Edwin Rodriguez managed the Marlins in 2010 and 2011.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- The Indians have named Edwin Rodriguez manager at Class A Carolina. Rodriguez managed the Marlins to a 78-85 record over parts of two seasons from June 23, 2010 through June 18, 2011.

The Carolina Mudcats, located in Zebulon, N.C., are the Indians new Class A affiliate in the Carolina League after purchasing the Kinston franchise prior to the 2011 season.
 
Rodriguez, 51, is the first Puerto Rican to manage a big-league team. Before managing the Marlins, he worked in their player development system from 2006 to 2010. Rodriguez, an infielder, spent parts of three seasons in the big leagues with the Yankees and Padres from 1982 to 1985.

Aaron Holbert managed Kinston this year to a 76-62 record. They made the postseason, but lost in the championship round.

Holbert, who managed four years in the Indians system, will manage Atlanta's Class AA Mississippi Braves.

New job: Joel Skinner, former Indians catcher, coach and manager, will manage Class AAA Charlotte for the White Sox next year.

Skinner was Oakland's bench coach last season. At the end of the season he was fired because manager Bob Melvin, who replaced Bob Geren on June 9, wanted his own coaching staff.

The trophy will now be called the Stagg Championship Trophy.

APThe Stagg-Paterno Trophy will have its name changed to the Stagg Championship Trophy, the Big Ten has announced.

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten has taken Joe Paterno's name off the Big Ten's football championship trophy.

League commissioner Jim Delany said Monday that it is "inappropriate" to keep Paterno's name on the trophy that will be awarded Dec. 3 after the first Big Ten title game.

Penn State fired Paterno, its longtime head coach, last week and investigations are under way into allegations of child sex-abuse involving a former assistant for the Nittany Lions.

The trophy had been named the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy. Amos Alonzo Stagg won 319 games in 57 years, most at the University of Chicago. Paterno's 409 wins are the most by a major college coach.

The trophy will now be called the Stagg Championship Trophy.

Following is the statement released by the Big Ten Conference:

In light of the series of events that have recently unfolded at Penn State University, including Grand Jury indictments, an ongoing Grand Jury investigation, a U.S. Department of Education investigation, the Board of Trustees’ dismissal of Penn State head coach Joe Paterno and the Board of Trustees’ appointment of a Special Investigation Committee, the Big Ten Conference announced today that it will remove Paterno’s name from the Championship Trophy to be awarded at its inaugural Football Championship Game on December 3 in Indianapolis.

“We believe that it would be inappropriate to keep Joe Paterno’s name on the trophy at this time,” said Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany. “The trophy and its namesake are intended to be celebratory and aspirational, not controversial. We believe that it’s important to keep the focus on the players and the teams that will be competing in the inaugural championship game.”

The trophy to be presented in Indianapolis next month will now be called the Stagg Championship Trophy, named after Amos Alonzo Stagg, who coached football at the University of Chicago, a founding member of the Big Ten, from 1892 – 1932. Stagg compiled a 199-94-22 record while the University of Chicago was a member of the Big Ten, including national championships in 1905 and 1913.

Union's move could jeopardize the remainder of the season

APUnion chief Billy Hunter announced Monday the players association plans to take the NBA to court

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- NBA players might be headed to federal court before they return to the basketball courts.

The players association announced Monday it plans to dissolve its union through a disclaimer of interest, setting up a potential showdown with the league in court.

Union executive director Billy Hunter said lawyers will file an anti-trust lawsuit in the next few days. But attorney David Boise, who will represent the players, told reporters outside a New York news conference that legal action could still be averted. 

"This is where it stops for us as a union," union president Derek Fisher told reporters assembled in New York

The move jeopardizes the remainder of the season as players and the league have been unable to resolve a lockout now in its 137th day. The union's executive committee and players reps, along with other players including Kobe Bryant, met in New York to decide whether to accept the owners' latest proposal. 

Former union officials and members say a show-of-hands vote was taken on disclaimer, and it was unanimous," Yahoo Sports reports. The rank-and-file was not given a chance to vote. Anthony Parker represented the Cavaliers.

NBA Commissioner David Stern repeatedly has said the union had received the league's final "fair" offer and the next one would be far less player friendly.  He called the players decision an "irresponsible action." 

"We're about to go into the nuclear winter of the NBA," Stern said on ESPN. ". . .  "We were very close and the players decide to blow it up."

The players might be trying to call the league's bluff again. Bereft of leverage, they possibly could force Stern and the owners into one more negotiating session before the legal process begins.

"It's never too late for David to call me," Hunter said.

It's important to note the legal process could have been started immediately rather than waiting for a day or two. That gives the league time to present another proposal if it so chooses.

For now, the NBA's union is a trade association, a point that Hunter drove home in a interview with NBA TV.

"I am the executive director of the National Basketball Trade Association," he said.

Stern was in no joking mood. He called the union's dissolution a "charade" and a "magic trick."

Browns running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and safety T.J. Ward (foot) are both ruled out for the Jacksonville game.

JOHN KUNTZ/THE PLAIN DEALERThe Browns have said that running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and strong safety T.J. Ward (foot, finger) will not play Sunday against Jacksonville.

BEREA -- Browns coach Pat Shurmur ruled out running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and safety T.J. Ward (foot) for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.

But he said he hopes both players will be back this season and that he doesn't have plans at this point to place either of them on injured reserve.

He said Ward will have his cast changed today and have another X-ray, and "then we'll see how to proceed'' with him.

Shurmur said the team should have a better idea after the X-ray how long Ward will be out, but it's unknown if and when he'll share that information.

Shurmur also said that Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion) is feeling better and that he's been asymptomatic for a few days. 

