Ohio State signed six defensive backs in its 2017 recruiting class on National Signing Day, two of which were high-profile, five-star prospects who lived a flight away.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State signed six defensive backs in its 2017 recruiting class on National Signing Day, two of which were five-star prospects who lived a flight away. 

Kerry Coombs had his fingerprints on all six of those recruitments. That's why Rivals.com named the Ohio State's cornerbacks coach their 2017 recruiter of the year. 

It makes sense an Ohio State assistant would win that honor after the Buckeyes assembled their best recruiting class -- at least on paper -- in program history.

"Ohio State did its best job ever recruiting nationally this year and Coombs was a huge part of that in addition to some key work locally as well," Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Mike Farrell said. "Kids like his enthusiasm and they certainly take notice of what he and the Buckeyes do when it comes to putting players in the NFL."

The six defensive backs Coombs helped bring to Ohio State were four-star safety Isaiah Pryor of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG, four-star cornerback Marcus Williamson of IMG, four-star cornerback Amir Riep of Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain, four-star cornerback Kendall Sheffield of Brenham (Texas) Blinn College, five-star cornerback Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South and five-star cornerback Shaun Wade of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity. 

Coombs also recruited four-star defensive tackle Jerron Cage of Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods, three-star kicker Blake Haubeil of Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisuis and four-star linebacker Pete Werner of Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral. 

"The biggest single advantage that a (former) high school coach has is he has seen everybody recruit," Coombs told Rivals. "I was exposed to so many different talents and tremendous recruiters who came through my office that I'd like to think I learned from them. I saw what kids liked, enjoyed and appreciated and what they didn't and what parents liked, enjoyed and appreciated and didn't."

* An inside look at how Ohio State assistant Kerry Coombs recruits Colerain, his old high school program

A source said the Cavs weren't sure if they would sign a player immediately or by March 1, the deadline for free agents to eligible for the playoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jordan Farmar impressed the Cavs during their free-agent tryout for point guards Wednesday, a source said, and the 30-year-old former Laker may be under consideration for a contract.

The Cavs brought in Farmar, Mario Chalmers and Kirk Hinrich for a workout, with the idea of potentially signing one as the veteran backup to Kyrie Irving the franchise has looked for all season. Also attending was Lance Stephenson, a wing player.

As of last night, a source said the Cavs weren't sure if they would sign one of the four players immediately or near March 1, the deadline for players to be bought out from their contracts and be playoff eligible.

But the Cavs have had an open roster spot for more than three weeks, and as of now only have 11 healthy bodies. Any of the four could be the choice, but it appears Farmar acquitted himself well.

All four players are free agents at this point in the season for a reason, so expectations were (and should be, for fans) tempered. Chalmers is 30 and is a former champion point guard from his time with LeBron James on the Heat, but tore his Achilles in March and didn't play basketball at all for five months.

Hinrich is 36 and a 13-year pro, but, like Chalmers, hasn't played in the NBA this season.

Farmar played two games for the Sacramento Kings before he was waived upon Darren Collison's return from suspension. His last good year was with the Lakers in 2013-14, when he averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 assists in 41 games.

Farmar signed a 10-day contract with Memphis for 2015-16 and remained for the remainder of the season, and in 12 games averaged 9.2 points and 3.1 assists.

See who the Buckeyes play during the 2017 season.

Iman Shumpert's defense can help determine whether the Cleveland Cavaliers are successful.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I chatted with host Jeff Phelps and sub-host Les Levine as part of my regular Thursday hit on Baskin & Phelps on 92.3 The Fan.

Among the topics we discussed:

*The complexity of "How Come Quickies.''

*Late-night European Tour golf viewing.

*Tiger Woods' rough first round at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

*Expectations for Tiger going forward.

*Browns decisions re: the upcoming draft.

*Cavs' performance in the past two games, and Iman Shumpert's contribution.

Deshaun Watson says skipping the Senior Bowl had nothing do with the Browns, who have the No. 1 overall pick. Watch video

HOUSTON, Tex. -- DeShaun Watson told NFL Network at the Super Bowl Thursday that skipping the Senior Bowl last week had nothing to do with the Browns.

Watson would've played for the South team and have been coached by Hue Jackson and his staff all week.

Some had speculated that he passed on the opportunity to work with Hue Jackson and his staff all week because he didn't want to go to Cleveland No. 1 overall. The Browns also have the No. 12 overall pick.

Not so, Watson said here.

In addition, he said he'll throw later this month at the NFL Combine, which begins later this month in Indianapolis.

Asked by NFL Network what he'd tell his doubters, he said, "watch the tape.''

Jackson told cleveland.com that he talked to Watson about his decision not to participate.  

"We had a great conversation,'' he said. "I get it. I understand where he is and I'm sure he understood what we wanted to accomplish. Again, he's got to do what's best for him. You only get drafted one time, and I respect that."

He said Watson's choice wouldn't reflect poorly on him in Jackson's eyes.

