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Cleveland Cavaliers A.M. Links: Former Cavaliers player considered selfish; Cleveland Cavaliers top Clippers; Anderson Varejao feels right at home

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L.A. writer blasts former Cavaliers guard Mo Williams.

Mo WilliamsMo Williams in the good old days when he played for the Cavaliers.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo Williams missed a wide-open layup late in Wednesday night's Clippers' loss to the Cavaliers.

If that wasn't bad enough, Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers writes how Williams is selfish.

He was upset when the Clippers acquired Paul and Billups, two future Hall of Famers to buoy a long-lost franchise. Everyone is talking about what it might mean to have the Clippers improve so quickly except for Williams, who wants to know, what about me?

"I want to play," he says in explaining his attitude, but what he really means to say is, he wants to start.

But aren't Paul and Billups better players?

"I'll let you decide," Williams says. "They are teammates of mine, so I won't say."

 Simers goes on to write how Williams disappeared on Wednesday night.

 

More Cleveland Cavaliers

LA Clippers lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers (LA Times).

Cleveland Cavaliers top Clippers (CantonRep.com).

The Cleveland Cavaliers stand up against the Clippers (The News-Herald).

Anderson Varejao says the fans make him feel like he's from Cleveland (WTNY).

Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson are rising stars (Cleveland.com).

 

 

 

 


Tom Reed talks about Cavs' win over Clippers, Kyrie's health, and Anderson Varejao - Podcast

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How is the health of Kyrie Irving? Did Ramon Sessions showcase enough last night to warrant a trade? Plain Dealer Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Tom Reed answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

tomreed.JPGTom Reed takes your questions live every Thursday at 10:30 A.M.

Should we worry about Kyrie Iriving's health in the future after concussion? Why can't Jamison play this well every night?

Plain Dealer Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Tom Reed answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Cavs' win over the Los Angeles Clippers last night.

• Anderson Varejao getting praised around the league.

• How valuable is Ramon Sessions?

• How much does Daniel Gibson really mean to this team?


You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right. The live chat with Tom is live every Thursday at 10:30 AM.

Be sure to also like Tom Reed on Twitter.

Cleveland Cavaliers won't make NBA playoffs this season, and that's OK, says Bill Livingston (SBTV)

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Plain Dealer columnist says a higher draft pick would benefit the team more than a short playoff run. Watch video


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


The Cavaliers won Wednesday night, have surprised many with their play this season and are in the playoff picture as we turn toward mid-February. Would you rather see the Cavs make the playoffs this season, or miss the lottery and end up with a higher draft pick? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, who says he expects the crush of late-season games to take their toll on the Cavs' playoff hopes. But he says a lottery pick will be more beneficial in the long run, anyway.


Livy also talks about why Cavs coach Byron Scott has such success coaching point guards; and whether he agrees with Charles Barkley, who said the NBA is not very good right now.


SBTV will return Friday.







Casey Kotchman will make big impact with glove at first base - Tribe Comment of the Day

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"Kotchman's signing is the Indians most significant addition during the off-season. Finally, a real, live legitimate first baseman who can catch the baseball and not some stone-fingered outfielder or catcher playing the position. I will never understand why the Indians organization has always thought you could put any butcher at first base and be a contender. With what we saw from LaPorta and Santana last year, I hope that myth is buried forever." - indianaddict

casey kotchman.JPGNew Tribe first-baseman Casey Kotchman isn't the power bat Tribe fans were looking for, but his glove will make a big impact says one cleveland.com reader.
In response to the story Terry Pluto talks Indians, Kyrie Irving, Browns' draft - Podcast, cleveland.com reader indianaddict explains that Casey Kotchman will make a bigger impact with his glove than his bat. This reader writes,

"Kotchman's signing is the Indians most significant addition during the off-season. Finally, a real, live legitimate first baseman who can catch the baseball and not some stone-fingered outfielder or catcher playing the position. I will never understand why the Indians organization has always thought you could put any butcher at first base and be a contender. With what we saw from LaPorta and Santana last year, I hope that myth is buried forever."