Michigan coach Brady Hoke expects QB Denard Robinson to play Saturday vs. Nebraska

Ohio State running back Dan Herron carries the ball during last year's win over Michigan in Columbus.

The Ohio State vs. Michigan football game on Saturday, Nov. 26 at Michigan Stadium will kick off at noon, the Big Ten Conference announced today.

Ohio State are 6-4 and 3-3 in the Big Ten after a 26-23 overtime loss at Purdue on Saturday. The Buckeyes will play Penn State on Saturday in the season's final game at Ohio Stadium.

Michigan is 8-2, 4-2 in the Big Ten. Wolverines coach Brady Hoke says he expects quarterback Denard Robinson to practice without limitation and play against No. 17 Nebraska on Saturday. The speedy quarterback sprained his right wrist in the third quarter of Saturday's 31-14 win at Illinois and didn't return.

Hoke says Robinson threw the ball well Sunday during practice.

The 20th-ranked Wolverines will host the Cornhuskers this week. With Robinson ailing, sophomore Devin Gardner replaced Robinson and threw a touchdown pass to Martavious Odoms to give the Wolverines a comfortable 24-7 lead. Hoke says Gardner managed the game well.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Welcome to this week's high school football playoff edition of Starting Blocks TV, cleveland.com's video show.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Welcome to this week's high school football playoff edition of Starting Blocks TV, cleveland.com's video show.

Today's guest is Plain Dealer reporter Bob Fortuna. On today's show, hosted by Branson Wright, Fortuna looks back on the regional semifinals with Mentor's struggles against Solon, in addition to another late victory by St. Ignatius over St. Edward.

Fortuna also previews Saturday's big regional final matchup between St. Ignatius and Mentor.

Don't miss the end of the show when Fortuna makes predictions on all six regional finals involving local teams.

Join us each week of the football playoffs for an SBTV show analyzing the field and predicting the most compelling matchups. Reporter Tim Warsinskey will be next week's guest.

The NBA players reject the latest offer made by the owners.

APDavid Stern

The NBA players rejected the league's latest offer by the owners and have begun the process to disband the union.

So you know what that means?

The decision likely jeopardizes the 2011-12 NBA season.

On ESPN.com:

"We're prepared to file this antitrust action against the NBA," union executive director Billy Hunter said. "That's the best situation where players can get their due process."

So if the season is lost, how much will you miss the NBA?

NBA Commissioner David Stern makes a statement.

APDavid Stern

Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson and long snapper Ryan Pontbriand talk about the botched field goal at the end of the 13 -12 loss to the St. Louis Rams. Head coach Pat Shurmur also defends his choice to run the ball at the end and go for the field goal. Hosted by Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot. Watch video

The hype -- and hope -- that surrounded the West Coast offense has led to some of the anger from Browns fans.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerSure, Browns fans tend to look on the glass empty side of life. But the team's new management and new philosophy offered hope to a fan base that so far feels rather ... unfulfilled, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What did the fans hear from the Browns before the season?

They hired a coach who was not a defensive coordinator as was the case with the last three coaches: Eric Mangini, Butch Davis and Romeo Crennel. They were implementing a pass-first offense that is supposed to generate some excitement and at least a few touchdowns.

Finally, the Browns would stop being so boring.

At least, that's what many fans thought when Pat Shurmur was hired as coach. He was picked by Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert, two disciples of the West Coast offense. Shurmur was brought to Cleveland from St. Louis precisely to teach it. The hope was to brighten up one of the NFL's most dismal franchises since the team was reborn in 1999.

Fans didn't expect to win big. But they believed the new coach and new offense would be different from the Browns team that averaged 16.9 points a year ago.

Instead, they have a team scoring 14.6 points per game. It's a team that has not been in the end zone in the last two home games, or in the first and third quarters of any of the nine games played this season.

That's a total of 18 quarters with no touchdowns.

The fans are mad about more than the 3-6 record, as captured in this email from Wayne Miller:

"Fans would rather see the team go down in flames with 100 passes, screens and trick plays than have to suffer through Metcalf up the middle again. At least the fans would be entertained for their dollar spent and not have to sit there frustrated or asleep. Since you can't win now, then at least keep me awake by doing the unexpected."

The coach feels pain

Shurmur said he understands the frustration.

"I'm from a town [Detroit] where things don't go your way," he said. "I'm not from Mars, but I haven't been here for 12 years. I came to work as somebody who lives in Cleveland, disappointed that we lost."

What is hard for Shurmur and the front office to fully grasp is how the 2007 Browns were 10-6 and averaged 25.1 points in 2007. Since then, they have never averaged more than 16.9 points (2010), or ranked higher than 29th in scoring. Add in this season's 14.6 average and 31st ranking, the Browns have been in the bottom two in scoring in three of the last four years.

So the team not only has a 17-40 record since 2007, it has been offensive to watch.

Many fans were pleased by much of what they saw in the 13-12 loss to the Rams. There were some reverses, some long passes, some sets with two quarterbacks on the field at the same time. The Browns had five plays of at least 20 yards.

Greg Little caught a 52-yard pass. Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace snared a 21-yard pass from Colt McCoy. Chris Ogbonnaya had a 32-yard run, Joshua Cribbs bolted for 15 yards on a reverse. That's why there was so much venom when Shurmur didn't throw the ball in the final six plays in the red zone, settling for a field goal that was eventually botched. The offense actually had a little life.

More of the same

Fans are calling this The Worst Coast Offense. You could hear the moans in the first quarter when it was third-and-2, and Little made a rookie mistake and ran a one-yard pattern.

They ask, "How do you run a 1-yard pass pattern as a receiver when all you need is two yards?"

