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Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington speaks a player's language: World Series Notebook

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You won't hear any corporate lingo from the Rangers manager.

wash.jpgTexas manager Ron Washington speaks a player's language, not the stuffy language of the corporate boardroom.

ST. LOUIS — Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels heard a comment the other day that finding the right man to manage a big-league club is becoming harder and harder to do.

"In the conversation, it was said there aren't that many people who speak the language of the front office," said Daniels.

That would be corporate-speak. Fortune 500 phrases such as "foundation oriented" that sound good in the boardroom but draw blank stares in the dugout and locker room. Daniels didn't say it, but lurking behind his words you could almost hear the whir of computers and clatter of keyboards that have become the backbone of most front offices.

If a manager can't relate to the latest spreadsheet of Sabermetrics, how can a general manager hire him?

"My response was, 'Why would you want them to speak that language?' " said Daniels. "Otherwise, one of us in a suit would be down there. You've got to be able to speak the language of the player. You have to be able to motivate players.

"You're talking about doing that over 162 games in 183 days, plus six weeks of spring training. Plus, hopefully, a month of the postseason."

In 2007, Daniels hired Ron Washington, a man who speaks nothing but baseball. He has the Rangers in their second straight World Series and on the verge of their first championship entering Game 6 Thursday night against St. Louis. He has done it, with the help of Daniels and CEO Nolan Ryan, by revamping the image of the Rangers from a Sunday morning softball team to a team that can run, hit, steal and, most of all, pitch.

Washington speaks his own language. The best example came when Washington, in describing the good and bad hops of the game, said, "That's the way baseball go."

Merle Haggard liked the saying so much he wrote a song about it. The Rangers play it before every home game.

Asked why he hired Washington, Daniels said, "It's the sincerity. He is who he is. There's no pretense. There's no bull. He's a true-blue baseball man with a tremendous heart. . . . He's been an ideal fit for our organization."

This is Washington's fifth year as manager. He coached 11 years for the A's and played parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues.

"The good thing about Wash is that he's seen us get better as a team and we've seen him get better as a manager and he was very good from the start," said Michael Young, the longest-tenured Ranger. "He's very hands-on. He's honest. As a player, that's what you like.

"The great thing about Wash is that you can say whatever you want. If you've got something to say, go in there and talk to him. You just better have a good point."

Movie review: Cardinals manager Tony La Russa went to see the movie "Moneyball" after Game 6 was rained out Wednesday. The movie, based on the book by the same title, is about how the A's used statistical studies to make decisions on acquiring players, while reducing the roles of scouts.

"The acting was good," said La Russa, drawing laughs from a room full of reporters. "I'm serious.

"I was offended because of what the book represented. . . . They won 20 games in a row, qualify for the playoffs, go two up on the Yankees. . . . but that club was carried by guys who were signed and developed the old-fashioned way. That part wasn't enjoyable because it's a nice story, but it is not accurate enough."

Change in culture: Young made his big-league debut with the Rangers in 2000. He came in when all the Rangers did was hit.

"It was hit or get left behind," said Young. "We had monsters up and down the lineup with Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez. Now we have the same thing going with our pitching."

Young has also seen the popularity of the Rangers increase to a point where they are starting to emerge from the long shadow of the Dallas Cowboys.

"I don't want to say we lived in obscurity, but it's true," said Young. "It's been exciting to be able to throw that off as a baseball team."

When the Rangers acquired third baseman Adrian Beltre during the winter, Young lost his starting job and asked to be traded. Fences were mended and Young, playing a variety of positions, hit .338 (213-for-613) with 41 doubles, six triples, 11 homers and 106 RBI.

Finally: Darren Oliver, who won Game 5 for the Rangers, is the third oldest pitcher to win a World Series game at 41 years and 18 days.


Texas Rangers catcher Mike Napoli can't ignore fans' chanting: World Series Chatter

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About 50,000 fans yelling "Na-Po-Li" has made an impression on the Texas catcher.

mike napoli.JPGView full sizeThe Rangers' Mike Napoli acknowledges fans after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of Game 4 on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
Clubhouse confidential: It won't be as loud as it was at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, but it would not be a surprise if there were a few Rangers fans at Busch Stadium chanting "Na-Po-Li, Na-Po-Li" when Texas catcher Mike Napoli came to the plate in Game 6 on Thursday night.

The chant, powered by 50,000 voices at home, has made an impression on Napoli.

"It was hard for me not to hear it," said Napoli. "I think the first time I heard it was against Tampa Bay in the division series. It's something a player should love, the home crowd chanting your name and you getting the job done. If you don't like that situation, you probably shouldn't be playing. You should want to be a hero and get the job done."

Napoli entered Game 6 hitting .308 (4-for-13) with two homers and nine RBI in five games. Napoli's nine RBI are already tied for sixth for the most RBI ever in one World Series.

The last catcher to have more RBI in one World Series was the Indians' Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1997 with 10.

Speaking of Alomar: So far, Boston's new GM Ben Cherington has not asked for permission to interview Alomar for his vacant manager's job. Alomar, the Indians bench coach, has been mentioned as a candidate to replace Terry Francona.

Cherington's first job in baseball was as a scout for the Indians.

Stat of the day: Wednesday night's postponement of Game 6 because of rain -- although the game clearly could have been played -- was the 30th World Series game postponed by rain.

-- Paul Hoynes

Cleveland Browns just hoping to feel special again vs. San Francisco 49ers

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The Browns' special teams are bowed but not beaten as they prepare to face their former award-winning coach, Brad Seely.

browns kicking.JPGView full sizeBrowns kicker Phil Dawson had two field-goal attempts blocked last Sunday against the Seahawks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When the Browns completed their latest regime change this year, nobody had bigger shoes to fill than Chris Tabor.

Tabor had the unenviable task of following Brad Seely as special teams coordinator. Seely is to NFL special teams what Johnny Carson was to late-night TV, pretty much the king for the past 20-or-so years.

Under Seely, Browns special teams ranked first overall in 2009 and second in 2010.

So why didn't the Browns keep him? Five other Eric Mangini assistant coaches were retained.

"He felt like he had a good opportunity in San Francisco, and that's where he wanted to go," Browns coach Pat Shurmur said.

Seely made an instant impact with the 49ers. In their season opener, return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. -- a former Glenville and Ohio State star -- had kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns, jump-starting the 49ers to a surprising 5-1 getaway to the season.

This week, the 49ers rank in the top five in five of eight relevant special teams categories. Back at the ranch, the Browns are reeling, coming off two consecutive games of special teams breakdowns.

This is not the greatest week for Tabor to be opposing his predecessor in San Francisco.

After the Browns suffered two blocked field-goal tries and gave up a long punt return (reduced by penalty) against Seattle, kicker Phil Dawson rolled his eyes and said, "I'm sure Brad Seely is waiting for us in San Francisco."

chris tabor.JPGView full sizeBrowns special teams coach Chris Tabor.

Before he came to the Browns, Tabor served his apprenticeship in Chicago as assistant to Dave Toub, who has battled Seely for special teams supremacy the past eight years.

"This was a great opportunity for myself," Tabor said this week of succeeding Seely. "I feel very fortunate. Apprehensive? No. Life is full of challenges. If you're not willing to take on one, then I don't think you'll ever be successful. You have to put your head down and keep working hard and go, and if you do those things, good things will happen."

If nothing else during their expansion era, the Browns have always been solid on special teams -- long before Seely had his two-year stint here. So what's gone wrong this year?

"It's gonna take us a year or two to get certain guys in place," said returner Josh Cribbs. "Before Seely came, we were a good special teams unit. We had the guys here. Now that he's gone, there was a huge turnover. A lot of key members of the core special teams unit has left. That's what happens with coaching changes. So Tabor now is building a whole special teams unit from scratch."

Cribbs recognized this after the Browns were hit for a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Oakland. He promised to return to the kick coverage unit and made two tackles the following week against Seattle.

Seely had the added title of assistant head coach under Mangini (and also the 49ers' Jim Harbaugh). In that capacity, he had strong input on roster decisions. He and Mangini loaded up the bottom of the roster with career backups whose specialty was covering kicks and blocking on returns.

Holder Ryan Pontbriand added that teams that play a 3-4 defense -- such as the Mangini Browns and the 49ers under Harbaugh -- naturally carry extra linebackers and those players make for better special teams players.

"I wouldn't say necessarily just linebackers," said backup linebacker Titus Brown. "But we had a lot of guys strictly for special teams. More than the average team. We really had a good solid group of guys, seven or eight guys that were strictly [special] teams guys. And we had the same guys every year."

Tabor said the core group of his special teams is smaller. "We do not [have seven or eight]," he said. "Not at this time. But we're developing that. Over time. We're still in the learning process on some things. We just don't want to make the same mistake twice."

Special teams also took a hit when the Browns went to a concerted youth movement. Under Mangini and Seely, they had one of the oldest teams in the league. Now they are one of the youngest. Rookie guard Jason Pinkston was victimized both times on the blocked field goals by Seattle rusher Red Bryant.

