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Game canceled, but LeBron James charity event on for Wednesday

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James expected to appear at noon at Mason Community Learning Center on Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Although his charity basketball game with Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony scheduled for Thursday at the University of Akron was canceled, LeBron James still plans to attend a Wheels for Education event at the Mason Community Learning Center in Akron at noon on Wednesday.

No other NBA player is expected at Wednesday's event.

James and the other players joined Feed the Children and The Boys and Girls Club of America to supply 800 meals to families in Brooklyn neighborhoods on Tuesday.

An Akron spokesman said that 1,500 tickets had been sold to the basketball game at the James A. Rhodes Arena, which holds 5,000.



Ohio State vs. Duke - Live Twitter updates

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Get live Twitter updates as No. 2 Ohio State hosts No. 3 Duke in a college basketball game in Columbus.

aaron-craft.JPGView full sizeAaron Craft and the Buckeyes take on Duke tonight.
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team is ranked second in the nation. The Buckeyes take on No. 3 Duke tonight in Columbus.

Get updates on Twitter from Doug Lesmerises @PDBuckeyes in the box below. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m.

College football scoreboard

Cleveland Indians P.M. links: Winter Meetings held next week, with Tribe not expected to make big news

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Cleveland might tweak its current roster, but the relatively young nucleus for 2012 is in place. More links to Indians stories.

jason-kipnis.jpgThe 2012 Cleveland Indians will depend on a nucleus of young players such as second baseman Jason Kipnis.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Baseball's Winter Meetings will be held in Dallas next Monday, Dec. 5, through Thursday, Dec. 8.

The Cleveland Indians, who went 80-82 last season and finished second to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division, aren't expected to be especially active.

The Indians roster is relatively young, and it's understood that the current players on board will form the team's nucleus in 2012.

Jordan Bastian of MLB.com writes about the Indians' approach to the Winter Meetings, referring to general manager Chris Antonetti: 

Cleveland has already shored up its rotation by acquiring Derek Lowe in a trade with the Braves and solidified its outfield by re-signing Grady Sizemore. Next on the agenda -- beyond the usual low-profile moves to address depth up and down the roster -- is finding a way to improve the Tribe's offense.

Antonetti has held discussions with free agents and he has talked trades with other teams. The Indians GM is not sure, however, which route might present the best option for upgrading the position-player aspect of his roster.

"It's very difficult to handicap the two different avenues," Antonetti said. "We've been engaged in both. We've certainly had substantive conversations with free agents, as well as laid the groundwork for some potential trades. Now, which direction we end up going, or whether or not those will atually get done, I don't have a great sense."

What is clear at the moment is that the Indians plan on relying heavily on the young core that is in the fold, with the hope that the team can build on the success experienced throughout the 2011 season. Cleveland had one of the youngest rosters in baseball, but finished second in the American League Central.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage will detail any moves the Indians make before, during or after the Winter Meetings.

Rounding third

Baseball, unlike the other sports, quietly settled on a new collective bargaining recently. Jon Steiner, writing for the WaitingForNextYear blog, explains how the new agreement could affect the Indians in Part 1 (league minimum players) and in Part 2 (draft compensation).

An Indians Winter Meetings preview, by Scott Barzilla for the Bleacher Report.

On MLB.com, Jordan Bastian answers readers' questions about the Indians.

An Arizona Fall League recap for players in the Indians' organization, by Tony Lastoria of Indians Prospect Insider.

A Bleacher Report slideshow of players ready to make an impact in the big leagues includes Indians pitcher Zach McAllister.

What the new collective bargaining agreement might mean for teams -- like the Indians -- not in the big markets. By Stpehanie Liscio for the blog "It's pronounced 'Lajaway.' "

A chart on remaining options for players on the Indians' 40-man roster, by Tony Lastoria of Indians Prospect Insider.

Details about how the new CBA will affect the baseball draft, by Jim Callis of Baseball America.

No. 2 Ohio State delivers a near-perfect blowout of No. 4 Duke, 85-63

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Ohio State blew Duke off the court in a game that showed the Buckeyes can stand with anyone.

Gallery preview

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's introduction video Tuesday night included a video of ESPN's Dick Vitale crowing about Duke, and then the Blue Devils' logo exploding in flames.

That's about what the game was like.

In front of a sellout crowd of 18,809 that included what amounted to almost an NBA All-Star team seated courtside, the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes seized the moment and blew up No. 3 Duke on the court as well, never trailing in a dominant 85-63 win as part of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.

"Sometimes you just get your butt kicked," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "So we were getting our butt kicked. I've had my butt kicked before and we've kicked some butts. Tonight my butt is sore."

Ohio State's second win this season over a ranked team, after beating No. 7 Florida two weeks ago, included major contributions from its four go-to players offense and the kind of game-changing defense that coach Thad Matta wants most. Jared Sullinger had 21 points and seven rebounds, William Buford scored 20, DeShaun Thomas had 18 and point guard Aaron Craft had 17 points and eight assists.

Matta wasn't sure how his still fairly young team, which plays just one senior and one junior, would handle the biggest nonconference home game in recent history.

"This team is still so young, at times I don't know," Matta said. "I scratch my head a lot, and there's a lot of questions going into a game like tonight. I was excited to see how we'd play, as crazy as that sounds."

The Buckeyes would up even more excited about how they did play.

"This basketball team is tough," Sullinger said. "At the beginning of the season, we didn't see what was going to happen. As we prepare and play games, the lights are getting bigger and we see what this team can do."

The Buckeyes (7-0) jumped out from the start, stunning Duke with an 11-0 run that featured stifling defense that didn't allow the Blue Devils (7-1) to catch their breath. The crowd and the Buckeyes played off each other, the students that started camping out for seats 52 hours before tipoff now shouting behind the Duke bench at timeouts.

