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Browns DC candidate Gregg Williams: Bountygate, a Super Bowl victory and former head coach

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The Browns are trying to hire Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who's best known for his role in the Saints' Bountygate scandal.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gregg Williams, the Browns' new defensive coordinator candidate, is best known for his role in the New Orleans' Bountygate scandal.

Currently the Rams' coordinator, he also has a Super Bowl victory on his resume and three seasons as head coach of the Bills, from 2001-03.

Williams, who has until Monday to decide whether to accept the Browns' job according to Alex Marvez of The Sporting News, was suspended for all of 2012 for the Saints' "pay-for-performance'' scheme. Some referred it to as a pay-to-injure system, but Williams denied that was ever part of the program.

"One of the things was it was on my watch, but there was nothing that hasn't been done in the last 50 years in the sport and there was nothing done to try to hurt somebody,'' Williams, 58, said in an interview with KMOX radio in St. Louis in July of 2015. "It was never done with anybody trying to injure somebody.

"It's just one of those things that we're always trying to find little bitty advantages in sport and it was unfairly and uncharacteristically portrayed the wrong way, but I did grow a lot from there and I found out a lot about myself, I found out a lot about my friends, I found out a lot about my enemies, too. I said this about a week into that process, I'm going to be stronger, better, wiser and tougher when we go through these things.''

Ray Horton could be fired soon

Williams, who was reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in 2013 and joined the Titans as a senior assistant/defense, took the Rams post in 2014. This season, his defense finished ninth overall, 16th against the run and 10th against the pass. The Rams were 23rd in points per game and tied for 24th in sacks.

Here are some other things to know about Williams:

* A disciple of the legendary Buddy Ryan, he runs an attack-minded 4-3 scheme, which is a departure from current defensive coordinator Ray Horton's 3-4 front.

* His 26 NFL seasons include 15 as a defensive coordinator. As either coordinator or head coach, he's coached eight top-10 defenses.

* He's also presided over five consensus top-five defenses: Tennessee (No. 1 in total defense in 2000), Buffalo (No. 3 in 2001 and No. 2 in 2003), Washington (No. 3 in 2005), and New Orleans (No. 4 in 2010).

* His apology after Bountygate: "I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the 'pay for performance' program while I was with the Saints. It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again."

* Williams was defensive coordinator of the Saints from 2009-2011. He helped them to two division titles (2009 and 2011), an NFC Conference Championship (2009), and Super Bowl XLIV, as well as an NFC Wild Card berth in 2010.

* He went 17-31 in his three seasons as Bills head coach.


Golden State Warriors' home collapse against Memphis Grizzlies was must-see TV: DMan's World

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The mighty Golden State Warriors put on a show Friday night in Oakland, Calif., blowing a 24-point lead in the third quarter and losing to the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Well, well, well. What do we have here?

Just when NBA fans in the East and Midwest thought it might be time to click off the television and retire for the night, the Golden State Warriors grabbed our attention and refused to let go.

The Warriors -- the incredible, amazing, sensational Warriors -- melted at their place, Oracle Arena, and lost to the Memphis Grizzles, 128-119, in overtime Friday.

ESPN made it possible for a national viewership to enjoy.

The Grizzlies, who improved to 2-0 against Golden State this season, trailed, 90-66,  with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter. The 24-point deficit is the largest overcome in an NBA game this season.

The Grizzlies outscored the Warriors, 32-13, in the fourth quarter and 17-8 in overtime. That's a combined 49-21 if you're scoring at home.

Warriors forward Draymond "Illegal Screen'' Green, quoted in a Tweet from Bay Area News Group columnist Marcus Thompson, said: "I'm actually happy we lost ... there are some things we need to get better at to win a championship.''

Uh, OK, Dray. Whatever makes you feel better.

The Warriors fell despite 40 points from Stephen Curry, who shot 15-of-27 from the field.

Here are some observations after having watched:

1. The Grizzlies, when relatively healthy, are to be taken seriously -- even when they enter having lost two in a row, including at the Lakers. They improved to 23-16 overall.

Did we mention that #GrindCity is 2-0 against the Warriors? On Dec. 10 in Memphis, the score was 110-89.

The Grizzlies have proven talent. They can win in more than one way. They play hard and physical. And they reside in the Western Conference, which might be more of a problem for Golden State than select Golden State lovers anticipated.

The Grizzlies deserve credit for their (sizable) role in the epic comeback Friday. It wasn't all a self-inflicted steaming pile served by the home team.

2. The Warriors are great. The defeat was just their sixth of the season; they are not 31-6 by accident.

3. Because the Warriors are great, when they lose, it's news. And when they lose like this, it's even bigger news. It's entertainment.

4. The Warriors' arrogance came back to bite them again.

Cavaliers fans know all about this one.

It happened in NBA Finals 2016, once the Warriors grabbed a 3-1 lead. They thought the Finals were over, that back-to-back titles were a mere 48 minutes away. They were so full of themselves, they verbally poked the King as if he were Anthony Bennett.

Don't poke the King.

LeBron James, with Kyrie Irving riding shotgun, went epic on the Warriors and the Cavs prevailed in seven. Games 5 and 7 were at Oracle.

In case you had not heard: No team ever had blown a 3-1 lead in the Finals.

The Warriors' next meeting with the Cavs was on Christmas Day 2016, in Cleveland. They led, 94-80, with 9:34 left in the fourth. Timeout, Cavs.

Regardless of what the Warriors said afterward, they thought the game was over. Except it wasn't. The Warriors switched to autopilot, the Cavs kept coming, and the Cavs rallied to win, 109-108.

On Friday, the Warriors built the 90-66 cushion and figured it was license to clown the Grizzlies. They wanted to show off instead of finish the job. As a result, they were sloppy with the ball and disjointed in the halfcourt, thereby paving the Grizzlies' path to a comeback.

Warriors fans can claim the carelessness was the result of player fatigue. Warriors players and coaches can claim it was nothing but poor execution. All of them would be wrong. This was arrogance. This was one team thinking it could have fun at the expense of the other, all the while forgetting that the other has talent and pride.

5. The best chance to beat the Warriors is to be physical. (Easier said than done, of course.)

The Warriors, led by pseudo-tough-guy Green, like to think they are physical, but they are not -- at least not legally. They don't like it when you illegal-screen them like they illegal-screen you. They don't like it when you bump their shooters like they bump your shooters.

The Cavs rallied in the 2016 Finals by adhering to the formula.

On Friday, the Warriors dominated when the game was free-flowing. Whenever the Grizzlies committed to gunking up the works, the Warriors became frustrated. Some of the Warriors' carelessness in the fourth quarter and OT actually was forced by Memphis.

6. Who takes the shot for the Warriors at winning time during the playoffs could become a source of controversy. Could.

With less than 40 seconds remaining against the Grizzlies, the Warriors possessed the ball and led, 111-109. Curry, who had been sizzling, and Kevin Durant, who had not been, stood near each other topside. Curry gave the ball to Durant, the Warriors eventually spaced the floor, and Durant front-rimmed a 3-point attempt. The Grizzlies scored on the ensuing possession.

Some in the Twitterverse saw Curry acquiesce to Durant, rather than willingly participate. Those observers were certain that Curry wanted Durant to clear out for him, not the other way around. Hmmm.

At the very least, it was an interesting few seconds. As @Isley23 Tweeted: "Wonder if what happened between Steph and KD at end of regulation becomes a story. If it was LeBron/Kyrie, it would lead every ESPN show.''

Truer words have not been Tweeted.

7. Part of me wants Cavs coach Tyronn Lue to rest his Big 3 when the Cavs visit Oracle on Jan. 16.

Just to have a little fun with the Warriors. Nothing more.

Boys Basketball Rewind: Jayvon Graves cleared for liftoff before Sunday’s Scholastic Play By Play Classic (Jan. 4)

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Catch up on what happened Friday night in boys basketball around Northeast Ohio and look ahead to what is coming this weekend.

AKRON, Ohio – Jayvon Graves had a spring in his step Friday vs. No. 1 St. Edward.

