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Kent State defense can exhale as offensive support arrives

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Finally, with some offensive help, Kent State's consistently good defense should be good enough to help the Flashes compete in the Mid-American Conference.

KENT, Ohio - Hidden inside Kent State's football futility in the recent past has been a defense that, most seasons, has been good enough to help post a .500 record or better - if there was an offense to back it up.

First-year coach Sean Lewis is trying to fix that and has KSU (1-2) aligned with most teams in the Mid-American Conference, running a high-scoring offense that aims entertains the fan base.

But it is Kent's defense that might prove to be one of the better units in the MAC, even after a 63-10 loss at Penn State. Combined with an improved offense, this could make Kent a threat in league play.

At the heart of that defense is linebacker Matt Bahr, a 6-1, 210-pound redshirt-senior from Kenton, Ohio, who knows better than most what the program has been through in recent seasons.

The death of offensive lineman Jason Bitsko (natural causes) in 2014, Bahr's rookie season, was compounded by the loss of former high school teammate Tyler Heintz (heat stroke) prior to the start of last season. It was Bahr who co-ordinated the team's memorial appearance in Kenton for Heintz's funeral.

Then, the second game of the 2017 season, Bahr was sidelined the rest of the year with a knee injury.

Considering he was a graduate (after three years), Bahr easily could have become one of a growing number of players around the country to transfer. Now in grad school, he could have even decided to end his football career.

That Bahr remained on the team was effectively a bullhorn endorsement of his own fortitude and dedication to the program.

"Last year was definitely a chance for me to mature, and take a leadership role on the team,'' he said. "This year even more so. Last year prepared me, really well, to be the kind of leader I need to be."

Defensively that shows, as the defense has not skipped a beat.

Kent opened this season holding Illinois without a touchdown in the first half, before the still maturing KSU offense reverted to past form (two turnovers) and the Illini came back for a 31-24 victory.


Kent then faced a Howard offense that opened with 645 yards and 32 points vs. MAC favorite Ohio University.

KSU's defense held Howard scoreless the first 40 minutes as the offense delivered 26 straight points. Kent won, 54-14, and the defense held Howard to 270 yards total offense. Bahr finished with 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass broken up.

Kent's offense, before Penn State, was averaging 39.0 points a game going into the next two weeks at PSU, and this Saturday at Ole Miss. With an improved offense, the burden of carrying winning or losing has been lifted from the shoulders of Kent's defense.

Over the last 10 years under three head coaches, KSU's offense averaged fewer than 21 points a game seven times.  In the MAC, 30 points a game is average for winning teams. Defensively, however, over the same 10-year span Kent held teams to an average of 28 points a game or less eight times; 25 points a game or less four times.

  • POINTS PER GAME
  • Year      Offense  Defense
  • 2008     25.7       31.7
  • 2009     19.2       22.4
  • 2010     21.3       22.9
  • 2011     17.1       24.2
  • 2012     33.1      24.5
  • 2013      20.8      26.9
  • 2014      15.0      26.6
  • 2015      13.1      26.1
  • 2016      20.6      28.7
  • 2017      12.7      35.1

KSU could well be 1-3 when league play begins, Sept. 29 at Ball State. But, unlike the preseason expectations, where Kent was voted the worst team in the league, the Flashes are now a team to be dealt with.

"It's great to have an offense that puts points on the board,'' Bahr said. "It's a great feeling. We trust the other side of the ball. That's the only way this team can move forward."


Is Thursday a must-win game for the Browns? Berea Report

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Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe look ahead to Thursday's game. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns face the Jets on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Many fans had this game circled when the schedule came out as one the Browns had to win. Is it a must-win, though?

Mary Kay Cabot and I talked about the game and the importance of it in the video above.


Get the best Browns news and perspective in your inbox at lunch time every weekday. Sign up for our Browns newsletter.


Go inside the Browns every week with cleveland.com's Orange and Brown Podcast, featuring Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe. Listen and subscribe here.


Want more Browns? Subscribe to our Browns YouTube channel for interviews, analysis and more.

PGA Tour 2018: Tee times, TV schedule for Tour Championship

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Check here for tee times, TV schedule for the first round of TOUR Championship 2018 this week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --Tiger Woods and Tommy Fleetwood comprise one of the notable pairings for Round 1 of Tour Championship 2018 on Thursday, Sept. 20, in Georgia. Phil Mickelson is paired with Francesco Molinari.

The Top 30 in the FedExCup Playoffs 2018 standings comprise the field for the Tour Championship.

Bryson DeChambeau, who won the first two of the four playoff events, is No. 1 in the standings. He is followed in the top five by Justin Rose, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas.