Meanwhile, Mike Conley Jr., Evan Turner, Greg Oden, Daequan Cook, Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd were among the former OSU stars watching and cheering. And LeBron James and Dwyane Wade arrived as well, James leaping to his feet after a William Buford layup during the early run.

Sullinger did his work inside, while Buford found his jumper outside. Even when Duke rallied, cutting the lead to one at 13-12, 16-15 and 18-17, the Buckeyes never allowed the Blue Devils to get over the hump. Then the Buckeyes were rolling again, a 10-0 run highlighted by a flying tip-in from sophomore Jordan Sibert.

By the time point guard Craft double-teamed Duke big man Mason Plumlee in the post, basically tripped him, knocked him to the floor and forced a turnover as the officials called Plumlee for traveling with four minutes left in the half, the Buckeyes were in control and the Blue Devils were rattled.

It was the kind of hustling, physical play -- and borderline call -- that great home teams get in dynamic arenas. In this game, Ohio State was that kind of team, and Duke could do little about it.

"Anytime you play a big-time program like that, you have to come ready to play," Craft said. "But I think it was a great way to see where we are."

Krzyzewski thought his team played tired in its first game since winning the Maui Invitational in Hawaii last Wednesday.

"We weren't able to get juiced up in a short amount of time to go on the road," Krzyzewski said, saying the Buckeyes were fresher and more athletic. "But even if we did that, I'm not sure we would have beaten them tonight. ... You've got to get rejuvenated quickly and we were not able to do that."

The OSU highlights just kept coming, and the crowd never stopped cheering. What had been seen for moments during the Buckeyes' recent run of success was an every-minute occurrence Tuesday.

To win was one thing. To stagger Duke was another.

By the end, the game wasn't about Duke. The Blue Devils were just another opponent that couldn't keep up with Ohio State. The Buckeyes didn't need to worry about blowing up someone else's logo. They could just point to their own.

Blowout loss just a rare bad night for Duke's Mike Krzyzewski: Bill Livingston

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Krzyzewski's resume -- more victories than anyone in major-college basketball history and four national championships at Duke -- tends to dwarf even that of Urban Legend, the Buckeyes' new football coach.

coachk-osu-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeTuesday night's blowout loss to the Buckeyes wasn't one of Mike Krzyzewski's greatest moments with Duke, but college basketball's winningest coach remains the dominant icon of his sport, says Bill Livingston.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mike Krzyzewski, the last legend standing, strode into Value City Arena Tuesday night, surrounded by much of what he had created.

On the floor was his Duke team, sparked, in part, by Austin Rivers and Seth Curry, the sons of former NBA players. In the stands were blue-clad Duke fans, who showed up in surprising numbers for the ACC school's first game at Ohio State since 1964. At the broadcast table was Dick Vitale, a.k.a. Dookie V., Krzyzewski's ESPN idolater.

At courtside, behind one basket, was LeBron James, booed by the Ohio State faithful for his Cavaliers betrayal, but a member of Coach K's gold medal-winning Olympic team in Beijing. In a scarlet T-shirt and gray sweatpants, he was a sartorial testament to Buckeye loyalty. Honest. He promises.

It is probably a big recruiting boost for Ohio State to have James here. Then again, a practically perfect first half advanced the forceful argument that OSU coach Thad Matta already has a fairly effective club.

In an arena that has seldom been as loud, Ohio State scored the game's first 11 points, withstood a run by Duke, and dominated the Devils as they have seldom been dominated.

The No. 2-ranked Buckeyes led by 19 points at halftime, coasting to a 85-63 domination.

Perhaps No. 4-ranked Duke had simply too many big games too soon. Or perhaps this was a look at what the Buckeyes can become. The previously unbeaten Blue Devils had played both Big Ten Michigan schools, Tennessee, the tough mid-major Davidson and Kansas.

"I want to win and I wanted them to see I haven't retired yet," Krzyzewski said after a classic victory over Kansas in a bandbox gym in Maui last week. "It was important for me and important for the players."

Unbeaten Ohio State had played nationally-ranked Florida, then Flopsy, Mopsy, Sadsy and Sacksy. It is a typical Matta pre-conference schedule. This, however, was not a typical OSU basketball night. Usually, these fall games are something to do before the football bowl game. Krzyzewski made it mean a lot more. Ohio State's players all rose to the occasion.

"In order to beat them, we had to be at the top of our game," said Krzyzewski, who pointed to the rigors of a 13-day, seven-game schedule in calling his team "tired."

"Sometimes you just get your butt kicked," he added. "I've kicked some butt. Tonight, my butt's sore."

Krzyzewski's resume -- more victories than anyone in major-college basketball history and four national championships at Duke -- tends to dwarf even that of Urban Legend, the Buckeyes' new football coach. Urban Meyer (if you have to be picky about a coach's real name and not the immodest expectations of his fan base) won two national championships at Florida before arriving Monday as the putative savior of a suffering program.

Few coaches anywhere have been as consistent as Krzyzewski for so long. Bobby Knight, supplanted by his one-time disciple Krzyzewski earlier this season as the game's biggest winner, made his last Final Four appearance at Indiana in 1992. Krzyzewski's Duke team, soon to defend its championship, knocked out the Hoosiers then.

Joe Paterno, the biggest winner in major college football history, was as much a coach his last few seasons as Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen were golfers at the Masters when they would hit a ceremonial tee shot and then pick up.

No one says Krzyzewski is taking it easy, though.

