Jackson addressed local media about Saturday's win, and the week ahead.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here's everything Hue Jackson said Monday during conference call recapping Saturday's 20-17 win against the Chargers:

Opening statement: "First off, I hope everyone enjoyed their day yesterday. Our players were able to spend the day yesterday with their families so we know that was an enjoyable day for them. Today, we are all back at it and meeting to see what we can learn from the game film obviously from Saturday and to start our preparation for the Steelers. It is a good feeling for us walking into the building today, obviously, a very different from every other Monday this season. This is the way it is supposed to be. Really happy about our players and our coaching staff finally having an opportunity to experience victory. It took entirely too long for us to get one for our fans this year, but we were sure happy that it came. As long as I have been in this league, you come to understand that you can never take winning for granted. The players on this team understand how hard it is to win in this league, and obviously, we hope to start and this might become the start of something really good for us. The hope is to carry some momentum from Saturday into the game this Sunday.

"On the injury front, we know Robert Griffin remains in concussion protocol, and he will progress through that protocol as appropriate. Joe Haden is still sore after leaving the game with a neck injury, and we will see how he progresses. Duke Johnson has a sore ankle. Trey Caldwell has a hamstring injury that will likely keep him out this week. That is just kind of where we are."

On what stood out on film from Saturday's game: "Our guys showed grit and they played hard. We made some plays in the second half that gave us a chance to win the game, plays that we had not made all year. We made a crucial block and obviously forced them into a crucial missed kick and made enough plays on offense down the stretch and defensively to give us a chance to win the game."

On if the Browns will prepare for Cody Kessler to start this week: "There is a possibility he may have to, but we will go through the week and see where Robert is and kind of go from there and then determine that decision."

On if the Browns plan to start Griffin if he is healthy: "More than likely yes, but again, I just need to see where he totally is. You guys know how I am about these concussions. I really like to get all the information that I can before we make a decision on where to go and what to do."

On Griffin's performance against the Chargers and how his running ability helped the offense: "Yeah, I thought he did a good job of standing in there in the first half and delivering some balls on third down and made some crucial third down throws and runs, as you just mentioned. He made some first downs with his legs, which extended drives which gave us a chance to score more points. I think we had probably more yards, more first downs, more points in the first half than we have had in a long time, and that is kind of the way you hope to play."

On the balance of celebrating the Browns' first win yet recognizing where the team stands now: "Well there is a balance, you just said it. I think we have to respect that. This is about wins and losses, and we were able to do that. That was the game that we had and we were able to win it so I think that was great, but I do recognize where we are. We are nowhere close to where we want to be. We know there is a lot of work ahead of us to [continually] have that feeling that we had this past week. We know out in front of us there is a lot to do on all levels."

On the emotion in the Browns locker room following the victory and if that is as emotional as he has ever been following a win: "Absolutely, I was emotional for our players. I know how hard this group has worked and I know how hard it has been for these guys to go out every week and give it everything they have and come up short and to be the brunt of jokes and to be talked about and people saying we were going to be 0-16 and there were parades [planned] and this and that. I just thought all that emotion just came to a head. I was happy for them. It was more about them. It is not about me. It is about the players and the work that they put in. It is about our fans. It is about the people in the organization that come here every day and have to deal with people that do not sometimes see the long-term plan of where we are trying to get to so I get it. To me, that was an opportunity to exhale for them."

On what it meant to younger Browns players to see the commitment from veterans: "Because I think they know that if the veterans grind, they have to grind even harder and that if those guys are doing it after a Joe Thomas who has been in the league for 10 years to Andrew Hawkins to Tramon Williams to Joe Haden, that those guys know they have to put out, too, and how hard it is to win in this league and how every opportunity that you go out to fight with your brothers, you have to make the most of it because you never know when it is going to be the end of it."

On Thomas shedding tears of joy in the locker room following the victory: "He was all in. He has been all in from the beginning. I cried like a baby with him to be very honest with you. That was probably one of the moments that I will always remember in my coaching career watching a future Hall of Famer overcome with emotion because he knows how hard he has worked to help this young team and these players get this victory. He was very deserving of it, and he did everything he could in that game to fight to make sure that we have a chance to win."

On the freeing feeling knowing the Browns will not finish winless: "It is very freeing (laughter). I feel better today than I did at any time during this year to be very honest with you. At the same time, I think the question was asked earlier - what is the balance? There is a balance because we have won one and we have that part behind us, but there are so many more we want to win and there are so many more things that we need to do to secure winning. I think we all recognize that and I think we are working toward that."

On what goes through his mind when watching the Steelers-Ravens game: "That is where we want to be. I am just being very honest and not bragging or anything, but those are the games I am used to being involved in. That is where I want this organization to be. We want to be fighting for our division crown, hopefully not the last week of the season or the week before, but be in that race and be in that conversation. We have to earn the right to be in that conversation. We have a long way to go, but we want to be in those kinds of football games."

On if he has received many phone calls and texts from coaching colleagues after the win Saturday: "Yes, it has. When I got to the locker room, I had 89 messages. It felt like I was becoming a head coach again. There were a lot of well wishes from coaches who were playing that night or coaches that played earlier and players and friends and everybody because I think they know what is inside of me, and I think they know what is inside this team. They saw the fight. They knew eventually it was going to happen. No one thought it would take this long, but it did. That is the part that matters most is that these guys have showed the grit and determination to keep fighting. They have not once gone the other and said, 'We are not doing this.' They have just done it. That is what I am most proud of."

On if the severity of Haden's injury is known: "I don't. Hopefully, it is going to be OK. I would think he is going to be OK. Joe is a competitor. I know he wants to be out there with his teammates. If I had my thought about it, I think he will do everything he can to be out there this coming Sunday."

On what it means for Haden to continue playing, given his statement he will need groin surgery after the season: "I think it shows the commitment that he wants to be out there. I wish he would not tell everybody that because that is why they are going to keep throwing the ball at him (laughter). He has done everything I have asked him to do. I am proud of him for being out there with his teammates and fighting through when things are not just perfect because it is not just perfect for any football player at this time of the year. Obviously, not [perfect for] him with what he is going through, but he is out there and he is to be commended for it."

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a dramatic comeback to beat the Golden State Warriors on Sunday and it's worth looking back at that game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Cavaliers notebook, still enjoying Sunday's 109-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors:

1. When the Cavaliers needed a game-winning shot against Golden State, they set up a play for Kyrie Irving to take it. Remember, this is a team led by LeBron James. But Irving keeps growing as a player and as Kevin Love said, "He's our go-to guy in the fourth quarter."

2. This is not saying Irving is the Cavs' best player. It's James. No one in the NBA is quite like LeBron James in terms of impacting every aspect of the game. Nor does it mean James should be the second option in clutch situations. But it does underline the fact ... once again ... that James doesn't have to carry the huge load as he did early in his career. James had a brilliant game in the victory, scoring 31 points to go with 13 rebounds and 4 assists.

3. Irving hit the Cavs version of The Shot to help beat Golden State, 93-89, in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals. And then he hit another shot -- this one with 3.4 seconds left -- to give the Cavs a 109-108 victory Sunday over the Warriors.