Keegan Bradley is No. 6. Bradley defeated Rose in a playoff on Monday to win the BMW -- the third postseason event. Sunday's final round had been postponed because of weather. Bradley opened the BMW at No. 52.

Mickelson, 48, is No. 14 and Woods, 42, is No. 20. Rory McIlroy is 17th.

Patton Kizzire claimed the 30th spot. Jordan Spieth is on the outside looking in at No. 31.

PGA TOUR

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Atlanta

Course: East Lake GC. Yardage: 7,385. Par: 70.

Purse: $9 million. Winner's share: $1,620,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 1-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2:30-6:30 (NBC); Sunday, Noon-1:30 p.m. Golf Channel), 1:30-6 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: Xander Schauffele.

FedEx Cup leader: Bryson DeChambeau.

Last tournament: Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship.

Notes: This is the fourth and final playoff event for the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus. The top five seeds -- Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau and Justin Thomas -- only have to win the tournament to capture the FedEx Cup. ... Thomas will try to become the first player to win the FedEx Cup in consecutive years. ... Tiger Woods is the only player to win the FedEx Cup twice. Woods is in the Tour Championship for the first time since 2013. This is his first appearance in the Tour Championship without having won during the season. ... Nine of the 30 players have not won this season. ... Seventeen players from the 30-man field were in the Tour Championship last year. ... Bill Haas (No. 25) in 2011 is the lowest seed to win the FedEx Cup. ... Jordan Spieth missed qualifying for the Tour Championship for the first time. Spieth is the only American on the Ryder Cup team not at East Lake. ... Europe has six Ryder Cup players at the Tour Championship. ... This will be the last year of four FedEx Cup playoff events. There will be three events next year.

Next week: Ryder Cup.

(Fact box from Associated Press.)

Why it's OK to buy Urban Meyer, game manager: Buckeye Take

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Meyer says he will leave the offense to Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson. It's OK to believe him.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State football has the No. 3 offense in the country. There's some fear that the three-time national champion head coach might come in and disrupt that.

Urban Meyer is back on the sideline this weekend against Tulane, which means he's back in the planning and calling of an offense that's averaging 608 yards and 56 points per game. Those numbers have been produced with a strong-armed quarterback using all areas of the field while distributing to athletic receivers, two running backs on pace for 1,000 rushing yards, and little to no quarterback run.

Offensive coordinators Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson have it rolling, and looking different than it's looked at any other time in Meyer's tenure here. Meyer intends to keep it that way.

"I think Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson have done such a great job, and I'll be more of a game-manager," Meyer said Tuesday. "Obviously I'll be involved, but I'm more of a game-manager at this point."

Buy it. Meyer is handing his offense over to his tandem of coordinators, a pair that would rival any other for best in the country. And that's the key.

We know how Meyer feels about running the quarterback. We know how the offense looked at times with J.T. Barrett running things. We know Meyer has veto power with anything happening in his program -- including play calling.

But we've also seen that he's willing to delegate and adapt.

"I've done that before in the past," he said. "I help where I need to help. I think a high degree of it was the performance of the offense and how they worked together and the success we've had."

Think of 2014, when a change at quarterback from Barrett to Cardale Jones necessitated a change in the offense. Meyer didn't get in the way of Tom Herman, or at least it didn't feel like it.

A dysfunctional coordinator combination of Tim Beck and Ed Warinner in 2015-16 led Meyer to say this after a loss to Michigan State in 2015: "I call a lot of plays anyway."

Had to then. Doesn't have to now.

Day and Wilson have it handled. Meyer knows it.

Ready for October: Is Jason Kipnis close to being the Cleveland Indians' best option in center field?

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Jason Kipnis has 12 games to prove he is Cleveland's best option in center field before the playoffs arrive.

With playoff baseball right around the corner, cleveland.com is taking a look at the biggest issues facing Terry Francona and the Cleveland Indians. As the 2018 regular season winds down, the answers to these questions will reveal whether or not the Tribe is Ready for October.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Cleveland Indians traded for Josh Donaldson at the end of August, manager Terry Francona and president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told Jason Kipnis that he would have a chance to earn the job in center field by becoming the team's best option there.

Though the work continues, the eight-year veteran said Tuesday that the more opportunities he sees on balls hit toward him, the better he is going to get before playoff baseball arrives in October.

Chicago's Yoan Moncada drilled a double to the wall in left center in the third inning off Indians starter Corey Kluber on Tuesday that fooled Kipnis, who came in on the ball initially.

"I got a good jump, I just misread a little on that one," Kipnis said. "That one was probably one of the first ones I tried to cut across, but it was hit harder than I thought. That's all that happened. It's a low line drive that he just got good wood on and carried all the way to the wall."

