The Browns wouldn't be the first team to give up draft assets for a backup quarterback. Here are some recent quarterback trades and how they worked out on both sides.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Jimmy Garoppolo speculation isn't going away anytime soon. The possibility that the Patriots could trade Tom Brady's backup this offseason will persist until either they say otherwise or they actually make a deal. Assessing the potential of backup quarterbacks can be difficult. They're coming from a different system, have been groomed by a different coaching staff and, of course, for whatever reason, their team is willing to give them up.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported in December that the Patriots would like a first round pick as part of a trade for Garoppolo, a player they selected in the second round, No. 62 overall. The teams that appear to be in the mix are sitting on top five picks, a price that would be high for what similar trades have netted. That's part of why the Browns' pick at No. 12 is so intriguing. In reality, second round picks have been the more common form of currency.

Understanding that the results of previous trades have little to do with how a future trade will work out, it is important to know what the cost has been in recent years and, ultimately, what the return was for the team trading the quarterback. 

Here is a look at some of the significant quarterback trades, what was given up to acquire the quarterback and how those draft picks played out. There are a few trades I passed up: the Jay Cutler trade was a different situation; the Ryan Mallett trade by the Patriots was for a seventh-rounder and he had not started. The Brett Favre trade was in the '90s and we're not going back that far (although that trade did involve Green Bay giving up the second of two first-round picks). The multiple trades of Sam Bradford feel irrelevant, since he is a known commodity.

So here's a look at some of the higher-profile backup or disgruntled quarterback trades in the last decade:

March 22, 2007 -- Texans acquire Matt Schaub from Falcons

Wade Payne, Associated Press 

The trade

Texans acquire: Schaub, Atlanta's 2007 first-round pick (No. 10).

Falcons acquire: Houston's 2007 first-round pick (No. 8), 2007 second-round pick (No. 39), 2008 second-round pick (No. 48).

Schaub offers perhaps the most interesting parallel to Garoppolo. The 2004 third round pick started just two games in three seasons for Atlanta. The first was a 26-13 loss at New Orleans during his rookie season. Schaub threw for 188 yards and two interceptions. The second was a 31-28 loss to New England in 2005 in which he threw for 298 yards and three scores.

Schaub's final game in Atlanta was probably his best statistically. Starter Michael Vick was knocked out of the season finale with an ankle injury on the Falcons' first offensive play of the second half. Schaub's first two passes were incomplete before completing 15 of his next 19 for 175 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Falcons lost, 24-17.

That was enough, though, for the Texans to swap first-rounders with Atlanta, add in their second-round pick that year and the next for Schaub and immediately name him their starting quarterback over former No. 1 pick, David Carr.

Neither team received much from their first-round pick that season. Atlanta used the Texans' pick on defensive end Jamaal Anderson who registered 4.5 sacks in four seasons with the Falcons. Houston defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, who collected 5.5 sacks his rookie season and just 5.5 combined over the next three with Houston.

As for the other picks, Atlanta selected guard Justin Blalock at No. 39. He started 125 games for the Falcons in eight seasons.

It gets complicated after that. In 2008, Atlanta traded their second-round pick from Houston to Washington as part of a deal that netted the Falcons Washington's first, third and fifth round picks. Those players became tackle Sam Baker (started 61 games in his eight seasons), wide receiver Harry Douglas (3,131 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in six seasons with Atlanta) and defensive end Kroy Biermann (23.5 sacks in eight seasons with Atlanta).

As for Schaub, he spent seven seasons with Houston, throwing for more than 23,000 yards, 124 touchdowns and 78 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl in 2009 and 2012. Schaub played in all 16 games in just three of his seven seasons with Houston. His best individual season came in 2009 when he threw for 4,770 yards and 29 touchdowns. The Texans went 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Schaub's lone playoff season with Houston came in 2012 when the Texans went 12-4. They beat the Bengals during Wild Card weekend and lost to New England the following week. Atlanta, by the way, lost in the NFC Championship game that season.

Ultimately, Schaub's time in Houston was marked by flashes of strong play, overall inconsistency and injury. This blog post from the Houston Chronicle offers the full roller coaster. The Falcons, for their part, didn't exactly cash in on their end of the deal.

February 28, 2009 -- Chiefs acquire Matt Cassel from New England

Don Heupel, Associated Press 

The trade

Chiefs acquire: Cassel, LB Mike Vrabel

Patriots acquire: Kansas City's 2009 second-round pick (No. 34)

You want to talk about sample sizes? Matt Cassel gave the league one heck of a sample size in 2011 when he started 15 games for New England after Tom Brady was injured against -- Who else? -- the Chiefs. Cassel started 15 games, completed 63 percent of his passes, threw for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and the Patriots finished 11-5, somehow missing out on a playoff spot.

New England included Vrabel, who turned 34 prior to the start of the 2012 season, in the deal. The Chiefs gave the Patriots their second round pick, which turned into safety Patrick Chung at No. 34 overall. Chung, who started at safety for the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, was probably the second best of the Pats' twelve picks that season. Their draft that year also included wide receiver Julian Edelman -- though that pick was unrelated to the trade -- in the seventh round. Interestingly, New England traded their first round pick that year to Green Bay, a pick the Packers used on Clay Matthews.

It's also worth noting that Chung actually left New England for a year to play for the Eagles in 2013. They cut him the following offseason and he returned to the Patriots.

As for Cassel, he followed up a rocky first season with the Chiefs with a 2010 season that saw him complete 58 percent of his passes, throw 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Nothing spectacular, but good enough to go with the over 2,300 combined rushing yards from Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones. Cassel, however, completed just 9 of 18 passes for 70 yards and threw three interceptions in a Wild Card Weekend loss to Baltimore at Arrowhead Stadium. He never came close to matching that season, starting just 17 games during his final two seasons with the Chiefs and has started just 18 games in the four seasons since Kansas City released him.

With Cassel, GM Scott Pioli and head coach Romeo Crennel (who replaced Todd Haley in 2011) gone, it meant Kansas City was in the market for a quarterback which led to ...