To respond to indianaddict's comment, go here.

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

Cleveland Cavaliers not looking to trade Anderson Varejao: Terry Pluto's Cavaliers Scribbles

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The Cavs are not looking to trade Anderson Varejao and that's not a bad thing,Terry Pluto writes as he scribbles in his Cavaliers' notebook.

andy.jpgWhile the Cavs' Anderson Varejao, right, gives up several inches and pounds to Orlando's Dwight Howard, left, he was still able to play him to a relative standstill during a recent game in Florida. That is part of what makes the energetic big man so valuable to the Cavaliers.

1. The Cavs are not looking to trade Anderson Varejao. You never say "never" in the trade business, but it would be a shock if any deal involving the Cavs center happened before the March 15 trading deadline. This is based on several NBA sources.

2. When the Cavs talk about Varejao, they mention his defense -- he was a second-team choice on the All-Defensive Team in 2009. They talk about his rebounding, he was averaging 9.7 rebounds a game when injured after 31 games last season. This year, he's averaging 11.8 rebounds, fourth in the NBA behind Dwight Howard (15.4), Kevin Love (13.7) and Andrew Bynum (12.4). So he defends, he rebounds, he sets picks and he scores 11 points a game while shooting 51 percent from the field -- and there's not a playing being run for him. Furthermore, he doesn't care about scoring.

3. Varejao personifies the values the Cavs want on their team. He also is only 29, on a very reasonable contract: $7.7 million in 2012, $8.4 million in 2012-13, $9.1 million in 2013-14, $9.8 million (team option) in 2014-15. That's why so many teams want him. But the Cavs also ask, "If we trade him, where do we find another center?" Look at the pro game, how many legitimate 7-foot pivots are there? Most teams are using 6-10 power forwards in the middle, which is Varejao.

4. There also are very few true centers in college. In the NBA draft, it's easier to find a starting guard than a center who can average more than 10 rebounds a game. Even when Varejao faced Howard, he was not overwhelmed. Howard was 5-of-12 shooting for 19 points and had 16 rebounds. Varejao had 12 points and 15 rebounds. It's a safe guess that Varejao has at least three good years remaining. The only concern in that time frame is injury, because he really does throw his body all over the floor.

5. That said, the Cavs are very open to trades. They are pleasantly surprised by the team's 10-14 start, especially impressive because the Cavs have played only 10 home games. While they have no interest in trading Varejao (unless it's an outrageously lopsided deal), they also will resist a short-term deal to try to sneak into the eighth spot of the playoffs. They don't want to part with draft choices or young players to add a veteran to secure the eighth spot . . . and hurt the team's long-term progress.

6. The Cavs like what the team is doing now -- playing the young guys, playing hard and having solid leadership from veterans such as Antawn Jamison, Daniel Gibson, Anthony Parker and Varejao. They want Tristan Thompson to get healthy, so he can gain experience. Alonzo Gee is like another first-round draft choice, given his huge leap forward from a year ago.

7. And that said, it's possible Jamison could be traded. Parker has been hurt with back problems, so he has no real trade value now. Ramon Sessions is the one expendable player who could bring something the Cavs want -- draft choices. He would have appeal to a good team needing help at point guard, and that could produce a low or middle first round pick.

8. Filling in for Kyrie Irving (concussion), Sessions outplayed All-Star Chris Paul, scoring 24 points and delivering 13 assists. Obviously, he doesn't do that most nights, but Sessions did average 14.5 points and 5.9 assists in 38 starts last season. He's only 25, can get to the rim and draw fouls. He is a valuable player.

9. So why trade Sessions? Because he can be a free agent at the end of the season. He has a player option for $4.5 million, and he is expected to decline it. Why not test the market? Why stay in Cleveland behind Irving? That's why I expect him to be traded at some point this season.

