Second chances don't come around often in life, or football, which at this time of year, is the same thing for many folks. Second chances are what Solon and St. Edward have been bestowed Saturday against Mentor and St. Ignatius in Division I, Region 1 semifinals. Both contests are rematches of anticipated regular-season games.

It’s likely St. Ed’s Domenic Abounader, right, hasn’t tackled St. Ignatius’ Tim McCoy since Oct. 29, but he might on Saturday. - (Joshua Gunter, PD)

Second chances don't come around often in life, or football, which at this time of year, is the same thing for many folks.

Second chances are what Solon and St. Edward have been bestowed Saturday against Mentor and St. Ignatius in Division I, Region 1 semifinals. Both contests are rematches of anticipated regular-season games.

Solon (10-1) plays Mentor (10-1), which on Oct. 6 blasted out early against the Comets and cruised to a 44-20 victory. The rematch is 7 p.m. Saturday at Byers Field in Parma.

Defending state champion St. Edward (8-3) plays 10-time champ St. Ignatius (9-2) at Brunswick on Saturday, two weeks after St. Ignatius took advantage of two key St. Edward turnovers and won a rivalry classic, 20-17.

What Saturday's matchups share are Olympic-level mental gymnastics taking place in four corners of the football world.

Who has the advantage? The first-game losers? The winners? Neither?

Depends on whom you ask.

Any sliver of a mental edge can go a long way in such games. Solon and St. Edward could choose to find motivation in rising after being vanquished.

"It's a great opportunity for us. We get to redeem ourselves," Solon senior Ryan Schwenke said. "They kind of embarrassed us, basically, and we don't want to let that happen again."

St. Edward has been down this road before. It defeated Mentor in a season-opening thriller last year, then beat the Cardinals again in the playoffs. Eagles coach Rick Finotti said he's cautious about what he says to the team before a rematch.

"I think with the players, you have to be real careful in using phrases like revenge. You can get yourself in a pitfall," he said.

Finotti said the tricky part is balancing businesslike preparation around a game inflated by rematch hype and deep in meaning.

"I learned last year going through the playoffs for the first time as a head coach that you can't go blowing things up where you're getting kids psyched up or psyched out and not focusing on the goal, which is to play well and put yourself in a position to win," Finotti said.

"You have to look at it for what it is -- a playoff game. It's win or we go home, and that [alone] is such an incentive."

Finotti also acknowledged it's impossible to be completely buttoned-down when the opponent is St. Ignatius.

"[The rivalry] is not really toned down," he said.

Mentor and St. Ignatius can find comfort in the belief their earlier triumphs provide them more confidence.

"I think the better team will come out and win both matches, usually," St. Ignatius tight end Blake Thomas said. "It's nice to be in their head, too, a little bit."

Blake's teammate, Mike Svetina, said he thought the first game was too close to give either a mental leg up this week.

"I don't see an edge in it at all. It came down to one or two plays at the end," he said. "What it comes down to [this week] is who wants it more and who's more physical."

Mentor defensive end Tom Strobel said he thought his team's win against Solon will be an advantage "if we play at our level."

That's the bigger issue at Mentor these days. Following the Solon win, coach Steve Trivisonno said his team lost steam and that led to a Week 10 upset loss to Twinsburg, after which he ripped his team. "We thought we could coast into this thing. We got what we deserved. We needed that," he told The News-Herald following the Twinsburg game.

Strobel said the Cardinals received the message.

"I think we got in a mode where we were in cruise control," he said. "We weren't challenging ourselves during practices and getting after it much as we were in the beginning.

"Our focus now is we want to come out with more fire than we did before. We know Solon will come out guns a-blazin'. They have nothing to lose."

Like St. Edward, St. Ignatius has rematch experience. St. Ignatius nipped Glenville by a point in the 2009 season opener, but lost to the Tarblooders in the playoffs.

This also isn't the first playoff rematch between St. Ignatius and St. Edward. St. Ignatius beat the Eagles in the 2008 season finale, 34-12, and again a week later, 37-0, in a regional quarterfinal.

Being a first-game winner and a loser in these scenarios hasn't made it clear to Wildcats coach Chuck Kyle which is the better vantage.

"That's a debatable issue, especially with a game like we had [against St. Edward]," he said. "It could have gone either way. I don't look at it as being a plus or minus. We played the game with the thought that there was a very good chance we would play them again."

St. Ignatius and St. Edward are very familiar with each other, so there are few unknowns. Playing Mentor twice is different. The Cardinals' five-receiver, no-huddle offense was a big hill to climb for opponents this year. Playing it twice could temper defenders' acid reflux.

"It's most definitely an advantage," Solon linebacker Nick Davidson said. "We can look back at it and see our mistakes and see how we have to adjust to their scheme."

Trivisonno said he foresees Mentor making very few changes. Such is the prerogative of the incumbent winner.

"We are what we are and we do what we do," he said.

Game on.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter:@TimsTakePD

What happened the first time they played?

Mentor 44, Solon 20 (Oct. 6) Solon's 20-game, four-year regular-season home winning streak crashed to a halt in front of 5,500 fans at Stewart Field. Mentor's five-receiver offense started in fifth gear with a 58-yard pass on the first play. The Cardinals jumped to a 14-0 lead and scored 24 first-quarter points against a team that has not allowed more than 21 points in its other 10 games this season.

Mentor junior QB Mitch Trubisky had a five-touchdown night. He completed 20-of-31 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also ran for 46 yards and three TDs. Seniors Warren Ashton and Cameron Kavan and sophomores Brandon Fritts and Conner Krizancic combined for all 20 catches.

