Get caught up on every Super Bowl MVP heading into Sunday's game. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Super Bowl LI (51) just around the corner, get caught up on all of the Super Bowl MVPs from the previous 50 years in the video above.

How many do you recall? Which performances were the best? 

Both Joe Montana and Tom Brady are the only players in history to be three-time Super Bowl MVPs. Brady could take the outright lead if he's named MVP on Sunday night when the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons square off at 6:30 p.m. in Houston. The game will be televised by Fox.

Kevin Love said his lower back issue is "under control" and, barring an unforeseen setback, expects to return for the Cavs Saturday in New York. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Kevin Love said his lower back issue is "under control" and, barring an unforeseen setback, expects to return for the Cavs Saturday in New York (8:30 p.m., ABC).

Love has missed the past two games and sat out the second half last Sunday against Oklahoma City with spasms. He said doctors the problem was nothing more than that -- spasms -- and he doesn't expect to miss any more games.

"We're hoping that we've got a pretty good handle on it now," Love said after practice Friday, in which he participated fully. "It's always hard to kind of tell when you can't see it. It's not quite like a concussion in that way, but as far as not being able to see the injury and it spasmed and having to deal with that for a week or maybe five days at a time, it's tough and it lingers. But I feel like we've got a pretty good handle on it now."

Love underwent tests Monday that showed no structural damage. An anti-inflammatory shot like the one LeBron James took to his back twice in 2015 that kept him out for two weeks each time was discussed as a "last resort," Love said, but he didn't think it would be necessary.

Love, who's averaging 19.9 points, 11.0 rebounds and is an All-Star this season, has missed seven games thus far. His sore back is going to have to withstand a week's worth of flights. The Cavs play the next four on the road.

"I feel like we do have it under control," Love said. "We know exactly what's doing it now while we might not have in the past. I think it happened one or two times a couple years back, and then maybe December when I missed a game in Memphis, so I feel good."

While Love practiced Friday, Tyronn Lue did not. The Cavs' coach missed the session returning from Lincoln, Neb., where his jersey was retired Thursday night at the University of Nebraska. Larry Drew ran Friday's practice.

Four games matching AP Top 25 teams highlight the weekend in college basketball and No. 1 Gonzaga tries to run its record to 24-0 on Saturday against Santa Clara. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There are several key games and players to watch in college basketball this weekend as the push toward March Madness and the 2017 NCAA Tournament starts to kick into high gear.

There are four games Saturday matching teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week -- No. 5 Arizona at No. 13 Oregon (4 p.m. ESPN); No. 8 Kentucky at No. 24 Florida (8 p.m., ESPN); No. 17 Maryland vs. No. 23 Purdue (noon, ESPN); and No. 20 Notre Dame at No. 12 North Carolina (6 p.m., ESPN).

No. 1 Gonzaga, the nation's only unbeaten team at 23-0 and coming off a win over BYU on Thursday, will be home to Santa Clara on Saturday (10 p.m., ESPN2).

You can follow our College Basketball Scoreboard, for scores, updates and previews for all the games, including the Mid-American Conference and Horizon League.

There is a possibility that suspended Kansas forward Carlton Bragg could be back on the floor Saturday when the Jayhawks host Iowa State (2 p.m., ESPN). Bragg, a 6-9 sophomore forward from Villa Angela-St. Joseph in Cleveland, has missed three games this season due to suspension for violation of team rules and was recently charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. In the 19 games he has played, Bragg is averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds a game.

Kansas will also feature the early favorite for national Player of the Year in senior guard Frank Mason. He is averaging 19.9 points a game with 5.2 assists.

Another POY candidate is Kentucky freshman Malik Monk, who will play at No. 24 Florida (8 p.m., ESPN). Monk has been a highlight reel in several high profile games this season and is coming off a 37-point performance in an overtime victory against Georgia when he made 7-of-11 3-pointers. Earlier this season against North Carolina, Monk scored 47 points and made 8-of-12 3-pointers.

Yet another freshman guard, Lonzo Ball at UCLA has been stellar in his own right. Ball is averaging 14.8 points, 8.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game.

No. 7 West Virginia, led by Shaker Heights High product Esa Ahmad, will play Oklahoma State (5 p.m., ESPNU). Ahmad, a 6-8, 225-pound sophomore forward, leads the Mountaineers in scoring at 12.2 points a game and 4.5 rebounds.

The Akron Zips look to add to their 12-game winning streak at Ohio University (noon, CBSSports). The Zips are rolling behind center Isaiah Johnson and forward Kwan Cheatham, who are averaging 18.9 and 16.6 points a game, respectively, in MAC play.

The OU Bobcats have been without senior center and defending MAC Player of the Year Antonio Campbell (foot) since the first meeting between these two teams, won by Akron, 83-68. Campbell is out for the season, replaced by freshman Jason Carter, who is averaging 7.9 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. But in his four starts, the 6-8 Carter has scored 15, 20, 8 and 21 points.

Kent State is also on the road, at Miami (3:30 p.m., ESPN3).

Cleveland State is playing a second straight home game, 2 p.m in the Wolstein Center against Oakland.