February 28, 2013 -- Chiefs agree on trade for 49ers quarterback Alex Smith

Tony Avelar, Associated Press 

The trade

Chiefs acquire: Smith

49ers acquire: Kansas City's 2013 second-round pick (No. 34), conditional 2014 pick (No. 56)

Smith lost his starting job to second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick late in 2012. After Kaepernick led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, the 49ers traded Smith to the Chiefs in exchange for Kansas City's 2013 second-rounder (No. 34 overall) and a conditional mid-round pick in 2014 which turned out to be the No. 56 overall pick.

Smith has started 61 games for Reid's Chiefs over his four seasons, running an efficient offense in which he has completed 64.5 percent of his passes with 76 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. The Chiefs have made the playoffs in all but one of Smith's seasons as a starter, but have advanced just once, beating Houston during Wild Card Weekend in 2016 and losing to New England the next week. Smith and the Chiefs lost to the Steelers in the Divisional Round at home this past season.

San Francisco traded the No. 34 pick in 2013 to Tennessee in exchange for the Titans' second and seventh round picks in 2013 and their third-round pick in 2014. The 49ers selected linebacker Tank Carradine with Tennessee's second-round pick (No. 40 overall). They traded the seventh-round pick they acquired to Green Bay as part of a trade to move up from No. 93 to No. 88 to select linebacker Corey Lemonier. They used the 2014 third-round pick on linebacker Chris Borland.

It gets a little more complicated from there, but ultimately, the 49ers also used a 2015 fourth-round pick acquired through the moving parts of this trade to acquire wide receiver Stevie Johnson from the Bills in 2014.

Hyde has been a good running back while Borland retired, citing concerns over concussions, after a promising rookie season. Carradine has appeared in 36 games for the 49ers while Lemonier has bounced around between the 49ers, Browns and Jets. Johnson played one season with the 49ers, catching 35 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns.

October 19, 2011 -- Raiders acquire Carson Palmer from the Bengals

Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press 

The trade

Raiders acquire: Palmer

Bengals acquire: Oakland's 2012 first-round pick (No. 17), 2013 conditional second-round pick (No. 37)

I'm including this trade because it involves a key Browns decision-maker: head coach Hue Jackson.

Jackson's Raiders were off to a 4-2 start following a 24-17 win over the Browns. That win came at a cost though, when starting quarterback Jason Campbell broke his collarbone. Campbell was playing well, having completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,170 yards and six touchdowns. The Bengals, meanwhile, had drafted Andy Dalton after Palmer requested a trade and threatened retirement and was placed on the reserve/did not report list when he didn't show up for training camp prior to the 2011 season.

Palmer had a history with Jackson and the Raiders were an organization in flux following the death of owner Al Davis. They gave up a 2012 first round pick and 2013 conditional second-round pick that could have become a first-round pick if the Raiders reached the AFC championship game.

Palmer made his first appearance a few days later, relieving starter Kyle Boller in the third quarter of a 38-0 loss to Kansas City. Palmer started the next game following a bye, a 38-24 loss to Denver, but the Raiders won their next three games with Palmer starting to move to 7-4. That was the high-water mark, though, with Oakland losing four of their last five, and Palmer throwing seven touchdowns and eight interceptions over those final five games.

The Bengals, meanwhile, used the 2012 first-round pick acquired in the deal to select Dre Kirkpatrick, who has been one of their starting cornerbacks the last two seasons. They selected running back Giovani Bernard with the 2013 second-round pick. Bernard has rushed for 2,442 yards and 14 touchdowns in four seasons while sharing a backfield, mostly with Jeremy Hill.

The Raiders hired Reggie McKenzie as their GM following the 2011 season and he fired Jackson. Palmer started 15 games for Oakland in 2012 for head coach Dennis Allen. The Raiders went 4-12 and, on April 2, 2013, they traded Palmer to Arizona in a deal that included the swap of 2013 draft picks and a conditional pick in 2014.

Arizona was in the market for a quarterback in part because of a trade they made a few offseasons earlier ...

July 29, 2011: Cardinals acquire Kevin Kolb from the Eagles

Michael Perez, Associated Press 

The trade

Cardinals acquire: Kolb

Eagles acquire: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Arizona's 2012 second-round pick (No. 51)

Kolb was supposed to be the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia. He started the first game of the post-McNabb era in Philadelphia in 2010, but backup quarterback Michael Vick, in his second season back in the league, lined up all over the field for the Eagles, including starting the game at wide receiver and taking snaps in place of Kolb. Vick eventually took over at quarterback when Kolb suffered a concussion.

While Kolb didn't initially lose his starting quarterback job, Vick played well enough in his place that he was promoted in front of Kolb. Kolb returned to play after Vick was injured in the second quarter of the Eagles' Oct. 3 game against Washington. He started the next three games before Vick returned and Kolb made his final start as an Eagle in 2010's meaningless season finale.

Following the resolution of the lockout that offseason, the Cardinals shipped a 2012 second-round pick and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to Philadelphia. Rodgers-Cromartie was coming off of a season in which he intercepted three passes and returned two for scores.

Kolb started just 14 games for Arizona, suffering two more concussions during the 2012 season, he wrote for MMQB. He threw 17 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. The Cardinals cut him in March 2013.

Rodgers-Cromartie played two seasons in Philadelphia, starting 19 games, including all 16 games in 2012, a season in which he intercepted three passes. The Eagles traded the No. 51 overall pick to Green Bay for the Packers' second and fourth round picks. They used the second round pick from Green Bay on defensive end Vinny Curry, who has 19 sacks in five seasons with the Eagles. They selected cornerback Brandon Boykin with the fourth round pick. Boykins last appeared in a game for Pittsburgh in 2015 after three seasons in Philadelphia, including a 2013 season in which he intercepted six passes and scored a touchdown. He missed all of 2016 with a pectoral injury.

Looking back on these trades, it's safe to say that none of them were franchise-changers in either direction. Smith was probably the best quarterback acquired and, at the time, that was a trade that many thought San Francisco had won based on the assets they acquired. It turned out, though, that Hyde was the best of all of those assets. It's safe to say Kansas City would make that trade again.