Mentor never punted and kicker Tomislav Derezic made field goals of 20, 23 and 50 yards.

Solon senior QB Patrick Kramer completed 15-of-29 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Cory Stuart and Tres Barksdale each caught six passes. Junior Khoury Crenshaw ran 22 times for 84 yards. Solon's Nick Davidson and Stuart each had 10 tackles. Tom Strobel led Mentor's defense with three sacks, a blocked extra point and a fumble recovery.

The game was their first meeting as members of the Northeast Ohio Conference. Solon has won two of the past three against Mentor and leads the series, 9-8.

St. Ignatius 20, St. Edward 17 (Oct. 29) St. Ignatius converted two third-quarter turnovers into touchdowns in front of 11,000 at Lakewood Stadium. The game featured three ties and two lead changes.

Tim Shenk's 35-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter broke a 17-17 tie and proved to be the game-winner.

St. Edward led at the half, 10-3. The Eagles fumbled a punt early in the third quarter and St. Ignatius tied it two plays later on Tim McVey's 7-yard run. An interception set up a Blake Thomas touchdown catch for a 17-10 Wildcats lead.

St. Edward answered before the quarter ended, forging a 17-17 tie on quarterback Ryan Fallon's 1-yard TD run.

St. Ignatius quarterback Eric Williams completed 16-of-28 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. Fallon was 13-of-23 for 160 yards. Tailback Dwayne Aaron led the Eagles with 103 yards rushing and a touchdown. McVey had 60 yards rushing and a TD for St. Ignatius. St. Ignatius has won five of the past six meetings and leads the series, 25-21-1.

-- Tim Warsinskey

After helping to shoot Ohio State as the NCAA Tournament, William Buford is back with a new perspective and a chance to become the Buckeyes' all-time leading scorer.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerWilliam Buford has a chance to become the all-time leading scorer for Ohio State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — William Buford has a chance to score more points than any basketball player in Ohio State history. He starts his senior season, however, changed by the shots he missed in the last game of his junior year.

Buford, a 46 percent shooter, was 2-for-16 from the field, including missing a final desperate 3-pointer, in the Buckeyes' 62-60 season-ending upset loss to Kentucky in the Sweet 16 last season.

"I don't think anybody wanted William to make a shot more than I did, just to get him going," OSU coach Thad Matta said. "Hopefully that helped keep him going and drives him to what he wants to be."

The loss helped Buford to decide to return for his senior season and stuck with him on an everyday basis at least until the middle of the summer. Tonight, he will try to put it behind him for good when the No. 3 Buckeyes open their season against Wright State.

Asked about the potential scoring record -- currently at No. 22, he would need to average about 18 points per game, depending on how far OSU gets into the postseason, to top Dennis Hopson -- Buford said he had just discovered his chances at the mark in recent weeks.

Asked if he has been happy with his career, Buford said: "Yeah, except for my last game. Other than that.

"That game was terrible."

And so began some matter-of-fact self-reflection on his role in the game that short-circuited what many hoped would be a Final Four run for the No. 1-seed Buckeyes.

"It's still with me, but I just don't worry about it too much, like I was," Buford said. "I just will never let it happen again."

What bothers him so much about it?

"Just everything. I knew I was better than what I played. I could have done other things to help the team win, other than shooting."

What was the problem that night?

"I knew what it was -- being selfish, kind of. Trying to get myself out of a slump. I knew I could shoot better than what I was doing, so I kept shooting to try to get myself out of the slump when I really could have been rebounding or getting assists or handing the ball off or trying to do something else to help the team out."

Would he shoot less if the same thing happened today?

"Absolutely."

So he learned something?

"I'm glad it happened. Well, I'm not glad we lost the game. I'm glad I struggled so I can learn from that and know what to do next time. It helped me get better as a player, and as a person. I think so."

At 14.4 points per game as both a sophomore and a junior, it's not unreasonable to expect the kind of scoring jump from Buford that could get him to the top of the OSU list. At the very least, he should spend the season moving past memorable Buckeyes like Bill Hosket, Evan Turner, Gary Bradds, Jay Burson, Jim Jackson and Michael Redd.

But he needs help. Buford still jokes with sophomore point guard Aaron Craft about what he perceives as Craft's reluctance to pass him the ball.

"He doesn't like me. It's cool, though," Buford said with a smile, believing Craft favored Jon Diebler a year ago.

"We've talked about this," Craft said with a laugh. "As much as we joke around about it, I think Will understands it's a team game.

"If Will scores a lot of points for us, I think we would be a pretty good team. If that's how it ends up working out, I'll get him the ball as much as I can."

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

Coach Rodney Brown says "something beautiful" is happening at Shaw, and it's not just because the team is in the second round of the Division II football playoffs. "You need to see what is happening at our school. You need to get to know these kids."

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerShaw quarterback William Woods and fellow seniors called a players-only meeting when the team's record fell to 2-3. Their message: "We can't go out like this." It worked. They won four in a row.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Rodney Brown knows what some people think of his neighborhood, his school. At a recent football practice, the Shaw coach stood at midfield, looking out past the goal post toward Shaw Avenue in East Cleveland.

"There's at least seven vacant houses over there," he said. "See those guys hanging on the corner? It's a gang."

He paused.

"I've been making our players wait 30 minutes after school let out before we leave for practice," he said. "We don't need any confrontations with people hanging around when school lets out. It makes me angry that there are some on the streets who want to ruin a good thing."

He paused again.

"That's because something beautiful is happening here," he said.

The coach didn't simply mean his football team, which will face Tiffin Columbian tonight at 7:30 in Sandusky in the second round of the Division II playoffs. Nor was he talking about how Shaw pulled a stunning 22-12 upset against defending state champion Maple Heights last weekend -- the program's first playoff victory in five postseason appearances.

