Cleveland sports fans wonder about Hue Jackson's full plate, Tiger Woods' comeback and how much trust you should put in the Browns these days.

The Indians will unveil two more statues at Progressive Field this season, which got us thinking: Who deserves the next statue for each of the three Cleveland teams? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians will unveil two more statues at Progressive Field this season, which got us thinking: Who deserves the next statue for each of the three Cleveland teams? 

Statues seem to be a polarizing topic in Cleveland, especially when it comes to some of those who already have one (Jim Thome, Jim Brown). In the sixth installment of the cleveland.com Sports Podcast -- we're still looking for a name and a theme song, so send in your ideas -- Doug and Zack debate how many statues are too many, and who still deserves one. 

They also try to quantify how many future Hall of Famers are currently playing for the three major Cleveland sports teams. LeBron James is a no-brainer for an answer, but what about Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love or Francisco Lindor or Corey Kluber?

National Signing Day is this week, so Ari Wasserman also joined the discussion for some quick insight into Urban Meyer's latest recruiting triumphs in Columbus. 

If you haven't listened before, this is our new plan to bring you cleveland.com beat writers and experts on the most interesting topics in Cleveland sports. We'll hit you twice a week, on Thursday morning and Monday morning, on the Cavs, Indians, Browns and whatever else matters to you.

Our goal is to provide you with a diversion. Whether you're faking your way through the workday or faking your way through your trip to the gym or driving around, we want you to have compelling sports talk. Our intention is to offer conversation on outside-the-box topics that you can't find in other places, entertaining and -- if we're lucky that day -- humorous dialogue and guests who are closer than anyone to the teams they cover.

Ep. 5: Inside the Cavs' drama and the Indians' future All-Star Game

Ep. 4: How many championships will Cleveland teams win over the next five years?

Ep. 3: What's on the Cavs' to-do list between now and June? Are the right people voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Ep. 2: Does the NBA regular season matter? Are the Indians a lock for October?

Ep. 1: On whether the Browns can handle this monumental offseason

Players at the Senior Bowl are being introduced to NFL offenses after having spent four years or more not huddling.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- One of the coaches of the Senior Bowl's South team reminded everyone at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama early on Tuesday just how different college and pro offenses have become.

"We huddle in the NFL!" he yelled between plays as the offense ran through drills.

Later that day, during the team portion of practice, another coach walked into the middle of a huddle and physically moved players into position.

The huddle seems like one of football's most basic functions. It's carried out in backyards everywhere on a regular basis, even if it is usually just the fastest, most athletic kid in the neighborhood using sticks and other nearby objects to tell everyone how to get him the ball.

It has spawned legends, like the story of Joe Montana walking into the huddle before leading the game-winning drive in Super Bowl XXIII and saying to his teammates, "Look, isn't that John Candy?" after spotting the late actor in the stands.

Fans and coaches have often referred to a quarterback's presence in the huddle when listing his intangibles, especially if it's becoming clear that the tangibles needed to play the position may not be present.

This week in Mobile, though, it became clear -- the spread of faster, more wide open offenses across college and high school football have created players, even among those who are about to ascend to the game's highest level, who have either forgotten or simply never learned how to huddle.

"All three (South quarterbacks) were no-huddle guys," Cal quarterback Davis Webb said. "If we had to do a percentage of no-huddle offenses nowadays in college, I bet it's pretty high. It's an issue for everybody."

Webb was joined on the South team by Tiffin University's Antonio Pipkin and Tennessee's Josh Dobbs. Zach Azzanni, Tennessee's wide receivers coach, talked explicitly about the evolution of college offenses during the Vols' media day last summer.

"This is not a pro-style huddle game anymore," he said, according to SEC Country. "It's not."

The NFL, though, with it's in-helmet headsets and longer, more complicated playcalls, is a different beast. The no-huddle is a change of pace. Huddling is an important part of the whole process.

"NFL football is a different game than college football and a lot of things are different," Dobbs said. "... There's always a learning curve when you go into a new offense, new scheme, it's just whoever learns it quickest."

Some guys, like USC tackle Zach Banner, were comfortable enough huddling they felt the need to dance.Butch Dill, Associated Press 

Browns head coach Hue Jackson, who, along with his staff, coached the South team, has always incorporated no-huddle into his offenses, so he understands how different it can be for players who have very little huddling in their background.

"When you've gone four years without huddling and you're used to getting plays from the sideline and they're not forming an oval-shaped huddle, they're just used to doing their thing," he said, "so it's just putting them back. It's the fundamentals of football."

Every player's history with huddling is different. There are still offenses in college that huddle, but it would feel more appropriate to watch those teams' games in black and white. They are becoming more of a throwback by the season.