The 6-foot-3 senior guard noted the Eagles’ ranking in the cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25 added to his team’s motivation in St. Vincent-St. Mary's 69-67 win. Multiple times, he soared to the basket on offense and defense to dazzle the home crowd inside a jam-packed LeBron James Arena.


Graves, who scored a game-high 19 points, will take that game to Baldwin Wallace on Sunday for the Scholastic Play By Play Classic.


Fourteen teams will take part in the showcase, which begins at 10:15 a.m. with Lutheran East vs. Canton McKinley. The final game is slated to begin at 8:30 p.m. Here is a rundown of the games.


No. 20 Lutheran East (6-3) vs. Canton McKinley (7-2), 10:15 a.m.: Mentor dropped out earlier in the week from this game. Lutheran East subbed in. The Bulldogs scored an impressive win at the LeBron James Classic against Toledo St. John, but they have dropped two straight against Massillon Jackson and North Canton Hoover, two of the Canton area’s best.


No. 15 Holy Name (8-1) vs. No. 24 Brush (8-1), noon: This has the potential to be the game of the afternoon with four players who have received Division I college offers, led by junior guard Dwayne Cohill for the Green Wave. Expect college coaches to be in attendance to watch this one. Also look out for a matchup in the middle with Holy Name senior Malique Burton and Brush freshman John Hugley.


Brunswick (7-4) vs. No. 1 St. Edward (7-2), 1:45 p.m.: Two well-coached teams with strong guard play, as the Blue Devils lean on sophomore Kyle Goessler and senior Keith Simmons. The Eagles start with seniors Tommy Schmock and Jack Sullivan to lead a young, up-and-coming group.



• Warren Harding (3-7) vs. No. 3 Cleveland Heights (6-2), 3:30 p.m.: This is another game of the day candidate, as Derek Cullver leads the Raiders against Yahel Hill and the Tigers. This one also includes its share of football standouts with Harding’s Lynn Bowden and Cleveland Heights’ tandem of Jaylen Harris and junior Tyreke Smith. Don’t be fooled by Harding’s record, which includes losses to STVM, St. Ignatius and Pennsylvania state champion Kennedy Catholic.



• No. 6 St. Vincent-St. Mary (5-3) vs. Euclid (0-9), 5:15 p.m.: Of course, the Irish start with Graves and Jon Williams. However, some youth will be on display with STVM’s Chris Painter and Lundon McDay, plus freshman Dom Moegerle and a few others. Euclid also boasts freshman point guard Garvin Clarke and Emmari Baddour.



• Revere (4-2) vs. No. 4 Garfield Heights (8-2), 7 p.m.: Some more Division I college-bound players will be on display here with Revere’s Pete Nance and Garfield Heights’ backcourt of Marreon Jackson and Shawn Christian. However, sophomore forward Brison Waller already has offers from Miami (Ohio) and Cleveland State.



No. 18 Central Catholic (5-3) vs. Shaker Heights (4-7), 8:30 p.m.: The finale could be an up-and-down game. The Ironmen have won five straight games and boast a talented slew of guards, while Shaker Heights is led by junior point guard Dale Bonner.



As for Graves, he hinted he could have more dunks in store for the crowds. It could come Sunday or another day.


Stay tuned.


PERFORMANCE AND GAME OF THE NIGHT


Elyria charged back from an eight-point halftime deficit to hand No. 7 Mentor its first loss, 74-69. Senior guard Antonio Blanton scored a game-high 28 points, but his rebounding in the final minute propelled the Pioneers.


Jack Korsok led Mentor with 16 points, and four players scored in double figures for the Cardinals


Josh Lotko added 16 points, as four players also reached double digits for Elyria (7-2).




GAME BALLS WINNER


Josh Hufstetler won this week’s Game Balls contest for his 33-point performance last week to lead North Olmsted. Hufstetler and the Eagles won again Friday. His 19-point game led North Olmsted’s 56-49 home win vs. North Ridgeville.


Hufstetler received 992 votes, about 37 percent of 2,648 votes cast for the player of the week contest. He beat out Padua’s Kevin Peterson and St. IgnatiusAusten Yarian.


BUZZER-BEATER


Chagrin Falls thought it had a road win in the final seconds, but West Geauga walked off victorious, 48-46. See how it happened below.




TOP 25 WATCH


While No. 1 St. Edward and No. 7 Mentor fell on the road, here is what else happened Friday.


No. 2 Lorain 85, Maple Heights 65: Naz Bohannon’s 27 points and nine rebounds led the Titans at home in their Lake Erie League win.



No. 3 Cleveland Heights 54, Shaw 51: The host Cardinals made a fourth-quarter push to challenge Cleveland Heights in their LEL matchup.


No. 5 St. Ignatius 68, Canton GlenOak 46: Fresh off their New Year’s Eve win, the Wildcats cruised at home. Matt Davet scored 19 points, while Austen Yarian added 18 points and 19 rebounds.


No. 8 Medina 92, Shaker Heights 79: The Bees are 11-0 after Jackson Sartain’s 37-point effort led their home win. Medina pushed its lead to double digits in the second quarter. Dale Bonner paced Shaker with 23 points.


No. 9 Archbishop Hoban 59, Walsh Jesuit 26: The Knights kept their North Coast League Blue Division lead with a dominating performance against the Warriors. Junior guard Collen Gurley led the Knights with 22 points.



No. 10 Benedictine 55, Padua 43: The Bengals trail Hoban because of a two-point loss last month to the Knights. Chris Jefferson led them Friday in Parma with 16 points.



La Lumiere School (Ind.) 88, No. 11 Villa Angela-St. Joseph 45: VASJ traveled to Wheeling, W.Va. for this matchup against USA Today’s No. 1-ranked team in the country. Click here for more.


No. 14 Brecksville 47, Wadsworth 42: The Bees overcame Tony Hewitt’s 20-point night for a home win in Suburban League National Division play. Matt Dimitrijevs led Brecksville with 15 points.


No. 15 Holy Name 103, Parma 63: A balanced effort pushed Holy Name to triple digits. No one scored more than 19 points. Dwayne Cohill provided that for the Green Wave, who also got 16 from Sean Hickey and 15 from Malique Burton.


No. 16 Solon 81, Strongsville 61: The Comets bounced back from their Greater Cleveland Conference loss to Mentor with a fast start against Strongsville. Sophomore Michael Bekelja led Solon with 24 points.


No. 17 Ellet 63, Firestone 50: The Orangemen remained perfect in the Akron City Series behind 12 point-efforts by A.J. Gareri and Marquise Bridges.


No. 18 Central Catholic 86, Warren JFK 40: The Ironmen’s fifth straight win included a balanced effort with 14 players scoring. Miryne Thomas had the most with 12 points. Tyler Golphin added 11, Dion Ivory had 10 and Shron Smith added 10.


No. 19 Copley 90, Aurora 44: The Indians remained unbeaten behind a balanced effort, led by Brian Roberts’ 16 points.


No. 20 Lutheran East 68, Lutheran West 49: The Falcons won on the road and overcame Scottie Berghaus’ 24 points.


No. 21 Bay 98, Valley Forge 75: R.J. Sunahara scored 35 points, and the Rockets’ fast pace seized control at Valley Forge.


No. 22 Stow 62, Cuyahoga Falls 44: Logan Lindsay’s 24 points led the Bulldogs to a home win.


No. 24 Brush 68, Riverside 57: Tyler Williams scored 15 points to lead the Arcs.


Berea-Midpark 42, No. 25 Olmsted Falls 37: Chad Elliott’s 24 points led the Titans, who broke a three-way tie atop the Southwestern Conference standings. Berea-Midpark and Avon are now atop the SWC with Olmsted Falls a game behind. Avon is 6-0 after a 30-point win at Lakewood, fueled by Ryan Bertrand’s 21 points.


RARE VICTORY


Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin beat Lake Catholic for the first time since 2013 in both basketball and football. Ryan McMahon scored 18 points to lead the Lions, who dug out of an early hole for a 55-52 win.


CLICK HERE FOR FRIDAY’S SCOREBOARD


FAST FORWARD


As mentioned above, the Play By Play Classic is Sunday, but that’s not all this weekend.