Gallery preview

Legends are supposed to last, but that has not been the case lately. Paterno is gone from Penn State football, fired, collateral damage in an unimaginable child-molesting scandal by an aide. Jim Boeheim is embroiled in a scandal in which similar charges have been made against a fired basketball aide at Syracuse. Knight, retired, but before that he had been reduced to irrelevance at a tumbleweed school after Indiana finally ousted him for one too many Vesuvius-with-legs acts.

One thing for sure. Krzyzewski quieted many critics, including this one, in China, succeeding after NBA coaches had failed. He has always thought he could been a great NBA coach. Mostly, he was smart enough not to copy Knight slavishly, toning down the belittlement and humiliation that were ugly aspects of Knight's style.

Tuesday was Ohio State's night. Krzyzewski has had many like it. He will probably have many more. The man actually won with James, after all. In Cleveland, and possibly even at his new address in Miami, fans have come to realize this is far harder than advertised.

Legends come with an expiration date now. Is Coach K's program the last enduring symbol of what we want sports to be? Or is that too fragile a judgment these days?

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Avon duo look to put a summer of timing passes to work in state title game

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Avon faces undefeated Trotwood-Madison in the Division II state championship game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

orourke-mug-avon.jpgView full size"We just came together this year," says Avon QB Justin O'Rourke.

AVON, Ohio -- Justin O'Rourke and Matt Eckhardt knew their time would come.

It has arrived for the Avon senior quarterback and wide receiver, who have been playing pitch and catch at a productive pace this season. With their Eagles teammates, they will try to cap off what they started three years ago Friday night, when Avon faces undefeated Trotwood-Madison (14-0) in the Division II state championship game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

The Eagles (13-1) have been playing at a well-balanced pace much of the time, with credit going to the work ethic of all the seniors. But you can go back to the summer when O'Rourke and Eckhardt, who were both named first-team All-Ohio on Monday, would get together.

"We would text one another and either meet in the gym or on the turf," said Eckhardt, who has 66 catches for 1,287 yards (19.5 yards per catch) and scored 19 touchdowns. "We had to work on our timing. That's what our offense is all about."

It's an offense that has put up 496 points, with O'Rourke passing for 37 touchdowns and the ground game contributing 28 TDs.

"You take what defenses give you," said O'Rourke, who has passed for 2,843 yards. "With all the game-time adjustments, it meant things have been clicking. We just came together this year.

"Matt runs great routes and we push [defenses] vertically. He can pull it off and get open deep. He makes great plays, especially against great defenders."

eckhardt-mug-avon.jpgView full size"Justin knows his position," says receiver Matt Eckhardt, "and he took on the starting role with a head of steam."

As with most seniors, both had to pay some dues as underclassmen. Eckhardt was a defensive back as a sophomore, picking off two passes at safety that season, before moving to the offensive side last year. He had 40 catches and 10 touchdowns for last season's 10-1 club.

"Safety was fun, but I saw myself more as an offensive player," said Eckhardt, who has been playing only offense. "I've run about 10 or 15 times in the wildcat."

O'Rourke split time with Cody Schroeder as a sophomore, with Schroeder getting most of the snaps last year.

"It was his year, but it was hard," said O'Rourke, who threw for 511 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. "I did get in. I was just happy to play as a sophomore."

Avon coach Mike Elder knows it's not easy to be on the sideline. It's one reason he has utilized his team's depth -- the Eagles have nine running backs with at least 15 carries and seven players with at least seven receptions.

"Any competitor wants to play," said Elder, an All-American offensive lineman on Mount Union's 1992 national championship team. "[Justin] was getting reps and that was valuable.

"We only throw it to [Eckhardt] when he's open. The effect he has is he gets people watching him. Other guys will make them pay. That happens in the running game as well."

If Eckhardt draws too much attention, senior wide receiver Jacob Mullins (46 receptions, 702 yards, 10 TDs) will cost an opponent. Junior running back Ross Douglas, who scored on four runs in the regional final against Tiffin Columbian, has 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns.

"It's just been some great play calling by our coaches," said Eckhardt, who is undecided on his college choice. "They've doubled and stacked me and if they do, we have other receivers or run the ball.

"Justin knows his position and he took on the starting role with a head of steam."

O'Rourke knows that role well. His older brothers, Jason (2002) and Ryan (2008), both quarterbacked the Eagles and went on to play at Baldwin-Wallace, where Ryan started this season.

"It was really in middle school where he started being the quarterback," said Ryan O'Rourke, who is majoring in education and wants to coach. "We were pretty competitive, but I was always bigger and had the advantage.

"In the off-season, we'll throw together, but in the season, I don't try to correct him. He knows what he wants to do and I don't have to push him."

It's all coming together as Justin O'Rourke goes for one last victory.

"I remember being a little kid and watching at camps with them," said O'Rourke, remembering those days with his older brothers. "Now it's fun to play with my peers."

It was just a matter of time and timing.

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

From students waiting for 2 days, to Evan Turner, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James in the stands, Ohio State put on a basketball show against Duke

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"People think Ohio State is a football school, but this shows it's a basketball school, too," Turner said.

OSUfans.jpgOhio State basketball fans at the Duke game on Nov. 29, 2011

COLUMBUS - If Ohio State thought it got a rock star football coach with Urban Meyer on Monday, then Tuesday night's basketball game was a rock concert.

The buildup started when the first OSU students arrived outside the Schottenstein Center at 5 p.m. on Sunday, more than 52 hours before tipoff, to ensure they'd have first choice of the best general admission seats among the 1,400 student tickets at courtside. It continued through the announcement of Meyer as the new Buckeyes' football boss on Monday, and hit a crescendo with Ohio State's 85-63 blowout of Duke, the Blue Devils' worst loss since losing by 23 to Villanova in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Even the arrival of LeBron James, who sat courtside underneath the basket with Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade, fired up the fans, who greeted James with some hearty boos as he took his seat.