Here is the weekend schedule for AP Top 25 teams:

SATURDAY

No. 1. Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara, 10 p.m., ESPN2
No. 2. Baylor vs. Kansas State, 3 p.m., ESPN3
No. 3. Kansas vs. Iowa State, 2 p.m., ESPN
No. 4 Villanova vs. St. John's, 8 p.m., CBSS
No. 5 Arizona at No. 13 Oregon, 4 p.m., ESPN
No. 6 Louisville at Boston College, 3 p.m., ESPN
No. 7 West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State, 5 p.m., ESPNU
No. 8 Kentucky at No. 24 Florida, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 9 Virginia at Syracuse, noon, ESPN2
No. 11 UCLA at Washington, 10:30 p.m., PACN
No. 14 Cincinnati vs. Connecticut, 4 p.m., ESPN2
No. 17 Maryland vs. No. 23 Purdue, noon, ESPN
No. 18 St. Mary's at San Diego, 7 p.m.
No. 20 Notre Dame at No. 12 North Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN
No. 21 Duke vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m., CBS
No. 22 Creighton vs. Xavier, 3 p.m., Fox

SUNDAY

No. 10 Wisconsin vs. Indiana, 1 p.m., CBS
No. 15 Florida State vs. Clemson, 12:30 p.m., ESPNU

Multiple sources told cleveland.com that the Cavs are not interested in trading Love for Carmelo Anthony, and indicated the general interest level in Anthony was low. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cavs would trade Kevin Love this season if the right situation presented itself.

That might be music to the ears of Knicks fans and ABC executives who were already anticipating Love's arrival at Madison Square Garden Saturday night, when the Cavs play Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks at 8:30.

The Love-for-Anthony trade rumor has been out there for a couple weeks and won't go away. Multiple sources told cleveland.com that the Cavs are not interested in trading Love for Anthony, and indicated the general interest level in Anthony was low.

But while the Cavs are not shopping Love, sources said, the right deal could pry him out of Cleveland.

Perspective is required when considering this. Love, 28, is an All-Star averaging 19.9 points and 11 rebounds. He makes $21.2 million this season, and has two years guaranteed at $46.7 million left on his contract with a player's option for 2019 worth $25.6 million.

Also, the Cavs won the 2016 NBA title with Love -- beating the Golden State Warriors. They recognize, of course, that the Warriors added Kevin Durant, which affects how Cleveland can match up in a potential seven-game series against perhaps the one team that can give Love a tough time.

So a deal for Love would have to make the Cavs better. Who they could acquire for Love and his huge contract that would actually improve the team is a small group. In fact, the Cavs would be more likely to seek multiple, gifted role players in return for Love who could play behind LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, instead of alongside them.

While the Cavs will not rule out trading Love (the only player entirely off limits, in any scenario, is James), several sources said it's highly unlikely he's moved by the Feb. 23 trade deadline.

"I expect to be here for a long time," Love said Friday, when asked if he expected a trade.

So, no, Love doesn't expect to be moved. And he's grown used to the persistent rumors to the contrary since Cleveland first acquired him in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2014.

Cavs general manager David Grifin intends to be active in the trade market and hopes to make some kind of impactful trade after the All-Star break.

The Cavs held a tryout Wednesday for free-agent point guards, but at this time don't intend to sign any to a long-term contract. If they were to sign any of the guards who tried out, it most likely would be Jordan Farmar to a 10-day contract.

Cleveland also needs another big man and may be interested in a wing defender, too.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the Cavs' thinking are also backing far away from a potential trade for Anthony. It doesn't mean a deal for Anthony is entirely out of the question. Just mostly out.

It doesn't sound at all like they want to trade Love for Anthony, who is 32 and has a pricey contract. His base salary is $24.6 million, but he has a no-trade clause and a trade kicker in his contract that would drive his sticker price for this season to roughly $29 million.

The Cavs' payroll is already hovering around $130 million, they're destined to pay millions in luxury-tax penalties and they don't like the idea of trading Love for Anthony anyway. Cleveland would need to trade too many role players to get Anthony and hold on to Love, and roster depth is already a problem.

Anthony's averaging 23 points and 6.1 rebounds as the Knicks' primary scoring option. Love is the Cavs' third-leading scorer and top rebounder.

It's the second time in the last few weeks James has been asked about Anthony being linked to Cleveland. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- With the Cleveland Cavaliers heading to New York for a primetime showdown against Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks Saturday night, LeBron James knew the question was coming.

"Have you had conversations with Carmelo about his name being in trade rumors," a reporter asked.

James didn't answer, saying even if he has he wouldn't disclose it. Instead, he offered a brief comment about Anthony's tough situation.

"I just want the best for my friend, no matter what it is," James said Friday, prior to the Cavaliers leaving for New York. "If he's there in New York or if he's not I just want the best for him. I want him to be happy. That's all that matters. The game comes very easy to you when you're happy about where you're at so if he's happy in New York or he wants to be elsewhere, not sure."

It's the second time in the last few weeks James has been asked about Anthony being linked to Cleveland. 

"I have no reaction," James said following last Wednesday's loss against the Sacramento Kings, on the heels of his rant about wanting more help. "We got 14 guys in here. We need to be ready every night, who we got in here we gotta play. We can't play fantasy basketball. We got who we got and we gotta go out and play."

Anthony being involved in trade speculation has become a typical February occurrence. But this year, the possibility of him leaving seems to have increased, as Anthony and team president Phil Jackson met to discuss the direction of the team last month. 

