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What the Cleveland Browns can take away from Packers' Super Bowl victory over Steelers

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The new Browns' regime probably didn't learn much from the Green Bay Packers that they didn't already know. You beat the Pittsburgh Steelers by throwing on them.

 

rodgers-harrison-xlv-vert-ap.jpgAaron Rodgers precision passing and an aggressive game plan led to Green Bay defeating Pittsburgh, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas.

DALLAS -- The Browns have been banging their heads for years on how to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, their biggest rivals.

Then you see an unfamiliar foe like the Green Bay Packers handle the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV and you say, "Throw on them. Of course. What a concept."

That's the simplistic lesson from Green Bay's close but convincing 31-25 destruction of the Steelers' vaunted defense Sunday night in Cowboys Stadium.

The Packers, who never trailed, controlled the game from beginning to end by spreading the Pittsburgh defense across the field with mostly four-receiver alignments. The object was to weaken the Steelers' front defensive seven. Force them to remove quality starters with backup defensive backs to cover the pass.

It's not brain surgery and it's not a function of the larger-than-life West Coast offensive system the Packers have perfected and the Browns hope to employ. The Browns used this offensive strategy in the 2002 season playoff game.

The Steelers' defense was not as strong back then as the current edition, but their scheme hasn't really changed much. The Browns racked up a lot of yards and points in that playoff game with Kelly Holcomb at quarterback distributing the ball aggressively.

Since then, various Browns coaches generally have genuflected to the Steelers and tried to timidly possess the ball by handing off and throwing safe, but wholly ineffective, passes. The "keep the game close" gameplan then called for the special teams to pull off some game-changing play to put the Browns over the top.

It's been successful about once every 15 games.

The Packers don't worry about special teams or "establishing the run." They don't want to be horrible in either discipline, but their gameplan centers around one thing -- controlling the game with their quarterback. Had they held a safe enough lead in the fourth quarter, they may have iced it on the ground. That's the way they use the NFL-ancient notion of running the ball on the Steelers.

"A huge part of our gameplan was really putting the ball in Aaron Rodgers' hands," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the day after his team humbled the Steelers. "He did a great job at the line of scrimmage. A majority of our plays were run and pass options. We were really feeding off of how they were going to play our personnel groups, and Aaron's discipline, ability to throw the ball away when it wasn't there, didn't take any chances, just gave me the ability to be aggressive as a play-caller."

In the Packers locker room after the game, receiver Greg Jennings put the gameplan against the Steelers more succinctly.

"Put them in vulnerable positions, make them a little uncomfortable. We were able to expose them," he said.

Here's a few other things we learned from Super Bowl XLV:

* Rodgers has a rare combination of skills that can't be found in every quarterback.

"I think he has the best set of skills in the league, as far as his pinpoint accuracy, his athletic ability," McCarthy said.

Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. That 61.5 percent completion mark rises to 74 percent if five of his catchable passes were not dropped. His yardage also would have approached 400 yards without the drops.

The accuracy of his throws is not totally reflected in the numbers. Except for a little wildness early in the game, the vast majority of Rodgers' passes were placed exactly where they needed to be.

Frankly, Rodgers made a high number of throws that Colt McCoy may only dream of making. Rodgers' amazing strength and accuracy combination serves him well in chilly Green Bay. They are accentuated in a dome -- where Super Bowls often are held.

* The Packers' starting offensive tackles, Chad Clifton and rookie Bryan Bulaga, effectively took Pittsburgh rush linebackers James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley out of the game by themselves. That enabled Rodgers to work on safety Troy Polamalu and take the 2010 defensive player of the year out of his element.

"You've got to be aware of where he's at at all times," Rodgers said Monday. "But he has to respect where my eyes are looking. It was important to me to use good eye control and not stare anybody down because he can cover a lot of ground quickly. And when he was down in the box, make sure he was picked up. Sometimes when he came on blitzes, we adjusted protection. And when he was high at deep safety, I had to make sure just to do it with my eyes."

* The elite quarterbacks make the receivers. It's not the other way around.

Neither team had a receiver on the roster drafted in the first round. Rodgers made a star out of Jordy Nelson, a second-round pick in 2008, who had nine catches for 140 yards and one touchdown. Next-best was James Jones, a third-round pick in 2007. After him was the team's best receiver, Greg Jennings, a second rounder in 2006.

* Both teams were built by shrewd drafting and not by free agency. But that doesn't preclude them from looking outside their organization for help.

McCarthy called defensive coordinator Dom Capers "one of our biggest free-agent transactions."

"We get beat up so much about not acquiring anybody, but Dom has done a tremendous job," McCarthy said.

 

 


SBTV will be posted shortly

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web morning show about what's happening in Cleveland sports, will be posted shortly. We're having server issues. Today's show is hosted by Chuck Yarborough, as his partner Branson Wright is off today. The Green Bay Packers handled the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night to capture Super Bowl XLV, 31-25....


technical-difficulties.jpg

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web morning show about what's happening in Cleveland sports, will be posted shortly. We're having server issues. Today's show is hosted by Chuck Yarborough, as his partner Branson Wright is off today.


The Green Bay Packers handled the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night to capture Super Bowl XLV, 31-25. What was the most memorable part of the game to you? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Today's guest on SBTV, Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, says the performance of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was what stood out most to him.


We'll get the show up ASAP.

Super Bowl XLV: Cleveland Browns should follow Green Bay Packers' blueprint to beat Steelers, says Dennis Manoloff (SBTV)

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Plain Dealer reporter says spreading Steelers out with a West Coast offense is the Browns' best approach. Watch video


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, which is hosted by Chuck Yarborough, as his partner Branson Wright is off today.


The Green Bay Packers handled the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night to capture Super Bowl XLV, 31-25. What was the most memorable part of the game to you? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Today's guest on SBTV, Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, says the performance of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was what stood out most to him.


Dman also says that the Browns should follow the Packers' approach against the Steelers last night - that is, a West Coast passing attack that spreads the field and doesn't try to outmuscle Pittsburgh. He also talks about the play of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and safety Troy Polamalu; and the Cavaliers' game at Dallas tonight.


SBTV will return Tuesday. We hope.

Overnight ratings up for Super Bowl

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Nielsen didn't immediately have a viewership estimate for Sunday's game. But in an overnight measurement of the nation's 56 largest media markets, this year's game had a 3 percent higher rating than last year's.

super bowl tv.jpgFootball fans gathering together in big crowds to watch the Super Bowl is an American tradition.
NEW YORK — Green Bay's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl has surpassed last year's record-setting game in the Nielsen Co.'s preliminary ratings measurement of big cities.

The 2010 game between New Orleans and Indianapolis established itself as the most-watched program in U.S. television history, with 106.5 million viewers.