"I'm here to support the team. Fans are going to be fans, and I understand that," James said of his reception. "But this is all about Ohio State basketball, it's not about LeBron James at all."

It was Ohio State basketball at its best, on the court and around it. The sellout of 18,809 included the students in the section they were moved into last season.

"Buckeye Nation was loud and we loved it," OSU sophomore star Jared Sullinger said.

The students who waited for their seats through wind and constant rain that soaked through their tents said the new seating is what made the wait worthwhile. Ohio State administrators and coaches dropped by with pizza and doughnuts multiple times, and OSU players like Sullinger and DeShaun Thomas made several visits over the last two days as well to say thanks. By the time tipoff was three hours away, and the doors were still an hour from opening, the wait for a seat in "The Nuthouse" created a line of more than 1,000 students that snaked around the arena.

"Don't say we're crazy, say we're nuts," said one student.

LeBronOSU.jpgLeBron James, left, and Dwyane Wade watch the Ohio State-Duke game on Nov. 29, 2011.

The support grew inside the arena as well, helped by the NBA lockout. Former Buckeyes and current NBA players Evan Turner, Mike Conley Jr., Greg Oden, Daequan Cook and Michael Redd were all in attendance and introduced to the crowd during a timeout. And they were into the game.

"I'm just as nervous as if I was playing my first college game," Conley said. "It's unbelievable. It just goes to show how great basketball is at Ohio State."

"People think Ohio State is a football school, but this shows it's a basketball school, too," said Turner. "They rose to the occasion."

At halftime, a national champion was introduced, but it wasn't Meyer, as had once been rumored. The members of the OSU national championship men's volleyball team were presented with their rings, which drew another ovation. And Meyer's presence wasn't needed to get the fans excited. ESPN analyst and former OSU quarterback Kirk Herbstreit was there, but this game didn't need anything more than what Ohio State basketball had to offer.

"Ohio State basketball has a great past, a great present and a great future," Turner said.

Asked if he gave the Buckeyes his seal of approval, James laughed and said, "They've got on my shoes, of course I do."

James has been an Ohio State fan for years, and he worked out with the team this offseason.

"I'm not surprised," James said of the Buckeyes' performance. "I think it starts with Jared of course, and Will (Buford) is there and Aaron Craft, and they're the leaders, and everyone else follows behind. It's early in the season, but everyone's looking forward to how they are when March comes around."

On this night in November, the Buckeyes put on the best show anyone could have asked for. James, who was handed a "We're Nuts" fan towel by a student before the game, jumped from his seat after a Buford layup early on.

"It's cause they wear his shoes and all that stuff," Wade said with a smile. "Everyone knows he's a big Ohio State and Kentucky guy. He does a lot for those schools and supports them, so that's the reason I also wanted to come to the game with him and also see Coach K as well. I haven't been to a college game in a while."

LeBron James, left, and Dwyane WadeMiami Heat's LeBron James, left, and Dwyane Wade react while watching the Duke and Ohio State NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State beat Duke 85-63. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski may have been glad to see Wade and James after coaching them on the Olympic team, but otherwise Krzyzewski said the atmosphere had nothing to do with Duke's performance.

"The crowd helped their team, probably, but we're not going to be intimidated by the crowd," Krzyzewski said.

At Duke, students have been known to camp out for Duke-North Carolina tickets for weeks. This wasn't quite that, but this was a type of enthusiasm that the Buckeyes aren't yet taking for granted.

"I think it was incredible. From the students camping out to the noise level, you could really feel the passion in that gymnasium," OSU coach Thad Matta said. "That was about as exciting as it gets."

ROSS WATCHES: Ohio State recruit LaQuinton Ross, who was supposed to be part of this freshman class before hitting academic snags, was at the game as well. With his academics now in shape, he's expected to join the team within the next two weeks, and he could be a regular contributor by the time Big Ten conference play starts.

Syracuse's Jim Boeheim not worried about job status

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Jim Boeheim said Tuesday that "what happened on my watch" will be revealed once police complete their inquiry into child molestation accusations against his former longtime assistant. Watch video

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — After his Syracuse Orange had run away to another victory, men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim turned his focus to a far more important matter.

Boeheim said Tuesday that "what happened on my watch" will be revealed once police complete their inquiry into child molestation accusations against his former longtime assistant.

"I never worried about my job status in 36 years," Boeheim said at his first postgame news conference since Bernie Fine was fired Sunday. "I do my job. What happened on my watch, we will see. When the investigation is done, we will find out what happened on my watch."

Advocates for sex abuse victims said Boeheim should resign or be fired for adamantly defending Fine and verbally disparaging two former Syracuse ball boys, two of the three men who have accused Fine of molesting them.

"Based on what I knew at that time, there were three investigations and nothing was corroborated," Boeheim said. "That was the basis for me saying what I said. I said what I knew at the time."

He said he didn't regret backing Fine when the allegations were first made public.

"I've been with him for 36 years, known him for 48 years, went to school with him," Boeheim said. "I think you owe a debt of allegiance and gratitude for what he did for the program. That's what my reaction was. So be it."

Fine has denied the allegations.

Boeheim received a standing ovation when he walked onto the court that bears his name for the game against Eastern Michigan that the Orange won, 84-48.

Boeheim said there's a misconception that he's bigger than the program because of his long tenure and great success. He has 863 career wins, fifth all-time in Division I.

