Deshaun Watson will skip the Senior Bowl, according to Matt Miller of The Bleacher Report. It means the Browns won't have a chance to coach him. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, the national championship MVP, has declined an invitation to participate in the Senior Bowl next week in Mobile, Ala.

Phil Savage, former Brown general manager and Executive Director of the Senior Bowl, confirmed the news on Twitter Wednesday.

It means that Hue Jackson and the rest of the Browns coaching staff will miss out on a chance to spend a week coaching the Heisman Trophy runner-up.

They can still spend plenty of time with him pre-draft, including at the NFL Scouting Combine and during a possible private workout, but the Senior Bowl is a huge missed opportunity to dig in deep.

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports also reported that Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and linebacker Reuben Foster have also declined invitations, as expected.

Watson, who also earned Fiesta Bowl MVP honors en route to a 31-0 shutout over Ohio State, is on the Browns' radar with the No. 1 and No. 12 overall picks in the draft.

He's one of three top quarterbacks prospects that won't be participating in the Senior Bowl. The others are Mentor, Ohio native Mitch Trubisky of North Carolina and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizers.

All are juniors, but Watson was eligible because he graduated in 2  1/2 years, with a degree in communications.

The Browns have been heavily scouting all of the top prospects in advance of the draft in April, and opinions on Watson are mixed.

 "Watson is a winner with the make-up and intangibles you want at the position,'' Brugler told cleveland.com. "And physically, his arm and mobility are great foundation traits. But he had several areas as a pocket passer that require development, most importantly his ball placement downfield. Opinions from NFL teams are all over the map on his draft "value" so all eyes will be on him throughout the process.''

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has him projected as a second-round pick.

"Watson had an up-and-down season, and I thought he took a step back in decision-making from his stellar sophomore season. His 17 interceptions -- and 30 over the past two seasons -- are worrisome,'' Kiper wrote after the national championship game. "He has shown that he can make every throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make, but his lapses in decision-making hurt Clemson in the middle of the season. He didn't play like a first-round pick. He was much, much better down the stretch of the season, including on Monday night, but scouts aren't going to overreact to one game, good or bad. They'll take his entire tape into account.

"Watson has decent size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds), and he's a battler -- he took some shots against the Tide and just kept getting up. His running skills get him into trouble at times because he wants to leave the pocket and take off, so he'll have to keep developing his pocket presence.

"What's going to be important for Watson is how he looks against the other quarterback prospects in this draft. ...Watson is my No. 3-ranked quarterback right now, and certainly has a chance to move up from this projection, because several teams have needs at QB and much can change during the draft process."

Some quarterbacks who have accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl include Josh Hobbs of Tennessee, Chad Kelly of Ole Miss (media events only because of a torn ACL in November) and Sefo Liufau of Colorado.

Last year, some of the quarterbacks who participated were Carson Wentz, who went No. 2 overall to the Eagles, Cody Kessler, who went in the third round to the Browns, and Dak Prescott, who went in the fourth round to the Cowboys and led them to the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Deshaun Watson, Browns' candidate at No. 1: NFL Draft Profile

Jackson and his overhauled coaching staff will head to the Senior Bowl on Sunday and spent the week coaching the South team. The game is Saturday, January 28th at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile.

New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and his revamped staff will be on hand. Among other assistants he's hired is his son, Blake, who will coach linebackers.

Doug Lesmerises says Watson is ready for the NFL

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson has decided to turn down an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he would've been part of Hue Jackson's South squad. It makes sense for him and it's no big loss for the Browns. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson's reported decision to decline a Senior Bowl invitation is understandable for him and no big deal for the Browns.

His last game, the national championship win over Alabama, allowed him to walk away from college football on a "goodnight everybody" high note.

There's still the NFL combine, pro days and personal workouts to navigate. It's hard to imagine Watson would gain as much as he could potentially lose in a crash course with unfamiliar players and an unfamiliar coaching staff.

Could he have impressed NFL teams by his willingness to compete anytime, anywhere? Sure. So could Alabama's Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster, but they've also declined invitations, according to NFLDraftScout.com.

History tells us after the customary dissection of strengths and weaknesses over the next three months, quarterback inflation will rule the day and make Watson an even more coveted pick.

Which brings us to the Browns. Would Hue Jackson and his staff have gleaned valuable information about Watson after a week of practices with the South squad? No doubt.

But the Browns don't need that exposure to make the right call on Watson. At least they shouldn't. All Watson declining the Senior Bowl invitation does is put the Browns on the same playing field as every other NFL team looking for a franchise quarterback.

(I know, the level playing field has not been a recipe for success in previous years).

They'll still have plenty of time to measure Watson directly against the other draft prospects and against more established NFL quarterbacks available in free agency or trade when the March open-for-business date rolls around.

It's not as if he came out of nowhere this season, or played at a lower level of competition.

So no big deal. 

In 2016, Guyer batted .336 with a 1.021 OPS against left-handed pitching. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The last of the Indians' eight arbitration-eligible players has signed, and this one will be sticking around for a while.

The Indians have agreed to a two-year deal with outfielder Brandon Guyer worth at least $5 million. The pact includes a club option for the 2019 season.

Guyer will earn $2 million in 2017 and $2.75 million in 2018, a source told cleveland.com. The Indians' 2019 option is worth $3 million, or they can pay Guyer a $250,000 buyout. 

Cleveland's acquisition of Guyer last summer might have been deemed an under-the-radar move, but don't tell that to all of the left-handed pitchers he bested. In 2016, Guyer batted .336 with a 1.021 OPS against southpaws. His .464 on-base percentage against lefties led the American League.

That made him the perfect complement to Lonnie Chisenhall in the Indians' right-field platoon. Guyer hit just .216 with a .628 OPS against right-handed pitching last year.

The Indians settled with their other seven arbitration-eligible players late last week. On Friday, teams and players still in limbo exchanged salary figures. Instead of heading to an arbitration hearing in Phoenix in February, the two sides agreed to a contract extension. The Indians followed a similar path with Josh Tomlin last year.