View full sizePDShaw football coach Rodney Brown has to deal with things that most of his peers don't: "It makes me angry that there are some on the streets who want to ruin a good thing," he says.

"That's just part of it," he said. "You need to see what is happening at our school. You need to get to know these kids."

One of them is William Woods, the team's quarterback and a defensive back.

It's hard to remember that Shaw opened the season 2-3.

"That's when we called the meeting," Woods said.

By "we," he meant the seniors. The meeting was for players only, coaches were told to wait outside before practice was to begin.

Woods stood up and said, "We can't go out like this."

He didn't want to be the quarterback of a Shaw team that fell apart. He has a 3.8 grade-point average. He has strong parents who drilled this into him: "No grades, no football." They come to every game; they check every grade.

"I could have gone to places like St. Ed's," he said. "But my heart is here. It means something to me to have 'Shaw' on my chest."

The question

That was the challenge Woods issued to his teammates: Where is your heart?

Then other seniors spoke.

There was quiet Scott Thornton, who also has a 3.8 GPA.

"My older brothers played at Shaw," Thornton said. "A lot of kids don't want to play football. I do. This is special."

And there was Deondre Westfield, who has 13 receptions and is averaging a stunning 32.5 yards per catch. In the classroom, he has a 3.75 GPA.

Maurice Lett and Brandon Ferguson -- both 3.1 students -- also spoke.

Their message was that the season wasn't over. Their message was that the team was better than its 2-3 record. Their message is exactly what the coaches would have delivered, only Woods and the seniors took care of it. And their message was delivered by the players who are the best examples of what the coaches want to see in the classroom and on the field.

"I don't know all that was said," Brown said. "But I stood outside the locker room, and I know it was real quiet in there. The guys were listening. When I came in at the end, I could tell something had changed."

Brown said it's so easy for players to give up after losing back-to-back games to rivals Maple Heights (36-6) and Euclid (14-0).

Seeing his players mature and pull together when it would have been so easy for the team to pull apart meant just as much to the coaching staff as the four-game winning streak to end the season and the surprising playoff appearance.

The comeback

Brown praised East Cleveland schools Superintendent Myrna Loy Corley as he pointed to the new lights at the stadium and the freshly painted press box with these huge words to challenge his players -- EARN IT.

View full sizePDStarting safety Travon Powell, a senior, is generously listed at 5-6 and 152 pounds.

He talked about starter Travon Powell, who is optimistically listed at 5-6 and 152 pounds.

"People look at me say, 'You're too little to be out there,' " Powell said. "But they can't see me until it's too late -- by then, I really hit them."

Powell is a safety who delivered a big tackle near the goal line, forcing a fumble in the first-round playoff upset of Maple Heights.

Just as it was hard to believe Shaw defeated Maple Heights, it was difficult for most Shaw coaches to imagine Powell on the field. Not because of his size, but because he had to prove he would be dependable.

Powell said he played freshman football. Quit as a sophomore and played some municipal football. Quit early in his junior season and didn't play anywhere.

"When he told me that he wanted to come out as a senior, I almost told him to forget it," Brown said. "I told him to his face that he'd never make it, that he'd quit. But he didn't -- and he's been one of our better players. His grades are getting better, too. This is exactly what he needs at this point in his life."

Just like Powell in the starting lineup, it's a surprise this Shaw team is still alive in the playoffs.

Even after their 2-3 start, and even when they lined up on the field and proudly proclaimed, "THIS IS SHAW," as practice opened, Brown remains almost overwhelmed by what his players have accomplished.

"To come back and beat Maple after what happened earlier [a 36-6 loss], it's a real tribute to these players," Brown said. "I've been teaching in the Shaw system for 21 years. I've been trying to beat Maple going all the way back to when I coached in the middle school. I bet they beat me at least 10 times before this."

Woods said the story is so much deeper than just football.

"There are people who say negative things and frown upon Shaw and East Cleveland," he said. "But there are a lot of good students like me who stay out of trouble. We want people to look up to us. That's what this team is about."

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com; 216-999-4674

Is there any player on the Cleveland Browns' roster that the team could not live without in the long term?

Joshua Gunter | The Plain DealerCleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs.

It's not like the Cleveland Browns are in the first place in the AFC North, and it isn't like the Browns have a team full of future hall of famers.

But is there one player who the Browns could not afford to lose for a long stretch? Is there a player on the team that is untradeable?

Coughlin, the veteran sports reporter, shares stories about covering high school football. Your stories about high school -- as a student or teacher -- can get you into our contest to win his book.

Dan Coughlin

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerHigh school football -- whether at the stadium in Lakewood, in Massillon's famed Paul Brown Tiger Stadium or anywhere else -- is a strong part of Northeast Ohio's culture.

I began and ended my working career on the high school football beat and I could never imagine better bookends. Starting at The Plain Dealer in 1964, I covered big games every Friday night, mostly in Greater Cleveland. We had bureaus in Lorain, Akron and Canton and we were respectful not to step on anybody's toes there, so I stayed close to home.

Forty years later I was flying around in the Fox 8 helicopter, covering games from one end of our viewing area to the other, as far away as Ashland, Warren, Canton and Massillon, which became a regular destination. I had the feeling that everybody in Stark County watched Fox 8 and the ratings seemed to confirm that. Stark County was very important to us.

I landed at classic high school football stadiums that I never would have seen otherwise, such as Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon, the most famous of them all. After covering Paul Brown's funeral in Massillon in August 1991, I drove from the church downtown to the stadium for my standup, where I ran into NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm. They got out of a long, black limousine and wandered inside through the main gate, which was open. They walked onto the field near the north end zone and looked up at the bleachers on both sides. I asked them about their visit.