Jim BoeheimSyracuse head coach Jim Boeheim answers questions during a news conference after Syracuse defeated Eastern Michigan 84-48 in an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

"If I was gone today, this program would be fine. This program would do great," he said. "Ten years from now, this program will do great. This is not Jim Boeheim. This is Syracuse University's basketball program. It is not about me. It never has been about me."

Asked to comment on Boeheim's status earlier Tuesday, Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor said:

"Coach Boeheim is our coach. ... We're very pleased with what he said Sunday night, and we stand by it."

After initially saying Fine's first two accusers were lying to make money in the wake of the Penn State University child sex abuse scandal, Boeheim backed off those comments Sunday.

"What is most important is that this matter be fully investigated and that anyone with information be supported to come forward so that the truth can be found," Boeheim said in a statement. "I deeply regret any statements I made that might have inhibited that from occurring or been insensitive to victims of abuse."

One of the accusers, Bobby Davis, first contacted Syracuse police in 2002 regarding Fine, but there was no investigation because the statute of limitations had passed. Kevin Quinn, a Syracuse spokesman, said police did not inform the university of Davis' allegations then.

On Tuesday, Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler said Dennis DuVal, a former SU basketball player who was police chief in 2002, knew of the allegations against Fine.

Fowler said DuVal, who played for the Orange from 1972-74, was aware of Davis' accusations in 2002 that Fine sexually abused him.

Because Davis said the abuse stopped 12 years earlier, Syracuse Det. Doug Fox told him the statute of limitations had passed, meaning an arrest was not possible. Fox advised his supervisor in the abused persons unit, but didn't file a formal report. The detective is still with the department, but not in the same unit.

A phone message left with DuVal was not immediately returned.

Fowler said Syracuse police will change their procedures moving forward.

"I was not the chief in 2002 and I cannot change the procedures in place at that time or the way this matter was then handled," Fowler said in the statement. "But what I can and will do as chief today is ensure that moving forward all reports of sexual abuse are formally documented."

On Nov. 17, Davis' allegations resurfaced.

Davis, now 39, told ESPN that Fine molested him beginning in 1984 and that the sexual contact continued until he was around 27. A ball boy for six years, Davis said the abuse occurred at Fine's home, at Syracuse basketball facilities and on team road trips, including the 1987 Final Four. Davis' stepbrother, Mike Lang, 45, who also was a ball boy, told ESPN that Fine began molesting him while he was in the fifth or sixth grade.

Boeheim said during his news conference that ball boys have never traveled with the team.

A third accuser went public Sunday. Zach Tomaselli, who faces sexual assault charges in Maine involving a 14-year-old boy, said he told police last week that Fine molested him in 2002 in a Pittsburgh hotel room.

Now the U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Secret Service have taken the lead in the Fine investigation.

Also Sunday, ESPN played an audiotape, obtained and recorded by Davis, of an October 2002 telephone conversation between him and Fine's wife, Laurie. ESPN said it hired a voice recognition expert to verify the voice on the tape and the network said it was determined to be that of Laurie Fine.

During the call to the woman, Davis repeatedly asks her what she knew about the alleged molestation and she says she knew "everything that went on."

On Tuesday night, Boeheim began his postgame news conference by reading a statement:

"It's hard to put everything into words," Boeheim said. "I thought a lot today about different things. I'm saddened in many ways by what's unfolded, and I'm looking forward to a time when we can talk and learn from what has happened.

"There is an important investigation going on, which I fully support, and I can't add anything to that by speaking more about that now," he said. "The investigation and all that we can learn from it is what is important."

Before the game, some fans offered their support for Boeheim.

"I feel sorry that he stuck up for a friend," said 40-year-old Mike Wong of Syracuse. "He was just sticking up for Bernie. He didn't understand the situation. I think the chancellor did the right thing."

"It's sad," added 29-year-old Michael Knowles of Syracuse. "We've all stuck up for a friend and then realized we shouldn't have. He (Boeheim) didn't do anything wrong."

Not everyone agrees.

In the last home game against Colgate 10 days ago, Fine's customary seat was left vacant, and players tapped it as a symbolic gesture in support of Fine. On Tuesday night, there was no empty seat.

And the Rev. Robert Hoatson, president of Road to Recovery, a group that supports victims of sexual abuse, was pushing for another empty seat.

"We want to keep saying that Jim Boeheim should resign or be fired," Hoatson said.



What we learned from Ohio State-Duke: Video

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Jared Sullinger’s new body has practical applications. With 10 minutes left in the game and OSU sitting on a comfortable lead, Sullinger was about to make it a bit more cushy for the Buckeyes.

COLUMBUS – What we learned from No. 2 Ohio State’s 85-63 thrashing of No. 4 Duke in the sixth game of the 2011 ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Jared Sullinger’s new body has practical applications. With 10 minutes left in the game and OSU sitting on a comfortable lead, Sullinger was about to make it a bit more cushy for the Buckeyes.

He set himself in the high post to the left of the goal, then waited until the ball got below the free throw line on the opposite wing – and Duke’s Mason Plumlee thus became distracted. That was Sullinger’s opportunity to dash down the lane to the right block and accept a quick entry pass, which he then turned into a layup by splitting the two adjacent defenders.

Having lost more than 20 pounds following his freshman season, Sullinger now can be a moving target. He still establishes himself in the low post on a lot of possessions, just not all of them. And that makes him more difficult to defend. Mason Plumlee picked up two first-half fouls as a result of coping with that speed, and none of the other defenders coach Mike Krzyzewski tried against Sullinger was more successful.

Gallery preview

Ohio State’s coaches always have talked about Sullinger’s ability to shoot from distance and how that can work for him and the Buckeyes, but it simply doesn’t make much sense to have your best rebounder shooting jumpshots. He did try one 3-pointer against Duke, and that was one of only two shots he missed in a 12-point first half. He doesn’t have to be a jumpshooter to be harder to guard, though.