"He's done a lot for that franchise and did a lot for the Denver franchise as well," James said of Anthony. "See what happens."

Despite Anthony possessing a full no-trade clause and averaging a team-high 23 points per game, the Knicks have reportedly engaged the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and, yes, the Cavaliers in trade talks.

The Cavs and Clippers are obvious potential landing spots because of his close ties to James and Chris Paul, two members of the NBA's closest brotherhood, which has often been referred to as Team Banana Boat, a group rounded out by Chicago's Dwyane Wade. 

For the second straight year, the Anthony-to-Cleveland chatter centers on Cavs All-Star power forward Kevin Love, who returned to practice with a clear conscience about his achy back on Friday.

He laughed off the latest speculation, which will likely only get louder this weekend as Love, New York's reported target, comes to town.

"I don't know," James said about whether the rumblings add more buzz to the game. "It's always energetic. It's always a great place to play basketball so I don't think you can add more spice to the situation."

Added Love: "I'm focused on us not only winning, of course always, but just getting back out there having missed a week and going back out there and testing and seeing how I feel and getting my legs underneath me, especially with four games on the road now. I guess I haven't given it much thought."

Esa Ahmad, the West Virginia Mountaineers sophomore forward and former Shaker Heights High star, has changed his diet and increased his numbers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The sophomore season for Esa Ahmad is not only a sample of his personal growth but also how his development has helped transcend West Virginia University into the No. 7 ranked team in the country.

Ahmad leads WVU in scoring, is second in rebounds and third in blocked shots. His career-high 27 points 10 days ago against then-No. 2 Kansas snapped the Jayhawks 18-game winning streak and became another signature victory for the Mountaineers.

WVU is on a three-game winning streak and Ahmad is averaging 18.3 points over that span. He's made a huge turnaround compared to his freshman campaign, where he averaged just over four points a game coming out of Shaker Heights (Ohio) High School.

"I've grown a lot physically and mentally since last season," Ahmad said. "I knew I had to pick up my game on the court so I spent time in the gym grinding."

That grind included finding consistency in his jump shot and allowing the game to slow down enough to make better decisions.

"I also worked on my body," Ahmad said. "I tried to watch what I was eating by limiting my sugar intake and the fast food. I had so many favorite [sugary drinks] but now I drink more water. My body fat has gone from 18 to 9 percent."

The Mountaineers are in third place in the Big 12 behind Kansas and Baylor. WVU will host Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPU. Another victory will keep WVU on pace for another showdown against conference leader Kansas on Feb. 13.

"We're playing great right now," Ahmad said. "We push each other on the court. The biggest thing about this team this year is that we're all family. We've stuck together throughout adversity and it's shown in many of our games."

ESA AHMAD FILE

School: West Virginia University (18-4)
Year: Sophomore
Ht/Wt: 6-8, 225
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Stats: 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists

FOUR QUESTIONS

1. Who did you pretend to be when you played hoops as a kid?

"LeBron James. He's been my favorite player since he's been in the league. I love the way he plays and how he dominates the game.

2. What would you change if you were the NCAA president?

"I'll change that the players need to get paid. There's so much money made by these schools that I would pay each player $30,000 per semester. 

3. You, LeBron and what three other players would beat Golden State's starting five?

"Of course we'll have Kyrie, DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Boogie Cousins. We would be a good matchup. With that team Boogie will dominate down low and I would defend whoever."

4. What song best describes your game.

"That song is 'Never Let 'Em' by YFN Luchie."

We've hit the draft's dead spot, in between the all-star games and the combine.

Former Tribe ace Justin Masterson is scheduled to throw for teams -- the Indians are expected to take a look -- at the end of February to see if he can re-ignite his career. Minor-league slugger Jesus Aguilar, meanwhile, has been claimed by the Brewers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Free agent Justin Masterson, former ace of the Indians pitching staff, is headed to the Arizona desert to try and restart his career.

Jesus Aguilar, meanwhile, is getting a fresh start after showing power for the Indians at every level but the big leagues.

Masterson, 32 on March 22, is scheduled to arrive in Arizona next week to start a throwing program. Randy Rowley, Masterson's agent, said he should be ready to throw for teams by the end of February.

Rowley said 10 to 12 teams are expected to watch Masterson throw. The Indians are expected to be attend.

Masterson, 6-6 and 260 pounds, has not pitched in the big leagues since 2015 when he went 4-2 with a 5.61 ERA in 18 games, including nine starts, for Boston. He was released in August of that season and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in September.

He pitched in Pittsburgh's minor-league system last year going a combined 3-2 with a 4.86 ERA in 26 games, including six starts, at Class A Bradenton and Class AAA Indianapolis.

Masterson spent parts of six seasons with the Indians from 2009-14. He was at his best from 2011-13, going 37-35 with a 3.96 ERA in 97 starts and 100 appearances. Masterson, in that stretch, struck out 512 batters in 615 1/3 innings.

In 2014 Masterson and the Indians couldn't come to terms on a multiyear deal. Masterson, in his walk year, struggled with a drop in velocity and was traded to St. Louis at the July trading deadline.

Aguilar, 26, was designated for assignment by the Indians on Jan. 26 to make room for infielder Richie Shaffer. The Indians, who claimed Shaffer on waivers from Cincinnati, dropped him on Jan. 30 after acquiring right-hander Carlos Frias in a trade with the Dodgers.