"I think he's a high-character guy,'' Jackson said. "I think he's made of the right stuff. I don't think there's anything malicious about his decision. I just think he's like a lot of guys who have made this decision to do what's best for them.''

At the Senior Bowl, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said it would be a huge mistake for the Browns to pass on Watson.

"I'm just telling you if they pass on Deshaun Watson, they're passing on Michael Jordan,'' he said. "I'm just telling you. I don't  know what the heck I'm talking about. I'm just an old funky college coach. (But) Deshaun Watson is the best -- by a long shot.''

He added, "it's an easy decision. He's a changer in every area, locker room, culture, free agency, fans, community. You name it, he changes everything.''

He said Watson, the national championship MVP, would be a great match for Jackson.

"It would be awesome,'' he said. It would be easy and he'll figure that out. It will be the easiest player he's ever coached. I'm sure he's coached some good ones and so I have I, but he's simple. Very low-maintenance, humble, same guy every day and always ready. He comes to every meeting prepared. That's how you change things. You change a culture -- for me it's through discipline and recruiting and staffing and all of that stuff. For them, it's decision-making. It's who you pick.''

The Browns are considering the top quarterbacks in the draft, and will also try to trade for Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

"I didn't know him," Meyer said when speaking about the day of Wade's commitment. "I know his school very well, and traditionally players in that area will change schools about seven times to their commitments." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Shaun Wade tried to explain why he abruptly decided to commit to Ohio State the day the Buckeyes won national championship back in January 2015. 

Wade had to go back two years to when he was a sophomore. 

"It's been a long time," Wade laughed. 

His explanation was kind of hard to follow, likely because the former five-star prospect of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian had a lot of recruiting experiences in the time since.

How Wade felt about Ohio State when he was a committed sophomore probably didn't match what he was feeling when he ultimately decided to sign with the Buckeyes last month and enroll early. 

So as he was sitting in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on National Signing Day on Wednesday, Wade gave it his best shot to explain his original commitment. 

"I was walking to the locker room and talking to my coaches and they called my parents, and said, 'This is the best fit for me,' " Wade recalled. "I guess they just had a dream or something, like I just belong here. I prayed about it and God and told me I just needed to make this decision." 

The fact that Wade went all the way from January 2015 to this week -- now at Ohio State -- without changing his mind brings us to part four of how Urban Meyer assembled the best class in program history: Keeping commitments from high-profile players for long periods of time. 

Meyer took Wade's commitment two years ago. But given Wade was a five-star prospect in the heart of SEC country, Meyer didn't get overly excited. He knew he had two years of recruiting ahead of him before the cornerback would ever come close to actually being a Buckeye. 

"I didn't know him," Meyer said when speaking about the day of Wade's commitment. "I know his school very well, and traditionally players in that area will change schools about seven times to their commitments." 

Seems about right. 

So Meyer wasn't surprised during the last few months when Wade, the No. 2 cornerback in the 2017 recruiting class, took official visits to Alabama, Florida and Virginia Tech. That's what five-star prospects from Jacksonville do. 

"The in-state guys, it's not uncommon to be able to hang on to (long-term commitments), but a kid from Florida, especially where (Wade) is from, I mean, that's tough," Meyer said. "It's almost like when they commit to me, I put a 30 percent on -- is that actually going to happen?

"I don't have that in front of me exactly how many, but that is unusual to be able to hang on to an out-of-state guy for over a year because people just wear him out." 

* How Urban Meyer assembled Ohio State's best recruiting class ever, part 1: Taking care of Ohio

* How Urban Meyer assembled Ohio State's best recruiting class ever, part 2: Conquering Texas

* How Urban Meyer assembled Ohio State's best recruiting class ever, part 3: Taking Bishop Gorman

It's OK, Urban. We have the numbers here. 

Seven of Ohio State's signees -- including five-stars like Wade and offensive lineman Josh Myers of Miamisburg, Ohio -- issued their commitments in 2015. Which means the Buckeyes held onto commitments long term. 

Ohio State earned its next seven commitments before the regular football season started in 2016, including four-star quarterback Tate Martell of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, five-star offensive linemen Wyatt Davis of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco and five-star Chase Young of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic. All of them stuck, even through the hectic official visit season. 

In all, of Ohio State's six total decommitments in the class, the only one that really hurt was five-star wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey of Bishop Gorman, who surprisingly -- and abruptly -- decommitted in early January before flipping to Nebraska. 

Recruiting is about getting commitments. 

Great recruiting is about keeping them. 

"Any time a kid commits, you almost have to keep remind yourself to recruit as if they are not committed because you always want to make sure you're showing love because you know the other schools aren't backing off," Ohio State player personnel director Mark Pantoni said. "Sometimes I know if we lose out on a kid, it may make us start recruiting him harder even though he commits to another school. So we have to remind ourselves that just because someone's committed, we've really got to treat and show the love that they deserve.