Nielsen didn't immediately have a viewership estimate for Sunday's game. But in an overnight measurement of the nation's 56 largest media markets, this year's game had a 3 percent higher rating than last year's.

The game also had a 71 share — meaning that more than two-thirds of the televisions being watched in the country at that time were watching the Super Bowl on the Fox network. That's the highest audience share for a Super Bowl since 1982, a time when there were far fewer television networks as competition.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said today that preliminary TV ratings show the game is "on track to be the most-watched show in television history."

"So we're excited about the fan reaction," he said.

Television ratings in general have been super for the NFL this year, up 13 percent over last year, Nielsen said. Games on CBS, Fox and NBC averaged 20 million viewers, more than twice what networks get for their prime-time programming.

The most-watched moment of the game was Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's final incomplete pass, which essentially clinched the game for Green Bay, according to TiVo Inc., the digital video recorder maker. At least initially, there was some debate among announcers about whether Mike Wallace had been interfered with.

The average Super Bowl viewer with a DVR either paused, rewound or fast-forwarded 145 times during the game, TiVo said.

Super Bowl XLV links: Clay Matthews III delivers for the Pack; pint-sized Vader unmasked; ratings tie record

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No surprise: A linebacker named Matthews turned in a superior performance. Now, is it time for the Browns to pluck an apple from that same tree?

aaron-rodgers-tom-fox-dmn.JPGView full sizeAaron Rodgers, MVP of Super Bowl XLV, hoists the LT (Lombardi Trophy) AHH (above his head).

Nobody is denying that Aaron Rodgers deserved the MVP for leading his Green Bay Packers to a 31-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night.

The guy was 24-39 for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions and a 115.5 passer rating. We counted at least five and as many as seven of those misses that SHOULD have been caught.

But in the end it was the defense that kept Ben Roethlisberger & Co. out of the end zone. Strong safety Charlie Peprah had nine tackles and an assist, and free safety Nick Collins had four tackles and a fantastic interception return for a touchdown.

But you know, we here at Starting Blocks profess a pretty strong affection -- in a he-man, armpit-scratching way, of course --  for linebacker Clay Matthews III. We spent the early part of our career watching Clay's uncle, Bruce Matthews, manhandle defensive linemen as a member of the Houston Oilers. Then coming to Ohio, we watched his daddy, Clay Jr., tear up offenses as a linebacker for the Browns.

Thus, we were hardly surprised that he has become a success in the NFL. Sunday night, Clay III "only" had three tackles. But his athletic block of a Roethlisberger pass and his near interception of the deflection drew our own oohs and ahhs almost as quickly as it garnered that of Fox analyst Troy Aikman. And the hit Matthews laid on Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall did more than cause a fumble. It very well may have secured the Packers' win.

Here's how the New York Daily News described it in a story noting three of the biggest plays for the Pack actually came on the defensive side of the ball:

After Pittsburgh drew to within 21-17 and was driving for the go-ahead score, Clay Matthews drilled Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall and forced a fumble that was scooped up by Desmond Bishop. "I just saw the ball in the air," Bishop said. "It was a huge momentum turn."

Super Bowl MVP Rodgers responded with an 8-play, 55-yard drive capped by his third touchdown pass - an 8-yarder to Greg Jennings - to give Green Bay a 28-17 lead early in the fourth.
For those keeping score, that touchdown turned out to be the game-winner, even though the Packers later tacked on a field goal.

The point for including this? It's related to something that beat writer Tony Grossi said on last Friday's SBTV show, talking about how Clay III has gone from Southern Cal walk-on to NFL star: "Never underestimate a football player whose surname is Matthews."

And THIS is where we point out that Casey Matthews, Clay III's baby brother, just finished his senior year at Oregon. A senior year in which the young linebacker was in on 73 tackles and had three interceptions and a forced fumble. He's not expected to go high in the draft, but easily could be around when the Browns pick in the third round.

We're jus' sayin'.

Must see TV
The early returns suggest that this year's Super Bowl may be the most watched in history. The Sporting News reported that the game drew a rating of 47.9 percent/71 share. What that means is that 71 percent of the U.S. households that have TVs were watching them at the time, and 47.9 percent of those TVs were tuned to the Super Bowl.

Which means that roughly half the TV-watching country is aware that Christina Aguilera doesn't know the words to the national anthem.



Vader revealed
Max Page is the kid who played the pint-sized Darth Vader in the Volkswagen commercial (also known as the only decent commercial of this whole flippin' Super Bowl menu). He showed up on "The Today Show," um, today.


Don't know about y'all, but to us, he looks a bit like Jake Lloyd, who played young Anakin Skywalker in "Star War Episode I: The Phantom Menace." Albeit with a little bit of Olsen twins thrown in.

Ironically enough, the most recent post we found online about Lloyd, whose last acting gig apparently was in 2002, when he was 13, is a millionaireplayboy Internet bit that has him appearing in Pittsburgh at Steel City Comic Con last summer. There's a whole Pittsburgh-Vader-"Dark Side" corollary there somewhere.

Don't bet on the Pack to repeat
That's the message from Mark Craig, a sportswriter from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Now some might wonder if there's a little sour grapes in that prediction, given that the local team for the Star-Tribune is the Vikings, who happen to be big NFC North rivals of the Packers.

But Craig has actual facts to back up his claims. Math, too. But as we've yet to meet the journalist who can add 2+2 without a calculator (including ourselves), we'll skip that part.

... Just because the Packers won Super Bowl XLV with a young, incredibly resilient, extremely well-coached squad doesn't make them an automatic favorite the following year. Part of what makes the NFL great is an unmatched formula that turns spreads the joy and misery and disappointment from city to city on a yearly basis. For a number of reasons -- harder schedule, lower draft picks and complacency, among others -- teams struggle and fail often when it comes to sustaining success.

The past five Super Bowl champions are 0-3 in the postseason the following year. The 2005 and 2009 Steelers missed the playoffs altogether. The 2007 Colts and 2008 Giants lost playoff openers at home. And the 2010 Saints lost in the wild-card round at Seattle, the NFL’s first 7-9 team to make the playoffs.
It gets worse, but we don't want to spoil Craig's thunder. You'll have to click on the link to read it all, but we warn you: It's very convincing logic. Of course, logic was exactly what was behind the predictions that the Dallas Cowboys would be the first team to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium.

From The Plain Dealer
Tony Grossi was in Dallas (he was not one of the 400 who collected extra money and free tickets to next year's Super Bowl XLVI when the league deemed their seats in Dallas Cowboys Stadium were unsafe), so he got to witness the thing from coin toss to final gun.

Here's a snippet from Tony's game story:

(The Packers) won three road games in the NFC playoffs and became the first team to win as a playoff sixth seed since the Steelers in 2005.