The Browns insisted the new offense would change the receivers, who had been struggling under Mangini. But it's been more of the same, only Brian Robiskie was placed on waivers. Mohamed Massaquoi has been out with a concussion. Cribbs drifts in and out of the game plans.

The front office didn't help Shurmur, the offensive coordinator. The top two draft picks in the last two seasons have been defensive players. They gambled right tackle Tony Pashos would stay healthy -- despite playing only 11 games over two years. Pashos has battled injuries. Left guard Eric Steinbach went down for the year with back surgery.

No veteran receiver or experienced offensive linemen capable of starting were added. The blocking is shaky, the special teams too often have been scary. Bad luck wiped out the running game -- injuries to Peyton Hillis, Montario Hardesty and Brandon Jackson. The lockout erased summer workouts to help implement the offense.

Shurmur has a quarterback who entered the year with only eight pro starts, and no big time playmakers other than the injured Hillis on offense. He is a rookie head coach who is calling his own plays, and that hasn't always been smooth.

The results have sometimes been painful to watch not only because of the losing, but because nothing much has changed on offense.

As the Penn State case demonstrates, assuring child safety too often takes a back seat to self-preservation or, worse, apathy.

View full sizeMatt Rourke, Associated PressThe blue ribbons worn by many Penn State students were the first signs of a new attention and understanding for the need to protect our children. Will that sentiment spread across the nation?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Penn State child sex abuse scandal must become our 9/11 moment for protecting children. This should shock us into a heightened state of readiness.

One would hope any normal person would act and follow through the moment he or she learns of children being abused. But as the Penn State case demonstrates, assuring child safety too often takes a back seat to self-preservation or, worse, apathy.

This should be our 9/11 moment. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we all became our country's keepers. We understand the role everyone plays in keeping our community and nation safe. We've learned not to ignore certain signs, and we know when the moment comes, ordinary people, as much as leaders, should be ready to say, "Let's roll."

Preventing and reacting to child abuse needs to be an equal part of the nation's curriculum. We must be a society that protects its children above all. There should be no deliberation, no passing the buck and certainly no looking the other way with the belief that it's really none of our business.

It's an uncomfortable subject. Such is life. We still need to face it head-on.

What allegedly happened in State College, Pa., isn't the nation's first child sex-abuse scandal, but it is no less disturbing. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky faces charges related to abusing at least eight boys over 15 years. The furor over how Penn State handled earlier reports about Sandusky resulted in Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and President Graham Spanier losing their jobs, as well as the arrest of two other university officials on perjury charges.

The fact we have been down this gruesome road before does not foster optimism that the Penn State case will have a large impact. But already, lawmakers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are attempting to strengthen mandated reporting laws requiring more people to contact the police in cases such as the one at Penn State.

It's not enough just to say this is bad and we will protect our children. We can't always be there to shield them, because part of growing up is sending them out into the world.

In addition to preparing ourselves, we need to prepare our children. It's a difficult conversation to have, and it is one we must learn to undertake. One of the better suggestions I've heard in the wake of the Penn State scandal is that children shouldn't just have one or two parents they feel safe going to for help. They should have five "safe adults," and if one does not help, they can go to the next.

Dozens of studies show child sexual abuse is among the most underreported crimes. That in part is because the victims often feel powerless to help themselves. If we give children a plan, so that if or when something uncomfortable happens, they will know there are people on their side.

The reporting of sexual abuse and the follow-through by a responsible society are vital to preventing further abuse. If our children aren't safe, no one is.

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

The Browns' first-year head coach defended his strategy at the end of Sunday's 13-12 loss to the Rams, running the ball to set up a field goal instead of trying to pass for a touchdown. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- If Pat Shurmur had it to do all over again, he'd do it almost exactly the same way.

The Browns' first-year head coach staunchly defended his strategy at the end of Sunday's 13-12 loss to the Rams, running the ball six straight times in the red zone and setting up a field goal instead of trying to pass for a touchdown.

The Browns lost after Phil Dawson's 22-yard field goal attempt was deflected by James Hall with 2:10 left following a snap that went off Alex Mack's foot.

"No. I'll go to the well with what I did," said Shurmur. "And I'll go to the well lining up to kick the field goal, making them use timeouts and leaving them nearing two minutes to try to drive and beat us. I'll do that again."

He said he thinks quarterback Colt McCoy understood his decision to rely on the foot of old-reliable Dawson to win the game. Dawson had made 16 of 18 field-goal attempts this season before the final attempt Sunday, with two blocked.

"I'd do it again that way because I think you can run the football in the end zone as well," he said. "We were having some success with some of the schemes we were running and making yards with the backs we had in the game. Just because you run the ball doesn't mean you're giving up.

"We're all aware they ran the ball here last year and had success. There are reasons for it. The clock runs. You shorten the game. [Rams coach] Steve [Spagnuolo] took a timeout because he wanted to preserve time."

He said going for the field goal was a no-brainer.

"You have a chance to score and go ahead, you do that," he said. "Then you kick to them and play defense. There's no decision there, I don't think. I mean, I think that's what you do."

He said the Browns' 0-3 mark in the red zone leading up to that point played into the strategy at the end. The Browns had thrown a few passes to the end zone that were unsuccessful.

"I was going to run the football there and I wanted to run plays that would keep the clock running," he said.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerPat Shurmur admitted he should have stopped the play that resulted with tight end Alex Smith (18, center of photo) fumbling a handoff as a backup fullback on the Browns' final drive. "I knew who was in the game, and I chose not to stop the play," he said.

The only thing he probably would've done differently is call a timeout once he was told by his staff on the sideline that tight end Alex Smith was in the game at fullback for an ailing Owen Marecic on a second-and-goal play at the 9.

