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No Cavs' forfeit, just 118-109 loss to Thunder with Big 3 on court

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The Cavs surprised everybody by playing their Big 3 and lost anyway.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- No forfeit, just a loss as scheduled.

The Cavs essentially reversed course by choosing to play LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love Thursday against the Thunder after strongly hinting it was unlikely. The paying crowd at Chesapeake Energy Arena and the national TV audience on TNT got what it was looking for -- with everybody's stars on the court on this February night.

Cleveland lost anyway, 118-109. It was the Cavs' third game in four nights, fourth in six nights and the last of a four-game trip. The Thunder hadn't played since Monday.

They call 'em scheduled losses for a reason.

Russell Westbrook posted his 26th triple double this season and second against the Cavs with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. He was brilliant in the fourth quarter, scoring or assisting on five consecutive possessions while the Thunder took command of the game. His assist to Victor Oladipo for a 3-ball with 1:07 left put Oklahoma City up 10 and ended it.

Irving led the Cavs with 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting. James posted 18 points, seven assists and five boards in 41 minutes. Love added 15 points and 12 boards.

"I thought it was good to go through something tough," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. "It was a tough game for us, four games in six nights and it was just good to fight through, not give in. Guys came out, they played, I like how we competed. They played better and they won tonight."

Derrick Williams, signed to a 10-day contract earlier Wednesday, made his Cavs debut and scored 12 points in 22 minutes.

Lue said before the game that he'd let Williams "run around and try to get acclimated to what we're doing and just see how it works out."

It worked out well. The 6-8 forward and No. 2 pick of the 2011 draft (Irving was No. 1, Tristan Thompson No. 4) played deep into the fourth quarter, taking turns guarding the Thunder's point guards, making all three of his shots and 6-of-8 foul shots.

Cleveland finished the road trip with a 3-1 mark. But, as previously mentioned, this one was going to be a struggle.

The Thunder (31-23) are still without Enes Kanter, and yet the Cavs were dominated on the glass 51-35. Cleveland also coughed up 16 turnovers compared with 14 assists. James (8-of-19 shooting) missed two dunks and at least one layup. Irving threw a terrible pass at Williams' feet in transition.

Those things happen when the tank is running low.

Seconds before the game was to begin, the Cavs learned starting shooting guard DeAndre Liggins wouldn't be able to play because of an issue with his tooth. The Cavs later announced that Liggins suffered nerve and tissue damage from a loose tooth that fell out before the game.

Jordan McRae started in Liggins' place and scored six points. Liggins was supposed to start for Iman Shumpert (sprained left ankle), who missed his second consecutive game. Shumpert was starting for J.R. Smith. That's three shooting guards out.

The Cavs said Liggins was out, but he somehow re-emerged with about a minute left to help run out the clock. Afterwards they announced that Liggins received treatment from the Thunder's dentist.

Oladipo scored 23 points for the Thunder. Steven Adams was a monster in the middle with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Cameron Payne stung the Cavs off the bench with 15 points.

Kyle Korver, coming off his season-high 29 points in Cleveland's win over Indiana Wednesday, scored eight points. He took just three shots and made them all -- with each coming after halftime.

The Cavs beat the Thunder 107-91 back on Jan. 29 at The Q. And that's where the Cavs are headed, the road trip complete.

NEXT: With three games left before the All-Star break, the Cavs return home to play the Denver Nuggets at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.


LeBron James reached out to Charles Oakley, angered by Knicks' portrayal of him

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LeBron James reached out to Charles Oakley after Oakley was arrested at a Knicks game Wednesday night and expressed anger at that organization for tweeting that it hopes Oakley "gets some help soon." Watch video

OKLAHOMA CITY -- LeBron James reached out to Charles Oakley after Oakley was arrested at a Knicks game Wednesday night and expressed anger at that organization for tweeting that it hopes Oakley "gets some help soon."

James told cleveland.com he called Oakley "just to check on him, make sure he was alright" after Oakley was involved in a physical altercation with security at Madison Square Garden and removed in handcuffs.

Oakley has said he was targeted by security because the seats he purchased for the Knicks' game that night were behind those of team owner James Dolan, with whom he has an apparently contentious relationship, according to reports.

After the incident, the Knicks tweeted that Oakley, a former Knicks great, "behaved in an entirely inappropriate and abusive manner. ... He was a great Knick and we hope he gets some help soon."

 

"He ain't like that, and if you ask any player in our league now who knows him, they'd say the same thing," James said.

Indeed, James' friend and Clippers point guard Chris Paul tweeted that the Knicks' "get help" line wasn't "the right way to portray Oak...always had my back and the realest person our league has seen."

The Cavs lost 118-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night. For the first time in memory, James didn't take questions from reporters, and instead issued a 25-second statement in which he praised his team for going 3-1 on the road trip and Russell Westbrook (who registered a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists).

A media relations official asked reporters to disperse from James' locker, while the player headed toward the shower. But then he came back and shouted: "Oh, I missed one. Charles Oakley for president."

Derrick Williams has a good chance of sticking on the Cavs

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Derrick Williams has a good chance of sticking with the Cavs. His excellent debut is only one reason. Watch video

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Derrick Williams has never played on an NBA team that finished with a winning record, so it should stand to reason that the Cavs lost his first game with them Thursday night.

That's a joke (is this thing on?). Williams was a bright, bright spot in a game that was already shaped for the Cavs to lose, which they did 118-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Williams, 25, signed a 10-day contract earlier Thursday for $67,700 and scored 12 points in 22 minutes. He made all three of his shots and was 6-of-8 from the foul line.

The Cavs are of course defending champs, in first place in the East, and need just six more wins to guarantee a winning record for the 2016-17 season. They're going to be OK. And Williams may very well still be here when the playoffs start, thus reaching the postseason for the first time and playing for a team which collects that elusive 42nd win.

"This is my first day, but you can just feel the energy as soon as you step in the locker room," WIlliams said. "Everyone is ready to play. That's the championship mentality everyone has here."

Williams is 6-8 and 240 pounds. He was the No. 2 overall pick by Minnesota in 2011, taken one spot after the Cavs drafted Kyrie Irving No. 1 and four spots ahead of Tristan Thompson.