The Packers faced one more obstacle in this game, too. They held off the Steelers after losing star cornerback Charles Woodson with a broken collarbone in the second quarter. That resilience was typical for a team that ended the regular season with 15 players on injured reserve.

"It was the great resolve of our football team," said Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy, who beat his hometown team for his first Super Bowl championship. "We had some adversity, lost some guys to injury and we had some rough plays there. In the third quarter, we had penalties, but our guys just kept fighting."
Writer John Campanelli, who usually delivers yuks in the PDQ section had to suffer some yucks in reviewing this year's crop of Super Bowl commercials for an A1 story.

Columnist Bud Shaw points out the obvious: that Cleveland fans got to sit and watch the team most of them love to hate play in yet another Super Bowl, and wonder if the Browns will ever be on the big stage. The good news, according to Bud, is that the best reason for Browns fans to have stick with the team is sitting in the executive office in Berea: President Mike Holmgren.

Tony's Super Bowl Insider column says that at long last, the Packer faithful can stuff those Brett Favre memories in the same shoebox that holds the Bart Starr ones, thanks to Aaron Rodgers stellar performance. Not just in the Super Bowl, but in the past three years.



 




Does McCoy have a big enough arm? - Browns Comment of the Day

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"I watched this with interest to see how a West Coast offense would play against the vaunted Steelers D and was impressed, but one thing stood out most which concerned me - Aaron Rodgers' arm compared to McCoy's. It's not even close." - moscow44

Browns beat the Patriots 34-14View full sizeWatching Aaron Rodgers has left some fans wondering if Colt McCoy has a strong enough arm to duplicate what the Green Bay quarterback has done.

In response to the story Titletown once more: Green Bay rides Aaron Rodgers' big arm to 31-25 Super Bowl XLV triumph over Pittsburgh, cleveland.com reader moscow44 has concerns about Colt McCoy's arm strength. This reader writes,

"I watched this with interest to see how a West Coast offense would play against the vaunted Steelers D and was impressed, but one thing stood out most which concerned me - Aaron Rodgers' arm compared to McCoy's. It's not even close."

To respond to moscow44's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Jamison would be best coming off the bench - Cavaliers Comment of the Day

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"If Andy's healthy next season - or we draft a big - I would put Jamison back on the bench and let him dominate backups. He can't defend younger starters. Sure he scores 20, but he gives up more defensively. I don't see us trading him until next year's deadline. $15 million owed next season is a huge amount for what he gives you." - Colt McFrye guy

antawn-jamison3.jpgView full sizeAntawn Jamison started the year coming off the bench, but J.J. Hickson's struggles changed his role.

In response to the story Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about the Browns' young talent, the Tribe's potential power source and the younger Cavaliers, cleveland.com reader Colt McFrye guy would rather see Antawn Jamison come off the bench. This reader writes,

"If Andy's healthy next season - or we draft a big - I would put Jamison back on the bench and let him dominate backups. He can't defend younger starters. Sure he scores 20, but he gives up more defensively. I don't see us trading him until next year's deadline. $15 million owed next season is a huge amount for what he gives you."

To respond to Colt McFrye guy's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Hoping Tomlin gets a shot - Indians Comment of the Day

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"It would be a shame to send Tomlin down so we can sit through the misery of Millwood or Bonderman. We were lucky with Millwood the first time, but if anybody wanted him, we would not even be looking."

josh-tomlin-blue.jpgView full sizeJosh Tomlin could have a chance to stay in the Indians' rotation this season.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians know the time is now for Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, cleveland.com reader boozeexpress hopes Josh Tomlin can stick in the rotation this year. This reader writes,

"It would be a shame to send Tomlin down so we can sit through the misery of Millwood or Bonderman. We were lucky with Millwood the first time, but if anybody wanted him, we would not even be looking."

To respond to boozeexpress's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

P.M. Cleveland Indians links: Opening Day lineup; Grady Sizemore; no sunshine on the horizon?

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Filling in the Indians lineup card ... even before the first pitch of spring training.

manny-acta-ap.JPGView full sizeDoing a Manny Acta a favor: filing out the Opening Day lineup for him.

Indians pitchers and catchers report for spring training at the Tribe's Goodyear, Ariz., facility next week. Tell you something you didn't know?

OK, we bought new slipcovers for the sofa and loveseat this weekend.

See, pretty boring, huh? So let's talk Tribe - for whom, you may remember, pitchers and catchers report next week. The season gets under way at Progressive Field with an April Fools Day (honest) game against Chicago at 3:05 p.m.

Gee, wonder who'll they'll get to throw out the ceremonial first snowball?

Anyway, with the season just seconds away, at least in geologic times (appropriate, as we appear to be in the midst of a mini-ice age), it's time to talk lineups. Jordan Bastian, who covers the Tribe for mlb.com, had this to say:

Now, I can't speak for (manager Manny) Acta -- he's been quiet about his lineup thoughts this winter -- but I can make some educated guesses. I'd say, if (Grady) Sizemore is deemed healthy, Acta would give him a shot to step back into the leadoff spot. With so many lefties in the batting order, switch-hitting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera would make sense for the No. 2 hole.

For the heart of the lineup, it's probably a safe bet to think right fielder Shin-Soo Choo would be slotted third and the switch-hitting (catcher Carlos) Santana would be given a shot at the cleanup role. First baseman Matt LaPorta could be a fifth hitter, but I think he has to earn his way up that high. So, for now, we'll go with designated hitter Travis Hafner fifth and LaPorta sixth.

Nix and Donald -- or any of the other candidates for second and third base -- seem to work in either the seventh or eighth hole. Nix has more power, so I'd put him seventh for now. That leaves left fielder Michael Brantley for the ninth spot, setting up the top of the lineup. Brantley could also lead off if Sizemore isn't ready for Opening Day.

Ask me again tomorrow and my answer might be different.
Gee, imagine that. An Indians lineup not set in stone. Good to see they're in midseason form already.

Show me the money
There's a reason for that tried and true (i.e. trite) headline for this item. Ben Nicholson-Smith is a writer for mlbtraderumors.com, moonlighting for fangraphs.com. If you think THAT is confusing, wait'll you hear what he's writing about: the next crop of $100 million players.

The Rangers just signed Adrian Beltre to a deal that could be worth $96 million (yeah, we know, it's not $100 million; but what's $4 million between friends?). His teammate, AL MVP Josh Hamilton could be next, according to Nicholson-Smith. Following this season, three other players might consider going to management, hats in hands, and asking for nine-figure deals, Nicholson-Smith said: Jose Reyes, Jose Bautista and ... Grady Sizemore.

