Joe Thomas, a huge Deflategate critic, loved watching Roger Goodell's cool reception on the SB51 stage. He also doesn't believe the Browns tried to keep Alex Mack. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns outspoken left tackle Joe Thomas was looking forward to watching Roger Goodell squirm if Tom Brady won the Super Bowl 51 and MVP.

And when it actually went down, the awkward exchanges and boos during the trophy ceremony didn't disappoint Thomas, a vocal critic of Deflategate.

"I especially enjoyed how over-eager Roger was to smile at all the Patriots and give them a big handshake, but then as soon as he gave them the trophy he scurried off the stage like a rat," Thomas told Pro Football Talk Live Thursday morning. "It was awesome."        

Four days before the Super Bowl, Thomas, who spent the week in Houston, told cleveland.com that he wanted his good friend Alex Mack to win a Super bowl with the Falcons, but that was looking for justice for Brady, who was suspended the first four games of the season.

"I can find happiness in both situations,'' he said. "Of course I'd love to see Alex win a Super Bowl, but I'd certainly I'd love the situation if Goodell, Brady and Mr. Kraft were all on the stage together, so I'm not going to show my cards on (which one I'd like best).''

Thomas, who watched is ironman friend play Super Bowl 51 on the re-broken fibula, wasn't jealous that Mack landed in the biggest game of the year after signing with the Falcons in are agency.

"I'm not a jealous person and I don't really ever think about what could've been or what maybe could've been, stuff like that,'' Thomas said. "I live in the moment and I don't ever regret trying to be part of the turnaround in Cleveland and my goal is still to turn this team around before my career is over and so I still think I have a chance to do that. I'm hopeful I get to the Super Bowl before I'm done playing and I think it's a realistic opportunity still.''

Mack, who remains close to Thomas, admires his loyalty to the Browns.

"Joe's commitment to Cleveland is commendable,'' he said. "His dream is alive to be part of that turnaround.''

He said the Browns didn't seem genuinely interested in keeping him. Ultimately, he signed a five-year, $45 million deal with the Falcons, including $28.5 million guaranteed.

"I'm not sure if there were any proposals even traded to be honest,'' he said. "I don't think either side was interested.''

Thomas believes Mack, a 2017 Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro, would've stayed if the money were right.

"I'd say if they would've beaten Atlanta's offer he would've stayed, but I think the disinterest was mutual at that point and I think the Browns weren't willing to pay a center what Atlanta was,'' he said. "So it kind of became a moot point and I don't think they were going to waste each other's time even negotiating.''

Mack told cleveland.com that the Browns "were definitely in the mix when I became a free agent. It was 'do I want to stay here or do I want to see what else is out there.' I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of teams, but the Falcons put together a really tempting offer the I couldn't refuse.''

Would he have stayed if they had beaten the offer?

"The Falcons did a good job of having the combination of an established quarterback, an offense I knew I could be successful in, and the numbers worked out as well,'' he said. "I was excited to give it a chance out here.''

While Mack helped the Falcons become the No. 1 offense in the NFL, Browns second-year center Cam Erving struggled at times and ultimately moved to right tackle, where he'll likely get another look next season. The Browns, who started rookie Anthony Fabiano at center in the season finale and have Austin Reiter coming off a torn ACL, will continue to look for their center. Whoever it is, he'll have a tough act to follow.

"Alex is the best center in the NFL,'' Thomas said. "He's the most technically sound center in the NFL. And he's one of the biggest and strongest, so a lot of the centers you see today are kind of smaller, undersized guys that are smart players that they throw at center because in a lot of schemes the center gets a double-team on every play and really doesn't ever have to block a big guy one-on-one.

"But Alex is one of those rare centers who's big and strong to go along with the quick and fast. He plays hard and smart and all of those other things. But he's able to have those blocks that a lot of guys can't handle.''

Still, he was happy for Mack's success after all the losing seasons in Cleveland.

"I know he was suffering a long time with us and he didn't even have the great first season that I did,'' said Thomas. "For him to finally be able to taste that success is great.''

But he may have loved Goodell's cool post-game reception even more.

Scott "Scooter" Wombold, former Pilot VP, argues he wasn't informed of his right to remain silent as agents questioned him for two hours while not allowing him to use his phone.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A former vice president of the truck stop chain owned by the family of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam wants a judge to throw out statements he made to federal investigators.

Scott "Scooter" Wombold is among eight former Pilot Flying J executives charged with conspiracy to defraud trucking company customers.

A Wednesday court filing says Wombold was working as the vice president of national accounts for Pilot when investigators descended on the Knoxville offices in 2013 and ordered everyone to step away from their computers and raise their hands above their heads.

Wombold argues he wasn't informed of his right to remain silent as agents questioned him for two hours while not allowing him to use his phone.

It seems as though Jimmy Garoppolo could be had this offseason, but why would the Patriots be so eager to move him? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jimmy Garoppolo is already one of the most intriguing names of this NFL offseason. The Patriots backup quarterback could be traded this offseason to some quarterback-hungry team and, well, the Browns are one of those teams.

One of the questions about Garoppolo, though, is why, if he's so good, would the Patriots trade him in the first place? Mary Kay Cabot, Scott Patsko and I discussed that topic during our podcast that was posted earlier this week. You can listen to that segment in the video above.