"We have heard so much about it, we had to see it," said Tex.

On Friday nights we would leave Burke Lakefront Airport and fly south at 1,000 feet. That's not very high. It's the height of three football fields. By the middle of October it would be dark and we could identify the lights of high school football stadiums below us in all directions. Ohio really is the heart of Friday night lights. Ohio is an old state and some of these stadiums date back to the 1930s when solid concrete bleachers were built with roofs over the home stands. You can still find such structures in Massillon, North Canton Hoover, Alliance, Barberton, Elyria and Sandusky. At one time they were all state powers.

Don't think I was the only one who enjoyed the privilege. Oh, no. John Telich, Tony Rizzo and I shared it. In fact, Telich and I did most of the sharing and the Rizz did most of the flying. John and I would usually take a couple of flights a season and Rizz took the rest.

"That's because the helicopter and I came to Fox 8 together in 1997," Rizz rationalized. "I never knew what it was like to be a Beatle, but after the first night in the chopper, I knew. We'd land right next to the stadium and a thousand kids would surround us, trying to touch us. I felt like a rock star. What a rush! Some schools would beg us to fly there."

Cameraman Doug Herrmann's favorite stadium was Hudson. He pleaded to make it a regular stop on the Friday night tour.

"Because the first time we were there a woman was so wasted she lifted her shirt and flashed us her headlights -- no bra," Rizz explained. "Doug wanted to come back every week and look for her."

We would cover three games each night in the helicopter. We would buzz the stadium to get everyone's attention and set it down as close to the field as they allowed. If we weren't within a few steps of the main gate, they would pick us up in a golf cart and drive us to the 50-yard line. Timing was critical. We would shoot the first quarter of the first game, jump back in the helicopter and fly to the next game. We would fly again at halftime to the third game. We love a good band performance as much as anybody, but we never wanted to be on the ground during halftime. We needed highlights. One night Rizz and cameraman Tim Roskey had no choice. It was halftime when they landed.

"We were sitting on the home bench," Rizz recalled. "Roskey had his camera turned off and I had some kind of hunch. I said, 'Tim, turn your camera on.' About the same time I heard a gasp from the crowd. I turned around and I saw this kid wearing only tennis shoes. That's all! He ran the whole length of the field. We were so surprised Tim didn't get him in focus until the last 20 yards but it was enough. He was a high school kid but he was no kid. He made some men feel inadequate. The ladies never took their eyes off him. We used the highlight, of course, but we had to digitize his image."

I remember thinking how proud his mother must have felt.

Our sports producer Tommy Bruno flew only once and it was an equally memorable flight.

"I wanted to experience Sky Fox -- all of it -- the take off, the landing, the pilot Captain Earl, not to mention the incredible rush of coming back to the station with a handful of tapes, a scribbled notepad with dozens of poorly written time cues-and less than 35 minutes to tell the story," Bruno said later when I asked him to reminisce about our aerial circus.

"Off we go, photographer Tim Roskey, Captain Earl and me. Our first game was Uniontown Lake. Tim and I were on the 50-yard line. Out of the corner of my eye I saw what looked like a streaker. He was coming right at us. The boy was tall, wearing a large clown wig and Doc Martin leather boots. Best of all, he was doing a high step, his knees way up in the air. It added to the chaos. He was completely naked and he was moving fast. He went over a chain link fence and into the woods. The police chased him for several minutes. Eventually he was caught and he faced expulsion, but instead he got a long suspension. We used it. We had to blur his image, of course. That was unfortunate. The kid could have been a star. We fed it to CNN and Fox News and they used it. That was the only time I flew and I was on cloud nine. I had the highlight of the year."

Rizz and Roskey were in the air the night a red light began blinking in the cockpit.

"Uh, oh," said Captain Earl.

"I never heard him say that before," Rizz said later. "I looked down and for the first time I felt fear."

"We're gonna have to put this thing down right now," said Captain Earl.

And he did -- in the parking lot of a strip shopping plaza in Warren. After the show that night a production assistant drove to Warren to get them. Their highlights never made air.

Doug Herrmann and I encountered the same problem one night while flying with Captain Bobby Koenig. We were returning home ahead of schedule when I noticed that the lights were still on at Olmsted Falls. We landed unannounced in a dark unpopulated area behind the school. We worked quickly. I mooched a roster from a visiting parent and picked up a couple of bonus highlights. But when we got back to the helicopter Bobby said we couldn't take off. That pesky red light was on again. I hope Bobby wasn't offended. We ditched him. Doug and I called a cab and got to the station in time to get our highlights on the air. Captain Bobby called a mechanic who fixed a minor problem and got him airborne by midnight.

"If you disconnect the red light it will solve a lot of problems," I told him.

Rizz and Roskey had other problems one night in Willoughby. We always alerted the schools in advance when we were coming and their athletic directors usually passed this information along to their police and fire departments. That was standard operating procedure. On this night, however, the Willoughby police and fire departments never got the memo. Some safety departments are more finicky than others about helicopters landing at their local football games and nobody was more finicky than Willoughby.

"The police pulled up with their flashers going and we thought they were the welcome wagon," said Rizz. "They got out of their cars with their guns drawn and we thought they were our bodyguards. They started chasing me and I thought they were just trying to catch up to us to escort us in. They did catch up to us. Next thing, they've got me surrounded and my hands are in the air. I thought I was going to jail."

Sometimes I would set up their flight schedules, such as the time I sent Rizz and Roskey to Huron.