Say, WHAT? A guy who hasn't played a full season in three years and ought to be doing pushups every time he hits a ball in the air (a la Willie Mays Hays in "Major League") asking for $100,000,000 and thinking he might get it?

Of course, there are caveats, according to Nicholson-Smith:

Three things have to happen for Sizemore to sign a $100 million contract next offseason. Like Reyes, he’d have to recover from knee problems and become the power-speed threat he was a few seasons ago. Secondly, the Indians would have to trade Sizemore for his 2012 option to become a player option and, finally, Sizemore would have to opt out and hit the open market. A $100 million contract is not at all likely, but it’s thinkable.
Yeah, he'd have to be a free agent, as in not getting that $100 mill from the Tribe. Otherwise -- and here comes the reason for that trite headline -- "You had me at guffaw."

All aboard
Did you like the Indians of 2009? How about 2010? Well, if Sammy Makki, at the fan site bleacherreport.com is correct, you're in luck. With apologies to Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits, "third verse, same as the first." Sammy is predicting a 94 losses season for the Tribe.

The Indians rotation isn't too deep. Fausto Carmona had his best season since his breakout year of 2007, but still lost 14 games—albeit on a bad team. Mitch Talbot in his first full season, won 10 games, and could develop into a third starter this season. Other than that, the rotation is nothing to get excited about.

It's going to be a trying season for the Indians, and the best part might be seeing their young talent put it together for future success.
You know who's really got to be miffed at Gov. John Kasich for killing that high-speed rail link between Cleveland and Columbus? Indians management. It'd save 'em a fortune in bus fare.

P.M. Ohio State links:

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Remember what happened last time an undefeated Buckeyes team went to Wisconsin?

jared-sullinger-ralph-sampsoniii-marlin-levison-mst.JPGView full sizeRalph Sampson III (50) is no match for Ohio State's Jared Sullinger in this battle for a rebound in the Buckeyes' 82-69-win over the Gophers in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Stop us if you've heard this before. This team from Columbus , wearing a medallion around its collective neck that says No. 1 but might as well be a bull's-eye, is headed to Wisconsin to play an up-and-coming, feisty Badger team.

Uh, anybody remember when it was Terrelle Pryor & Co. who made that trek?

No, Buckeyes didn't get new tattoos. But they DID get tattooed. As did their season and hopes for a national title.

Now, it's the basketball Buckeyes who are sporting that No. 1 'do and headed into Madison against a Badgers team that climbed six spots in the national rankings this past week, up to No. 13 in the AP Top 25 Poll.

While the Buckeyes were handing Minnesota an 82-69 loss in Minneapolis on Sunday, the Badgers were doing the same to Tom Izzo's Michigan State team (gee, Izzo must be saying to himself, "So THIS is what it would feel like if I'd taken that Cavs job).

The Buckeyes have a guy on the squad who's definitely in contention for national player of the year in post-man Jared Sullinger. But Izzo says there's a kid on the Badgers who bears watching as well. Speaking to Rob Schultz of madison.com after his Spartans were blown out, 82-56, he had this to say of Badgers junior guard Jordan Taylor:

"I think with (Jon) Leuer here, being the senior, maybe you don't even hear as much about (Taylor) on his own team. I don't get to see him all the time, but if he wasn't (part of a conversation about the Big Ten Player of the Year), today's performance does it," Izzo said.

"We had our best defender, (Keith) Appling, on him, and he did OK. But the types of shots, the way he played under control, he would be a guy I would talk about. And if he wasn't, he should be. He definitely has made them a better team. I told him after the game, I think he's improved as much as anyone I've seen. Strength really helped, and then he hit shots early and late."
Well, we suppose he could be part of the conversation. As in: "Could Taylor take the Big 10 Player of the Year title away from Sullinger? No."

A little bias
Duke and North Carolina. North Carolina and Duke. Yada, yada, yada. Geez, can anybody else get an ounce of respect from some of the "national" media? In an espn.com preview ranking the top games of this coming week, the bout between the Tar Heels -- the No. 20 Tar Heels, to be exact -- and the No. 5 Blue Devils is billed as the top game of the week.

Ohio State at Wisconsin comes in second. Now normally, we might give the author the benefit of the doubt, since it's an espn.com blog and the Carolina-Duke game is on ESPN at 9 p.m. Saturday. But the Ohio State-Wisconsin game -- 'scuse us, the UNDEFEATED and top-ranked Ohio State and No. 13 Wisconsin game -- is on ESPN at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Makes perfect sense to us.

Not.

From The Plain Dealer
Beat writer Doug Lesmerises covered the Buckeyes impressive 82-69 over the Gophers on Sunday, and what he came away with wasn't just a view of their basketball skills. He also saw a different, more improved, more focused, more MATURE basketball team, one that understands that with success comes adversity ... and thrives on it. Here's what freshman sensation told Doug:

"You've got to accept it and you've got to love it. I love being the villain," Sullinger said. "It's fun coming out and people have pictures of you and you're getting booed and everyone is yelling at you at the free-throw line. It's one of the things I love most about basketball, especially college basketball, is being the villain."
Doug used his Big Ten Insider column to note that the road, which has been hazardous to other teams, has hardly been a, um, roadblock to the unbeaten Buckeyes.
 




 



Ohio State football prospect Christopher Carter will not be charged

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Cleveland city spokeswoman says a full review failed to find enough evidence of sexual contact or conduct.

chris carter mug shotJohn F. Kennedy High School football player Christopher Carter will not be charged, a city of Cleveland spokeswoman said today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland police said Monday that not enough evidence was found after a review by prosecutors to charge standout high school football player Christopher Carter with a sexual crime.

Carter, a 6-5, 350-pound offensive guard from John F. Kennedy High School who had made an oral commitment to Ohio State University, was arrested last Tuesday on suspicion of misdemeanor sexual imposition. He was suspected of fondling as many as eight girls while pretending to measure them for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps uniforms.

Police released Carter on Wednesday pending further investigation, but city spokeswoman Maureen R. Harper said prosecutors found insufficient evidence of sexual contact or conduct -- despite a report that police had the book he used to record the girls' measurements.

"There was nothing wrong with the way the case was handled or with the investigation," Harper said. "The challenge was matching the facts with the potential violations in the Ohio Revised Code which defines sexual contact and conduct."

Harper said prosecutors reviewed the police investigation and found the intent for sexual arousal or gratification wasn't there. But Harper said the city prosecutor's office is continuing to review facts on the case.

A 15-year-old girl initially told police that Carter, 18, took her out of a classroom and into a room behind the JFK auditorium to measure her for an ROTC uniform.

The police report said once inside the room, Carter asked the victim to take off her sweatshirt and shirt so he could take her measurements. The report further said, "He cut off the lights . . . and stated 'I need you to take your bra off.' (Carter) then put his arms under her arms from behind and attempted to pull her bra up."