Shurmur called a handoff to Marecic, and once he discovered it was Smith, he felt it was too late to do anything about it. Smith, who said he can't ever remember taking a handoff, fumbled the exchange, with Josh Cribbs recovering. If Cribbs hadn't done so, the focus would've been on that miscue. As it was, the play went for a 2-yard gain.

"I knew who was in the game, and I chose not to stop the play," said Shurmur. "And partly because I couldn't get to an official and then I couldn't get to Colt to communicate [because the helmet radio was cut off by then]. Alex knew he was getting the ball and Colt knew he was giving it to him and they're football players. You run a lot of plays in the game that the backup has to execute that he may not have done."

Should McCoy have called a timeout?

"No, because Alex knew he was getting the ball," said Shurmur. "They did it all right except for the exchange."

Shurmur said it's not true that McCoy isn't allowed to audible in that situation. "He's the quarterback," said Shurmur. "But in that situation we were trying to run the football."

So why not take a knee?

"Because you can pop a run," he said. "You can score on a run play just as well as on a pass play. I was not trying to not score, OK? What I was trying to do was run the ball and score, and if we didn't, the advantage to doing that was the clock was running, we were forcing them to use their timeouts. If we didn't get the touchdown, then we were in position to kick a field goal and go ahead and that's what I was trying to do.

"The defense was playing extremely well. I felt confident that if we kicked the field goal and went ahead, then we'd have an outstanding chance to win the football game."

In the first half, McCoy threw to tight end Jordan Cameron in the end zone and the pass was knocked away, and another to tight end Evan Moore near the goal line in which Moore was flagged for a facemask. A pass intended for Cribbs was tipped at the line.

"There was times when we got down there before the half and threw it and we didn't make it, right?" said Shurmur. "We took a shot Evan and you got a facemask, which backed us up and made the field goal. All those things that happen during the game, that plays into a little bit the way the strategy at the end as well."

Shurmur said the loss hurt him as much as it did the fans.

"I'm just like every other person in the city of Cleveland that woke up this morning disappointed that we lost, all right?" he said. "I feel the same frustration. I'm disappointed, but not discouraged. I feel it. I've lived it. I'm from this region. I'm not from Mars. I just happen to be in a position right now to help inspire a bunch of guys to go win a game that will make our fans extremely proud."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Ohio connections will matter as Ohio State looks not just for a football coach, but for a program CEO.

View full sizeAP fileLinked by observers to both Penn State and Ohio State, former Florida coach Urban Meyer has Ohio roots but says he's content working for ESPN as a college analyst.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As Ohio State considers its choice as its next football coach, the Buckeyes are inclined to look for what Michigan found -- a leader with Ohio roots.

With two games left in the regular season, it appears three names may interest Ohio State the most: former Florida coach Urban Meyer, current Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and Luke Fickell, who has led the Buckeyes since the forced resignation of Jim Tressel on May 30.

Ohio ties will be a factor in the search, according to those with knowledge of the process, in part because it may be difficult for the Ohio State coach to be from somewhere else while first-year Michigan coach Brady Hoke, off to a strong start and looking like a long-term solution, is an Ohio native.

But more than a coach, Ohio State is looking for a CEO. What matters on the field is only part of the decision-making process, particularly in light of the recent off-field issues in college football. Winning games is important. So is leading an entire program -- working with donors as well as recruits and overseeing a big-time program from top to bottom.

That's where Ohio State may have questions about Fickell, in his first year as a head coach. Meyer has 10 years of head-coaching experience, including six at Florida, while Pelini is in his fourth year at Nebraska. Meyer and Pelini have had years to prove they can handle the entire operation, while Fickell has not.

While Ohio State could gauge the interest of current Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, a Youngstown native, the desire for some Ohio connection may make it more difficult for a true outside candidate -- someone like phenomenally successful Boise State coach Chris Petersen -- to enter the mix. It's also reasonable to question whether secure coaches without OSU connections would have great interest in the job in its current state.

View full sizeAP fileDuring last July's Big Ten meetings in Chicago, current OSU coach Luke Fickell (right) was greeted by fellow Buckeyes alum and Nebraska coach Bo Pelini.

But in Meyer, Fickell and Pelini, the search process matches much of the conventional wisdom. Their names aren't a shock, but they are realistic options.

• Urban Meyer: The 46-year-old current ESPN analyst has been talked about from the moment he stepped down at Florida for health and personal reasons last December, before the troubles for Jim Tressel and the OSU program ever became public. Insiders have said Meyer had at least as much, if not more, interest in the Penn State job, but everything with the Nittany Lions has changed now. Ohio State has some level of belief that if Meyer does coach next season after this one year as a broadcaster, it would be with the Buckeyes.

Last week, after the firing of Penn State coach Joe Paterno, Meyer issued a statement that read, "I am very happy with my role at ESPN. I have no plans to return to coaching at this time."

It appears that Ohio State and Meyer have not yet had the serious discussions that would need to come before a hire. Tuesday night, with Ohio State hosting Florida in basketball, school officials may take the opportunity to gather more first-hand background from Gator administrators.

• Luke Fickell: The 38-year-old former Buckeye player and assistant coach is as tied to the program as anyone could be, as a four-year starter at nose guard and nine-year assistant coach. At 6-4, he has the Buckeyes one converted extra point away from controlling their own destiny in the race for the Big Ten title game. He's also overseeing at least a four-loss season for a school that has lost that many games once in the previous nine seasons. Tressel was 7-5 his first year.

But Fickell's candidacy won't be decided by one blocked extra point or one last-second touchdown pass. There's more to it than that. Whether Fickell is ready for the full responsibility of every facet of the program is more the issue.

"Whoever the coach is next year, and I think it should be Luke and will be Luke, we should thank God for what Luke has done this season," said a person close to Fickell. "He's setting the foundation for the future and getting Ohio State through this situation."