10. Finally, there is Byron Scott, who clearly has the attention and respect of this team. Don't take that for granted. It's not true in many places in the NBA, where the coach is considered just another guy in a nice suit who is there to make the stars happy.

Twinsburg girls basketball standout Malina Howard selected to play in McDonald's All-American Game

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Another day, another national All-Star game invitation for Twinsburg girls basketball standout Malina Howard. One day after being named to the 20-member Women's Basketball Coaches Association High School All-America Game, the Maryland recruit was among 24 seniors selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game.

Twinsburg senior Malina Howard will play in both the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and McDonald's All-American games in March. - (Allison Carey, The Plain Dealer)

Another day, another national All-Star game invitation for Twinsburg girls basketball standout Malina Howard.

One day after being named to the 20-member Women's Basketball Coaches Association High School All-America Game, the Maryland recruit was among 24 seniors selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game.

The McDonald's boys and girls teams were announced Thursday. Former Regina player and UCLA recruit Nirra Fields, who currently plays for Mater Dei in California, was also named to the McDonald's and WBCA teams.

Howard is The Plain Dealer's reigning Player of the Year. She is averaging 16.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

"I knew I could possibly be part of it, and I knew that if I worked hard enough, I might be able to make an All-American team, so that was a goal," Howard said.

"I was really excited for making both teams. The last two days have been a very exciting part of my high school career."

The McDonald's All-American Game will be played March 28 at Chicago's United Center at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

Gatorade award:Strongsville senior and Virginia Tech signee Ashley Meier has received the Gatorade Ohio Girls Soccer Player of the Year award.

The midfielder/forward led the 21-2 Mustangs to the Division I state championship. She scored 17 goals and passed for 13 assists en route to being named The Plain Dealer's Player of the Year.

Meier, who has a 3.49 grade-point average, finished her career with 58 goals and 36 assists.

The award recognizes achievement in athletics, academics and character. Meier becomes a finalist for the national award to be announced in May.

Cleveland Indians' streak of avoiding salary arbitration could end next week; John Hart and Greg Swindell recall contentious 1991 hearing

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Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera's arbitration hearing is reportedly scheduled for next week. He would be the first Indians player to go to a hearing since 1991 when Greg Swindell and Jerry Browne went through the process. Swindell and former GM John Hart recall the hearing and what changes it brought about with the franchise.

swindell.jpgLeft-handed starter Greg Swindell is the last player to beat the Indians in salary arbitration, winning a salary of $2.025 million in 1991. Since then, the Indians have made a concerted effort to avoid arbitration, but that streak could end if Asdrubal Cabrera's case goes to an arbiter next week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — For 20 years the Indians settled their arbitration cases without going to a hearing. For a good chunk of that time Mark Shapiro, the team's president and former general manager, said, "One of these years it's going to happen."

This could be the year.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera's arbitration hearing is scheduled for early next week at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla. Cabrera's representatives and the Indians have made little progress in talks aimed at reaching an agreement for 2012.

Cabrera is seeking $5.2 million for 2012. The Indians have offered $3.75 million. The midpoint is $4.475 million. After being named Cleveland's top professional athlete last week by the Great Cleveland Sports Commission, Cabrera told reporters that he wanted a long-term contract. GM Chris Antonetti said he was open to such a deal, but only if the two sides could agree on "value and term."

The two sides, to date, haven't been able to agree on a contract of any length.

The Indians haven't gone to arbitration since 1991, when left-hander Greg Swindell won and second baseman Jerry Browne lost. It was the Swindell hearing that caused former team executives John Hart and Dan O'Dowd to create a plan that helped produce the longest sustained run of success in franchise history.

Swindell won a salary of $2.025 million in the hearing, but came away mad because of critical remarks made by the attorney representing the Indians. The Tribe offered $1.4 million.

"I remember sitting across the table from John Hart and Dan O'Dowd and being furious that this was the team I played for, but they were telling me how bad I was," said Swindell earlier this week. "I realized it was the business side of the game, but I didn't like it."

Swindell added, "But I won."