4. James on Irving: "The kid is special." Of course, Irving is no longer quite a kid in NBA terms. This is his sixth pro season, even though he's only 24. Cavs fans have been watching him grow first into a star, then a scorer ... now a winning player.

5. The Cavs had the ball with 14 seconds left. Lue decided to put the ball in the hands of Irving, allowing him to dribble up the court. Iman Shumpert or Tristan Thompson had the option of setting a screen for him, but Irving had other ideas. He was defended by Klay Thompson. He went straight to the rim, and Klay Thompson cut him off about 10 feet from the basket. That's when Irving swished the turnaround jumper, fading away.

6. Klay Thompson and Irving both called it a "tough shot." So was the 3-pointer Irving drilled in Game 7. James told the media about a step-back jumper in another game that Irving swished over a much taller Draymond Green.

7. "It means a lot that they trust me with that shot to go full court," said Irving. "It's fun to have the trust of your teammates and coaching staff."

8. The respect for Irving among his teammates and coaches is soaring. Coach Tyronn Lue called Irving "a killer on the court, he lives for that moment" in clutch situations. Then Lue made an excellent point about Irving's improved defense. Irving had seven steals against Golden State. He had six in Friday's victory over Brooklyn, giving him 13 steals in the last two games.

9. The Cavs shot a dismal 39 percent from the field, but still beat Golden State. But Golden State made 20 turnovers, and those became 21 points for the Cavs. The Cavs also out-rebounded the Warriors, 44-42. The Warriors shot only 9-of-30 (30 percent) on 3-pointers.

10. Or how about this, in the final 9:40 of the game, Irving had as many points (14) as the entire Warriors team. Irving was hot, and the Cavs defense was strong. That's how you win playoff games -- or big games like this. In the final seven minutes of the game, James switched from defending Kevin Durant to Klay Thompson -- and held Thompson scoreless.

11. Kevin Durant scored with 9:34 left to give the Warriors a 94-80 lead. That was his last field goal of the game. He made three free throws in the final nine minutes, his only points when the Warriors were falling apart. They made six turnovers in the fourth quarter.

12. Richard Jefferson defended Durant in the final nine minutes, out-scoring the Warriors star, 6-0.

13. Durant obviously is a great player. He finished with 36 points and 15 rebounds, both game highs. The Warriors are 27-5 this season, the best record in the NBA. But under pressure in Cleveland on Christmas day, their offense stalled. Curry seemed to wander around the perimeter. Thompson couldn't get off a shot against James. Durant was having a 36-year-old Jefferson dunk on him. It was so much fun for Cavs fans.

14. We all know it's a long time between now and June. And we know the Warriors should continue to grow together as a team, unless the four stars can't seem to align quite right. The Big Four are Durant, Curry, Thompson and Green.

15. When the Warriors were outscored, 29-14, in the final 9:34, Green led them with six points. Curry had five, Durant had three.

16. Durant may have been fouled by Jefferson on the final play of the game when their feet were tangled up. But you rarely see that called in a clutch situation. Besides, Durant and the Warriors put themselves in the hands of the officials by their poor performance down the stretch.

17. Irving outplayed Curry in The Finals. The Cavs guard averaged 27 points, shooting .468 from the field in those games. Curry was at 22.6 points, shooting .403. But player were at .405 from 3-point range.

18. In Game 7 of the 2016 Finals, Curry scored an ugly 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting with four turnovers. Irving scored 26 points in Game 7. He then outscored Curry, 27-15, on Christmas.

19. It's interesting that Curry was not the first option for Golden State's final shot, it was Durant. Curry was on the court for the final play of the game after the Warriors called timeout with 3.4 seconds left. But Curry was on the bench on the previous possession. That was when Irving scored what proved to be the game-winner. Curry was pulled for his lack of defense.

20. It's a shame these two teams play only once more in the regular season. It will be January 16 in Oakland.

From American hero John Glenn to the doctor who invented the Heimlich maneuver, cleveland.com remembers the famous Ohioans who died in 2016. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Astronaut John Glenn, statesman George Voinovich, NBA legend Nate Thurmond: cleveland.com remembers those famous Ohioans who died in 2016.

Glenn: Astronaut, politician and serviceman Glenn was born on July 18, 1921 in Cambridge, OH.

He was the first American to orbit Earth, the oldest man to fly in space, a U.S. senator, and overall American hero. Glenn passed away on Dec. 8, 2016.

Voinovich: Former U.S. senator, governor and mayor Voinovich was born in Cleveland on July 15, 1936. He died peacefully in his sleep on June 12, 2016.

Voinovich was a treasured politician who always put his hometown first.

George Voinovich dies at age 79

Thurmond: Thurmond was born on July 25, 1941, in Akron. He played basketball for 14 years on teams including the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Nate the Great" lost his battle with leukemia on July 16, 2016.

Former Cavaliers center Nate Thurmond loses short battle with leukemia

For more tributes, watch the video above.

Cleveland's win against Golden State was watched by more than 10.1 million average viewers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland's thrilling 109-108 Christmas Day win against Golden State was the NBA's most watched early game in 12 years according to ESPN and ABC networks.

The NBA Finals rematch that saw the Cavaliers rally from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit, averaged a total live audience of 10.1 million between broadcast and streaming platforms, with a peak of 11.8 million in the final period.

The Cavaliers-Warriors broadcast is the fifth-most watched regular-season NBA game in ABC history, according to the network.

The rivalry game reached an unprecedented number of mobile and streaming users, boosting ESPN to its most-streamed NBA Christmas Day ever. NBA games generated 44.3 million total streaming minutes, 197,000 average unique viewers and an average minute audience of 54,000, all improvements from last year.

The official Ohio State Twitter gave an inside look at what it's like to travel on the team's Boeing 747. Check out the video inside.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State is set to land in Phoenix in a few hours. 

But judging by the apparent comfort and ammenities on the plane, the Buckeyes may not mind taking their time. The official Ohio State Twitter gave an inside look at what it's like to travel on the team's Boeing 747.

Check out the video below.  

Not a bad place to spend the next 4 hours [?]

[?] [?][?][?][?][?] #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Y7AR0FkPuz

-- Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 26, 2016

A Boeing 747 is the same plane Ohio State's entire football team flew the Sugar Bowl two years ago and the Fiesta Bowl last year. It's also the same plane modified to create Air Force One. It's big. 

Ohio State will have its first practice in Phoenix on Tuesday in preparation for its College Football Playoff semifinal game against Clemson. The game at 7:00 p.m. ET on New Year's Eve. 

The explanation given in the report is essentially that Jefferson made foot to foot contact with Durant that affected his ability to make a play. Watch video

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- On the final play of the Cleveland Cavaliers-Golden State Warriors thrilling Christmas Day showdown, Richard Jefferson fouled Golden State star Kevin Durant, who should've gone to the free throw line for a pair of shots to put the Warriors ahead -- at least according to the NBA's Last Two Minute report released late Monday evening. 

The report -- the league's assessment of officiated events that occurred in the last two minutes of Sunday's games within five points or less at the two-minute mark -- includes all calls (whistles) and notable non-calls for both teams. It classifies the play as an incorrect non-call. 

The explanation given in the report is that Jefferson made foot to foot contact with Durant that affected his ability to make a play. The NBA uses the acronym "SQBR," which stands for speed, quickness, balance, rhythm.