You can also listen to the entire podcast -- including an expanded discussion on Garoppolo -- in the player below. 

Listen via SoundCloud below or Subscribe to the cleveland.com Sports podcasts channel on iTunes (click the link or search cleveland.com Sports podcasts).

Here's where to watch, listen and stream the Cleveland Cavaliers' game vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers play Game 52 of the 2016 NBA season Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here's how to watch, listen and stream the action online.

What: Cleveland Cavaliers (36-15) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-23).
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena.
When: 8 p.m.
TV: TNT.
Radio: WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM La Mega.
Online: Watch TNT.

OKC notable: The Thunder is 5-11 versus the Cavaliers during the Oklahoma City era. In this span, OKC is 3-5 at home vs. CLE and 2-6 on the road against the Cavaliers. Russell Westbrook's triple-double against Cleveland on Jan. 29 was his first ever against the Cavaliers.

Cleveland notable: In their first meeting this season, the Cavs limited the Thunder to 37-100 (.370) shooting including a 6-23 (.231) mark from the three-point line; In addition, Cleveland held Oklahoma City without a three-point field goal in the first half, marking the third time this season the Cavs have done so.

Catch the coverage from before the game; join in the live chat starting at tipoff; and stick around for full postgame coverage. For all Cavs information, be sure to check out cleveland.com/cavs.

It was hard to quibble with any of James' points, especially as the team was becoming too reliant on James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A little more than two weeks ago, LeBron James sat at his locker inside the Smoothie King Center and let out months of frustration in a lengthy rant that covered the Cleveland Cavaliers' mismanagement, readiness of some of the bench players, the need for a playmaker and the Cavs being "top heavy."

It was hard to quibble with any of James' points, especially as the team was becoming too reliant on James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

It seems James' teammates got the message. 

Kyle Korver has helped stabilize the bench, growing more comfortable after a midseason trade that initially had his head spinning with information overload. Tristan Thompson has become more of an offensive threat. Iman Shumpert, before his recent ankle sprain, had been looking better with the starting lineup.

In all eight games since that verbal eruption, at least one player outside Cleveland's Big Three has scored in double figures. In many cases -- a stretch in which the Cavaliers are 6-2 -- multiple guys have provided a much-needed offensive lift.

In a recent win against Minnesota while Love was sidelined with a sore lower back, Channing Frye stepped into his spot and scored 18 points. Thompson poured in 18 as well, helping the Cavs overcome Irving's lackluster shooting night (5-of-18 from the field), something that hasn't always been viable. 

It happened again to open the roadtrip against New York.

Love and James led the way, combining for 55 points. But Frye, Korver and Thompson chipped in with double figures as well, helping survive another game without Irving, who sat because of a sore quad.  

Wednesday's win against Indiana was another example, with Korver scoring 29 points, tied for the team lead, on 8-of-9 from 3-point range.

"I got a lot of great looks," Korver told reporters after the game. "Nothing gets a shooter open like more shooting and LeBron and Kyrie. You kind of got to pick your poison in some ways."

That was General Manager David Griffin's thinking when assembling the roster and then he reconfirmed that vision by acquiring Korver about one month ago.

With defenses focused on the Big Three, Korver can be the pressure release, someone else to lighten the offensive load.

He has reached double figures in six of eight games since James' call for help.

"I've been making a lot of plays, I've been a playmaker pretty much my whole life," James said. "I'm able to just slow down plays and know what's going to happen before it happens and hopefully the one thing that you have to have is you hope your teammates are on the same wavelength as you as well, but a couple of Kyle's 3s I was able to just kind of instinct the play before it happened and it worked good for us."

Thompson has benefitted from that as well. Whether it's James or Irving operating the pick and roll, the attention on that duo has left Thompson open near the rim.

Known for his defense and rebounding, Thompson scored 22 points during Monday's signature overtime win against the Washington Wizards, which was his third straight game scoring in double figures before having the streak snapped last night against the Pacers.

"At the end of the day when you come in this locker room it's what's best for the team, and we got a lot of guys that are specialists," Thompson said recently. "Whether it's shooting or Kyrie and LeBron making and scoring, guys got to do what their role is and be a star in their role. So for me just play hard and competing. There's gonna be nights where you're going to score. There are gonna be nights when you don't score, but you still get impact the game. So, at the end of the day as long as we sacrifice and do what's best for the team, that's all that matters."

There hasn't been a drastic philosophical shift. James, Irving and Love will still lead the way. Cleveland won't suddenly be going 11 or 12 deep most nights.

But sharing the responsibility is important if the champs want to have enough left for a repeat. It's what James was getting at when making those controversial comments.

Recently, they've answered the challenge, showing they aren't as imbalanced as it once appeared.

Major League Baseball needs to be open to changes that shorten games, shorten seasons and increase action.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Take the regular season from 162 games to 140, make games eight innings instead of nine and drop that repetitive extra l in the name - call it basebal.

Anything that gives you less baseball is better baseball.

Major League Baseball testing a plan in the low minors this year that would put a runner at second base at the start of every extra inning is a worthy experiment. It's a way to avoid those endless games into the wee hours. Commissioner Rob Manfred is focused on speeding up the game, and he's also proposed raising and expanding the strike zone and dropping the four-pitch intentional walk. This has been a push for Manfred since he assumed his role in 2015, and he reaffirmed to Yahoo Sports this week he wants baseball as "tight and compelling" as possible.