Austin Rivers is only getting started. On a night when Duke could get almost nothing going against the Buckeyes defense, OSU essentially couldn’t stop Rivers.

Sophomore Lenzelle Smith tried to use his length – and the fact he could devote most of his energy to defense – to keep Rivers away from the ball. That worked a little early, but eventually Duke put him at point guard to assure he’d touch it as much as possible.

When Rivers had the ball above the top of the key, there was almost nothing Smith could do to keep him out of the lane. Rivers’ ability to feint in one direction and drive to the opposite – and he can do this to the left or the right – assured he’d spend a lot of his night ripping into the OSU defense.

It wasn’t enough to make it a game, but it was enough to make another statement for Rivers as he advances toward greatness in his first college season.

William Buford is vastly underrated. ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford has Buford rated the 60th-best prospect available for the 2012 NBA draft, which includes all potential one-and-dones and even prep school players Steven Adams (headed to Pitt) and Mitch McGary (bound for Michigan).

Folks, if Buford is No. 60, Justin Bieber is No. 61.

Buford is 6-5, can handle it well enough to buy minutes at the point and has topped 100 assists in each of the past two years. He has a mid-range offensive game and will finish his career with more than 200 3-pointers made. Oh, and he guards.

What did you think of Duke’s Andre Dawkins’ performance against the Buckeyes? Oh, yeah, Dawkins was out there. For a while, anyway. Check your DVR. He played 15 minutes of the first half and got off only one shot, which he missed, and that disappearance was courtesy of Buford’s defense.

Buford’s potential should not be discounted merely because he is a senior. Darren Collison was a senior in 2009. Tyler Hansbrough, too. They’ve turned out pretty well.

Three’s a company. Here’s what’s frightening for those lining up to play the Buckeyes the rest of the year. There might be only eight games left in the regular season when they won’t begin with the three best players on the floor.

Not three of the best – the three best: Sullinger, Buford and point guard Aaron Craft. Michigan State has at least one guy, in Draymond Green, who would rank inside that trio, as does Wisconsin with Jordan Taylor and Northwestern with John Shurna. But there are only a few more.

Craft’s performance against Duke was so complete it placed him firmly in any conversation about the nation’s best point guards. It’s hard for him to gain recognition in the company he keeps, but Craft confirmed his status as the best on-ball defender in college basketball by wrecking a series of Devils playmakers and dazzled with 17 points and eight assists.

As we saw with Duke in 2010 when it was led to the school’s fourth championship by Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, it’s hard to cope with a team that opens the game with three guys better than anyone you’ve got.

-- Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News

Ohio State Buckeyes: What was most impressive about the victory over Duke? Poll

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The Ohio State Buckeyes blew out Duke on Tuesday night in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. The Buckeyes never trailed. Jared Sullinger led the way for the Buckeyes with 21 points and eight rebounds. William Buford followed with 20 points. The defense also held Duke in check. So what was most impressive abut the victory?   Who/what gets most of...

jared-sullinger2.jpgJared Sullinger

The Ohio State Buckeyes blew out Duke on Tuesday night in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. The Buckeyes never trailed. Jared Sullinger led the way for the Buckeyes with 21 points and eight rebounds. William Buford followed with 20 points.

The defense also held Duke in check.

So what was most impressive abut the victory?

 







Jason Kipnis, Chen-Chang Lee named minor league players of year for Cleveland Indians

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Jason Kipnis wins his second straight Lou Boudreau award as the Indians top minor leagu position player. Chen-Chang Lee receives Bob Feller award as top minor league pitcher.

Cleveland Indians beat the White Sox, 4-3Jason Kipnis reaches on a bunt single against the White Sox in September.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Second baseman Jason Kipnis and right-hander Chen-Chang Lee have been named the Indians minor league players of the year. Kipnis is the Lou Boudreau winner and Lee the Bob Feller winner.

Kipnis, who won the award in 2010, is the first Boudreau repeat winner since Victor Martinez in 2001 and 2002. In 92 games at Class AAA Columbus this year, Kipnis hit .280 (96-for-343) with 16 doubles, nine triples, 12 homers and 55 RBI. He scored 65 runs and went 12-for-13 in stolen base attempts.

He homered in the Futures Game as part of the All-Star game festivities in Phoenix and played in the Class AAA All-Star game. Kipnis, 24, was named to the International League's postseason All-Star team.

The Indians promoted him to Cleveland on July 21 where he hit .272 (37-for-136) with nine doubles, seven homers and 19 RBI in 36 games. His time in the big leagues was interrupted by a trip to the disabled list because of a strained right hamstring. Kipnis was the Indians second round pick in 2009.

He is expected to be the Indians opening day second baseman in 2012.

Kipnis, Martinez, Jim Thome (1990-1993) and right-hander Danny Graves (1995-1996) are the only repeat winners of the Indians minor league players of the year awards. The awards have been in existence since 1990.

Lee, 25, was a combined 6-1 with one save and a 2.40 ERA at Class AA Akron and Columbus. In 44 relief appearances, he pitched 71 1/3 innings and averaged 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The opposition hit .210 (53-for-252) against Lee, including a paltry .197 (28-for-142) by right-handers.

The Indians are expected to invite Lee to big league spring training in February.

Lee was signed as a free agent from Taiwan in 2008. In three minor league seasons, he has 278 strikeouts in 227 1/3 innings. He has pitched in the Beijing Olympics and the World Baseball Classic.