Moncada's drive left the bat with an exit velocity of 103.6 mph and had a catch probability of just 54 percent according to StatCast. Later in the game, Chicago's Tim Anderson smoked a 101.3 mph liner to center that Kipnis caught head high. That ball had a 61 percent hit probability and Kipnis had no trouble with it.

"That one I had a better read on," Kipnis said. "You get to the side and get under it. If you ask the coaches I'm working with, too, I'm getting good jumps on everything. If I get to it, it's caught. I'm not worried about dropping anything."

Kipnis said the final 12 games of the season will hopefully give him plenty of chances to see balls hit to him like the ones he played in Tuesday's game.

"Just the edge of being in a different position has me on my toes the whole time, so I'm never really getting lackadaisical out there," he said. "It's a work in progress. We're trying to prove that I can do it. Much rather do something like that today than in a couple weeks here, so I'm not too worried about it at all."

In the meantime, Kipnis continues to look more and more comfortable at the plate after struggling through one of the worst slumps of his career earlier in the season. He homered off lefty Carlos Rodon in the fifth inning to put the Indians in front, 3-0. In 12 games against the White Sox this year, Kipnis is batting .319 (15-47) with two doubles, four homers, nine RBI and five runs scored.

"We've had our ups and downs," Kipnis said. "But as long as we're still giving competitive at-bats and contributing one way or another, I'm going to be happy."

Kipnis said he got to the point where he needed to stop looking at the scoreboard and checking his batting average before heading to the plate.

"The only thing that's going to be beneficial to everyone is if I focus on having good at-bats," he said. "Going into late in the season, I think that's what everyone wants."

More Ready for October posts:

Who should be the Tribe's 4 starting pitchers in the ALDS?
Does Terry Francona plan to rest starters down the stretch?
Will the Tribe get vintage Andrew Miller for its playoff push?

Antonio Callaway's gameday hearing continued until Oct. 4; lawyer still fighting possession charge

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Callaway's gameday hearing on marijuana and suspended license charges has been continued until Oct. 4. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Antonio Callaway's big gameday on Thursday against the Jets was supposed to begin with a hearing in Strongsville Mayor's Court on an accusation of possessing a small amount of marijuana and driving with a suspended license. But it's been rescheduled for Oct. 4 and his lawyer is still fighting to have the  misdemeanor marijuana charge dropped.

"We're still in discussions to resolve the entire matter,'' attorney Kevin Spellacy told cleveland.com. "We will not plea him to marijuana. He's not guilty. He didn't know it was there.''

Spellacy told cleveland.com last month that he's contesting the marijuana charge because "we believe it was something that was left in his car it was shipped up from Florida. Other people had access who had used his car. I provided them with a shipping receiving receipt. The car was delivered approximately three days before he was stopped (at 2:59 a.m. on Aug. 5). It was brought up from Florida. The amount of marijuana was .05 grams. It's basically smaller than a dime, and it was under the seat."


Spellacy noted that "you wouldn't know it was there unless you crawled on the floor and looked under the seat with a flashlight. That's how small it was."

Callaway, the Browns fourth-round pick out of Florida, told coach Hue Jackson and GM John Dorsey that it was a small roach, or tip of a joint, left under the seat by someone else. He told Strongsville police it was his brother's, according to the police report. He was cited for possession.

"I've been given the description of the size, and it's minute,'' said Spellacy.
As for driving with the suspended license, Spellacy said last month that it had been straightened out and he hopes to resolve both matters simultaneously at the hearing.

"His license is valid,'' Spellacy said. "He had an outstanding ticket that had to be paid. He had actually paid the ticket, but the paperwork had not been sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles. They kind of crossed in the mail so to speak. The infraction was taken care of, but the paperwork hadn't caught up.''

Jackson and Dorsey both believe Callaway's story that the marijuana wasn't his, but Jackson warned him, in a scene captured on HBO's Hard Knocks, that if he's lying "I'll have your a--.''

The outcome of the hearing is significant because Callaway is in Stage 1 of the NFL's substance abuse program by virtue of his dilute urine specimen at the NFL combine in March, after which he admitted that he had smoked marijuana in the weeks leading up to the combine.

Subject to random drug testing, Callaway can't afford any missteps in these first 90 days of Stage 1 because he risks being fined 3/17th of his $480,000 base salary or being advanced to the more stringent Stage 2 of the program.

He's also being asked to step up and replace former starting X receiver Josh Gordon, who was traded to the Patriots on Monday after showing up for work late on Saturday and 'not himself,' sources told cleveland.com.

Callaway, playing 81% of the snaps in New Orleans compared to 17% the week before when Gordon started, made a spectacular catch of a 47-yard yard TD pass from Tyrod Taylor to tie the Saints game at 18 with 1:16 left in the game. The Saints went on to win 21-18 after Zane Gonzalez missed the extra point on that TD and a 52-yard gametying attempt with three seconds left for a total of four missed kicks.