Guyer would have been eligible for arbitration for the final time next winter, before hitting the free-agent market after the 2018 campaign.

"We made the trade for Brandon because we were in a competitive position and all of those games were so meaningful to us," said Chris Antonetti, the Indians' president of baseball operations. "When you bring a guy over to a new environment, you have to be thoughtful not only of how he will fit on the field and how his skill set can help the team win, but how he'll transition into a new clubhouse and new culture. To Brandon's credit, he transitioned seamlessly. He fit right in and he made immediate contributions on the field."

Guyer, who will turn 31 next weekend, appeared in 38 games for the Tribe last season. He posted a .333/.438/.469 slash line. He also batted .333 with a .500 on-base percentage in 24 postseason plate appearances. He reached base in all three of his opportunities in Game 7 of the World Series. His RBI double off of Aroldis Chapman in the bottom of the eighth set the table for Rajai Davis' game-tying, two-run homer. Guyer walked with two outs in the 10th and scored on Davis' single before the Indians fell one run short.

The man does have a knack for reaching base, even in the most painful ways imaginable. Guyer has led the league in hit-by-pitches each of the last two years. He was plunked on 31 occasions in 2016.

The Cubs selected Guyer in the fifth round of the 2007 amateur draft out of the University of Virginia. 

If Michael Brantley returns to full health this season, the Indians will likely have Chisenhall and Guyer share time in right, Tyler Naquin and Abraham Almonte occupy center and Brantley man left. Antonetti also suggested that Guyer could see some time in center field during spring training. He has played all three outfield spots in the past, but only appeared at the corners for the Tribe in 2016.

Guyer consumes crickets, collagen, LH pitching

Gary Horvath, a former Gold Glove champ who overcame injury to open his own gym in Cleveland, is the subject of a documentary: Boxing Report 2017

Gary HorvathJustin Glanville 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Before Justin Glanville got too deep into his latest freelance article, he figured it was more than a literary piece.

So in addition to the project, Glanville decided to expand the story to film.

Glanville and Paul Vogelsang are the co-producers of "The Pope of West 25th Street" -- a 20-minute documentary on Gary Horvath, a seven-time Golden Gloves champ who overcame an injury to fund and start his own gym in Cleveland's Clark-Fulton neighborhood, where he currently coaches amateur fighters of all ages.

The film takes a deep look into Horvath, now in his 60s, who many consider a surrogate father.

"I did a story about him a couple of years ago," Glanville said. "I hung out with him and did a story on him and the role of his gym in the neighborhood. I was moved by what I saw happening."

Glanville was so inspired that he reached out to Vogelsang, owner of North Water Partners, and the project was born.

"I really felt compelled to getting his story out there because many people didn't know who he was and how he was affecting so many lives," Glanville said.

You can see the documentary Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Jefferson Library Branch, 850 Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free. The co-producers and Horvath are scheduled to appear.

Quick jabs

• The future of boxing comes in a small but lethal package.
• Get ready for the Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. bout on May 6.
• Majority draw in James DeGale - Badou Jack bout disappoints Floyd Mayweather.
• The world heavyweight unification bout between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko has set box office records.
• Adrien "The Problem" Broner says Manny Pacquiao needs him.
• Andre Ward reacts to Floyd Mayweather's comments about Ward's last fight. 
• Trainer says Danny Jacobs will not go down against Triple G.

This week in boxing history

Jan. 19, 1983: Roger (The Black Mamba) Mayweather defeats Samuel Serrano by eighth-round knockout to win the WBA super-featherweight title.

Boxing schedule

10 p.m., Saturday: (Showtime):

• Adam Lopez vs. Danny Roman, WBA junior featherweight eliminator
• Ronald Ellis vs. Christopher Brooker, super middleweights
• Kenneth Sims Jr. vs. Emmanuel Robles, junior welterweights
• Stephon Young vs. Elton Dharry, junior featherweights

Bosa and Chargers teammate Phillip Rivers were on Kimmel to promote the team moving to Los Angeles. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is officially the Chargers ambassador to Los Angeles. Or at lest one of them.

Bosa and teammate Philip Rivers appeared on ABC late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday, promoting the franchise's move from San Diego to Los Angeles. Watch the video below to see Kimmel "swear in" Bosa and Rivers as official Los Angeles citizens.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bosa and former Ohio State teammate Ezekiel Elliott were named defensive and offensive rookies of the year, respectively, by the Pro Football Writers Association.

After ending a lengthy holdout to start the season, Bosa finished his rookie year with 10.5 sacks in 12 games. Elliott led the NFL in rushing with 1,631 yards and was third in the NFL with 15 rushing touchdowns.

The show, hosted by Chris Hardwick, gives regular people a chance to win up to $12 million dollars by dropping balls into a giant, Plinko-style wall with slots at the bottom corresponding to dollar amounts ranging from one dollar to $3 million. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When it comes to producing game shows, LeBron James and Maverick Carter may not yet be as prolific as the legendary Mark Goodson and Bill Todman were, but they're off to a good start.

After just three airings in its regular timeslot, NBC has ordered 20 additional episodes of "The Wall," the game show produced by James and Carter's SpringHill Entertainment.

"We're thrilled that viewers have become as captivated by 'The Wall' as we are," NBC executive Meredith Ahr said in a statement. "We have been in pursuit of a brand new high-stakes game show for a while and are so happy to have developed it with LeBron James."

The show, hosted by Chris Hardwick, gives regular people a chance to win up to $12 million dollars by dropping balls into a giant, Plinko-style wall with slots at the bottom corresponding to dollar amounts ranging from one dollar to $3 million.

"When we started 'The Wall' we wanted to create something that would get families excited and change peoples' lives," James said in a statement. "Maverick and I couldn't be more proud of the show's early success and we want to keep building on that."

"The Wall" averaged about 6.9 million viewers in its first two outings. In the first "sneak preview" episode, an Akron couple won $1.3 million, which James hand-delivered himself.