But this is Williams' fifth team in six seasons. He wasn't playing much in Miami (where he signed in the offseason for more than $4 million), and asked Pat Riley for his release. The Heat waived Williams Monday and he said he was in contact with the Cavs shortly after clearing waivers Wednesday at 5 p.m.

A team source said Williams has a strong chance to make the team for the rest of the season. His salary-plus-tax number for this 10-day contract is $200,000. He can get a second 10-day contract for the same number, and then the Cavs would have to sign him at a pro-rated salary for the rest of the season.

He's averaging 9.1 points and 4.1 boards for his career. The Cavs really like his size and quickness, his ability to defend multiple positions and play behind LeBron James.

"(Riley) definitely still believes I'm going to be a great player in this league and I think so, too," Williams said. "This is my sixth year and I'm 25 years old. I'm still learning, man. A lot of people in this league really get counted out way too early. Some of these guys are like 22, 23 years old. This is my sixth year and I'm 25 years old. I have a lot of game left and I just want to prove on a team like this you just got to come ready to play every single game."

Williams has a relationship with Irving from the draft, with Kevin Love from being teammates in Minnesota, and both Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson -- who like him are University of Arizona alums.

Before the game, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said WIlliams was signed in part because of injuries to J.R. Smith (fractured right thumb) and Iman Shumpert (sprained left ankle), leaving the Cavs limited athletically on the wing.

"We just thought it was a good signing for us and he was a good player who I always liked," Lue said. "His energy, his athleticism. What he does getting to the free throw line, driving the basketball."

Lue used Williams deep into the fourth quarter, and played him both on the Thunder's point guards (Russell Westbrook and Cameron Payne) as well as shooting guard Victor Oladipo.

Williams said joining a team with this kind of talent is going to help him cultivate his own.

"Tonight we didn't get the win, but it was just a good flow," Williams said. "I haven't been in a good flow since I've been in the NBA and a lot of it is with losing, a lot of losing. We've been a lot of games under .500. When you come to a team like this, every game means something every single time you step on the court. I think that's definitely what I'm missing so far."

Tyronn Lue's decision and Kyrie Irving's duel with Russell Westbrook: Fedor's five observations

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But the trip was successful, with the Cavs getting back to their championship form - sharing the basketball, nailing 3-pointers, getting contributions beyond LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving and regaining their offensive flow.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers' four-game roadtrip finished with a loss against Oklahoma City. 

But overall the trip was successful, as the Cavs got back to their championship form -- sharing the basketball, nailing 3-pointers and getting contributions beyond LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.

Here are five observations:

Questionable choice? - Head coach Tyronn Lue contemplated sitting the Big Three. Then decided against it, announcing the decision about an hour and a half before tipoff against the Thunder.

"I thought it was good to go through something tough," Lue told reporters after the game. "It was a tough game for us and it was just good to fight through, not give in. Guys came out, they played, I like how we competed."

Prior to the game, Lue pointed to the team's stellar play recently and also said the trio wanted to go. I also don't blame him for likely wanting to see new addition Derrick Williams get minutes alongside James and also use Williams in variety of different lineups to start envisioning what that could look like before making a call on his long-term prospects.

But in a game that had the look of a "schedule loss," it's hard to support James playing 41 minutes, especially with Williams, who was signed in part to backup James, able to make it to suit up. 

These are the kinds of decisions that could have an impact in the future. 

This conversation has been going on for weeks -- in part because Lue mentioned this being the time of year when he was planning to pull James back a bit. 

There's a plan and it's clear James wants to keep playing. Lue will respect his player's wishes. But won't a competitor like James always pick playing over rest? These guys want to play and who can blame them?

That's why sometimes the coach has to step in and take that decision out of their hands. Thursday seemed like the time to do that.

No matter what Lue says, it's hard to see anyone in the organization happy about the 32-year-old star tied at the top in minutes played per game. 

It's the third time in the last four James has reached the 40-minute mark.

Point guard duel - The fourth quarter turned into what many wanted to see: A showdown between two All-Stars.

James looked gassed. He failed to score in the fourth. Love made way for Williams during most of the quarter. That put the offense in Irving's hands.

In the fourth quarter, he scored nine points on 4-of-7 from the field.

But after his layup cut Oklahoma City's lead to two with 4:43 left, he was bottled up while also being on the wrong end of Russell Westbrook's offensive assault.

After back-to-back jumpers from Westbrook to move ahead by six, Tristan Thompson gave more help to Irving in the high pick and roll, which led to Steven Adams' layup off a Westbrook dish.

On the next possession, Westbrook poked the ball away, which ended Cleveland's comeback chance.

"It's always fun," Irving said. "He's a high intense competitor. What he does on any given night is unbelievable and we all become fans."

Westbrook scored eight points on 4-of-7 from the field in the fourth quarter. He also dished out three assists.

Missed opportunity - DeAndre Liggins apparently took a hard hit to the mouth during Wednesday's win against Indiana, which caused some tooth pain and headaches.

With Liggins not feeling quite right, Lue adjusted his starting lineup, going with Jordan McRae.

It was a rare opportunity to get extended playing time and a chance for him to possibly earn more minutes moving forward. Those chances could be available for someone, especially with Liggins becoming an offensive liability and Iman Shumpert's ankle injury.

But McRae, who has been dangled in potential trades, didn't make the most of his chance.

He scored six points on 2-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range in 27 minutes. 

Now, with Williams in the fold, McRae will likely slip further down the depth chart. 

Center matchup - It was the second meeting between the Cavs and Thunder.

The first time, Thompson scored 19 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, had four steals and four blocks. He was vital to the team's offensive attack and the linchpin of the defensive plan to contain Westbrook, keeping him out of the paint.

After that game, Thompson talked about being a big fan of his counterpart, Steven Adams, who like Thompson is known for his defense, toughness and relentless work on the glass. 

Adams got the better of Thursday's matchup.

The burly 7-footer scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting to go with 13 rebounds, including nine offensive boards.

Thompson, meanwhile had 10 points and five boards.

Cleveland lost the rebounding battle, 51-35, including 17-5 on the offensive end.

Transition defense - Oklahoma City's plan was obvious early. They wanted to run.

The Thunder scored 10 fastbreak points in the first quarter, snapping long passes before the Cavs could blink.