Atlanta ended up with a longterm starter at guard and a good receiver in Douglas. Schaub, while inconsistent, had some productive seasons for the Texans.

The Patriots flipped Cassel into a good player who is still starting for them, but it hardly feels like a robbery, despite things not working out for Cassel and the Chiefs. The Patriots did allow Chung to walk for a season, after all.

The Eagles ended up getting a good player in Curry.

Perhaps the best return came for the Bengals trading Palmer, but that trade was made under extreme circumstances for both teams. Of course, that's the trade that involved Jackson, so we'll see if that looms large in the Browns' decision.

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Read The Associated Press state boys basketball rankings for Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, plus how cleveland.com voted.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The latest Associated Press state boys basketball rankings were released Monday for all four divisions in the OHSAA.

For Northeast Ohio, three teams remain in the four top 10s — Lorain (Division I), Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Division III) and defending state champion Cornerstone Christian (Division IV). Read below for the rankings, which include first-place votes, records and point totals from the voters.

State rankings are voted by newspaper writers across the state. Ballots submitted by cleveland.com are included at the end of each division.

Others receiving 12 or more points: Hilliard Bradley 24. Tol. St. Francis 16. Cle. St. Ignatius 12.

How cleveland.com voted: 1. Cincinnati Moeller (21-0), 2. Massillon Jackson (17-1), 3. Pickerington Central (19-2), 4. Newark (20-1), 5. Toledo St. John’s (17-2), 6. North Canton Hoover (18-1), 7. St. Ignatius (13-4), 8. Hilliard Bradley (19-1), 9. Upper Arlington (18-2), 10. Columbus Northland (18-3).

Others receiving 12 or more points: Akr. SVSM 35. Wapakoneta 28. Parma Hts. Holy Name 15. Cin. Hughes 14.

How cleveland.com voted: 1. Trotwood-Madison (18-2), 2. Upper Sandusky (20-0), 3. St. Vincent-St. Mary (13-4), 4. Columbus South (20-1), 5. Dayton Dunbar (19-3), 6. Ottawa-Glandorf (18-2), 7. Kettering Alter (17-3), 8. Cincinnati Wyoming (20-1), 9. Franklin (17-4), 10. Cincinnati Hughes (16-3).

Others receiving 12 or more points: Martins Ferry 18. Brookville 18. Findlay Liberty-Benton 13. St. Bernard Roger Bacon 12.

How cleveland.com voted: 1. Cincinnati Summit Country Day (20-0), 2. Versailles (19-1), 3. Oak Hill (21-1), 4. VASJ (13-5), 5. Cincinnati St. Bernard Roger Bacon (17-4), 6. Haviland Wayne Trace (16-2), 7. Leavittsburg LaBrae (19-0), 8. Gahanna Columbus Academy (14-4), 9. Worthington Christian (15-5), 10. Elyria Catholic (13-5).

Others receiving 12 or more points: Ft. Loramie 30. Portsmouth Clay 22. Russia 18. Sidney Fairlawn 17. Holgate 15. Old Fort 13.

How cleveland.com voted: 1. Cornerstone Christian (15-4), 2. Mansfield St. Peter’s (19-2), 3. Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (17-3), 4. Grove City Christian (17-3), 5. Defiance Ayersville (18-1), 6. Columbus Wellington (15-5), 7, McDonald (18-1), 8. Bristol (19-1), 9. S. Charleston SE (15-2), 10. Waterford (14-3).

The nine boys and two girls on a CYO team in Clark, N.J., voted unanimously to stick together. Watch video

CLARK, New Jersey -- A fifth-grade CYO basketball team is making national news after it refused an order from an archdiocese to kick two girls off the roster, instead forfeiting its season.

According to nj.com, the team at St. John the Apostle, which consisted of nine boys and two girls, had played together for four years. Two weeks ago they were told by the league's director that it was illegal for the girls to be on the roster and that they must be removed or the team would forfeit its remaining games and the season as a whole.

So the team was given a choice before a game Friday night:

"Is your decision to play the game without the two young ladies on the team, or do you want to stay as a team as you have all year?" Matthew Dohn, a parent of one of the players, asked the team. "Show of hands for play as a team?"

The vote was unanimous to keep the girls on the roster and forfeit, nj.com reports.

The show of unity has brought plenty of positive attention to the team. But when the two girls on the team volunteered to sit out the final game on Saturday so the boys could play, the league's athletic director rejected the gesture, nj.com reports.

"The AD said that the league director called Friday's game a 'stunt,' and because of it, the game had been canceled and the season forfeited," Keisha Martel, an assistant coach, tells nj.com.

St. John's was scheduled to play Saturday at Aquinas Academy in Livingston, N.J. Leslie Thomas, the athletic director for Aquinas, tells nj.com its team was willing to play St. John's with or without girls on the roster.

"I'm sick and tired of this," she said. "It's not necessary. This league is about teaching our kids sportsmanship and this is definitely not sportsmanship. If they didn't realize the girls were on the team over the years, then that's their fault, and the season should continue. At the end of the day it's not about the officials or coaches or parents - it's about the kids."

Officials with the league and the archdiocese of Newark declined to comment to nj.com on the issue.

A girl on the St. John's team, Kayla Martel, tells nj.com she appreciated the vote from her teammates despite the consequences.

"It has a big impact on me because it shows that they care. I'm part of them just as they're part of me and they don't want to break that bond just like I don't want to break that bond," Kayla said. "I think the rules are ridiculous."

Happy Valentine's Day! Here, you can print out our special set of Cavaliers valentines cards.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Love is in the air. And so is Kevin Love.

Are you looking for a special way to show the basketball-lover in your life how much you care about them? Our printable sheet of Cleveland Cavaliers valentines might do the trick.

These Valentine's Day cards feature LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Kevin Love, along with some basketball love puns like "Loving you is a slam dunk" and "I'm #ALLIN for you."