Shurmur said some lineup changes were made this week on special teams.

"In our world, it's a revolving door," Tabor said. "There are guys coming and going. We're continuing to get experience each week. I just believe that we have hit a little tough time right now, but we just have to stay the course, and coach them hard and explain how to fix it."

Even Pontbriand, a two-time Pro Bowler, has been affected. He said he has not been happy with his long snaps. A couple of them against Seattle were higher than he wanted.

"When I look at the film, I look at what I can do better," he said. "I want to be perfect, and I wasn't perfect. I think you have to take it personally.

"Our reputation on special teams has always been good, no matter our coach. Since Phil and I have been here, we've set the bar real high for ourselves. You're gonna see a lot of character from this team, how we respond, especially against the 49ers."

It will be a fascinating game-within-the-game to see how Tabor's upstarts perform against Seely's men.

"Those respective units colliding, I think it will be really something special to see and watch," Harbaugh said. "I'm looking forward to seeing that go down."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi

Tackle Joe Thomas doesn't think offensive line is tipping off plays: Cleveland Browns Insider

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Does the Browns' offensive line betray whether the team is running or passing? Left tackle Joe Thomas scoffs at the idea.

raiders browns.JPGView full sizeRunning back Montario Hardesty, above, had only 35 yards rushing on 11 carries against the Raiders on Oct. 16. Oakland linebacker Aaron Curry says the Browns' offensive line was tipping off plays.

BEREA, Ohio — As the Browns' starting left tackle, Joe Thomas figures he has seen "every snap of every practice and every game" this season. He has studied how his offensive line plays, watched every tendency and every trend.

And Thomas would like to know what Oakland Raiders linebacker Aaron Curry says he spotted in film before Cleveland played at Oakland on Oct. 16.

Curry told Bay Area reporters that he has been studying film extensively since an Oct. 14 trade sent him to the Raiders from Seattle. And with his newfound focus on the intricacies of the game, Curry said he noticed that a Browns offensive lineman unwittingly betrayed whether the team was going to pass or run on most plays.

"One of the O-linemen from Cleveland, they gave it up every play, most of the time, I'd say about 70 percent of the time, whether it was run or pass," Curry told reporters. "They had no clue they were doing it, but I figured it out from just watching the film."

Thomas laughed when told of Curry's comments Thursday.

"He must be a wizard because after being there one day, he figured it out?" Thomas said. "He must be really smart. . . . I'm sure if a guy was leaning really far back or really far forward, maybe [he could see it]. But for one day? That is very impressive."

Thomas scoffed at the idea that Oakland's singular linebacker might have seen something in film that the Browns' legions of coaches and players who self-scout might have missed this season. The Browns, however, have played with a patchwork offensive line at times this season, with rookie Jason Pinkston filling in at left guard for injured Eric Steinbach, and right tackle Tony Pashos missing the first three games of the season with injury.

"If I would have noticed something, we would have taken care of it," Thomas said.

Hillis out? One day after testing his injured left hamstring in practice, running back Peyton Hillis sat again Thursday. Hillis complained of soreness the day after his first attempt at full-speed play since injuring his hamstring nearly two weeks ago at Oakland.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur said he's still hopeful Hillis can play Sunday at San Francisco, and doesn't sense frustration from the running back who already has missed two of six games this season to illness or injury.

"I think he's hanging in there," Shurmur said. "He's taking this thing day to day, trying to get himself healthy so he can go out and play. I don't sense the frustration."

In the meantime, backup running back Montario Hardesty said he's preparing as if he will start against the 49ers -- just in case.

"It might have been a little bit difficult for me earlier in the year, but now I just prepare like I'm going to go and play a lot, like I'm going to be the guy," Hardesty said. "Then however it goes, it goes." High school reunion: When Joshua Cribbs takes the field Sunday, he will have a special greeting for San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis. The two attended Dunbar High School together in Washington, D.C. Cribbs was the quarterback tossing to a talented young kid then, and he knew that Davis was destined for the NFL.

"In eighth grade, he has that size that he does now," Cribbs said of his 6-3, 250-pound friend. "He was a big kid. That's an awesome talent right there. He is just a freak of nature."

Davis has 24 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns this season. Colt's record to fall: It's not often that Browns quarterback Colt McCoy will admit to being all right with losing. But Thursday, McCoy had praise for Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, who is expected to break McCoy's record for most wins in college football history. McCoy was 45-8 when playing at Texas 2006-09. Moore is 44-2 for Boise State since 2008.

"He's not going to break it, he's going to shatter it," McCoy said. "Good for him. Good for him." Points after: Shurmur said the Browns "are not pursuing" free-agent receiver Terrell Owens. . . . Linebacker Scott Fujita was a full participant in Thursday's practice, after seeing limited action Wednesday while still recovering from a concussion. However, fellow linebacker Kaluka Maiava suffered a knee injury in Thursday's practice and was limited. Offensive lineman Shawn Lauvao was upgraded to limited participation Thursday after not participating Wednesday.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654

NBA lockout 2011: Owners and players wrap up 7 1/2 hours of talks; will talk again on Friday

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More progress made toward new labor deal, but much work remains -- especially on how to split "basketball-related income."

david-stern2.jpgNBA commissioner David Stern feels that representatives for the owners and players are beginning to trust each other as they pursue a new labor deal.

NBA owners and players called it an early night Thursday, with both pointing toward Friday as a decisive day for big moves to end the 119-day lockout.

Or not.

After two days of talks about the salary cap system, they will turn their attention back to the division of revenues, which derailed the talks last week.

This time, Commissioner David Stern said the talks had produced enough familiarity and trust "that will enable us to look forward to tomorrow, where we anticipate there will be some important and additional progress — or not."

"But I think (union executive director Billy Hunter) and I share that view, and we're looking forward to seeing whether something good can be made to happen."

The sides again said there was some minor progress on the system issues after about 7½ hours of talks. They decided to wrap it up and get some rest following a marathon 15-hour session Wednesday, and with union economist Kevin Murphy unavailable Thursday to discuss finances.

Hunter said he thought the sides were "within striking distance of a getting a deal" on the system, but there's still no indication either side is ready to make the big move necessary to settling the BRI split.

Owners have insisted they're not going beyond 50-50, which means the sides are still about $100 million apart annually, based on last season's revenues. Players have proposed reducing their guarantee from 57 percent down to 52.5, but they're unlikely to go much further without some concessions on the system issues.

Asked when the significant move would happen, Hunter noticed Stern sitting in the back of his press conference and said to ask the commissioner.

"Tomorrow!" Stern yelled out.

If not, Stern will have to decide whether to add more cancellations to the two weeks that have already been lost.

A full season might be difficult even with a deal this week. It takes roughly 30 days from agreement to games being played, so it's uncertain if there's still time for any basketball in November even before examining arena availability. But 82 games would be a boost for the players, meaning they wouldn't miss the paycheck that seemed lost when the first two weeks were scrapped.

It was widely expected Stern would announce further cancellations this week after talks broke down a week ago. Instead, the sides were in communication the next day, staffs met Monday, and they were back at the bargaining table Wednesday, acting on Hunter's recommendation to "park" the revenue split and focus first on the system issues.

 

Off the Ice With ... Tyson Barrie, Lake Erie Monsters defenseman

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Barrie credits his father for giving him a solid work ethic.

Tyson Barrie.JPGView full size

Ht/Wt: 5-10, 190.

Shoots: Right.

Born: July 26, 1991, Victoria, British Columbia.

Acquired: Third round, 2009.

PD: Off-ice activities?

TB: Watching movies (favorite: "Get Him To the Greek"), TV series (favorite: "Dexter").

PD: Your father, Len, played for the Lumberjacks. Best advice he gave you?

TB: He was my coach all through minor hockey, and he's given me lots of advice, so it's hard to pick one thing. The work ethic he instilled in me is probably the most important.

PD: Key to advancing to NHL and staying there?

TB: I need to continue to develop and be consistent game to game.

PD: What is one statement you always hear from coach David Quinn?

TB: "Do your job." Quinny's a great coach, he's a hard-nosed guy, but he's fair. He demands that you give your best every time you step on the ice.

PD: Best- dressed teammate on Monsters?

TB: I'll go with Patrick Bordeleau.

PD: Wildest thing you've ever seen in a rink as player or fan?

TB: When I was younger, I was watching an ECHL game involving the Victoria Salmon Kings. There was a bench brawl, and Dale Purinton got escorted to the locker room. Then Purinton came back out with just his lower gear on and challenged the other coach to a fight with his stick.

PD: Highlight of hockey career to date?

TB: Winning the 2009 WHL championship with the Kelowna Rockets.

PD: Sports growing up?

TB: I played lacrosse and basketball, but hockey was always No. 1.

PD: Most goals scored in one game, any level?

TB: Six in bantam, second year.

PD: Favorite junk food?

TB: Cookie-dough Blizzard from Dairy Queen.

PD: You've known teammate Stefan Elliott for a long time. What is one nugget about him that he wouldn't want us to know?