No. 1 St. Edward (7-2) at No. 10 Benedictine (7-1), Saturday: The second game in three days for St. Edward is against another Division II regional finalist from last year. Will the Eagles rebound from their road loss Friday to STVM?



CLICK HERE FOR SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE


TOP PLAYS REMINDER


Readers still have this weekend to vote for the top plays of December. The contest will remain open until early next week, and nominations are being accepted for top plays of the week. Email them to mgoul@cleveland.com. Here's a look at the top plays from December.


Click here to cast your vote.





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.

Cleveland Indians signing Edwin Encarnacion has people talking Tribe -- Terry Pluto (photos)

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The addition of Edwin Encarnacion is yet another reason to be excited about the Tribe.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- About the Cleveland Indians and Edwin Encarnacion:

Question: Who is Indians' best player?

Answer: You mean besides Encarnacion?

Q: You really think the Tribe's newest acquisition is their best player?

A: Actually, no.

Q: No? The guy averaged 39 HR and 110 RBI over the last five seasons.

A: I know.

Q: He can take over the fourth spot of the batting order. He is a better version of Mike Napoli.

A: I agree.

Q: So who is better?

A: You are the general manager of a team. You can pick between Francisco Lindor and Encarnacion, who do you take?

Q: Isn't that an interesting question?

A: I bring it up because I was reading a story about Lindor winning a Gold Glove at shortstop. I was thinking about how we almost take him for granted.

Q: How do you mean?

A: He is a Gold Glove shortstop. That's an old measure of a fielder. He is rated the No. 1 shortstop in the American League by fangraphs.com, the favorite of the stats geeks. He's the closest thing I've seen to Omar Vizquel in the field.

Q: No argument there.

A: Since coming to the big leagues on June 14, 2015, he has batted .306 (.810 OPS). He has hit 27 HR with 129 RBI in 257 games. He even led the American League with 15 sacrifice flies. In his career, he's 31-of-38 in stolen bases.

Q: Impressive.

A: So he is an elite shortstop. He can hit for average and some power. He can run. He is a team leader at 23. He is bilingual, connecting with the American and Latino players, often serving as a bridge between them.

Q: Anything else?

A: The Indians had a 29-33 record when he was promoted from the minors in 2015. Since then, they are 146-115. He has missed only four games in the big leagues.

Q: So you'd rather have him than Encarnacion?

A: I believe any general manager would. But that's not my point. If you want to point to one move that started the Indians on the road to the World Series, it's when Lindor was promoted. He immediately stabilized the infield and brought a special Omar-like joy of baseball to the team.

Q: So why the comparison to Encarnacion?

A: Because I'm thinking "The Indians have just added one of baseball's premier power hitters to a team that has one of the best all-around players in the American League."

Q: That's nice, but what are you really trying to say?

A: Who will bat in front of Encarnacion?

Q: Probably Lindor.

A: Exactly. The Indians can have a lineup with Jason Kipnis, Lindor, Encarnacion, Carlos Santana and Jose Ramirez batting 2-3-4-5-6.

Q: Who leads off?

A: That's a real question with Rajai Davis signing with Oakland. It could be Santana against some teams. Kipnis can lead off. If Michael Brantley comes back, it could be Kipnis, Brantley, Lindor, Encarnacion, Santana, Ramirez hitting 1-6 to open the game.

Q: Kipnis leading off?

A: In 2015, Kipnis led off for most of the season, batting .311 (.861 OPS) and made the All-Star team. The more I think about it, the more I like Kipnis leading off.

Q: Do you think Brantley will come back strong this season?

A: The medical reports are promising, but no one really knows until he is able to keep playing without any setbacks.

Q: If Brantley doesn't play left field, who does?

A: My understanding is the Tribe plans to keep Ramirez at third base most of the time. He played some left field for part of 2016. When he became a full-time third baseman, his defense really improved.

Q: So what about left?

A: Last weekend, I wrote about Abraham Almonte being an important part of the team. He can play all three outfield positions, and he's a switch-hitter. I can imagine a platoon with Tyler Naquin/Almonte in center field, Lonnie Chisenhall/Brandon Guyer in right field.

Q: And left field with no Brantley or Davis?

A: The Indians' rise has been fueled by the farm system. Not just with Lindor. Consider that Ramirez, Kipnis, Chisenhall, Naquin and Lindor are all products of the farm system.

Q: Meaning what?

A: Meaning it's time for another young player to emerge. I have been writing about Yandy Diaz since the middle of last season. Diaz batted .318 (.854 OPS) with 9 HR and 58 RBI splitting 2016 between Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus. In the Venezuelan winter league, he batted .370. The Cuban import is a right-handed hitter who hits about everyone, but crushes lefties (.390 in 2016).

Q: Isn't he a third baseman?

A: Yes, he's just so-so at third. But he played some outfield at Class AAA and was a center fielder in Venezuela. My guess is left field would be best. The Indians opened a door for Naquin a year ago.

Q: What about other possibilities?

A: Greg Allen and Brad Zimmer are two of the Tribe's top outfield prospects. Allen is a superb center fielder and a switch-hitter who stole 44 bases last season. He is a natural leadoff hitter. Allen hit .295 (.830 OPS) between Class A and Class AA, so he needs at least some Class AAA experience. He could be promoted at mid-season if he plays well at Columbus.

Q: What about Zimmer?

A: He's the Tribe's first-round pick in 2014. Like Allen, he is a natural center fielder. He batted .250 (.790 OPS) with 15 HR and 62 RBI between Class AA and Class AAA. He needs some Class AAA experience. As a hitter, Diaz is well ahead of Zimmer and Allen and is the most likely to make the team out of spring training.

Q: So why bring up all of this right after Encarnacion signed?

A: Because that news has me thinking about the lineup. The Indians were second in the American League in runs scored. They were such a fun team to watch. I just felt like thinking about them on this cold weekend.

Cleveland Cavaliers have Terry Talkin' about impact of Kyle Korver -- Terry Pluto

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were already a very good 3-point shooting team before Kyle Korver arrived. Now, they should be great.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With the addition of Kyle Korver, the Cleveland Cavaliers now have four of the NBA's top 35 shooters from beyond the 3-point line.

Heading into the weekend, here was where they ranked:

  • 1. Channing Frye, .465
  • 15. Kyrie Irving, .420
  • 25. Kyle Korver, .409
  • 35. Kevin Love, .395

If all the Cavs did was take jump shots, that would not guarantee success. But with LeBron James driving to the rim and attracting defensive attention, there will be a lot of open shots for the sharpshooters.

If not, that means James will have a lot of 1-on-1 matchups when going to the basket. Hard to imagine anyone in the NBA wanting to deal with James in those situations.

Irving also is one of the premier drivers in the league. Because his moves at the rim are so sensational, it's easy to forget his superb outside shooting. Look at the rankings, Irving is at .420 -- higher than Korver and Love.

General manager David Griffin has been looking to surround James and Irving with shooters from the moment James returned in the summer of 2014. Part of the reason for the Love deal was the ability of the 6-foot-10 power forward to score from long range.

Last February, Griffin traded for Frye. The Cavs' analytics department projected Frye's outside shooting would become even more effective here. The presence of James and Irving would create more open shots.

Frye is a career .391 shooter from 3-point range. This season's .465 is a career high.

The Cavs had all kinds of data to create projections of Frye becoming one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. I'm sure they have the same data about Korver, who was shooting 49 percent on 3-pointers when "wide open" with the Hawks this year.

When looking at the team's 3-point shooting, J.R. Smith is not factored in because of his thumb surgery. He is a career .375 shooter from 3-point range.

LOVING THE 3-POINTER

A few things I didn't notice until reading a story by ESPN's Kevin Pelton:

1. The San Antonio Spurs lead the NBA in 3-point shooting (.414), and the Cavs are second (.391). I assumed the Golden State Warriors were at the top, but they are fourth (.382).

2. So the Cavs are shooting better from 3-point range than Golden State, and then acquired Korver.

3. Only the Houston Rockets (39.6) are attempting more 3-pointers per game than the Cavs (33.0). Golden State is fifth (31.5).