 

Pontbriand didn't deserve to be waived - Browns Comment of the Day

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"The guy has two bad games in nine years and he's gone. Using that theory, most of the roster should be released." - goldflash22

ryan-pontbriand.JPGView full sizeRyan Pontbriand was waived by the Browns on Tuesday.
In response to the story Cleveland Browns waive long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, cleveland.com reader goldflash22 thinks releasing Ryan Pontbriand was an overreaction. This reader writes,

"The guy has two bad games in nine years and he's gone. Using that theory, most of the roster should be released."

To respond to goldflash22's comment, go here.

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

Indians still need to get better - Comment of the Day

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"Winter meetings starting next week. Tribe not expected to be active. They must dust this headline off every year. How does re-signing a guy who was on the team last year solidify the outfield?" - axemalvis

chris-antonetti.JPGView full sizeChris Antonetti.
In response to the story Cleveland Indians P.M. links: Winter Meetings held next week, with Tribe not expected to make big news, cleveland.com reader axemalvis doesn't think the Indians have improved much. This reader writes,

"Winter meetings starting next week. Tribe not expected to be active. They must dust this headline off every year. How does re-signing a guy who was on the team last year solidify the outfield?"

To respond to axemalvis' comment, go here.

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

Keep Baron Davis - Cavaliers Comment of the Day

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"Why on Earth would we release our best player? Is our roster so star-studded to have that luxury? Do we have tons of young talent not being utilized? Boobie and Sessions are not the answers. They proved that last year. So who's going to show Irving the ropes? Davis has grown up a lot and is finally a true leader. I can't say that for any other player on the Cavs roster. He might finally be fully healthy this year and, if his head is in the game, watch out. This guy can ball. If you want to waive someone, waive Jamison or Boobie. They are way overpriced and do not contribute enough." - Kridda from Oregon

Cleveland Cavaliers lose to Hornets, 96-81View full sizeBaron Davis.
In response to the story Cleveland Cavaliers P.M. links: Point guard Ramon Sessions provides intriguing options at a position of depth, cleveland.com reader Kridda from Oregon thinks releasing Baron Davis would be a mistake. This reader writes,

"Why on Earth would we release our best player? Is our roster so star-studded to have that luxury? Do we have tons of young talent not being utilized? Boobie and Sessions are not the answers. They proved that last year. So who's going to show Irving the ropes? Davis has grown up a lot and is finally a true leader. I can't say that for any other player on the Cavs roster. He might finally be fully healthy this year and, if his head is in the game, watch out. This guy can ball. If you want to waive someone, waive Jamison or Boobie. They are way overpriced and do not contribute enough."

To respond to Kridda from Kridda from Oregon's comment, go here.

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

With Urban Meyer, Braxton Miller, Ohio State Buckeyes can win a national title in 2014, says Bill Livingston (SBTV)

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PD columnist also talks about Buckeyes' basketball win over Duke on Tuesday night in Columbus. Watch video


Cleveland, Ohio - Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Branson Wright and Bill Lubinger, who's standing in for the vacationing Chuck Yarborough.


The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team scored a resounding win over Duke on Tuesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. What was most impressive about the win? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Today's guest is Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, who covered the game last night and - for the record - says he did NOT shake hands with LeBron James, who was at the game. Livy says the defense the Buckeyes played was what most impressed him.


Livy also talks about which players are the most improved on the Buckeyes basketball roster; and if he thinks new OSU football coach Urban Meyer will be around for all six years of his contract.


SBTV will return Thursday.




Cleveland Browns RB Montario Hardesty, SS T.J. Ward and FS Mike Adams all idle today, Colt McCoy full-go

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The following Browns were idle in practice today: running back Montario Hardesty, and safeties Mike Adams and T.J. Ward.

hardesty-run-dolphins-squ-jg.jpgMontario Hardesty needs a little more time for his torn calf muscle to heal.

BEREA -- Browns running back Montario Hardesty (calf), strong safety T.J. Ward (foot) and free safety Mike Adams (shoulder) will all sit out today's practice in preparation for Sunday's game against the Ravens.

But quarterback Colt McCoy, who suffered an elbow injury in Cincinnati, will be full-go.

Hardesty was prepared to start Sunday's game in Cincinnati, but his calf muscle tightened up on him in pre-game warm-ups and he wasn't able to play. Coach Shurmur said Hardesty didn't re-injure the torn calf, just that it needs a little more time to heal.

He said he expects Hardesty to return to practice sometime this week.

Ward is still out today with his foot injury and will be replaced by Usama Young. But now, fellow safety Adams' status for the Ravens game is uncertain because of the shoulder injury suffered in Cincinnati. If he can't play, rookie Eric Hagg would most likely get the nod.

In other Browns news:

* McCoy is expected to participate fully despite pain not only in the elbow but his right shoulder.

* Right end Jayme Mitchell (ankle) will be limited, and the Browns will go with "right end by committee'' said Shurmur. It included Auston English and Brian Schaefering in Cinci.

* Fullback Owen Marecic, who sat out last week's game with his concussion, will return to practice today.

* Running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) came through the Bengals game fine.

* Shurmur admitted the Browns really liked Ravens receiver Torrey Smith in the draft, where he was picked one spot ahead of Browns' receiver  Greg Little in the second round. Would the Browns' have taken him? "We knew he'd be a great receiver,'' said Shurmur, adding that teams are always disappointed when a great prospect goes off the board.

Cleveland Browns P.M. Links: Browns are in a familiar spot; is Dick Jauron one of the better coordinators? Ravens on upset alert

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Here we go again when it comes to the Browns getting an early draft pick.

Browns' brass talks about NFL draftCleveland Browns' President Mike Holmgren (R-L), head coach Pat Shurmur and General Manager Tom Heckert listen to a question from the press about the 2011 draft.

CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk wants to make it clear that the Cleveland Browns are not going to the playoffs this season.