Last season Aguilar led the International League with 30 homers and 92 RBI for Class AAA Columbus. Over his last three years at Columbus, he hit 68 homers and drove in 262 runs.

The Indians signed Aguilar as a free agent in Venezuela in 2007. He hit 140 homers in the minors, but not one in the big leagues. Aguilar, who is out of options, played parts of three seasons with the Indians from 2015-16. The 6-3, 250-pound Aguilar received only 58 at-bats in that time.

Brewers GM David Stearns told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Aguilar will have a chance to make the club as a bench player. Eric Thames, a left-handed hitter who spent the last three years in Korea, is scheduled to be the starting first baseman.

"We see (Aguilar) competing for a right-handed role off the bench," said Stearns. "There are a number of ways we can formulate our roster. So, he'll come to camp and compete for a job.

"His calling card is big right-handed power. He also controls the strike zone relatively well and we're excited to see what he can do for us in spring training."

Ohio State Olympic champ Kyle Sndyer and grad Logan Stieber are on the U.S. wrestling team barred from wrestling in Iran by the Iranian government, in response to an executive order by President Trump.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State reigning world and Olympic champion Kyle Snyder and OSU four-time national champion Logan Stieber are on the USA Wrestling team that reportedly has been blocked from competing in Freestyle World Cup event in Iran.

The move was in response to President Donald Trump's executive order forbidding visas for Iranians, the official IRNA news agency reported.

IRNA quoted Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying a special committee reviewed the case of the U.S. wrestling team and "Eventually the visit by the U.S. freestyle wrestling team was opposed,'' the Associated Press reported.

• Read more: USA Wrestling team barred from Iran

The U.S. and Iran wrestling programs long have had a good relationship for decades, and have competed even during extremely high tensions between the countries.

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan confirmed to The Plain Dealer Snyder and Stieber are on the team that was to compete in Iran. Ryan said he would be surprised if the Iranian wrestling federation was involved in the decision.

"The wrestling relationship will remain strong,'' Ryan said.

Neither USA Wrestling nor United World Wrestling had been officially notified the U.S. team had been barred, according to a statement from USA Wrestling.

USA Wrestling expressed disappointment in the statement issued late Friday morning:

"The Freestyle World Cup is the annual World dual meet championship, one of the most important events that United World Wrestling hosts each year. If these reports are true, USA Wrestling is extremely disappointed about this, which we believe would be an unacceptable situation. Wrestling is about competition and goodwill through sport, and is no place for politics.''

The good news for fourth-ranked Ohio State is that Snyder, a junior heavyweight from Maryland, will compete in dual meets against No. 13 Minnesota and No. 6 Nebraska instead of going to Iran.

Snyder became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history when he won a gold medal at the Rio Games as a 19-year-old last summer. He's the first active Buckeye student-athlete to win gold since Jerry Lucas (basketball) 1960.

Stieber, a former four-time state champion from Monroeville, won his fourth NCAA title in 2015 and has been competing for Team USA since then, winning his first world championship last December at the non-Olympic weight of 134 pounds.

Sunday's Super Bowl has plenty of Cleveland Browns connections. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Super Bowl LI (51) just around the corner, we're taking a look back at which former Cleveland Browns players and coaches will be participating in Sunday's game.

It will be easy to think "what if" if you are a fan watching New England Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons.

What if Kyle Shanahan had remained as offensive coordinator?

What if the Browns had kept Alex Mack?

Johnny Manziel is training with George Whitfield, mending fences with his Browns teammates and trying to get back into the NFL. Watch video

HOUSTON, Tex. -- Johnny Manziel showed up for his paid autograph and photo session on Thursday night looking fit and happy, like he's ready to morph back into Johnny Football and set the the NFL afire.

"He's in a good place right now,'' his publicist, Denise Michaels, told me.

As he emerged from the back room at Stadium Signatures memorabilia store in the Katy Mills Mall, 20 miles west of Houston, he made a point to walk over and thank me for coming.

"How are you?'' he said. "Good to see you.''

Johnny Manziel arrives at his autograph signing in Katy, Texas, to a crowd of more than 150 people pic.twitter.com/TRb1UPVzb6

-- Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 3, 2017

It was a small gesture, but a sign of growth for Manziel, who told ESPN last week that he's achieved sobriety on his own, without professional help. I've been hard on him since the Browns drafted him No. 22 overall, and he hasn't appreciated many of the things I've written about his excessive partying over the last two years.

We weren't permitted to talk to Manziel during his autograph session, during which fans paid $99 for a photo or his signature, and an extra $29 for a four-word inscription to go with the autograph.

"He'll talk when he has something to say,'' Michaels said.

The 10 reporters who showed up for the autograph session were mostly kept away from him, and had strict rules for capturing images: a shot or two when he first walked in and another 30 seconds or so of video or photos when he began signing autographs. We had to wait in line for our turn. No live streaming allowed.

We waited him out for more than an hour, but he was ushered into the back of the store with no chance to even bark out a question.

The only two reporters who got a quote out of Manziel were the ones who paid for a photo and an autograph and inscription.

What Will Brinson and John Breech of CBS Sports got for their $200-plus, along with a signed helmet and photo was:  "I just want to get back on the field. If I played in a preseason game, I'd treat it like the Super Bowl."