• Bo Pelini: Pelini lies somewhere between Meyer and Fickell, without the two national championships that Meyer claims, but with more experience than Fickell, his fellow former Buckeye. There is reason to believe there is some mutual interest, though Pelini's focus at the moment is getting ready for Michigan on Saturday.

Pelini has raised some eyebrows with his demonstrative sideline behavior, but he showed his side as a program leader with his postgame comments after the Cornhuskers' 17-14 win over Penn State on Saturday.

"I will be honest with you going into the game, I didn't think the game should have been played, for a lot of different reasons," Pelini said after a 17-14 victory. "I look at my job as a football coach as to educate and to prepare the kids that come into the program for the rest of their life."

Those kinds of words will matter to Ohio State as it starts to move forward from its NCAA violations, especially if they're spoken by someone from Ohio.

KSU returns nine of its top 10 from a squad that went 25-12 last season.

View full sizeJack Dempsey, Associated PressJustin Greene could average a double-double this season for Kent State, after winning the MAC's top player award in 2010-11.

KENT, Ohio -- Kent State's men's basketball team plans its journey toward the postseason a little differently from most: The Golden Flashes try to cover every base.

The emphasis is on a quality non-conference schedule that preps a run at winning the Mid-American Conference regular-season title. That, in turn, puts KSU in prime position for a MAC Tournament championship run and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Flashes have been ranked among the top 100 teams in the country 12 of the last 13 years, according to the Ratings Percentage Index, and have cracked the top 50 six times. In that era, KSU has beaten name teams such as Boston College and Butler in the regular season, and George Mason twice.

This scheduling philosophy plays into the wheelhouse of this season's team, which returns nine of its top 10 from a squad that went 25-12 last season, 12-4 in the MAC. That group includes reigning conference Player of the Year Justin Greene (15.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg), top defender Mike Porrini (10.1 ppg), and top sixth man Carlton Guyton (12.4 ppg).

Last season, all three played well over 30 minutes a game, and wore down.

The additions of two transfers, 6-6 Patrick Jackson (Rutgers) and 6-6 Chris Evans (Coastal Carolina/Wabash JC) should help. Jackson struggles to score, but he can defend four positions. Evans can be a difference-maker at both ends of the court. Add 6-3 freshman guards Kris Brewer and Dev Manley, and the two-time defending MAC regular-season champions should have the depth and experience to make their scheduling philosophy pay off once again.

"Our goals don't change," first-year coach Rob Senderoff said. "We prepare to play in the postseason. Our schedule this year is tough, which should prepare us to play in what I believe will be a very tough conference race. We can't afford to play games where we show up and win on a bad night. We have to schedule to play our best, to grind it, to give ourselves a chance to win every night."

This "grind it" mentality does not always lead to pretty basketball, but in the sheer tenacity and ferocity of play, and victories at the end.

While last season is no measure of the future, Kent will play four Top 50 RPI teams from 2010-11.

During Kent State's run to the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals last season, ESPN announcer Jimmy Dykes' in-game appraisal of the Golden Flashes against Colorado mirrored Senderoff's scheduling philosophy.

"Kent State, these guys are a bunch of ballers," Dykes said. "A bunch of guys who say, 'Where are we playing? What time does the game start? Let's get it on.'"

It all starts Tuesday morning with a 10 a.m. ESPN game at West Virginia.

Managerial experience does not seem to be a necessity this off-season, as teams look to fill their managerial positions with candidates of little or no experience.

View full sizeChris Lee, St. Louis Post-DispatchFormer Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny -- who has never managed at any level of baseball -- was introduced as Tony La Russa's replacement in St. Louis on Monday.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. has not heard from Boston or the Cubs about a second interview concerning their managerial openings. Mike Maddux appears to be the leading candidate in Chicago and Dale Sveum the favorite in Boston.

Alomar has never managed. The same goes for Maddux, Texas' pitching coach. Sveum, Milwaukee's hitting coach, managed 12 games for the Brewers at the end of the 2008 season after Ned Yost was fired. Before that he managed three years in the minors for Pittsburgh.

Sveum and Alomar interviewed for both jobs last week. Maddux was invited to interview in Boston, but declined. He said it was too far from his family in Texas.

On Monday, Mike Matheny, a former catcher like Alomar, was named the Cardinals' manager to replace retired Tony La Russa. This will be his first job as a manager at any level. The White Sox, Chicago's other team, named Robin Ventura manager when Ozzie Guillen re-signed at the end of the season. Ventura is a managerial rookie as well.

So why isn't previous managerial experience a must as it has been in the past?

"I've gone both ways," said Milwaukee GM Melvin at the GM/owners meetings, which began Monday in Milwaukee. "Ned Yost was inexperienced. Ken Macha was experienced. Ron Roenicke was inexperienced. It comes down to what's available at the time and what fits for your organization.

"Are you looking to contend? Are you looking to rebuild? Are you looking to transition?"

There was no doubt what the Brewers were trying to do this past season when they won 96 games, a division title and reached the NLCS before losing to St. Louis. Prince Fielder was in his walk year. It was win now or else. They did it with a rookie manager in Roenicke. He's a different kind of rookie than Alomar or Maddux, having managed five years in the minors for the Dodgers and Giants. He coached 11 years in the big leagues for the Angels.

"I don't think a new manager necessarily has to go through growing pains," said Melvin. "It just depends what kind of team he has."

Melvin knows Maddux and Sveum well. He hired them to be part of his big-league coaching staff. Sveum was named interim manager after firing Yost. Melvin had a chance to keep Sveum as manager after the 2008 season, but hired the veteran Macha instead.