Just watch where you say that. 

Talking with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima on 92.3 The Fan on Thursday morning, I said baseball would eventually die if didn't speed up, an opinion quickly disputed on social media by some fans. That makes sense. Those who love baseball don't want it to change.

But none of this is about the people who love baseball.

A quick internet search of "is baseball dying" reveals the endless discussion of the topic, with half the headlines explaining why the game is in trouble and the other half explaining why those articles are wrong and the game is thriving.

There's a lot to be said about the "unbearable whiteness of baseball" or the "simmering culture war" that's waged against the backdrop of old timers rebelling against expressions of personality, and how the different backgrounds and nationalities of players affects that.

But again, we're just talking about putting a runner on second.

Listen to our podcast preview of the Indians spring training with Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes

Manfred, clearly, is focused on fun, and he should be, and there's always a worry about what kids think of the game. 

You can find plenty of reasons why baseball is fine just the way it is, including the boffo TV ratings for the World Series.

But postseason games last about three hours and 30 minutes. Regular season games are three hours long, half an hour longer than 40 years ago. Manfred has addressed pace of play already, with a pitch clock instituted in the minors. But after a brief shortening of games in 2015, they went back over the three-hour mark last year.

So baseball knows the deal. Manfred will continue to push, which he must, and the game will continue to experiment. 

Baseball's connection to history and statistics has always been its strength and its weakness, the ability and insistence on comparing Mike Trout to Mickey Mantle and Ken Griffey Jr. both a bonus and a burden. I saw one Twitter discussion about the proposed runner-on-second rule change for extra innings centering on whether the pitcher would be charged an earned run if that runner scored.

That's not a discussion that's going to help the game. Let stats accent your game, not control it.

So try this idea, then try the next one. Tinker in the minors and in spring training, but don't fear changing the game at the major league level. The best plan may be one gigantic overhaul, a line in the sand for the purists who can talk about the game before the change and after. But the focus for the switch would be for entertainment and interest and fun and watchability, not a middle reliever's stat line or the ability to debate Cory Kluber vs. Catfish Hunter.

Will baseball die if it doesn't change?

What if it just changed enough that no one asked that question again?

Cleveland.com sports columnists Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises look back at Super Bowl LI and what it all meant as part of their video debate series Prepare for List Off. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The biggest comeback in Super Bowl history could not have happened without some sketchy play calling by the Atlanta Falcons.

 But we should all be able to agree that only one team in the NFL - and only one quarterback -- could've come back from a 28-3 deficit.

We can also say the game settled one disagreement. But enough about cleveland.com sports columnist Doug Lesmerises picking Atlanta while I picked the Patriots.

What Super Bowl LI showed in addition to my superior football knowledge (please  don't look at my 2016 Browns picks) was first and foremost that Tom Brady has no equal.

(Doug would want me to interrupt here to say the only person luckier than me was Brady on the throw that Julian Edelman juggled and caught. I'll give him that much.)

You don't win five Super Bowls without having the best quarterback and the best head coach. Though Bill Belichick is more of a Bon Jovi fan than a Lady Gaga fan, he celebrated her appearance by showing the Falcons the best poker face this side of Vegas.

Hear us out and let us know who got closer to explaining the important takeaways from Super Bowl LI.

We already know who picked the game correctly.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Brendon White has gotten so comfortable with the constant comparisons to Darron Lee that it doesn't really matter that he's starting out at Ohio State as a wide receiver.  "He's a first-round guy," White said of Lee. "He's starting for the New York Jets. I mean, who can go wrong with the first round? I'll be...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Brendon White has gotten so comfortable with the constant comparisons to Darron Lee that it doesn't really matter that he's starting out at Ohio State as a wide receiver. 

"He's a first-round guy," White said of Lee. "He's starting for the New York Jets. I mean, who can go wrong with the first round? I'll be excited for that." 

The Lee comparisons made sense when White was a four-star athlete at Powell (Ohio) Olentangy, where he played quarterback, safety and any other position his coaches needed. White is tremendously versatile. 

Which is why Luke Fickell fell in love with him in the recruiting process. He saw an athletic -- and, more importantly, fast -- prospect who could bulk up and play outside linebacker. 

Lee played quarterback at New Albany, Ohio, and came to Ohio State as a face in the back of the crowd. He got bigger, earned a starting spot at linebacker, and, well, White told you the rest. 

White is just a prospect in a 2017 recruiting class stacked with five-star prospects. He could turn out to be a first-round draft pick. 

The comparison makes too much sense.

Except for one thing: White isn't a linebacker right now. 

Find a new comparison. 

"I like Michael Thomas," White responded. "Michael Thomas is really, really good. He has good hands. He ran a 4.6 (40-yard dash) and I ran a 4.56, so we have a good comparison. We both have strong hands. It took him a while to learn his routes, and I feel like I can do the same thing."

Of course White picked Thomas, a former second-round pick who is now one of the top emerging receivers in the NFL. You can't blame a kid for dreaming. But White wasn't the one who came up with that comparison. 

Urban Meyer did.

Early in White's recruitment, when it was still unclear what position he'd play in college, Meyer brought up the Thomas comparison. White liked that comparison better than Lee because he always wanted to play receiver. 