Transition defense has become an issue, as the Cavs entered the night ranked 23rd.

Things improved after the first 12 minutes, as Cleveland held the Thunder to six fastbreak points the rest of the way. But the damage had already been done; the tone had been set.

The pace caused James to head to the bench around the five-minute mark and it helped the Thunder offense, which struggled in the first meeting against the Cavs, to gain some early confidence.

One of the keys was to force Oklahoma City to execute in the halfcourt, an area where they are not nearly as effective. The Cavs weren't able to do that, digging a hole and needing to expend too much energy fighting back.

They didn't have enough to finish.

Josh McCown says Jimmy Garoppolo has the potential 'to carry a franchise'

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Josh McCown says that if reports are true the Browns will go after Jimmy Garoppolo, they'll be in good shape at quarterback. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Josh McCown was sad to be released by the Browns Wednesday because he loved it here. But he says if reports are true that the Browns will try to trade for Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo, their future at quarterback is very bright.

"I've seen him on tape because we had a common opponent in Miami,'' McCown told cleveland.com Thursday. "He made some high level throws and did some things that would get you excited about his ability to maybe carry a franchise. That's definitely on the tape.''

McCown, who helped mentor Johnny Manziel and Cody Kessler, saw some Garoppolo traits that reminded him of Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers.

"I saw some things in Derek Carr early on in the 2014 draft that reminded me of Aaron Rodgers and I thought 'this guy is going to be pretty good,''' McCown said. "I see the same things when I watch Jimmy: quick release, strong arm, athletic. I'm not saying he's Aaron Rodgers, but he's got some traits in the same mold, and he's got tremendous upside.''

Garoppolo's skill set, coupled with his training in New England, make him an attractive prospect, McCown said.

"He's gained a wealth of experience from playing with a guy like Tom Brady, so I do think there's a lot of potential there and a chance to be a very special player,'' said McCown. "I certainly see why people would give him an opportunity to come in and be a franchise guy. You can certainly see that and he's making these throws at a high level against NFL talent, so that would get me excited about him for sure.''

McCown, who hopes to catch on with another team, believes the Browns should be aggressive in going after Garoppolo.

"I haven't studied him enough to go 'yeah, I'd give up the No. 1 for him.' But when you're trying to find that guy, once you land on that guy, then you go get him,'' McCown said. "Philadelphia did that last year with Carson Wentz. L.A. did that with Jared Goff. If you're convinced about a guy, you go get him and you do what's necessary to get him.

"What's the difference between using those picks on a college player and him?''

Would he give up the No. 12 pick? Grab him over a Mitch Trubisky or a Deshaun Watson?

"It just depends on how you see it,'' he said. "If you view him as that guy, people pick quarterbacks at No. 1 and No. 12 all the time. Then yes, absolutely. In my opinion, you'd be able to come to a more reliable conclusion on him than a college player because you'd have more tape on him and you can better project his skill set and he's still young.''

As for the No. 1, "that's a whole different deal because it's a balancing act between the value of No. 1 and the value to your team vs. what's out there in the QB market and where you view him. If you have to give up so much to get him and you can't put pieces around him, you may dilute your investment a little bit.''

McCown said Garoppolo's situation can't be compared to that of former Patriots backup Matt Cassel, because Garoppolo has the superior skill.

"When you turn on the tape, one has an elite skillset and one doesn't," he said. "I like Matt and he's a pro quarterback, but Jimmy has a chance to be elite.''

McCown wouldn't be opposed to the Browns trading for Garoppolo and also drafting a quarterback. He believes Cody Kessler will continue to improve.

"You need to take as many stabs at this as you can,'' he said. "That's why I wasn't as bummed out as I could've been when they released me. They need the roster spots to get this right and they're committed to it.''

McCown has also been impressed with another quarterback -- Tyrod Taylor of the Bills. Hue Jackson just hired Taylor's former quarterbacks coach David Lee. The Browns will be interested if Taylor is released before his 2017 salary of $15.5 million is guaranteed March 11.

The problem is, Taylor could be on the market by the start of free agency, and the Browns might not know right away if they can get Garoppolo. The Patriots, who are believed to be seeking a first-round pick and more, might want to create a bidding war.

As for McCown, he's disappointed to leave but confident he'll get another chance.

"That's where my heart is, to continue to play,'' he said.

He feels the Browns are in good hands with Jackson.

"I'm excited and hopeful to see the organization do well,'' he said. "I'm sad about leaving just because once you're there and you're part of the community you want to see that team succeed and so I'll be rooting for them to find success for sure.''

Of the seven teams he's played for, the Browns were one of his favorites. And if he ever wants to get into coaching, Jackson has already said he's got a job here.

"To see the way the fans support the team is special,'' he said. "You saw how crazy everyone went over the Cavs and Indians, and you just know how amazing it would be if the Browns were successful.''

PGA Tour 2017: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am live leaderboard, tee times, TV for 1st and 2nd rounds

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The weather-delayed first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am concludes today.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rick Lamb, Seung-Yul Noh and Joel Dahmen were the clubhouse leaders at 4-under in the suspended first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Inclement weather halted play.

The first round concludes and the second round begins today.

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is the PGA Tour's annual mix of talented players, celebrities and iconic venue.

Among those competing for real: Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Jimmy Walker and Phil Mickelson. Day is ranked No. 1 in the world.

The list of celebrities includes: New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who won his fifth Super Bowl as HC last week; Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young and future Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers; hockey legend Wayne Gretzky; singing sensation Justin Timberlake; and actors Bill Murray, Mark Wahlberg and Ray Romano.

One of the three courses used is world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links. Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula CC Shore Course are the others.

Lamb, Noh and Dahmen played Spyglass on Thursday.

Belichick is teamed with Ricky Barnes; Timberlake, with Justin Rose.