Gonzalez was waived and replaced by Greg Joseph.

"(Callaway's) making strides,'' coach Hue Jackson said Tuesday. "Obviously, the catch to tie the game last week is a confidence booster for any young player. I think he was always coming on. We're trying not to give him too much too fast. Now, he has to take it all. It's time. I think that he'll do well. He's always competed hard, and he always works at it. It's another step for him. This Thursday night will be good for him."

And Thursday morning won't be bad either.

 

Cavs Legion GC hosting NBA 2K19 tournament this weekend

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The total prize pool is worth $1,000. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It may not be a ticket to a professional career in esports, but it's a start.

Cavs Legion GC of the NBA 2K League is hosting a NBA 2K19 gaming tournament this weekend with a total prize pool of $1,000. There will also be additional prizes from team sponsors SteelSeries and Hot Pockets.

The event is doubling as a launch party for the newest version of the NBA 2K franchise. Gamers will have a chance to impress Cavs Legion star Brandon Caicedo (Hood) and GM Anthony Muraco, who will be in attendance to interact with fans.

Registration for the tournament is $10, while fans can attend for free. The event is this Saturday, September 22 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the 1Life2Play Gaming and Esports Lounge, 31031 Center Ridge Rd., in Westlake.

Cavs Legion GC wrapped up its inaugural season in the NBA 2K League last month with an 8-6 record, coming up just short of the league finals.

NBA 2K19 is available in stores now. 

The next step for Urban Meyer as CEO: Ohio State football analysis

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Doug and Bill discuss Meyer's role this year with Ryan Day, Kevin Wilson and Greg Schiano running their sides of the ball. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer is back on the sideline this weekend, but he doesn't sound like a man keen on shaking up something that's working pretty well right now.

He said Tuesday that he'll be more of a "game manager" on Saturdays, leaving the offense to Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson. And Meyer, an offensive-minded coach, has mostly left the defense to his coordinators anyway. Call Greg Schiano the head coach of the defense.

Meyer then can continue growing in his role as CEO of the Ohio State football program, the planning, the structure, the culture, the player motivation and development -- the things he admits he does best, and everything that allowed the program to go 3-0 without him. All that while leaving much of what happens on the field during games to his coaching staff.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a collection of coordinators better than what OSU has.

This is what happens when you get the right assistants in place. Meyer has not always been perfect in that, but with Day, Wilson and Schiano, he has three coaches he can trust to run things while he operates on a more macro level.

Doesn't mean Meyer will be any less visible. It's his program. It runs however he sees fit. Meyer will be involved in the game planning during the week, but delegation on game days should be good for the Buckeyes.

Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis discuss that more in the video above.


Do you even want Mayweather-Pacquiao II?

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Floyd Mayweather announced that a second fight with Manny Pacquiao is on the way.

Floyd Mayweather announced that a second fight between him and Manny Pacquiao is on the way. Some boxing fans lit up, already excited for another megafight between two of boxing's biggest draws. Others were skeptical of a match between two boxers who are past their primes. Is this a fight you want? 

PERSPECTIVES

Another fight between two of the greatest boxers to ever step into the ring? Who wouldn't want to this?! People who are complaining about this rematch aren't real boxing fans. This is going to be a great fight.

People yelled for Mayweather-Pacquiao and they got it -- about five years too late. The first match between these two was a disaster. There was a lot of hype but not a lot of fireworks in the ring. No one wants to see that again. Stay retired, Mayweather. No one wanted this fight.

Mayweather-Pacquiao II? We saw it once and it was no good

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Josh Gordon trade finalized and he practices with Patriots after Bill Belichick announces a snag

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The Gordon trade between the Browns and Patriots hit a snag, Bill Belichick announced on Wednesday, but it was finalized shortly thereafter.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Patriots coach Bill Belichick announced in his press conference Wednesday that the Josh Gordon trade with the Browns had not yet been finalized yet, but it went through shortly thereafter.

Gordon joined the Patriots on the practice field Wednesday, wearing No. 10. His No. 12, of course, is already taken.

"I'm not going to talk about players that are not on our roster, totally,'' Belichick said in his press conference. "There are terms that have to be met before the trade is finalized.''

Tom Pelissaro of NFL Network reported that the holdup involved the language in the trade. The Browns shipped Gordon to New England for a fifth-round pick, but will give back a seventh if he's not active for at least 10 games.

The trade appeared on the NFL's transaction wire on Tuesday, meaning he presumably passed his physical despite telling the Browns on Saturday that he pulled his hamstring on Friday night during a promotional video shoot inside the Browns' fieldhouse to promote his clothing line.

Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao again; Triple G-Canelo Alvarez replay: Boxing Report 2018 (photos, poll)

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Will you pay to see Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight for the second time?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The greatest boxer of his era either does not know when to say when, or his latest announcement about coming back was merely a ploy to take some of the attention away from last week's middleweight championship between Triple G and Canelo Alvarez.

Stealing some attention may have worked, but please help us if Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will fight for the second time.

According to his tweet, Mayweather, 41, says he'll fight Pacquiao, 39, for the second time, with the bout possibly taking place by the end of the year.

The two fighters met in May of 2015 in a fight that was probably a few years too late, but it generated record-setting paydays for each fighter. Mayweather would fight Andre Berto four months later in an easy fight that he claimed would be his last.

Well, this is boxing.

So Mayweather returned two years later in another mega-money bout against MMA fighter Conor McGregor. Mayweather easily disposed of McGregor, and after the fight he claimed he was hanging up the gloves for good.

Now this.

A rematch with Pacquaio, who has been more active than Mayweather, could generate mega bucks for the fighters, but I'm curious about how much attention this fight would actually draw on PPV.

I'm not critical of the hustle from either fighter, but how much would change now compared to Mayweather-Pacquiao I? Remember, Mayweather boxed and Pacquiao chased and caught Mayweather's gloves with his face. Pacquiao claimed his injured shoulder made the difference in the fight. 

Even with his excuse, the first fight between these two fighters was five years too late. And if that's the case, how would a rematch improve the product we saw three years ago?

But it's a free country and everyone has the choice to make a pay-per-view donation - no matter the cost.

Quick jabs

Heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin.

Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder press conference is schedule for Monday.

Five potential opponents for Triple G.

Canelo Alvarez was not the only winner last Saturday.

This week in boxing history

Sept. 16, 1981: Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns by TKO in the 14th round to unify the welterweight title.

Boxing schedule

9:45 p.m., Friday (Showtime):

  • Jon Fernandez vs. O'Shaquie Foster, junior lightweights

  • Irvin Gonzalez Jr. vs. Carlos Ramos, featherweights

  • Wesley Ferrer vs. Steven Ortiz, lightweights

  • James Wilkins vs. Misael Lopez, junior lightweights

4:30 p.m., Saturday (DAZN):

  • Anthony Joshua vs. Alexander Povetkin, for Joshua's IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight title

  • Yvan Mendy vs. Luke Campbell, rematch, WBC lightweight eliminator

  • Matty Askin vs. Lawrence Okolie, for Askin's British cruiserweight title

  • Sergey Kuzmin vs. David Price, heavyweights

 

6:30 p.m. (Mayweather Promotions Facebook):

  • Cameron Krael vs. Jose Borrego, junior welterweights

  • Xavier Martinez vs. Oscar Bravo, lightweights

  • Lionell Thompson vs. Derrick Findley, super middleweights

10 p.m. (HBO):

Re-broadcast of Triple G vs. Canelo Alvarez middleweight title fight.

Cleveland to enforce parking restrictions, tailgating rules for Thursday evening Browns, Indians games

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The Indians will play the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field beginning at 7:10 p.m. Thursday. The Browns will play the New York Jets at First Energy Stadium beginning at 8:20 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - With both the Browns and the Indians playing home games on Thursday, the city of Cleveland has issued a reminder on rules and regulations for game-day parking and tailgating. 

The city will impose parking restrictions Thursday evening around First Energy Stadium and Progressive Field.  

The Indians will play the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field beginning at 7:10 p.m. Thursday. The Browns will play the New York Jets at First Energy Stadium beginning at 8:20 p.m. 

Parking restrictions begin at 4 p.m. Poles will be marked to identify the times and duration of the restrictions. 

Parking restrictions will be posted on these streets near First Energy Stadium:  

  • West Ninth Street from Superior to Front Street.  
  • West Third Street from Superior to First Energy Stadium.  
  • Summit Street from West Third to West Ninth.  
  • Lakeside Avenue from East Ninth to Ontario.  
  • East Ninth from Carnegie to Erieside Avenue.  
  • Al Lerner Way from West Third to Erieside.  
  • St. Clair Avenue from West Ninth to East 12th Street.  

Parking restrictions will be posted on these streets around Progressive Field:  

  • Prospect Avenue from Ontario Street to East 14th Street.   
  • Huron Road from Ontario to Prospect Avenue.  
  • Erie Court and Sumner Avenue.  
  • East Ninth Street from Euclid Avenue to Carnegie Avenue.  
  • East Fourth Street from Prospect to Huron Road.  
  • East Second Street from High Street to Prospect.  
  • Carnegie Avenue from East Ninth to East 14th Street.  

Several rules govern parking in the municipal parking lot along the south side of the Shoreway near First Energy Stadium. 