Then one more thing happened in White's favor: Noah Brown unexpectedly left. 

"When I first got here, Coach Meyer brought me into his office and was like 'Right now we're down,' " White said. "Noah Brown left, which was a shock to him, so he said he's going to try me out at wide receiver."

The idea that White would play linebacker still makes a lot of sense, but if Ohio State has a bigger need at receiver -- and it certainly seems as if they do heading into spring -- then there's no harm in giving White a shot. 

Right now, White has two numbers -- one for offense and one for defense. 

The way he understands it, is that being receiver is a trial. He's an early-enrollee, so the Buckeyes have time to experiment. 

"(My versatility) definitely helps because it helps coaches know I can play all types of positions," White said. "If I play receiver and I'm struggling with that, I can go straight to linebacker and help with that. If I'm playing linebacker and struggling, I can go to safety."

So will White stay at receiver? 

It depends on how he does. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers are terrific. Major League Baseball is misguided. I talked about both Thursday (Feb. 9) on Baskin & Phelps on 92.3 The Fan.

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

We began by talking pineapple on pizza, then quickly switched to the Cleveland Cavaliers. All I wanted to do was rave about the Cavs for the entire segment -- because they deserve it after tremendous road victories Monday against Washington (140-135 OT) and Wednesday against Indiana (132-117).

Yes, the Cavs opened their four-game trip with a victory against the Knicks last Saturday (111-104), but victories against the Knicks don't carry enough weight.

The trip ends tonight in Oklahoma City. I told B&P that I hope the Big 3 rests, even though it is a national-TV game. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue can't worry about hurting the feelings of season-ticket holders; his responsibility is to take care of his players and get them ready for April.

I was in a great mood on the show ... until Phelps switched gears and asked about Major League Baseball's obsession with shortening games. It triggered a rant.

I am beyond sick and tired of reading/hearing/seeing what MLB is doing to its product. As long as MLB continues to talk about how its games are too long, people will believe they are too long.

If the product is fun and entertaining, no one cares how long it lasts.

Where baseball is concerned, the longer the better.

Doug Lesmerises and Zack Meisel rank the five thrilling championship finishes of 2016-17 in the latest edition of the Takes By The Lake podcast. They also welcome Paul Hoynes to the studio for a spring training preview.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Let's think back to five championship games or series in the last calendar year.

Villanova topped North Carolina on a buzzer beater to put the finishing touches on everyone's busted brackets.

The Cavaliers ended a 52-year championship hex for Cleveland with a historic comeback against Golden State.

The Indians and Cubs, owners of the two longest title droughts in Major League Baseball, needed extra innings in Game 7 to decide the World Series.

Clemson beat Alabama in the last second of their College Football Playoff championship game rematch.

And the Patriots erased a 25-point deficit to knock off the Falcons in the Super Bowl.

2016-17 Was the Greatest Sports Year of All Time pic.twitter.com/u9QjrM3vSG

-- Leap Sports Mixes (@sports_mixes) February 7, 2017

So which of those five thrilling finishes provided the best theater? Doug Lesmerises and Zack Meisel rank the five in the latest edition of the Takes By The Lake podcast. They also welcome Paul Hoynes to the studio for a spring training preview. The Indians will kick off the new season in a few days in the Arizona desert.

Listen to our podcast below. Download it on SoundCloud or on iTunes. Tell your friends to do the same. And if you have any ideas for a theme song for the podcast, let us know on Twitter, @DougLesmerises and @ZackMeisel.

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. 8: LeBron James still in Miami? Big Ben a Brown? Cleveland sports what-ifs

Ep. 7: Will 'Melo or Garoppolo come to Cleveland?

Ep. 6: Who deserves the next Cleveland sports statues?

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

Bob Costas is stepping down from his role as prime-time host of NBC's Olympics coverage, where he will be replaced next winter in South Korea by Mike Tirico.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Bob Costas is stepping down from his role as prime-time host of NBC's Olympics coverage, where he will be replaced next winter in South Korea by Mike Tirico.

Costas has been the on-air concierge to NBC's Olympics 11 times, starting in 1992. He warmed up as the late-night host in Seoul in 1988.

Costas, 64, said he's not retiring from the business, but entering the "Tom Brokaw phase" of his career. Brokaw, the former NBC "Nightly News" anchor, is a commentator at big news events and makes documentaries.

The Olympics role requires the host to set the stage for the night's telecast, guide viewers on switches to different venues, handle news if it breaks and conduct on-air interviews. It was a job popularized by ABC's Jim McKay in the 1970s. Costas paid tribute to McKay in making his announcement Thursday on the "Today" show.

"I was lucky because I was surrounded by tremendous colleagues -- and we kept getting the rights to it," Costas said.

Tirico was considered the heir apparent for the role since he was hired by NBC from ESPN last year. Costas said it was his choice to leave and although the decision denies him a victory lap in Pyeongchang in 2018, his most recent Winter Olympics memory may not be that pleasant. In Sochi, Russia, in 2014, Costas was sidelined for six days because of an eye infection.

He said his favorite Olympics memory was in Atlanta in 1996, when Muhammad Ali, despite his Parkinson's disease, was a surprise torchbearer who lit the flame at the stadium.