Download the sheet of cards below. Then print them and cut them out to give to five of your closest friends.

Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy these Cavs-themed valentine cards. (Image by Zachariah Durr)

The Cleveland Indians seek back-to-back World Series appearances.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At the outset of spring training, the Cleveland Indians have the third-best odds to win World Series 2017, according to Bovada.

The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are 9/2. The Indians are 8/1.

Last season, the Indians swept the Red Sox, 3-0, in an AL division series. They lost to the Cubs, 4-3, in the World Series.

Odds to win World Series 2017 since November, according to Bovada:

                                          11/3/16             12/7/16            2/13/17

Boston Red Sox                       9/1                    11/2                  9/2

Chicago Cubs                           7/2                    15/4                  9/2

Cleveland Indians                14/1                  12/1               8/1

Los Angeles Dodgers                9/1                    14/1                  10/1

Washington Nationals               12/1                  9/1                    10/1

San Francisco Giants                14/1                  14/1                  12/1

Houston Astros                         16/1                  12/1                  14/1

New York Mets                          14/1                  18/1                  18/1

Toronto Blue Jays                     14/1                  20/1                  20/1

St. Louis Cardinals                    22/1                  25/1                  22/1

New York Yankees                    25/1                  14/1                  25/1

Texas Rangers                          16/1                  25/1                  28/1

Baltimore Orioles                       22/1                  28/1                  33/1

Detroit Tigers                            22/1                  28/1                  33/1

Kansas City Royals                   33/1                  33/1                  33/1

Seattle Mariners                        25/1                  25/1                  33/1

Colorado Rockies                      66/1                  75/1                  40/1

Pittsburgh Pirates                      28/1                  40/1                  40/1

Chicago White Sox                    40/1                  66/1                  75/1     

Los Angeles Angels                   50/1                  75/1                  75/1

Miami Marlins                            40/1                  66/1                  75/1

Tampa Bay Rays                       66/1                  75/1                  75/1

Arizona Diamondbacks            100/1                100/1                100/1

Atlanta Braves                           100/1                75/1                  100/1

Cincinnati Reds                         100/1                100/1                150/1

Milwaukee Brewers                    75/1                  100/1                150/1

Minnesota Twins                        100/1                100/1                150/1

Oakland Athletics                      75/1                  100/1                150/1

Philadelphia Phillies                   100/1                100/1                150/1

San Diego Padres                     100/1                100/1                150/1

Terrelle Pryor's agents will meet with the Browns soon to try to hammer out a new deal. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Terrelle Pryor's agents will have 'strong discussions' with the Browns soon about a new deal for the 1,000-yard receiver, a source told cleveland.com, and Pryor has instructed them he wants to stay in Cleveland.

The Browns have no plans to franchise Pryor, and would only do so if they can't strike a long-term deal.

Pryor's agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, will meet with the Browns this week to discuss a deal for their "top offseason priority'' according to CBS Sports' Jason LaCanfora.

Drew Rosenhaus declined to comment on the status of Pryor's negotiations at the Senior Bowl two weeks ago and again on Monday. Pryor became the Browns' focus after they wrapped up linebacker Jamie Collins last month to a four-year, $50 million deal.

Teams can begin placing the franchise and transition tag on players on Wednesday, and have until March 1st to do. Other teams can enter into negotiations for free agents on March 7, but not complete a deal until free agency officially opens on March 9th.

The franchise number for wide receivers will be about $15 million for the 2017 season. Pryor's value on the open market will be roughly $9 million a year, according to spotrac.com. That would rank him 10th in terms of current wideout averages.

"I know this is an important month,'' Pryor, one of the top receivers due to become free, told cleveland.com last week. "But I do love being with the Browns and like I said before, this thing isn't about joining a different team because a different team's good.

"That's not what it's about. I love the building process here. I started out in my career never coming in the front door. I've alway got to go in the back, the hard way and the longer way.''

Like his teammate Joe Thomas, he wants to be part of the turnaround under Hue Jackson.

"I have no problem with, just because we were 1-15 or whatever this year, coming back,'' he said. "I don't mind starting fresh next year and continuing to grow, because I think it's more exciting when you're on the bottom. I'm always citing starting from the bottom and getting to the top, and I think it's a greater feeling and it would be great to give Cleveland what they're looking for.''

Pryor, who eclipsed 1,000 yards in the season finale against his hometown Steelers, doesn't know exactly where things stands, but he told the Rosenhaus brothers that this is where he wants to be.

"It's really up to them,'' he said. "It's really in God's hands.''

Terrelle Pryor: From homeless in PA to Browns star receiver

Pryor told cleveland.com in September that he wants to be here "as long as Hue Jackson is here,'' and the admiration is mutual. Jackson helped draft Pryor in 2011 when he was head coach of the Raiders, and Pryor wants to win for him.

"This relationship with me and him goes way back to 2011,'' Jackson said this season. "There are a lot of things I know about Terrelle that maybe a lot of people don't. I'm talking about as far as what he is really capable of doing. I would say to all of you that he hasn't even scratched the surface of what he is.

"He's growing each and every day as a football player, as a person. He's getting better, and his best football's still ahead of him by far. He just has to keep working like he does every day and continue to get better and stay humble and be as good as he's been and good things will happen."

Pryor recently got the cast off his broken right hand and has been training hard back home in the Pittsburgh area.

Lateral Quickness something I'm trying to get better at. pic.twitter.com/Pc2IfqsSJf

— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor) February 13, 2017

Big boy weight pic.twitter.com/vtcJPX5zJK

— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor) February 13, 2017

Nick Wilson is the man.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I chatted with host Nick Wilson as part of my regular Monday night hit on the Nick Wilson Experiment on 92.3 The Fan.

Among the topics:

*Kevin Love's knee.

*Derrick Williams' future with Cleveland Cavaliers.

*Larry Sanders....Larry Sanders? 

*Myles Garrett's stock.

Check out some of the top high school basketball standouts from the past week in the Cleveland area.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are the latest boys basketball top performances nominated for “Game Balls” from Feb. 6 to 12.