Some players, like Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau, a member of the North team, did have experience huddling in high school.

"Huddled every time (in high school)," he said. "Under center every time, which isn't the NFL but, yeah, did that in high school."

Pipkin huddled in high school, too, and, while acknowledging that was a while back, he sees the advantage in having done it. He said he's able to call on that experience, especially playing quarterback.

"As a quarterback, you always have a general feel of controlling the huddle and things like that, so it's definitely a great experience and a great opportunity to showcase that I'm able to run a huddle, control a huddle, get guys to play and understand the play, spit out a play verbatim," he said.

All of this feels new to North Carolina wide receiver Ryan Switzer who said he never huddled at UNC and, even when he did before that, said it's nothing like the pros.

"This is all new to me as well, and every guy that played in a no-huddle, spread offense. It comes with time," Switzer said.

What is it, though, that makes what seems like one of the most basic elements of the game so challenging? It is, after all, just a huddle.

"I don't know," Switzer said. "There's a lot. There's a lot, but I don't know what it is until someone teaches it to me. I don't know what it is that I don't know until someone presents it to me."

Huddling came more natural to some than others last week.Brynn Anderson, Associated Press 

The reality is it changes the entire process of what players are used to doing in between plays.

"Guys can't just run back to their spots on the field. People just signal their routes and everything to them," Liufau said. "Coming back to the huddle, you've got to listen to the whole play call and then you've got to run out and remember, you've got to go out there and make the calls and remember what was said in the huddle. It's a little different and I think whenever something is new to people, whether it's in football or life, it takes a little adjusting to."

"You're not getting those signals from the coach," Mississippi State receiver Fred Ross said. "Once you hear it, it's like, here we go, you don't have any time to think about it. It's 'Hut,' you're out."

So it's vital that the players expected to be in charge of the huddle are, in fact, in charge of the huddle. One of those players on the North team was center Kyle Fuller from Baylor. He said that he huddled in high school, at least to start drives, before moving on to the Bears' frenetic offense.

"You have to take charge and you have to tell everybody, 'OK, here's where the huddle is, here's where we're going to set it,'" Fuller said, "and then, pretty much, you have to tell everybody to be quiet and pay attention to the quarterback."

"I think it was all about good communication and getting guys to understand once the play's over, get your butt back in the huddle," Liufau said.

And, just like anything else in football, you get better through repetition.

"You want to get good at something, keep repping it," Switzer said.

"You have to go through it a lot," Jackson said. "I know for us, as NFL coaches, it gets a little frustrating, just because we're so used to that part of it, that's like automatic, that's the thing that we think guys can do, but you do, you have to take them back to Square One and take them all the way through."

There's a benefit to all of this, too. Multiple players liked the idea of having a few extra seconds to catch their breath between plays. A few players, though were able to empathize with the receivers on the outside who, in the process of huddling, usually have to cover the most ground.

"I think it can be a little more tiring," Liufau acknowledged.

"It's definitely hard for them," Fuller said. "Today I had a screen and I was like 30 yards down field and I turned around, the huddle was so far. I was like, 'Woah.'"

In the end, huddling is just one of those football redundancies -- the starting point for everything that will happen over the six or so seconds it takes to run a play.

"You've got to get the huddles," Jackson said. "You've got to have the cadence, you've got to know how to get lined up and then from there, only then can you be able to run a play. Some of these guys it's going back to Square One and that's OK. That's why we're here."

Learning to huddle, just like last week in Mobile, is just the first step in the process.

-----

Gardiner, who is currently committed to Missouri, announced on Twitter that Ohio State offers him a scholarship and now the Buckeyes are a strong candidate to flip the 6-foot-5, 185-pound prospect.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Three-star wide receiver Elijah Gardiner took an official visit to Ohio State this past weekend without an offer from the Buckeyes. 

That changed on Monday. 

Gardiner, a prospect from Kemp, Texas, who is currently committed to Missouri, announced on Twitter that Ohio State offers him a scholarship. And now the Buckeyes are a strong candidate to flip the 6-foot-5, 185-pound prospect. 

Rated the No. 172 wide receiver in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Gardiner has been committed to Missouri since Nov. 7. Ohio State got heavily involved once it lost a commitment from five-star receiver Tyjon Lindsey of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman earlier this month. 

Ohio State has two commitments in its 2017 class from wide receivers: Four-stars Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Jaylen Harris of Cleveland Heights. 

Gardiner is expected to announce his decision on National Signing Day on Wednesday. 