"Somehow even in that condition he was just as charismatic and magnetic as he's always been," Costas said.

Costas and Tirico, 50, have a tie that goes way back. They both graduated from Syracuse University, where Tirico was the first recipient of a scholarship in Costas' name. Tirico debuted with NBC as part of its team in Rio last summer.

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

How is Brantley's rehab going from August surgery on his right shoulder and should he be farther along than just hitting off a tee?

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

Hey, Hoynsie: I read your recent article about Michael Brantley hitting off of a tee in late January. While some may see that as encouraging, let's be real. It's the start of February and that's all he's doing? Hitting off a tee? - Tim Fox, Frederick, Md.

Hey, Tim: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. I just had to say that.

Look, I think there is legitimate concern among the Indians' front office and coaching staff about the state of Brantley's shoulder. But I don't think getting upset about tee work should be on your front burner.

There's still a lot of time before opening day. He's had more time to recover from his August surgery than he did from the original surgery in November of 2015. But the real story will be how the shoulder responds when he starts swinging the bat daily in practice and games.

Last year the shoulder rebelled whenever Brantley reached that point. All the Indians can do is help Brantley stay on his rehab program and wait for the final test.

@hoynsie i was thinking if trade for Lucroy went through we'd never have signed EE so things worked out well. You agree?
Nik Z Youngstown

-- Nik (@realnikz) February 7, 2017

Hey, Nik: I think the Indians would have signed Edwin Encarnacion, or someone like him, even if Jonathan Lucroy had approved last year's trade. Lucroy's club option for 2017 was $5.25 million -- about the same base salary that the Indians are paid Boone Logan.

So maybe they wouldn't have been able to sign Logan if Lucroy OK'd the deal. But Encarnacion, or another big hitter, was almost assuredly coming the Indians' way in preparation for 2017.

Hey, Hoynsie: Are the Indians committed to Trevor Bauer as a definite rotation starter headed into spring training? Has he earned the right not to compete with the likes of Mike Clevinger and Ryan Merritt for a spot in the rotation? Either one might be more productive and consistent. - Marty Gitlin, North Olmsted.

Hey, Marty: I think the Indians are committed to Bauer as a starter. Last spring was different because Cody Anderson was coming off a strong season, but this spring Anderson is recovering from right elbow surgery and Clevinger and Merritt have yet to consistently pitch well in the big leagues as starters.

Anderson, remember, opened last year in the rotation, while Bauer went to the bullpen. But it didn't last long.

@hoynsie Statue idea: Lofton being hoisted after the Miracle Comeback or after he scored from 2nd in the 95 ALCS. Thoughts? Kurt Ramage, NR

-- Kurt Ramage (@kurtramage) February 4, 2017

Hey, Kurt: As you know I'm a fan of statues at ballparks. If I had to chose between your two Kenny Lofton moments, I'd go for Lofton's scoring sprint from second base in the ALCS clincher against Seattle at the Kingdome in 1995. It's still one of the best baserunning plays I've ever seen.

Hey, Hoynsie: How accessible are the practice and minor league fields in Goodyear, Ariz.? Thinking about a week in the desert and would like to experience the behind the scenes action on the days the Tribe isn't playing at home. - Dwain Slave, Dade City, Fla.

Hey, Dwain: When the Indians play a Cactus League game on the road, they don't take the whole team with them. About half the team will stay at their practice facility in Goodyear.

If they stay on the main practice fields, access is limited. But if they use the minor league fields, access is good.

When the minor leaguers report to camp in March and start playing games on the lower fields, the access is good as well.

@hoynsie how does Boone Logan impact the bullpen? Willie K'ville, TN

-- Willie Hood (@WillHoo99) February 4, 2017

Hey, Willie: The Indians needed another lefty in the bullpen to go with Andrew Miller. Manager Terry Francona made it clear that he wanted someone who could retire the hitters he was supposed to retire. The one thing he didn't want was a lefty just to have a second lefty.

Logan has a track record of getting left-handed hitters out, which can't do anything but help an already good bullpen.

@hoynsie hey hoynsie. Do you see the Indians adding a utility infielder before they break camp? Paul from Youngstown

-- Paul Magada (@pjmagg) February 4, 2017

Hey, Paul: The Indians already have a couple of candidates in Michael Martinez and Erik Gonzalez. They also have Jose Ramirez, who can play third, shortstop, second and left field. Not to mention Yandy Diaz, who has spent the last couple of seasons moving from second to third base and the outfield.

There are rumors that the Tribe has interest in veteran second baseman Chase Utley, perhaps in a utility role.

So answer is yes, the Indians will add a utility player before they break camp. Where he comes from is the mystery.

@hoynsie Hey Hoynsie, who do u predict to win starting C job? Matt D Middleburg HTS

-- Matt Decker (@m3decker) February 4, 2017

Hey, Matt: It's going to be interesting to see who emerges from spring training as the starting catcher. Yan Gomes, if healthy, probably has an edge, but he hasn't been sound for two years.

Roberto Perez, meanwhile, did nothing but help himself with a good showing behind the plate during the Tribe's postseason run last season. Perez is committed to play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in March meaning he could miss a chunk of camp. Gomes could make that work to his advantage.

One thing is certain, the Indians are going to be strong behind the plate in 2017.