Players are nominated by coaches and selected by the cleveland.com staff. Voting is open until noon Friday.

Cartier Bickley, Archbishop Hoban: A 6-foot-3 senior forward, Bickley produced in ways that do not show up in a box score. He was the Knights’ second-leading scorer Tuesday in a 59-57 loss at rival St. Vincent-St. Mary. The Knights lost forward Brian Cuppett to an ankle injury in that game, so Bickley followed Friday with a season-high 18 points and three 3-pointers in a win at Lake Catholic. The effort helped Hoban clinch the North Coast League Blue Division. Bickley has a 3.4 grade-point average.

Sincere Carry, Solon: The Comets’ 6-foot junior point guard concluded his week with 38 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals Saturday in a 90-80 loss at St. Ignatius. A night earlier, Carry had 25 points, six rebounds and five assists in an 84-81 win vs. Euclid. See Carry in action earlier this season in the video below. Highlights, where available, are included for players receiving “Game Balls.”

Dorian Crutcher, Elyria Catholic: The family lineage is strong in Elyria, particularly with this 6-3 junior guard. His father, Nate, starred at defunct Elyria West in the mid-1990s. Last week, Dorian gave Elyria Catholic two 20-point games in wins that helped the Panthers bounce back from a buzzer-beating loss to rival Elyria. First Tuesday, Crutcher scored 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a 70-45 win against Rocky River. He followed with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists in an 82-67 win against Bay that included 25 points from Sean Szabo. Crutcher is averaging 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds. He has made 44 shots beyond the 3-point line.

Jayvon Graves, STVM: The Irish held off Hoban last Tuesday behind Graves’ 28 points, including the go-ahead basket in overtime. The 6-3 guard is headed to Buffalo next season.

Jerry Higgins, Villa Angela-St. Joseph: The Vikings' junior point guard continued the momentum he built two weeks ago by helping close out Mentor at home. On Tuesday, Higgins scored a team-high 15 points to help fend off Gilmour, 60-55, in a potential Division III district tournament preview. He followed Friday with 27 points in a 69-57 win against Warren JFK to keep VASJ perfect at home.

R.J. Sunahara, Bay: The Rockets’ 6-6 junior forward filled the stat sheet in three games. He supplied 24 points and eight rebounds Tuesday vs. Valley Forge. On Friday, Sunahara put up 26 points and six rebounds in a loss at Elyria Catholic. The next night, he had 29 points and 16 boards in a win against Lutheran West.

Miryne Thomas, Central Catholic: Thomas put up 22 points with seven rebounds and two blocks Saturday in an 89-67 win against Holy Name. Bound for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore next season, Thomas had 17 points Friday in a 100-53 win against Trinity.

Austen Yarian, St. Ignatius: The Wildcats’ 6-foot-8 senior forward, who is headed to Hillsdale College next season, closed Friday’s 75-72 overtime win at St. Edward strong and followed up with a career-high 32 points against Solo. First, Yarian shot 10-of-17 with 11 rebounds and three assists in his 23-point game against the Eagles. He followed the next by shooting 12-of-16 with 17 rebounds and seven assists in the 90-80 win against the Comets.

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

The Buckeyes should be replacing about 13 of 22 starters after the 2017 season. How many of the new 2018 starters could come from this just-signed No. 2-ranked recruiting class?

The Buckeyes won titles in 1968 and 2014 with sophomore stars. With this highly-rated 2017 recruiting class, that means 2018 might be the season to watch. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's 2013 recruiting class lived up to the Buckeyes' 1967 recruiting class in so many ways, the new version of the Super Sophs matched the first group's shortcomings, as well as their successes.

In 1968, Ohio State won the National Championship with nine sophomore starters, including defensive back Jack Tatum, quarterback Rex Kern and defensive lineman Jim Stillwagon.

In 2014, Ohio State won the National Championship with seven sophomore starters, including Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and Eli Apple, and two more players who were nearly starters, in Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson.

Is the Class of 2017 next?

If the answer is yes, that means a National Championship for Ohio State in 2018. And maybe a little heartbreak after. But start the clock on when the 2017 class will make its presence felt.

"I can't say what we're going to do," freshman linebacker Baron Browning said. "I don't want to speak of the future. But if we stick to the plan they have here, great things are going to happen."

Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class ranked as the second-best in the nation, behind Alabama, when the 21 players in the group officially became Buckeyes on National Signing Day on Feb. 1. Nine of the 21 are already enrolled in classes and will take part in spring football. 

Cornerback Jeffrey Okudah, the top-ranked recruit in the class, jumps out as a potential freshman starter in 2017. Offensive linemen Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis could fight for time this fall, and Browning may not require much seasoning.

True freshmen contributing in a major way is always the exception, not the rule. But in their second year?

After nine sophomore starters in 1968 and seven sophomore starters in 2014, the 2018 season could easily shape up that way as well. Check out the companion story that goes through the position groups and how many players from this class could start in year two.

Here's a hint: It's more than nine.

That's the world now. The best players from this 2017 class will only be around for three years. Some many not even start for more than one season, as we saw with Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker, who will be first-round NFL Draft picks in April.

So in 2014, the Buckeyes saw Joey Bosa, Darron Lee, Eli Apple and Vonn Bell start on defense. J.T. Barrett, Ezekiel Elliott and Billy Price started on offense, while Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson played and contributed enough to be considered starters, even if they weren't technically so.

You never know what's around the corner. So you have to win when the chance is there.

In 1969, the original Super Sophs were upset at Michigan to ruin their shot at repeating as national champions.

In 2015, the next group of OSU super sophomores found their junior season hopes dashed by a home loss to Michigan State.

For this class, it may turn out that 2019, their third year in Columbus, will be the best chance to win it all. But by 2018, plenty of them should be on the field.

And we've seen that work before.

"We've only been here for a month, so we haven't gotten the chance to feel the expectations, but we know what the expectations are," Okudah said of the nine freshmen who arrived in January. "With a class like the one we brought in, it's the highest expectation, and that's to win a national championship."