"I'm not a big believer in the interim thing," said Melvin. "Interim guys are nice guys in September, but sometimes the next year they're not the same guys when it comes to the players. I wanted a new face."

The Indians interviewed over 10 candidates to replace Eric Wedge following the 2009 season. Some had managerial experience, some did not. They settled on Manny Acta, who had a wealth of experience coaching and managing in the minors and big leagues.

"There are 30 different markets in the big leagues with 30 different challenges," said GM Chris Antonetti. "We felt Manny was the right fit for us for a number of reasons. Prior experience was not a pre-requisite for the job.

"When we hired Eric, he hadn't managed or coached in the big leagues."

As for why there has been a run on Alomar, Maddux, Sveum, Matheny and Ventura, Antonetti said, "They're very talented guys. They're well respected throughout the game."

The Cubs aren't expected to make a decision until next week. The Red Sox have said they could make a choice this week. GM Ben Cherington and team owners John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino were reportedly going to interview Sveum on Tuesday at the GM/owner meetings.

Sveum coached third base for Boston in 2004-05.

"Every player who played in the big leagues was a rookie at one time," said Melvin. "And every guy who managed in the big leagues, somewhere had to get their start."

There seems to be a lot of that going around this off-season.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

News and rumors from MLB's GM/owners meetings at the Pfister Hotel.

View full sizeAP fileJourneyman outfielder Rick Ankiel, who hit nine homers in part-time action with Washington in 2011, is a Scott Boras client who might interest the Indians.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- News and rumors from MLB's GM/owners meetings at the Pfister Hotel:

Agent Scott Boras says he's going to meet with Indians GM Chris Antonetti this week to discuss some of his players. That in itself is a surprise, because Boras' clients don't come cheap. Among his stable of free agents are Prince Fielder, Edwin Jackson, Ryan Madson, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Pena, Francisco Rodriguez, Bruce Chen, Rick Ankiel, Johnny Damon, J.D. Drew, Andruw Jones and Mike Gonzalez.

The Indians aren't going to bid on Fielder in an effort to improve their offense. They might be interested in Pena, another power-hitting lefty-hitting first baseman. Outfielders Jones, Drew and Ankiel could draw some interest as well. The Indians need an outfielder, who can play left or center, to team with Michael Brantley and Shin-Soo Choo.

Asked if he felt the Indians, who had a $49 million payroll last season, were willing to spend money, Boras said, "Yes."

No numbers, please: The Brewers won 96 games and the NL Central this year. They advanced to the NLCS before losing to St. Louis. This winter they would like to make an upgrade at shortstop.

GM Doug Melvin was asked about how much contract he's had with the agents for free agent shortstop Jose Reyes.

"One phone call. No [salary] numbers," said Melvin.

Next: The Phillies supposedly had a deal in place with Boras last week to re-sign Madson, their closer, to a four-year, $44 million deal. The deal didn't get done and the Phillies signed Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon to a four-year, $50 million deal completed Monday.

"The Phillies had make a choice," said Boras. "They made the choice and we're moving forward."

Topsy turvy: The Indians have named Edwin Rodriguez manager at Class A Carolina. Rodriguez managed the Marlins to a 78-85 record over parts of two seasons from June 23, 2010 through June 18, 2011. The Carolina Mudcats, located in Zebulon, N.C., are the Indians new Class A affiliate in the Carolina League after purchasing the Kinston franchise prior to the 2011 season.

Rodriguez, 51, is the first Puerto Rican to manage a big-league team. Before managing the Marlins, he worked in their player development system from 2006-10. Rodriguez, an infielder, spent parts of three seasons in the big leagues with the Yankees and Padres from 1982-85.

Moving on: Aaron Holbert managed Kinston in 2011 to a 76-62 record. They made the postseason, but lost in the championship round. Holbert, who managed four years in the Indians' system, will manage Atlanta's Class AA Mississippi Braves.

Gary Thurman, the Indians' minor-league coordinator for outfield play and base running, has left to join Ozzie Guillen's staff in Miami. Lee May Jr., Class AAA Columbus hitting coach, was hired by Seattle to be its minor-league hitting coordinator.

Indians farm director Ross Atkins says he's in the final stages of filling those and other vacancies -- Dave Miller (pitching coordinator) and Tom Wiedenbauer (field coordinator) -- to the Tribe's big-league staff.

Adios: Adam Miller, who used to throw 100 mph when he was the Indians' top prospect, is a minor-league free agent, and not expected to return to the Indians. Miller's career headed in the wrong direction once he tore a tendon in the middle finger of his right hand.

New job: Joel Skinner, a former Indians catcher, coach and manager, will manage Class AAA Charlotte for the White Sox next year. Skinner was Oakland's bench coach last season. At the end of the season he was fired because manager Bob Melvin, who replaced Bob Geren on June 9, wanted his own coaching staff.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

While the NBA Players Association ended contract negotiations with the league on Monday, one labor law expert thinks the players actually made a move that could get them back to the bargaining table soon.

View full sizeSeth Wenig, Associated PressThe strategy chosen by NBA players union president Derek Fisher (left) and director Billy Hunter might actually re-start negotiations with the owners, says one legal observer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While the NBA Players Association ended contract negotiations with the league on Monday, one labor law expert thinks the players actually made a move that could get them back to the bargaining table soon.

According to Michael McCann, director of the Sports Law Institute at the University of Vermont who acts as Sports Illustrated's legal analyst, a key development was the players association choosing to file a disclaimer of interest rather than decertifying.

"Decertification is a more comprehensive process," McCann said on NBA TV. "It requires a wait of 45 to 60 days. Disclaimer of interest, on the other hand, is a less formal process that enables the players association to essentially walk away from the players and players can then file an antitrust lawsuit. Both mechanisms allow the filing of an antitrust lawsuit. ... The benefit of disclaimer of interest is that it allows us to reverse that process relatively easily.