The fam and I. pic.twitter.com/nMVVAz0QwW

-- Eli (@elijahgardiner) January 28, 2017

The blend of mental and physical fatigue and heartbreak had some players sleeping for days and others unable to sleep at all. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians' postseason run was exhausting.

There was the injury-ravaged roster and the prognosticators' gloomy forecasts and the necessitation for the starting pitchers to take the hill on short rest and more at-bats and games and innings in the field for the position players than ever before and the introduction to the October spotlight and the travel and chaotic schedule and the extra surge of adrenaline and nerves and when it was all said and done and the Cubs celebrated in the rain on the infield at Progressive Field after Game 7, the Indians ... were ... wiped.

Well, except for Trevor Bauer. He packed his bags the next day and embarked on his offseason training journey.

But everyone else was drained. Francisco Lindor couldn't stop nodding off, even when at the mall. His couch quickly became his sanctuary.

"After that adrenaline wears off, you're pretty beat," said Corey Kluber.

Cody Allen needed a few weeks to decompress. He took a 10-day vacation to clear his head.

In the aftermath of a month of postseason drama, the mental fatigue can prove more debilitating than the physical toll.

"I stayed up and thought about things I could have done differently, things we could have done differently," said Tomlin, who started a pair of World Series games. "You go through all of the scenarios in your head. They keep creeping back in, so you deal with them and move forward."

For Tomlin, the blend of weariness and heartbreak fueled some sleepless nights.

"You go through the 'this-pain-will-never-go-away phase,'" Tomlin said. "It eventually does. You never really forget about it, but hopefully it feeds you and gives you that much more motivation and ambition to go out there and try to get the job done this year."

Allen started to reflect on the postseason once he initiated his offseason training regimen.

"You just have to push it out," he said. "You flush everything that happened and you start focusing on next year."

Reliever Dan Otero didn't feel refreshed until he attended an out-of-town wedding with his wife about 10 days after the Tribe's season ended. A Disney cruise with his wife and two young children helped the cause in December.

"When you get into the playoffs and you go that deep, it's a mental grind every day," Otero said. "To be so close and play such a great series against a great team, you were exhausted. I had to take some time just to wind down."

Many players on the Indians' roster had never appeared in anything beyond a Wild Card Game, so the extra month's worth of postseason affairs proved quite demanding.

"You really get a newfound respect for the dynastic teams of the past," Otero said. "It takes a toll."

Adrenaline can assist in the moment, but once it disappears, so does a player's energy level.

"You don't think about it [as it's happening]," Otero said, "and then after, it's like, 'Whoa. I was tired.'"

The common practice, then, is to lounge around the house and watch TV as the body recovers. But the players had to tiptoe around turning on MLB Network.

"They replay Game 7 of the World Series and I'll turn it off as soon as I can," Tomlin said. "It's not because I don't want to re-live the moment, but I know the outcome. I don't need to watch that. We played the best we could for as long as we could. We just came up one run short. It happens.

"To me, it's not healthy. It's not beneficial for any of us to look back and dwell on that. We know what we have to do this year."

Otero once stumbled upon a highlight of Rajai Davis' monumental two-run homer in the eighth inning of Game 7. That's the extent of his World Series reviewing.

Since the Indians played into November, they carved into their offseason. That allows them to swiftly shift their focus to next season, even though those days and weeks of physical and mental recovery aren't too far in the rearview. When Lindor was asked how long it took for him to get over Game 7, he replied: "I'll let you know."

Spring training, though, is only two weeks away.

"There [were] definitely a couple days where it was deflating," Kluber said. "You're so close to being the last team standing, so to speak. Once I started getting into my work and normal offseason routine, all the focus goes toward next year."

Related: Signing of Encarnacion created buzz among Tribe players

Undefeated Gonzaga is the latest team be ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll following a week of upsets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gonzaga, the only undefeated team in Division I, has taken over the No. 1 spot in the weekly release of the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll, announced Monday.

Gonzaga (22-0) got 46 of 65 first-place votes and 1,594 points to become No. 1 for the first time since 2013. The Bulldogs were No. 3 last week. Gonzaga is the fifth team to be ranked No. 1 this season joining Duke, Kentucky, Villanova and Baylor.

Defending national champion Villanova falls from No. 1 after losing last week at Marquette. The Wildcats have been No. 1 two times this season for a total of six weeks.

Xavier was the only team that dropped out of the polls after losing four of its last six games, all to ranked teams. Northwestern is the lone newcomer in the poll this week. Only 12 teams outside of the Top 25 received poll votes this week.

In a week of upsets, Baylor also rises to No. 2 with six first-place votes followed by Kansas with nine and Villanova with four.