It was similar to what Manziel told ESPN's Ed Werder last week.

"I refuse to let my entire life of sports from the age of 4 be squandered by partying,'' he wrote in a message to Werder. "I just got sick of it. One day I didn't like what I saw in the mirror and realized I could really help people in the position I'm in.

"I love sports, I love football and when you take something away from yourself, you realize it the hard way. The happiness from doing it sober has been ASTRONOMICAL. Beyond my wildest imagination and once that continued other good things started happening in my life and it just clicked."

Manziel, who's looked thin and pale while out partying over the past year since being cut by the Browns, told two fans at the autograph session that he's been living right and is now only seven pounds from his playing weight of 210.

"He looks great,'' said Jordan Dworaczyk of Port Lavaca, Texas. "We drove two hours to get here, and it was worth the trip.''

Manziel had a helper during his autograph session. Eight-year-old cancer survivor Charlie Dina, whom Manziel befriended while at Texas A&M, sat next to him for much of the session and served as his assistant. Manziel, who will do the same thing Friday night at another Houston mall, hugged him and other fans during his 75 minutes in the store.

"Texans stick together,'' said Peggy from a nearby town, who didn't want to give her last name. "You don't drop people when things are difficult. That's when they need you the most.''

Jimmy Garoppolo on embracing a turnaround: 'We'll see when I get there I guess'

Most of the 160 fans waiting in a line that wound out the door and into the mall were rabid Aggies fans.

"If you put stallion in a stall, he's going to kick his way out,'' said Scott Hainline, who does sports talk radio for Manziel's hometown of Kerrville, Texas. "This guy needed to play. They should've stuck his ass in there. I could tell Mike Pettine didn't like him.''

When one Aggies fan thanked him for the wild ride at A&M, Manziel said, "They were the best of times.''

Manziel is back training with quarterback expert George Whitfield, the native of Massillon, Ohio, who helped prepare him for the draft. Whitfield has stuck by his side and never given up on Manziel, even though he worried about the partying.

A source told The Sporting News that Manziel, who was suspended four games last season for violating the substance-abuse policy, will volunteer for drug testing to prove to NFL teams that he's healthy.

Opinions vary on whether or not he'll make it back into the league.

"Maybe the Canadian Football League,'' said Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian.

"I think he can make it back, but it's very, very hard,'' said former Cowboys personnel exec and current NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt. "It's like a person that leaves high school or college and then tries to come back and regain their study habits. He has the mental ability to do it. The ball is in his court and I wish him luck.''

"I don't think anyone will touch him,'' said one NFL personnel exec.

"I think ultimately someone gives him a shot,'' said one GM. "Only takes one team!'' 

"Unlikely, but you never know,'' said another GM. "It would be tough as a starter. Quality backup level.''

On Friday, I ran into Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins outside Radio Row here. He was on his way to participate in a panel discussion along with Josh McCown and other NFL players entitled "From Protest to Progress: The Power of Sports to Improve Race Relations."

"Johnny reached out to me here and asked if I'd like to have dinner Saturday night,'' said Hawkins. "He said he wants to apologize for everything, and he promised he'll make us proud.''

The Nittany Lions have five players from the top 100 in the Class of 2018 already committed. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Could James Franklin be Urban Meyer 2.0? When Penn State's coach arrived from Vanderbilt with a reputation for recruiting, that was the question.

* Is Franklin the new version of Meyer?

During two 7-6 seasons in 2014 and 2015, Franklin and Penn State weren't really scaring anyone. Then, the Nittany Lions beat Ohio State in 2016, won the East Division, won the Big Ten Championship and nearly beat USC in the Rose Bowl, finishing at 11-3.

But that's not what should have the attention of Ohio State and its fans right now.

It's what has happened on the recruiting trail.

Penn State added five-star running Ricky Slade to its 2018 class on Friday, earning a verbal commitment from the No. 24 player in the country. It's way early, two days removed from National Signing Day for the Class of 2017.

But Penn State already has 10 players pledged for 2018, and five of them are ranked among the top 100 players in the nation for 247sports.com.

In Ohio State's 2017 class, which was ranked No. 2 in the nation while Penn State's class was No. 15, the Buckeyes had 11 players among the top 100.

So Penn State isn't even halfway to that Ohio State standard. But it's a pretty good start. Watch the video to see just how much Ohio State should be thinking about Penn State's recruiting success.

* How Urban Meyer assembled Ohio State's best recruiting class ever in 2017

Cleveland State unveils its new lacrosse team with 37 players and head coach Dylan Sheridan, a product of Western Reserve Academy, at 7 p.m. Saturday vs. Michigan.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State unveils its new lacrosse program Saturday with a 7 p.m. game against Michigan at Krenzler Field. This game is already a sellout and will be shown live on the Lacrosse Sports Network.

This is the 17th sport at Cleveland State and was originally announced March 15, 2015. The Vikings will be led by head coach Dylan Sheridan, a graduate of  Claremont-McKenna College and Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio.

At WRA, he appeared in three straight Ohio lacrosse title games, winning it all in 2001. Sheridan was an assistant lacrosse coach at Denver and Princeton before taking the job at CSU.

He was an assistant at Denver for four years, with Denver advancing to the Lacrosse Final Four each season. His lone season at Princeton he was in charge of the team defense and recruiting coordinator.