"Any time you get out of our eight-hour radius, the percentages go way down. So those are the guys that we really have to focus on and you know we're going to be in a fight until that name comes through the fax machine on signing day." 

Wade was the perfect example of that. 

"I started all the momentum in this class," he joked. 

Maybe Wade did. 

But the fact the Buckeyes kept him -- and most of the other five-star prospects in this recruiting class -- for as long as they did was the real win. 

Lady Gaga said she hopes her Super Bowl halftime show will celebrate "inclusion" and the "spirit of equality" during a time of national division. "This performance is for everyone. I want to, more than anything, create a moment that everyone that's watching will never forget," she said in a press conference Thursday. The 13-minute concert will also feature an appearance by Tony Bennett, who Lady Gaga called a "tremendously wise man." Lady Gaga and Bennett recorded the 2014 album of duets, "Cheek to Cheek."

HOUSTON (AP) -- Lady Gaga said she hopes her Super Bowl halftime show will celebrate "inclusion" and the "spirit of equality" during a time of national division. "This performance is for everyone. I want to, more than anything, create a moment that everyone that's watching will never forget," she said in a press conference Thursday.

Lady Gaga wouldn't reveal what songs she would sing, how many costumes she'll wear or any staging details, but promised a "tremendously athletic" show and no reappearance of her infamous meat dress.

The 13-minute concert will also feature an appearance by Tony Bennett, who Lady Gaga called a "tremendously wise man." Lady Gaga and Bennett recorded the 2014 album of duets, "Cheek to Cheek."

In addition to Lady Gaga, three original cast members of the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit "Hamilton" will sing "America the Beautiful" during pregame festivities and Luke Bryan will perform the national anthem.

The showdown between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons airs Sunday on Fox. Lady Gaga, who admitted many of her relatives are Pittsburgh Steelers fans, wouldn't reveal who she's rooting for. "I'm going to keep that one to myself," she said.

The six-time Grammy Award-winner, whose hits include "Poker Face" and "Born This Way," said she considers being asked to be the halftime headliner is due to her fans, affectionately known as "little monsters."

"Essentially, that kid that couldn't get a seat at the cool kids table and that kid who was kicked out of the house because his mom and dad didn't accept him for who he was? That kid is going to have the stage for 13 minutes," she said. "And I'm excited to give it to them."

It's the first Super Bowl in Houston since Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction." Lady Gaga said no such mistakes will happen on Sunday and she's been training with her dancers for weeks. "Everything is going to be nice and tight," she said. "I wouldn't worry about that."

By MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music Writer

Spuds MacKenzie, Bud Light's party-hopping dog mascot from the 1980s, is making a return in this year's crop of Super Bowl ads. The bull terrier who made his debut in a Super Bowl ad three decades ago will appear in a 90-second ad as part of Bud Light's new campaign that celebrates friendship with the tagline "Famous Among Friends." Watch video

Spuds MacKenzie, Bud Light's party-hopping dog mascot from the 1980s, is making a return in this year's crop of Super Bowl ads. The bull terrier who made his debut in a Super Bowl ad three decades ago will appear in a 90-second ad as part of Bud Light's new campaign that celebrates friendship with the tagline "Famous Among Friends."

In the new ad, the ghost of Spuds "recounts his past to emphasize it was never about the lifestyle, but rather, about forging lifelong bonds with friends," Anheuser-Busch said.

The popular Spuds character was controversial after its debut in 1987. Some groups, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), alleged at the time that the dog appealed to children, and Anheuser-Busch retired the mascot in 1989.

The Bud Light ad is the third Super Bowl commercial Anheuser-Busch released this week, several days before Sunday's game: its Budweiser Super Bowl commercial tells the story of its immigrant founder Adolphus Busch. A Busch commercial, the brand's first Super Bowl ad, makes light of the whooshing sound of opening a can of beer.

Anheuser-Busch is buying at least three minutes of air time for four of its top selling brands: Bud Light, Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Busch. Fox Sports is charging more than $5 million for 30-second spots during the Super Bowl, and Anheuser-Busch holds exclusive category ad rights for the game.

By Lisa Brown St. Louis Post-Dispatch, writer

Kyle Shanahan said he had Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on his QB list in 2014. The Browns drafted Johnny Manziel instead. Watch video

HOUSTON -- Kyle Shanahan admitted at the Super Bowl Thursday that he really liked Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo coming out in 2014 when he was offensive coordinator of the Browns, and a source said he had him ranked right behind Derek Carr on his QB list.  

But the Browns traded up in the first round and took Johnny Manziel No. 22 instead -- despite the fact Shanahan, now the Falcons' offensive coordinator, was not in favor of drafting him or Teddy Bridgewater.

"They had me look at every quarterback and evaluate every quarterback,''  he said at the Super Bowl Thursday. "That's everywhere. They ask you to evaluate everyone and you give grades and you tell people who you want and you wait to see what happens."