TB: He knows the words to every song, and he likes to sing, but he has one of the most annoying singing voices.

PD: What advice would you give to a youngster who wants to be a pro hockey player?

TB: Stick with it. There are going to be tough times, but if you keep working hard and enjoying it, you never know what can happen.

-- Dennis Manoloff

Lake Erie focuses on the 'mental' aspect: Monsters Insider

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The Monsters are ravaged by injuries, but coach David Quinn says being shorthanded has nothing to do with the magnitude of a 7-0 loss to Syracuse on Wednesday.

lake erie monsters.JPGView full sizeLake Erie's Greg Maudin, left, celebrates his goal off his skate against Abbotsford on Oct. 7 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Monsters lost, 2-1.

Less than 24 hours after the earth opened and swallowed the Monsters whole, they practiced Thursday morning as scheduled.

Coach David Quinn didn't feel the need to skate his players for four hours as punishment for a 7-0 loss to Syracuse on Wednesday night at The Q. That doesn't mean, however, that Quinn was letting them "get away" with the most lopsided loss in the five-season history of the franchise. He calmly but sternly drove his points home after the game and again Thursday.

"We were on the ice for about a half-hour and spent the rest of the time talking and watching tape," Quinn said. "We certainly talked an awful lot about our mental approach, about how we could perform the way we did. What happened Wednesday night was absolutely unacceptable."

The Monsters (2-6-1-0) have already been ravaged by injuries, but Quinn said being shorthanded had nothing to do with the magnitude of the defeat.

"Bottom line: The game was lost before 7 o'clock that night," he said. "We weren't mentally ready to play, and we got what we deserved. The 7-0 score represented the difference in effort between the teams."

The Monsters will have an opportunity to make amends tonight, when they play host to Toronto.

"We will be ready to play," Quinn said. "I promise you that. What happened Wednesday doesn't change my belief that we have a good club, a resilient group."

The Monsters are 0-4 at home.

Second-period issues: It isn't as if Lake Erie players run to the buffet line after the first period, but something is off when they come out to play the second. The Monsters have been outscored, 9-1, in the second period. They have been outscored, 11-9, in the first and 11-4, in the third , but hold a 2-1 advantage in overtime.

"The second-period differential is coincidence," Quinn said. "It's too early in the season to draw any conclusions from those numbers."

Injury updates: Left winger David van der Gulik didn't play Wednesday because of the flu and didn't practice Thursday. He will be a game-time decision tonight.

Center Adrian Foster suffered a lower-body injury against Syracuse and is listed as day-to-day.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com; 216-999-4664

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Obscure transfer rule allows Wisconsin to sharpen its teeth for Saturday's game against Ohio State

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OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith is against the current transfer rule that allowed quarterback Russell Wilson to play for Wisconsin, but he acknowledged the Buckeyes would have been happy to use it when looking for a replacement for Terrelle Pryor.

russell wilson.JPGView full sizeWisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson was allowed to leave North Carolina State and play for Wisconsin this season  without sitting out thanks to a little-known rule.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Who is Joe Brennan? He's the redshirt freshman quarterback (3-of-11 for 12 yards, one interception this season) who probably would be leading Wisconsin into Ohio Stadium on Saturday night if not for a transfer rule that most fans may not understand, that the SEC has banned and that a lot of people in the Big Ten don't seem to like.

It's the rule that Ohio State would have been happy to utilize when the Buckeyes tried to call North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson this summer.

It's the one that has Wilson, as a fifth-year senior, playing like the best quarterback in the Big Ten for the No. 12 Badgers without having to sit out a season.

After starting at North Carolina State from 2008 to '10, Wilson basically was a free-agent signing. Whether you like that depends on where you sit.

"I would like it probably more if it had helped us," said Illinois coach Ron Zook with a laugh of the little-used graduate transfer rule that landed Wilson in Madison, Wis.

OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith is against the current graduate transfer rule, but he acknowledged that the Buckeyes would have been happy to use what the system allows when looking for a replacement for departed quarterback Terrelle Pryor this summer.

Offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, who saw Wilson at OSU camps while he was in high school, said he called Wilson but never reached him, and Wilson said that by the time he heard of Ohio State's interest, he had already narrowed his choices to Wisconsin and Auburn.

Not that it kept Wilson from taking the opportunity to mess with Wisconsin's Bret Bielema. He left his future coach a message that the Buckeyes had called and then kept him wondering for several hours.

"He had my wheels spinning a little bit," Bielema said.

To think about Wilson at Ohio State instead of Wisconsin is to flip the Big Ten on its head. Wilson started 36 games in three seasons for the Wolfpack before his attention to his baseball career led N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien to release him from his scholarship. Wilson has the longest active streak in college football with touchdown passes in 31 straight games. He obviously would have jumped to the top of the depth chart the minute he stepped on the Ohio State campus, ahead of career backup Joe Bauserman and true freshman Braxton Miller.

Wilson has 1,992 yards of total offense this season -- 835 more than the Ohio State quarterbacks.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, would have been left to either the inexperienced Brennan or sophomore Joe Budmayr, who had elbow surgery eight weeks ago, to replace graduated starter Scott Tolzien.

Wilson, who said he had "high interest" in Ohio State out of high school but chose North Carolina State, in part, to play both football and baseball, said he never really gave the Buckeyes a thought this time around.

But the greater question is whether Wilson, in his circumstances, should be playing for anyone this season.

The graduate transfer rule has changed a bit since first enacted six years ago, and it applies only in a specific case. A player must have completed his undergraduate degree and then pursue a master's degree that his current school doesn't offer. Then the player can transfer without sitting out a year. Every other major college sports transfer in football or basketball must sit a season, unless he acquires a waiver for personal reasons that caused him to move closer to home.

A strong argument can be made that the rule serves as a reward and an incentive for players to pursue their degrees, a real academic push for athletes. If freshmen basketball players can go to a school for one year and leave, why not fourth- or fifth-year athletes who have proved their academic prowess? Penn State coach Joe Paterno, for instance, does see the academic side of it. If it's there.

"I think if it's legit," Paterno said. "If a kid graduates and he's got a chance to go to graduate school, and by playing football it helps him financially and he continues to play, I don't have a problem with that. If it gets to be where some kids just want to graduate early and get themselves ready for pro football, I'm not for that.

"How do you determine which person deserves to do it or not? That's always the dilemma."

It is.

"Obviously, you don't want to see people transfer just to play another year of football," Zook said.

Obviously, that's what has happened in the handful of cases throughout the years in which a graduate transfer has made a real difference at a major program. None has done as much as Wilson, who, by all accounts, is a true student, a leader and great teammate who exemplifies the best of college sports. And, man, can he escape a blitz and make a big play.

"I would do away with it," OSU's Smith said of the rule. "Nothing against this guy."

The Southeastern Conference, which suffered some embarrassment when former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli escaped a suspension with the Ducks and played immediately at Mississippi in 2010, passed a rule that, as of Oct. 1, the conference won't accept those types of transfers.

Wilson hasn't embarrassed anybody. Far from it. He has made the Big Ten better, especially Wisconsin. He sure has changed this game. And after one year, he will be gone.

Berry status: OSU coach Luke Fickell said the status of return man and backup running back Jaamal Berry for Saturday's game hasn't been resolved. Berry was cited in a police report for punching a person on the street last Friday and is now facing a civil suit in the matter. Ohio State has said Berry will be suspended if charged with a crime. He hasn't been, at this point.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479


Scouting reports on this weekend's college football games

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Previews of Ohio State, Akron, Kent State and other college football games.

dan herron.JPGView full sizeThe Buckeyes could use another big game from running back Dan Herron on Saturday against Wisconsin.

Big Ten Conference

Ohio State vs. No. 12 Wisconsin

Kickoff: 8 p.m. at Ohio Stadium, Columbus.

TV/radio: ESPN; WKNR AM/850.

Notable: The Badgers have gone from national title contenders to tied for second place in the Big Ten's Leaders Division in the blink of an eye -- a 44-yard Hail Mary TD pass as time expired in last Saturday's 37-31 loss at then-No. 15 Michigan State. The Badgers (6-1, 2-1) have four of their last five games against opponents within their division. QB Russell Wilson accounted for three touchdowns last week but also threw two costly interceptions. The Buckeyes (4-3, 1-2) have had two weeks to prepare after beating then-No. 16 Illinois, 17-7, on Oct. 15. RB Dan Herron rushed for 114 yards and a score against Illinois in his first game since serving a six-game suspension for receiving improper benefits. Saturday marks the first time in 12 meetings Wisconsin has faced an unranked Ohio State team.

Next for OSU: Nov. 5 vs. Indiana, noon.

-- From wire reports

Mid-American Conference

Akron vs. Central Michigan

Kickoff: Noon at InfoCision Stadium, Akron.

Radio: WARF AM/1350.