"The Wall" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

Dobbins is rated the No. 2 all-purpose running back in the country by 247 Sports.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State football program signed Texas running back and early-enrollee JK Dobbins as part of its recruiting class for National Singing Day 2017. Here is an in-depth look at this member of the Buckeyes' recruiting class. 

JK Dobbins 

School: La Grange, Texas 

Position: All-purpose running back  

Height, weight: 5-foot-10, 199 pounds

247Sports Rating: Dobbins is rated the No. 2 all-purpose running back and the No. 40 overall player in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings. 

Other schools: Alabama, Arizona State, Baylor, California, Colorado, Houston, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC and others. 

What's his deal? Dobbins may have taken a back seat in Ohio State fans' minds when Urban Meyer was pursuing five-star running back Cam Akers, the No. 1 running back in the 2017 class. It also didn't help that Dobbins' senior season was ended prematurely. But here's the reminder: He's really, really good. 

Dobbins earned the top Nike+ football rating at The Opening, the camp in Oregon that hosted the 166 best high school prospects in the country in July. 

Dobbins earned an overall score of 146.76 that's based off the following things: 40-yard dash, vertical jump, agility, peak power and power ball. It's basically a scientific way of measuring athleticism by testing things like quickness, speed, power, agility and ability to react. So basically, Dobbins was the most athletic player at the deepest camp in high school football. 

Though there was some worry that Ohio State could potentially lose Dobbins to Texas after Tom Herman was hired, he remained loyal since his commitment in March. Now he's enrolled early. 

Dobbins committed before ever visiting and his love for the program was only confirmed when he finally made it to Columbus. 

How he fits into Ohio State's plans: Dobbins is a versatile enough athlete to play either H-Back or running back, which is good news for him trying to get on the field early. He's also an early enrollee, which will give him a good jump when spring practice starts. 

Dobbins could figure into Ohio State's running back rotation early given it's only Mike Weber and Antonio Williams ahead of him on the depth chart. 

Projections for 2017: Williams came in last year as an early enrollee and it seemed like he could potentially be in the rotation. Though Williams didn't redshirt -- which is good, because redshirting is a mistake at Ohio State -- he wasn't much of a factor in the games. That's how it is for freshmen here, and Dobbins may have a year very similar to what Williams experienced.

Player comparison: Ezekiel Elliott. That's the reason Ohio State was able to get Dobbins in the first place. It's hard to make the comparison to Elliott because of how good he was, but Dobbins was very similar in a lot of ways in high school. Both are very versatile, fast and powerful runners who could fit into the offense in a lot of ways. 

Why he's important to the best class in Ohio State history: Though Dobbins isn't a five-star prospect, he really is good enough to be in that conversation. Pulling the No. 2 all-purpose back in the country ll the way from Texas? It's pretty self-explanatory. 

Highlights:

What we've written about Dobbins: 

Why Dobbins committed to OSU before visiting

Dobbins got best overall player at The Opening

JK Dobbins vs. Cam Akers could be similar to Ezekiel Elliott vs. Derrick Green

Kevin Love (lower back soreness) participated in some of the Cavs' practice Wednesday and is questionable for their next game against the Phoenix Suns. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Kevin Love (lower back soreness) participated in some of the Cavs' practice Wednesday and is questionable for their next game against the Phoenix Suns.

Love scored just three points and didn't play in the second half of Monday's 126-91 loss to Golden State because of his back, but said it wouldn't cause him to miss any more playing time.

"Not sure how he's going to feel tomorrow but he did a partial practice," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said.

Love didn't take any contact Wednesday. During the portion open to media, he was doing a fairly involved shooting drill with Channing Frye and James Jones. Love's jersey was soaked in sweat and he was wearing a wine-colored shirt -- the starters' color during practice.

Love has missed four games total -- two with a minor knee issue and one with food poisoning. He's averaging 20.7 points and 10.8 rebounds as the East's only player with numbers that high in those two categories.

Love said Monday night that his back has been sore since Saturday.

Urban Meyer doesn't like the idea of having an early signing period in college football.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer doesn't like the idea of having an early signing period in college football.

There won't be one in June. 

But there could be one in December. 

According to an NCAA release, the Division I Council dropped the idea of voting on a potential early signing period in June, but it is still open to potentially having one in December. They council will vote on that as early as April. 

If passed, the December early signing period would last for 72 hours and would coincide with the time junior college players can sign a National Letter of Intent. 

"What we heard from the coaches at the American Football Coaches Association meetings that the June signing date was problematic," Division I Football Oversight Committee chair and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement.

"We knew one of the charges to our committee was to open earlier access. We will continue to look for an earlier signing date than mid-December, but we will move ahead on the other parts of the process. This is a significant move forward in football recruiting. We think it is student-athlete-friendly, family-friendly and coach-friendly."

Another thing the council will vote on is whether a prospect should be allowed to take an official visit during their junior year of high school.

If approved, official visits would be allowed to occur from April 1 through the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June and from July 25 through July 31 for junior prospects. 

The summer official visits would not be permitted to coincide with a prospect's participation in an instructional camp.

Meyer has been very against early signing periods because he feels as if the recruiting process is already too sped up. He's gone on multiple rants suggesting that early signing periods would be a mistake. 

"I think this might be a good opportunity (to bring this up), I'm going to send out a letter," Meyer said. "I keep hearing about this early signing period, early access, and let's move everything up and it's, I still can't believe we're having this conversation.

"So, we're absolutely opposed to that. I hear the reasoning is because there's so many decommitments. What the hell does that mean? So because 18-year-olds -- excuse me, 17-year-olds -- are decommitting, let's give them a legal document so they can't decommit? That's not very smart. Young people have a right to choose where they want to go to school. Period. Let them decommit a hundred times. That's why they're called 17-year-olds.

"So I don't understand, whether it's lazy, whether it's, you know, I don't understand why this big push. Now they want to move junior, like have official visits in their junior year. There's some kids that don't even have ACT scores. They're bodies are gaining 18 pounds. Why not move it back to their sophomore year? It's bizarre. You're going to see more transfers and more mistakes made in recruiting than ever if they keep pushing this thing up." 