@hoynsie are the Indians getting new home uniforms ? Jack, Lancaster

-- Jack Davidson (@Revjack56) February 4, 2017

Hey, Jack: No, but the Indians are doing away with the cream colored uniforms that they wore on holidays and weekends at Progressive Field. They will still wear their home whites with a blue cap, red bill and a Chief Wahoo logo on the front. Their alternate home uniform will feature a blue top, white pants and a red cap with a blue block C.

The Red cap with the blue block C is holdover from the discarded cream uniforms. The Indians could be in for a uniform change in 2018.

@hoynsie Tyler, Lexington I noticed that we signed Wily Mo Pena what are the chances that he actually makes the big league club?

-- Tyler Johnson (@T_Johnson_TJ) February 4, 2017

Hey, Tyler: This is no knock on Pena, but if he appears in the big leagues with the Indians this year, something has gone wrong.

Terrell Owens didn't make the cut from 15 to 10 in Hall of Fame balloting Saturday. Here's how I voted. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As one of 48 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors, I voted for Terrell Owens in the cut from 15 to 10 on Saturday and was disappointed he didn't make it.

Had he made it to 10, I would've voted for him in the cut to five. I also voted for him last year in 15 to 10 and would've considered making him a first ballot Hall of Famer.

I supported for Owens on the strength of his on-the-field performance, and largely ignored his character, as I'm instructed to do by the Hall by-laws. But there's a gray area here in that if a player's disruptive behavior spills over into the locker room and impacts the team's on-field performance, it can be factored in.

I'm somewhat of a purist on this issue, though, and I believe that on-field accomplishments should be the sole criteria, or at least the overriding one.

Owens' candidacy reminds me of that of Charles Haley, the ferocious 49ers and Cowboys pass-rusher. Like Owens, he was disruptive and a pain in the ass. His first five times as a finalist, his antics were hotly debated, and they hurt him in the room. Finally, in 2015, his extraordinary accomplishments, including helping his teams win five Super Bowls, won out and he was voted in.

But it's not as easy as you might think in the room, and it's impossible to fully understand it unless you've experienced it.

Philadelphia Daily News columnist Paul Domowitch made a convincing presentation for Owens, and if I hadn't already been sold, he would've have swayed me.

"This was a size-speed freak who was literally uncoverable,'' Domowitch wrote this week. "This was a guy who broke his leg and tore ligaments in his ankle in 2004 and came back to play for the Eagles in the Super Bowl six weeks later and catch nine passes for 122 yards.''

But there's strong anti-TO sentiment in the room, and I can see this raging on for another few years.

Even some current Hall of Famers don't want Owens in their hallowed club, and they now have a voice in the room with Dan Fouts and James Lofton voting for the first time this year. In an interview Wednesday on The Midday 180 in Nashville, Fouts indicated he was a no.

"I think his numbers are very worthy, but again on the other side of it, I think his actions on and off the field, on the sidelines, in the locker room, and the fact he played for so many teams and was such a great player, the question that comes back to me is if he was such a great player, why did so many of those teams get rid of him? And I think we all know the answers," Fouts said Wednesday on The Midday 180 in Nashville, via ESPN.com. "I think he did receive a fair evaluation of his career, both pros and cons.

"But obviously ripping the Hall of Fame in the process (as Owens did Saturday night), what good is that going to do? I just don't understand that. I didn't understand a lot of things he did in his career."

Last year, when Owens missed the cut, Hall of Fame personnel executive Bill Polian told the Talk of Fame Network, "The Hall of Fame ought to be for people who make their teams better, not for those who disrupt them and make them worse."

The numbers, however, don't support that. Owens' teams had a .640 win percentage, and made the playoffs eight times. In 1998, when he caught 14 TDs, the 49ers went 12-4. They also went 12-4 in '01 when he caught 16, and the Eagles went 13-3 when he caught 14 in 2004. He also played in one Super Bowl with the Eagles, but they lost.

Still, his stellar numbers speak for themselves: second in the NFL in receiving yards, third in TD catches, eight double-digit TD catch seasons, five-time first-team All-Pros and more. But the stats don't tell the whole story, according to Owens' critics.

"His supporters argue that Owens has Hall of Fame numbers, and they're rich,'' selector Clark Judge said on the Talk of Fame network. "But here's a number they don't mention ... zero. That's the number of teams that wanted to keep this guy at the top of his career."

He quoted one of Owens' former coordinators as saying, "If the Hall of Fame is about being a teammate, he's the last guy I'd put in."

But since Saturday, several of his former teammates and some Hall of Famers have come out in strong support, including former 49ers quarterback Steve Young and former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, who made the cut to 10 this year.

"Even Dawkins acknowledged to me the other night that it took two years for the Eagles to recover from Hurricane T.O.,'' Domowitch wrote. "But in the same breath, Dawkins also said Owens absolutely, positively belongs in the Hall of Fame, bad behavior or no bad behavior.''

In the case of Haley, three years after his career was over he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which makes his on-field dominance even more remarkable. He wrote about his struggles in "Fear No Evil: Tackling Quarterbacks and Demons On My Way to the Hall of Fame".

From observing Owens all of these years, it appears to me he may have battling some demons of his own, which is all the more reason not to keep him out because of behavior. If he was struggling with emotional issues like Haley was, and he's alluded to it, his numbers are even more astonishing.