Notable: Akron (1-6, 0-3) now plays the first of several teams that could be fodder for the Zips' first conference win of the season. Onetime league power Central Michigan (2-6, 1-3) has fallen on hard times, losing three straight and six of its past seven. The lone CMU win is over league heavyweight Northern Illinois. Akron has allowed 31 or more points in five games this season.

Next for Akron: Thursday at Miami of Ohio, 7:30.

Kent State vs. Bowling Green

Kickoff: 1 p.m. at Dix Stadium, Kent.

Radio: WNIR FM/100.1.

Notable: Kent State (1-6, 0-3) is coming off a bye week to face a rejuvenated Bowling Green (4-4, 2-2), which is coming off a major upset over Temple that now puts the Falcons in the midst of the MAC's East Division race. Kent's No. 2 MAC defense (320.0 ypg) will get a test from BG's potent passing attack (252.0 ypg), but the return of senior KSU noseguard Ishmaa'ily Kitchen could free Kent's pass rushers to be more effective.

Next for KSU: Nov. 4 vs. Central Michigan, 8.

Miami of Ohio vs. Buffalo

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. at Yager Stadium, Oxford, Ohio.

TV: SportsTime Ohio.

Notable: Miami (2-5, 1-2) is still in the MAC East race, but the RedHawks can't afford another loss. Buffalo (2-6, 1-3), despite its record, has been a tough out all season, losing by three to Ball State and one to Northern Illinois, both teams with winning records. Miami QB Zac Dysert (1,836 yards passing, nine TDs) could use some help from a defense that has allowed 27 or more points to three of its past four opponents.

Next for Miami: Thursday vs. Akron, 7:30.

-- Elton Alexander

Division II

Lake Erie at Ohio Dominican

Kickoff: Noon at Panther Field, Columbus.

Notable: LEC (1-7) suffered a 35-31 loss to Findlay last week at Painesville's Jack Britt Memorial Stadium, despite holding an edge in offense, 466 yards to 404. Brandon James had 159 receiving yards in the loss, and teammate David Romeo (Eastlake North) caught six passes for 82 yards. ODU (3-4) handled Tiffin, 62-7, last week.

Next for LEC: Nov. 5 at Tiffin, 1:30.

Notre Dame College vs. Malone

Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Spire Institute, Geneva.

Radio: KNR2 AM/1540.

Notable: NDC lost at Urbana last week, snapping a program-record four-game win streak. Before the 49-16 misstep against Urbana, the Falcons (5-3) had been dominant, outscoring foes, 158-39, in their four consecutive victories. In Malone (3-5), NDC meets its fourth Ohio foe on its second-season 2011 schedule. The Pioneers have lost three straight games coming into their Saturday evening tilt at Spire Institute, an all-sports facility in Geneva. But two of those losses came at the hands of NAIA Top-25 teams. The contest between the Falcons, who are 3-0 at home this year, and Pioneers will mark the first college football game at Spire.

Next for NDC: Nov. 5 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan, 1.

Division III

Baldwin-Wallace vs. Muskingum

Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. at Finnie Stadium, Berea.

Radio: WBWC FM/88.3.

Notable: B-W (6-1 overall and 5-1 in the OAC) cannot stumble today against a solid Muskingum (4-3, 3-3 Ohio Athletic Conference) team if it wants to keep its Division III postseason hopes alive. It is Professor Appreciation Day, and each of B-W's 25 seniors will recognize a member of the faculty who has made a difference in his B-W experience. Junior QB Ryan O'Rourke (Avon) has completed 107-of-174 passes for 1,349 yards and 10 TDs. Sophomore WR/KR Josiah Holt (Midview) is this week's OAC Special Teams Player of the Week and tops the Jackets with 20 receptions. Senior LB Brett Thompson (Shelby) has run back an interception for a TD in each of the past two games. Muskingum is led on offense by the Smiths: Dual-threat QB Dalton Smith has completed 86-of-175 passes for 1,118 yards and five TDs, and he has rushed for 343 yards and five TDs; RB Palmer Smith tops its runners with 389 yards and a TD.

Next for B-W: Nov. 5 at Mount Union, 1:30.

Case Western Reserve vs. Chicago

Kickoff: Noon at Case Field, Cleveland.

Notable: It's Senior Day and the University Athletic Association opener for Case Western Reserve (6-1). The Spartans have won five in a row and will look to avenge last season's 24-21 loss to Chicago, which snapped a 38-game regular-season winning streak. Defensively, CWRU ranks 17th in the nation in rush defense (90.6 ypg) and 23rd in scoring defense (14.1 ppg). Junior linebacker Ryan Ferguson leads the team with 69 tackles. Junior safety Dan Calabrese (NDCL) has been an impact player with 30 tackles, four interceptions, a fumble recovery and three return touchdowns. On the offensive side of the ball, junior quarterback Erik Olson has completed 114-of-189 passes for 1,216 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Bryan Metlesitz (North Royalton) has 39 receptions for 449 yards and three TDs. Chicago (5-2) junior WR Dee Brizzolara (Aurora) has 443 receiving yards and 13 total TDs. Freshman safety Arlin Hill (Shaker Heights) has started the last three games and has 25 tackles and two INTs for the season.

Next for CWRU: Nov. 5 at Washington (Mo.), 1.

Hiram vs. Wooster

Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Henry Field, Hiram.

Notable: Hiram (1-6, 1-2 NCAC) is coming off its bye week. Two weeks ago, the Terriers lost at Case Western Reserve, 34-7. The Terriers had 196 yards of total offense (38 rushing and 158 passing). Sophomore QB Brendan Hanna completed 21-of-40 passes for 158 yards. Wooster is 2-5, 1-2.

Next for Hiram: Nov. 5 at Allegheny, 1.

John Carroll vs. Capital

Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. at Don Shula Stadium, University Heights.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio, delayed (Sunday, noon); WJCU FM/88.7.

Notable: JCU (4-3, 4-2 OAC) and Capital (3-4, 3-3 OAC) have played seven games in the past 10 years in which the final margin has been 10 points or less. Both teams are coming off tough losses. John Carroll fell at Ohio Northern, 24-21, last week. The Blue Streaks' offense is averaging more than 386 yards and more than 30 points per contest, led by senior QB Devin O'Brien, who accounts for nearly 220 yards of total offense per game (third in the OAC). Freshman running back Domonic De La Riva rushed for a career-high 107 yards against ONU and had three TDs. C.J. Seitzinger is 21 tackles shy of becoming only the seventh Blue Streak to record 300 career tackles. Capital is coming off a 27-7 defeat at the hands of No. 2 Mount Union. The strength of the Capital offense is in the receiving corps, where senior WR Matt White has filled up stat sheets with 54 receptions, 674 yards and seven TDs.

Next for JCU: Nov. 5 vs. Heidelberg, 1:30.

No. 2 Mount Union vs. Otterbein

Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. at Bernlohr Stadium, Columbus.

TV: SportsTime Ohio, delayed (Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 5 a.m.; Monday at noon).

Notable: Mount Union (7-0, 6-0 OAC) saw its defense force four turnovers and hold Capital to a season-low 156 yards in a 27-7 win last Saturday in Columbus. Nick Driskill had two interceptions, Arthur Smith returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown and Charles Dieuseul had nine tackles with a pair of sacks. Otterbein (2-5, 1-5) knocked off Muskingum, 17-13, as QB Austin Schlosser posted his third 300-yard passing game over the past four games. Mount holds a 39-4 series lead.

Next for Mount: Nov. 5 vs. Baldwin-Wallace, 1:30.

Oberlin at Denison

Kickoff: 2 p.m. at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium, Granville, Ohio.

Radio: WOBL AM/1320.

Notable: The Yeomen (2-5, 1-2 NCAC) are coming off a 24-21 loss to Washington University in which quarterback Josh Mandel threw for a school-record 454 yards. Saturday's game will be the first of three straight road games to end the season for the Yeomen. Last year, Oberlin beat Denison, 20-10, holding the Big Red to 191 yards of offense. WR Robin Witjes had 74 yards and two scores, while running back Drew Mixter added 102 yards on the ground in the win. Denison is 3-5, 2-2 NCAC.

Next for Oberlin: Nov. 5 at Ohio Wesleyan, 1.

-- Compiled using information from the colleges' sports information departments.

Jared Sullinger preseason Player of Year; Ohio State favored to win Big Ten men's basketball title

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This is the first time in five years the Buckeyes are the preseason favorite, while Sullinger is the first Buckeye voted the preseason Player of the Year since Scoonie Penn in 1999.

jared sullinger.JPGView full sizeJared Sullinger gives Ohio State an excellent chance to win the Big Ten this season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — What can Ohio State fans look forward to this basketball season? The best team and best player in the Big Ten.

Sophomore big man Jared Sullinger was named the preseason Player of the Year while the Buckeyes were named the preseason favorite in conference media balloting announced at the Big Ten basketball gathering in Chicago on Thursday.

This is the first time in five years the Buckeyes were named the preseason favorite, while Sullinger is the first Buckeye voted the preseason Player of the Year since Scoonie Penn in 1999. The Buckeyes scrimmage Ohio University on Sunday, have an exhibition game against Walsh on Nov. 6 and open the season with Wright State on Nov. 11.