Is the report true that he really liked Garoppolo, who's about to become the hottest QB commodity of the off-season?

"Yes, I did,'' he said.

Disregarding Shanahan's opinion on such vital matters was one of the reasons he asked to be let out of his Browns contract after that season. He wasn't on the same page with general manager Ray Farmer, who takes responsibility for drafting Manziel. Farmer violated league rules and texted assistants during games to complain about Shanahan's playcalling and use of personnel.

Did they just not hear him on the QB decision that year?

"I think people heard me, but the results weren't there,'' he said. "I think there were a lot of people who liked Garoppolo. There were other quarterbacks we liked, too. We put a board together. We rank every one. Then, the people who make the decisions, you have to wait and see what happens. As a coach, it's like that at a lot of places. You have to deal with what happens."

Now, Shanahan is set to take over as head coach of the 49ers, and the Browns might be in competition with him for Garoppolo. The Browns, who have the No. 1, No. 12 and No. 33 overall picks, have the most ammunition to try to trade for Garoppolo, but the 49ers have the No. 2 overall pick and really need a quarterback.

Garoppolo: 'We'll see' about embracing challenge of a losing team

What did Shanahan like about Garoppolo?  

"He was a very good thrower,'' said  Shanahan. "Tough guy, kept his eyes down the field, could get rid of the ball fast. Really liked the person. Had a chance to go out to dinner with him and stuff. He played at Eastern Illinois, and it was a different type of offense where you can't always evaluate with how quick they get rid of the ball. But I really thought he was a very intelligent, tough player with a good throwing motion."

Shanahan said Garoppolo, who went 2-0 in his two starts this year before spraining his shoulder, appears ready for full-time duty.

"It's been a great deal for him I'm sure in the situation he is, being behind Tom [Brady], seeing how they do it,'' he said. "I'm sure when he does get his opportunity whether it's earlier this year in the two games he played or possibly next year, who knows what will happen -- I'm sure he'll be ready.''

Shanahan acknowledged that quarterback will be Job No. 1 when he takes over the 49ers, which is a foregone conclusion.

"Everybody wants a quarterback,'' he said. "You've just got to hope that there is one and you always take the guy who gives you the best chance to win, and usually that's a quarterback but it could be a D-lineman. Everybody wants to have a great quarterback right away, but if it were easy to have one, everyone would have one.''

Shanahan also has a close relationship with Kirk Cousins, whom he coached in Washington. Cousins is set to become a free agent, but the Redskins say he'll be back. If they can't reach a deal, however, there's a chance he could be traded. If that's the case, Shanahan's ears could perk up.

"Kirk is a natural thrower who's fearless and lets it rip,'' said Shanahan. "(As for) guys who can process and go fast in the pocket, Kirk's as good as anybody.''  

Regarding Manziel, Shanahan liked him as a person, and believed he could develop as an NFL quarterback.

"I'm not sure (if he'll make it back into the league),'' Shanahan said. "I haven't talked to Johnny for a while. I reached out to him a little bit last year when he was going through his stuff, just through texts and everything. But I really like Johnny as a guy. Even my time with him, he obviously had some issues outside of that building, but when I was with Johnny, he was great. He did what I asked, he worked.

"Whenever he didn't do a good job he was accountable, he would never point the finger of blame at other people. He would say, 'Coach I've got to get better.' He always said the right thing. I know he's had stuff he's been through obviously over the last couple years, but I really enjoyed my time with him and I really hope that he can get it together.''

If the Browns had listened to Shanahan in the first place, they wouldn't be in their current quarterback quandary.

The Toledo Rockets appear to have landed the top 2017 recruiting class in the Mid-American Conference, according to several of the top recruiting websites.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- National Signing Day is the annual college football circus of hype and hysteria over the arrival of the latest high school, prep school and junior college recruits to the school of their choice. There are no bad football players on signing day ... but who knows what the future holds.

Here are a few things we do know about the Mid-American Conference.

Toledo was rated as the best recruiting class by top recruiting websites 247 Sports, Rivals.com and Scout.com.

According to Rivals.com and Scout.com, there were no five-star or four-star players signed by a MAC team.

According to Scout.com, Toledo signed 16 three-star players, followed by Western Michigan with 12 and Bowling Green with 10.

That's particularly impressive for WMU, considering former head coach P.J. Fleck took nine early Bronco commitments with him to Minnesota when he took that job following WMU's 13-1 season.

Scout.com ranked seven MAC teams in its top 100, with Toledo highest at 67. Others in the top 100 were Bowling Green (75), Western Michigan (76), Central Michigan (84), Northern Illinois (85), Miami (92), Ball State (98).

Here's how the rest of the MAC was ranked on the site: Ohio (112), Buffalo (115), Kent State (117), Eastern Michigan (122), UMass (123), Akron (tied for 127).

According to Rivals.com, Toledo signed four of the top 50 players in Ohio. No other MAC team signed any of Ohio's top 50 players.