"Decertification, on the other hand, requires a voting process. It requires approval by the National Labor Relations Board. So the players are thinking in essence, 'we can file an antitrust lawsuit but also get back to bargaining table really quickly if we want to.'

"As great as that sounds, the NBA is going to say to the National Labor Relations Board and also to a court that the union isn't bargaining in good faith and what they're trying to do is use antitrust law to sue owners and to reach a settlement that way and that's not consistent with the goal of the labor law."

Some question the timing of Monday's decision.

"It's harder for the players now because they've already gone through the negotiation process," said Keith A. Ashmus of the Cleveland law firm Frantz Ward, a labor law expert and past president of the Ohio State Bar Association. "They've got management having taken actions under the labor antitrust exemption and made an offer. So management can now just sit there and say, 'We're just continuing on the status quo. No agreement here. The agreement that we had was while we were protected. We don't have anything to start a season with.'

"Had it been the other way, like the NFL starting earlier in the process, the action of the owners to have a lockout might have been easier to attack."

Ashmus was asked if he thought the decertification of the NFL Players Association at the start of the negotiation process had any impact on getting a deal done last summer.

"I think it did," he said. "I think there was pressure because the judge had decided that there was potential violation there, and I think it provided some impetus for the owners to make a deal. It wasn't the sole thing -- they didn't want to lose the season -- but it did provide some leverage."

Ashmus was asked why there doesn't seem to be a lot of sympathy for the NBA players association here after the big victory for collective bargaining rights in last week's election.

"Sports unions don't act like regular unions," he said. "How many millions can you have?"

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Defending national champion Akron (13-3-4) will host Big Ten champion Northwestern (11-4-5) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium in the first round of the NCAA men’s soccer tournament.

Zips play soccer Thursday: Defending national champion Akron (13-3-4) will host Big Ten champion Northwestern (11-4-5) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium in the first round of the NCAA men’s soccer tournament. The winner will face No. 6-seeded SMU (13-6-1) on the road at 8 p.m. Sunday. All UA season ticket holders who purchased the postseason package will be able to use their Nov. 20 game ticket for Thursday’s contest. All other fans may purchase tickets starting today at 10 a.m., by calling 1-888-992-5766 or visiting the ticket office at InfoCision Stadium.

KSU honors: Kent State women’s soccer forward Stephanie Haugh was named to the Mid-American Conference’s All-Freshman Team. She was fourth on the team in scoring with 13 points on six goals and one assist. Sophomore Jessacca Gironda (Archbishop Hoban) was named to the Capital One Academic All-District V Second Team. She was third on the team with five goals and five assists. KSU won 12 matches and the MAC East regular-season title.

B-W athletes in NCAAs: The Baldwin-Wallace men’s soccer team lost to host SUNY Oneonta, 2-1, over the weekend in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Oneonta, N.Y. Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference midfielder Andy Thompson scored for B-W (16-6). . . . B-W junior Kenny Janosko (Mentor) placed sixth out of 243 total runners at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Meet at Oberlin. He has qualified for the Division III National Championship Meet at Oshkosh, Wis. He covered the 8K course in 24:56.38.

The judges have spoken, but not many in the crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night wanted to hear what they had to say, Joe Maxse writes in today's Boxing Insider.

AP PhotoFilipino congressman Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao upped his boxing record to Pacquiao 54-3-2, 38 KOs after a split decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez over the weekend.

The judges have spoken, but not many in the crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night wanted to hear what they had to say.

Once again, the majority pro- Mexican side could not believe their Juan Manuel Marquez had come out on the short side against World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, putting the Mexican’s record against the Filipino at 0-2-1.

The majority decision came about because Glenn Trowbridge (116-112) and Dave Moretti (115-113) had it for Pacquiao, while Robert Hoyle (114-114) had it a draw.

According to Compubox statistics, Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) landed 176 of 578 punches to 138 of 436 for Marquez (52-6-1, 39 KOs).

It was a matter of Pacquiao pressing the action and Marquez countering his every move.

“I don’t know what I need to do to change the minds of the judges,” Marquez said afterward. “I thought I won this fight more clearly than the first two. I don’t know what more I need to do.”

There were no knockdowns, which Marquez could have used to bolster his definitive statement of victory.

“I thought I won this fight,” said Pacquiao, who had to get stitches above his right eye. “Marquez always waits for me to create action so he can counter. It’s not easy to do that. I was very careful. I have to accept that it’s not easy to fight Marquez.”

While there was talk of doing it a fourth time, the discussion once again switches to Floyd Mayweather Jr. All roads point to a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown in May.

You can judge for yourself on Saturday when HBO replays Pacquiao-Marquez at 10:30 p.m.

Good show: By all accounts, Saturday’s first outing for promoter Tim VanNewhouse at the La Villa Party and Banquet Center in Brooklyn was a success. Headlining Cleveland lightweight Mark Davis (16-0, 5 KOs) won a unanimous decision against Buffalo’s Guillermo Sanchez (14-3-1, 5 KOs) in the 10-round feature. The other four bouts went the distance, with Wilkins Santiago, Antonio Nieves, Angel Figueroa and Ela Nunez picking up wins.

“It was nerve-wracking, but the anticipation paid off,” said VanNewhouse, who put the crowd at approximately 1,000. “We started on this in May. I feel fortunate to put on a classy show.” He said he might try to go again in February.

Welcome back: Cleveland welterweight Prenice Brewer (16-1-1, 6 KOs) returned to the ring after a 15-month hiatus with a split-decision victory against previously undefeated Emmanuel Taylor (14-1, 10 KOs) last Friday in Washington.