Ohio State already had been ranked No. 3 in the nation, behind North Carolina and Kentucky, in the preseason coaches poll. The Buckeyes will be tested in non-conference action. They face No. 10 Florida on Nov. 15, No. 6 Duke on Nov. 29 and No. 13 Kansas on Dec. 10.

The next highest-ranked Big Ten team in the coaches poll is Wisconsin at No. 14. How much are the Buckeyes favored in the conference? In a separate poll of 24 league writers conducted by the Columbus Dispatch, in which The Plain Dealer participated, the Buckeyes received all 24 first-place votes.

"I've said it's so much easier to get to the top than to stay there. And not that we are the top, but that is what we are striving for," OSU coach Thad Matta said at his news conference in Chicago. "And just getting guys that enjoy the fight every day."

In women's voting, Ohio State was not ranked among the top three preseason favorites. Senior point guard Samantha Prahalis was picked to the All-Big Ten team by both the coaches and the media, and was named the co-Player of the Year in the coaches voting.

Delany on expansion: Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany spoke at the meetings, which means that the topic of expansion obviously was broached. With Nebraska in its first season as the conference's 12th team, Delany said once again that the Big Ten is doing nothing more than monitoring the latest round of expansion, which has seen changes to the Southeastern Conference, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big East.

"There are expansion stories all over the country, but we're not a part of any of them," Delany said. "What's happening out East or out West, or in the South, interests me as a college sports fan, but as a conference commissioner, not as much. Because we made a couple of decisions after Nebraska was added that we would monitor the situation for a while. When a lot of other activities began, that was reaffirmed by our board."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

Pheasant and quail numbers dwindling in Ohio: Outdoors Notebook

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To bring out pheasant hunters, the Ohio Division of Wildlife is releasing 15,340 farm-raised male pheasants at public hunting areas.

pheasant hunting.JPGView full sizePheasant hunting in Ohio has lost popularity as the number of birds dwindle. The Ohio Division of Wildlife is releasing thousands of farm-raised male pheasants at public hunting areas in hopes of bringing out hunters.

Ring-necked pheasant, cottontail rabbit and bobwhite quail hunting begin next Friday in Ohio. A half-century ago, those small-game seasons were the most popular each year.

Not these days.

The proliferation of white-tailed deer and wild turkeys have taken the spotlight as wild pheasants and quail numbers have dwindled, mostly because of a change in farming practices. Last winter's storms and the spring rains were not kind to the game birds, biologists say, and their numbers are even lower this season.

To bring out pheasant hunters, the Ohio Division of Wildlife is releasing 15,340 farm-raised male pheasants at public hunting areas. Northeast Ohio gets the lion's share, about 5,800 birds. Coveys of quail are so hard to find that only 16 counties in extreme southwestern Ohio will be open to hunting.

Wild rabbits are the bright spot, said Nathan Stricker at the Olentangy Wildlife Research Station, head of small-game management for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

"The state's cottontail population has been very good for the last several years," Stricker said. "This year should provide some excellent opportunities."

The rabbit season runs through Feb. 29; pheasant hunting is open through Jan. 8; and the short quail season ends Nov. 27. All the seasons are closed during the statewide deer gun seasons (Nov. 28 to Dec. 4 and Dec. 17-18).

Pheasant stockings: Pheasants are being released at public hunting areas this weekend for the Youth Small Game Season and for the opening of the regular season next Friday. For a complete listing of state pheasant stockings visit cleveland.com/outdoors.

Asian carp update: Ohio and four other Great Lakes states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to require nets in Chicago-area waterways to stop Asian carp from invading Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes. It sounds logical, but the Supreme Court has already turned down two requests to close Chicago-area waterways to stop the carp.

"We need to close the Asian carp superhighway and do it now," said Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette in a statement.

New check-in working: Ohio sportsmen are embracing the new check-in system for deer and turkeys, says the Division of Wildlife. The wildlife agency reports 85 percent of about 24,000 hunters who have checked deer so far this year did so by telephone or the Internet. Taking deer or turkeys to check stations is no longer mandatory, but it's still a method of reporting.

About 50 percent of hunters made a telephone call to check their deer, 35 percent used the Internet and 15 percent visited check stations. Officials said smartphones that access the Internet can be used, but a game-check receipt must be printed out later. All deer and turkeys must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. on the day they are killed.

Turkey harvest off: Ohio hunters checked 362 wild turkeys during the first week of the fall season, a drop from the 417 birds killed last year. Perennial leader Ashtabula County had to settle for eighth in the standings, with 12 birds reported. Noble County topped the list with 18 birds, followed by Knox (17), Guernsey (15), Monroe (14) and Coshocton, Holmes and Richland (13 each). The season runs through Nov. 27 in 48 Ohio counties.

Black-powder hunt: The results for the early muzzleloading rifle deer season Oct. 17-22 were well below last year's totals. Hunters killed 420 deer, including 161 at Salt Fork Wildlife Area, 154 in the Wildcat Hollow region and 42 at Shawnee State Forest. There were 516 deer taken during the early season in 2010.

Coming up: District fisheries supervisor Phil Hillman will talk steelhead trout and the Castalia Fish Hatchery during the Tuesday meeting of the Emerald Necklace Chapter of Trout Unlimited at 6:30 p.m. at the Rocky River Nature Center in North Olmsted. . . . Euclid has a groundbreaking ceremony today at 11:30 a.m. for Phase I of the Sims Park Trails and Fishing Pier. . . . The Pennsylvania Steelhead Association hosts the inaugural Great Lakes Steelhead Expo on Nov. 5 from 1 to 9 p.m. at Rainbow Gardens in Erie, Pa., featuring seminars, exhibits and trout guides. . . . Western trout guide Al Bukowsky is headlining the Nov. 16 dinner of the Trout Club of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. For tickets ($35), call Karen Menn at 216-231-4600, Ext. 3278.

Talkin' turkey: Turkey shoots are in full swing around the area. The Sunday events are being held at Lorain County Beagle Club in Brighton; Streetsboro Sportsman Association in Shalersville Township; South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Association in North Royalton; and Lodi Bird Club in Lodi. Check the Outdoor Calendar at cleveland.com/outdoors for times and locations. For the uninitiated, turkeys are not shot at the events, but targets are peppered with bird shot. The sportsmen who puts a pellet closest to the center of the target during each round win turkeys.

Out and about: A petition requesting the horsepower limit at Charles Mill Lake near Mansfield to be increased from 10 horsepower to 30 horsepower has been denied. . . . Wildlife officials are warning outdoorsmen about black-legged ticks and lone star ticks, which have expanded their range into Ohio and can transmit a bacterial disease called ehrlichiosis. . . . Famed Minnesota angler and longtime television star Al Lindner was inducted into the International Game Fishing Association's International Fishing Hall of Fame.

Cast some line: Erwine Middle School in Akron wants to keep local waterways free of discarded fishing line. The school is kicking off a fishing-line recycling program to collect used line and send it to Berkley Conservation Institute in the spring. Fishing line can be dropped off at the school, 1135 Portage Lakes Drive in Akron, as well as the Ohio Division of Wildlife district office and Long Lake Bait and Tackle in Akron and Gander Mountain in North Canton.

The students developed the project as part of the Disney Planet Challenge, said teacher Mike Staiger.

Trophy trout: Website TheRockyRiver.com is handing out commemorative stickers to anglers who qualify for the 30/10 Club by catching a 10-pound steelhead trout, or one at least 30 inches in length.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: degan@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

NFL Week 8: Capsule previews of this weekend's games

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The Patriots travel to PIttsburgh for a meeting of AFC powerhouses, while the Cowboys will be at Philadelphia as both teams try to make a move in the NFC East.

tom brady.JPGView full sizePatriots quarterback Tom Brady has been successful against the Steelers during his career, winning six of seven meetings so far.
Featured game

New England (5-1) at Pittsburgh (5-2), 4:15 p.m.

Early line: Patriots by 2 1/2.

The skinny: New England quarterback Tom Brady is 6-1 against the Steelers. He has thrown for 2,008 yards and 14 touchdowns against three interceptions. . . . Brady and coach Bill Belichick have won 116 games together, tied with the Dolphins' Dan Marino and Don Shula for most by quarterback/coach combo. . . . The Steelers and the Patriots have the league's highest winning percentage since 1994. The Patriots are 202-102 (.664); the Steelers are 194-110-1 (.638). . . . Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has the highest winning percentage (.676) of active NFL coaches who have coached at least 60 games. Belichick (.637) is second. Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward needs 40 yards receiving to become the 19th player to reach 12,000 career receiving yards. . . . Pittsburgh LB LaMarr Woodley leads the AFC with seven sacks.

Other games this weekend

Miami (0-6) at N.Y. Giants (4-2)

When: 1 p.m.

TV: WOIO Channel 19.

Early line: Giants by 10.