Rounding out the top 10 are Arizona, Louisville, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Breaking it down: Call it parity if you want. I'm sticking with generally bad basketball all around. Gonzaga remains the lone undefeated team in the country and rises to No. 1. But there's the quagmire behind them. Last week alone, 14 ranked teams lost 17 games.

Granted, all but one was on the road in conference play, so the majority of them can't really be considered upsets. However, they are when you have that many. Only two Top 25 teams lost home games last week. Go get a cookie if you said Duke and Kentucky!

Duke, by the way, was the only ranked team to lose a conference game at home. Over the last two weeks there have been 27 losses by Top 25 teams. Or to look at it another way, Gonzaga, Baylor, Arizona, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, St. Mary's and Maryland are the only ranked teams to avoid defeat in the last two weeks.

At the back end of my ballot this week I stuck with brand bias for the most part, although I debated long and hard about adding Middle Tennessee as a partner with Akron, but stuck with regional teams Xavier and Purdue instead.

AP TOP 25 POLL

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 29, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

Others receiving votes: SMU 69, Xavier 67, Southern Cal 29, Wichita State 8, Akron 5, Middle Tennessee 5, VCU 3, Illinois State 2, New Mexico State 2, Virginia Tech 2, Iowa State 1, Utah 1.

ELTON ALEXANDER'S BALLOT

1. Gonzaga
2. Villanova
3. Kansas
4. Baylor
5. Arizona
6. Kentucky
7. Louisville
8. Wisconsin
9. UCLA
10. North Carolina
11. Florida State
12. Oregon
13. Butler
14. Virginia
15. West Virginia
16. Cincinnati
17. Florida
18. South Carolina
19. Maryland
20. Duke
21. St. Mary's
22. Akron
23. Creighton
24. Xavier
25. Purdue

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

There have been plenty of legendary games played in cold, extreme weather conditions. But critics argue players shouldn't be forced to play in harsh weather conditions, especially when the stakes are so high at the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl LI will be played in a Houston stadium with a retractable roof on Sunday, Feb. 5. While the NFL is hoping for an open roof, the forecast is calling for rain. Some fans think it's a bad idea to subject NFL players to cold and nasty weather at the most important game of the year. But others argue for a romanticized idea of a legendary snowy or rainy game where the players stop at nothing to play. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

The Patriots and the Falcons will face off at Super Bowl LI. While the Houston stadium has a retractable roof, it's expected to rain. Enter the age-old debate of an indoor or outdoor game. There have been plenty of legendary games played in cold, extreme weather conditions. But critics argue players shouldn't be forced to play in harsh weather conditions, especially when the stakes are so high at the Super Bowl.

Sports writer Mike Downey wrote three years ago that Super Bowl games should be played indoors. Harsh weather shouldn't impact how the game is played. Fans want to see the best football play of the year.

He wrote:

Super Bowls ought to be held indoors -- and that means all of them. Not football itself. The game of football should be played in any kind of conditions, anytime, anyplace -- day, night, indoors, outdoors, weekends, weeknights, whatever. It's all good. UNTIL the Super Bowl. Not that. Never that.

But other football lovers disagree. Like writer Monte Burke, they argue that football should be played in any condition. Period. Plus, some of the best games in history have been in cold or harsh weather conditions. These moments make great memories.

Burke wrote:

Cold weather -- really, any out-of-the-ordinary weather, save for fog -- has made for some of the most memorable games in the history of the sport. The Ice Bowl (1967 NFL Championship game), the Tuck-Rule game (2001 AFC Divisional playoffs) and the snowy games that took place during Week 14 of this year (highlighted by the Detroit Lions-Philadelphia Eagles white-out game). 

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

Remember Ohio State's six decommitments and catching up on what they're doing now.

Well, it's about time. Rex Ryan was fired as coach of the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 27 and, finally, he has gotten what everyone has suspected: a TV gig. He had plenty of options, with CBS, Fox, the NFL Network and ESPN reaching out, according to Sports Business Journal's John Ourand, but has settled on ESPN - for one day only.

Well, it's about time. Rex Ryan was fired as coach of the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 27 and, finally, he has gotten what everyone has suspected: a TV gig. He had plenty of options, with CBS, Fox, the NFL Network and ESPN reaching out, according to Sports Business Journal's John Ourand, but has settled on ESPN - for one day only.

That could change, Ourand reported. But for now, Ryan will appear only on "NFL Sunday Countdown" from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST on Super Bowl Sunday.

"Rex is a great personality and has a unique perspective," Seth Markman, ESPN's senior coordinating producer, told Ourand. "He knows the Patriots really well. He's raring to go."