The girl refused to cooperate and left the room. Police said she reported the incident to school officials.

Another girl told police she took off everything but her panties, and Carter measured her.

Carter, a Plain Dealer All-Star, is considered a top-flight offensive lineman who blocked at a 91 percent efficiency last season with 18 pancake blocks -- making him a heavily recruited college talent. Even though he had orally committed to OSU months ago, he did not sign a binding letter of intent Wednesday with the rest of the Buckeyes' 2011 recruiting class.

His attorney, Harvey B. Bruner, did not return calls Monday night.

Cleveland Cavaliers TV ratings decline more than any other team, but are still 7th best in the NBA

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Rating for Cavs games on FOX Sports Ohio have dropped 53 percent, but viewership remains strong compared to most teams.

fans-byron-scott.jpgDespite all of the losing, many fans are still tuning in to watch coach Byron Scott (right) and the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For all that has gone wrong for the Cleveland Cavaliers over the last nine months, a solid nucleus of fans remains interested in the team.

Some proof is in a report on NBA teams' local television ratings over the first half of the season.

John Ourand writes for SportsBusiness Daily, referring to LeBron James -- who left the Cavaliers as a free agent for the Miami Heat last July -- and to FOX Sports Ohio: 

James' Miami Heat has posted the biggest local TV ratings increase of all NBA teams through January, more than doubling last year's mark: up 118 percent to an average rating of 5.40 on Sun Sports.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, the team James left after last season, has seen the biggest decrease, with Cavs games on FS Ohio dropping 53 percent to an average rating of 4.07 through Jan. 31.

But the news isn't all bad for the Cavs. The 4.07 average rating is seventh-best in the NBA, and Cleveland's average viewership of 62,000 households per game is good enough for eighth in the league, surprisingly impressive numbers for a team that has the NBA's worst record.

Miami's rating is third, behind the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz.

The Cavaliers are on a 24-game losing streak and play in Dallas tonight against the Mavericks.

Cleveland's real troubles began last May, when James' erratic effort and performance was a key to the Cavs' Eastern Conference playoff semifinals loss to the Boston Celtics.

The two-time MVP's departure, combined with the loss of other veteran players and this season's injury siege, have contributed to the team's 8-43 record.

Former St. Edward star Tom Pritchard still enjoying his YouTube moment for Indiana

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Pritchard's dunk against Minnesota will be remembered as long as there's a YouTube to show it.


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was up, up and away -- way up the ESPN Top 10 Plays list for Indiana University basketball player Tom Pritchard last Wednesday night.

Pritchard, a 6-9 junior and a 2008 St. Edward High School graduate, made a play during the Hoosiers' 60-57 home win over Minnesota that will be remembered as long as there's a YouTube to show it.

Midway through the first half of the Big Ten game, Indiana guard Verdell Jones III went up from the left wing to fire a 3-point shot. Pritchard, anticipating the play's possibilities, started from several feet beyond the 3-point arc, roared down the right side of the lane and soared for a two-hand rebound as Jones' shot bounced off the back of the rim.

pritchard-indiana-dunk-vert-ap.jpgView full size"I watched on TV and saw that it was then No. 1," Tom Pritchard said of his Feb. 2 dunk over Ralph Sampson III. "It was pretty crazy to see me there. I felt honored."

Pritchard released his right hand from the basketball and powered a left-handed dunk over Minnesota's 6-11 Ralph Sampson III -- the son of Virginia's three-time college Player of the Year, Ralph Sampson -- as an already raucous Assembly Hall crowd went wild.

The effort earned Pritchard the No. 1 spot on ESPN's popular Top Plays list for much of the night. It finished at No. 3 as highlights came in from west coast sporting events.

"Our coaches always emphasize offensive rebounds," Pritchard said Friday, chuckling that his teammates now expect such plays from him "all of the time."

"I saw the ball come toward me, and my instincts just took over. I was jacked up. A lot of energy. I felt we had to win the game."

Pritchard said a friend sent him a text message that ESPN was featuring the play.

"I watched on TV and saw that it was then No. 1," he said. "It was pretty crazy to see me there. I felt honored."

Pritchard's father, Dan, and mother, Beth, watched the game on the Big Ten Network from their home in Westlake.

"My wife immediately thought, or I should say hoped, that it would make the ESPN Top 10," Dan Pritchard said.

Tom Pritchard, The Plain Dealer's 2007-08 Player of the Year when he led St. Edward to a Division I state runner-up finish, is again starting for an Indiana team that has improved despite a rash of injuries.

Indiana was a combined 16-46 in his first two seasons, as the tradition-laden program reeled in the aftermath of NCAA violations committed by former coach Kelvin Sampson.

This season, coach Tom Crean has the Hoosiers with a 12-12 record, although 3-8 in the Big Ten. In the last four games, Indiana has defeated Illinois and Minnesota -- teams that were ranked 21st and 20th, respectively, at the time -- and had two one-point losses.

Old friends are sharing in the fun of Pritchard's memorable play, including St. Edward coach Eric Flannery and former Eagles teammates Delvon Roe -- a starting forward at Michigan State -- and Connor Tilow, a starting guard at John Carroll.

"I talked with coach Flannery about it," Pritchard said. "Delvon texted me that he had heard about it, and asked, 'What did you do?' Connor texted me, too. It's neat to hear from those guys."

P.M. Cleveland Cavaliers links: Not the ideal opportunity to snap a record losing streak

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Cavs, with 24 straight defeats, visit Dallas, which has won eight straight. Up next for Cleveland: an 8-game homestand.

antawn-jamison3.jpgVeteran Antawn Jamison's professionalism has been a good influence for young Cavs players during the team's long losing streak.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Another chance, although in reality, it must be considered remote.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (8-43), on a 24-game losing streak, visit the Mavericks (35-15) tonight in Dallas.

Bob Finnan writes about the Cavs' losing ways for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal: 

The Cavs have lost 34 of the last 35 games, as well as 25 in a row on the road.

The losing streak, though, has been getting a lot of attention in the national media. The Cavs have lost more games in a row in one season than any team in NBA history. The league was founded in 1946.

The Cavs lost 24 in a row over two seasons (the last 19 of the 1981-82 season, as well as the first five of 1982-83). They can surpass that dubious mark with a loss to the Mavericks.

The 24 straight defeats over two seasons is also an NBA record.

Dallas, with MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki, has won eight straight games.

The Cavaliers begin an eight-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons. They host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night and the Washington Wizards on Sunday evening. The Pistons, Clippers and Wizards have a combined 51-100 record.