The skinny: The Dolphins' Daniel Thomas leads AFC rookie RBs with 302 yards rushing. . . . Miami WR Brandon Marshall is third in the AFC with 34 catches. . . . Dolphins WR Davone Bess had a season-high seven catches last week. . . . New York QB Eli Manning has had five straight games with 90-plus passer rating, and at least two TD passes in six of past eight home games. . . . Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw is coming off his first 100-plus-yard rushing game this season and scored a career-best three rushing TDs. . . . New York DE Jason Pierre-Paul is third in the league with 7 1/2 sacks.

Arizona (1-5) at Baltimore (4-2)

When: 1 p.m.

TV: WJW Channel 8.

Early line: Ravens by 13.

The skinny: The Cardinals have lost five straight. . . . Four of Arizona's six games have been decided by seven points or fewer. . . . Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald has a TD catch in three of his past four road games. . . . Anquan Boldin, Baltimore's leading receiver, faces his former team for the first time. He played for the Cardinals from 2003 to '09 and ranks second in franchise history with 586 catches. . . . Ravens QB Joe Flacco is 22-5 at home with 32 TD passes compared to 15 INTs. . . . Baltimore is 19-3 under coach John Harbaugh against sub-.500 teams, but two of those defeats came this season (Tennessee and Jacksonville).

Dallas (3-3) at Philadelphia (2-4)

When: 8:20 p.m.

TV: WKYC Channel 3.

Early line: Eagles by 3 1/2.

The skinny: The Cowboys have won four of their past five meetings, including the playoff game on Jan. 9, 2010. . . . Dallas QB Tony Romo has thrown a touchdown in a club-record 21 straight games. . . . Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is 8-5 since being promoted from offensive coordinator midway through last season. . . . Eagles RB LeSean McCoy has 918 yards from scrimmage in his past seven division games. . . . Philadelphia QB Michael Vick has run for a TD in four of his past six home games. . . . The Eagles are looking for their first win at home. They're 0-2.

Indianapolis (0-7) at Tennessee (3-3)

When: 1 p.m.

Early line: Titans by 9.

The skinny: In four career starts, Colts quarterback Curtis Painter has completed 60-of-108 passes for 813 yards with five TDs, two interceptions and an 87.5 passer rating. . . . Indianapolis rookie RB Delone Carter (Copley) had a career-high 89 yards rushing last week and has a TD in two of his past three games. . . . Colts WR Reggie Wayne (817) needs three catches to pass Hall of Fame WR Steve Largent (819) for 20th-most catches all-time. . . . Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck has 90 or higher passer rating in four of six games this season. . . . Tennessee RB Chris Johnson (35) needs two TDs to pass Steve McNair for third-most TDs rushing in team history behind Earl Campbell (73) and Eddie George (64). . . . Johnson (4,866) needs 134 yards rushing to reach 5,000 for his career.

New Orleans (5-2) at St. Louis (0-6)

When: 1 p.m.

Early line: Saints by 13.

The skinny: New Orleans QB Drew Brees was 31-for-35 for 325 yards with five TDs last week and was taken out late in third quarter, ending NFL record streak of four games with at least 350 yards. He has topped 300 yards six of seven games. . . . Saints RB Pierre Thomas' 57-yard reception in the first quarter was the longest gain from scrimmage in his career. . . . Saints TE Jimmy Graham leads NFL TEs with 45 catches and 674 yards. . . . The Rams' defense is worst in the league vs. the run, allowing an average of 183 yards, and surrendered 253 yards rushing last week to Cowboys rookie RB DeMarco Murray. . . . WR Brandon Lloyd caught six passes for 74 yards in his St. Louis debut last week after coming in a trade from Denver. . . . Rams RB Steven Jackson has 400 yards and four TDs in four games vs. the Saints.

Jacksonville (2-5) at Houston (4-3)

When: 1 p.m.

Early line: Texans by 9 1/2.

The skinny: The Jaguars have 11 sacks and four interceptions in their past four games. . . . Jacksonville PK Josh Scobee has kicked a field goal in 15 consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history. He's 14-for-14 this season and tied an NFL record with three FGs longer than 50 yards (54, 54 and 51) in a 12-7 win over Baltimore on Monday night. . . . Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew needs 75 yards rushing to reach 6,000 for his career. . . . Texans WR Andre Johnson (right hamstring) and FB James Casey (strained chest muscle) are expected to play. Johnson has missed the past three games. . . . Houston is seeking its best eight-game start in franchise history. . . . Texans QB Matt Schaub has a 64.5 career completion rate, fourth among active quarterbacks with 1,500 or more attempts.

Minnesota (1-6) at Carolina (2-5)

When: 1 p.m.

Early line: Panthers by 3.

The skinny: Vikings rookie QB Christian Ponder threw for 219 yards and two TDs in first NFL start last week against Green Bay. . . . Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson leads NFL in rushing with 721 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. Since entering the NFL in 2007, Peterson leads all players with 6,494 yards rushing and 60 touchdowns on the ground. . . .. Vikings WR Michael Jenkins (Ohio State) had his first career 100-yard receiving game last week (111 yards, three catches). . . . Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton averages 300.4 yards passing per game. He's the only player in NFL history with seven-plus passing TDs and seven-plus rushing TDs in his first seven games. . . . Carolina WR Steve Smith leads the NFL with 818 yards receiving and has four games with at least 140 yards receiving. . . . Panthers DE Charles Johnson has 14 sacks in his past 14 games.

Detroit (5-2) at Denver (2-4)

When: 4:05 p.m.

Early line: OFF.

The skinny: Lions WR Calvin Johnson leads the league in TDs (10) and ranks fourth in yards receiving (679). He will see plenty of Broncos' perennial Pro Bowler Champ Bailey, one of the top cornerbacks in league at age 33. . . . Detroit's Brandon Pettigrew is second among tight ends with 38 catches. . . . The Lions' defense has allowed three rushing TDs all season. . . . Broncos LB Von Miller has six sacks, which leads all rookies. . . . Denver K Matt Prater has made all 22 of his field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter or OT during his career. He hit a 52-yarder in an 18-15 OT win over the Dolphins last weekend. . . . Broncos QB Tim Tebow has engineered five scoring drives in the fourth quarter or OT in the team's past two games.

Washington (3-3) vs. Buffalo (4-2), at Toronto

When: 4:05 p.m.

Early line: Bills by 4.

The skinny: Redskins rookie LB Ryan Kerrigan has two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception return for a touchdown. . . . With 28 catches for 423 yards, Washington's Fred Davis leads NFL tight ends, averaging 15.1 yards per catch. . . . LB London Fletcher (Villa Angela-St. Joseph, John Carroll), who spent five seasons with Buffalo, is nursing a hamstring injury while attempting to make 170th straight start, which would extend the longest active streak among NFL LBs. . . . Buffalo is 0-3 in regular-season games north of the border since five-year Bills-in-Toronto series was established. The Bills have yet to score 20 points in Toronto during the regular season. . . . Buffalo is the only NFL team without a lost fumble this season. . . . The Bills are 3-1 when RB Fred Jackson has 100 yards rushing. Jackson is second in the league with 880 yards from scrimmage, behind Chicago RB Matt Forte.

Cincinnati (4-2) at Seattle (2-4)

When: 4:15 p.m.

Early line: Bengals by 3.

The skinny: Cincinnati is coming off a bye and looking to reach 5-2 for the fourth time since 1990. In each of the previous three seasons, the Bengals have started 5-2 (1990, 2005, 2009), they have reached the playoffs. . . . Marvin Lewis needs one victory to become Cincinnati's all-time winningest coach. He is tied with Sam Wyche with 64 wins. . . . Bengals WR A.J. Green leads NFL rookies in receptions (29), yards receiving (453) and TD catches (4). . . . Seattle leads the NFL, giving up 3.2 yards per rushing play. Cincinnati is second at 3.3. . . . The Seahawks are expected to start rookie fifth-round pick Richard Sherman at cornerback after season-ending injuries to Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond. . . . Seattle DE Chris Clemons has two straight games with two sacks and is sixth in the league with six sacks on the season.

San Diego (4-2) at Kansas City (3-3)

When: Monday, 8:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN.

Early line: Chargers by 3 1/2.

The skinny: The Chargers and the Chiefs have played 103 times, and are tied with 51 wins each along with one tie. The home team has won 22 of the past 31 meetings. . . . Kansas City is trying to win four straight games for the first time since 2004. . . . The Chiefs committed 10 turnovers in their first three games, including a 20-17 loss to San Diego. Kansas City has turned it over twice in three straight wins. . . . Chargers K Nick Novak has converted all 11 FG attempts after Nate Kaeding was lost to a season-ending injury in Week 1. Novak spent time with the Chiefs in 2008. . . . San Diego QB Philip Rivers leads the AFC West with 1,715 yards passing, despite a season-low 179 yards last week against Jets. . . . Chargers coach Norv Turner needs one more win to move past Buddy Parker for 34th on the NFL's career list with 108. John Madden would be next with 112 wins.