Everything to know about how an early signing period impacts OSU

Nike could get rid of Cleveland's black sleeved jerseys when the company takes over the NBA's apparel contract next season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brace yourselves, Cavs fans. Nike and the NBA apparently have something (nothing) up their sleeves.

Those black, sleeved Cleveland Cavaliers jerseys you fell in love with during the team's championship run in June could be going bye-bye next season when Nike takes over as the NBA's exclusive apparel provider.

Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo Sports is reporting the shoe company "doesn't plan to produce sleeved jerseys" as part of it's product line, and that could spell the end of the Cavs' "pride" black sleeved uniforms, unless exceptions are made.

Since the uniform's debut on Nov. 4, 2015, the Cavaliers and their fans have had a love-hate relationship with the sleeved jersey style. The team is 8-2 overall when wearing the all-black uniforms.

LeBron James (a notorious sleeved jersey detractor in the past) infamously ripped the sleeves on his jersey in order to shake out of a shooting slump that first night against New York.

Later, it was LeBron who insisted the team wear it's "pride" jerseys for Game 5 of the NBA Finals -- the start of its unprecedented comeback from a 3-1 deficit.

And no Cavaliers fan will ever forget seeing James chase down Andre Igoudala for a game-saving block, or Kyrie Irving sinking a long 3-pointer over Stephen Curry in Game 7, all while wearing those same "pride" jerseys.

But Nike has no love for the sleeved style of jersey, and insiders insist that they will not be part of the offerings made available to teams next season. Notes Dwyer: "the clear implication there is that the sleeved jerseys are on the way out."

So, what are the team and its fans left with when so many positive memories are attached to jerseys that are headed for extinction?

Hardwood Classics nights? Expensive throwback replicas?

The team is scheduled to wear the black sleeved "pride" jerseys for three remaining home games this season, including Saturday's nationally-televised matchup against San Antonio.

There's no telling now as to how many times the uniforms could be worn during any potential playoff games in April, May or June.

What are your thoughts on the black sleeved "pride" uniforms? Do you want Nike to keep them as part of Cleveland's regular jersey rotation? Would you be glad to see them go? Take the poll below and then defend your answer in the comments section.

"Was it a statement? I think so," Lue said when asked about the play following Wednesday's practice. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue doesn't know if Draymond Green's hit on LeBron James during the Golden State Warriors' 126-91 thumping on Monday was "dirty."

However, Lue believes Green was looking to put the Cavaliers on notice.

"Was it a statement? I think so," Lue said when asked about the play following Wednesday's practice. "He didn't want to let LeBron get in the open court and get a dunk or layup and he took a hard foul. He wanted to try to send a message to our team."

Lue said shortly after the game that he "didn't really see" the play and needed to look at it on film. 

The collision happened with about seven minutes remaining in the first half, as James raced out in transition, crossed half court and got decked by Green, causing James to crash to the court.

Ruled a flagrant foul 1 after a lengthy review, the hard foul also led to another skirmish between Green and members of the Cavaliers, which is a common occurrence when the two teams meet. Green and Richard Jefferson were both issued technical fouls after exchanging words. 

"It's easier to do when you're up 25," Lue said. "When you're down and you're complaining about every call when you're down -- when we played earlier this season -- it's different. Both teams are the same. We get off to fast starts and we're running, having fun, high-fiving and they did the same thing the other night so both teams are the same. When we're playing well it's hard to put us out. When they're playing well it's hard to put them out also. It's easier to do when you're up 25 than when you're down."

In the locker room after the game, the Warriors downplayed the collision, with head coach Steve Kerr saying it "looked like a normal foul." James shrugged it off on the court and then again after the game, believing his football background helped.

While the Green-James play will likely come up again, adding more fuel if the Cavs and Warriors meet in the NBA Finals, Cleveland had to move past it.

"Tough game. Obviously it didn't go the way we wanted it to," Kyle Korver said after being a part of the rivalry for the first time. "But no one around here is panicking. Obviously we have a lot to get better at, but no one seems overly worried so I'm not going to be either. Just kind of follow their example and their lead, keep on trying to assimilate and get better.

That's the same message coming from Lue, even after offensive issues plagued them for a majority of the road trip. 

"When we left our mindset was to go 4-2," Lue said. "You know, we went 3-3. And, you know, the last game wasn't our best game, but it is what it is. We were one game down from where we wanted to be going into this trip, so, not a big deal. We can make that up."

The Cavs may be struggling as they reach the midpoint of the season, but a win Thursday would give them the exact record as they had a year ago at this time. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cavs left town 14 days ago wanting to win four of the six games they were to play on their longest trip of the season, which spanned three time zones, two coasts, and the Brooklyn and Bay bridges.

Instead they won three.

"The last game wasn't our best game, but it is what it is," coach Tyronn Lue said after practice Wednesday. "We were one game down from where we wanted to be going into this trip, so, not a big deal. We can make that up."

Right. Cleveland's 126-91 loss to arch-rival Golden State Monday night to wrap up the road trip was not the Cavs' finest moment. They've lost three of four and four of seven.

But if the Cavs just beat the Phoenix Suns at The Q on Thursday, they arrive at the official midway point of their 82-game schedule in the same place as they were last season: with 30 wins, 11 defeats and more than a puncher's chance to reach the Finals for a third consecutive season.

And that is the overwhelming, pervasive attitude in Cavsland.

"No one around here is panicking," said Kyle Korver, Cleveland's newest player. "Obviously we have a lot to get better at, but no one seems overly worried so I'm not going to be either."

If there ever was a "big picture" franchise, the Cavs are it. They pay little mind to the here and now, with all their focus squarely on preparing for what's to come in April.

Players rest nagging injuries and heavy legs. Practices are few, in part because the Cavs are the NBA's most veteran bunch and also because they plan to be playing for another six months.