ABOUT THE KORVER DEAL

1. The Cavs traded Mike Dunleavy and a 2019 first-rounder to Atlanta. Korver can be a free agent after the season.

2. Dunleavy makes $4.8 million this season. He has a team-option for $5.1 million in 2017-18. It's highly doubtful the Hawks will pick it up.

3. The Hawks made the deal for the 2019 pick. They had no intention of re-signing the 34-year-old Korver.

4. I thought the 6-foot-9 Dunleavy would be an asset here. He shot 40 percent on 3-pointers in the previous two seasons with Chicago. But he had back surgery last year, which may have caught up with him at age 36. He was not an effective player.

5. Coach Tyronn Lue mentioned it was hard for Dunleavy to adjust from playing about 30 minutes a game for most of his career to about 15. That's true. But how will that impact Korver?

6. My guess is the 6-6 Korver, primarily a shooting guard, will play more minutes than Dunleavy. With Smith recovering, the Cavs need help at the position.

7. Lue still plans to start DeAndre Liggins, but I can see Korver playing 20-25 minutes a game. The 6-9 Dunleavy had to play forward.

8. Korver is one of the best in running off picks to get open. Lue compared him to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the ability to keep moving without the ball, and then to catch a pass and quickly shoot it.

9. The Cavs need to make sure there are plays for Korver to do just that. Often, the Cavs have James or Irving dribbling the ball, the shooters spread along with 3-point line awaiting a pass.

10. Limiting Korver to being a stationary shooter is taking away some of his value. The Cavs can't let that happen.

TRADING PICKS

James' 2014 return changed everything for the Cavs in terms of the draft. They went from a team that couldn't get enough first-round picks to one on a win-now mission. Draft picks are traded to stock the roster.

It has paid off so far with two trips to The Finals and a title last summer. They are very likely to return to The Finals in 2017.

Consider the following:

1. The last first-round selection to actually wear a Cavs uniform during the regular season was Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 pick in 2013.

2. The Cavs traded Bennett (2013), Andrew Wiggins (2014) and a 2015 first-rounder as part of the three-team Kevin Love deal.

3. In 2015, the Cavs drafted Turkish forward Cedi Osman. They still hold his rights. He's playing in Turkey.

4. In 2016, the Cavs did not have a pick. It was sent to Boston in 2014 along with Tyler Zeller. It was part of a three-way deal to create salary cap room.

5. Former Cavs GM Chris Grant had collected first-round picks after James left for Miami in 2010. Some of those were used in trades for Timofey Mozgov, Smith, Iman Shumpert and Frye.

6. Now, they have flopped picks with Portland, the Blazers getting the Cavs' 2017 first-rounder, and the Cavs picking up one in 2018.

7. The Cavs traded their 2019 first-round pick to Atlanta for Korver.

8. As of now, the Cavs have their own first-round picks in 2018 and 2020. They don't have a second-round pick until 2021. As for the Ted Stepien Rule about not trading first-round picks in consecutive years, there are a lot of loopholes. The Cavs keep finding them.

ABOUT THE HAWKS

Being swept out of the playoffs in consecutive years by the Cavs had an enormous impact on the Hawks, and it led to them trading Korver.

1. In 2014-15, the Hawks finished 60-22. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and were swept.

2. Last season, the Hawks were 48-34. They reached the second round and were swept again.

3. Dominated on the boards and inside by Cleveland, the Hawks realized they needed more size and signed 7-footer Dwight Howard to a three-year, $70 million contract. He can be a defensive and rebounding force when motivated.

4. The Hawks did lose free agent Al Horford, but it seemed the addition of Howard meant they were serious about trying to win the East and compete with the Cavs. Howard is averaging 13.9 points and 13.1 rebounds this season.

5. The Hawks opened the season with a 9-2 record. Then they went 6-14 in their next 20. That led to a decision to trade some veterans. But the Hawks then won five in a row.

6. So the Hawks were 20-16 when they dealt Korver. They wanted to get something for the 2017 free agent. But they also are sending a message that they're not serious about making a playoff push this season.

7. The Hawks also are expected to trade Paul Millsap, a 17-point scorer. The forward has a $21 million player option for 2017-18. He is expected to skip it and become a free agent.

8. So the Cavs have benefited from the Hawks' indecisive approach to this season.

Ohio University beat Kent State at its own physical game (video)

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Ohio Bobcats builtd a 20-point lead before Kent State starts padding its rebounding numbers. Watch video

ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University coach Saul Phillips practically shrugged off a dominating victory over Kent State on Friday night, looking ahead to the bigger picture instead.

"This group has a deeper hunger than one game,'' Phillips said after the Bobcats improved to 10-3, 2-0, keeping pace with the Akron Zips (12-3, 2-0) for first place in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.

What made the 85-67 victory so impressive was OU beat Kent at its own game. Disregard the final stats, where Kent finished with 47 rebounds to 35 for OU and had a whopping 22-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

Both Kent coach Rob Senderoff and Phillips noted, when it was a game, and when Ohio first pushed its margin out to 20 points early in the second half, the Bobcats dominated.

"We weren't getting stops,'' Senderoff said of the Flashes (9-6, 1-1). "It went from what looked like a game to a blowout pretty quickly. They were more physical than us. You name the breakdown, we had it. I think they got into our heads."

Change of fortune: In Kent's MAC-opener victory over Ball State, leading scorer Jimmy Hall finished with five assists and no turnovers. Against the Bobcats, he had seven turnovers and no assists.

In Hall's first 10 games, he shot 50 percent or better from the field in nine of them. In his last five, he has not shot better than 37.5 percent. But the real stat with Hall is assists. He has three or more in every Kent win, two or less in every loss.

Against Ball State, Kent was 31-for-31 at the free throw line to set a MAC record for consecutive makes. Against the Bobcats, Kent was 8-for-18 from the line, missing its first attempt of the night and the last two, which were the front end of the one-and-one.

Who's that guy?: After missing much of the early season with a groin injury, redshirt freshman Rosel Hurley got his first taste of action for Kent State. He returned to practice after the Wright State game. He played the final five minutes against Ohio and had four points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.

MAC update: Both Akron (12-3, 2-0) and Ohio play their first conference road games Tuesday, OU at Buffalo and Akron at Central Michigan. It will be the first home game for Buffalo and CMU. ... Akron also won Friday night, 66-59, over Western Michigan as Isaiah Johnson had 16 points and 13 rebounds, ... Saturday's matchups include Bowling Green at Ball State; Buffalo at Eastern Michigan; Miami at Toledo and Central Michigan at Northern Illinois.

Horizon League update: Cleveland State (5-10, 1-2) is at Northern Kentucky on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Vikings are coming off a tough road loss at Wright State, 55-51. ... In a matchup between HL heavyweights Friday night, Oakland got the best of Valparaiso, 78-66. The Grizzlies (13-3, 3-0) are now tied for first in the conference with Green Bay.

Browns' Pep Hamilton weighing chance to join Jim Harbaugh at Michigan

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Browns associate head coach offense Pep Hamilton is weighing a chance to join Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, a league source confirmed for cleveland.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns associate head coach/offense Pep Hamilton is weighing an opportunity to be reunited with Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, a league source confirmed for cleveland.com.

Hamilton previously worked for Harbaugh at Stanford in 2010 as receivers coach. Harbaugh is looking for a quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported that Hamilton is considering leaving. He says the Browns want him to stay, and that it's Hamilton's choice because he likes coaching in college.

Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown even cited Hamilton as a key part of the search for a franchise QB.

"We will work collaboratively on it,'' he said. "Pep, myself, Hue, AB (Andrew Berry), we will all sit down and make sure that we watch plenty of tape on all the eligible quarterbacks this year and make a decision that we feel is the best for the organization. It will be an organizational decision."

If Hamilton leaves, Jackson will be replacing his top two assistants -- and more. Hamilton didn't call the plays, but coached the quarterbacks and helped coordinate the passing game.

Ray Horton is expected to be fired soon and possibly replaced by Gregg Williams, a source told cleveland.com. According to Alex Marvez of The Sporting News, Williams has until Monday to decide if he wants the job.