"The state of Ohio and a four-hour radius from campus will always be our home base," said second-year Toledo coach Jason Candle in a release. "But we will also go where we need to find players. Playing on TV and in bowl games definitely helps expose your brand to different parts of the country. I don't think it's a coincidence that we signed six players from Alabama and Florida, states where we've played our last three bowl games."

Also according to Rivals.com, six MAC teams cracked the Top 100, led by Toledo at No. 79. Behind the Rockets were Miami (84), Ball State (87), Bowling Green (88), Central Michigan and Western Michigan (tied at 91).

The complete recruit list for each team can be found on the MAC Football website. On Wednesday we reviewed the new arrivals for the Akron Zips and Kent State Golden Flashes.

Cleveland sports fans wonder why Bill Belichick would trade Jimmy Garoppolo and what the Cavs can do to improve their free throw shooting.

Shumpert, always known as a stingy defender, has given the Cleveland Cavaliers an unexpected offensive boost since being placed in the starting lineup. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Iman Shumpert has been doing his best J.R. Smith impersonation lately.

The Cavs can't replace Smith's fire, passion, energy and swagger. Head coach Tyronn Lue admitted the team still misses those intangible qualities that too often get overlooked.

But Shumpert, always known as a stingy defender, has flourished as a starter and given the Cleveland Cavaliers an unexpected offensive boost.

"Just being very simple with his game right now," LeBron James said Wednesday night when asked about the changes with Shumpert. "He's defending. First of all, that's what we want him to do more than anything and then he's catching and going or catching and shooting. The game can be very simple to you and he slowed it down in his mind. He knows where he's getting his shots and he's taking advantage of them. Just keeping it simple."

"Everyone that plays with the starters plays well," Lue said recently. "Now he's back in his comfort zone where Kyrie (Irving), LeBron and Kevin (Love) can make those plays and he can stay out there and shoot the threes and guard the best perimeter guy. He's comfortable in this role and he's been playing great."

Following Smith's thumb injury, given a 10-12 week recovery, Lue went with DeAndre Liggins as the starting 2-guard. Lue liked Liggins' defensive tenacity on the perimeter, wanted someone to pester opposing point guards and felt like Liggins could knock down wide-open shots from time to time. Lue was also hoping to avoid shaking up his second unit, as Shumpert served as the secondary ball handler and one of the few scorers for the inconsistent group.

So instead of making multiple rotation changes, Lue made the logical, simple swap. But as January hit the midpoint, during the longest road trip of the season, Liggins remained an erratic offensive player and Shumpert's shooting numbers that were so impressive early began to plummet. It was time for a change.

"He started off the season shooting the ball great and I thought in the second lineup, trying to have him play the backup point (was) asking him to do too much," Lue said of the change last month.

In the 10 games as starter, Shumpert is averaging 12.4 points on 42-of-88 (47.7 percent) from the field, including 29-of-58 (50 percent) from 3-point range. 

Playing off James, Irving and Love (when healthy), Shumpert is shooting 51 percent in catch-and-shoot situations from beyond the arc, getting five such looks per game during the stretch.

As a starter, 53 of Shumpert's 59 shots from long range have been classified as open or wide open, a defender at least four feet away. He's shooting 26-of-53 (49 percent) on those attempts.

To put those numbers in perspective, Smith, known as one of the most incendiary 3-point shooters who was acquired two years ago because of his floor spacing and catch-and-shoot prowess, was averaging just 8.6 points on 62-of-184 (33.7 percent) from the field, including 50-of-138 (36.2 percent) from beyond the arc.

Before his injury, Smith was making 37.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s. He was 39-of-102 (38 percent) on open or wide-open attempts.

A small sample size to be sure, but Shumpert has been the better shooter with the starting group this season, and over the last three games, Shumpert has made nine shots -- all of which have been 3-pointers.

It's an astonishing stat considering where Shumpert was in June, turning down open looks, failing to trust his shooting stroke and losing postseason minutes because opponents weren't respecting his jumper.

"I never want to be in a position where my teammates feel like, 'I can't throw him this pass over here because that's just not where he's comfortable. That's not where he wants to be,'" Shumpert said recently. "It became working on the mechanics and making sure I could shoot the same shot every time."

All the off-season shooting work and thinking shot first has paid off. While the Cavs were mired in a January crash, Shumpert overcame his own shooting slump to cap one of the best offensive months of his career, hitting 44 percent of his treys.

That suffocating defense, which faltered last year as a result of his frustration at the other end, has returned. Ask Russell Westbrook, who was held to 20 points on 7-of-26 from the field over the weekend -- his second-worst percentage. Same with Zach LaVine, who teetered to an eight-point night on 4-of-18 shooting Wednesday.

"We know long term for us to be as good as we would like to be we have to defend," James said.

Well suddenly, the Cavs have found their on-court replacement for Smith, the team's "best defensive player" last year and one of the premier outside snipers.