He certainly does know the Patriots. His Bills handed New England one of its two losses this season, while Tom Brady was serving his suspension, but his relationship with the Patriots and Bill Belichick goes back further, to his days with the Jets. In both places, Ryan did his best to poke the bear that rules the AFC East - and has a 5-12 record against Belichick to show for it.

"I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's, you know, rings," Ryan famously said when he was hired by the Jets. "I came to win. Let's just put it that way. So we'll see what happens. I'm certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else."

Ryan's comments have been tinged with self-awareness. After a 45-10 loss to the Patriots, he said of Belichick, "I came in here to kick his butt and he kicked mine." And he once pretended to be a reporter on a conference call with Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman.

It hasn't been all yuks, though.

"I think my admiration is really for Belichick more than anything," Ryan said last September. "As a coach, that's the guy. He'll go down as probably the best in the history of the game. I like poking fun at him and all that stuff, but there's no coach I respect more than him."

Kevin Love is out with a lower back injury. Are Cleveland Cavaliers fans concerned? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers All-Star forward Kevin Love is set to undergo further testing today on his injured lower back after leaving in the first half of Sunday's win against Oklahoma City.

Love will not play in Monday's game at Dallas, as he did not travel with the team. He missed time earlier this month with a back issue that flared up against Golden State.

In 2008, Love injured his back while playing for UCLA in the PAC10 championship game against Stanford.

And Love has encountered a variety of injuries in his eight previous NBA seasons. He missed 18 games at the start of the 2009-10 season with a fractured hand. Missed two more with sprained foot that year.

Love missed seven games in 2011-12 with a concussion and only played in 18 games in 2012-13 after breaking his hand in what he described as a "freak accident" at the time. 

In the 2015 playoffs, Love suffered a torn rotator cuff in the opening-round series clincher against Boston, forcing him to miss the remainder of the postseason.

He will be evaluated following an MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health before the team announces further details of his treatment. Whether or not he plays in the All-Star Game on Feb. 19 remains to be seen.

How concerned are you about Love's injured back, and do you think it will affect his play when the postseason rolls around? Should the Cavaliers hold him out for an extended period to let him heal?

Take the poll below and defend your position in the comments section below.

Cleveland.com sports columnists Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises discuss Terrelle Pryor's value to the Browns as part of their video debate series, Prepare for List Off. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Terrelle Pryor is big, elusive, fast and still young. He turns 28 in June.

The Browns made good on their latest vow to keep their talent instead of watching it leave in free agency when they signed linebacker Jamie Collins. Pryor is the next test.

 He has 79 career catches in the NFL. Of those, 77 came last season. He finished with 1,007 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

  That qualifies - to borrow a Jimmy Haslam phrase - as "directionally correct."

Did he benefit from being the best of a receiving corps made weaker by an early injury to No. 1 draft choice Corey Coleman? Sure.

However much you correct for inflation on that front, the Browns chaotic quarterback situation is the great equalizer.

How productive might Pryor have been with stability and/or experience at the position?

We asked ourselves to find a word that describes Pryor's future with the Browns. Cleveland.com sports columnist Doug Lesmerises tackled the topic with me as part of our video debate series Prepare For List Off.

Judging Pryor on his 2016 season doesn't happen in a vacuum, of course. The Browns must weigh his production against his asking price.

It's hard to argue he deserves No. 1 receiver money. But it's harder to make the case the Browns don't really need him.

Hear us out and come back and tell us who got closer to sizing up Pryor and his value to the Browns.

Kansas sophomore Carlton Bragg, the former basketball standout at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland, has been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and is on indefinite suspension.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas sophomore basketball player and Cleveland native Carlton Bragg is charged in Lawrence municipal court with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Court administrator Vicki Stanwix confirmed Monday that Bragg was given a notice to appear in court after police said they found two glass smoking devices with residue inside.

The paraphernalia was found Dec. 17 while university police were investigating a reported rape at McCarthy Hall, home to the men's basketball team and other male students.

Kansas coach Bill Self indefinitely suspended Bragg from the team for violating team rules. He said the suspension is not connected to the alleged assault at McCarthy Hall.

Police also said in a news release there is no indication that the drug paraphernalia is related to the sexual assault case.

Bragg's first appearance is scheduled for Feb. 14.

Bragg led Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School to Division III Ohio basketball championships in 2014-15.

New Indians right-hander Carlos Frias went 5-5 for the Dodgers in 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have added another pitcher to their 2017 inventory by acquiring right-hander Carlos Frias from the Dodgers for cash. To make room for Frias, recently-acquired Richie Shaffer was designate for assignment.

The Dodgers signed Frias as a free agent in the Dominican Republic in 2007. He has spent parts of the last three years in the big leagues, going 6-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 33 appearances, including 15 starts.