Cleveland is the NBA's fifth-best scoring time right now at 109.7 points per game, but didn't get above 92 in its three losses. Assists are down, turnovers are up. Lue suggested the team's recent offensive woes are linked in large part to the addition of Korver, who of course was brought in to boost the offense.

"We tried to incorporate Kyle into the rotation," Lue said. Korver was acquired in a trade form the Hawks and debuted Jan. 10 in Utah. "Guys were playing different minutes, different roles, we didn't know how we was going to work him into our rotation but we knew we had to. So that was kind of tough as far as trying to get the rotation right, who was playing with who, what plays to run, trying to call plays on the fly because he didn't know the plays. So that kind of put our offense at a disadvantage, being stagnant and not being able to run stuff we've normally been running because he didn't know the plays."

Lue also said the Cavs' ball movement -- so prevalent earlier in the season -- slowed considerably on the trip, something they addressed at practice Wednesday.

Cleveland is ranked 13th in the NBA in defense (100.6 ppg) and 16th in opponents' field-goal percentage (45.2 percent). Lue shrugged off the middling defensive numbers, answering the Cavs are by design an offense-first group.

"We've never been a great defensive team," he said. "That's not who we are. When we get to the playoffs and we're able to put in schemes and stuff to stop different teams we're a lot different and we're a lot better. On a night-to-night basis it's tough for us defensively."

The Cavs are one of two NBA teams with a trio of scorers averaging at least 20 points -- LeBron James (25.6), Kyrie Irving (23.6), and Kevin Love (20.7). Korver is the eighth-best 3-point shooter in NBA history; Channing Frye is a stretch-center who comes off the bench to shoot 3s.

Cleveland is among the league's top 3-point shooting teams, and J.R. Smith hasn't been himself all season. There were nagging injuries and shooting slump that dropped him to 8.6 points and 36.2-percent shooting from 3-point range; and then a fractured thumb suffered Dec. 20 may cost him three months.

The Cavs are hoping Smith returns either by or early on during the playoffs, and otherwise wants to add to their roster through trades and free agency. But as Lue said, "you can't make a trade every day.

"We acquired Kyle Korver and we've got to be patient for other pieces we need, but, we're still a good team, we're still the champs and we got to play like that," Lue said.

The Cavs have been great at home (18-3) and less so on the road (11-7). There's a huge game upcoming at The Q Saturday, when San Antonio makes its annual trip. Another rugged road slate awaits Cleveland in early February, with a four-game trek to New York, Washington, Indiana, and Oklahoma City. Only the Knicks are not currently among the top eight in their respective conference out of those teams.

Then again, the Cavs are first in the East. James has played in six consecutive Finals. The idea, of course, is for both trends to continue.

Even if they're not exactly playing like it the last week.

"We got a lot of room for improvement and that's a great thing to have," James said during the trip. "You're peakin' right now, that's not good."

I see coach Bill Belichick's New England Patriots winning and covering against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots will win against the spread in NFL Conference Championships 2017.

At least that is how I see it -- for entertainment purposes only, of course.

I am picking NFL ATS for the second straight year:

*In 2015, I went 122-127-7 in the regular season and 4-6-1 in the postseason. I did manage to win the Super Bowl (Denver +5 1/2).

*In the 2016 regular season, I went 130-118-8 and am 6-2 in the postseason.

In this space, I decline to take the easy route when picking ATS. I pick all of the games, not a select few "hot ones'' each week. Leave that to a video. At the same time, I am realistic. I think batting .500 is an accomplishment, and I make no guarantees. (And don't yell at me too loudly when I have a bad week(s) because this is, after all, for entertainment purposes only.)

I have researched each team/matchup, but I plan on relying more on gut than anything else this season. 

For continuity's sake, each week I will use the MGM Mirage lines from vegasinsider.com as of Wednesday afternoon unless noted. Games are listed as I came upon them, not by order of certainty. I do not adjust picks even if injuries occur and/or lines change between Wednesday afternoon and Sunday.

• Week 1: 9-6-1
• Week 2: 8-8
• Week 3: 7-9
• Week 4: 8-7
• Week 5: 7-6-1
• Week 6: 5-10
• Week 7: 10-5
• Week 8: 6-6-1
• Week 9: 6-6-1
• Week 10: 5-9
• Week 11: 11-1-2
• Week 12: 9-6-1
• Week 13: 9-6
• Week 14: 9-7
• Week 15: 6-9-1
• Week 16: 8-8
• Week 17: 7-9
• Week 18: 3-1
• Week 19: 3-1

Week 19 recap: I am not going to complain about another 3-1 in the postseason.

The loss was @ Kansas City -2 over Pittsburgh. Steelers won, 18-16.

I'd do it again.

Conference Championship Games predictions:

SUNDAY

@ Atlanta -4 1/2 over Green Bay

Skinny: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers can only do so much. He will be unable to overcome Green Bay's defensive issues against Atlanta's prolific offense. Falcons, 37-31.  

@ New England -6 over Pittsburgh

Skinny: Patriots no doubt are insulted that the spread isn't bigger. Steelers pay for Patriots having not played well in divisional-round victory over Houston. Patriots, 27-17.

Browns fans saw some former Browns make an impact this past weekend in the playoffs. The team will have to work to improve retaining talent if their plan is to work.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I'm not here to harp on the Browns letting Taylor Gabriel go, I promise.

No matter how much you might have liked Gabriel -- and I thought he had a really nice training camp and wrote it a number of times -- no one knew he would go on to become a key contributor to a deep playoff run. Even with my complimentary words, I didn't put up much resistance to the Browns letting him go.

The reality is Gabriel lost a numbers game. The Browns were determined to keep their four rookie receivers, one of whom is 5-foot-11 Corey Coleman. It appears they valued the leadership of Andrew Hawkins, who measures in at 5-foot-6. Head coach Hue Jackson told the team's radio show shortly after he was hired, "we've got the Smurfs here," referencing the group of receivers collected by former GM Ray Farmer.