"I fell and I didn't fall on my own," Durant said following the Warriors' 109-108 loss. 

"We all think we're fouled on every play in every single game," Jefferson said. "That's why I say I know the referees have a very hard job. I switched to his body. I looked like he lost his balance. He was trying to regain his balance and as soon as I saw him start to stumble, I ran off. I ran off so it wasn't look like I was trying to pressure him more, so he didn't trip on my foot and it looked like I bumped him, nothing. It's one of those things, plays can go either way."

That wasn't the only missed call by the trio of referees in the final two minutes either. After re-watching, the league has determined LeBron James should have been assessed a technical foul at the 1:43 mark of the fourth quarter for "deliberately hanging on the rim" after his thunderous dunk that gave Cleveland a 105-103 advantage. 

The non-calls on Jefferson and James were the only two errors found by the league in the Last Two Minute report. 

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 30 against the Detroit Pistons.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Detroit Pistons on Monday in Game 30 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

Follow along in the comments section as Chris Fedor brings you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Fedor on Twitter.

Game 30: Cavs (23-6) vs. Pistons (14-18)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

TV/radio: FoxSports Ohio; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson, DeAndre Liggins, Kyrie Irving.

Pistons probable starting lineup: Andre Drummond, Reggie Jefferson, Tobias Harris, Marcus Morris, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

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

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James played 40 minutes during Cleveland's 109-108 battle against the Golden State Warriors.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- LeBron James will not play tonight against the Detroit Pistons.

Head coach Tyronn Lue made the decision early Monday morning to rest James, as the Cleveland Cavaliers play the second game of a back-to-back and their fifth game in seven days. 

Monday marks the third time the Cavs will rest James this season.

However, unlike the controversial Dec. 14 contest against the Memphis Grizzlies when Lue opted not to bring James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on the trip, James is with the Cavaliers in Detroit.

"We wanted to make sure he's here and make sure everybody can see him," Lue said. 

James, averaging the third-most minutes per game (36.9) in the league this season, played 40 during Cleveland's tough battle against the Golden State Warriors Sunday afternoon. Lue -- in conjunction with James' trainer Mike Mancias -- has been searching for spots in the schedule to get James extra days off. 

With a day off Tuesday and not playing again until Thursday against Boston, James will have three days in between game action. 

Richard Jefferson will start in his place. 

The Tigers were the first team to arrive in Phoenix on Monday for the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. Watch video

PHOENIX -- Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is looking for any edge he can get with the Tigers getting set to take on Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

That includes searching for tips on how to beat the Buckeyes by reading Urban Meyer's new book.

"I'll have to get that thing read by the end of week ... If y'all got the cliff notes, send them my way," Swinney joked on Monday when the Tigers arrived in Phoenix for Saturday's game.

Watch the video here for the full press conference at Sky Harbor International Airport from Monday's arrival with Swinney, running back Wayne Gallman and defensive lineman Christian Wilkins.

Swinney, as coaches often are at these kind of things, was very complimentary of Meyer and the program he's built at Ohio State.

"He rarely ever loses," Swinney said. "We were joking back in Clemson, it's like Knute Rockne and Urban Meyer as the winningest coaches ever. They're (Ohio State) where everybody wants to be."

For what it's worth, Rockne has the best winning percentage among Division I coaches with .881. Meyer is No. 1 among active coaches at .851.

The Tigers and Buckeyes will begin practicing in the Phoenix area on Tuesday. The Fiesta Bowl will kick off on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

ow it's about whether Ohio State can beat out Michigan, Utah, Brigham Young and USC for the 6-foot-3, 288-pound prospect.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star defensive tackle Jay Tufele of South Jordan (Utah) Bingham released a top five on Monday evening and Ohio State made the cut.

That wasn't a surprise.

The Buckeyes have prioritized Tufele as a top target for months. 

Now it's about whether Ohio State can beat out Michigan, Utah, Brigham Young and USC for the 6-foot-3, 288-pound prospect who rates as the No. 4 defensive tackle in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings. 

Tufele officially visited Ohio State on Nov. 26 for the Buckeyes win over Michigan and he once said Urban Meyer's program is his leader. 

But Ohio State hasn't completely controlled Tufele's recruitment, which will likely come down to National Signing Day after taking official visits to USC and Utah in late January. 

Ohio State clearly wants to add another defensive tackle to its 2017 recruiting class. The Buckeyes are also recruiting five-star Marvin Wilson of Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal.

Top 5 all glory to the man above...[?] [?] pic.twitter.com/pOZIPkFK2w

-- Jay Tufele (@tufele123) December 27, 2016

Beyond James' absence, there could have been any number of reasons to explain the Cavs' five-game winning streak coming to an end.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Cleveland Cavaliers continued to struggle without LeBron James, losing to the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, 106-90, as James rested for the third time this season. 

Beyond James' absence, there could have been any number of reasons to explain the Cavs' five-game winning streak coming to an end. 

They were playing the second game of a back-to-back and fifth in seven nights. They were also coming off an emotional, 48-minute slugfest against rival Golden State, a game that featured playoff intensity throughout and could have led to heavy legs. And because of the holiday, the Cavaliers left for Detroit on the team plane around 10 p.m. Sunday night.

A letdown looked probable as soon as the schedule was released. It became even more likely a little more than an hour before tipoff when head coach Tyronn Lue announced James would sit.

As per usual, the Cavs couldn't overcome -- undone by their own mistakes, a chilly shooting night and Detroit's stellar performance at both ends. 

The Pistons opened the game on an 8-0 run and never relinquished the lead.

Cavs guard Kyrie Irving tried to spearhead a late rally. It wasn't enough this time. The Pistons responded to each surge, and Reggie Jackson's 3-pointer with 5:39 remaining in the fourth quarter gave Detroit a 19-point lead and led to a Lue timeout.

That's when he decided against inserting Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson -- both waiting at the scorer's table as Jackson's triple sent the crowd into frenzy.

Lue cleared his bench instead, watching the Pistons' lead balloon to a game-high 21 at one point. 

One game after capping a come-from-behind win against Golden State with a late-game fadeaway, Irving struggled. He scored 18 points on 8-of-20 from the field, including 2-of-6 from beyond the arc in 29 minutes. 

Love added 17 points on 6-of-14 from the field to go with a team-high 14 rebounds. He also committed five of the team's 22 turnovers, which led to 29 points. 

Entering the night as the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA, the Cavs were held to 90 points, their second-lowest total this year, on 30-of-79 (38 percent) shooting. 

Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye each added 11 points off the bench for the Cavs. 

The Pistons, led by Tobias Harris' 21 points, snapped a five-game losing skid. Five other players, all starters, reached double figures, as Detroit shot 41-of-93 (44.1 percent) from the floor and 16-of-28 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range. 

The Cavs are 0-3 this season without James. They are 4-18 since October of 2014 on nights when James doesn't play.

What's next

The Cavs have Tuesday off before returning to practice on Wednesday. They will host the Boston Celtics at 8 p.m. Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena in a game that will televised nationally on TNT. 