Since he was hired on June 30, 2015, Sheridan has been scouting players, recruiting and putting together a team, schedule and staff. The roster, now with 37 players, features recruits from 15 states as well as Canada.

Cleveland State is the first Division I lacrosse team in Northeast Ohio, the 71st overall, and only the second university in the state to include the sport on its list of offerings, along with Ohio State. Those two will soon be joined by Kent State, which will unveil its lacrosse team in 2019.

CSU's schedule is ambitious, with seven of the 14 games against nationally-ranked programs. The Vikings first road game on Feb. 12 is at No. 7 Duke. The Vikings also play local programs, including Baldwin Wallace, John Carroll, Walsh and at Ohio State.

The Browns will go hard after the Patriots backup, and they have more picks than any other team to pull off a deal. Watch video

HOUSTON, Tex. - The Browns will try to acquire Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade with the Patriots, as multiple sources have told cleveland.com, and they have the ammunition to pull it off.

They have the No. 1 and No. 12 overall picks in the first round, and the No. 33 and No. 52 picks in the second round. All told, they have five picks in the first 65.

In a perfect world, they'd keep both of their first round picks, but that might not be possible. Multiple teams are expected to pursue Garoppolo, which could drive up the price.

The Patriots are also looking to start the bidding at a first-round pick and a fourth-round pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Garoppolo is also the Bears' No. 1 offseason priority, according to Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports. He said Chicago might "engage in talks on Garoppolo at the combine later this month, or sooner if need be." The Bears have the No. 3 overall pick in the draft and No. 36 in the second round.

In addition, Kyle Shanahan, who's set to become head coach of the 49ers after the Super Bowl, could express interest in Garoppolo, and the 49ers have the No. 2 and No. 34 picks.

Shanahan admitted at the Super Bowl this week that he really liked Garoppolo coming out of the draft in 2014, and the second-rounder appreciated it.

"It's an honor,'' he said. "Obviously he's a tremendous coach, and has done a tremendous job with that offense.''

Garoppolo said he enjoyed spending time with Shanahan and then-Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains in the run-up to the draft. Loggains is now the Bears' offensive coordinator.''

"They came to work me out at Northwestern (near his hometown of Arlington Heights, Illinois) and then we went to dinner,'' he said. "They also brought me in to Cleveland for a visit. It was a busy couple of months.''

Garoppolo also has ties to Bears' GM Ryan Pace, a fellow Eastern Illinois football alum. This summer, during joint practices between the Bears and Patriots, Garoppolo spent 15 minutes talking to Pace.

"It was just a couple of Eastern guys hanging out," Garoppolo told the Chicago Tribune this week. "There are not many Eastern Illinois guys (in the NFL), so it's a small group and we like to stick together."

On Thursday, Garoppolo admitted he's heard rumors of the Bears' interest 'but I'm trying to stay as focused as possible. There have been a lot of things going on -- rumors -- but that's all they are is rumors, right now.''

Would he like to be back home near Chicago?

"It's not really my call,'' he said. "We'll see what happens.''

He said he hasn't approached the Patriots about all the rumors and reports that they're set to trade him.

"No, not really,'' he said. "We're focused on the Falcons. You know how it goes in our building. It's kind of the culture that's been built there. Just focused on winning. That's all we can do."

Garoppolo appreciated Bill Belichick saying in November that it was a seamless transition from Tom Brady to Garoppolo for the first two games of this season, when Garoppolo went 2-0 before spraining his shoulder.

"Anytime you get a compliment in our organization it's always a good thing,'' Garoppolo said. "They're tough to come by, but that's your job as a backup. You want to make it as seamless as possible.''

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel praised Garoppolo Thursday.

"He's had a great person to learn from in Tommy (Brady)," he said. "That's the thing I love the most about him - he's eager to learn, he's eager to work hard. He's learned how to be a professional over the first three years and he's seen somebody else do it a certain way. It's a pleasure to coach guys like that.''

Is he ready to take over a team?

"I'm hoping I get to coach him as long as I can,'' said McDaniels.

The Browns will try to make sure that's only one more game.

The former fan favorite in Cleveland was released after seeing little action with the Warriors this season.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors have waived center Anderson Varejao to clear a roster spot on the NBA's top team as it deals with depth issues and injuries.

Golden State announced the move Friday, a day after the Brazilian big man played eight-plus minutes in a road win at the Clippers. The Warriors are gearing up for the return of David West from a nondisplaced fracture of his left thumb sustained Jan. 18 against Oklahoma City. Starting center Zaza Pachulia is sidelined until at least next week with a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

Varejao averaged 1.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per game for Golden State, playing 14 games with one start. Of course, there is a team in the Eastern Conference who might need some big man depth.

The Warriors (43-7) play again Saturday night at Sacramento.

The Cleveland Monsters were shut out at home by the Iowa Wild on Friday, 3-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Iowa Wild made the most of their shots in shutting out the Cleveland Monsters, 3-0, in an American League Hockey game Friday at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Wild took just 12 shots on the night, but scored in each period to extend their winning streak to five. They have also won seven straight on the road.

The two teams play at the Q again on Saturday at 7 p.m.

With the loss, the Monsters fall to 20-18-1-3 while Iowa is 23-19-4-1 and nudged ahead of the Monsters into fourth place in the AHL Central Division. Cleveland leads the season series, 2-1-0-1.