So the deck was stacked against Gabriel to begin with and, on top of that, he was coming off of a disappointing 2015 season after playing a key role to the team's hot start as an undrafted rookie in 2014.

That said, there's a lesson to be learned here and there's a reason letting Gabriel go was a mistake. It has nothing to do with wins and losses. This team wouldn't have suddenly been playoff-bound had they kept Gabriel.

Where the Browns went wrong is in undervaluing a player who is young (he's 25), cheap (he made less than $1 million this season and will be a restricted free agent this off-season) and fills multiple needs (on top of wide receiver, he can return kicks, an area in which the Browns struggled).

This is where instability hurts. He was brought in by a different regime and the new coaching staff had little invested in his development other than what happened during the off-season.

How does this apply to the future? If this plan is going to work, it goes beyond drafting. The Browns have to develop their young talent and then work to keep that talent in Cleveland.

The 2016 draft class will get their first opportunity to test the team's player development investment. The steps players like Carl Nassib, Corey Coleman and Spencer Drango, among others, take will determine the success or failure of the class.

Another example: Finding an undrafted corner in Briean Boddy-Calhoun who appears to be able to contribute is a win, developing him into a reliable player is the next step. Then they'll do it all again with this incoming class of draft picks and undrafted free agents.

What happened with Gabriel happened and it's good to see him succeeding. One of the tests of this front office and coaching staff is to make sure valuable players like Gabriel don't get away too often.

Following up on Jimmy G: I received some great feedback on my post last Friday breaking down Jimmy Garoppolo's six quarters this season. You can read the whole breakdown here.

I said in the accompanying video that I would be willing to part with a second round pick and another pick or two down the line for Garoppolo. Trading for him also wouldn't prevent me from drafting a quarterback.

One of the issues in acquiring Garoppolo, of course, is his contract -- which is also the reason why the Patriots might consider trading him even though their starting quarterback is almost 40. Garoppolo is set to hit free agency after next season.

Patrick O'Donnell, The Plain Dealer's fantastic education reporter, sent me this note:

"He is under a cheap contract for 2017 and then you can franchise him for a year if you don't reach agreement. You don't have to sign him right away. You can bring him here, test drive him for a year and then sign him. Or, you can franchise him year 2 if you need another evaluation year before committing big money long term."

Garoppolo's cap hit for next season, according to Spotrac, is around $1.1 million. I threw out Brock Osweiler's contract as a possibility for a contract extension when discussing Garoppolo on Friday since he was a recent example of a backup quarterback cashing in, though under different circumstances. Osweiler received $37 million guaranteed as a free agent.

The franchise tag option is interesting, but expensive. Washington took this approach with Kirk Cousins last off-season. It meant that Washington had this season to really figure out how they feel about Cousins, but it also cost them nearly $20 million. They're also back in the same position now with Cousins.

Personally, that's not the approach I would take. If the Browns are willing to give up draft assets as high as, perhaps, the second round (and that's all speculative at this point), they should be willing to give him an extension. If the Browns brass were to have questions about signing him longterm -- or at least for an additional two to three years -- that should give them pause about acquiring him in the first place.

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On Wednesday, there was another first for Cleveland's midseason addition, as Korver walked into Cleveland Clinic Courts, the team's practice facility, for the first time. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Since joining the Cleveland Cavaliers during their longest road trip of the season, Kyle Korver has encountered plenty of firsts.

He played his first game with the Cavaliers Tuesday in Utah. He went through his first shootaround on Friday morning in Sacramento and buried his first 3-pointer later that night. He had his first official practice on Sunday afternoon at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. One day later, he got his first taste of the Cavs-Warriors rivalry.

On Wednesday, there was another first for Cleveland's midseason addition, as Korver walked into Cleveland Clinic Courts, the team's practice facility, for the first time.

"I was talking to my wife last night and I finally got to see my family in Cleveland yesterday," Korver said. "It's like, "OK, I think we are Cavs now.' Made it to the city. We're all here. Until some things kind of fall into place off the court, too, things don't really feel like it's all the way real and settled. It's good to have my family here. That makes it feel more settling. Good to be here at this amazing practice facility. This place is nice."

It's the second time Korver has been dealt during the season. It happened in late December during the 2007-08 campaign when he was sent from Philadelphia to Utah. That trade worked out well. Korver ended up meeting his wife in Utah. He also made the playoffs three straight years before moving on to Chicago. 

Perhaps this year's trade, which was tough at the time because he had to uproot his family from the NBA city he had been in the longest, will work out as well.

"I've spent so many years on the other teams trying to get past Miami, trying to get past Cleveland and they've put me in depression for like a week or two after every season it feels like for a lot of years, so over that time you respect their game but you know like you really want to beat those guys," Korver said. "So it's interesting to come on the other side. This locker room is amazing. They are all great guys and they've been incredibly welcoming to me and it's a really tight group. It's been great to see."

A homeowner now -- after already finding a place to live -- Korver is hoping the wins follow. The Cavs are 1-3 since the acquisition and just capped their roadie with a lopsided loss to rival Golden State. 

"It's getting better and better," Korver said. "It's great to have a practice here in Cleveland. It was a long road trip. The more time we spend together, the better chemistry we're going to have. A lot of what my game is based on chemistry. Getting a good feel for the guys, me getting a feel for them, them getting a feel for me and how I play. Every day gets a little better."

The Cavaliers went back to work Wednesday, trying to regain their offensive rhythm that vanished out west. In the three losses, Cleveland averaged 89.7 points, 13.3 assists and 15.3 turnovers. While Korver is not the sole reason for the struggles, getting him comfortable has been a challenge. 

"Guys were playing different minutes, different roles and we didn't know how we was going to work him into our rotation but we knew we had to," Lue said. "That was kind of tough as far as trying to get the rotation right, who was playing with who, what plays to run and trying to call plays on the fly because he didn't know the plays. That kind of put our offense at a disadvantage, being stagnant and not being able to run stuff we've normally been running because he didn't know the plays.