Frias, 27, was on the disabled list twice last year with a right oblique probems. He made just one appearance in the big leagues last year, pitching four scoreless innings against San Diego on July 7.

In 2015 Frias had his best season with the Dodgers, going 5-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 17 appearances, including 13 starts. He struck out 43 and walked 26, while the opposition hit .297 against him.

Frias was designated for assignment on Wednesday so the Dodgers could add outfielder Brett Eibner to the 40-man roster.

The Indians claimed Shaffer, an infielder, on waivers last week. They DFA'd Jesus Aguilar to make room for him on the roster.

Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 12 or spring training. The Indians are currenty carrying 25 pitchers on the 40-man roster.

The 25 pitchers are: Austin Adams, Cody Allen, Cody Anderson, Shawn Armstrong, Dylan Baker, Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, Mike Clevinger, Joe Colon, Tim Cooney, Kyle Crockett, Perci Garner, Nick Goody, Frias, Corey Kluber, Zach McAllister, Ryan Merritt, Andrew Miller, Hoby Milner, Shawn Morimando, Dan Otero, Adam Plutko, Danny Salazar, Bryan Shaw, Josh Tomlin.

Joe Thomas isn't afraid to find humor in his situation.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - You might think you've got Browns jokes, but Joe Thomas is way ahead of you. Thomas helped the AFC win Sunday's Pro Bowl, giving the left tackle a rare taste of victory to cap off the season.

Maybe you passed on the joke because it was low-hanging fruit, too obvious, too easy. But Thomas took to Twitter on Monday and went for the angle a lot of Browns fans were surely thinking.

What a great pro bowl!! AFC wins and I double my yearly win total all in the same night!

-- Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) January 30, 2017

"What a great Pro Bowl!! AFC wins and I double my yearly win total all in the same night!" Thomas Tweeted.

Add in Hue Jackson's coaching staff leading the South to a win in Saturday's Senior Bowl, and the Browns kinda owned the weekend.

(When you're coming off a 1-15 season, you take what you can get.)

Gardiner is commitment No. 20 in Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class and the fifth player from the state of Texas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It seemed like only a matter of time before three-star wide receiver Elijah Gardiner of Kemp, Texas was going to do it. That time is now. 

Gardiner, who earned an Ohio State offer Monday after his official visit this weekend, announced his flip from Missouri to Ohio State on Twitter. The flip happened two days before National Signing Day. 

Rated the No. 172 wide receiver in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Gardiner was committed to Missouri since Nov. 7. Ohio State didn't get heavily involved until it lost a commitment from five-star receiver Tyjon Lindsey of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman earlier this month. 

Gardiner -- who is 6-foot-5 -- is commitment No. 20 in Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class and the fifth player from the state of Texas. 

Ohio State has two commitments in its 2017 class from wide receivers: Four-stars Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Jaylen Harris of Cleveland Heights. 

Thanks to all the schools that have recruited me but my family and I have decided to further my career at The Ohio State University.[?] [?][?] pic.twitter.com/ZHhSS9asOd

-- Eli (@elijahgardiner) January 30, 2017

Good clubhouse chemistry is one of the reasons why the Indians were a success last season. How will newcomer Edwin Encarnacion affect that chemistry this year?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.

Hey, Hoynsie: With the big free agent contract Edwin Encarnacion received from the Indians, is he a good clubhouse guy and do you think he'll add to the clubhouse chemistry? - William Grossman, Cleveland.

Hey, William: Former Indians' third baseman Brook Jacoby, Encarnacion's hitting coach in Cincinnati and Toronto, gives him high marks. That's good enough for me.

Hey, Hoynsie: Would there be any way to get Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion and Carlos Santana in the same lineup if Brantley was to start at DH? - David Medea, South Euclid.

Hey, David: I'm not sure manager Terry Francona would do it, but he could play Brantley at DH, Encarnacion at first base and Santana in left field or third base. I think there would have to be extenuating circumstances - an injury to third baseman Jose Ramirez? - for that to happen.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think the Indians traded Chief Wahoo for the All-Star Game? Or will be still be around in 2019? - Jim Bratton, Kirtland.

Hey, Jim: No.

I'm not sure if I'll be around in 2019, but I'm willing to bet The Chief will be here. Then again, I'm the guy who said the Indians wouldn't get past the first round of the postseason last year.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Indians don't eliminate Chief Wahoo by the end of the 2018 season, do you expect to see MLB pull the 2019 All-Star Game out of Cleveland? - Scott Mowery, Medina.

Hey, Scott: No. Chief Wahoo or no Chief Wahoo, the 2019 All-Star Game will be played at Progressive Field.