Ray Horton expected to be fired; Gregg Williams offered the job

A source said they also reached out to fired Jaguars coach Gus Bradley, but he's unlikely to come here. He's a top candidate to run the Redskins' defense.

Other assistants, especially on defense, will be let go, sources have told cleveland.com. Running game coordinator Kirby Wilson, a longtime friend of Jackson's, is safe, a source said. Beyond that, anything can happen.

Hue Jackson and his staff will coach in the Senior Bowl

It remains to be seen if the staff shakeup will have any impact on the Browns coaching in the Senior Bowl Jan. 24-28. Losing teams are invited to coach, but only if their head coach and a majority of their staff is intact. The Browns suddenly find themselves in the midst of a potential full-blown shakeup.

Phil Savage, former Browns general manager and Executive Director of the Senior Bowl, explained in a Twitter response, "The NFL determines coaches, typically w/ assurance that any changes won't compromise staff for practice/game.''

Hamilton, who was fired by the Colts midway through the 2015 season, had a challenging 2016 with the Browns. He lost his top two quarterbacks in each of the first two weeks in Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown, and was forced to start a rookie in Cody Kessler for eight games.

The Browns finished 30th overall on offense, including 19th against the rush and 28th against the pass. They were 31st in points per game.

Cleveland Browns have Terry Talkin' front office, drafts, quarterbacks -- Terry Pluto

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The Cleveland Browns are taking the right overall approach to building a team. Now, they have to add the right players.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Cleveland Browns launched their new way of doing business with the Sashi Brown front office, I promised myself that I'd be patient.

Here's why: The idea of piling up draft choices and taking a long-term approach is the only real chance this franchise has to become relevant.

I really mean that. It will mean some mistakes, and it will take time.

That's not to say I liked every move. The Browns have twice explained to me why they didn't push harder to keep Mitchell Schwartz. Basically, they wanted to open a spot for some younger players they hoped to draft.

They later drafted two tackles -- Shon Coleman and Spencer Drango. Maybe they both will work out, or at least one becomes a viable lineman. Drango showed some potential at guard. But I would have kept Schwartz, who doesn't miss a snap, does a solid job and was open to staying with the Browns.

It was a bad move back then, and I wrote it was a bad move when they allowed him to leave.

I was very lukewarm to the signing of Robert Griffin III. I viewed it as Hue Jackson's Powerball ticket. It could pay off big, but the odds were overwhelmingly against it.

So this is not to say everything is wonderful with the front office.

REALITY CHECK

Consider what the management team of Brown/Jackson/Paul DePodesta took over 12 months ago, inheriting a team that was 3-13 with the NFL's highest-paid defense. The Browns had not had a winning record since 2007. The various short-term fixes generally had been a disaster.

Alex Mack, Travis Benjamin and Tashaun Gipson wanted out because previous front offices failed to offer them reasonable contract extensions. I say front OFFICES ... as in more than one ... because three different ones had a chance to sign Mack before 2016.

The Browns are a joke because they lose so much and fire so many people. Now, they are the egg-head team because of all the Harvard guys in the front office and the reliance on analytics. They are easy targets for their critics. The current front office also has inherited the sins of front offices past.

I'm reading a book called Belichick and Brady, by Michael Holley. He is an Akron native, an excellent author who has authored several books on the Patriots.

The basic approach the Browns are taking to the draft is what Belichick has been doing since he took over the New England Patriots in 2000. What has helped Belichick is having Brady, so he's not been on a perpetual search for a quarterback.

Belichick consistently trades back in the draft, adding future picks. He can seem ruthless by cutting and/or trading players considered to too expensive. That's why he shipped linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns in midseason. He doesn't want to pay Collins big money because he has other free agents coming up who need to be paid. He prefers them over Collins.

The Browns are willing to take the 27-year-old Collins because of their lack of talent and extensive salary cap room.

THE QUARTERBACK QUESTION

Obviously, the Browns need a quarterback. They know that. Hue Jackson isn't a fool. His future hangs on finding a quarterback, at least a competent one such as Andy Dalton.

The Browns will never say this, but I believe they made the decision not to address the quarterback question at the top of the 2016 draft. It didn't matter who was available in terms of Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. There were a lot of reports of the Browns loving Goff. I believe they liked him. I also believe they wanted that word out to build up interest in trading what was the No. 2 pick.

The Rams traded for the No. 1 pick, and took Goff. Then the Browns traded the No. 2 pick and kept trading down to add more picks.

I'm just guessing, but here's how I believe they viewed the situation:

1. They knew this was going to be a hard year. Maybe not 1-15, but a very, very difficult season. No rookie quarterback was a franchise-changer, so the decision was to add other players and picks.

2. They already had Josh McCown on the roster and resisted the temptation to trade him for a pick. He was supposed to be the fallback option if Griffin failed. They didn't realize he couldn't stay healthy for even a few games.

3. They'd add a quarterback in the middle rounds. That was third-rounder Cody Kessler.

That was the plan for Year 1. I can't imagine they will take the same approach again.

Nor can I believe they will draft another quarterback in the middle rounds, keep Griffin and then say, "We have RG3, Kessler and Mr. X. We're set."

WHAT ABOUT DAK PRESCOTT?

ESPN did a story detailing the quarterbacks that Dallas tried to obtain before taking Dak Prescott with the 135th pick. They tried to trade up to draft Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook -- both went before Prescott.

After taking Prescott, they tried to sign Nick Foles. The veteran went to Kansas City instead. They tried to trade for McCown, the Browns turned them down.

Prescott was the EIGHTH quarterback taken in the draft. Here's who went ahead of him and where they were drafted:

  • 1. Goff (Rams)
  • 2. Wentz (Eagles)
  • 26. Lynch (Broncos)
  • 51. Christian Hackenberg (Jets)
  • 91. Jacoby Brissett (Patriots)
  • 93. Kessler (Browns)
  • 100. Cook (Raiders)
  • 135. Prescott (Cowboys)

I have a hard time hammering the Browns about Prescott. A lot of teams didn't see the Mississippi State product as a viable NFL starter. That includes Belichick, who picked Brissett instead. It includes all the QB-desperate teams.

It even includes Dallas, which waited until the fourth round to make him the team's fifth player picked.

Sometimes, NFL teams just get it wrong when it comes to a quarterback. The classic draft was 2000, when six quarterbacks were picked in front of Brady: Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Brugler, Spergon Wynn and then Brady in the sixth round.

Yes, the Browns took Wynn. I do wonder if Brady would have been so revered if he ended up on the 2000 Browns. The Patriots were 8-8 the season before Brady was drafted with Belichick coming on board.

IT'S A TOUGH CALL

Many draft experts have Mentor's Mitch Trubisky as the best quarterback in the draft. But most don't have the North Carolina quarterback as a top 10 player on their Big Boards. Here's a sample of where they rate him:

  • No. 14: CBS Sports
  • No. 16: Mel Kiper, ESPN
  • No. 21: Scouts Inc.
  • No. 30: Todd McShay, ESPN

No one has Clemson's Deshaun Watson in the first round.

Remember, we are talking about the "Big Boards," meaning the pure talent rating system. It's not the mock drafts. Some of those have three quarterbacks picked in the top 15: Trubisky, Watson and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer.

The Browns have the No. 1 and 12 picks in the first round.

Trubisky has 13 career starts. He hasn't even declared for the draft. Watching his bowl game against Stanford, it's obvious he needs more experience. But it's also clear he will probably be a top 10 pick ... and an instant millionaire ... and that's why I'd advise him to turn pro.

Ready or not.

I love how Trubisky pulled himself together after throwing two interceptions in the Stanford game to play a terrific fourth quarter. He didn't lose his cool when teammates dropped passes. He has poise.

But as of right now, there is not a quarterback in this draft that I'd take at No. 1.

That said, the Browns still must find a way to address their quarterback question.


Cavs complete trade for Kyle Korver, send Mike Dunleavy, Mo Williams, 2019 pick to Atlanta

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The trade was nothing short of a coup for Cavs general manager David Griffin, who gets Kyle Korver while saving $2.3 million in taxes on Mo Williams. And the Cavs have free up a roster spot.