"Just gotta keep bringing him along and he's a smart player, smart guy so he picks up things fast. So we just gotta keep bringing him along until we're able to get to where we want to get to."

In an effort to make his transition smooth, the Cavs have been using more motion sets and an abundance of pindowns. Lue has gone into his play vault and pulled out old Ray Allen sets from when Lue was an assistant under Doc Rivers in Boston.

Meanwhile, Korver's new teammates have been force-feeding him the ball.

"It's natural," Lue said. "When you get a new guy ... especially a special guy like he is, you want to try to make him feel comfortable and get him off instead of just playing the game and him naturally coming along. It always happens like that.

"It's good to see our team wanting to look for a guy like that and trying to get him acclimated as quick as possible. But we just got to play the game and he's going to get his shots and we can pick and choose what will get him shots. We'll be fine."

On Monday, during the Cavs' 126-91 loss to Golden State, Korver finished with 11 points -- his second straight double-figure scoring game -- on 4-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range.

But the night also served as a bit of a wake-up call, a lesson of what it will be like playing alongside James.

At one point, James snapped a behind-the-back pass to Korver that surprised him and led to a slip-up. Korver learned to always be ready, to have his hands up and shoot, even if barely open.

"I told him that was my bad missing that shot," Korver said. "That would've been on his lifetime highlight reel. That was an incredible pass. I couldn't even believe it. I thought the play was kind of broken and he was trying to pick it up and he whipped it behind his back right at my head. I was like, 'Wow, I have the ball and I'm open.' I hesitated and I missed the shot. That's what he creates. He's got an incredible feel for the game. It's good to be on the other side of the ball with him."

It's all part of the learning process. And it will be a big area of focus in the next few weeks -- or however long it takes for Korver to be fully adjusted to his new surroundings.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2017 includes Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- OneUp Sports called to ask about my BBWAA National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Voting results were announced tonight, Jan. 18.

Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez will be part of the Hall of Fame class of 2017. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will not.

Final vote totals

I voted for nine (listed in alphabetical order):

*Jeff Bagwell. Easy call based on numbers/metrics. Not-so-easy call based on PED suspicions. I struggled with some of his comments about PEDs. In the end, he didn't meet my PED preponderance of evidence threshold.

*Vladimir Guerrero. Terrific player whom I began following in Class AA.

*Trevor Hoffman. Recognizing that closers can be overrated, I came around to him.

*Edgar Martinez. One of the best pure hitters, with XBH pop, I've ever seen.

*Mike Mussina. Incredibly underrated and, consequently, undervalued in this process.

*Tim Raines. Dynamic talent whose misfortune was having been overshadowed by Rickey Henderson.

*Ivan Rodriguez. See Bagwell.

*Curt Schilling. I don't care about his politics or post-career rants on social media. His baseball resume is worthy of the Hall. 

*Larry Walker. A multi-tool, top-notch player for a long time. Vastly underrated.

A trio of baseball icons will be inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame this summer. But what else did we learn from the voting results, revealed Wednesday evening? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez are in. Casey Blake and Arthur Rhodes are out.

A trio of baseball icons will be inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame this summer. But what else did we learn from the voting results, revealed Wednesday evening?

Full voting: BBWAA.com

1. The war on (possible) PED users

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are gaining steam. Take a look at their voting totals the last two years.

2016

Bonds: 44.3 percent

Clemens: 45.2 percent

2017

Bonds: 53.8 percent

Clemens: 54.1 percent

It'll be worth watching next year to see if even more voters gravitate toward leniency for the two faces (or four biceps?) of the steroid era. Only six players received more votes than Clemens and Bonds, and three of those six were elected to Cooperstown. If Bonds and Clemens ultimately gain entry, what will that mean for other PED-era players? 

2. The other guys

What about the pitchers from that era? Clemens is linked to PEDs, so his uphill climb is understandable, but what about Mike Mussina, who has no such ties? Mussina received 51.8 percent of the vote, up from 43 percent in 2016. Mussina won 270 games and posted a 3.68 ERA (123 ERA+) during the height of offense. Curt Schilling received 45 percent of the vote. Tim Wakefield garnered one vote.

3. Raines-y day

Raines gained loads of momentum over the last couple of years. He received 69.8 percent of the votes in 2016, and 86 percent in his final chance at election.

4. If A, then B?

Raines' election, however, highlights the travesty of Kenny Lofton dropping off of the ballot after one year. The two registered similar numbers during their career (click the link below for the full comparison). Raines is a Hall of Famer. Lofton has been relegated to merely an afterthought.

Raines' election illustrates how Lofton got raw deal

Lofton first joined the ballot in 2013, and he received a tally from only 3.2 percent of the voting body. That dashed his Hall of Fame hopes. Any player who garners less than 5 percent of the vote is dropped from the ballot.

5. No more hiding

Starting next year, all ballots will be made public. Will that fuel more accountability, or more groupthink? Those holding grudges will no longer be able to keep them, at least privately. Those afraid of rocking the boat might just conform to popular opinion. It'll be interesting to see how the new wrinkle influences certain voters.

6. The voting body

Are baseball writers best equipped to select those who represent the game's elite? It's certainly a flawed system. There has already been one cleansing of the voting body, in which certain writers with no recent ties to the sport were stripped of their vote. Should there be another? Do we really need 442 tallies, or is there a way to streamline the voting to those most worthy of the power of a checkmark?

7. Casey at the bottom

Blake did not receive any Hall of Fame votes. Neither did Rhodes, a former Tribe reliever. Manny Ramirez received 23.8 percent of the vote. Jeff Kent, in his fourth year on the ballot, received 16.7 percent.

8. There's always next year

Omar Vizquel and Jim Thome will join the ballot next year. So, too, will one-time Tribe outfielder Johnny Damon.

Examining HOF cases for Thome, Vizquel

Rick Finotti enjoyed his time and the challenge of being on the coaching staff of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, but he's coming home now to be the new coach at John Carroll University.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Rick Finotti gets to move back home and be with his family after being named the new football coach at John Carroll University.