"You told us to land next to the long jump pit but I guess I didn't hear you say, the long jump pit at the practice field," said Roskey. "There were two long jump pits. The other one was right next to the end zone in the stadium and from the air that looked pretty good. 'There's a long jump pit,' I said. 'That must be the one.' So we buzzed the stadium and landed right next to the field. They had to stop the game while we landed. We jumped out and shot the game. Nobody complained."

When they buzzed the Brunswick stadium a lineman from the opposing team was startled and stood up. Out came the referee's flag and he was penalized for a false start. It came at crucial time and directly influenced the outcome. The Medina Gazette reported the next day that Fox 8 helped Brunswick win.

At Strongsville they were told to land on a baseball field behind a shopping plaza across the road where a car met them and drove them to the stadium. When it was time to leave, Rizz, Roskey and Captain Earl could not find their driver and they set out on foot in the dark, not realizing there were 10 baseball fields behind the shopping plaza. They wandered in the blackness like a trio of burglars up to no good. Along came the police.

"What are you guys up to?" the curious officer said while blinding them with his industrial-strength police flashlight.

"We are looking for our helicopter. We lost it," Roskey said.

They should have been arrested on the spot for that answer, but once again the firm of Rizzo, Roskey and Sandlin won an acquittal.

Rizzo almost was banned from Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

"We were shooting a Massillon-St. Ignatius game," Roskey said. "An Ignatius kid made an interception but the referee ruled his foot was out of bounds. Rizz asked me, 'Do you have it?' I backed up the tape in the camera and looked. 'Yeah, he was in,' I said. Rizz told the Ignatius coaches our tape showed he was in and the coaches were yelling at the officials that Channel 8 says he was in. The referee blew a gasket and then he blew his whistle. He ran over and told Rizz to shut up or he'd be thrown out of the stadium. There was no instant replay in high school football."

How to win a copy of 'Pass the Nuts'

We're delighted to be able to offer 10 free copies of Dan Coughlin's new book. All you have to do for a chance to get one is use our special online submission form that's just for this contest. Provide the information requested and tell us one of your memories about your high school years (student or teacher) in Northeast Ohio. It can be about sports, classes, clubs or just hanging out with your friends. We'll randomly select 10 people from the submissions to get free books; in addition, all who enter have a good chance of seeing their stories appear in the Cleveland Remembers blog. The contest ends Sunday, Nov. 26, so get your story in now. Only memories submitted via the official online submission form will be eligible.

We're able to offer the books thanks to the generosity of the publishers, Gray & Co. You can go to Gray's website to find out more about the book (and its many other Cleveland-related books). Read an extra excerpt in which Coughlin talks about his memories of the Blue Fox restaurant.

If you liked this item, you might like ...

• John F. Kennedy Eagles vs. John Adams Rebels
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• Collinwood High pals for 63 years
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When it comes to the Jerry Sandusky scandal, what did people know and when did they know it?

AP filePenn State head football coach Joe Paterno, right, poses with his defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky.

Sara Ganim of The Patriot-News writes how the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case  continues to unravel and more chargers may be on the way.

When it comes to this case, Ganim wants to know who is telling the truth, and who tried to keep the truth silent?
   
And what part did that silence play in the fact that Sandusky is alleged to have sexually assaulted young boys for 10 years after the first boy stepped forward?
   
In early 2010, before The Patriot-News broke the story of the Sandusky investigation, the newspaper confronted [former University president] Spanier and asked him if he was aware of a grand jury investigation into Sandusky. His answer was no.
    
The earliest documented report of possible abuse at the hands of Sandusky is in 1995, when his now-legally adopted son was still a teenage foster child in his home, writes Ganim.
    
The travesty and tragedy of botched attempts to investigate Jerry Sandusky began in 1998, writes Ganim.
   
Though the grand jury indictment includes four previous victims, an 11-year old boy in 1998 was the first to come forward. He is called Victim Six in the grand jury presentment.
   
The boy told police that Sandusky had showered naked with him. A second boy was in the showers at the time, but did not testify before the grand jury.
   

Who is Ohio State's MVP?

Associated PressDan Herron

Here's the question from Mansfield Journal reporter Jon Spencer:

Is Boom Herron Ohio State's MVP?

If the Buckeyes take a six-game winning streak into the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game, and they continue to ride the senior leadership and workhorse legs of tailback Dan Herron all the way to the Rose Bowl, should "Boom" be crowned the team MVP?

Let me repeat for those of you who hit your head falling out of your chair.

Should "Boom" be the team MVP?

Need proof? Well the Buckeyes were 3-3 without him and 3-0 with him, including wins over two nationally-ranked foes.

Quarterback Braxton Miller has done his thing, but Herron led the Buckeyes in rushing in each of their three straight wins.

Around the Horseshoe

Ohio State president Gordon Gee is not happy with Gene Smith.

NCAA slaps Ohio State Buckeyes.

One game at a time for the Buckeyes.

Purdue no longer controls the arms race.

  Joe Paterno has been fired. The president of the university has been let go, but Lester Munson of ESPN.com writes how this is just a start. There's more work to do. If the university intends to cleanse itself of the toxic culture described in agonizing detail in the report of the Pennsylvania grand jury that issued the indictments in...

APFormer Penn State football coach Joe Paterno leads his team onto the field.

Joe Paterno has been fired. The president of the university has been let go, but Lester Munson of ESPN.com writes how this is just a start.

There's more work to do.

If the university intends to cleanse itself of the toxic culture described in agonizing detail in the report of the Pennsylvania grand jury that issued the indictments in the allegations of a sexual abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, the trustees must continue to scour the athletic department and remove all who placed Penn State football ahead of the safety and welfare of needy and vulnerable young boys.