The Buckeyes are back on the road on Tuesday night for the second game of their home-and-home with Michigan State.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Ohio State basketball is back on the road on Tuesday night for its second game of the season against Michigan State. Here's everything you need to know before tip-off:

GAME INFORMATION

Who: Ohio State Buckeyes (15-11, 5-8 Big Ten) at Michigan State Spartans (15-10, 7-5).

When: Tuesday, 9 p.m.

Where: Breslin Center (14,797).

TV: ESPN, with Dan Shulman, Dan Dakich and Molly McGrath on the call.

Latest line: Michigan State -8.

Series record: Michigan State leads the overall series against Ohio State 72-58. The Spartans had won five straight versus the Buckeyes before Ohio State beat Michigan State, 72-67, in Columbus on Jan. 15.

Ohio State has not won in East Lansing since March 4, 2012.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Ohio State: G C.J. Jackson (6-1, Soph., 4.5 ppg); G Kam Williams (6-2, Jr., 10.6 ppg); F Marc Loving (6-8, Sr., 12.2 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (6-4, Jr., 14.3 ppg); C Trevor Thompson (7-0, Jr., 10.8 ppg).

Michigan State: G Joshua Langford (6-5, Fr., 6.0 ppg); G Eron Harris (6-3, Sr., 11.3 ppg); G Lourawls Nairn Jr. (5-10, Jr., 4.0 ppg); F Miles Bridges (6-7, Fr., 16.2 ppg) F Kenny Goins (6-6, Soph., 3.6 ppg).

GAME NOTES

* The Buckeyes are coming off an 86-77 loss at Maryland on Saturday. That loss dropped Ohio State to 3-6 on the road this season, 2-5 on the road in Big Ten play. The Spartans are coming off a 77-66 win over Iowa on Saturday and are 5-1 at home in Big Ten play.

Ohio State hasn't swept a season series from Michigan State since the 2006-07 season.

* Ohio State is No. 63 in the Rating Percentage Index heading into Tuesday's game. Michigan State is No. 41. A win for the Buckeyes would give them three top-50 RPI wins, but their NCAA Tournament hopes are likely shot barring a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament.

* If the Buckeyes want to get a big win on the road, they can do so by taking advantage of Michigan State's turnovers. The Spartans are 13th out of 14 teams in the Big Ten in turnover margin (-3.2). Michigan State has the highest turnover percentage (21.7 percent) of any Big Ten team in conference play.

* Ohio State could have point guard JaQuan Lyle back for Tuesday's game. Lyle has been away from the team since last Thursday while tending to a family emergency in Indiana. C.J. Jackson has started the last three games at point guard, and it's unclear how much, if at all, Lyle will play against Michigan State after returning to the Buckeyes on Monday.

* Buckeyes senior forward Marc Loving scored a season-high 24 points against Maryland. In the last six games, Loving is averaging nearly 16 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range

PREDICTION

Bill's pick: Michigan State 71, Ohio State 66. I was impressed with how Ohio State played at Maryland without Lyle, and if not for an 0-for-10 shooting start, maybe that's a different game. So I think the Buckeyes find another way to hang in a tough road environment. Maybe Lyle gives them boost needed to get another win over the Spartans, but Ohio State hasn't swept Michigan State in a decade.

LeBron James, Trevor Bauer, Stephen Curry and other sports stars should feel free to speak their minds politically. It's what got entertainer Donald Trump elected president.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer has every right to defend President Donald Trump.

LeBron James has the same right to criticize the president.

Telling either of them to "stick to sports" is entirely un-American.

Piling up on athletes' Twitter mentions and jamming sportswriters' inboxes are countless versions of this silly and dangerous idea: that because a man or woman is a famous athlete, or he or she writes news stories about sports stars, their voice has no place in the American body politik.

This is of course ridiculous. Free speech doesn't stop at the baseline. Athletes are, or should be, as welcome to our discussion as plumbers and governors and comedy hosts and real estate moguls.

Is the financial wholesaler on the Stairmaster next to you at the gym any more qualified to bloviate about dismantling Obamacare than athlete is to take a stance on immigration or guns?  

We are undoubtedly in a politically charged time in our country. Dissenting opinion are rejected out of hand. People are upset. They're mad because Trump is president. Or, they were so mad they went ahead and elected Trump, fueled by that anger.

Because Trump is in office, opposition to him, especially in the NBA, is going to get more attention. James' numerous stances against him, from his opposition to Trump's Muslim travel ban, to his starring in a thinly veiled political commercial for Nike demanding equality outside of sports, come to mind.

Stephen Curry basically called the president an "ass." Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, says all sorts of stuff he thinks about Trump, none of it is flattering.

There is at least one player on the Cavs who likes Trump. It's not for me to say who. I hope the player speaks his mind if he feels it's warranted.

Atlanta Hawks guard Kent Bazemore said he agreed with Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank that Trump was an "asset" to the country as president because he's a businessman (Curry took the opposite view of the same quote). Good for Bazemore.

Can we in the sports world do this better on occasion? Take a stand politically without bringing a gas can and blow torch to the podium? Sure.

Last week, Bauer, the Indians pitcher famous for flying drones and slicing fingers on said drones, was on quite a roll on Twitter in defense of Trump.

Bauer said some things that were not true, such as "almost all" of his teammates support Trump. He also said that former President Barack Obama was: A.) was "supposedly" not born in the U.S. (he was); and, B.) signed the the "exact same" order banning travel into the U.S. from seven predominantly Muslim countries (he did not).

Last month, James said "goofy votes" elected Trump. Nearly 63 million Americans voted for Trump; it's not a stretch to assume James offended that many people with his comment.

I'll end on a recent history lesson. Before Trump was elected our 45th president, and prior to his candidacy for office, he starred on a reality TV show and was a business mogul. He had no political or governing experience.

Trump built a base for himself by challenging then-President Obama on Twitter. Trump used that base to launch his candidacy and win the White House. He didn't "stick to the Apprentice."

Why should James stick to sports? He should have the same opportunity to move the country as Trump.