The eastern portion of the lot will open at 10 a.m. Thursday for game-day vehicles. The western portion of the lot will not be open to game-day parking until 5 p.m.  

Large vehicles, such as motorhomes, buses and RVs, will not be allowed in those areas before the designated start times. Game-day parking fees are $25 dollars per parking space. Attendees will be charged for all occupied parking spaces.  

Cleveland police will not permit vehicles to line up or stage on the Shoreway before game time. 

These rules and regulations for tailgating activities will be in effect for all 2018 Cleveland Browns home games and will be distributed to vehicles when they enter the lots and are posted: 

  • No open pit fires 
  • Propane grills only (No charcoal) 
  • No alcohol 
  • No saving of spaces  
  • Attendees will be charged for all occupied parking spaces 
  • No in and out privileges 
  • All liter must be dispensed in trash containers 
  • Vandalism will not be tolerated 
  • Crossing the Shoreway is prohibited 
  • No private latrines (portable latrines are available in the lot) 

Anyone who violates the regulations could be fined and ejected from the premises. 

The city also encourages fans to use the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority to get to the games. 

RTA will extend the Waterfront Rail line until midnight for the Brown's game. The RTA walkway to Progressive Field opens three hours prior to the baseball game for easy access to the ballpark from Tower City.  

RTA will extend hours for the Waterfront Rail line, which has stops near First Energy Stadium until midnight for the Brown's game.   

Complete RTA schedules and route information are available online. All-day passes can be purchased via the RTA CLE mobile ticketing app for $5.50. Round trip tickets can be purchased for $5 at select Red Line, Tower City or Waterfront Line stations. 

Beautiful night on tap for Cleveland Browns vs. Jets on Thursday Night Football: Weather forecast

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The Browns are still searching for a win, but they'll play in perfect conditions on Thursday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns tied the Steelers in the first game at FirstEnergy Stadium this season, while playing in consistent rain throughout the day.

When they face the New York Jets on Thursday, they'll at least have much better conditions in which to play. Here is the weather forecast for fans planning to tailgate and attend the game, which kicks off at 8:20 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service Cleveland, temperatures when the western portion of the Muni Lot opens at 5 p.m. will be around 85 degrees, with a heat index of 88, and a 20 percent chance of rain. Don't forget to pack plenty of water (yes, water) and a hat.

Temperature at kickoff should be around 81 degrees, while rain chances are about 10 percent throughout the rest of the evening.

As the game moves forward, temperatures will dip into the upper-70s, providing for a warm but dry evening.

How much money Urban Meyer lost, how much Ryan Day made during Meyer's suspension

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The head football coach lost more than $500,000 in salary as part of his suspension.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer lost more than $500,000, and offensive coordinator Ryan Day made nearly that much during the time Meyer was suspended and Day served as acting head coach.

University documents obtained by cleveland.com on Wednesday show that Meyer's suspension, which included six weeks of forfeited salary, cost him $570,507.68. His monthly salary -- which includes base pay and money from Ohio State's media and apparel deals -- was cut to $126,779.49 for September and October, down from $412,033.33 each month.

Meyer signed a letter agreeing to those terms on Sept. 11.

He will be back on the sideline Saturday against Tulane after missing the first three games of the season.

* Urban Meyer compensation letter

* Ryan Day compensation letter

* Gene Smith compensation letter

Day will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $487,000 for his time as acting head coach. He signed the letter from the university detailing that on Sept. 17. Day will receive that money on Sept. 30.

Day is already making a base salary of $1 million this year as part of a three-year deal signed last spring that comes with heavy retention bonuses.

Athletic director Gene Smith, who was suspended for three weeks, forfeited $60,711.16 in salary. Smith signed the letter detailing his adjusted compensation on Sept. 4.

Browns sideline radio reporter banned 8 games for yelling at official during Saints game

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Browns sideline reporter Nathan Zegura has been banned for 8 games from the team's radio broadcasts for arguing a call with an offical during Sunday's 21-18 loss to the Saints.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns sideline reporter Nathan Zegura has been banned from the team's radio broadcasts for eight games, beginning with Thursday night's game against the Jets, for sideline conduct during Sunday's 21-18 loss to the Saints, a Browns spokesman told cleveland.com.

Specifically, Zegura yelled at an official over a call, league sources told cleveland.com.

The Browns senior media broadcaster, Zegura will be replaced on the sidelines Thursday night by Dustin Fox of 92.3 The Fan and the Cleveland Browns radio network. The Browns will determine how to proceed after that, and if all goes as planned, Zegura will be back on the job Nov. 25th, the game after the bye week.

During the ban, Zegura will also not participate in the pre-game or post-game shows.