Jeff Bartl previews the Cavaliers-Mavericks game for STATS and the Associated Press.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Jodie Valade's story on assistant coach Paul Pressey's sons, who play college basketball at Missouri; a Starting Blocks report from SportsBusiness Daily, that although the Cavs' TV ratings have dropped, they remain strong compared to most teams.

Pick 'an pops

Cavaliers-Mavericks game preview, by Eddie Sefko for the Dallas Morning News.

Cavaliers game notes for tonight, from nba.com and the Cavaliers.

The injury-riddled Cavs can't be considered the team LeBron James left, and the Cavs did try to build around James, by Gil Meriken on the Silver Screen and Roll blog.

A story on the early-80s, struggling Cavaliers, by Larry Pantages of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Cavaliers notes, by Jason Lloyd for the Akron Beacon Journal.

A report on the Cavaliers' rookies, by Joe Gabriele for nba.com/cavaliers. 

 

Mark Cuban to Cleveland basketball fans: Better days are ahead -- Cavaliers Insider

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Mavericks owner thinks the Cavaliers are putting themselves in position to rebuild a champion.

mavs-cuban-vert-ap.jpgView full size"In 60 days, all of a sudden your fans are talking about will they get the [No. 1] pick, who will they draft," says Mark Cuban, the Mavericks owner who has shown sympathy for the Cavaliers' situation. "That creates a ton of hope, and all of a sudden you're not worried about this season, you're already into next."

DALLAS, Texas -- The Cavaliers' extended losing streak might be difficult for players, coaches and fans to swallow on a nightly basis.

But to outspoken Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, losing in a big way is the best thing that could happen to the post-LeBron version of the Cavaliers.

"It's gotta be brutal for [owner] Dan [Gilbert], brutal for the players themselves," Cuban said Monday. "But big picture, there's been many a team built into a championship after having a bad season."

Cuban reminded of how the Cavaliers rebuilt into a consistent playoff squad after securing LeBron James in the 2003 draft with the No. 1 pick. That came after a 17-65 season in 2002-03. The San Antonio Spurs drafted Tim Duncan first in the draft in 1997 after finishing the season 20-62. That's what Cleveland needs to remember, Cuban said, when the Cavaliers' victories still have not reached double digits midway through the season.

"The season's over in what, 60 days?" Cuban said. "So in 60 days you go from being a suffering franchise to having the best odds of getting the first pick and a ton of [salary] cap room, and you're the hero all summer."

It's all in the delivery, of course, as Cuban has often said any publicity is good publicity. He's able to easily spin the Cavaliers' losing streak into an opportunity to improve.

"In 60 days, all of a sudden your fans are talking about will they get the [No. 1] pick, who will they draft, and what will they do with cap room," he said. "That's exciting. That creates a ton of hope, and all of a sudden you're not worried about this season, you're already into next."

The difficulty, though, comes in surviving the next two months. Cuban's advice for that one?

"In my case? Pizza. Ice Cream. Playing basketball," he said.

What about that letter? Gilbert often has been compared to the brash Cuban for their passionate approaches to franchise ownership. But not even Cuban has written a public letter like the one Gilbert did last July. Asked if it was something Cuban would have done in the same position, he laughed.

"Probably," he said. "Mine probably would have been worse. I might have used different wording. I probably would have used a worse font."

Super Bowl hangover: One day after the Super Bowl was played in Dallas, the Cavaliers and Mavericks had something in common: two very sad leaders of their teams. Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott is a big Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and Cuban grew up in Pittsburgh.

Scott said he wasn't able to make it to the game, but enjoyed watching it on television in Dallas.

"I don't want to talk about it," Scott moaned. "The wrong team won."

Said Cuban: "I was bummed till I got home. Then I said, 'When do the Mavs play?'"

A handful of Mavericks players, including Dirk Nowitzki, attended the game.


P.M. Cleveland Browns links: Pittsburgh and the AFC North; video links to Browns great Clay Matthews' key plays

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Green Bay and Pittsburgh set examples. Matthews, dad of champion Packers star, made memorable plays.

clay-matthews-browns.jpgClay Matthews returns an interception 26 yards for a touchdown in the Browns' 34-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cleveland Stadium on Sept. 20, 1987.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Super Bowl, a football game and all the other stuff that goes with it, is over.

There have been 45 Super Bowls, and Cleveland Browns fans don't have to be reminded that their team hasn't played in any of them.

To get there, of course, a team has to first make the playoffs as a division champion or wild card team. Now that the season is over, SportingNews.com has released its new power rankings.

Where the Browns and their AFC North Division rivals are ranked among the 32 NFL teams:

3. Steelers. It's on Ben Roethlisberger to help teammates shake the Super Bowl hangover, which prevented the team from making the playoffs after its last two Super Bowl appearance.

4. Ravens. Joe Flacco's game must mature for him to reach that special level, but the defense's championship window is closing fast.

21. Bengals. Marvin Lewis has some pretty good young talent, and a potential change in QB might turn out to be a positive.

27. Browns. It's back to the drawing board under Pat Shurmur, although Colt McCoy provides a glimmer of hope.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi's story on what the Browns can learn from Sunday's Super Bowl, which was won by the Green Bay Packers over the Steelers, 31-25; Terry Pluto's column on the example the Packers and Steelers' front offices set for the Browns; Dennis Manoloff's opinion, on Starting Blocks TV, that the Browns should try to emulate the Packers' blueprint for success against the Steelers; Grossi's Super Bowl game story; his Super Bowl Insider.

Post patterns

Packers star linebacker Clay Matthews III is the son of former Browns linebacking great Clay Matthews, Jr. From Pro-Football-Reference.com, a look at Clay the dad's career, which lasted 19 years, the first 16 with the Browns.

One of the most memorable plays during the Browns career of Clay Matthews, Jr. was his interception of a pass thrown by Bengals quarterback Boomer Esaison. Matthews eventually lateraled the football to the Browns' stout -- and very good -- defensive lineman, Carl "Big Daddy" Hairston. From YouTube.com, video of the play, with Matthews' 36-yard return followed by Hairston's 46-yard rumble. The Browns won the Dec. 13, 1987 game over the Bengals, 38-24, in Cleveland Stadium. Tony Grossi wrote The Plain Dealer game story, which is included on The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com Browns History Database, which includes PD game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history.

Of all the great plays Matthews made for the Browns, maybe his most important was a dramatic game-clinching interception of a Jim Kelly pass near the Browns' goal line on the next-to-last play of Cleveland's 34-30 playoff game win over the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 6, 1990. YouTube.com video of the play and the loud and long celebration it sparked in Cleveland Stadium and, from the PD's Browns History Database, Tony Grossi's game story.

Can new Browns quarterback coach Mark Whipple help QB Colt McCoy the way he did Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. From the Orange and Brown Report/Sports Xchange on Scout.com.