That opportunity is what makes America great.

The collision of sports and politics - Episode 10 of the Takes by The Lake sports podcast from cleveland.com

Check out the top running backs headed toward free agency in 2017.

Ohio State has five games remaining, and likely not enough resume-boosting games to get the Buckeyes into the NCAA Tournament. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State basketball players were talking in November about avoiding the kind of nonconference losses they felt kept them out of the NCAA Tournament last year.

"We didn't like missing the tournament, forward Keita Bates-Diop said then.

That was in the early portion of the season, before the Buckeyes lost a game and had everything in front of them. That was before they knew they'd encounter some of the same problems they encountered last year en route to the NIT.

They lost to Florida Atlantic in December, but one loss like that doesn't keep you out if you can play your way back from it. But that leads us to the familiar spot Ohio State finds itself in with five games remaining in the regular season.

With plenty of chances to show that loss to FAU was fluke, and to get big wins that boost an NCAA Tournament resume, the Buckeyes have instead been inconsistent and mostly unable to beat the top teams in the Big Ten.

They'll play Michigan State on Tuesday night (9 p.m., ESPN). A game like that usually brings big postseason implications. But the Spartans are down a little bit this year, and despite the fact that an Ohio State win would be another against a top-50 team in the Rating Percentage Index, the Buckeyes don't have enough meat left on regular season schedule to play their way into the NCAA Tournament.

So barring a deep Big Ten Tournament run, Ohio State is NIT-bound for the second straight season.

"There is no margin for error," forward Jae'Sean Tate said Monday. "We have to go into these last five games like there is no margin. Hopefully we do that and put ourselves in a good position for the Big Ten Tournament, because I really do think we can make some noise there and hopefully win that tournament, then we'll see how it goes."

How many NCAA Tournament bids will the Big Ten get?

Giving Ohio State some major benefit of the doubt by assuming the Buckeyes win their last five games, they'd be 4-8 against top-50 RPI teams, 10-8 in Big Ten play and 20-11 overall. That's a resume that would put them on the bubble, still in need of meaningful wins in the Big Ten Tournament.

That's a big ask of a team that's 1-10 vs. ranked Big Ten teams over the last two seasons.

A two-point loss at Virginia, that loss to FAU, a one-point loss to Purdue and a two-point loss to Northwestern were games the Buckeyes let slip away that could have drastically improved their standing. Their schedule has been strong (No. 31 overall in strength of schedule), but that only gets you so far.

At some point you have to win some of those big games, and Ohio State just hasn't. So we're looking at a different kind of bracketology:

* Here's a projection of the Buckeyes as a No. 3 seed in the NIT, hosting Memphis in the first round.

* Here's another with Ohio State as a No. 4 seed in the NIT.

That's the most likely destination at this point, with a chance to play up from a middle seed to higher one in he NIT. But that's never the goal.

So they'll play out these final five games, trying to improve their seeding for the Big Ten Tournament and hoping they find themselves in a place to make their case for the NCAA Tournament -- even if most on the outside have moved on.

"Obviously we've got work to do, but there's nothing that can be done except play well (Tuesday) night," Matta said. "That's where our focus is, that's what we've told the guys."

The Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Myles Garrett is projected to be the top player. Is his wish to play for Dallas a warning sign for Browns to stay away?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking to myself about Myles Garrett...

QUESTION: Does Myles Garrett really want to play for the Cowboys?

ANSWER: Of course he does. He's from Arlington, Texas. He played at Texas A&M. That's his favorite team.

Q: What did you make of the video pleading with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to make a trade for him?

A: It was basically a joke, as he later explained to ESPN. But he does want to play for the Cowboys. He also wants to play for a warm weather team, as he said in another interview.

Q: So the Browns should skip him when they use their No. 1 pick?

A: Only if they believe someone is better. Most players aren't drafted by their favorite teams. Most players, especially those from warm-weather states, want to play in warm weather. Even the Rolling Stones know, "You can't always get what you want."

Q: And the song continues, "but if you try, sometimes you get what you need." Do the Browns need Garrett?

A: The biggest need is a quarterback. I doubt they will pick a quarterback at No. 1. The modern NFL places a high value on pressuring the quarterback. Garrett is supposed to be the best pass rusher in the draft.

Q: Do you believe that?

A: I'm not sure. It bothers me that Garrett had 11 sacks in each of his first two seasons, but dropped to 8.5 sacks last year. And 4.5 of those sacks were against Texas-San Antonio, not a top football school.

Q: You think he's overrated?

A: Perhaps. But I thought the same about Joey Bosa after the Ohio State star had a similar career. Bosa had 21 sacks in his first two seasons with OSU, but only five in his final season at OSU.

Q: So, what happened in the NFL?

A: Despite missing virtually all of training camp with contract problem, he had 10 sacks in 12 games with the San Diego Chargers. He was rated the No. 5 "edge defender" in the NFL this season by Profootball Focus. He was outstanding.

Q: So the same could happen with Garrett?

A: One executive mentioned the comparison. Both are about 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds. Both are athletic. Both received a lot of double-team blocking in their final college seasons.

Q: So the Browns should draft Garrett?

A: If he's another Bosa, obviously.

Q: Didn't you tell the Browns to skip Bosa?

A: Guilty. The primary reason was Bosa being mostly a 4-3 defensive end for the Buckeyes. The Browns were playing a 3-4 defense, meaning Bosa would probably be an outside linebacker. I thought he'd be playing out of position, not a good idea.

Q: What kind of defense did San Diego play?

A: It was mostly a 3-4, and they usually kept Bosa on the line.

Q: Do you think the same can happen with the Browns and Garrett?

A: New Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams usually plays a 4-3, so that's even better for Garrett. He also is more creative than many defensive coaches. If Williams feels strongly about Garrett, I'd have to really think about taking him.

Q: But what about him wanting to trade Tony Romo and draft picks to the Browns so he can play for the Cowboys?