@hoynsie I know we just signed A Jackson was there any thought to bring back Coco? And what are the chance P Garner makes the club? Dan, Dennison

-- Dan Gartrell (@dwg29) January 30, 2017

Hey, Dan: I loved what Coco Crisp gave the Indians down the stretch and in the postseason, but I think his days as a center fielder are over. That's probably why the Indians didn't bring him back. This will be a big spring for Perci Garner, but if he doesn't make the club out of spring training, I think there's a good chance he'll help them sometime during the year. He has three options left.

@hoynsie what are the chances the Indians bring on a lefty like Boone Logan. Matt from rocky river

-- matt hauck (@m_hauck_CLE) January 30, 2017

Hey, Matt: I think there's a good chance they will add a lefty reliever sometime before the start of the regular season. They had interest in Logan last offseason.

@hoynsie Unlike your colleague (Pluto), did you initially vote for Kenny Lofton for the Hall of Fame? Kurt Ramage, North Ridgeville

-- Kurt Ramage (@kurtramage) January 30, 2017

Hey, Kurt: I did vote for Lofton. I thought he was a Hall of Famer then and I still do. Every year over 400 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America vote on the Hall of Fame. Every voter has a different opinion and they have to vote the way they feel.

Lofton appeared on the 2013 Hall of Fame ballot and received just 18 votes. It was not enough to give him the required five percent of the vote to keep him on the ballot. In the same year Lofton appeared on the ballot, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens made their debuts.

In talking to Lofton, he believes he lost votes to players connected to steroid use (Bonds, Clemens and others). Lofton said he never used steroids.

@hoynsie Now that Gomes gave his #10 jersey to Encarnacion, what are the odds his jinx gets transferred to Edwin as well? Matt, Brooklyn NY

-- Nerd Nite (@nerdnite) January 30, 2017

Hey, Nerd: You must not have received the memo. This is a new era of Indians' baseball. No more negative vibes.

Besides, Encarnacion did just fine with No.10 in Toronto.

@hoynsie Hey Hoynsie what was colder, Lake Erie last October or Albert Belle w the thermostat?

-- Andre Knott (@DreKnott) January 30, 2017

Hey, Andre: Compared to Mr. Freeeze, Lake Erie was a hot bath at the end of a long day.

@hoynsie Going to spring training for the first time, any insider tips on making the most of our time in Goodyear? Carolyn N. Olmsted

-- carolyn (@edsgirl242) January 30, 2017

Hey, Carolyn: Bring a hat, sunblock, sunglasses and a light coat. Best place for autographs during the morning workouts is on the back fields or along the fence between the clubhouse and main field. Once the games start, station yourself at the grandstand fence along the right field line before and after games.

Check out the airplane graveyard behind the Indians' practice facility and say hello to the burrowing owl on Bullard Avenue leading into camp. Use my name. He knows me.

The Ohio State football program will sign defensive end Chase Young on Feb. 1 as part of its recruiting class for National Singing Day 2017.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State football program will sign defensive end Chase Young on Feb. 1 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. 

Chase Young  

School: Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic 

Position: Defensive end  

Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 251 pounds

247Sports Rating: Young is rated the No. 2 weakside defensive end and the No. 8 overall player in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings. 

Other schools: Alabama, Arizona State, California, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Iowa, LSU, Maryland, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and many others. 

What's his deal? Though Young is one of the top ten players in all of high school football, he came to Ohio State's Friday Night Lights camp in July and participated. After the camp was over, you could see Young celebrating with Urban Meyer, which was the moment he committed. It was a cool scene for the fans who made it out to Ohio Stadium that night. 

In the time since, Young's recruitment has been quiet, which isn't typical for a player rated in the top 10. He's one of five five-star prospects currently committed in Ohio State's class and it's quite possible he's the best one. 

How he fits in Ohio State's plans: Ohio State's defensive line is probably the deepest position returning next year and it will be hard enough for a guy like Nick Bosa to get on the field, let alone a freshman. But Larry Johnson has done a very good job of rotating and keeping talented guys fresh, and Young has a legitimate chance of being in that rotation. 

Young fits into Ohio State's plans because he's one of the future faces of the defensive line. But he'll likely see the field as soon as September. 

Projections for 2017: There's no redshirt in Young's future. Johnson has the Rushmen package, which features all ends on the defensive front to get to the quarterback, and that could be a place Young gets on the field next year. He's physically advanced and has done nothing but bully offensive linemen in games and in camps, including in front of Meyer at Friday Night Lights.