FRIDAY'S LIVE LEADERBOARD:

PGA TOUR

AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM
Site: Pebble Beach, Calif.
Courses: Pebble Beach GL (Yardage: 6,816. Par: 72); Spyglass Hill (Yardage: 6,953. Par: 72); Monterey Peninsula CC Shore Course (Yardage: 6,958. Par: 71).
Purse: $7.2 million (First prize: $1,296,000).
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Vaughn Taylor.
Last week: Hideki Matsuyama won the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Notes: The world ranking is so close among the top five that Johnson might have a mathematical chance to replace Day at No. 1, or he could drop two spots to No. 5. ... The amateur field includes a quartet of current and retired NFL quarterbacks -- Young, Manning, Rodgers and Alex Smith. ... Mickelson, runner-up last year, gets another chance to tie Mark O'Meara's record of five victories at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. ... Taylor has not won in the 28 tournaments he has played since winning at Pebble Beach. His best result is 15th at the Safeway Open in October. ... Brandt Snedeker set the 72-hole tournament record two years ago at 265. ... Mickelson, Snedeker and Johnson each has won twice at Pebble over the last 10 years. ... Spieth has finished in the top 10 in all three of his PGA Tour starts this year. He has finished in the top 20 in 16 of his last 20 starts worldwide. ... Of the 12 events on the PGA Tour 2016-17 schedule to date, only four of the winners are at Pebble Beach: Cody Gribble, Pat Perez, Mackenzie Hughes and Jon Rahm.
Next week: Genesis Open at Riviera.
Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed)

Warriors up 3-1 or Falcons up 28-3, who blew it worse? Bud vs. Doug

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In Prepare for List off, Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises discuss which lead was blown the worst - in the Super Bowl, NBA Finals or World Series. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Everyone looking forward to the Tom Brady Halloween party with 28-3 jokes about the Falcons? 

Are 28-3 references going to continue in the Boston area for a year?

Considering the life of its own that "The Warriors blew a 3-1 lead" took on after the Cavs victory in the NBA Finals, you have to wonder what the future holds for 28-3, the lead blown in the Super Bowl by the Atlanta Falcons.

(If you never watched this, enjoy our take from Christman on the 3-1 lead.)

Because, in the end, what's worse?

Losing a 28-3 lead in a single football game, or a 3-1 lead in a basketball or baseball (you're not getting off the hook here, Indians) baseball series?

In this Prepare for List Off, Bud Shaw and I compare the two types of collapses. Watch and then decide which you think was worse.

JaQuan Lyle, C.J. Jackson and the impact of Ohio State basketball's weird point guard problem

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How should Ohio State handle its point guard rotation moving forward with six games left in Big Ten play?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thad Matta seemed a bit befuddled.

As he told it, Ohio State point guard JaQuan Lyle came into the locker room during halftime of Wednesday's win over Rutgers, took the tape off of his injured ankle and said he was done playing.

Lyle injured his ankle during practice last week, was noticeably hobbled against Michigan and Rutgers, and apparently at some point in the first half against the Scarlet Knights the pain became too much.

"He was good in the first half, plus-five when he was in there," Matta said. "I gotta try to figure out what it was. He was not moving well. I said to him at the beginning of the game, 'What's going on here? You don't look the same.' Must be bothering him more than I thought it was."

Except Lyle played for two minutes in the second half before coming out of the game for good with 11:46 left.

Hearing how things played out at halftime made that sequence seem a bit more strange in hindsight. It was enough to make you wonder if the injury is all that Lyle is dealing with, or if again being removed from the starting lineup is also bothering him.

Entering a crucial two-game stretch beginning with Maryland on Saturday (4 p.m., ESPN), that's a question that needs answered.

C.J. Jackson has started that last two games at point guard, both Ohio State wins. That coincided with Lyle's injury. So maybe that's all there is to it: Lyle is a little more banged up than anticipated, but when he's healthy he'll take his role back.

But if it's something more, then consider it another thing compounding the Buckeyes' already weird point guard situation.

What OSU will learn in the next two games

If it's Jackson as the starting lead guard from here on out, that would make sense. He's more of a true point, and does a better job than Lyle of keeping the ball moving and the offense from getting stagnant.

"It's kind of like the ball makes people happy," Jackson said. "I just like getting guys involved, hitting open guys. It's as simple as that really. I know guys play harder when they have the ball. That's kind of my goal is to move it a little bit more, and make the right plays."

But Lyle is Ohio State's best offensive player when he's going right. He was averaging 14.4 points per game and shooting above 50 percent from 3-point range through the first nine Big Ten games, but he's been held under double-digits in the last three.

Even with Lyle's scoring being down, something has become evident in the last two games. The numbers suggest that Ohio State might be at its best when Jackson and Lyle are on the floor together.

That's not a major revelation. Plenty of teams have success using two-point-guard lineups, including Maryland, which uses junior Melo Trimble and freshman Anthony Cowan together a lot. Ohio State is starting to see it could have some success using a similar strategy. 

In the last two games, Lyle and Jackson have played 14 minutes together. The Buckeyes are plus-23 in those 14 minutes. With Lyle on the floor without Jackson, they're minus-6 in 25 minutes. And with Jackson on the floor without Lyle, they're minus-five in 42 minutes.

There have been some stretches where they seem to play well off of each other, like this sequence against Rutgers where Lyle got the hockey assist on some quick offense with Jackson and Trevor Thompson.

Jackson running the point has worked out OK for the Buckeyes in the last two games. The pace on offense has been a little better. It often feels like the ball is slow with Lyle running the point.

"That's something that we talk about," Matta said. "Sometimes our initial entry is slow. We do a lot of things with a lot of movement, and the ball has gotta be moving a little quicker. Sometimes the best play off a ball-screen is throw the ball to the other side of floor. You force rotation, and let's attack to the other side of the floor."

Except Lyle sometimes tries to drive off of those screens, and if he can't he just holds the ball and the offense goes into panic mode, scrambling for a shot late in the shot clock. 

So the simple solution would be to play them together, but let Jackson run the point exclusively if Lyle has shown to be a bit of a ball-stopper at times. He can still be a scorer when he's not completely running the show

But of course it's not that simple. It's never been clear how comfortable Lyle is in that role despite a lot of evidence that he might be better suited to play as the off-guard. Even if he were comfortable, he'd still have to log some minutes at point guard because Ohio State is short on ball-handlers.

Lyle and Jackson are the only players on the team capable of running the point. Kam Williams is a scoring guard. He's not a facilitator.

So Matta will have to continue to be creative with lineups once Lyle gets healthy.