Some college players whose NFL draft hopes improved or fell during all-star games, by Rob Rang for NFLDraftScout.com and CBSSports.com.

Some players who improved their potential draft status during the college all-star games, by Wes Bunting for the National Football Post.

 

 

 

 

In-game blog: Cavaliers vs. Mavericks -- Final: Mavs 99, Cavs 96

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Fourth-quarter rally falls short (again) as losing streak hits 25.

nowitzki-cavs-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeDirk Nowitzki managed just 12 points for the Mavericks Monday night, but Dallas made enough plays down the stretch to extend the Cavaliers' losing streak to 25.

DALLAS, Texas -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are the undisputed biggest losers in the NBA, now, with 25 straight. They were close for the fourth game in a row, tying the game twice in the fourth quarter and coming within three at the buzzer.

But you know what they say about being close and horseshoes and all that.

They've lost 35 of their last 36 following Monday's 99-96 defeat. Antawn Jamison led with 26 points on 12-of-18 shooting. Ramon Sessions had 19 points and 13 assists.

Jason Terry led Dallas with 23 points on 7-of-16 shooting, 11 of those points coming in the decisive fourth quarter.

Third quarter update: Mavericks 77, Cavaliers 73 -- The Cavaliers are fighting for this one -- actually playing defense and actually holding the score close. The Mavericks scored just 18 points in the 3rd quarter, as Cleveland cut their lead to four. Overall, the Mavs are hitting 41 percent of their attempts. Four Cavaliers players already have double-digits, led by J.J. Hickson's 16 points.

Halftime update: Mavericks 59, Cavaliers 49 -- The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or something like that. The Cavaliers were back to their old tricks in the second quarter, enduring a four-minute scoreless stretch that resulted in the Mavs taking charge.

The most fire the Cavs showed came when Ryan Hollins delivered a hard foul to Tyson Chandler beneath the basket. What looked like a clothesline didn't earn a flagrant call, which angered Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle.

On the bright side, the young guys really are developing for Cleveland. Christian Eyenga leads with 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Shawn Marion has 14 points for Dallas on 5-for-9 shooting. Jason Terry has 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench.

First quarter update: Mavericks 29, Cavaliers 28 -- The Cavaliers capitalized on what seemed to be a bit of a Super Bowl hangover for slow-starting Dallas. They jumped to a seven-point lead, undeterred by the surprising start of newcomer Peja Stojakovic for the Mavericks.

Then the Cavaliers hit one of those lulls they are prone to, watching the Mavericks finish the quarter with a 10-2 run, culminating in a J.J. Barea 3-pointer that gave them a 29-28 lead -- their first of the quarter.

Antawn Jamison has nine points on 4-for-6 shooting, Ramon Sessions already has five assists. Shawn Marion leads the Mavericks with six points in about five minutes. JKidd has three assists.

Cavs starters: F Christian Eyenga, F Antawn Jamison, C J.J. Hickson, G Anthony Parker, G Ramon Sessions

Mavericks starters: F Peja Stojakovic, F Dirk Nowitzki, C Tyson Chandler, G J.J. Barea, G Jason Kidd

Injuries: Leon Powe (right knee surgery), Anderson Varejao (right ankle/foot injury) and Mo Williams (left hip flexor strain) are out for the Cavaliers. Rodrigue Beaubois (fractured left foot) and Caron Butler (ruptured right patellar tendon) are out for the Mavericks.

Inactives: Powe, Williams and Varejao for Cavs. Beaubois and Butler for Mavericks.

Officials: Bill Kennedy, Kevin Fehr, Brent Barnaky.

Three things to watch

1. Loss No. 25 in a row would give the Cavaliers undisputed hold of the NBA's longest losing streak. Can they avoid it?

2. Newly acquired forward Peja Stojakovic will make his debut for the Mavericks. Will he make any impact?

3. Who will slow down Mavericks center Tyson Chandler?

Detroit's dunks too much for Cleveland State, 81-78

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Second straight loss drops Vikings a half-game back of Valparaiso in Horizon League, tied for second with Wright State.

DETROIT, Mich. -- Cleveland State jumpers or Detroit dunks? It was a battle to the end, but the dunks came out on top, 81-78, giving the Vikings their second straight setback Monday night in Detroit's Calihan Hall.

The Vikings were coming off a home loss to Butler while the Titans were playing their third straight at home. With Valparaiso idle, it was a chance for CSU (21-5, 10-4) to go up two full games in the win column over the Crusaders. Instead they are tied with Valpo (which at 17-7, 9-3 has two conference games in hand) and Wright State (17-9, 10-4).

The Titans (14-12, 8-6) began the game with an alley-oop dunk and before the night was over had flown through the air for eight more throw-downs. Cleveland State's trio of guards -- Norris Cole, Tre Harmon and Jeremy Montgomery -- did their best work in the first half, and Cole finished with a game-high 27 points. Harmon had 13 and Montgomery 15.

But even with CSU center Aaron Pogue joining the guards in double-figure scoring with 15 points, stopping the Titans' attack at the rim was too much for CSU. Power forward Nick Minnerath had 26 points, getting his share of dunks, as did center Eli Holman (17 points, 11 rebounds) off the bench.

"We don't have enough guys to fight that," CSU head coach Gary Waters said. If nothing else, Butler and Detroit have the blueprint for the Vikings, with tandem posts dominating around the rim. Against Butler it was 6-9 Matt Howard who proved to be the difference. Against the Titans, it was the 6-9 Minnerath.

"He killed us," Waters said.

With 10 minutes to play in the first half, CSU's lead was 23-17. But the Titans suddenly began playing above the rim with a vengeance. As alley-oops started flying, aided by some ill-timed CSU turnovers, the game was tied, 39-39, at the half.

"To go into the halftime tied was a confidence builder for us," Detroit head coach Ray McCallum said. "We executed those lob plays. I wanted to do something to get us going."

The Titans maintained their torrid shooting in the second half, taking a 55-50 lead with 13:24 to play, forcing a CSU timeout.

Cole, playing at his All-American best, constantly took it at the Titans and got the game tied at 60 with a layup. Another gave CSU a 67-66 lead inside the final six minutes.

But 41.2 percent second-half shooting wasn't helping CSU's cause. The Titans, however, were still at 50 percent and owned the glass as well, 30-24. When a Eli Holman rebound and layup put Detroit on top, 68-67, CSU never got the lead back as ill-timed turnovers foiled any comeback hopes.

CSU finished three games in five days at 1-2 and now have four days of rest before hosting Youngstown State, 2 p.m. Saturday in the Wolstein Center. The good news is there's only one more league road game, at Wright State Feb. 16, but three at home.