NOTE: Tony Grossi's NFL picks and Browns-49ers preview will appear online Saturday.

Sons of Cleveland Browns coach and owner face off in St. Edward-St. Ignatius freshman football game

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The opportunity for Shurmur to finally show Lerner exactly how to run an offense and how to run a team came Thursday. And you better believe Shurmur did everything he could to prove that he knows best. And it worked, in dominant fashion. Kyle Shurmur led his St. Edward freshman football team past Max Lerner's St. Ignatius squad, 37-0,...

St. Edward freshman quarterback Kyle Shurmur, son of Browns head coach Pat Shurmur, had three touchdown passes in the Eagles' victory on Thursday. - (Thomas Ondrey, PD)

The opportunity for Shurmur to finally show Lerner exactly how to run an offense and how to run a team came Thursday. And you better believe Shurmur did everything he could to prove that he knows best.

And it worked, in dominant fashion. Kyle Shurmur led his St. Edward freshman football team past Max Lerner's St. Ignatius squad, 37-0, as the start of Cleveland's most intense high school rivalry weekend kicked off.

What, you were thinking of a different Shurmur and Lerner?

The confusion is understandable. Kyle Shurmur is the 14-year-old son of Browns head coach Pat Shurmur.

Max Lerner is the 14-year-old son of Browns owner Randy Lerner.

Both are quarterbacks. Both are starters. Both were facing each other for the first time in the storied rivalry between St. Ed's and St. Ignatius.

Neither better-known father was on hand Thursday, as both undoubtedly were preparing for this weekend's Browns game in San Francisco. Shurmur's mom, Jennifer, watched from the stands, however. And Browns linebacker Scott Fujita had a front-row seat for scouting the upcoming talent.

Both Kyle and Max have been regulars at Browns practices in the past, and Kyle Shurmur was a ball boy throughout training camp. The two teenagers quickly became good friends after Shurmur was hired early this year -- despite electing to attend rival high schools -- and hang out together often at Browns games and functions.

"I'm close with Max," said Kyle Shurmur after tossing three touchdown passes. "I hope he does really well in everything. I hope he does really well every night -- except this one night."

Max Lerner, for his part, evidently is a quick study of his notoriously media-shy father. Max merely offered a smile and an affable, "No comment," as he walked off the field at St. Edward with his Wildcats teammates.

Max apparently also picked up another quality from his father, who also owns the English Premier League soccer team Aston Villa -- skills with his feet. He is the Wildcats' punter.

Pat Shurmur groaned when asked about the boys earlier in the day.

"I was hoping to avoid this," Shurmur joked. "Let's just let them play it out. I think it's fun. . . . I hope there's a lot of points scored tonight."

There were lots of points for Shurmur's Eagles, at least, as what could be a longstanding high school rivalry began Thursday.

"It's friendly," Kyle Shurmur insisted. "A friendly rivalry."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654

Willoughby South's Kareem Hunt runs for 485 yards, six touchdowns in win over Eastlake North

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WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Another day, another Premier Athletic Conference win. And another incredible performance by Willoughby South's Kareem Hunt.

Willoughby South's Kareem Hunt.

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Another day, another Premier Athletic Conference win.

And another incredible performance by Willoughby South's Kareem Hunt.

Hunt broke a school rushing record he already owned in a 45-26 win over Eastlake North on Thursday.

But to finish with 485 yards on 41 carries with six touchdowns shocked even the 5-11, 185-pound junior.

That total put him fifth unofficially in the state record book in terms of rushing yards in a game. Williamsburg's Jason Bainum holds the mark with 532 yards against Batavia Clermont Northeastern on Sept. 28, 2001.

"I was expecting a big game, but I'm surprised by this," Hunt said. "I thought 200, maybe 300, but to go over 400. Now, that's a big game."

While the win over the Rangers (7-3, 4-3) doesn't fall solely on the shoulders of Hunt, what the junior did in the mud against North was stuff of legend.

Hunt went over the 2,000-yard mark this season by intermission, highlighting a first half that saw him run for 249 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns.

He heads into the playoffs with 2,289 yards and 37 scores on the ground.

"I've said it a few times, I wish I had an adjective to describe him," South coach Matt Duffy said. "He's just a special player. It's fun to watch him play. I'm proud of him."

The win not only marked a fourth straight undefeated PAC season for the Rebels, it also extended the school's conference win streak to 22 games.

To put that in better perspective, the senior class for South (8-2, 7-0) walked off the field at Harry E. Winters Stadium having never lost a league game.

The last time the Rebels fell in the PAC came on Oct. 26, 2007, (Chardon, 31-21).

A fact everyone wearing a South jersey knows all too well.

"It's everything," senior right tackle Adam Grebenc said. "We just wanted to keep the streak up. There's a lot of pride that goes into that."

Already a lock to reach the playoffs for the third time in four years, the Rebels' hopes to host a postseason game in week 11 are still alive.

South is currently ranked sixth in Division I, Region 1 and has a little bit better than a 60 percent chance to play at home next week, according to fantastic50.net.

North's chances to reach the playoffs for the first time in school history are likely out the window, but the Rangers closed out 2011 with a winning record for the first time since 2004.

Kyle Holzheimer finished with 123 yards on six catches with two scores for North, while George Gresko was 20-of-30 for 280 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Brad Bournival is a freelance writer in North Royalton.

Coach Mike Passerrello points Firelands football team in a new direction

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OBERLIN, Ohio — On the day Mike Passerrello became Firelands' interim head football coach, he gathered his shocked team together. Passerrello had been with the team only a few months, originally hired as the defensive coordinator. Firelands opened the 2010 season at 1-1 when its head coach resigned after being arrested. The charges were later dropped, but it put...

Firelands High School coach Mike Passerrello leads a 9-0 team into a game tonight at Brookside. He has turned around a team with a losing tradition in recent years. - (Scott Shaw, PD)

OBERLIN, Ohio — On the day Mike Passerrello became Firelands' interim head football coach, he gathered his shocked team together.

Passerrello had been with the team only a few months, originally hired as the defensive coordinator. Firelands opened the 2010 season at 1-1 when its head coach resigned after being arrested. The charges were later dropped, but it put Passerrello in position to become a head coach for the first time in his life.

It also left the players wondering, "What else can go wrong?"

That's because there always seemed to be something dousing the dreams of the football team and its fans in this small Lorain County town of Henrietta, not far from Vermilion.

No matter who coached, who played, or what happened -- in the end, Firelands usually lost. The last time the team even had a winning record was 1997. The Falcons hadn't won more than three games in a season in 13 years.

Passerrello told the players that was about to change. He talked about excuses and commitment.

"No excuses, pure commitment," he said.

Tonight, Passerrello has the 9-0 Falcons on the verge of an undefeated regular season and Division III playoff appearance when they play at Brookside.

Signs of change in the locker room

Signs with that battle cry went up in the locker room. The words were posted in the weight room. Players wore T-shirts promising: NO EXCUSES, PURE COMMITMENT.

There would be no swearing by the players or coaches. After each practice, three players were assigned to clean up the locker room.

Players were expected to lift weights during the season, and be serious about conditioning after the season was over.

When they huddled up, they would lock arms.

Some players complained it looked strange. Passerrello said college teams do it, and the team needed to come together on the field.

"I had to force myself to stay positive," said Passerrello. "These kids had been beat up enough over the years. When I get mad, I go for a walk. I try not to yell much."

It takes time for words to become actions, and actions to turn into habits. Passerrello was the interim coach for the final eight games in 2010, and the Falcons lost their first seven games after he took over.

Then came the Vermilion game, a major rival -- only Firelands had lost every game to Vermilion since 1992. But on that magic night in 2010, the Falcons won, 28-21.

Quarterback Kyle Smith said he and other players had been telling teachers and school administrators that the man they call "Coach Pass" deserved a chance be their coach in 2011. The school agreed.

"The Vermilion game changed everything for us," said star running back Nick Deichler.

A rookie coach changes the culture

Passerrello is 33 and has never been a head coach before. For the past 10 years, he has taught health at Amherst Junior High. He is married to Amanda, an English teacher at Midview. They live in Elyria, and they have three children -- all under age 6.

"Talk about commitment, my wife has made the biggest one because of all she does with teaching, the kids and supporting our team," said Passerrello, who had been an assistant at Amherst, Westlake, Brookside and Oberlin College before coming to Firelands in 2010.

Passerrello's point to the players was that he had been around winning programs before. He didn't care about what had happened in the past.

They could be winners -- but it required No Excuses, Pure Commitment.

"A lot of us have been playing together since the fifth grade," said Deichler, who has rushed for 1,240 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. "We had a good team in middle school."

But none of them expected no excuses to equal no losses at this late stage of the season.

Firelands switched from the West Shore Conference (2-40 in those games over the previous six years) to the Patriot Athletic Conference. That certainly has helped the Falcons' record.

But the fact is Firelands in the past didn't beat much of anyone, in or out of conference play. Not only did the Falcons snap that losing streak to Vermilion in 2010, they hammered Vermilion, 34-0, early this season. It was the first time since 1985-86 that they beat Vermilion in back-to-back seasons.