Despite the astonishing revelations of the past several days, it will not be easy for the trustees to do what they must do, writes Munson. The sign being held by these protestors on the Penn State campus encapsulates the problem with the athletic department culture.

As the trustees continue their work, they must purge the culture of the denial and the delusion that apparently allowed Sandusky to operate with impunity for years. They must establish an atmosphere of responsibility and accountability in a culture that encourages coaches, staff and students to do what is right instead of the bare minimum required by the law.    

More Penn State

PennLive.com's coverage of the Penn State scandal.

More victims to step forward.

Penn State scandal consumes politics in Pennsylvania.

Former Penn State players in the NFL are in disarray.

Reaction to Joe Paterno's firing.

Mother of victim speaks up.

Joe Paterno hires big-time lawyer.

Former Penn State players show support for JoePa.

Penn State's scandal is a familiar story, at least in Canada.

Recruiting will certainly take a hit.

Plain Dealer Brownr reporter answers fan questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature. Watch video

Cleveland, Ohio - Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Branson Wright. Co-host Chuck Yarborough is on assignment.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi, answers fan questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature. about Josh Cribbs and Peyton Hillis. Grossi also make a surprising prediction about Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams.

SBTV will return on Monday with Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot breaking down the Browns-Rams game.

And don't miss this week's edition of the Browns Insider show, which streamed live Thursday at 10 a.m. and is archived for your viewing pleasure.

Browns safety Usama Young returned to the practice field today, but fellow safety T.J. Ward did not. Kicker Phil Dawson was back, at least on the sidelines, after being sent home with a migraine on Thursday.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerUsama Young returned to practice today after sitting out two days with a hip injury.

BEREA -- Safety help is on the way. Browns free safety Usama Young returned to the practice field after sitting out the past two days with his hip injury and is set to start in place of T.J. Ward.

Ward is still in a foot cast and has all but been ruled out of the game.

Kicker Phil Dawson, who was sent home on Thursday with a migraine, was back in practice today and is expected to be fine for Sunday. He said he was headed home after practice to get more rest.

Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi was still idle with his concussion symptoms but attended meetings and told coach Pat Shurmur he was feeling better. He's expected to sit out the game and the starting receivers are likely to be Greg Little and Josh Cribbs.

Cornerback Dimitri Patterson was also out again today with his knee injury and probably won't play. Rookie Buster Skrine will replace him.

CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk isn't kidding when he gives 11 reasons why the Cleveland Browns could be better in the second half of the season. Before you laugh, he actually gives us 11 good reasons. Here are just a few. 2, A murmur from Pat Shurmur. The offense has been depressingly quiet, arguably not playing to McCoy’s strengths. Shurmur...

Cleveland Plain DealerColt McCoy

CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk isn't kidding when he gives 11 reasons why the Cleveland Browns could be better in the second half of the season.

Before you laugh, he actually gives us 11 good reasons.

Here are just a few.

2, A murmur from Pat Shurmur. The offense has been depressingly quiet, arguably not playing to McCoy’s strengths. Shurmur needs to stop performing like a first-year head coach and start acting like a third-year NFL coordinator.

6, A Joshua Cribbs homecoming. Cribbs hasn’t been to the house as a return man since Dec. 20, 2009. He has been sitting on an NFL-record eight kickoff returns for touchdowns since then.

8, A big second half from Greg Little. The rookie might have what it takes to be a No. 1 wideout, Tom Heckert says. Time to make the general manager look smart.

11, Momentum. The schedule maker has handed a struggling team consecutive home games against the Rams (1-7) and Jaguars (2-6). With wins, the Browns are no longer an ugly outfit on a 1-4 skid. They are .500.

Did Doerschuk make some good points? Or is this just wishful thinking?

More Cleveland Browns

Ready or not, here Steven Jackson comes.

Eric Hagg goes from injured to prominent role.

Jackson expects more from the Browns' defense.

Today's press conference with Cleveland Browns coach Coach Pat Shurmur.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerCleveland Browns named Pat Shurmur.

 Today's Pat Shurmur press conference

(Opening statement)- "I don't have anything new to add injury wise, I'll let the report come out. Obviously, there were some more guys practicing. I will add this, Usama Young was out here and went through the whole thing and looked good. Other than that we'll just see. It was a good practice, it was pretty spirited actually and their attention to detail was pretty good so we'll clean it up tomorrow then we'll go play."

(On if T.J. Ward is out for Sunday)- "T.J. will probably be out, most likely."

(On if Mohamed Massaquoi will be out for Sunday)- "Yeah, but again we'll wait and see."

(On if Massaquoi was out here)- "Mo was here today. He was in the meetings. I talked to him briefly today and he said he was feeling better."

(On if he preaches a sense of urgency to win and move to a 4-5 record)- "We'll I don't know about preaching, but I always feel a sense of urgency and I think the players feel that from me. When it comes to urgency, the focus is on winning the next game and then whatever the numbers are they are in terms of 4-5 or whatever. I feel it, our players feel it and I do talk about it often."

(On comparing Steven Jackson to Ben Tate and Arian Foster)- "They're all big physical backs. Steven runs with a lot of emotion and once he gets his pads turned up the field, he's very difficult to bring down just because he's such a big guy. He's going to be a good challenge for us for sure."

(On if Phil Dawson was able to practice today)- "He practiced today. He sure did."

(On if Dawson did all of the kicking)- "Yeah."

(On Emmanuel Stephens getting a lot of reps at practice)- "He's done a good job and he's probably going to get a lot of reps this weekend. We feel good about the way he plays. He plays extremely hard, he knows what he's doing and he's going to get an opportunity to show what he can do."