Finotti, 44, was introduced at a news conference Wednesday at John Carroll and attended the Blue Streaks men's basketball game against Baldwin Wallace.

He is a graduate of Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School and coached at several high schools in the area, most notably as head coach at St. Edward. He spent the last two years on the staff of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, but decided it was time to return home.

"Being away from family is almost like a little pilgrimage," Finotti said. "You're by yourself every night. I did not have cable TV. I didn't want it. It was football 24/7. I studied development and leadership.

"This opportunity arose and I started to realize that there's a lot of familiarity here. There are a lot of kids I coached and coached against. I'm a big fan of high school football. I love it. I get to go recruit at schools where there are friends of mine and people I admire."

The Finotti family still resides in Mayfield Heights. His wife, Rebecca, teaches at Mayfield. Son Frank, 24, is finishing his schooling at Cleveland State. He attended West Virginia and Ohio State and was a football student assistant at both schools. Daughter Hannah, 20, attends the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Finotti said he enjoyed his time with Harbaugh at Michigan.

"Great. Unbelievable," Finotti said. "It was great for development. I'm a seeker. I try to challenge myself. At St. Edward, we had won the state championship. You don't look for jobs, you look for growth, whether it's working at camps, attending seminars or visiting schools.

"Coach Harbaugh offered me an exciting opportunity, and I looked at getting in on the ground floor for a legendary coach starting a new program. He's a great guy and I looked at it as an opportunity for growth. Coach gave us an opportunity to put our stamp on the program and it was great to be involved with that staff."

Finotti had a 62-15 record in six seasons as head coach at St. Edward, winning Division I state championships in 2010 and 2014. He was the Associated Press Ohio Coach of the Year in 2010. He previously served as an assistant coach at Villa Angela-St. Joseph, at Benedictine, and at Mayfield.

Finotti succeeds Tom Arth, who left John Carroll in December to become the head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Arth guided John Carroll to the Division III semifinals this past season, the most successful season in school history.

"Coach Arth did a great job," Finotti said. "He's a great person, a great family man and coach. It's nice to come into a program where there's development already established. I love the work and I love the relationships that it's going to bring."

- By Mike Peticca, special to The Plain Dealer

Hue Jackson will have some of the top players on the South team at the Senior Bowl, including Alabama tight end O.J. Howard.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hue Jackson won't have Clemson quarterback DeShaun Watson at the Senior Bowl next week, but he'll have one of Watson's favorite targets in Artavis Scott and one of the top players at the all-star game in Alabama tight end O.J. Howard.

The Senior Bowl announced the rosters Wednesday and Jackson will coach the South team, including Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp.

Jackson's quarterbacks will be Tennessee's Josh Dobbs, Tiffin's Antonio Pipkin and California's Davis Webb. The North's quarterbacks, coached by the Chicago Bears staff, are Iowa's C.J. Beathard, Colorado's Sefo Liufau and Pittsburgh's Nate Peterman.

Phil Savage, Executive Director of the Senior Bowl, told AL.com Wednesday that he dialed it back from eight quarterbacks to six this year because this year's class is "not as strong, not as deep as last year's."

"Last year, there were 15 quarterbacks taken in the draft, and I knew it was going to be a very deep group," he said. "So we decided to add an extra quarterback to each side, and we went with a non-traditional eight.

"This year, during the fall, we felt like we'd go back to six. That's really what our original intent was, but instead of waiting to see if Deshaun Watson would accept an invite or not, knowing that he would be a December graduate, we went ahead and firmed up the six that we wanted. He would have been the fourth quarterback on the South team."

Deshaun Watson passes on Senior Bowl

Two injured quarterbacks accepted invitations and will participate in some of the media events and meetings, but not the practices or the game. They are Ole Miss' Chad Kelly (torn ACL) and Baylor's Seth Russell (ankle).

Savage said Howard, the Alabama tight end, "could arguably be the most gifted player here, and so I'm very hopeful that he'll get some real opportunities to get the ball thrown to him."

The Senior Bowl will mark the first time the Browns' overhauled coaching staff will work together. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who will be introduced at a press conference on Thursday, will work alongside Jackson for the first time, and his new assistants will also be on hand. They include defensive backs coach DeWayne Walker, assistant defensive backs coach Jerod Kruse, defensive line coach Clyde Simmons and linebacker coach Blake Williams (Williams' son).

The Browns have also hired offensive line Bob Wylie, who worked for Jackson in Oakland in 2011. He replaces Hal Hunter.

Jackson has not yet replaced top offensive assistant Pep Hamilton, who left to to take over the offense at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh.

The Cleveland Monsters were shut out by the Rockford IceHogs and goalie Jeff Glass on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, 1-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Monsters were shut out by Jeff Glass and the Rockford IceHogs, 1-0, in an American Hockey League game on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Glass, making just his third AHL start after being signed on Jan. 10, stopped 26 shots to improve to 2-1 on the season, besting Cleveland's Anton Forsberg, who stopped 33 of 34 shots.

With the loss, the Monsters are 17-15-1-3 on the season, fourth in the Central Division, while the IceHogs are 14-20-3-3. The Monsters own a 3-2-0-0 lead in the eight-game season series. The two teams meet again on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Q.

• Monsters-IceHogs summary
• AHL standings

Rockford got the game's only goal at 3:00 of the first period, Evan Mosey netting his third goal of the season.

Forsberg fell to 12-6-2.

The Monsters managed only five shots in the second period -- they were out-shot 25-14 for the first two periods. On the game, the Monsters were outshot, 34-26.  

Cleveland was 0-for-2 on power plays, while blanking Rockford on four power plays.

He's back ... for now: On Wednesday morning the Columbus Blue Jackets assigned left wing Markus Hannikainen to the Monsters. Hannikainen has been called up to Columbus six times this season.

Up next: After Friday's game against Rockford at the Q, the Monsters are at the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday at 7 p.m., then at the Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ... Cleveland returns to the Q to take on the Chicago Wolves on Jan. 26 and Jan. 28.