The attention goes to the two other All-Stars, the two max players. I mean, it's the highest payroll in NBA history and yet the team can't seem to function without James.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- After Sunday's draining come-from-behind win against the Golden State Warriors Sunday, head coach Tyronn Lue decided Monday morning to rest LeBron James for the third time this season.

To make things tougher, the Detroit Pistons hadn't played since Friday and they were hungry to erase a five-game losing skid.

The result: Another Cleveland loss without James. And, of course, players then grudgingly answering questions about it.

Here are five observations:

LeBron's MVP case - The best argument for James winning his fifth MVP can be made when he doesn't play.

In games with James, the Cavaliers are 129-43, which is a winning percentage of .750. Without him, they are 0-3 this season and 4-18 since he returned to Cleveland. That's a winning percentage of .182 -- worse than the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks this year.

Of the 18 losses, 10 have been by double digits.

"I'm pretty sure it's going to be the blame on me and Kev and how we can't win without Bron," Kyrie Irving said following the game. "It's the same sentence that goes on no matter what."

Well, duh. Who else is the "blame" going to fall on? DeAndre Liggins? Tristan Thompson? Iman Shumpert?

The attention goes to the other All-Stars, the two max players. I mean, it's the highest payroll in NBA history and yet the team can't seem to function without James. It's only a minor issue, but baffling nonetheless.

"We still have enough talent to win, that goes without saying," Love said. "But take the best player in the world off your team, he just means so much to us. His usage is so high in what we do with both units that whether it's the starting unit or the second unit, you take him away from our team and we lose a lot, naturally."

Following each loss with James resting, the Cavs -- and Irving -- seem to brush it off. That makes sense. There's no reason to envision life without James long term. And if something were to happen, there would be no way for the Cavs to make up for that loss anyway. They would collapse quickly and be out of title contention in a blink.

"We expect to have LeBron (in the postseason)," Love said.

But he's going to rest more as the season progresses to stay fresh for the playoffs, which means the Cavs will likely lose more games because of it. They could even possibly fall out of the Eastern Conference's top spot. But, as frustrating as it can be, does it truly matter? They are great with him, having just four losses.

That's the true definition of value, the key word that voters should focus on when determining the award recipient.

Offense struggles - The offense is often predicated on James drawing the defense's attention and creating opportunities for teammates.

Channing Frye is what Lue terms a "specialist", a great catch-and-shoot big man. Smith, when healthy, needs guys to create shot attempts for him. The same goes for every other player on the roster except James, Irving and Love, who looks for his own offense on post-ups.

But the threat of those outside shooters opens the floor for Cleveland's Big Three, which is the real beauty of the roster Griffin has assembled.

Still, without one of those primary creators, the offense crumbles -- just as it did against Detroit. 

The fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA scored 90 points, its second-lowest total this season. In the three games James hasn't played the Cavs are averaging 89.3. 

Irving, who had even more responsibility and appeared to be pressing early, recorded eight of the team's 19 assists. No one else had more than two.

Another reason for the sloppy offense: Lue tends to use the non-LeBron games to experiment with lineup combinations. He even uses players that aren't usually in the rotation. At one point, Lue unleashed an Irving-Felder backcourt. Mike Dunleavy received a season-high 28 minutes.

"It's not concerning," Lue said. "It's just, the biggest thing for me, guys get a chance to play. When you're competing, playing hard and playing the right way, that's all you can ask."

Turnovers - Love led the parade of miscues, a season-high 22 of them. He committed five, including four in the first quarter when the Cavs were trying to feature him on the offensive end.

This is, of course, another result of not having James. He's the Cavaliers lead ball handler. Without him, players not usually expected to make plays are asked to do a little bit more. Iman Shumpert is a perfect example.

Frantic in transition and in the halfcourt, Shumpert committed four turnovers and finished with the worst plus/minus (-24) of anyone on the court.

Homecoming game - Kay Felder attended high school 26 miles from the Palace of Auburn Hills at Detroit Pershing. He then starred at Oakland University, which is less than four miles away.

In front of at least 15 friends or family members, Felder scored 11 points on 2-8 from the field in 20 minutes, one of his most productive games as a pro.

"Coming back home you always want to get a win in front of the hometown fans. But unfortunately we fell short today," Felder said. "It was great. Loved every moment of it. Ran hard and was aggressive out there. I didn't hold anything back."

Following Sunday's win against the Warriors, Lue gave Felder permission to bypass the team's flight, which left around 10 p.m. Felder got in his car and drove home so he could be with his family for the final hours of the annual Christmas get-together.

"I don't think it's been a Christmas yet where I haven't been in Detroit," Felder said. "That was great for T. Lue to let me see them."

Felder's minutes have been sporadic, but it appears he will benefit when Lue rests James or Irving.

During the Cavs' loss on Dec. 14 against the Grizzlies, a night the Big Three stayed in Cleveland, Felder played a season-high 23 minutes, scoring 14 points -- his first double-figure game in the NBA.

On Monday, he saw early first quarter action.

"Another ball handler with LeBron being out," Lue said when asked why he played Felder so much. "A guy who can create havoc getting into the paint. And then also I wanted to get Kyrie's minutes down after playing 40-whatever last game. So, it was just something we had to do as far as to try to get Kyrie's minutes down."

Learning from Kyrie - Felder continues to lean on the champions roaming the team's locker room. And they keep telling him the same thing.

"You stay ready, stick to the game plan and make sure you're in tune every shootaround even if you're not playing or even if you are playing," Felder said. "Just make sure you're in tune and paying attention to all the little details especially."

But there's one player in particular that serves as Felder's mentor: Irving.

"Oh man, that's my guy," he said. "Ky has took me under his wing. He gave me his number and said, 'Reach out to me anytime.' I love him for that."

Felder said he hasn't dialed Irving too much, wanting to keep from bugging him. But he believes he's starting to benefit from the tutelage.

He admitted the game is still a "little fast" for him. But he's improved his ability to read defenses and understand how to dig into scouting reports and players' tendencies.

"I'm starting to get more comfortable out there," Felder said. "More reps and things like that. I'm starting to find a groove and kind of find myself."

The Last Two Minute report, which has been a polarizing topic since its inception, showed two incorrect non-calls in the final two minutes of Cleveland's 109-108 win -- both favored the Cavs.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue shrugged it off when informed that the NBA ruled, after reviewing the final play of the Christmas Day showdown against the Golden State Warriors, that Richard Jefferson fouled Kevin Durant.

"To me, you come back and say that you made a mistake in the last two minutes of the game, I mean, that's on them," Lue said Monday.

The Last Two Minute report, which has been a polarizing topic since its inception, showed two incorrect non-calls in the final two minutes of Cleveland's 109-108 win -- both favoring the Cavs.

One was LeBron James not receiving a technical foul for hanging on the rim too long following a monstrous dunk that gave the Cavs their first lead since the first quarter. The other was Jefferson, who should've been whistled for a foul because of foot-to-foot contact with Durant that caused the Warriors star to stumble and toss up one last desperation shot.

Had Jefferson been whistled, Durant, a career 88.2 percent shooter from the stripe, would have gotten two free throw attempts and a pair of makes would have given the Warriors a one-point lead with a few seconds remaining. 