But Ohio State is in the weird position of likely never being able to completely rely on what might be its best lineup.


Cleveland Browns' Hue Jackson and No. 1 question in 2017 NFL Draft: Crowquill

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Cleveland Browns' coach Hue Jackson and No. 1 question in 2017 NFL Draft is what to do with the No. 1 overall pick

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and pretty much everything they do between the end of the season in January and the start of the draft in late April revolves around what they are going to do with the No. 1 pick.

Besides coaching the Senior Bowl, preparing for the 2017 NFL Combine and managing free agency, the Browns will run through numerous in-house mock drafts that will probably be heavily influenced by analytics.

Having seen where the scientific approach has landed the team, maybe it's time to take a more unconventional approach to mock drafts. For instance, maybe the team should try using Tarot cards, a Ouija board or even a Magic Eight Ball to help divine their picks for this year's draft.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

Is there anything bad to say about the Cleveland Indians' roster? Sports Podcast

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The Indians fell short at the last possible moment of the 2016 season. Now they enter a new year with hype and expectations at an unusual high.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Paul Hoynes doubted the Indians' postseason chances last season, and for that, he ended up jumping in a lake.

A few months later, he jumped on the Takes By The Lake podcast to preview spring training and the dawn of a new Indians season.

It was a short offseason; playing into November will do that. So here we are, a couple of days before the start of spring training. The Indians fell short at the last possible moment of the 2016 season. Now they enter a new year with hype and expectations at an unusual high.

Doug, Zack and Paul discuss how much better the Indians could be in 2017, given that they return a healthy roster -- with Michael Brantley the only question mark -- and have a full year of Andrew Miller, Edwin Encarnacion and Boone Logan. Is there anything negative to say about the club at this point? We tried to find something.

Give a listen to the latest episode of our podcast. We also rank the top five championship finishes of the last year: the NBA Finals, the World Series, the Super Bowl, Clemson's last-second win over Alabama and Villanova's buzzer beater.

Listen below and download the podcast 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

NFL free agent cornerbacks: Who are the top targets in 2017?

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Check out the top cornerbacks headed toward free agency in 2017.

PBA Tour 2017: Barbasol Players Championship live scoring from Columbus (qualifying, Rounds 4-5)

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Pete Weber was 12th entering the fourth round of the Barbasol PBA Players Championship today (Feb. 10) in Columbus.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Barbasol PBA Players Championship continues today (Feb. 10) with the fourth and fifth rounds at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.

Jason Belmonte of Australia averaged 234.33 through 24 games for the lead entering Round 4. PBA legend Pete Weber averaged 223.88 and was 12th. Defending champion Graham Fach of Canada averaged 222 and was 14th.

Twenty-four bowlers advanced to the fourth round.

The Players is the first of five majors in the PBA Tour's 2017 season, and the first of three straight. It is followed by the Tournament of Champions and USBC Masters.

At last year's Players, Fach defeated top qualifier Ryan Ciminelli, 279-244, for his first major title in his second PBA Tour event. Fach, then age 24, became the first Canadian to win a PBA Tour title.

After going 57 years without a PBA champion, Canada had two when, later that season, 23-year-old Francois Lavoie won the U.S. Open.

Fach and Lavoie are in a group of PBA players age 25 or younger who have won the past six majors. The streak began when Gary Faulkner Jr. won the World Championship at 25 in December 2015. The others are Jesper Svensson (Tournament of Champions just shy of 21st birthday); Anthony Simonsen (youngest to win a major, USBC Masters, at age 19); and EJ Tackett (2016 World Championship at 24).

Here is the Players remaining schedule for the week:

Today 
  • 10 a.m. - Top 24, 8 qualifying games

Top 16 advance to fifth qualifying round

  • 5 p.m. - Top 16, 8 qualifying games

Top 5 after 40 games advance to ESPN stepladder finals

Saturday

  • 1--3:30 p.m.- pro-am squad
  • 4 - 6:30 p.m. - pro-am squad

Sunday, Feb. 12

  • 1 p.m. - ESPN stepladder finals ($40,000 to winner)

Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl is hosting the Players for the second straight year. Webb, a PBA Hall of Famer, is co-owner of the center. He competed in the tournament.

To purchase tickets for the live ESPN finals visit http://www.pba.com/Tickets. For qualifying round admission and pro-am entry information, contact Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl at (614) 491-7155 or visit www.bowlcolumbus.com.

The center is located at 3224 S. High St.

Should the Browns use their franchise tag on Terrelle Pryor?

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Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe and Scott Patsko discuss whether the Browns should employ their franchise tag on Pryor. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Since locking up Jamie Collins, the next big name on the Browns free agent list is wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. In his first full season on an NFL roster as a wide receiver, Pryor went over 1,000 yards receiving and established himself as a big target for whomever was playing quarterback. 

The question that Mary Kay Cabot, Scott Patsko and I asked during our podcast earlier this week: Should the Browns franchise Pryor?

Check out the video above to hear the highlights of that segment. You can also listen to the entire podcast -- plus more of what we had to say about it and our thoughts on the Browns 2014 rookie receivers -- 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).

 

Former Cleveland wrestlers Dartanyon Crockett, Leroy Sutton spotlighted in new book

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Cleveland has more than its fair share of inspirational sports stories.

COVER_CARRY ON_Fenn_Final.jpg"Carry On," by Cleveland native Lisa Fenn, has been nominated for a NAACP Image Award. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland has more than its fair share of inspirational sports stories. There's the biggest story of all: Akron boy LeBron James comes home, leads his team to its first-ever championship.

And there's the Jesse Owens story, breaking records, winning medals and standing up to racism - and Hitler.

And then there are the stories of Larry Doby, and Satchel Paige, and even the Ali summit that took place in 1967.

It's all headline-grabbing stuff. But no less powerful, or inspiring, is a lesser-known Cleveland sports story, that of Leroy Sutton and Dartanyon Crockett. These two Lincoln-West High School wrestlers didn't let their disabilities, or poverty, or anything else stop then on their quest to rise above -- and for Crockett to even become a Paralympic champion.

It's a story Cleveland-born author Lisa Fenn tells in her lauded debut book, "Carry On: A story of Resilience, Redemption, and an Unlikely Family" (Harper Wave, 256 pp., $25.99). The book, which has received rave reviews and has been optioned for a movie by Nate Parker, is nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literature by a Debut Author. Winners are announced Friday.