Brewer, 23, had not fought since being stopped by Patrick Lopez in August 2010.

Amateur shows: The Ohio State Former Boxers and Associates will hold their annual show at the Brook Park Armory, 6225 Engle Road, in Brook Park on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Contact Marty Healy at 216-676-0612 or Donyelle Bell at 216-357-1866.

Youngstown’s South Side Boxing Club is sponsoring the fourth annual Bob Roth Memorial Show at St. Lucy’s Hall in the Palermo Center, 404 Tenney Ave., in Campbell, on Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Call Jack Loew at 330-501-5713.

This date: Olympians Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, Mark Breland and Virgil Hill made their pro debuts on the same Madison Square Garden show in 1984.

The former Penn State assistant football coach at the heart of a massive sex scandal said he showered with young boys and hugged them but called the allegedly criminal contact "horseplay." Story includes video from NBC's "Rock Center."

Former Penn State football defensive coordinator Gerald "Jerry" Sandusky said in an telephone interview with Bob Costas Monday night on NBC News' "Rock Center" that there was no abuse and that any activities in a campus shower with a boy were just horseplay, not molestation. (AP Photo/The Patriot-News, Andy Colwell, File)

NEW YORK — The former Penn State assistant football coach at the heart of a massive sex scandal said he showered with young boys and hugged them but called the allegedly criminal contact "horseplay."

Jerry Sandusky told NBC News' "Rock Center" on Monday night that he was not a pedophile but, in retrospect, should not have showered with the boys he's charged with sexually assaulting.

In an interview with Bob Costas, Sandusky, once considered the heir apparent to coaching legend Joe Paterno, proclaimed his innocence in the face of a series of startling allegations detailed in a grand jury report issued last week.

"I am innocent of those charges," Sandusky said. "... I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them, and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact."

Sandusky is accused of sexually assaulting eight boys over a 15-year span, with some of the alleged crimes happening at Penn State, where he had access to campus as an emeritus professor following his 1999 retirement as Paterno's top defensive assistant.

Asked whether he was sexually attracted to underage boys, he said "sexually attracted, no. I enjoy young people, I love to be around them, but, no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."

Asked if there was anything he had done wrong, Sandusky said, "I shouldn't have showered with those kids."

When pressed about how two people could claim to have witnessed Sandusky engaged in sexual contact with boys on two different occasions, Sandusky replied that "you'd have to ask" them.

The scandal has hit hard the community called Happy Valley, where "success with honor" is the motto. Paterno and University President Graham Spanier have lost their jobs and Athletic Director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz face perjury charges.

The interview with Costas was Sandusky's first public comment on the charges. He had previously maintained his innocence through his attorney, Joe Amendola.

"We anticipate we're going to have at least several of those kids come forward and say 'This never happened. This is me. This is the allegation. It never occurred,'" Amendola said on the NBC broadcast.

The New York Times reported on its website late Monday that close to 10 additional suspected victims have come forward to authorities since Sandusky's arrest, according to people close to the investigation. The paper said police were working to confirm the new allegations.

A spokesman for Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly declined to comment on the interview, citing the active investigation.

Amendola earlier told CNN that his client was just behaving like "a jock."

"Jerry Sandusky is a big overgrown kid," Amendola said. "He's a jock, and for anybody who's ever played sports, you get showers after you work out."

Wide receivers coach Mike McQueary told a grand jury that in March 2001 when he was a graduate assistant, he saw Sandusky sodomizing a boy about 10 years old in a shower at the Nittany Lions' practice center. McQueary did not go to police but instead told Paterno, Curley and Schultz, although it is unclear how detailed a description he gave. Schultz, in turn, notified Spanier.

Sandusky told NBC there was no sexual contact.

"We were showering and horsing around, and he actually turned all the showers on and was actually sliding across the floor, and we were, as I recall, possibly like snapping a towel — horseplay," he said.

Amendola accused the attorney general's office of having "thrown everything they can throw up against the wall." He said some of the allegations, such as putting a hand on a boy's knee, do not constitute criminal conduct and other cases include no direct complaint by the boy.

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"They have other people who are saying they saw something, but they don't have actual people saying, 'This is what Jerry did to me,'" Amendola said. "We're working to find those people, and when the time comes, and if we are able to do that, we think this whole case will change dramatically."

The Associated Press has made several efforts to reach Sandusky by phone and through Amendola, but messages haven't been returned. The AP also knocked on Sandusky's door and left messages at least three times over the past week.

When Sandusky retired in 1999, at just 55, he cited his desire to devote more time to The Second Mile, a charity he founded in 1977 to help at-risk kids. According to the grand jury report, however, Sandusky was a sexual predator who used the charity and his Penn State connections to prey on young boys.

Though he was not particularly close with Paterno, he remained a familiar sight around the Penn State football complex. He was given an office in the East Area Locker building, across the street from the football building, as part of his retirement package, and would take Second Mile kids around the football facilities.

The Sandusky interview came on the day when it was announced the president of The Second Mile had resigned. Jack Raykovitz, a practicing psychologist who had led the group for 28 years, said he hoped his resignation, accepted Sunday, would help restore faith in the group's mission. The Second Mile also announced it had hired Philadelphia's former longtime district attorney Lynne Abraham as its new general counsel.

Separately, the Big Ten has decided to take Paterno's name off its championship trophy. League commissioner Jim Delany said that it is "inappropriate" to keep Paterno's name on the trophy that will be awarded Dec. 3 to the winner of the conference's first title game.

The trophy had been named the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy. Paterno had more wins, 409, than any other major college coach while football pioneer Amos Alonzo Stagg won 319 games in 57 years at the University of Chicago.

The trophy will now be called the Stagg Championship Trophy.