• Game summary
• AHL standings

Cleveland out-shot Iowa, 28-12, but Iowa's Alex Stalock was perfect in goal. Anton Forsberg stopped 9 of 11 shots to fall to 13-10-2.

Iowa got on the board at 13:03 of the first period on an unassisted goal by forward Mario Lucia, his ninth. Iowa managed just three shots in the period.

The Wild managed just six shots in the second period, but scored the only goal of the session at 6:31 by Christoph Bertschy.

Teemu Pulkkinen scored an empty-netter at 18:17 of the third to close the scoring.

He's back: The Columbus Blue Jackets assigned defenseman Dean Kukan to the Monsters on Thursday. Kukan, 23, who was recalled on Monday, has a goal and 12 assists and a +4 plus/minus rating in 37 games with the Monsters.

He's signed, again: Joe Devin signed a professional tryout contract with the Monsters on Thursday. Devin appeared in 16 games with the Monsters last year and has also played for San Antonio Rampage. He has been playing with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays this season.

Up next: After Saturday's game with Iowa, the Monsters play at the Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday at 8 p.m., then at Iowa on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ... The Monsters will return to the Q to face the Manitoba Moose on Friday at 7 p.m. and Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. ... The Monsters go out for a seven-game road trip beginning Feb. 15 with stops in Rockford, Iowa, Chicago and Charlotte.

No. 14 Medina basketball had a first-quarter shutout of No. 18 Brunswick as the Bees won, 64-41.

MEDINA, Ohio — A first-quarter shutout defensively helped propel Medina past Greater Cleveland Conference rival Brunswick, 64-41, on Friday to keep the Bees atop the conference.

The Bees (15-3, 10-2 GCC), ranked No. 14 in the clevleand.com Top 25, started the game on a 10-0 run and shut out the No. 18 Blue Devils (13-6, 7-4) for the first 8:28 of the game.

“We know how good they are offensively at running sets,” Medina coach Chris Hassinger said. “(Brunswick) coach (Joe) Mackey does a great job of gameplanning. We knew it was going to be a chess match tonight. So we knew we were going to have to play defense, something we haven’t done much of this first part of the season.”

Jackson Sartain led Medina with 16 points, 14 of which came in the fourth quarter. Luke Schaefer added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds.

The Bees never trailed in the game. Brunswick cut the deficit to two points in the second quarter before Medina ended the half on a 9-2 run.

Medina didn’t a 3-pointer until the fourth quarter. Until then, Schaefer and the Bees did their damage in the paint, attacking Brunswick’s interior defense.

“I feel like across the board, we’re a little bit bigger than them,” Schaefer said. “Sometimes, we go bigger with Jimmy Daw and Sam McKee. Sometimes when we get that mismatch, we’ve got to go inside and get the easy bucket.”

Sam McKee shows off the arm with the long outlet to Jimmy Daw for @medinaathletics. #neovarsity pic.twitter.com/dclyBi7Pi5

— Tim Bielik (@bielik_tim) February 4, 2017

The Bees opened the third and fourth quarter with big runs as well. They used a 10-2 run to start the second half, and Sartain had 14 straight points to put the game away in the fourth as part of a 14-3 run. He hit all four of his 3-pointers in the run.

“In the first half, they were kind of face-guarding me. It was way harder for me to get open,” Sartain said. “The second half, they switched to a press and they left gaps. I just took advantage of them.”

Kyle Goessler led Brunswick with 18 points. Keith Simmons, who had six points, was the only other Brunswick player to make more than one field goal.

“That’s the best they’ve played us probably in the last six, seven years on that end of the floor,” Mackey said. “Give them credit. They took Keith’s driving lanes away and they gave some of our other guys some perimeter shots. Like I said, it wasn’t that we didn’t have any good shots in the first half. We just couldn’t make any.”

Medina hosts No. 5 Garfield Heights on Saturday, and Brunswick hosts Strongsville on Feb. 10.

Sergio Garcia is in the hunt at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- George Coetzee was the clubhouse leader by one shot as of suspension of the second round at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in United Arab Emirates. High winds and visibility issues halted play.

• OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC TEE TIMES

The conclusion of the second round of this European Tour event begins late tonight Eastern Time. Dubai, Arab Emirates is 9 hours ahead of ET.

Coetzee shot 3-under through eight holes Friday and was 9-under overall. First-round leader Sergio Garcia was 1-under through five holes and 8-under overall.   

The biggest news from Desert Classic Day 2 was Tiger Woods' withdrawal because of back spasms. Woods shot 5-over 77 in the first round but failed to start the second.

Woods, ranked in the high-600s in the world, was 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 major winners from last year, Henrik Stenson (Open Championship) and Danny Willett (Masters), are in the field. Stenson and Willett are ranked fourth and 13th in the world, respectively.

• OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC LEADERBOARD

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 played in 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. He 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 having played in Dubai meant 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.)

Senior guard Isaiah Washington scored 41 points, giving relief to teammate Tyshaun Howard, as East Tech celebrated another boys basketball city championship in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The final seconds ticked down Friday night in the Senate League championship, and Tyshaun Howard easily put in the final two points that sealed East Tech’s fourth straight title.

Teammates embraced him, a mass of brown and gold jerseys at center court celebrated the Scarabs’ 71-66 boys basketball win against Glenville.