Since she released the book in August, it has struck a nerve with readers of all ages, says Fenn.

"What we've found to be unique about this story is there is someone for everyone to connect to, so there are a lot of teenagers who are reading it and feeling a lot of things and drawing strength from that."

Even the two main subjects -- who have become like family with Fenn -- were inspired by their own stories.

"They cried reading it; they both said they could not put it down and couldn't wait to see what happened."

Today, the three often tour the country doing motivational speeches together. Fenn hopes spreading the word about Crockett and Sutton's stories will prove inspiring -- and educational.

"The only way we can know and respect people from different backgrounds is to know the details from their lives," says Fenn. "Once you get to know someone's story, it becomes hard to want to distance yourself from them."

College Basketball 2017: Weekend Top 25 games to watch, live updates, scoreboard (photos)

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Several trap games for Top 25 teams to keep an eye on include Duke vs. Clemson; Louisville vs. Miami and Oregon vs. Cal.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Several key games are on the docket this weekend as conference play begins and coaches start looking toward post season tournament play.

On Saturday No. 13 West Virginia has a home game rematch with Kansas State at  Noon on ESPN. KSU is a team that defeated the Mountaineers earlier this season. Another key game has No. 2 Villanova at No. 24 Xavier, 2:30 p.m. on Fox. This is a huge home game for the Musketeers as they look to rise again among the Top 25 teams in the nation.

The highlight game is late at night with No. 1 Gonzaga at No. 20 Saint Mary's. If the undefeated Bulldogs get past this one they could easily finish the regular season without a blemish on their record. Looking for a road upset, Ohio State is at No. 21 Maryland, 4 p.m. ESPN.

Sunday, No. 11 Cincinnati is on the road at No. 25 SMU, 4 p.m. ESPN, but there is a key Big Ten game as well with No. 7 Wisconsin hosting Northwestern, a team many see potentially making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Follow scores and updates, here.

Locally, the Akron Zips play Friday night at Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m. ESPNU, preceeded by Ohio University at Ball State, 6:30 p.m. CBSSports. The rest of the MAC, including Kent State at Toledo, will play Saturday.

In Horizon League play, Saturday, Cleveland State is at Illinois Chicago.

Saturday's Top 25 games

No. 17 Florida vs. Texas A&M, Noon, ESPN2
No. 12 West Virginia vs. Kansas State, Noon, ESPN
No. 15 Kentucky at Alabama, 1 p.m. CBS
No. 18 Duke vs. Clemson, 1 p.m. ESPN
No. 6 Baylor vs. TCU, 2 p.m. ESPNU
No. 23 Creighton at DePaul, 2 p.m. FS1
No. 4 Louisville vs. Miami, 2 p.m. ESPN2
No. 3 Kansas at Texas Tech, 2 p.m. ESPN
No. 2 Villanova at No. 24 Xavier, 2:30 p.m. Fox
No. 21 Maryland vs. Ohio State, 4 p.m. ESPN
No. 22 Butler at Providence, 4 p.m. CBSSports
No. 14 Florida State at Notre Dame, 6 p.m. ESPN
No. 19 South Carolina at Mississippi State, 8 p.m. ESPN2
No. 1 Gonzaga at Saint Mary's, 8 p.m. ESPN
No. 9 Oregon vs. Cal, 10 p.m. ESPN2
No. 5 Oregon at USC, 10:30 p.m. PACNet

Sunday Top 25 Games

No. 11 Cincinnati at No. 25 SMU, 4 p.m. ESPN
No. 10 UCLA at Oregon State, 5 p.m. FS1
No. 12 Virginia at Virginia Tech, 6:30 p.m. ESPNU
No. 7 Wisconsin vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m. BTN


Starting a runner at second in extra innings? That idea is asinine, Major League Baseball: Zack Meisel

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Adapt the game to meet some of the standards of today's audience. But preserve the basic principles that make it worth watching in the first place.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "The Indians notched a not-so-hard-earned victory on Thursday, as they converted a pair of routine groundouts into a one-run win in 10 innings."

Is that the baseball reality in which we're headed? Let's hope not.

The old argument is tired, no matter which side of the fence you reside. Baseball is dying. The game is fine as is. It is America's pastime. It was America's pastime.

Here's one thing that won't solve whatever issues the game may or may not face: placing a runner at second base to start each inning beyond the required nine.

The issue isn't the length of the average game. There aren't as many gripes about football games that persist for three and a half or four hours because there's enough action during that time to satisfy the viewer. (Was anyone complaining at the height of the steroid era, when baseballs flew out of ballparks faster than the Blue Angels?)

It's the frequency of action that fans covet. And maybe there's a bit less of that in baseball these days, with walks and strikeouts at all-time highs. That might explain why the league is considering shifting the strike zone, to increase the regularity with which the ball is put in play, and dismissing the act of the intentional walk.

Doug Lesmerises' counterpoint: Less baseball is better

If you desire, make those and other cosmetic changes that will reduce some of the dead air: limit meetings at the mound, enforce a pitch clock and impose penalties on batters who stray from the box. But there are still 18 between-inning commercial breaks, and more for pitching changes. Those aren't going anywhere.

So raise the strike zone or lower the mound or juice the baseballs, whatever might in turn pique the casual viewer's interest. But don't compromise the foundation of the sport, the core, fundamental thought and strategy behind how the timeless game is played.

The runner-at-second implementation would only apply for extra-inning games, too, roughly one out of every 10 contests. Why such a radical change for such a small percentage of affairs? If teams don't want to blow through their bullpens, they can find other ways to end marathon games in swift fashion (use a position player on the mound).

What happens if a pitcher tosses nine perfect innings in a 0-0 tie? Does the runner at second base in the 10th ruin the historic outing? Who's responsible for the inherited runner? If he scores on a pair of groundouts, is that considered an earned run? Is that really how a team should be able to win a game?

These statistical nitpickings are of secondary significance, sure, but their mere existence illustrates why this idea is asinine.

The narrative that baseball is dying isn't supported by TV ratings or by revenue streams. Maybe the game isn't reaching children the way it did in past generations, but there are ways to remedy that without using rules found in a gym class kickball game.