"That game told me that we really could be good this year," said Steve Bajcer, a linebacker with five sacks.

Another key victory was, 35-14, over Lutheran West, where the score was 14-14 at the half.

"In the past, we'd be OK at halftime, then get beat in the second half because we had so many guys that played both ways," said Deichler, who is a 5-10, 210-pound running back and safety.

One of the signs in the weight room reads: THE BIG GAME OF NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH AND NEXT YEAR IS BEING WON HERE RIGHT NOW.

That happened last week against Black River. Firelands was behind, 20-7, in the second quarter . . . and won that game, 55-26, to clinch the Stars Division conference title.

Two generations of Firelands quarterbacks

The last time Firelands won nine games, there was a Smith at quarterback. The year was 1989, and it was Dave Smith. Now, it's his son, Kyle, who is leading the Falcons.

"We've always had a good following from the fans and I went to games here as a kid," said Kyle Smith, who has 18 touchdown passes and eight rushing scores. "But this has been something else."

The stands are packed for home games. Fans are standing behind fences along the sidelines. Cars are parked everywhere to watch this team whose practice field is lined by a farmer's soybean crop.

The players wear green stickers on the front of their red and white helmets. It comes from a summer course taught by Passerrello and his coaching staff from a book called "The Team Captain's Leadership Manual" by Jeff Janssen. All 16 seniors attended. While all are not captains, the coaches wanted them all to think like leaders.

The green sticker stands for having emotions under control -- and moving forward together in the right direction.

In the locker room, each senior has a locker next to an underclassman. The coaches want to avoid cliques and to have the younger players mix and learn from the older players. "The biggest thing coach [Passerrello] has done is establish trust with the players," said Frank Horvath, the offensive coordinator.

Horvath has been a head coach for 29 years, including the previous six at Vermilion. Yes, he was the losing coach to Firelands last year. He said after he resigned as head coach, Passerrello asked him to join his staff at Firelands. Passerrello also added Jack Whaley, who had been the defensive coordinator at Benedictine.

"[Passerrello] really has changed the culture," said Horvath. "He's not a fake. He says things and backs them up -- and these are good kids who want to buy in."

Bajcer said when his brother played for Firelands a few years ago, "You almost had to beg kids to come out -- they kept making announcements on the P.A. for players to come to practice."

Now, the Falcons have 51 players on their roster. While Deichler and Smith are the stars on offense, they have received plenty of help from Joe Kudela (nine touchdown receptions, 23.6 yards per catch) and center Andy Thoms, considered the team's top linemen by the coaches.

On defense, Zach Hofecker leads the team with 113 total tackles, while Joe DeWitt is tops with 61/2 sacks. While as many as nine players are used both ways on offense and defense -- about 21 appear in most games.

Firelands has never qualified for the playoffs, and the Falcons enter tonight's game ranked eighth in the Division III, Region 9 computer poll. The top eight teams advance to the postseason. Their last undefeated regular season was in 1972.

"I know that 30 years from now, we will get together and talk about this team," said Deichler. "We know we are making history."

To reach this Plain Dealer columnist: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674


Firelands by the numbers

0: Losses this season.

2: Victories in the West Shore Conference the previous six years.

3.6: Quarterback Kyle Smith's grade-point average.

6: Victories in first six games in Patriot Athletic Conference this season.

9: Wins this season.

10: Consecutive wins. Streak began with win over rival Vermilion in final game of 2010.

18: Rushing touchdowns by Nick Deichler.

23.6: Yards per catch for Joe Kudela, who has team-leading 27 receptions, nine for touchdowns.

283: Rushing yards by Deichler in 55-26 Week 9 victory over Black River.

320: Passing yards by Smith in the Black River game, also throwing for four touchdowns.

1,240: Rushing yards gained this season by Deichler.


Firelands key dates

1989: The last time Firelands had nine victories, the record being 9-1.

1992: The last time Firelands defeated rival Vermilion before beating the team in the final game of 2010, ending an 18-game losing streak to the Sailors.

1997: The last time Firelands had a winning record -- and the last time the Falcons won more than three games in a season.

-- Terry Pluto


Live high school football: No. 1 Mentor at No. 19 Twinsburg

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Listen live Friday night as Twinsburg hosts Mentor in a Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division game. You can hear that game live as well as get live Twitter updates from other area games.

trubisky-scramble.JPGView full sizeMitch Trubisky and the Mentor Cardinals have scored at least 38 points in all of their games this season.
It's the final week of high school football and teams are playing for playoff berths and conference titles. cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer have your Friday night covered with a live broadcast, live Twitter updates and more.

Tune in live Friday night as Twinsbug hosts Mentor in a matchup between the top two teams in the Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division. Mentor, already in the playoffs, has a chance to win the division outright and finish the year at 10-0. Twinsburg, in need of plenty of help to make the playoffs, still has a shot to earn a share of the division title with a win.

Coverage of the game begins at 6:30 p.m. with cleveland.com's Dan Labbe and Glenn Moore of The Dugout Sports Show bringing you all the action at 7:00 p.m.


Here is a list of games The Plain Dealer will be covering on Friday night:

Don't forget to follow The Plain Dealer's writers on Twitter for updated scores and more:

Colt McCoy impresses CBS announcer Ian Eagle (SBTV)

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CBS sports announcer Ian Eagle joins the SBTV duo of Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough. Watch video

On this special addition of SBTV, Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough talk about the Cleveland Browns with CBS announcer Ian Eagle.


Eagle, who announce Sunday's game, talks with Branson and Chuck about quarterback Colt McCoy, the Browns' defense, and how he's preparing to shake hands with San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.


 

Cleveland Browns A.M. Links: No playmakers, no problem? So special; Peyton Hillis remains sidelined; lockout for running back Frank Gore

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The Cleveland Browns' lack of playmakers doesn't stop Colt McCoy.

Colt McCoyCleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (12).

News-Herald reporter Bob Finnan writes how the Cleveland Browns already lack a number of playmakers when everyone is healthy, so with several players expected to miss Sunday's game in San Francisco, the Browns should be in trouble, right?

"It's tough when you have guys who are your playmakers go out, whether it's Peyton (Hillis), Mo or Ben," Colt McCoy said. "That's an opportunity for other guys to move in and make plays.

"This team knows it's a grind every week. It's a process. We're growing. I don't know if we're going to blow anybody out."

It's obvious the Browns don't have plenty of speedsters, but McCoy said that doesn't really matter in the West Coast offense because every play is not designed to go down field.

"What we need to understand about the West Coast, the ball is supposed to come out of there quickly," he said. "We want to hit our guys and let them make plays with the ball. That's what we're trying to do."

 

More Browns 

The Browns hope to feel special again.

Peyton Hillis misses practice on Thursday.

Frank Gore poses challenge for the Cleveland Browns.

Brad Seely leads San Francisco's special teams.

Ohio State is ranked No. 5 in Elton Alexander's poll

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Elton Alexander says Ohio State is No. 5 in his poll.

jared-sullinger.jpgJared Sullinger (0).
 

Elton says ....

The Tar Heels are the easy early pick, but by March don't be surprised if the state of Tennessee, with Vanderbilt and Memphis, are teams everyone is talking about. And by April, Florida could be the last team standing.

As for the state of the nut, Ohio, the Buckeyes will have to develop more of a bench than they had last season to make it over the long haul. The real team to watch is Xavier as the Musketeers and Buckeyes could easily switch spots by March.

 

Elton Alexander's AP Preseason Poll ... All America Team

1. North Carolina

2. UConn

3. Duke

4. Florida

5. Ohio State

6. Vanderbilt

7.Syracuse

8. Memphis

9. Kentucky

10. Wisconsin

11. Louisville

12. Pitt

13. Xavier

14. Alabama

15. Kansas

16. Arizona

17. Baylor

18. Florida State

19. Creighton

20. Cal

21. Cincinnati

22. Michigan State

23. West Virginia

24. UCLA

25. Texas

All America Team

1. Sullinger - Ohio State

2. Zeller - N. Carolina

3. Green -Alabama

4. Holloway - Xavier

5. Taylor -Wisconsin

Should college athletes get spending money from schools? Take our poll

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The NCAA rules change that permits $2,000 allowances for college athletes might reduce teams' problems with cash-strapped students taking outside money like the ones that forced OSU football coach Jim Tressel's resignation this year.

Jim Tressel hold press conferenceView full sizeOhio State football head coach Jim Tressel pauses while speaking to media on March 8.  Violations of NCAA rules on taking money in connection with sports led to his ouster. 

The NCAA rules change that permits $2,000 allowances for college athletes might reduce teams' problems with cash-strapped students taking outside money, but it might cause problems for cash-strapped programs trying to compete for the best players, coaches said yesterday.

They were reacting to sweeping changes in rules covering academic standards and eligibility requirements as well as the aid offers. Find details in this story by Plain Dealer reporter Elton Alexander, with Doug Lesmerises.

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