Hart, now an adviser for the Texas Rangers, recalled that the hearing was: "a blood bath on both sides. We were on one side and Swindell and his agents, the Hendricks brothers, were on the other. The process was very uncomfortable."

Out of that acrimony, the Indians decided to try to sign their young players to multiyear deals to avoid the pitfalls of arbitration. The deals offered young players security at the most vulnerable stage of their careers in exchange for signing away their arbitration years and, in some cases, a club option for at least one free agent year.

One by one, players such as Charles Nagy, Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel went for the deals. Albert Belle was one of the few holdouts. It took him a year to come around.

The players' agents were not thrilled with the concept because their clients, in exchange for security, were badly outearned by their peers by the end of the contracts. The players association investigated the Indians' actions, but couldn't stop them.

"What we wanted to do was build something where we not only could win, but could keep our players in Cleveland," said Hart. "Up until then, players were just coming in and out of Cleveland."

A player is eligible for arbitration after he has three years in the big leagues. He can also be eligible as a Super Two player --- players with fewer than three years, but in the upper 22 percent of those with more than two years.

Players are eligible for free agency after six years in the big leagues.

"We had a core of 15 to 18 guys who had zero to two years in the big leagues," said Hart. "We didn't want to go through arbitration with all of them around the same time."

Hart left the Indians following the 2001 season to become general manager of the Rangers. O'Dowd left the Tribe in 1998 and has been GM of the Colorado Rockies since 1999.

Shapiro, who replaced Hart as general manager, continued the practice by negotiating multiyear deals with Grady Sizemore, Jhonny Peralta, CC Sabathia and the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona. The Indians have not signed a pre-arbitration player since Carmona. They did offer Shin-Soo Choo such a deal, but Choo and his agent, Scott Boras, said no.

Seven Indians players filed for arbitration in January. Cabrera is the only one left unsigned.

Cleveland's Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao left off NBA All-Star rosters: Cavaliers Insider

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The news is not welcomed in Cleveland, but is not entirely unexpected, either.

Cleveland Cavaliers fall to Atlanta Hawks, 100-88View full sizeAnderson Varejao was left off the All-Star roster announced on Thursday.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — During the best start to his eight-year career, Anderson Varejao has seemed to get to each rebound, almost every loose ball.

Finally, on Thursday night the energetic Cavaliers' center found something just out of his reach -- an All-Star Game appearance.

Neither Varejao nor rookie Kyrie Irving were named Eastern Conference reserves to the NBA All-Star Game. The news was not welcomed in Cleveland, but not entirely unexpected, either.

Between the two Cavaliers it was assumed Varejao had the better chance in a lockout-shortened season that has included injuries to top conference centers Al Horford, Brook Lopez and Andrew Bogut. But on the annual NBA subs and snubs night, Varejao fell short in balloting among league coaches, who selected seven reserves for each conference.

Indiana center Roy Hibbert earned his first trip to the All-Star Game ahead of Varejao, who's averaging 11 points and 11.8 rebounds.

The Cavs veteran ranks fourth in the NBA in rebounds and first in offensive rebounds (4.5). Hibbert is averaging 13.6 points and 9.9 rebounds for the Pacers, who boast the league's fifth-best record.

Varejao, 29, acknowledged earlier in the week it was a goal to play in Orlando on Feb. 26. He received public support not only from his coach, Byron Scott, and Irving, but also from coaches and players such as Boston's Doc Rivers and Paul Pierce, who did make the East reserves after a slow start to the season.

Varejao's final regular-season effort before teams were announced embodies his value to the Cavaliers and their fans. He scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while overcoming two hard falls on his tailbone in a 99-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

"Andy is one of the toughest guys in the league," Scott said after the game. "He plays hard every single night, doesn't take plays off. There's not really a whole lot more I can say about how well he's played for us and what he means to the team."

A strong argument can be made that Varejao and Irving, recovering from a concussion, could use a five-day respite later this month.