Who knew that player was already on the roster? Who would have thought it was a career 34 percent 3-point shooter?

Should Cleveland sports fans grow accustomed to saying the names Carmelo and Garoppolo?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The name Carmelo just rolls off the tongue. Garoppolo? Not so much. 

Both athletes have been the subject of Cleveland-centric trade chatter in recent days. Should Cleveland sports fans grow accustomed to saying their names? 

In the latest installment of the cleveland.com Sports Podcast -- how does "Takes By The Lake" sound for a name? -- we discussed everything involved with both potential deals. 

Would Anthony really elevate the Cavs to another level, or would he bog down their offense? Would Garoppolo make the Browns' offense respectable, or would the team err by passing on Deshaun Watson or Mitch Trubisky?

Browns reporter Dan Labbe, who previously analyzed Garoppolo's 2016 performance, joined the discussion.

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. 6: Who deserves the next Cleveland sports statue?

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

The Indians have reached agreement with veteran left-hander Boone Logan. He will pair with Andrew Miller to give manager Terry Francona two established lefties in the bullpen for 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If Boone Logan passes a physical, the Indians have found their second left-hander for the bullpen.

The Indians have been searching for a lefty reliever this winter and they have apparently found one in Logan just in time for the start of spring training. They have agreed on a one-year big-league deal with a club option for 2018. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports was first to report the agreement.

If Logan passes the physical, he'll make a base salary of $5.5 million this year with a club option for 2018 worth $7 million or a $1 million buyout.

The Tribe's equipment trucks leave for Goodyear, Ariz., on Friday. Indians pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 12.

Logan, 32, has been on the Indians' radar for a while. They were interested in him last winter as a trade possibility, but nothing happened. Last season Logan, who just finished a three-year, $16.5 million deal with the Rockies, limited left-handed hitters to .142 (15-for-106) batting average with 40 strikeouts and nine walks. He limited right-handers to a .211 (12-for-57) average with 11 walks and 17 strikeouts.

In 60 appearances for the Rockies, Logan struck out 57 and walked 20 in 46 1/3 innings. Overall he was 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA and one save.

The 6-5, 215-pound left-hander spent the first three years of his MLB career (2006-08) pitching for the White Sox, so he's no stranger to the Indians or the AL Central. Besides the White Sox and Colorado, Logan has also pitched for Atlanta and the Yankees.

The addition of Logan gives the Indians a second lefty to go along with ALCS MVP Andrew Miller. Before the Indians acquired Miller from the Yankees last year at the trading deadline, they struggled to find an effective lefty out of the bullpen. Kyle Crockett, Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny, TJ House, Shawn Morimando and Ryan Merritt all made appearances, but didn't do enough to earn a full-time relief job.

Logan and Miller should end that search. Manager Terry Francona, when asked last weekend during TribeFest about adding a second lefty reliever, said he didn't want to do it just for show. Francona said the second lefty would have to be able to get batters out in the required situation at a better rate than one of his established right-handed relievers.

In his career, Logan has held lefties to a .233 (200-for-858) batting average, while righties have hit .294 (214-for-728). Lefties are hitting .204 (45-for-221) against Logan over the last three years.

The White Sox drafted Logan with the 20^th round in the 2002 draft.

Lady Gaga's scheduled Super Bowl halftime appearance got cleveland.com columnists Doug Lesmerises and Bud Shaw thinking about Cleveland sports. Don't ask how. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bill Belichick might have the best poker face in all of sports, if the definition of that is always looking like he's disgusted with the hand he was dealt.

Lady Gaga, Sunday's Super Bowl LI halftime entertainment, sang a song titled "Poker Face."

Maybe some day we'll be writing about Browns players and coaches in the Super Bowl. But until then we're relegated to finding Super Bowl associations where we can.

Even as far as asking a question that's never been asked before (you can thank us later.) Who has the best poker face in Cleveland sports?

There's an old expression: never let them see you sweat.

It's easier to put that into practice when you have LeBron James and you win a NBA title or when you go to extra innings of the World Series as the Indians did before losing to the Cubs in Game 7.

Cleveland.com sports columnist Doug Lesmerises thinks it applies best to a certain All-Star player forced to stay optimistic when everybody around him has been losing their jobs, if not their heads.

My vote for two of the more impressive poker faces in Cleveland sports goes to the same team but only one of those is someone in uniform.

Hear us out and come back and vote on who got it right.

Kyrie Irving is looking for his second NBA 3-point title as a part of the field for the 2017 JBL contest during All-Star weekend.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving is looking for his second NBA 3-point title as a part of the field for the 2017 JBL contest during All-Star weekend.

Irving, 24, an All-Star for the Cavs, last won the event in 2013. Joining him in the field are defending champ Klay Thompson (Golden State), Kyle Lowry (Toronto), Kemba Walker (Charlotte), Eric Gordon (Houston), Wesley Matthews (Dallas), CJ McCollum (Portland) and Nick Young (Lakers).