Personally, I think the NFL does a poor job of intervening when players are exhibiting erratic behavior, but that's a column for another day.

The perception that 48 selectors sat in the room railing against T.O. is erroneous. There were plenty of thoughtful, compelling arguments on both sides. Remember, it takes 80 percent of the vote to advance, and only 10 to block you.

Besides, Owens certainly isn't the first deserving receiver to wait. Andre Reed made it in his eighth year as a finalist, Cris Carter and Tim Brown made it in their sixth and Marvin Harrison his third.

For all those outraged last year when Owens didn't make it, there are only five first-ballot wide receivers in the Hall: Lance Alworth, Raymond Berry, Steve Largent, Jerry Rice and Paul Warfield.

Overall, there are only 25 receivers with gold jackets, and it's incredibly difficult to get in. Ultimately, I think Owens will get his bronze bust, but as Judge wrote this week, "he has an uphill climb to reach Canton.''

Some day the Cavaliers might have to show they can win without LeBron James. They're 4-18 without him since 2014. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -  LeBron James workload is an annual topic of discussion even though examples of extreme fatigue and associated poor performance aren't nearly plentiful enough to hawkishly limit his minutes.

So the Cavaliers don't (He's second in the league in minutes played). And James doesn't really want them to be overly vigilant.

So what's the problem? Compared to the issues surrounding the Knicks, this falls into the category of move-along-nothing-to-see-here. I'll give you that.

The bigger issue beyond James running out of gas in the playoffs is that the Cavs aren't comfortable playing without him, and that could come in handy if he's ever injured.

Learning to win without James would be a byproduct of sitting him (he last sat Dec. 26). It can't be the the reason to rest him. But it could be valuable.

Kyrie Irving thought the Wizards celebrated James fouling out in OT Monday night in anticipation of beating the Cavs. Why wouldn't they? The Cavs are 4-18 without James since 2014.

James can be counted on to keep himself under the six-foul limit routinely but especially in playoff games. Injury, though, could happen at anytime. It doesn't have to be because he's fatigued.

Sitting James, Irving and Kevin Love all at the same time is something Ty Lue considers from time to time, including considering it Thursday against Oklahoma City before announcing all three would play.

The last time he did it - Dec. 14 at Memphis -- he referred to the game after the fact as a "forfeit."

Apparently Lue didn't want Irving and Love extending themselves even more without James on the floor. So they sat as a group. But extending themselves is exactly what they'd be asked to do if James ever gets sidelined for any length of time.

"We know what we got. We know what we're doing," James said, when asked Wednesday about the possibility of the Big Three resting against the Thunder. "If Coach Lue decides to sit us, that's fine. We'll be ready to go the next game if he decides to sit us."

Lue decided against it, or the players decided for him. Even though it was the third game in four nights for the Cavs and the fourth in six. At this point in the season everyone could use a night off.

Sitting James occasionally by himself, though, might be the best for everybody concerned. Whether James believes he needs it, Irving and Love do. The team does.

At some point they'll probably have to win more important games without James, and not just games that spill into overtime because of his heroics.

A Portage County jury ruled Thursday that a former Kent State University football player is not guilty of kidnapping and felonious assault.

KENT, Ohio -- A Portage County jury ruled Thursday that a former Kent State University football player is not guilty of kidnapping and felonious assault.

Nathan Holley, 22, was acquitted on felony charges related to a Nov. 3 incident in Franklin Township. The incident involved Holley's ex-girlfriend, according to court records.

Defense attorney James R. Eskridge said Thursday afternoon that Holley is pleased with the jury's decision.

"We really feel that justice was served," Eskridge said.

Holley still faces intimidation and menacing by stalking charges that accuse him of intimidating the ex-girlfriend. Those charges were filed Feb. 2 in a supplemental indictment, and he pleaded not guilty Feb. 6, records show.

Eskridge declined to comment on the additional charges.

A Portage County judge ordered Holley to wear a GPS monitor provided by a halfway house while he awaited trial on the kidnapping and felonious assault charges. Holley will continue to wear the monitor as he awaits trial on the additional charges, court records show.

Holley has also been ordered not to contact the ex-girlfriend, records show.

The senior safety was twice an all-Mid American Conference selection. He had 111 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery during the 2016 season, according to statistics from the Kent State website.

The school suspended Holley after he was charged in the Nov. 3 incident, and he has exhausted his eligibility as a player.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section.

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 52 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday in Game 52 of the 2017 NBA regular season.

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

Make sure to follow Vardon and Fedor on Twitter.

Game 52: Cavs (36-15) vs. Pacers (30-23)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

TV/radio: TNT; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP).

Cavs probable starting lineup: Richard Jefferson, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, DeAndre Liggins, Kyrie Irving.

Thunder probable starting lineup: Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, Domantas Sabonis, Victor Oladipo.

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Bob Costas could write as well as anyone in the press box, but he used his prominence to champion liberal political causes. Some object. Some admire him. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bob Costas spoke so movingly of Mickey Mantle in his eulogy at Mantle's funeral in 1995 that the image Costas evoked will forever endure.

It was of the Mick, powerful, but wounded, blond, but darkened by demons, running around the bases in the days when we Baby Boomers were young. Costas described Mantle's passage through the "lengthening shadows of Yankee Stadium," and the television guy, right there, with those pristinely perfect words, made Mantle a figure out of our boyhood mythology.

