the one-loss Cowboys after defeating the once undefeated Vikings last week?

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

Thursday

Tennessee 36, Jacksonville 22

Today

Washington (4-3) at Cincinnati (3-4) (in London), 9:30 a.m., FOX
Kansas City (3-4) at Indianapolis (3-4), 1 p.m., CBS
Arizona (3-3-1) at Carolina (1-5), 1 p.m., FOX
Oakland (5-2) at Tampa (3-3), 1 p.m., CBS
Seattle (4-1-1) at New Orleans (2-4), 1 p.m., FOX
Detroit (4-3) at Houston (4-3), 1 p.m., FOX
New England (6-1) at Buffalo (4-3), 1 p.m., CBS
New York Jets (2-5) at Cleveland (0-7), 1 p.m., CBS
San Diego (3-4) at Denver (5-2), 4:05 p.m., CBS
Green Bay (4-2) at Atlanta (4-3), 4:25 p.m., FOX
Philadelphia (4-2) at Dallas (5-1), 8:30 p.m., NBC

Monday

Minnesota (5-1) at Chicago (1-6), 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Hicks played high school football at John Hay in Cleveland.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- John Hicks, the former Ohio State Buckeye and John Hay High School product, has passed way at the age of 65. The news of Hicks death was first reported by 10TV in Columbus.

According to the report, Hicks family acknowledged that he passed away due to complications from diabetes.

The offensive lineman played for the Buckeyes from 1970-73.

Hicks was a two-time All-American, an Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award winner and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1973. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.

He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1974 NFL Draft, and the 1974 NFC Rookie of the Year with the New York Giants.

In 2013, Hicks was voted No. 6 on The Plain Dealer's list of the top 50 Northeast Ohio high school football players in the last 50 years.

Browns cornerbacks Joe Haden and Jamar Taylor are both active for the Jets despite being questionable with groin injuries.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns cornerbacks Joe Haden and Jamar Taylor are both active today vs. the Jets.

Both were questionable with groin injuries and limited during the week.

Haden was limited all three days of practice and Taylor suffered the injury Thursday in practice.

Haden has missed three of the past five games with two separate groin injuries.

"I think everybody is hurt,'' he said Friday. "I'm not 100 percent, but I'm going to be able to go.''

He returns to the field against six-time Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall.

"Yeah, Brandon Marshall is one of the elites,'' he said. "He's been like that for a while. He's super strong - big strong and fast.  He's capable of running every route, catching every ball and fior Fitzpatrick, he's definitely one of his favorite targets. He throws it to him very often an the backside (shoulder).

"He runs basically whatever he wants on the tree, so you got to be ready.  You got to try to be physical with him and don't let him grab you too much.

Haden had twice injured his groin in a Thursday practice and then Taylor followed suit.

"I have no idea exactly why it happens,'' said Haden. "It's super unfortunate, but it is what it is. Some things can't be explained, it just happens, freak accidents. It sucks, but you have to do what you've got to do.''

Josh Gordon out of rehab, Browns will likely try to trade him by Tuesday

For the Jets, former Browns cornerback Buster Skrine in active with a knee injury. He didn't practice all week and was doubtful. He'll be replaced in the starting lineup by third-year cornerback Marcus Williams.

Jets starting center Nick Mangold is also inactive and will be replaced by third-year center Wesley Johnson.

Join in the discussion in the comment section during the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns (0-7) face the Jets (2-5) on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 8 of the NFL season. Kick off is at 1 p.m.

The Browns are coming off a 31-17 loss to the Bengals. The Jets beat the Ravens last week, 24-16.

Join in the discussion in the comment section during the game, where you can chat with other fans and see Tweets from Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe and Scott Patsko. The game will be broadcast live on CBS.

Browns vs. Jets: Who will win?

Are you a 1986 Browns expert? Take our quiz

Browns vs. Jets: 5 things to watch

Here's how I see the top 25 teams in college football after nine weeks of games.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There really aren't 25 teams worth ranking for the Associated Press college football poll.

I started struggling around No. 10. There's a large group of teams that are just kind of blah. You could really mix and match them any way you see fit and not be wrong.

So I focused mostly on the top, and with the first College Football Playoff rankings coming out this Tuesday, I tried to predict what the top of that list will look like after nine weeks of games. Some thoughts before my ballot:

* When the AP poll comes out at 2 p.m., Alabama will likely own just one win over a team currently ranked. So if you want to poke holes in the Crimson Tide's case for being No. 1, I think that's fair. The Tide also won on the road against Ole Miss, Arkansas and Tennessee. They've controlled almost every game they've been in, and they're the defending national champion. They have the strongest schedule of any of the teams in contention for the top four, according to the Sagarin computer rankings.

Even though last year isn't supposed to factor into this year's rankings, I think anybody in the committee room would be hard-pressed to not have the defending champion, who is playing this well, anywhere but No. 1.

* Clemson has been inconsistent, but also has a nice collection of wins with one over Louisville at home, and another at Florida State. Its season-opening win over Auburn was close, but also looking better with Auburn at 6-2 and riding a five-game winning streak. Full body of work matters, and Clemson's looks to be slightly better than Michigan's and Washington's.

* Having Ohio State at No. 6 is a change from my ballot last week. I slid Louisville ahead even though both had close wins against inferior opponents.

If I wasn't trying to predict what the committee is going to do, I'd probably have Ohio State No. 5. But I also think it's possible Ohio State is as low as No. 7 on Tuesday night. So I went in the middle.

Louisville has the Lamar Jackson magic, a good win over Florida State, a lot of blowouts and a close loss at Clemson. The Buckeyes are treading water a little bit after a loss to Penn State and a close one with Northwestern.

I think the committee will like Ohio State's balance (No. 10 scoring offense, No. 6 scoring defense). But in a mix with Louisville and Texas A&M, Ohio State could find itself third. A&M's only loss came on the road to the team that's going to be ranked No. 1.

Here's my ballot for this week:

1. Alabama

2. Clemson

3. Michigan

4. Washington

5. Louisville

6. Ohio State

7. Texas A&M

8. Wisconsin

9. Nebraska

10. Florida

11. Auburn

12. Utah

13. West Virginia

14. Baylor

15. LSU

16. Western Michigan

17. Oklahoma

18. Penn State

19. Virginia Tech

20. Colorado

21. Oklahoma State

22. Boise State

23. North Carolina

24. San Diego State

25. Troy