The All-Star Game, 3-point and dunk contests are part of the All-Star weekend in New Orleans, Feb. 17-19. The 3-point contest is a part of All-Star Saturday night, which is Feb. 18.

Irving, Kevin Love, and LeBron James are all in the Feb. 19 All-Star Game.

Irving has connected on 102 3-pointers for the Cavs this season -- the lowest total among the eight contestants and tied for 20th in the NBA. He's not even the leading 3-point shooter on his team. That title belongs to Love, who has 105 3s.

But Irving is nevertheless averaging a career-best 24.2 points per game in his sixth season, with a career-high 2.4 3s per night and a shooting percentage of 39.5 percent from deep.

Irving will be the second Cav to participate in the 3-point contest four times. The other is Mark Price (1988, 1990, 1993 and 1994). Price won it in 1993 and 1994.

The NBA also announced its four-man field for the Verizon Slam Dunk contest, which includes 2016 runner-up Aaron Gordon (Orlando), DeAndre Jordan (Clippers), Glenn Robinson III (Indiana) and Derrick Jones Jr. (Phoenix).

Gordon lost the contest last season to defending champion Zach LaVine despite running off three consecutive dunks with perfect 50 scores in Toronto.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge, also on All-Star Saturday night, includes John Wall (Washington), Isaiah Thomas (Boston), Kristaps Porzingis (New York), Gordon Hayward (Utah), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia), Anthony Davis (New Orleans), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento) and Devin Booker (Phoenix).

All-Star Saturday night starts at 8 p.m. and will be televised on TNT.

Edwin Encarnacion, the Indians' $60 million man, asked them to scout his friend, veteran slugger Wily Mo Pena, in the Dominican Republic this winter. The Indians invited Pena, 35, to their minor-league camp in Goodyear, Ariz.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Yes, the Indians have invited Wily Mo Pena to spring training. No, he will not be reporting to big-league camp. Yes, he will be reporting with the organization's minor leaguers.

So just why is Pena, 35, a veteran of eight big-league seasons coming to camp at all? Well, it seems the Indians are doing Edwin Encarnacion a favor.

Encarnacion and Pena are friends. Encarnacion, who signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Indians in December, asked if they'd go to the Dominican Republic and take a look at Pena and some other players he's been working out with this winter.

The Indians agreed and decided to invite Pena to Goodyear, Ariz.

Pena, listed at 6-3 and 260 pounds, has not played in the big leagues since 2011 when he hit .204 (23-for-113) with seven homers and 15 RBI with Seattle and Arizona. He spent the next four years playing in Japan. In 2015, Pena, playing for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, hit .268 (109-for-406) with 17 homers, 40 RBI and a .845 OPS.

There is no record of Pena playing at any level last season.

In 2004, the 22-year-old Pena hit .259 (87-for-336) with 26 homers, 66 RBI and a .843 OPS for the Reds. He played all three outfield positions that year. Including every stop in his career, Pena has hit 275 homers. He hit 84 in the big leagues.

Charles Barkley says he did not get personal with his criticism of LeBron James. Shaquille O'Neal disagreed.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Charles Barkley took the opportunity Thursday to respond to LeBron James on TNT's Inside the NBA, arguing that he did not "get personal" with the four-time MVP, and that in his mind, the feud between the two is over.

But Barkley's studio teammate Shaquille O'Neal disagreed with his Hall of Fame counterpart, saying Barkley's initial criticism of James was, indeed, a personal shot.

Barkley and O'Neal, joined on set by host Ernie Johnson and analyst Kenny Smith, argued semantics of the feud that blew up Monday night when James snapped back at Barkley following a loss to Dallas.

Here are some highlights from the segment, including O'Neal's response to Barkley, and Smith's delight in the exchange.

"I have never said anything personal about a guy."

Barkley employs an "alternative facts" method of arguing, saying that in all of his years as an analyst on TNT, he has confined his remarks about NBA players strictly to basketball-related statements.

Charles Barkley responds to LeBron James' recent comments. pic.twitter.com/tJQYQzF3Bs

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2017

"Anybody who thinks my comments were unfair, I don't think they're unfair."

"We don't have to be friends... Anybody who thinks my comments were unfair, I don't think they're unfair." pic.twitter.com/ZMChNLK3Ka

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2017

Shaq: "Chuck made it personal when he said LeBron doesn't like to compete."

Former LeBron teammate Shaquille O'Neal argues that Barkley's criticism of LeBron crossed the line when he intimated that James wants to add talent to the roster because he does not want to compete, much like people criticized Kevin Durant for going to Golden State as a free agent. 

.@SHAQ & @TheJetonTNT discuss LeBron James & Charles Barkley's recent comments... pic.twitter.com/33oFGuBLP5

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2017

"Everything I've ever said about LeBron has been positive and all his guys."