Adapt the game to meet some of the standards of today's audience. But preserve the basic principles that make it worth watching in the first place.

A wider net doesn't mean a big fish for Browns in their latest QB expedition -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs

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Browns new quarterback coach David Lee tutored Tyrod Taylor last year in Buffalo. If Taylor becomes a free agent, would the Browns pursue him? He looks more like an option than the answer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - David Lee joining the Browns as quarterbacks coach brings Tyrod Taylor into the discussion since the two spent the last couple seasons together in Buffalo.

Taylor isn't willing to restructure his contract to reduce his earnings, according to the Buffalo News via Pro Football Talk.

 He'll take home a $25 million bonus if the Bills decide to bring him back. And, according to the News, his agent believes the free agent market would be robust for Taylor, who had 17 TDs and six interceptions a year ago.

It's almost as if Taylor and his agent believe there's a team out there with almost unlimited cap space and a dying need for a starting quarterback.

* The Browns wouldn't have to give up any draft picks to acquire Taylor if the Bills don't pick up his option.

But they'd certainly have to make the kind of investment that says they believe the former sixth-round pick (who turns 28 in August) is the answer to their Holy Grail search.

Just being an upgrade over Robert Griffin III shouldn't be enough.

* Kyle Shanahan met the Bay Area media after accepting the Niners head coaching job. Not unexpectedly, his play calling late in Super Bowl LI was a topic of discussion.

"Obviously you guys know the result of that wasn't easy (to live with,)" Shanahan said. "It's as hard as anything I've gone through."

Not specifically mentioning his time as Browns offensive coordinator.

* Shanahan was asked if a report were accurate quoting him telling friends, "I blew it," following the 34-28 loss to Patriots.

He said he couldn't remember if he used those exact words, but that "it sounds like me."

If he brings that kind of accountability to the job in San Francisco he should be OK.

And there's not expected to be a shortage of opportunities for the Niners to say they blew it in 2017.

* Niners owner Jed York gave six-year contracts to Shanahan and GM John Lynch.

"I believe in these guys," York told reporters. "We aren't where we want to be. We're a two-win team right now. And we need to make sure that these guys have everything they need to get up and running. And I believe in these guys and I believe they're going to be here a lot longer than that."

No word on what he believed before he fired Jim Harbaugh, Jim Tomsula, Chip Kelly and GM Trent Baalke all in the last two years.

* Elias Sports Bureau looked at the improbability of losing a 25-point lead in an NFL game after the Falcons did it in  Super Bowl LI.

Teams that held such a lead were 2,545-4-2 before Sunday night.

So they won only 99.8 percent of the time, the slackers.

* The NBA has put teams on notice about using their social media accounts to disrespect opponents.

How about your own players, Phil Jackson must've wondered.

* The Knicks president says his previous Tweet about Carmelo Anthony was "misunderstood." But he didn't say how.

He "explained" it in another Tweet.

Hope that clears things up.

* Jackson, if you were wondering, is 71 years old.

It's not that anyone expects you to still be using a rotary dial land line to communicate at that age.

But Twitter?

What could get lost in translation in 140 characters?

* Spike Lee told ESPN he would "pack Phil's bags for him."

"I think I still believe in Carmelo," Lee added, "but Phil Jackson is making it very difficult for him."

There's no firmer show of support  than "I think I still believe."

* Between Phil-Carmelo and the Charles Oakley incident, Madison Square Garden should cancel its next WWE event because it's deemed "too much of the same thing."

* The Saskatchewan Roughriders deny a report they worked out Johnny Manziel.

The organization said it is considering suing 3DownNation, a website dedicated to the coverage of the Canadian Football League.

It did not specify if it would sue because the Hamilton Tiger Cats own the signing rights to Manziel and working him out would be a rules violation.

Or because it wants damages over being portrayed as desperate enough to take a flyer on a player with Manziel's issues.

* Manziel will likely have to start in the CFL or the Arena League before any NFL team disrupts its camp by offering a tryout.

At least until the people who say they care about him stop blaming the Browns more than him for what happened in Berea.

* Joe Thomas told Pro Football Talk Live he thought Manziel would have to "keep his nose clean" and "show up for work consistently for maybe a full season" before another NFL team gives him a chance.

You've heard of low bars? That's a knee-high bar.

On a short quarterback.

* Thomas continued his recent Truth Serum tour that began with his Tweet about former Browns' corner Justin Gilbert not loving football. This time, it was a post-Super Bowl take on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell handing the trophy to the New England Patriots.

"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. "It was awesome."

So Goodell looked bad in shaking hands and bad in leaving the stage.

Seems fair.

* Warriors owner Joe Lacob says during a dinner among owners recently Michael Jordan told him Golden State's 73 wins "don't mean s__."

"And I looked at him and I just decided not to make a big deal of it," Lacob told 95.7's The Afternoon Delight. "I said, you know, you're right, we didn't win it, we had to get better."

Hard to contest anything Jordan says about championships won or lost. He won six, including after the Bulls set a record with 72 regular season games in 1995-96.

No word on whether Lacob was tempted to say, "You're right. The Cavs threw us a curve ball and we missed. You should know what that feels like, Mike."

 * Jordan Spieth exchanged words with a group of fans he believed were professional autograph seekers at Pebble Beach.

He referred to them as "scum" for trying to benefit off other's accomplishments. He said they should "get a job."

Spieth said he heard one man drop a F-bomb in front of some kids and confronted him about it.

Because on the PGA Tour if anybody is going to curse in front of kids, it should be a player who just heard a cell phone ring 200 yards down the fairway.

* According to Federal Communications Commission records obtained by Golf.com in 2015, the FCC received 22 complaints about profanities heard on golf broadcasts dating to 2011.

Fifteen of those involved Tiger Woods.

Proving you can do anything with statistics. Including use them fairly.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer Tweeted frustration over anti-Trump media coverage, then went savage on anybody who replied

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Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer decried anti-Trump media coverage in his Twitter feed during a rant Thursday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer lit Twitter on fire late Thursday night when he posted his frustrations over what he called a "flood" of "liberal slanted anti Trump" articles appearing in his feed.