Player comparison: Young is likely going to stay outside during his collegiate career, but he comes to Ohio State a lot like Adolphus Washington did in 2012. They are similarly-sized and Washington was once an overpowering defensive end. Washington added size and moved inside to make room for Joey Bosa, but Young could follow the path Washington was originally on. 

Why he's important to Ohio State's best recruiting class ever: Ohio State won a national championship in part because it had a menace at defensive end in Bosa, so adding a game-changer like that on the defensive line is a must in any truly elite recruiting class. Young is also from Maryland, an area Johnson has recruited very well for more than a decade, so those connections paid off. 

Highlights: 

What we've written about Young: 

* Chase Young, the latest high-profile Ohio State commit, explains his Buckeye pledge: 'I'm thinking national championship'

* Is it possible for a five-star to be underrated? 

Now Urban Meyer has 20 verbal commitments in his 2017 recruiting class and is 36 hours away from National Signing Day: Who are the Buckeyes remaining targets?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State found its third wide receiver Monday when three-star Elijah Gardiner flipped from Missouri to the Buckeyes. 

Now Urban Meyer has 20 verbal commitments in his 2017 recruiting class and is 36 hours away from National Signing Day: Who are the Buckeyes remaining targets? 

There are three: 

* Four-star OT Thayer Munford of Massillon (Ohio) Washington: Ohio State was all set at offensive line a few months ago, but then four-star tackle Jake Moretti of Arvada (Colo.) Pomona flipped from the Buckeyes to Colorado. Meyer identified Munford as a solid replacement and spent the last few months recruiting him heavily. 

Munford recently took an official visit to Ohio State without an offer, but there has been no word from him about whether he got one. However, most experts universally think the 6-foot-6, 320-pound prospect is going to end up with the Buckeyes on Wednesday. 

This is not the end. It is the beginning of the new journey. I'll see y'all in February. #0Dark30

-- Thayer Munford (@Big_Grizze62) January 24, 2017

* Five-star DT Marvin Wilson of Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal: Of the 20 commits in Ohio State's recruiting class, five are from the state of Texas. Meyer really, really, really wants that number to be six. Rated the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country, Wilson is announcing at 4:30 p.m. on ESPNU and is choosing between Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma and South Florida. 

Other Ohio State commits like Tate Martell and Jeffrey Okduah -- both of which are enrolled early -- have been recruiting Wilson heavily. The 6-foot-4, 329-pound prospect hasn't said much, but Okduah has hinted he's favoring the Buckeyes on Twitter. But there's a really good chance he ends up elsewhere, too. 

I think we get one more Buckeye out of the Lone Star State #Shhhh [?] [?]

-- Jeffrey Okudah III (@TheJeffOkudah) January 26, 2017

* Four-star DT Jay Tufele of South Jordan (Utah) Bingham: Rated the No. 3 defensive tackle in the 2017 class, Tufele took his final official visit this past weekend to Utah and is ready for his signing day announcement. He's choosing between Ohio State, Utah, Michigan, BYU and USC. The 6-foot-3, 297-pound prospect officially visited Ohio State for the Michigan game, too, but he's expected to pick the Utes. 

Had awesome time at Utah! #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/89WdZ5SD9o

-- Jay Tufele (@tufele123) January 30, 2017

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 47 against the Dallas Mavericks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday in Game 47 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

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

Make sure to follow Fedor on Twitter.

Game 47: Cavs (32-14) vs. Mavericks (17-30)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP).

Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, James Jones, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Kyrie Irving.

Mavericks probable starting lineup: Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, Seth Curry, Yogi Ferrell.

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St. Edward and Benedictine picked up votes, but were not among the top 10 teams in their respective divisions. Cincinnati Moeller is still the top-ranked team in Division I.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here are the top 10 teams in The Associated Press Ohio high school boys basketball poll, which is voted on by writers from across the state.

RELATED: See how Northeast Ohio teams stack in the cleveland.com Top 25.

The AP state rankings include first-place votes in parentheses, won-loss record and total points at right:

Others receiving 12 or more points: Hilliard Bradley 35. Springfield 33. Sidney 16. Cols. Northland 15. Lakewood St. Edward 15. Mason 13.

Others receiving 12 or more points: Lancaster Fairfield Union 25. Cin. Taft 21. Wauseon 19. Vermilion 17. Cle. Benedictine 16. Akr. SVSM 14.

Others receiving 12 or more points: Martins Ferry 30. Cols. Grandview Hts. 23. N. Lima S. Range (1) 16. Tipp City Bethel 16. Pemberville Eastwood 14.

Others receiving 12 or more points: Toronto 34. W. Unity Hilltop 27. 13, Sidney Fairlawn 22. Warren JFK 17. Portsmouth Clay 16.