Barkley defends his right to criticize NBA players, saying his job is not to get on TV and say 100 percent positive things about players in the league if he thinks they are wrong.

If Chuck sees LeBron at #NBAAllStar?

..."I'll shake his hand. I have no animosity towards LeBron." pic.twitter.com/4oAtYzHnHE

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2017

"It's done."

Barkley says the saga is over, and that he's bothered by people egging him to keep the feud going. "I'm not 12. I'm not back in Leeds, Alabama in the projects where you knock a stick off my back and all hell breaks loose." 

"It's done." pic.twitter.com/sT4lc539a7

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2017

Cleveland State, coming off a four-game road swing, returned home and snapped a three-game losing streak with a solid victory over Detroit Mercy on Thursday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State came out to start the second half with a purpose then pulled away for a 90-73 victory over Detroit Mercy in a Horizon League men's basketball game Thursday night in the Wolstein Center.

The Vikings finished with five players in double figures, led by Rob Edwards with 24 points, Bobby Word with 17, Kasheem Thomas with 15, Anthony Wright with 11 and Demonte Flannigan with 10. Corey Allen paced the Titans with 24 points.

• Game summary
• Horizon League standings

Trailing, 43-33, moments into the second half, Cleveland State went on a 19-0 run that was extended to 29-2 using midcourt steals and baseline 3-pointers to put the Titans on their heels.

"Defense the first five minutes,'' Word said of the halftime message.

"It just wasn't said like that,'' coach Gary Waters said. "I was pretty blunt in the lockerroom."

The Vikings then nursed that 62-45 lead to a victory, scoring their season high in points. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak and lifted CSU (7-16, 3-8) out of the Horizon League cellar, into a tie with the Titans (5-18, 3-8), and holding the tie-breaker.

Detroit took a 40-33 halftime lead thanks to 8-of-13 shooting from the free throw line and 4-for-11 on 3-pointers. The Vikings stayed within range by causing seven turnovers and getting some balanced scoring from the starting lineup and off the bench.

By the numbers: It's not hard to see where Cleveland State's troubles are this season. They are last in the league in scoring averaging at 66.8 points a game. CSU is also last in field goal percentage, shooting 41.1 percent on the year, including last in 3-point shooting, making just 31.0 percent a game.

On deck: The Vikings have a quick turnaround on Saturday at 2 p.m. against the Oakland Grizzlies, but the game will be at home. CSU upset Oakland earlier this season, 76-65. The Vikings will go on the road after that for games at Valparaiso and Illinois-Chicago, but end the season playing three of their final four games at home.

Sergio Garcia opened the European Tour's Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2017 with a 7-under 65.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --Sergio Garcia was the clubhouse leader by one shot as of suspension of the first round at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Friday in United Arab Emirates.

• OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC TEE TIMES

The first round was not completed Thursday because of darkness, but no one still on the course was going to tie or overtake Garcia, who posted a 7-under 65.

Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett are among the competitors at this European Tour event. The second round begins late tonight Eastern Time. Dubai, Arab Emirates is 9 hours ahead of ET.

• OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC LEADERBOARD

Woods, ranked in the high-600s in the world, is coming off a missed cut at the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open last week in California. The Farmers was his first official PGA Tour event in 17 months. He has been recovering from multiple back surgeries/procedures.

Woods owns 14 major championships, none since 2008. Two of the most recent major winners are Stenson (2016 Open Championship) and Willett (2016 Masters). Stenson and Willett are ranked fourth and 13th in the world, respectively.

Woods shot 5-over in the first round. Stenson shot 4-under. Willett, defending champion of the Dubai Desert Classic, was at 1-under.

EUROPEAN TOUR

OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC
Site: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Course: Emirates GC. Yardage: 7,328. Par: 72.
Purse: $2.65 million.
Television: Golf Channel -- Thursday 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., 5:30-8:30 a.m.; Friday, 1-4 a.m., 5:30-8:30 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3:30-8 a.m.
Last week: Jeunghun Wang won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Notes: Tiger Woods is playing the Dubai Desert Classic for the eighth time. He has won twice, in 2006 and 2008, and has a career scoring average at Emirates Golf Club of 68.71. ... Woods previously played Dubai in 2014. He tied for 41st, 10 shots behind Stephen Gallacher. ...Willett won last year by one shot over Andy Sullivan and Rafa Cabrera Bello. Later in 2016, all three played in the Ryder Cup for the first time. ... Sergio Garcia is making his first European Tour start of 2017. He tied for 11th two weeks ago in the Singapore Open, joint sanctioned by the Japan and Asian tours. ... Rory McIlroy withdrew with a rib injury suffered in Abu Dhabi and is not expected to play again until March. ... Ernie Els is a three-time winner in Dubai, the most of any player. Els is not in the field this year. ... Woods playing in Dubai means 2015 remains the only calendar year as a professional that he did not play outside the United States except for the British Open.
Next week: Maybank Championship in Malaysia.
Online: www.europeantour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)