NEW YORK -- Kyle Korver is now a Cavalier, coming to the the defending NBA champs from Atlanta in exchange for Mike Dunleavy, Mo Williams, a 2019 first-round pick, and cash.

The trade, which had been reported for two days, was completed Saturday and announced by the Cavs.

This is nothing short of a coup pulled off by Cleveland general manager David Griffin, who brings to his team one of the NBA's great all-time 3-point shooters and frees up a roster spot to eventually acquire a backup point guard by trading the contract of Williams -- who chose not to play for the Cavs this season.

Not only does the remainder of Williams' $2.1 million salary go off Cleveland's payroll, but an estimated $2.3 million in tax penalties attached to Williams' contract are also being saved.

"I mean, with Griff at the helm I know he'll get something done," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said recently. "He always pulls out something magical."

Dunleavy's contract was worth about $4.8 million this year and Korver's is worth about $5.2 million. The first-round pick headed to the Hawks is "protected," which means if Cleveland is drafting in spots 1-10 (highly unlikely), the Hawks get the pick in 2020.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to add a player and person the caliber of Kyle Korver to our Cavs family," Griffin said in a news release distributed by the Cavs. "Among the most prolific and dynamic three-point shooters in NBA history, a selfless, and team first competitor, Kyle brings all of the elements of Cavs DNA that we covet on and off the floor. We look forward to welcoming Kyle, his wife, Juliet and their three children to Northeast Ohio and are certain our fans will embrace them with open arms."

If Griffin wants to continue to make upgrades through trades, he has a $9.4 million trade exception and the rights to Cedi Osman, who's playing in Turkey. Chris Andersen's $1.55 million contract could be moved to create another roster spot if needed.

Korver, 35, is a career .429 shooter from 3-point range (eight best in league history). He's shooting nearly 41 percent from deep this season and is averaging about 9.5 points per game.

Coach Tyronn Lue has already said that, in the near term, he planned to bring Korver off the bench and leave DeAndre Liggins in the starting lineup. Cleveland's usual starting shooting guard, J.R. Smith, could be out three months after right thumb surgery.

For now, the Cavs are saying they hope Korver joins them in Phoenix (where they play the Suns on Sunday), but Korver would be unlikely to play in that game. Those things can change, though.

Moving Williams' contract gives the Cavs more room to keep Jordan McRae. The Cavs needed to waive him by today to avoid his contract becoming fully guaranteed. 

A team source said waiving McRae wasn't seriously considered.

Williams exercised the player option on his contract in June, but then considered retirement throughout the summer after the Cavs won the Finals. A week before training camp, he announced on social media he would return for one more season.

But minutes before Griffin's first press conference at the opening of camp, Williams' agent called to inform him that Williams would not play for the Cavs. He was, in essence, retiring, except he never filed his paperwork with the NBA, so he held onto his salary.

Furthermore, Williams had surgery on his left knee in October (while still under contract with the Cavs), making it harder for Cleveland to dispute his salary or trade him.

As for Dunleavy, who was acquired in a trade from Chicago over the summer, he leaves having averaged a career-low 4.6 points and shooting a career-worst 40 percent from the field.

The centerpiece for this deal is, was, and ever shall be Korver.

"Just a lot of spacing and a lot of opportunities for him to be more open than he was in Atlanta," Kyrie Irving said Friday, after the Cavs beat the Nets 116-108. "No disrespect to them but for us we just have continuity in our offense and guys that can make plays that are willing to give up the basketball and unselfish brand of basketball that we play, I could only imagine him coming off those pindowns and whether he's open or not, we're telling him to shoot it.

"Every shooter that comes here, we tell them, you know, (LeBron James') statement: 'if a guy's not in your numbers then you're open.' So I know he'll pretty much enjoy that. We're looking forward to getting to know who he is as a person and a teammate, and we're going to integrate the best way we know how."

Deshaun Watson might play for Hue Jackson in the Senior Bowl

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Hue Jackson has a chance to coach one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft in Deshaun Watson in the Senior Bowl this month.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hue Jackson has a chance to spend almost a full week getting to know Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson inside and out at the Senior Bowl later this month.

And the Fiesta Bowl MVP has a rare opportunity to showcase his skills for the team with the No. 1 and No. 12 picks in the draft.

Watson, who beat Ohio State 31-0 in The Fiesta Bowl and is gearing up to take on Alabama Monday night in the College Football Playoff national championship game, has been invited to play in the senior all-star game in Mobile, Ala. in a few weeks despite the fact he's a third-year junior.

If he accepts, he's expected to play for the South team, coached by Hue Jackson, according to draft analyst Dane Brugler of CBS Sports.

When former Browns general manager Phil Savage took over as Executive Director of the Senior Bowl in 2012, he opened the door for graduated fourth-year juniors to participate. Watson would be the exception to the rule of underclassmen being prohibited to play in the pre-draft all-star games because he graduated in two-and-a-half years, with a degree in communications.      

The chances of Watson accepting the invitation are good, because he expressed the initial interest in playing in the game, sources told Brugler. He said Clemson then collaborated with the Senior Bowl and NFL to make it happen.

Jackson spending the week with Watson would be significant, because he's still trying to solidify himself as a first-round pick. Widely regarded as one of the three best quarterbacks in this draft along with North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer, Watson could benefit greatly from three days of practices from Jan. 24-27 with Jackson and the game Jan. 28.

Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz cemented his status as a top five pick with a stellar performance at the Senior Bowl last year.  What's more, Dak Prescott won over the Cowboys' staff, who was coaching the opposing North squad. But Garrett still had extra time with Prescott in advance of the game, and came away impressed.

Watson, 6-2, 215, is a Heisman runner-up and dual threat quarterback who beat Ohio State with his big arm and legs.  He completed 23-of-36 attempts for 259 yards with one TD and two INTs. He also ran 15 times for 57 yards and two TDs.

Deshaun Watson can be the face of a franchise

"You watch the video and you sit there and say, 'That's a rare cat,'' Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano told cleveland.com last month. "He's not only got incredible arm strength, he's a really mobile athlete. He can escape the rush, and he can move the pocket whether on a bootleg or a sprint out, and once he gets on the perimeter he can flick his wrist and throw the ball 50 yards on a dime."

Bubba Bolden, a four-star DB from Bishop Gorman, announces commitment to USC

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State already has three verbal commitments in its 2017 recruiting class from players of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman.  There was a time it seemed the Buckeyes would sign four.  They won't.  Four-star safety Bubba Bolden announced his commitment to USC during the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday. Ohio State and Arizona State were the other two...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State already has three verbal commitments in its 2017 recruiting class from players of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. 

There was a time it seemed the Buckeyes would sign four. 

They won't. 

Four-star safety Bubba Bolden announced his commitment to USC during the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday. Ohio State and Arizona State were the other two programs he was closely considering. 

Rated the No. 6 safety in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Bolden took an official visit to Ohio State on Nov. 5 for the Buckeyes blowout of Nebraska. 

It was the same game his high school teammates at Ohio State commits Tate Martell, a four-star quarterback, and Tyjon Lindsey, a five-star wide receiver, officially visited the Buckeyes. 

After that visit, it seemed as if it was only a matter of time before Bolden committed to the Buckeyes. But Bolden, who was committed to USC earlier in the recruiting process, ultimately felt that he belonged with the Trojans. 

Darnay Holmes, a five-star DB from California, announces commitment to UCLA

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Holmes announced his commitment to UCLA during the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday, choosing the Bruins over Ohio State, UCLA and Nebraska.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star cornerback Darnay Holmes of Calabasas, Calif., swore all week that he didn't know where he was going to go to school despite the fact he plans to enroll in college early. 

That would have made for a busy Sunday if he committed to Ohio State given classes start in Columbus on Monday. 

It turns out he won't have to go far. 

That's because Holmes announced his commitment to UCLA during the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday, choosing the Bruins over Ohio State, USC and Nebraska. 

Holmes officially visited Ohio State on Nov. 26 for the Buckeyes' dramatic win over Michigan and it seemed as if the Buckeyes gained a ton of steam in his recruitment.