"There's a lot of fouls throughout the course of the game that don't get called," Lue said. "It's a tough game to officiate. The players we have, the way guys can draw fouls and contact, so that was an incidental play at the end of the game. You don't want the game decided on two free throws at the end of the game. I didn't see (the foul). There wasn't much contact to me."

Durant disagreed.

"I fell and I didn't fall on my own," he said Sunday.

The league reviews all calls and non-calls in the last two minutes of games within five points or less at the two-minute mark, a practice NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes is beneficial. James -- and other players -- have been outspoken about it in the past.

"It changes absolutely nothing," James said during last year's postseason. "I think it sends a bad message to our fans of thinking the game is only won in the last two minutes. A play in the first quarter is just as important as a play in the last four seconds. That's how playoff basketball is played, that's how the game of basketball should be played."

Richard Jefferson should have been called for a foul on Cavs-Warriors final play

The Browns avoided history with a win over San Diego on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Perhaps the most jarring moment from the postgame locker room video the Browns posted to the team's official Twitter account following Saturday's game was seeing Joe Thomas -- 10-time Pro Bowler and a player who will walk off the field and straight to Canton -- crying following the team's first win.

"I cried like a baby with him to be very honest with you," head coach Hue Jackson said on Monday. "That was probably one of the moments that I will always remember in my coaching career watching a future Hall of Famer overcome with emotion because he knows how hard he has worked to help this young team and these players get this victory."

"People who don't know Joe, he doesn't normally have that relationship with coaches," wide receiver Andrew Hawkins said. "He is someone that every guy in this locker room respects and looks up to. When you see the amount of love and respect that he gives Hue and how much he cares for him, it is special. That is how a lot of the young guys know that was real.

"This one's for you."

Hue Jackson's emotional victory speech #SDvsCLE pic.twitter.com/9RWBAeiL6Q

-- Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 24, 2016

If you're feeling a breeze coming from the direction of the Browns practice facility in Berea today, it's the collective sigh of relief that comes from not facing a week of questions about going winless. The Browns' 2016 season went from being possibly historic to being merely bad when San Diego kicker Josh Lambo sent his 45-yard field goal attempt wide right as time expired.

"It is a good feeling for us walking into the building today, obviously," Jackson said, "very different from every other Monday this season. This is the way it is supposed to be."

"It is definitely a relief, man," linebacker Chris Kirksey said. "We were just waiting on that first win, and we got it this past weekend."

"1-14 is still not where we wanted to be when we started the season," Hawkins said. "At the same time, to avoid being a historically bad team ... That relief, especially on Christmas weekend, it felt good to make the weekend obviously a lot more enjoyable."

In reality, if you're a bad football team, it's ideal if you can spend the last week of your season just quietly playing out the string, especially if you're in a position, like the Browns, where there isn't a leadership shakeup looming. Had the Browns come into this week at 0-15, though, they would have received the type of attention on a national scale normally reserved for playoff teams this time of year.

That is likely one of the reasons Jackson called the feeling of winning Saturday freeing.

"I feel better today than I did at any time during this year to be very honest with you," he said.

"It is a relief, especially for the veteran guys who do not have very many cracks left at this, if at all," Hawkins said. "You never want to be associated with that -- a historically bad season."

"Guys are walking around the locker room just waiting for this new week," Kirksey said. "Getting that win was definitely a great feeling."

"I know how hard this group has worked and I know how hard it has been for these guys to go out every week and give it everything they have and come up short," Jackson said, "and to be the brunt of jokes and to be talked about and people saying we were going to be 0-16 and there were parades [planned] and this and that."

Instead, the 0-16 parade has become a sizable donation to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and the Browns' final game of the season becomes a footnote, especially considering it has no implications for the playoff-bound Steelers, either.

There is that juxtaposition, though, that we're all too familiar with -- playing the Steelers in the season's final week as they tune up for the playoffs and the Browns look to disappear quietly into the offseason.

"That is where we want to be," Jackson said when asked what runs through his mind when he sees the Ravens and Steelers play a game with enormous division implications like they did Sunday night. "I am just being very honest and not bragging or anything, but those are the games I am used to being involved in. That is where I want this organization to be. We want to be fighting for our division crown."

That's why Jackson acknowledged that there has to be balance in celebrating one win for a team that has a long ways to go.

"I do recognize where we are," he said. "We are nowhere close to where we want to be. We know there is a lot of work ahead of us to (continually) have that feeling that we had this past week. We know out in front of us there is a lot to do on all levels."

That being said, that work can now get started without the spectre of avoiding history hanging over anyone's head. For once, the Browns can focus simply on the week -- and the offseason -- ahead.

"You can just tell what type of players we have on our team and the type of fight we have," Kirksey said. "I am definitely excited to get into this week. Pittsburgh week is a big week. I just know the guys will be ready to play."

-----

From a new focus on engaging the public to a series of month-long fitness experiments, 2016 was a great and transformative year at 'Stretching Out.'

CLEVELAND, Ohio - No matter that it contained my 40^th birthday. In terms of fitness, 2016 was a fantastic year.

Along with its writer, "Stretching Out" underwent a dramatic transformation, trading weekly tastes of new activities for month-long deep-dives wherein I dedicate myself to a given program long enough to experience real benefits.

At the same time, I opened the door to you, my audience. Through a partnership with University Hospitals, I began taking part in public fitness activities and inviting readers to join me. The idea being to spend less time telling you what I've done and more time getting you up and moving. So far I've hiked in Bedford and run a 5K. Look for much more in that vein in 2017.

Below are my top 10 favorite activities of 2016. Some were part of the old weekly regimen. Others served as monthly experiments. All, however, stuck out in my mind as deeply enjoyable forms of exercise. May they serve you as well as they did me.

1. CrossFit

CrossFit, CrossFit, CrossFit. I know. The one thing CrossFitters love more than CrossFit itself is talking about CrossFit. But there's method to the madness, as I discovered firsthand. After a month at CrossFit Distinction in Beachwood, I couldn't bear to walk away from the gains I made or the fun of such varied, intense exercise. Three months later, I'm still an active member, and getting better all the time. Now I'm the one who can't shut up about it.

2. Yoga

A month of group and private classes at Cleveland Yoga in Beachwood lopped off the "hate" portion of my formerly love-hate relationship with yoga. One-on-one instruction was especially fruitful, leading me to enlightenment on how yoga is supposed to feel and how I, with my limitations, can execute poses properly, safely, and beneficially. Can't say I'll be practicing yoga daily. Now, though, when I do practice, I'll get a whole lot more out of it.

3. Rowing Machine

I knew I was going to love the rowing machine I bought last January. What I wasn't prepared for was how much I was going to love it. As it turned out, having a sleek Concept 2 Model D right in my basement changed everything, allowing me to get phenomenal workouts even when I'm short on time or the weather's foul. What's more, it gave me an edge at the gym. At CrossFit, rowing is fundamental.

4. Orange Theory

Orange Theory finally rolled into Northeast Ohio this year, and I couldn't have been happier. When I visited the first location in Rocky River (other branches have since popped up in Solon, Mentor, Brecksville, and Strongsville), I had a blast watching my heart-rate soar and racking up time in the "orange" zone while rowing, lifting weights, performing body-weight exercises, and running on a treadmill at max incline. I also enjoyed a similarly intense, varied experience at Ript Fitness, in Chagrin Falls.