Zegura, co-host of Cleveland Browns Daily which airs from 1-3 Monday through Friday on ESPN 850, will also be removed from that show for two weeks.

A source said this is not the first time the Browns have had to reprimand Zegura, who was told by officials to move his location on the sidelines Sunday at the Superdome after yelling at one of them.

Callaway's hearing continued until Oct. 4

The NFL did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

Fox, 35, is co-host of the Bull and Fox show on 92.3 The Fan. A Canton, Ohio native and former Buckeye, Fox was drafted by Vikings in the third round of the 2005 draft. He also played for the Eagles and Bills.


Ohio State's firing of Zach Smith, inside the terms of his termination

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The former receivers coach was officially fired on July 23. Here's the letter outlining the specifics of that firing.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith was not paid by Ohio State after he was officially fired on July 23 and the school told Smith he would not receive any severance.

In a document obtained by cleveland.com Wednesday as the result of a previous open records request, Ohio State in a letter dated Sept. 11 informed Smith's attorney that he would be paid nothing more.

Ohio State explained in the letter to attorney Brad Koffel that Smith was employed under a term sheet agreed to in February, and not an official contract. This is a common occurrence for Ohio State assistant coaches, who typically operate under one- or two-year deals that are renewed when they run out. But when those deals expire, term sheets often fill in the gaps until a new official contract can be finalized.

Zach Smith termination letter

Zach Smith term sheet

Zach Smith previous contract

With Smith, he agreed to a term sheet that he signed on Feb. 12 and that athletic director Gene Smith signed on Feb. 14. That was for a one-year extension to take Zach Smith from Feb. 1, 2018 to Jan. 21, 2019.

He was to be paid $340,000, be eligible for a list of bonuses related to team performance and get $600 a month for a car -- standard stuff for Ohio State coaches. That would work out to about $6,538 per week.

That term sheet included a clause for a buyout for Smith, that he would owe Ohio State $100,000 if he left the job, other than to be a head coach elsewhere. But it did not include any language about what would happen to Smith if he was fired.

So, Smith could have been undone by the term sheet, because full contracts include much more language around the rules of a firing.

"The Term Sheet does not set forth any obligations to pay severance or buy-out to Mr. Smith if he is terminated. Therefore, it is the University's position that Mr. Smith is not owed any severance of buy-out," states the letter.

However, Ohio State made another point in that letter. If Smith had been operating under a full contract, as he was from Feb. 1, 2017 to Jan. 31, 2018, he would have been fired for cause anyway, and not paid.

Firing any coach without cause means that coach must be paid his full contract. That's what happens when coaches, either head coaches or assistants, are fired for losing. Firing with cause means the coach violated part of his contract, and the school owes him nothing. That's what Ohio State wrote would have happened if Smith had been under contract, citing clause 5.1 of his previous contract.

Section 5.1 covers being fired for cause. Among the reasons under Section 5.0 that could lead a firing for cause are a neglect or inattention to duties, fraud or dishonesty, use of alcohol or drugs that affects his ability to coach and "commission of or participation in by Coach of any act, situation or occurrence or any conduct which, in Ohio State's judgment, brings Coach and/or Ohio State into public disrepute, embarrassment, contempt, scandal or ridicule or which constitutes a substantial failure to perform in good faith the duties required of Coach ..."

Dwayne Haskins on early pace to set Ohio State passing records: Buckeye Numbers

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See how Dwayne Haskins is on pace to break Joe Germaine's Ohio State passing yards record for a season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - It's very early in the season, but Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins is on pace to set Ohio State single-season records for both passing yards and yards per game.

We'll track his progress as the season goes along, updating the graphics shown below each week.

Through three games, Haskins has thrown for 890 yards. That puts him on pace for 3,857 yards if Ohio State plays 13 games this season; 4,153 yards over a 14-game season and 4,450 yards over 15 games.

Each total is enough to top the single-season record of 3,330 yards set by Joe Germaine in 1998. And Haskins' 296.7 yards per game would also be a record, if he can keep up that pace.

Scroll over the lines on the graphics below for more details.


Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner.

OSU starting QBs and hometowns, since 1968

Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox starting lineups for Wednesday, Game 151

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Carlos Carrasco and the Cleveland Indians face Dylan Covey and the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the starting lineups for Wednesday's game between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.