East Tech (14-5) has met the Tarblooders (16-4) four straight times in this game.

Each one is more difficult, coach Brett Moore said.

This one came a year after Markell Johnson — now playing at North Carolina State — scored 47 to lead a win against their city rivals.

“All of them are hard in their own right, but it’s getting more and more difficult,” Moore said, “because there’s a target on our back.”

This time with a mostly new squad, except for Howard and a select few.

One of the newcomers, Rhodes transfer Isaiah Washington, scored 41 points as a new lead guard.

Sample of the back-and-forth nature of this one. pic.twitter.com/TkRwVrTKqk

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) February 4, 2017

“When I saw him play, I thought he was something special,” Moore said. “It was just a matter of getting him to come out of his shell. He’s real reserved.”

Washington and Arron Pate missed the first 11 games because of OHSAA regulations.

Friday just the eighth game East Tech played with this core.

It had an experience disadvantage. It also lost to Glenville earlier this season, and the Tarblooders — ranked No. 23 in the cleveland.com Top 25 — entered as the tournament’s top seed.

A flurry of emotions during the game, Moore worked up a sweat before the opening tip. His tie loosened within the first few minutes.

He watched as his team jumped out to an 8-0 lead, a short-lived advantage. Glenville rallied back by the end of the quarter, and each of the first three ended with a tie score.

East Tech seized control in the final four minutes after the leaded traded numerous times. Each time East Tech took the lead, it came courtesy of a dagger of a 3-pointer by Washington.

“Last year Glenville took us out of the playoffs when I was at Rhodes,” Washington said, “so it was personal. I had to get the win.”

Glenville led by four until Jose Peraza’s 3-pointer began East Tech’s late surge.

Nelson Wheatley led the Tarblooders with 10 points, while 6-foot-10 senior center Phillip Lundy added nine points and eight blocks that changed the game’s complexion. East Tech’s offense stalled at times with Lundy in the middle, but it charged up for 16-7 run to close it.

Peraza scored 11 points. Howard added eight, but brought so much more to a team in transition this season.

“He had a chance to learn the ropes and play in this environment,” Moore said. “Last year he stepped into a bigger role, and he just took that momentum and built on it.”

The 6-2 senior guard led East Tech in scoring before Washington and Pate returned. Howard is OK with scoring less.

“It was real hard,” Howard said. “I had to do a lot more. Now that they’re back, I can lay off.

“A lot of people didn’t think we’d make it this far, even to play Glenville. This is real special to me.”

Howard left the East Professional Center in Cleveland with a Senate League trophy in one hand and a present in the other. He peeked through the Christmas wrapping paper to find new shoes.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Brendan Steele and Byeong-Hun An are tied for the lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour's Waste Management Phoenix Open.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The PGA Tour's Waste Management Phoenix Open, where players and fans annually put on quite a show, unfolds Thursday through Sunday at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

Brendan Steele and Byeong-Hun An are tied for the lead after two rounds at 10-under, with Match Kutcher, Hideki Matsuyama and Martin Laird in a group one shot back.

Others competing: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson.

• Waste Management tee times

Spieth has won eight PGA Tour titles, including two majors. He is ranked sixth in the world.

Thomas, Spieth's close friend, is seeking to win his third straight PGA Tour start. In five official starts in the 2016-17 season, he has finished T8, 1, T23, 1 and 1. The two most recent victories came on the Hawaii swing. Thomas is ranked eighth in the world.

Matsuyama, defending champion at Waste Management, is ranked fifth in the world.

Rahm won the Farmers Insurance Open last week in California.

Fowler, world No. 14, is one of the game's most popular players.

Watson and Mickelson have won a combined five Masters and own tremendous resumes at TPC Scottsdale.

• Waste Management leaderboard

Players are extra-motivated at this event because of huge galleries that take pride in making noise. The par-3 16th hole, in particular, is famous for creating a football-type atmosphere in a stadium setting.

Saturday's live leaderboard:

PGA TOUR
WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN
Site: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Course: TPC Scottsdale. Yardage: 7,216. Par: 71.
Purse: $6.7 million (First place: $1,206,000).
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS Sports).
Defending champion: Hideki Matsuyama.
Last week: Jon Rahm won the Farmers Insurance Open.
Notes: Justin Thomas is playing for the first time since sweeping the Hawaii events. The last player to win three consecutive PGA Tour events was Rory McIlroy in 2014 (British Open, Bridgestone Invitational, PGA Championship). ... Jordan Spieth at No. 5 is the highest-ranked player in the field. ... Rickie Fowler last year had a two-shot lead with two holes to play until losing to Matsuyama in a playoff. Fowler, coming off a victory in Abu Dhabi, has not won anywhere in the world since then. ... Steve Stricker makes his 2017 debut. He turns 50 in three weeks. ... Harris English is playing for the last time before getting married next week. ... The tournament last year reported having 618,364 fans for the week. ... Phil Mickelson has another opportunity to become the first four-time winner of the event. A victory also would give Mickelson seven victories in Arizona, breaking a tie with Johnny Miller. ... Mickelson (twice), Mark Calcavecchia and Grant Waite hold the course record of 60. ... Asked if he would be willing to allow caddie races on the 16th hole that the PGA Tour banned, Commissioner Jay Monahan said he "doesn't expect to see any change on that front."
Next week: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)