When Holmes stood up at the stage with the hats on the table, his young nephew was pointing at the Ohio State hat, which made it seem he was going to be a Buckeye. 

When Holmes chose UCLA, his nephew frowned. 

Jeffrey Okudah, the No. 1 safety in the 2017 class, announces commitment to Ohio State

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Though his commitment to Ohio State was widely expected, Okudah's importance to Urban Meyer's class cannot be understated.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State already had six five-star prospects committed in its 2017 recruiting class before Saturday. 

Now the Buckeyes have seven. 

The seventh may be the best get, too. 

Five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South announced his commitment to Ohio State during the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday. He chose Ohio State over Oklahoma and Florida State.

Though his commitment to Ohio State was widely expected, Okudah's importance to Urban Meyer's class cannot be understated. 

Rated the No. 1 safety and the No. 7 overall player in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Okudah is now the top-rated player in the Buckeyes already-deep class.  

Now that Okudah is officially in Ohio State's class, this will be the best recruiting class in Buckeyes history -- at least on paper. Ohio State has seven verbal commitments from five-star prospects in this one class. It had six total five-stars in the previous five classes.  

Ohio State had two other defensive back targets announce their decisions in the U.S. Army game, five-star Darnay Holmes of Calabasas, Calif., and four-star Bubba Bolden of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. Holmes picked UCLA and Bolden chose USC. 

The Buckeyes now have 18 commitments in their 2018 recruiting class, which is No. 2 overall in the country in the 247Sports composite team rankings behind only Alabama. The Crimson Tide, however, have 26 total commitments. 

 

James Madison defeats Youngstown State for FCS title

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Khalid Abdullah ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns as James Madison won its second Football Championship Subdivision title, beating Youngstown State 28-14 on Saturday.

FRISCO, Texas -- Khalid Abdullah ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns as James Madison won its second Football Championship Subdivision title, beating Youngstown State 28-14 on Saturday.

It is the first time in six years a team other than North Dakota State raised the FCS championship trophy. James Madison (14-1) was the team that made it from Fargo to Frisco instead, winning its semifinal game on the road against the five-time defending champion Bison.

Bryan Schor threw two touchdown passes in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the game, the first after James Madison blocked a punt and the other after a shanked kick set the Dukes up at midfield.

Abdullah finished the season with a school-record 1,809 yards rushing and an FBS-best 22 touchdowns.

The four-time champion Penguins (12-4), who finished their second season with Youngstown native Bo Pelini as their coach, made it to the title game for the first time since 1999. Their four titles came during the 1990s under Jim Tressel, now the school's president after winning a national championship at Ohio State in 2002.

Abdullah's 1-yard TD midway through the second quarter made it 21-0. He added a 2-yard score early in the third quarter, capping a drive set up by Curtis Oliver's crazy interception after a pass that was deflected at the line ricocheted off the receiver's toe without hitting the ground.

TAKEAWAY

Youngstown State: The Penguins couldn't overcome their own mistakes. The punting problems early put them in a two-touchdown hole, and turnovers on their only two possessions in the third quarter took away any chance of a comeback. Only Georgia Southern (six) and North Dakota State (five) have more FCS titles than Youngstown State.

James Madison: The Dukes' defense was dominating again, with five sacks while forcing two turnovers (seven in the postseason). That included an interception, upping their FCS-best total to 21. ... TE Jonathan Kloosterman had his fifth TD catch of the playoffs, a 14-yarder less than 3 minutes into the game. He had only two TDs in the regular season. ... JMU won its other title in 2004, the only other time making it to the championship game.

UP NEXT

Youngstown State will travel to ACC opponent Pittsburgh on Sept. 2 for its 2017 opener.

James Madison, whose only loss this season was at North Carolina in the third week of the season, will open its 2017 season at East Carolina on Sept. 2.

What Greg Schiano told Jeffrey Okudah to help Ohio State land the five-star safety

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Okudah wrote: "Mom, of all of the memorable experiences I had, there's one in particular that stands out. I think you'll understand why."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star safety Jeffery Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South announced his verbal commitment to Ohio State during the fourth quarter of the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday. 

Shortly after his announcement, he wrote an open letter to his mother in The Players' Tribune explaining why he chose the Buckeyes. In the letter, which detailed how much Okudah admires his mother, who has battled lymphoma his entire life, he said he had a special interaction with Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano. 

Here's an excerpt: 

"Mom, of all of the memorable experiences I had, there's one in particular that stands out. I think you'll understand why.

"Last June, Coach Schiano at Ohio State said something that really stuck with me. In fact, I think it ultimately played a big part in my decision to go there. He told me, "Jeff, you've had a tough life up to this point. It's time for some good things to happen to you."

"When I was growing up, I never had the power to change my circumstances -- our circumstances. I tried to give you as much support as I could, but a lot of the time I felt so helpless. I wish that you never had to spend one more second in the hospital. I feel so bad about the opportunities you've been robbed of because of your health, but I'm also so thankful for everything you've given me in spite of it." 

To read Okudah's full letter, click here


J.R. Smith's wife gave birth to baby girl five months early

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J.R. Smith and his wife said their baby daughter Dakota came five months early and weighs one pound.

NEW YORK -- J.R. Smith's wife gave birth prematurely to the couple's baby daughter, Dakota, who came five months early and weighs one pound, the couple announce Saturday.

Smith and Jewel Harris, his wife, said on Uninterrupted that Dakota is five days old. Smith has not been traveling with the Cavs on their road trip and was not at their home game Wednesday against the Bulls. He could be out three months following right thumb surgery.

"We know we're not the only family going through this, who has been through this or who will ever go through it," Smith's wife says on Uninterrupted, the on-line video platform for athletes created by LeBron James. "That's why we decided to share what we've been going through with you guys. Please keep us in your prayers and we'll do the same for everybody else."

Dakota is the Smith family's third daughter.

In the video, Smith thanks fans for checking in about his fractured thumb and says it "is what it is."

Tate Martell is Johnny Manziel: Notes and observations from the U.S. Army All-American Game

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What's the most fun thing to do in recruiting? Make comparisons.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Notes and observations from the U.S. Army All-American Game that featured 10 Ohio State verbal commitments in the 2017 recruiting class:

* Let's start with Tate Martell. Though the four-star quarterback of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman has played in ESPN a few times, it was good to get an extended look at the future Buckeyes. 

What's the most fun thing to do in recruiting? Make comparisons. And while many have compared Martell to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, it's really hard to watch him play the game and not think of Johnny Manziel's Texas A&M days. 

People get so uncomfortable when making that comparison because Manziel is now known for being an NFL flameout who got caught up with substance abuse. But the comparison is more about the electrifying way Manziel played in college, which was amazing enough to win the Heisman Trophy. What Manziel did off the field has absolutely nothing to do with Martell, so don't run away from the comparison.  

Martell is similarly sized, he's fast, elusive and very hard to sack. And he has a better-than-average arm. When you watch Martell play, it's like watching Manziel. It's so similar. So take the Martell-to-Manziel discussion as a compliment, a reason to be excited for his Ohio State future. 

* Martell scored on an 18-yard touchdown in the game and flashed the "O-H-I-O" with his arms. Watch the video below. 

* Ohio State had nine commitments from five-star prospects before the game and left with 10 after five-star Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South committed to the Buckeyes. Here's a picture of four five-star prospects flashing the "O-H-I-O": Josh Myers, Martell, Chase Young and Shaun Wade. 

* Five-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson of Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal was at the game but didn't participate. However, Martell, Okudah and five-star linebacker Baron Browning have relentlessly tried to get Wilson to commit to the Buckeyes. 

* Here's a picture of Okudah and Browning with Wilson. 

* Is it possible for a five-star prospect to be underrated? Probably not. But the one player that really stood out the entire game was five-star defensive end Chase Young of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic.

Rated the No. 3 weakside defensive end in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Young was consistently disruptive against top-tier offensive linemen. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound prospect got a ton of praise for his performance. 

 

Has Bud Selig's election to Cooperstown opened door for steroid cheats to follow?