5. Rock Mill

The local climbing community got a shot in the arm this year with the opening of Rock Mill, a bouldering gym in Akron. I could barely make it up the easiest routes, and fell more times than I care to share, but I still had a great time learning the basics in a brand spanking new facility, complete with yoga and general fitness studios. Stay tuned for more on this subject. I intend to make climbing the subject of an experiment.

6. Doan Creek Trail Run

I've lived on the east side several years now and yet had no conception of the beauty around me until October, when I ran the inaugural Doan Creek Urban Trail Run, a 25K (roughly 15-mile) trail race in the little-known wooded areas spanning Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Cleveland. But beyond opening my eyes to my surroundings, the race also proved a joy in itself, a challenging and hilly course complete with waterfalls, dams, and gorges. I'll definitely be running this race regularly.

7. Rolfing

Rolfing literally changed my life. Somehow, through expert manipulation of the fascia in my upper back and shoulder region, Cleveland practitioner Leah Rachocki gave me back the long-lost ability to straighten my arm behind my head and thus do just about everything in fitness better. The gentlest of rubbing and prodding proved revolutionary, opening up areas I'd written off as locked down forever. Rachocki and I still have work to do, but the impact already has been enormous.  

8. CycleBar

I became fast friends this year with CycleBar, a new cycling studio in Beachwood. "Fast" is the operative word here. Beyond simply leading riders through series of hills and sprints, as well as upper-body work, instructors at CycleBar also engage riders in races, directing them to a monitor with real-time power and speed reports and challenging them to best each other. It's a remarkably effective tool, especially on those like me with competitive streaks. Months after I finished testing the place, I still go back whenever I need a good, hard sweat.

9. 9Round

Boxing isn't my thing. I never watch on TV, and I'm even less likely to attend a fight. Still, as exercise, it's one of my favorites. Especially the way it's done at 9Round in Avon. I got a great workout there in February, going through its 9-step boxing circuit. Over the course of just 30 minutes, the course managed to test everything from my agility and strength to my cardiovascular endurance. Only wish I'd brought a towel. Not to throw in, mind you, but to mop my forehead.

10. Go Ape

The still-new treetop adventure park in the Mill Stream Run Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks challenged me both mentally and physically. Climbing some 50 feet to a tiny platform high in a tree took all my willpower and nerve. Then I wore out my arms and legs traversing whole networks of airborne obstacles including high-wires, dangling platforms, and suspended cargo nets. Fortunately, the effort was worthwhile. The payoff at the end of each route was a long and blissful zip-line down to the ground.

Also of Note: I don't count my brief September encounter with ultra-runner Pete Kostelnick as a workout. I only ran a few miles, after all. But meeting up with one of the best long-distance runners in the world on his record-breaking run across the country, from San Diego to New York City, still rocked me to my core. From those six miles at Kostelnick's side through Peninsula, I emerged full of inspiration, in awe not only of his athleticism but also of his discipline, experience, and friendliness. It was an easy run, but one I'll never forget.

The Buckeyes and Tigers will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on New Year's Eve.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State and Clemson will be getting the ESPN College GameDay treatment when they meet in the College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year's Eve.

ESPN announced on Monday that GameDay will originate from Glendale, Ariz., ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. That will be the second of the playoff semifinals on Dec. 31. No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Washington will meet at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the Buckeyes and Tigers at 7 p.m.

ESPN's top broadcast crew of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Sam Ponder and Tom Rinaldi will call the Ohio State vs. Clemson game.

Next stop: The College Football Playoff. We are Fiesta Bowl bound for @OhioStateFB - @ClemsonFB! pic.twitter.com/EthC23gIse

-- College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 26, 2016

Ohio State, Clemson arrive in Phoenix

If you missed our coverage from Monday, both Ohio State and Clemson arrived at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for their on-site preparations before the Fiesta Bowl.

See the sights and sounds from the Buckeyes' arrival in Phoenix here:

Ohio State arrives at Fiesta Bowl

What's Ohio State playing for?

The obvious answer is a shot at another national title. If the Buckeyes win on Dec. 31, they'll play either Alabama or Washington in the National Championship on Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla.

Beyond that, Ohio State can take the position of the No. 1 program in college football:

How the Buckeyes can take Alabama's top spot

Ohio State vs. Clemson coverage

* Every day this week, we'll take a look at an intriguing Fiesta Bowl positional matchup. First up on Monday was Clemson receiver Mike Williams vs. Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley:

Who wins: Williams or Conley?

Look for these matchups all week, with one coming Tuesday featuring a Clemson defensive lineman who could cause real problems for Ohio State's offensive line.

* We'll be doing a daily podcast wrapping each day of interviews in Arizona. Here's the first from late Monday night, in case you missed it. We'll post these in the late afternoon the rest of the week leading up to Saturday's game:

* On the Clemson side of things, here's a look at how the Tigers went 12-1, won the ACC and made it to the College Football Playoff from the Anderson (S.C.) Independent Mail.

* Speaking of Clemson receiver Mike Williams, here's a story from the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier about what makes him such a dynamic threat.

The junior middle linebacker's career at Ohio State is about more than awards and honors. Watch video

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Raekwon McMillan is the five-star recruit who did it all in three years. And in this, his third year at Ohio State, McMillan has been surrounded by three families.

His football family, where he leads as much as any Buckeye in this College Football Playoff season.

His fraternity, where he maintains an active role on campus outside the football building.

And his true family, which moved from Georgia to Columbus this season to watch every game in what almost certainly, though not yet officially, is McMillan's final season of college football.

As a middle linebacker, as a leader, as a student, as a freshman who walked through the snow (wait for that tale) to morning workouts - as a presence - this is how you would draw up a three-year plan.  

Almost. 

Raekwon McMillan was one of the two players to speak for the Buckeyes after they arrived in Phoenix on Monday night for Saturday's Fiesta Bowl vs. Clemson.Ralph Freso, Associated Press 

*****

To hear McMillan lament his shortcomings is to understand his success. He is the opposite of an underdog story, which sometimes is more difficult to pull off than the real underdog story. Teased with the nickname "five-star" as a freshman for his status as the highest-ranked recruit in Ohio State's 2014 recruiting class that ranked third in the country, he was destined to be great.

He met that destiny.

Almost.

A co-starter at middle linebacker with Curtis Grant on Ohio State's 2014 national championship team, he made by far the greatest contribution of any first-year player to that season.

With Grant gone, he took the middle linebacker spot full-time in 2015 and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and second team from the coaches. This season, he was a Big Ten first-teamer with both groups.

He also made second-team All-American - seven times.

Seven different organizations named McMillan to their second team in the last month. None named him first team. He noticed. It's why his answer to a question in Columbus two weeks ago about his career as a Buckeye began with a laugh of frustration (as you can see in the video at the top of this post.)

"I would have hoped to have been an All-American, a first-team All-American," McMillan said. "But that didn't happen. But I mean, team captain, Fiesta Bowl champion, Sugar Bowl, National Championship, Big Ten Championship, not a lot of people can say that. It's just been a blessing to be where I am today.

"Not a lot more that I can do but finish out this season great and see where we go from there."

Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan leads the Buckeyes with 87 tackles this season.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

*****

Where the Buckeyes are now is Arizona, after arriving Monday evening to begin practice for Saturday's playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Clemson. Four Buckeyes will take the field against the Tigers after earning first-team All-American honors - offensive linemen Pat Elflein and Billy Price, H-back Curtis Samuel and safety Malik Hooker.

When two players joined Urban Meyer to briefly address reporters after stepping off the team charter, one was Elflein, the other McMillan.

The 2014 recruiting class in college football included a bevy of stars who would live up to their billing, from Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett (No. 1 overall recruit), to LSU running back Leonard Fournette (No. 2), to Alabama tackle and Outland Trophy winner Cam Robinson (No. 3), to Michigan linebacker and returner Jabrill Peppers (No. 4) to Florida State running back Dalvin Cook (No. 13). 

Ohio State will take its five-star, who was the No. 28 player in that class according to the 247sports.com consensus ratings, though Rivals had him at No. 19, and ESPN.com had him at No. 13.

Linebackers coach Luke Fickell was interested enough in the postseason awards to monitor whether any chances remained for McMillan to make a first team, because he wanted him as part of those Ohio State legacies, from the team's All-American wall in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to the All-American trees in Buckeye Grove, planted for anyone who makes a first team.

"He deserves a picture on that wall, he deserves a tree," Fickell said.

Fickell's comparison for McMillan is one that will make sense to OSU fans and the one I'd make as well - James Laurinaitis, who served at the heart of the defense as the starting middle linebacker from 2006 to 2008. Both are skilled players more recognized as every-down, smart, instinctive leaders rather than ridiculous athletes who create highlights with game-changing tackles for loss.

Laurinaitis just happened to also win multiple national awards and earn first-team All-American honors three times.

"Maybe Raekwon hasn't received those awards," Fickell said. "In my mind, the body of work and what he's done in that locker room and building the culture of what we have is second to none.

"Maybe the ones on the outside don't see everything, because statistically he doesn't have the stats or the sacks of those other things. He might not make the flashy plays that Ryan Shazier or Darron Lee made. The reality is I haven't coached many guys who mean more to that unit and that defense and this team."

The advice Laurinaitis gave McMillan about being an Ohio State linebacker

*****

Three Clemson players, including quarterback Deshaun Watson, went through Senior Day for the Tigers this season, taking in that moment as juniors because everyone could acknowledge, with the NFL calling, this was their last season of college football.

What if Ohio State allowed juniors to take a similar step? Nine Buckeyes left early for the NFL last season, meaning future legends like Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and Cardale Jones never experienced the personal roar in the Horseshoe that seniors receive in their final home game.

McMillan may not get that either. He wouldn't have wanted it this year. He doesn't believe he earned it yet.

"I'm opposed to it," McMillan said of juniors at Senior Day. "I want that day to be for the seniors, for the guys who spent four years here. It's a tradition we have at Ohio State. With a tradition-rich program, you can't come in and build new traditions. It's something that's been going on longer than we've been alive, so I think we should keep the tradition going we have at Ohio State."

With tradition, there is no almost.

*****

Fickell jokes to McMillan's mother, Monica, that he's going to send his six children to live with her because she did such a fine job with her son. It's easier to make that joke since McMillan's parents, two younger brothers and younger sister moved to Columbus for the season.

Watching him play in person was a rarity for his first two years, with his hometown of Hinesville, Ga., more than 700 miles south of Columbus. So the family, for this season, brought the hometown to him.

"They loved the chance to come to all the games," McMillan said.

He'd catch a dinner at their Columbus home most weeks, or they'd eat at his place. He could watch his siblings grow up - as they watched him grow further into his role as Buckeye.

"It's been truly a blessing to be able to see my parents at the end of games," McMillan said, "and truly a blessing for them to be able to experience the gameday atmosphere."

It was more support for a player who was never just football during these three years. When asked earlier this year about the Heisman Trophy, McMillan went out of his way to congratulate Michigan's Peppers on being finalist, because both of them belong to their campus chapters of Omega Psi Phi.

"All across the nation I've got fraternity brothers who play football," McMillan said, mentioning Iowa cornerback Desmond King and Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster among others. "We have a brotherhood that's life-long, not just with football. We're going to be opponents and play each other, but at the end of the day we're fraternity brothers and we share that bond."

"Being part of my fraternity gave me the chance to reach out to another group of people and get involved with the black community here at Ohio State and be involved with outreach programs other than with the football team."

Raekwon McMillan forced a critical interception in the Michigan game with this blitz of Wilton Speight.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

*****

In the winter of 2014, Fickell returned from recruiting to find that McMillan, in one of his first days on campus as an early enrollee for his freshman season, had dawn patrol, meaning extra work before a scheduled morning workout.

The reason? He was late for morning conditioning the day before. You're late, you get dawn patrol.

McMillan didn't tell Fickell why he was late, but the coach found out.

Here's how Fickell tells that story now, and you can imagine Fickell, when he moves full-time to his new job as the head coach at Cincinnati after this postseason, telling this story to players for years.

It's what a five-star recruit did when he first got to campus and everyone expected him to be great.

"It was minus-17 degrees and they closed school, which they don't normally do. And someone didn't pick him up for 6 a.m. workouts. So what did he do? He hustled over, walked, jogged, and he got here late.

"I remember seeing him, I asked, 'Why do you have dawn patrol?'

"'I was late.' Simple as that. 'I was late.'

"It was one of those things, I stepped back, because he didn't make an excuse, he didn't blame somebody else, he owned everything that happened. Not to mention that he walked when it was minus-17 degrees. That's one of those where you step back and say, 'We've got something special.' 

"I don't know if he can play yet. But we've got something special in the kid."

He was a five-star freshman who almost didn't make it to conditioning.

Almost didn't.

But he did.

From game-winning shots to performances that have seniors on the cusp of school records, here are the top boys basketball performances from Dec. 19-25.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – From game-winning shots to performances that have seniors on the cusp of school records, here are the top boys basketball performances from Dec. 19-25.

Readers may vote for the cleveland.com Boys Basketball Player of the Week with this installment of Game Balls. Voting is open until noon Thursday.

Antonio Blanton, Elyria: The Pioneers bounced back with big games from Blanton, who scored 17 points and six rebounds in a win against Midview. A 5-foot-11 senior guard, Blanton was even better at Shaker Heights, scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

Jordan Fabry, Crestwood: The Red Devils played three games, and Fabry scored 31 points vs. Waterloo, 18 vs. Salem and 29 against Cortland Lakeview. The 6-3 senior forward enters this week just 16 points from Crestwood’s all-time scoring record.

Ben Geschke, Medina: A 6-foot senior point guard, Geschke played beat the clock twice for Medina, ranked ninth in the cleveland.com Top 25. Geschke, knocked down two fourth-quarter 3-pointers in a 72-70 win against No. 15 Maple Heights. That included the winning 3 at the buzzer on a night that held special meaning to Geschke and his teammates, who honored Sierra Bland. The 17-year-old classmate died a week earlier after a battle with ALS. Geschke added another buzzer-beater three nights later, this time in the first quarter, to help the Bees beat Euclid, 86-60.