So that means the Browns are in the race to finish the season with the top ten pick in the upcoming draft.

It's a familiar place.

In 13 drafts since returning as an expansion team, the Browns have had top 10 picks in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

That’s an amazing, albeit depressing, .692 batting average, 9-for-13. And, to be more specific, none of those “top 10” picks has been lower than No. 7.

Losses to the Rams and Bengals makes Cleveland the favorite for another early pick.

More Cleveland Browns

Is Dick Jauron the best coordinator in the AFC North (ESPN.com)?

Baltimore Ravens on upset alert against the Browns (Ohio.com).

Cleveland Browns waive pro bowler (The News-Herald).

 

Baltimore Ravens P.M. Links: Advice for Ray Lewis; defense never rests; McPhee still has something to prove

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How tough is Ray Lewis since he's been out with turf toe?

ray-lewis-balt-jk.jpgRay Lewis

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has missed two straight games and he probably won't play against the Browns on Sunday.

That's good news for the Browns.

“Ray has a sprained toe, turf toe kind of thing, so those are a little more unpredictable,” Harbaugh said. “I’m hopeful. I’ve used that word before. I think he’s got a real good chance but we’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Matt Vensel, reporter for the Baltimore Sun, writes how Lewis should not rush back from this type of injury. Ravens legend Jonathan Ogden, whose career was shortened by a toe injury, has some advice for Lewis.

“I made it through the game,” he said. “But I really ended up aggravating it to death and I really never recovered.”

And for those who don't believe turf toe is that serious of an injury. Just ask Ogden.

 “I like to tell people, ‘Why don’t you just let me step on your toe real quick and see how it feels trying to walk around?’ It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you actually hurt it,” Ogden said Tuesday. “It’s hard because you are out there competing at the highest athletic level. You’re not out there doing intramurals.”

 

More Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens defense is ready to hunt again (Baltimore Sun).

Pernell McPhee proves he can play in the NFL (Baltimore Sun).

Jaguars open to Mel Tucker as head coach beyond this season

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Cleveland Heights native Mel Tucker became interim coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday after the team fired Jack Del Rio.

mel tuckerMel Tucker will make a case for being Jack Del Rio's full-time replacement with the Jaguars. (AP Photo)

It happened for Jason Garrett with the Dallas Cowboys and Leslie Frazier with the Minnesota Vikings—named interim coaches after firings last season, they earned the chance to coach their teams full time. Mel Tucker, a Cleveland Heights native, will have an opportunity to do the same.

Tucker became interim coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday after the team fired Jack Del Rio. The Jags were 3-8 under Del Rio with a team woefully short on talent.

"This is a great platform for him to interview here, in essence," Jaguars general manager Gene Smith told the Florida Times-Union. "Other organizations will be evaluating what we do. I think he’s an ascending coach in the profession. Mel’s got a lot of things that you’re looking for in a head football coach. I think anybody that has worked with Mel will tell you that."

Tucker, 39, has been the Jaguars' defensive coordinator since 2009. Before that, he spent four seasons with the Cleveland Browns, the final one as their defensive coordinator. He had also been an assistant at Ohio State.

Tucker has his focus on the job at hand, not his future.

"The entire time I’ve been coaching, all I wanted to do was be the best coach that I could be," Tucker said. "I’ve always tried to keep the focus on the players and what I could do for them. That’s the approach I’m taking right now."

However, the better the Jaguars perform over their last five games, the better Tucker’s chances will be to coach full time.

Urban Meyer to retain assistant Stan Drayton; Braxton Miller named Big Ten's top freshman: Ohio State Insider

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Cleveland native Stan Drayton will stay and other names emerge as Urban Meyer continues to put together his Ohio State coaching staff.

braxton-miller.jpgBraxton Miller (5), who didn't become Ohio State's full-time quarterback until several games into the season, has been named the Big Ten's freshman of the year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Add a second name to Urban Meyer's Ohio State staff.

Two sources confirmed that Stan Drayton, the Buckeyes' first-year receivers coach this season, will remain at Ohio State after previously working under Meyer as an assistant at Florida. A Cleveland native and John Marshall High grad, Drayton is expected to move back to coaching the running backs, where he had most of his previous coaching experience.

A source said OSU fifth-year cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson is another strong candidate to remain, while first-year linebackers coach Mike Vrabel remains under consideration by Meyer. The new OSU head coach, announced on Monday, is recruiting and putting together his staff while former head coach Luke Fickell, already announced as a member of the defensive staff for next season, serves as the head coach through the bowl game.

Among outside candidates, former Minnesota coach Tim Brewster, fired after the 2010 season, has been offered positions by Meyer and by new Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez, the former Michigan coach, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Former Arizona head coach, former Oklahoma defensive assistant and Youngstown native Mike Stoops remains a strong candidate for Ohio State, potentially as the defensive coordinator, according to a source who confirmed previous reports regarding Stoops.

Miller top freshman: Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller celebrated his birthday Wednesday with, as expected, the Big Ten freshman of the year award. He became the seventh Buckeye to win the award, following Terrelle Pryor, Maurice Clarett, Andy Katzenmoyer, Orlando Pace, Korey Stringer and Robert Smith.

"It is truly an honor to win this award, and it is definitely a surprise. I have to thank God, first, for blessing me with my abilities, and I want to thank my parents for all their support through the years," Miller said in a statement released by Ohio State. "I look at this as a team award and so I also have to recognize my teammates, who put their trust in me and who helped me throughout this year on and off the field."

In other voting, Michigan's Brady Hoke was named the conference coach of the year, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball the offensive player of the year and Penn State's Devon Still the defensive player of the year.

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