What: Indians (84-66) vs. White Sox (59-91).
When: 7:10 p.m.
Where: Progressive Field.
Broadcast: SportsTime Ohio, WTAM 1100 AM, WMMS 100.7 FM.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Francisco Lindor SS
Michael Brantley LF
Jose Ramirez 2B
Edwin Encarnacion DH
Josh Donaldson 3B
Yonder Alonso 1B
Melky Cabrera RF
Yan Gomes C
Jason Kipnis 2B

Carlos Carrasco (16-9, 3.43)

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Yoan Moncada 2B
Yolmer Sanchez 3B
Daniel Palka LF
Avisail Garcia RF
Omar Narvaez DH
Matt Davidson 1B
Kevan Smith C
Tim Anderson SS
Ryan Cordell CF

Dylan Covey (5-13, 5.64)

Umpires

Mike Winters HP (crew chief)
Ryan Blankney 1B
Marty Foster 2B
Mike Muchlinski 3B

Trevor Bauer will start for Cleveland Indians on Friday against Boston

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Manager Terry Francona says for Trevor Bauer to have a chance to start in the ALDS, he has to make three starts in the final 12 games of the regular season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians figure if Trevor Bauer is going to be available to them as a starter in the postseason, he has to make three starts before the end of the regular season.

Start No. 1, according to manager Terry Francona, will come Friday against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Bauer has not appeared in a big-league game since Aug. 11 when he was hit by a line drive and suffered a stress fracture of his right fibula.

Bauer is expected to pitch a couple of innings against the Red Sox and be relieved by rookie Shane Bieber, who apparently will be moved to the bullpen for the postseason if Bauer's comeback is successful.

"Trevor will go a couple of innings and then finish up in the bullpen," said Francona.

If things go well Tuesday, Bauer will make his second start on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field against the White Sox. Bauer suffered his injury facing the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field when Jose Abreu hit him with a line drive in the seventh inning.

"He'll get a little more lengthened out in that start," said Francona.

Depending on Bauer's performance, his third start could be Sept. 30 in Kansas City, the final game of the regular season. The Indians are expected to open the ALDS against Houston on Oct. 5 at Minute Maid Park.

The Indians held a series of meetings on Wednesday to set up the rotation for the final two weeks of the season.

"For him to have a chance to start (in the postseason), we felt like he needed to have three outings, so this is the way to do it," said Francona. "We talked to Trev and he was really good about it. One, getting him back is great. His goal and our goal is to see if he can start, but if he can't having him in the bullpen is really positive.

"We asked him for his honesty on how he's feeling. And we told him we'd give him our feedback. But this was the best way to do it."

Bauer (12-6, 2.22) was having a career season when he was injured. He has 214 strikeouts with 56 walks in 166 innings. The opposition is hitting .205 against him.

On Tuesday, Bauer threw a three-inning simulated game. He told reporters afterward that he felt like he was not being hindered by his injury. He reported to Progressive Field on Wednesday with no ill effects from Tuesday's effort.

"He got himself in position where he's jumping right into games and we don't have to worry about his arm," said Francona. "He's given himself every chance possible by the way he attacked his rehab."

Francona said Bauer will begin drills on Wednesday to work on bunts and covering first base.

"We have some work cut out for us," said Francona. "By allowing Trevor to see if he can help us, we have to work with the other pitchers, too. We don't want to undo what they have going. We've talked to every pitcher, but (Carlos) Carrasco, who is pitching tonight. We'll talk to him on Thursday."

Mike Clevinger will start Saturday followed by rookie Adam Plukto on Sunday night. Corey Kluber is scheduled to start Monday in Chicago. Kluber is expected to start Game 1 of the ALDS.

Francona likes the idea of Bieber (10-4, 4.50) in the bullpen because he's quick to the plate, throws strikes and doesn't walk many batters.

"It's a good transition (for Bieber) because everybody is going to have to end up pitching out of the bullpen at some point if we get where we want to," said Francona. "So that will be good for him."

Ohio State has how many future first-round picks on its roster? Buckeye Talk Podcast

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Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis welcome you back to another Buckeye Talk, slightly less delirious than they were last time.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There's Nick Bosa and Dre'Mont Jones, but how many other future first-round NFL Draft picks populate the roster of the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes?

Bill Landis and I dug into that and much more on the latest episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, as Ohio State prepares to face Tulane on Saturday.

Honestly, this podcast is more than two hours long, and I think the only time we said the name Tulane is when we were asked why this game is kicking off at 3:30.

We were buoyed by a new Buckeye Talk theme song, created by Mike Lewis in Nashville, so listen to that sweet tune. And we visited with Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated and Ryan McGee of ESPN and grilled them on why they picked the overrated Wisconsin Badgers to make the College Football Playoff.

Bill and I then talked some about what's next with Ohio State recruiting, the future for Dwayne Haskins and Ryan Day, what should happen at the safety position for the Buckeyes and a ton of other things you asked about.

It's just another Buckeye Talk.

Before listening to the podcast below, make sure to subscribe to Buckeye Talk at any of these places:

Buckeye Talk on iTunes

Buckeye Talk on Google Play

Buckeye Talk on Stitcher

Buckeye Talk on Spotify

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