The 26-year-old California native, known for his cerebral approach to the game and sometimes caustic demeanor, went on to post several terse replies to the inevitable wave of fans and detractors who responded to his take.

It all started with this Tweet around 9:45 p.m. Thursday:


What followed was an immediate response by supporters and those offering opposing views alike.

Bauer, in defending his support of President Donald Trump, Tweeted at one point that "almost all of" his teammates support Trump.

In response, Tiffany Otero, the wife of Bauer's teammate, Dan Otero, who said that her family disagrees with Bauer's politics, shared a link to a story about Otero's grandmother defecting from Cuba. (Here's further reading on Otero's grandmother's journey.)

Bauer continued to debate those who responded to his Tweet on a variety of topics, including Trump's travel ban, whether or not President Barack Obama was born in the United States, and whether or not the Indians' Chief Wahoo logo is racist.

Here are some other revelations from Bauer, according to his replies to those responding to his tweet:

* All of his drones are "working flawlessly."

* He's heard "way worse" locker room talk on a daily basis than what Trump has said.

* He's "long wanted a president who didn't fit the current political system."

* He's never met a single Native American who has found Chief Wahoo racist.

* He's a "firm believer in being able to express my opinion on my own timeline."


On Friday morning, cleveland.com Indians beat writer Zack Meisel was a guest on 92.3 The Fan's Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima on Friday. Meisel discussed Bauer's rant, and what effect it might have on his relationship with his teammates entering Spring Training.


At one point, Bauer, who is due in Goodyear, Arizona on Sunday when pitchers and catchers report, explained his rant by saying that he was bored while traveling.

 Bauer's replies to followers ranged from the sarcastic to the sublime to over-the-top savage.

Corey Coleman: Did you vote him a Cleveland Browns building block?

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There was great discussion by readers over the Browns rookie receiver, who came within three percent of making or missing the cut in our Building Blocks series.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Corey Coleman is the bounty of the Carson Wentz trade. It's possible that the other major part of the deal, the No. 12 pick in this 2017 NFL Draft, may be used on a quarterback, whether it's one in the draft or in a trade for Jimmy Garoppolo.

So that could boil down to Wentz vs. the other QB. Coleman is really the extra then, the No. 15 pick from a year ago when the Browns traded out from No. 2.

Coleman was the first receiver taken in the draft and drafted in the first half of the first round, when history shows us that a lot of teams have found No. 1 receivers there.

What did you think of Coleman after year one? Not quite enough.

* Is Corey Coleman a Browns building block?

In our series on assessing whether players are building blocks for the future of the Browns, we set out bar at 67 percent yes. We didn't want it to be just a 50-50 proposition, a majority rules kind of thing. If you're going to be a player a franchise can really count out for years to come, we wanted two-thirds of fans on board with that.

Coleman, with 33 catches for 413 yards in 10 games as a rookie, fell just short.

With nearly 4,000 votes in, Coleman finished at 64.02 percent yes, 35.98 percent no. 

He was the sixth player to fall short, the closest of that group to making the list:

John Greco: 58 percent

Isaiah Crowell: 58 percent

Cody Kessler: 52 percent

Cameron Erving: 34 percent

Joe Haden: 23 percent

Here's what voters had to say about Coleman:

GermanDawgPound: He's the first-round pick of the new front office. He's the face of the new era, so he better be a building block!

Keyser Soze: Would Coleman be a starter on any other NFL team? He's a starter here because he was drafted high and the team has only one other good receiver. 

COWBOYS IN 17: Let's see - a midget WR that can't get open and can't catch. Uh, no.
Warpath18: He is. The biggest leap usually comes in year two. Let's hope he makes it and fulfills his promise to be better this year.
ABB2016: Well, he was a bad draft choice, but you aren't going to give up on him after one season. Maybe he can become a foundation of this team going further. But his size and his hands are going against him. And his route running is also bad. 
Bakedbrownie: 100 percent, yes. You can't judge him after one year and if you do you must know nothing about football. Look up Antonio Brown's rookie year or you can do the classic pass judgement, get rid of them and watch them succeed somewhere else. How did we let another one slip away?
Old_King_Brown: Why the heck don't we KNOW MORE about this high draft pick? Hue? Sashi? Geez. From what we saw, we have to say the guy's another BUST.
bluebengal: Too early to say. In fairness to him we had a poor passing game due a poor center and multiple injuries on the offensive line. We have to hope what we saw in preseason is a preview of his ability.
Common sense: He reminds me of Greg Little without the size. Imagine, this is the guy they drafted to start from scratch? This is one of the worst players we could have taken last year. So much talent drafted and we wind up with Coleman. Unconscionable.
sma8or20: How can you vote him a building block based on a rookie season marred by injury and inconsistent play? One game he makes a couple plays. One game he drops half of what they throw at him. One game he doesn't get his name called. Ask again after season three.
sittitan: Stupid Poll. He is 100 percent a building block
 
Accepted Browns Building Blocks

* Terrelle Pryor

* Jamie Collins

* Danny Shelton

* Christian Kirksey

In a roll call of bad Cleveland draft picks, does Justin Gilbert win the contest? -- Bud vs. Doug

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Cleveland.com sports columnists Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises made note of former Browns No. 1 pick being cut by yet another team and made a list of the worst picks of the last 10 years as part of the video debate series Prepare for List Off. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Steelers quietly waived former Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert this past week.

 All they really had to show for taking Gilbert in the Top 10 of the draft was a sixth-rounder acquired in deal with Pittsburgh. And they'll have to wait until 2018 to use that.

A second team giving up on Gilbert got us thinking about the worst Cleveland draft picks in the last 10 years.

I know. How uplifting.

A disclaimer before you hear my choices. I read the assignment as "worst Cleveland Browns draft picks," which tells you something about my focus perhaps but maybe more about just how badly the draft has gone for the Browns in recent years.

Cleveland.com columnist Doug Lesmerises, who reads closely, didn't let the Cavs off the hook for one particularly big swing and miss.

My list included a quarterback and a running back. Doug's listed a different quarterback.

We talked about it as part of our video debate series Prepare for List Off.

Hear us out and come back and tell us which list makes the most sense.

If nothing else, maybe we can at least agree our lists make more sense than some of the drafts we've seen in recent years.

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