Of course, we knew Mantle would touch 'em all, the same way he touched all of us.  Costas made us feel Mickey was finally safe at home.

His remarks ranked with the finest words any sportswriters ever wrote in the press box. They were a pitch-perfect tribute to a flawed man whose best moments were among the most supreme expressions of athletic grace God has granted anyone.

On a par with Vin Scully

A man who could write that eulogy is to be respected and admired, especially because Costas did it in his spare time, between his sports talk show and his play-by-play duties and his time as NBC's Olympics host.

This is part of why it is sad that NBC is replacing Costas with former ESPN sportscaster Mike Tirico as its host for the Winter Olympics in South Korea in 2018. Costas, 64, is stepping aside after hosting 11 Olympics.

Costas was like Vin Scully, the Los Angles Dodgers' just retired peerless broadcaster. Both are men given to extemporaneous eloquence, to civility, decency, and, in Costas' case, to a frankly expressed social conscience.

During the immediate coverage of the Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta in 1996, Costas was the only network voice who advocated caution in the rush to convict the eventually exonerated Richard Jewell.

 Liberal and conservative sportscasters

Critics objected to the way Costas could inject his political liberalism into discussions of greater import than the designated hitter rule or those slightly deflated footballs that Tom Brady preferred in New England.

Costas is an advocate of stronger gun control laws, blaming the murder-suicide of Kansas City's Jovan Belcher in 2012 on the loose gun culture in this country.

Costas also weighed in on the Washington Redskins name controversy, calling it an "insult, a slur."

When real life in its no-holds-barred ruthlessness intrudes on our fun and games, many television viewers would apparently rather hear broadcasters talk about the infield fly rule.

Yet NBC's Al Michaels, a staunch conservative, has thrown flippant barbs at Democrats such as 2004 Presidential candidate John Kerry and at blue state bastions such as Massachusetts for high taxes, without the stimulus of commentary on breaking news.

Tirico's past

It is only conjecture that NBC will live happily ever after without Costas' uncongenial politics on the global Olympic stage to rankle the feelings of the touchy new Trump administration. For his part, Costas seems content to move into a "Tom Brokaw" role as an elder statesman. But he leaves a void in insight, eloquence and professionalism.

Tirico, Costas' replacement, brings a past checkered by a three-month suspension at ESPN for sexual harassment, which was detailed in the book (warning: strong language)  "ESPN: The Uncensored History." 

Overall, Tirico comes off positively in the book. He is said to have overcome his "problem," without ever dismissing it as locker room banter.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love would play tonight against the Thunder, after all. Watch video

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love will play tonight against the Thunder, after all.

Apparently "probably" doesn't mean what it used to. On Wednesday night, Lue said all three "probably" wouldn't play. (The video above shows what he said).

"Nothing changed, it's just I said I wanted to see how the guys felt and they feel pretty good," Lue said. "We're playing some pretty good basketball right now and they just want to keep it rolling. So all three guys say they feel pretty good, and we got a good thing going so why not keep it going."

The Cavs have won four straight and six of seven. They beat Indiana 132-117 last night.

This is great for the fans -- who paid big money for tickets to see the Cavs play in Oklahoma City for the only time this season -- and for TNT, which is carrying this game nationally.

But this is nevertheless an about face for Lue, who indicated multiple times yesterday that it was more likely than not that James -- and then Irving and Love too -- "probably" wouldn't play.

and there was plenty of precedence. For one, Lue already left all three players home from a game against Memphis this season. This is the Cavs' third game in four nights and fourth in six nights, and the organization places a premium on resting its stars when an opportunity presents.

"I said probably I'll see how they feel," Lue said. "I just told you how they feel. They want to play."

OK, moving on.

Also available tonight is Derrick Williams, who signed a 10-day contract today. The 6-8 forward and former No. 2 overall pick in 2011 will wear No. 32 tonight.

"Yeah we're going to get him in there a little bit," Lue said. "Let him run around and try to get acclimated to what we're doing and just see how it works out."

Jordan McRae started at shooting guard for the Cavs Thursday against the Thunder because DeAndre Liggins was dealing with a tooth problem, according to a team spokesman.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Jordan McRae started at shooting guard for the Cavs Thursday against the Thunder because DeAndre Liggins was dealing with a tooth problem, according to a team spokesman.

Liggins was supposed to start for Iman Shumpert, who has a sprained left ankle. No word on what precisely is wrong with Liggins' tooth. Coach Tyronn Lue and his assistants made the decision seconds before the game began, having apparently just learned that Liggins couldn't play.

This is McRae's fourth start this season. He entered play averaging 4.6 points in 33 games.

McRae buried his first shot -- a 3-pointer with less than eight minutes left in the first quarter.

Kyrie Irving displayed tremendous skill in scoring a fourth quarter layup against OKC.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving has entered takeover mode in the fourth quarter at Oklahoma City.

With 7:27 left in the game, Irving crossed over in front of MVP candidate Russell Westbrook and went down the lane for a scoop shot under Steven Adams and Jerami Grant.

Irving has 28 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.

Uncle Drew coming out for the 4Q [?] pic.twitter.com/YAqRj0mMzG

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 10, 2017