(On the Rams going up against a younger quarterback compared to the veteran quarterbacks they've faced the last couple weeks)- "You would have to ask them how they look at or approach attacking Colt (McCoy). From a defensive perspective, I think they try to attack the scheme and the players in it whether they are experienced or not. I'm sure we'll see some things and every week they'll do certain things that they didn't do the week before. We're prepared for it and ready to deal with it when it happens."

(On why St. Louis' defense dominated the first half last week)- "I think they played hard. I don't think they allowed their skill players to make any real big plays and I think they just do a good job scheme wise of just eliminating the big play and then getting you into unmanageable third downs and then pressuring you."

(On if Young would start at safety if Ward is out)- "Yes, T.J.'s in a cast right now so Usama Young would start."

(On if he's confident in Young)- "I'm absolutely confident that he's going to do great. He practiced well today."

(On if he thinks Chris Ogbonnaya will continue to improve having another week under his belt)- "I do. I think there are areas that you get better at as you play and I think that's where he'll get better. He'll be more comfortable with the plays and seeing more looks and then being able to execute. I feel like that's where he'll be better."

(On if he sensed Ogbonnaya was nervous during his first start)- "I don't think he was nervous. I think he was like the rest of the team, we wished we'd played better."

Columbus - Worthington Christian scored goals in each half to defeat Hawken, 2-0, on Friday afternoon in the Division III boys soccer championship game at Columbus Crew Stadium. Worthington senior Ben Tjoelker scored with 29 minutes to go in the first half and senior Brett Elder secured the contest with a goal with five minutes remaining. The Warriors won...

Hawken's Wes Herts clears a ball out of the goal area during the Division III state final against Worthington Christian at Crew Stadium in Columbus. Hawken lost, 2-0. - (Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer)

Columbus - Worthington Christian scored goals in each half to defeat Hawken, 2-0, on Friday afternoon in the Division III boys soccer championship game at Columbus Crew Stadium.

Worthington senior Ben Tjoelker scored with 29 minutes to go in the first half and senior Brett Elder secured the contest with a goal with five minutes remaining. The Warriors won the title with a 18-4-1 record.

Hawken (18-5) finished as the state runner-up for the seventh time. Its lone championship was in 2000.

Listen live tonight as St. Vincent-St. Mary takes on Lake Catholic in a regional semifinal game and get live twitter updates and more from all of tonight's action.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey | The Plain DealerEvan Gormley and the Lake Catholic Cougars take on St. Vincent-St. Mary tonight live on cleveland.com.

• Live Friday: St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Lake Catholic 

• Full statewide scoreboard

• Complete statewide brackets

• Regional quarterfinals preview capsules

Kristen Davis: @CleveHSsports
Joe Maxse: @JoeMaxse
Tim Warsinskey: @TimsTakePD
Tim Rogers: @TimRogersPD
Bob Fortuna: @BobFortuna

Well, these continue to get more interesting with each additional week... Every Friday leading into a Sunday contest for the Cleveland Football Browns, WFNY provides a roundtable-like discussion featuring each writer and his feelings on what the Dawgs need to do in order to leave the contest victorious.  On the flip side of the coin, we aim to feature at least one...

Thomas B. Shea/Getty ImagesWill the Browns O-Line keep Colt McCoy upright this week?

Well, these continue to get more interesting with each additional week...

Every Friday leading into a Sunday contest for the Cleveland Football Browns, WFNY provides a roundtable-like discussion featuring each writer and his feelings on what the Dawgs need to do in order to leave the contest victorious.  On the flip side of the coin, we aim to feature at least one voice from the opposing team who in turn aims to provide a bit of a contrast; a devil's advocate if you will.

This season, we will share some of our thoughts with the loyal readers of cleveland.com while inviting you all to continue the conversation with your fellow fans. 

Without further ado, this season's Week 10 edition of The Browns Will Win If...

**

Columbus -- Second place is not as bad as it may sound. But Hawken would sure like to put a one in front of its name once in a while. For the seventh time, the Hawks had to settle for the runner-up spot as they lost to Worthington Christian, 2-0, in the Division III boys soccer state championship game...

Hawken's Wes Herts clears a ball out of the goal area during the Division III state final against Worthington Christian at Crew Stadium in Columbus. Hawken lost, 2-0. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

Columbus -- Second place is not as bad as it may sound. But Hawken would sure like to put a one in front of its name once in a while.

For the seventh time, the Hawks had to settle for the runner-up spot as they lost to Worthington Christian, 2-0, in the Division III boys soccer state championship game at windy Columbus Crew Stadium. Hawken (18-5), which earned the title shot with an overtime win on Tuesday, could not generate its offense in the big game.

It was left to senior captain Tom Granot to trudge off the field with the second-place trophy under his left arm, disappointed to be sure, but also proud of his team's season.

"These guys are like brothers and I'm sorry we couldn't get a championship for them," said Granot, who took five of his team's 23 shots. "We came out a little flat-footed. We had a couple opportunities and couldn't score."

The Warriors (18-4-1) took advantage of an early opportunity when senior midfielder Ben Tjoelker worked his way close and then beat Hawken junior goalkeeper Peter Labes on a shot to the near post with the game 11 minutes old.

The Hawks had their best opportunity to even matters, but a strong drive by junior defender Brian Drockton was blocked by a Worthington defender at the goal line with five minutes left in the half.

Worthington's 1-0 lead stood up until five minutes remained when senior forward Brett Elder scored off a pass from sophomore Sam Condon.