A: Sounds like something a Cowboy fan would call into a Dallas radio station. I can't take it very seriously. I do wonder what Romo thinks about Garrett trying to ship him to the Browns. . . . Yikes! Romo can't even stay healthy with the excellent Dallas line blocking for him.

Q: What about the cold weather issue?

A: I believe receivers, running backs and quarterbacks have a harder time than linemen adjusting from playing in the South to the cold. I thought some of Corey Coleman's troubles catching the ball had to do with the cold. The rookie from Baylor (Waco, Texas) was shocked by some of the conditions late in the season. Linemen don't have to handle the ball, so the cold has less impact.

Q: So, you are endorsing the Browns selecting Garrett?

A: Not yet, but I'm thinking about it. Bosa has made me reconsider how to evaluate some pass rushers.

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the next NFL season. In this Prepare for List Off, Bud and Doug talk about which Cleveland athletes could still be going strong, or were going strong, after four decades. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tom Brady turns 40 on Aug. 3. His next regular-season NFL snap will come as quadragenarian. 

Yet he told the MMQB's Peter King on Sunday, a week after his fifth Super Bowl win, "I have zero pain. I feel great. I feel 100 percent."

So Brady will enter year 18 with the Patriots next season. 

In the NBA, Vince Carter just turned 40, Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobili and Jason Terry are 39 and Dirk Nowitski is still scoring 13 points per game at age 38.

As spring training begins, Bartolo Colon and Ichiro Suzuki are both 43, and Carlos Beltran turns 40 in April and should play most days for the Houston Astros.

So what about the old guys in Cleveland?

As Bud Shaw and I approach our 40s, we talked Cleveland athletes in their 40s on this Prepare for List Off. If Brady can do it, who has done it in Cleveland, or could do it here in the future?

Browns great Lou Groza kicked until age 43, making 58 field goals in his 40s before retiring after the 1967 season.

Who else? Anyone up for a 40-year-old LeBron James still taking the court?

The Gonzaga Bulldogs passed their toughest test last week and now finish the regular season with four games vs. teams they have already defeated by 10 points or more. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gonzaga (26-0) remains No. 1 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll as the only undefeated team in the nation. And after winning last week at rival Saint Mary's the chances of the Bulldogs remaining unblemished the rest of the way look strong.

Gonzaga was one of four projected No. 1 seeds by the NCAA Tournament selection committee last week, and should hold that spot if it goes undefeated the rest of the way.

This is a team that looks to be very strong down the middle with guard Nigel Williams-Goss and center Przemek Karnowski. Williams-Goss is a transfer from the University of Washington and is one of the national favorites to win the Wooden Award, indicative of being Player of the Year in College basketball.

The 6-3 Junior guard is averaging 15.7 points a game for the Bulldogs. Karnowski is the muscle on the team, standing 7-1 and 300 pounds. He demands attention in the post, averaging 12.4 points and 5.7 rebounds on a team with balanced scoring overall and solid depth.

This is a unique team with players from Poland (Kanowski), Canada, Denmark, Japan and France. It will also be a rested team when NCAA Tournament play begins as the Bulldogs regular season ends a week earlier than most.

And the four remaining games should be little more than a warmup, considering all are teams Gonzaga has already defeated by double digits -- three of the four by 15 points or more.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (37-16) will play their final February road game when they travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves (21-34) Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Cleveland Cavaliers (37-16) will play their final February road game when they travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves (21-34) Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET. 

Last meeting: The Cavs won the first game this season, beating the Timberwolves, 125-97, on Feb. 1 in Cleveland; the Cavs have won five straight against Minnesota (by an average of 19.6 points), with their last loss coming in 2013. 

Cavs fast fact(s): After a choppy January, the Cavaliers have scored more than 100 points in each of the six games this month and are leading the NBA in points per game in February, averaging 123.7; Channing Frye will make his fourth start in placed of injured Kevin Love; Kyle Korver is 12-of-14 from 3-point range in his last three games and needs four more 3s for 2,000 in his career.

Cavs injuries: Iman Shumpert (sprained left ankle) is to be determined; J.R. Smith (right thumb surgery) and Love (left knee soreness) are out.

Timberwolves fast fact(s): The Wolves have won two of their last three games; Andrew Wiggins has excelled individually against the team that drafted him No. 1 in the 2014 NBA Draft, averaging 27.6 points in five games, but he has never beaten the Cavs -- holding an 0-5 record.

Timberwolves injuries: Zach LaVine (knee surgery), Nikola Pekovic (right ankle) and Adreian Payne (thrombocytopenia) are out.

Cavs

F LeBron James (25.8 ppg; 7.8 rpg; 8.8 apg)

F Channing Frye (9.1 ppg; 3.5 rpg; 0.6 apg)

C Tristan Thompson (8.0 ppg; 9.6 rpg; 0.8 apg)

G DeAndre Liggins (3.0 ppg; 1.7 rpg; 1.0 apg)

G Kyrie Irving (24.4 ppg; 3.2 rpg; 5.9 apg)

Timberwolves 

F Andrew Wiggins (22.6 ppg; 4.2 rpg; 2.5 apg)

F Gorgui Dieng (10.3 ppg; 7.9 rpg; 1.9 apg)

C Karl-Anthony Towns (23.7 ppg; 11.8 rpg; 2.9 apg)

G Brandon Rush (3.5 ppg; 1.6 rpg; 0.7 apg)

G Ricky Rubio (9.0 ppg; 3.7 rpg; 8.3 apg)

Look back at Cleveland Cavaliers 3-point contest participants from Mark Price to Kyrie Irving.

Fans of Cavaliers All-Star Kevin Love put their passions into the spoken word with this Valentine's Day video. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sports tend to bring out strong emotions in people, emotions that sometimes have nothing to do with the actual game being played.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has a fervent fan base that may not be, let's say, completely focused on his technical skills. 

For Valentine's Day, we let several ardent fans of Mr. Love put their feelings into poetry on this day of romance, and let the world know how they feel about the All-Star and Banana Republic model.

With recent concerns over his knee injury, we hope this video will double as both Valentine and Get Well Soon card to Love.