Savvy front offices in Green Bay, Pittsburgh offer a Super Bowl road map for the Cleveland Browns: Terry Pluto

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What's the lesson from this Super Bowl for the Browns? Draft better.

collins-pack-squ-xlv-mct.jpgView full sizeNick Collins celebrated the clinching defensive play on fourth down on Sunday, as largely homegrown rosters on Green Bay and Pittsburgh provided a winning roadmap to playoff success for have-nots such as the Browns, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's no need to insult Browns' fans by simply saying their favorite team must draft better if it's ever to even dare to dream about reaching the Super Bowl.

But until I read a post by Chris Malumphy on DraftHistory.com, I never realized how deep the homegrown roots are for winner Green Bay and that team from Western Pennsylvania that so torments the Browns.

Consider this: 37 of 44 players -- 11 on offense and defense for each team -- who started most of the games for Pittsburgh and Green Bay this season were either drafted by their current teams or were signed as undrafted free agents.

It all comes down to one word: Scouting.

Nine of 11 starters on offense for Pittsburgh were draft picks.

Browns fans can reach for the Tums every time they think about how Butch Davis passed on Ben Roethlisberger and selected tight end Kellen Winslow instead during the 2004 first round. Davis traded a second-round pick to move up from seventh to sixth -- a single spot -- to select Winslow.

Roethlisberger was the No. 11 pick in that draft.

But it's not only Big Ben that made the Steelers. It's how they found running back Rashard Mendenhall at No. 23 in 2008. Or Hines Ward at No. 92 in 1998. Or speedy receiver Mike Wallace at No. 84 in 2009, the same year the Browns picked receivers Brian Robiskie (No. 36) and Mohamed Massaquoi (No. 50).

The Steelers had four first-round picks starting on offense, four more on defense. None were drafted higher than No. 11.

That's scouting.

Or how about this? As Malumphy pointed out, since winning the 2009 Super Bowl, the Steelers have six new starters on offense. They just keep finding players.

Pittsburgh's defense had 10 starters either drafted or signed as undrafted free agents. Some were cut by other teams, such as Kent State product James Harrison. The point is the Steelers keep restocking talent without being at the top of the draft.

The story is much the same for Green Bay.

Franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the No. 25 pick in the 2005 draft, the same year the Browns picked Braylon Edwards (No. 3), Brodney Pool (No. 34) and Charlie Frye (No. 67). Who knew that Rodgers would not only replace Brett Favre, but make people in Green Bay glad to see the aging quarterback leave?

Teams such as Washington keep trying to take shortcuts by signing overpriced free agents, many of whom are well over the hill.

The good teams not only draft well, but develop their low-round picks and undrafted free agents into viable players. That is something former coach Eric Mangini was doing with his "opportunity periods" after practice, which yielded the likes of Marcus Benard, Evan Moore and Brian Schaefering.

The Browns started six of their own picks on offense for most games: Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, Lawrence Vickers, Colt McCoy, Robiskie and Massaquoi. On defense, it was a mere three: Ahtyba Rubin, Joe Haden and T.J. Ward -- and Haden started only seven games, replacing Eric Wright (another draft pick).

You can play a bit with the numbers, but the Browns started no more than nine of their own picks in most games.

Ten of 11 Packer offensive starters were draft picks, the other was James Starks -- signed as an undrafted free agent.

The obvious point is the Browns must draft better. But just as critical, they need the same front office doing the drafting. When a team consistently changes front offices and/or coaches, there is a tendency for the new regime to dump the players picked by the old guys in charge.

Former first rounders Kamerion Wimbley (Oakland), Winslow (Tampa Bay), Edwards (Jets) are starting elsewhere. Some of the deals were good, some were not. But the lack of continuity in the front office leads to constant changing of the roster.

OK, here's the bright side.

While Mike Holmgren is the team president and it was his idea to grab McCoy in the third round, the draft is being driven by Tom Heckert. Under his watch, the 2010 draft produced three starters: Haden, Ward and McCoy.

Heckert's last season with Philadelphia was 2009, when the Eagles had 15 starters who either were his draft picks or signed as undrafted free agents. In his second season as the Browns' general manager, Heckert's background is scouting.

As this Super Bowl showed, that's what separates the winners from losers in the NFL.

Dynastic Hawken swim team would welcome a true state meet: Tim Warsinskey's Take

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Hawken coach Jerry Holtrey finds the division format to be, well, watered down.

hawken-koucheki-breastske-ldj.jpgView full sizeSarah Koucheki and the rest of Hawken's girls swim team will once again be a heavy favorite to dominate the Division II state meet. All of which makes coach Jerry Holtrey wish for a combined state meet to add more competitive excitement to the event.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As rally slogans go, "Seventy-Seven to Six" is not as catchy as "Fifty-four Forty or Fight," which nearly led to war between the United States and Canada a couple of centuries ago.

But "Seventy-Seven to Six" serves its purpose. That was the score of the Division VI state football final Delphos St. John's won over Shadyside in December, and it often is cited amid the outcry for a level playing field between private and public schools. Ohio schools will vote in May on a proposal that aims to do just that.

I have some other scores to consider: 333 to 149, and 404 to 147. Those are typical of state girls swimming champion Hawken's margins over runner-up teams in recent years. Since girls swimming went from one division to two in 2000, Hawken has won every Division II title and it has doubled the second-place team's score eight times.

This year, Hawken is heavily favored to win its 13th straight state championship, which would tie the St. Edward wrestling program's record for most consecutive titles. Hawken's 20 state championships -- nine won when the sport was one division -- are the most in girls swimming.

Hawken coach Jerry Holtrey has a unique perspective on the recent division controversy, and to his credit, he offers an unexpected solution. Holtrey would prefer divisions be abolished in swimming, or at least allow his team to compete in Division I. Holtrey finds the division format to be, well, watered down.

"The kids want to be able to say, if they win, they are the best in the state in that particular event," said Holtrey, a Hall of Fame coach. "It would be nice if we were in Division I or we could be in one division so we could know if we are the best team in the state."

Under state rules, teams cannot volunteer to move up a division, which is another change the Ohio High School Athletic Association should consider.

The new state playoff proposal, which would bump up many successful private-school programs, would not affect swimming. If passed, it would apply to football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. Consideration would be given to add other sports in the future.

Hawken opened this season by beating 2010 Division I champion Upper Arlington and, judging by their times, this year's young Hawken team would be a strong contender to win Division I. Holtrey not only yearns for that chance, he said his team and his sport also need the best to compete against the best.

"The biggest problem I've had with the team since we've gone to Division II is the motivation isn't quite what it used to be," Holtrey said. "At one time, that [state] meet was one of the great meets in the country. It was electrifying in the pool, with all the times being very, very close."

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