Forced to get the equalizer, the Hawks were pressing the action with three forwards for the final 15 minutes and left themselves open for a countering move.

"We had to push forward and it didn't matter if you lose 1-0 or 2-0," said Hawken coach Dani Giulvezan, who had nothing but praise for his club. "We weren't able to create the chances that we were doing all season. It always hurts to end up being second. I'm proud of the kids and all the work they did to achieve their goals."

Credit Worthington senior goalkeeper Thomas Holman and his defensive backs for keeping the Hawken attackers in check. Holman finished with eight saves.

"The entire season was about possession and dictating play," said Worthington coach Dan Roads, whose club was second last year after winning it all in 2009. "The final 15 minutes, you have to trust the players. It was up to the defense to get the job done."

Hawken's Labes was credited with nine saves, with the Warriors getting off 26 shots.

"Labes had a heck of a game," said Hawken senior co-captain David Nelson. "From the first guy to the 11th guy, we played a hard game. It's something we'll always remember about high school -- playing here."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

FAIRBORN, Ohio - There's a few reasons Toledo St. Ursula's volleyball team is unbeaten, the defending state champ and ranked in the state and country. The Arrows, No. 1 in Ohio and 11th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com, held a block party Friday afternoon inside Wright State's Ervin J. Nutter Center and Walsh Jesuit caught the brunt of it.

Toledo St. Ursula's volleyball team swept Walsh Jesuit in a Division I state semifinal. Game scores were 25-16, 27-25, 25-18.

FAIRBORN, Ohio - There's a few reasons Toledo St. Ursula's volleyball team is unbeaten, the defending state champ and ranked in the state and country.

The Arrows, No. 1 in Ohio and 11th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com, held a block party Friday afternoon inside Wright State's Ervin J. Nutter Center and Walsh Jesuit caught the brunt of it.

Ursula swept Walsh Jesuit in a Division I state semifinal. Game scores were 25-16, 27-25, 25-18.

Ursula will go for its third state title Saturday at 3 p.m. against No. 2-ranked Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame.

Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot hosts News and Notes with Usama Young, D'Qwell Jackson, Colt McCoy and Pat Shurmur as they prepare for the game against the St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday. Watch video

Columbus - In a rematch of last year's title game, Dayton Carroll once again defeated Revere in the Division II boys soccer state final on Friday afternoon at Columbus Crew Stadium. The top-ranked Patriots improved to 23-0 as they blanked the No. 2-ranked Minutemen, 3-0.

OHSAA

Columbus - In a rematch of last year's title game, Dayton Carroll once again defeated Revere in the Division II boys soccer state final on Friday afternoon at Columbus Crew Stadium.

The top-ranked Patriots improved to 23-0 as they blanked the No. 2-ranked Minutemen, 3-0.

The Patriots scored on a goal by junior forward Trae' Collins two minutes before halftime, a second-half penalty kick by senior Matthew Barnes and a goal by senior Austin Newmeier with 3:19 to play. Carroll won last year against Revere, 3-2.

It was the third state championship in four years for the Patriots.

Revere suffered its first loss of the season to finish at 18-1-4. The Minutemen also finished second in the state in 1995.

Browns Pro Bowl lineman talks hunting and trying to play the perfect game.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain Dealer"The toughest part is if you have 70 plays in a game and you have 69 perfect plays but one bad one, everyone thinks you had a bad game," says Joe Thomas. "And you did, because your job is so important."

Q: You're well-known for being a big hunter and fisherman, and famously went fishing the day you were drafted. How did you get into that hobby?

A: I've kind of been doing it since I was a kid. My dad got me doing it when I was 2 years old, got me started fishing. I was going along on my dad's fishing trips. It's been a life-long joy for me. I started hunting when I was in my early teens. If I had just one hour, I'd probably go hunting. I like deer hunting, that's probably my favorite thing. I like to do it all, but I'd probably go bow-and-arrow hunting. I've shot a few nice deer in my life, but playing a sport that takes place in the fall, during deer season, that really kind of limits your ability to go out as much as you'd like.

Q: Do you have any favorite catches?

A: I got a few (deer) heads on the wall. As far as fishing, I caught a 10-pound walleye a couple summers ago on Lake Erie, that was one of my favorites, one of my most memorable catches. I've always dreamed of catching a big, 10-pound walleye, so finally having that happen was pretty cool.

Q: Your wife, Annie, played basketball at Wisconsin. Who's better?

A: Better athlete or basketball player? I hate to say it, but I'm probably the better athlete. If it's 1-on-1, I kill her -- but just because I'm so much bigger. But if it's a game of H-O-R-S-E, she crushes me. She is a dead-eye. She's incredible as far as a jumpshot goes. It's never even close. I played in high school and I was pretty good, but she's way better. Way beyond my basketball skills.

Q: What's the toughest part about being a left tackle and having the responsibility of protecting the quarterback?

A: The toughest part is if you have 70 plays in a game and you have 69 perfect plays but one bad one, everyone thinks you had a bad game. And you did, because your job is so important. It's all about consistency. Seventy plays a game, if you grade out at 99 percent, and one play's a sack, everyone thinks you have a bad game. You only get noticed when you screw up.

Q: When did you know you could be in the NFL?

A: Probably junior season, in college. Growing up you always hear, "One in a million plays in the NFL, so think about doing something else." That's legit. How many kids grow up saying, "Yeah, I can play in the NFL"? So growing up, I was always planning on doing something else. To work for a living. I don't know what. Just get my education, and after college just do whatever I was interested in and move into the workforce. I was a realist about it. Going into college, even, I was just thinking I'd enjoy it for as long as I could. It was more about getting a good education so that I could work and get a good job.