Ronnie James, Benedictine: Coach Rob Stircula said James is the second-best defender he has ever had, and James helped prove that with an exceptional performance against Holy Name standout Dwayne Cohill. James, a 5-10 senior guard for No. 12 Benedictine, played all 32 minutes of a 61-51 win against the 14th-ranked Green Wave, who got 16 points from Cohill — tied for his season low on the season.

Jake Justice, Wadsworth: A 6-0 junior guard, Justice knocked down 8-of-9 shots behind the 3-point arc Dec. 23 to lead the Grizzlies’ 81-76 win against No. 16 Ellet. Justice scored 30 points.

Collin Rittman, Highland: A 6-2 junior guard, Rittman scored 39 points with five rebounds and five steals in a 67-51 win Dec. 20 against Aurora. He followed that up Dec. 23 with 24 points and eight boards in a 67-62 loss to Maple Heights. It marked the 22nd-ranked Hornets’ first setback of the season after enjoying the program’s best start since 1955.

R.J. Sunahara, Bay: The 6-6 junior forward posted career highs of 35 points and 22 rebounds as No. 19 Bay won a Dec. 23 game at The Q against Northstar Christian Academy of Rochester, N.Y. Sunahara has double-doubles in all seven games. He also put up 17 points, 15 rebounds, six steals and four assists in a win against Westlake.

Kevin Tucker, Rhodes: A 5-11 junior guard, Tucker had 37 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals on Dec. 20 vs. Whitney Young.

As a reminder, coaches may submit Game Ball nominations each week by noon Monday.

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.

Doug, Ari and Bill recap the first day of Ohio State vs. Clemson Fiesta Bowl coverage from Arizona.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- We promised you daily Ohio State football podcasts from Arizona once the Buckeyes got in town for their College Football Playoff matchup against Clemson at the Fiesta Bowl.

Here's the first one, where we wrap up Day 1 of Fiesta Bowl coverage from the Phoenix area.

The Buckeyes and Tigers arrived Monday evening, and will begin practice and media sessions in Arizona on Tuesday. Cleveland.com will be there all the way with coverage, including daily podcasts wrapping up the biggest news and stories of the day.

You can listen to the first Fiesta Bowl version of our Buckeye Talk Podcast below:

We hit on the improvements Ohio State has made in bowl practice, and comparisons between Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

If you missed our full Fiesta Bowl preview podcast last week, you can find it on our iTunes page along with all of our other Buckeye Talk podcasts.

Our Buckeye Talk Podcast is available for you to listen on iTunes, Soundcloud and Stitcher.

Cleveland Browns lineman Jamie Meder stayed loyal Ashland University, remembering how the school stuck by him.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There was a ding on Lee Owens' cellphone. The Ashland University football coach clicked on a message from a friend, a link to the New York Times.

"It was Jamie," said Owens. "There was a picture of him in the New York Times!"

Jamie is Jamie Meder, the Browns defensive lineman who blocked a fourth-quarter field goal in Saturday's 20-17 victory over San Diego.

Meder was one of the stars in the team's first victory of the season, helping them avoid a winless season and all the grief that would accompany it.

"The Pierogi Prince of Parma," is what Browns All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas affectionately called Meder.

After the game, Thomas said Meder "is a man after my own heart ... he is a guy who has fought his way from the bottom to make a huge impact on this team."

Part of the reason Meder is in the NFL is Lee Owens.

Meder was a good player at Parma's Valley Forge High School, but needed to put his academics in order for college. He attended Cuyahoga Community College for a semester, then enrolled at Ashland.

A Division II football program, Ashland has been successful because Owens and his coaching staff find players who are missed by larger colleges.

For example, Meder could have attended a junior college with a football program. From there, he probably would have been recruited to play at the Division I level.

"There's no doubt about that," said Tim Rose. "The first time I saw him, I knew Jamie had Division I talent."

Rose is Ashland's defensive coordinator. He coached at the Division I level for 29 years, including six season as the head coach at Miami of Ohio.

Meder wanted to go Ashland because Owens had recruited him in high school and had waited for him to raise his grades at CCC.

"After he enrolled, we had a workout with him," said Rose. "It was just speed, strength, agility. He had it all. He was a wrestler, and that really helped his footwork."

Ashland football coach Lee Owens said Jamie Meder has been a big help to his old school. Tim Warsinskey / Plain Dealer  

TRUE TO HIS SCHOOL

Owens made sure Meder was set up with study tables and tutors so he'd make the grade in college.

"We wanted to make sure Jamie graduated," said Owens. "Only once did I have to get on him hard about school. It was right before his first college game. He missed a couple of classes. He was supposed to start, but I sat him out a quarter."

Harsher penalties would have followed, but Meder got the message.

He played four years at Ashland and was a Division II All-American as a senior.

"Unlike some kids who have a shot at getting drafted, Jamie didn't leave school early," said Owens. "He made sure he stayed and graduated. He worked out hard with us."

In scouting reports after his senior season, Meder was measured at 6-foot-2, 293 pounds. His 40-time was listed at 5.05 by NFL.com.

CBSsports.com's Dane Brugler had him rated as the No. 33 defensive tackle in the 2014 draft. Profootball Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki labeled Meder "a priority free agent."

Owens was an assistant coach at Ohio State (1992-94) and then the head coach at the University of Akron (1995-2003). He kept telling scouts about Meder.

"In the end, I think they couldn't get past the fact Jamie was at Division II," said Owens. "They didn't get to see him on tape against teams such as Ohio State or Alabama."

Owens said once Meder played a season at Ashland and showed his talent, "he could easily have transferred to a D1 school, sat out a year and then played. But that's not Jamie. He is a loyal guy."

FINDING THE RIGHT TEAM

After his senior season, Owens suggested Meder meet with Cleveland-based agent Neil Cornrich.

It was an excellent pairing. Cornrich found Meder to be "a great guy, quiet, hard-working. He's so humble."

After Meder was ignored in the draft, Cornrich talked to several teams. Baltimore defensive coordinator Dean Pees was intrigued by Meder. So was General manager Ozzie Newsome.

Meder signed with Ravens, made it through rookie camp and opened the season on Baltimore's practice squad.

Meder was cut by the Ravens on November 10, 2014. One of the good moves by former Browns general manager Ray Farmer was to sign Meder the day after he became available.

Meder has slowly worked his way into the Browns defensive line scheme. He played in one game in 2014, and then appeared in all 16 games last season.

He has played in all 15 games this season, starting 14 times. He is now 308 pounds, and definitely will have a nice pro career if he stays healthy.

GIVING BACK

Owens gushes about how Meder consistently stays in contact with Ashland.

He has attended some spring games. He has appeared in a video for the school.

"He has signed lots of autographs. He does all the right things," said Owens.

At Valley Forge, Meder finished second in the state as a high school wrestler.

Rose talks about Meder having "a certain spirit. He was a high school wrestler and he has that relentless wrestler's mentality."

Owens has been the head coach at Ashland for 13 years. His record is 98-44 and four times he's led the Eagles to the D2 playoffs. Owens relies on players from Ohio. His quarterback is North Royalton's Travis Tarnowski, who has set a school record for touchdown passes.

"It's great to see what Jamie is doing with the Browns because he's a great fit for Cleveland," said Owens. "He's earned everything. He loves playing here. We're so proud of him."