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On the Hall of Fame ballots that have been made public for Cooperstown's class of 2017, known and alleged steroid users such as Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have received a big boost in votes from members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of everyday living things get misplaced or overlooked. It happens a lot.

Other times you can fixate on one tree and miss the forest.

So I'm not surprised I missed the memo about former Commissioner Bud Selig. You know the one that said because Selig was voted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in December at the winter meetings, every known and suspected steroid user on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot gets in as well.

Did you know that? Maybe you received my copy of the memo by mistake.

By the number of voters who made their ballots public, accounting for about 41 percent of the 450 or so ballots that were expected to be cast by Dec. 31, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Ivan Rodriguez are among the leading vote-getters to be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Selig and Atlanta Braves executive John Schuerholz. Bonds and Clemens are the poster boys for the steroid era. Rodriguez, named as a steroid user by King Steroid himself, Jose Canseco, is on the ballot for the first time.

According to the online tabulations of Ryan Thibodaux of the Sporting News, Rodriguez has received 82.5 percent of the vote, while Bonds has received 67.2 percent and Clemens 66.7 percent.

And get this - former Indians' outfielder Manny Ramirez, who tested positive not once, but twice during his career, has been named on almost 26 percent of the ballots in his first year of eligibility.

Manny Ramirez long shot to reach Hall of Fame

Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines, each with over 90 percent of the vote, lead the way in the unofficial balloting. There have been rumors about Bagwell and steroids, but they haven't been strong or proven. Raines had a cocaine addiction when he played for the Montreal Expos. To be elected to Cooperstown, a player needs to be named on 75 percent of the ballots cast by BBWAA members with 10 or more years experience covering baseball.

The Cooperstown class of 2017 will be announced on Jan. 18.

Some say the impetus for this outpouring of votes for baseball's tainted greats is Selig's election by the 16-member Today's Game Era Committee. Selig, the commissioner during the Steroid Era, supposedly stuck his head in the sand while Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's artificially fueled home-run barrage saved baseball after the 1994 strike.

Here's where I have a problem. Selig wasn't in the hotel rooms and locker rooms and bathroom stalls when these guys juiced up with illegal performance-enhancing drugs. He was on the other side of the negotiating table facing a players union that refused to let its members be tested. Only when the full weight of the U.S. government was brought to bear against the entire game to ensure that some kind of testing program was instituted did they agree that something needed to be done.

I've always treasured voting for the Hall of Fame and I understand each voter looks at the steroid issue differently because of the ambiguity of who did or didn't use them. Two years ago Cooperstown restructured the voting body for the Hall of Fame, eliminating BBWAA voters who hadn't covered baseball for a 10-year period. It eliminated an estimated 200 mostly veteran voters from the rolls, which dovetails into the apparent groundswell of support for the known and suspected steroid users on this year's ballot.

It's also apparent that some voters believe that so many players were taking steroids during that era that the playing field was level. For one thing, that's not true. For another, if the steroid users didn't think they were doing anything wrong, they would have been doing it in the open, not in the shadows.

On a recent edition of Hot Stove on MLB Network, former major leaguer Harold Reynolds said that the players who used steroids didn't do it to get in the Hall of Fame. He said they did it to get paid and to get their next big contract.

Well, a lot of them did get paid. Now, at least some of them are moving closer to earning an impressive bonus - induction into the Hall of Fame where they could join a body of inductees who - if you believe their statements over the last few years - hold them in far greater disdain than the voters who have cast ballots for them.

For the record, here are the 10 players I voted for on my ballot: Bagwell, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mike Mussina, Raines, Curt Schilling, Lee Smith and Billy Wagner.

Cleveland Indians and Cavaliers add some serious talent to rosters: Crowquill

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Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Cavaliers add some serious talent to rosters in the persons of Edwin Encarnacion and Kyle Korver, respectively

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Both the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavaliers just added even more talent to their championship-caliber rosters with the addition of Edwin Encarnacion and Kyle Korver, respectively.

Encarnacion is a home-run hitter who will play either first base or DH and who will fit nicely into the Indians' already explosive lineup. Fans will hopefully have many of his 'walking the parrot' home run trots to cheer.

Korver is one of the best 3-point shooters of all time and should provide even more sharpshooting in a Cavs' lineup already filled with marksmen.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

Ray Horton out, Gregg Williams in, Browns calm on surface as waters churn: Doug Lesmerises

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The Browns changed their defensive coordinator and maybe entire defensive philosophy, a way to move past 1-15 while keeping the most important continuity.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So the Browns went beyond the 1-15 apology letter from Jimmy and Dee Haslam.

Though Haslam after the season finale in Pittsburgh said the Browns had the right people in place, if you weren't named in the apology letter as one of the leaders - and only Hue Jackson, Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta were - then you weren't one of the people he meant.

Here's the thing about 1-15. Even if it's planned, it's bad. Even if you're building, there are problems. Even if you seek and strive for continuity, there must be changes. Even while you were losing, you could evaluate competence.

So goodbye Ray Horton, hello Gregg Williams.

The move Saturday night to fire their defensive coordinator and apparently turn over that entire side of the ball to Williams, who could bring much of his defensive staff with him from the Los Angeles Rams, was a bold stroke for the most broken part of the Browns.

Inside the Browns defensive coordinator change

You watched the defense. There are sold, perhaps even good, pieces on that side of the ball, from Danny Shelton to Christian Kirksey to Emmanuel Ogbah to Jamie Collins to Jamar Taylor. But about half the guys on the field at a given moment weren't NFL-quality starters. And they often didn't look like they fit together.

Horton took a hard job and made it look hard. Consistently, achingly difficult.

The Browns finished third-to-last in scoring defense, allowing 28.2 points per game. Only New Orleans and San Francisco were worse. But the Saints (allowing 38, 38, 41 and 45 in their worst games) and the 49ers (allowing 41, 41, 45 and 46 in their worst games) were blown out sometimes and decent in other games.

The Browns didn't get blown out in a handful of games. They were systematically beaten by often average offenses each week. They gave up 33 and 35 to New England and Dallas, the league's two best teams, both with top-five offenses, and 31 and 27 to the New York Jets and New York Giants, both with bottom-seven offenses.

Want to grind yourself down? These were the points allowed by the Browns in their 15 losses: 23, 24, 25, 27, 27, 28, 28, 29, 30, 31, 31, 31, 33, 33, 35. 

So in comes Williams, dragging a 4-3 defense that seemingly fits better with the personnel in place. And again, there are pieces.

Put Jamie Meder and Shelton inside, with Ogbah and potential overall No. 1 pick Myles Garrett at end (and Carl Nassib working in) and that's a front four that might work.

This defense wasn't working.

You could see a Horton move possibly coming in December

So maybe wiping out the worst side of the ball from the worst team in the league isn't exactly a master stroke. But after the sometimes frustrating year-end news conference Monday, this was more proof to not get dragged down by what the people in charge in Berea may or may not say.

The necessary defensive changes started with a new coordinator. Done.

The necessary offensive changes will begin with a new quarterback. Expect that to come.

Needing to find half of a starting defense isn't easy, but imagine the Browns using three of their four picks in the top two rounds on defense, then maybe making one major signing of a starter, and you're closer than you realize. 

The defense will be young and it won't be great. But under Williams, who has more than 25 years in the league, it should be aggressive. It should be competent, which didn't always appear to be the case this season. And it should fit what's already in place with the players here.

Does it mean it'll work? No one can promise that, with anything. Not with the front office decision-makers, not with Jackson as head coach, not with the draft picks, not with the quarterback expectations, not with the salary cap room.

But here's what the Browns did.

They kept the top of the organization in place. They kept the head coach in place. But under that level of surface calm that the franchise is so determined to project, the waters continue to churn. And they should.

Free agency awaits. The draft awaits. But the Browns didn't sit tight. They tried to get better with a football move.

Here's what former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis, a seven-year NFL starter at middle linebacker, said about playing under Williams for three of those seasons.

 

Coaches only fix so much. But if this rough season was part of a plan, and it was, there's only so much you can bring back from 1-15. Keep the pieces that worked. Replace and improve the pieces that didn't.

Project the calm. And keep churning.

Browns hit bottom, this starts the way back up

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