Irving will get other chances and he acknowledged as much on Tuesday while endorsing Varejao's candidacy. He made a late charge with his recent fourth-quarter heroics and 18-point scoring average.

But rookies are a rare sight in midseason showcases. Just six first-year players in the past 20 seasons have played in the All-Star Game. The last rookie point guard to appear in it was Isiah Thomas in 1982.

Irving and Cavaliers teammate Tristan Thompson are scheduled to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge, which features many of the top rookies and second-year players, on Feb. 24 as part of All-Star Weekend.

Scott said Wednesday he thought Irving would have a tough time beating out both Deron Williams (New Jersey) and Rajon Rondo (Boston). Williams made it while Rondo was left off the East roster.

The inclusion of Williams and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki -- who's enduring his worst season and recently questioned his All-Star credentials -- drew some criticism.

The Eastern Conference reserves are Hibbert, Luol Deng (Chicago), Pierce, Chris Bosh (Miami), Williams, Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia) and Joe Johnson (Atlanta). They join starters Dwight Howard (Orlando), LeBron James (Miami), Dwyane Wade (Miami), Derrick Rose (Chicago) and Carmelo Anthony (New York).

Western reserves are: Nowitzki, LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland), Marc Gasol (Memphis), Kevin Love (Minnesota), Steve Nash (Phoenix), Tony Parker (San Antonio) and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City). They join starters Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers) and Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City).

Several lengthy All-Star streaks were ended with Thursday's announcement. Boston's Kevin Garnett was not selected for the first time in 15 years. Tim Duncan's run ended at 13 years.

Dribbles: The Cavaliers did not practice Thursday. . . . Irving included Pepsi to an endorsement portfolio that includes Nike, Panini Trading Cards and Panini Authentic.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: treed@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider


Pittsburgh Steelers' problems? Did president Art Rooney II ignore coach Mike Tomlin's wishes in switch of offensive coordinators?

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If the Steelers collapse from within, could the Cleveland Browns begin to catch up with their AFC North rival?

todd-haley-mike-tomlin.jpgTodd Haley (left) and Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin shake hands at a news conference on Thursday, when Haley was introduced as the Steelers' new offensive coordinator.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns' fans, here is a brief history of your team's "rivalry" with the Pittsburgh Steelers:

Beginning in 1950, with the Browns' entry into the NFL, Cleveland won 32 of its first 41 games against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh's domination of its turnpike rival in the 1970s and a Cleveland rally in the mid- to late-80s proceeded the Browns' move to Baltimore following the 1995 season. By then, the teams had played 93 times. The Browns had won 52 games; the Steelers, 41, including a playoff contest.

Following its return to the NFL as a franchise in 1999, Cleveland actually won two of its first three meetings with Pittsburgh. Since then, it's been a disaster. The Steelers have won 22 of the last 24 games, including one in the playoffs. Pittsburgh is 16-1 against the Browns since the teams' second meeting of the 2003 season.

(Cleveland.com's Browns history database features Plain Dealer stories on every Browns regular season and playoff game from 1946 through 2010. This is the first of five pages of links to stories on the Browns' games against the Steelers)

The best way for the Browns to someday catch up with their AFC North rival? Maybe to have the Steelers collapse from within?

Gerry Dulac writes for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Todd Haley was introduced today as the Steelers' new offensive coordinator.

Haley replaces Bruce Arians, whom Pittsburgh let walk after his contract expired at the end of the past season. Arians, the Browns' offensive coordinator from 2001-03, was the Steelers' wide receivers coach from 2004-06 before taking charge of the entire offense in 2007. He was part of Pittsburgh's Super Bowl winning teams in the 2005 and 2008 seasons. Arians was named the Indianapolis Colts' offensive coordinator on Jan. 28.

Now, where Browns' fans may find hope that the Steelers will become their own worst enemies -- the speculation that Pittsburgh president Art Rooney II ignored coach Mike Tomlin's wishes that Arians stay on as the offensive architect.

Ron Cook, writing today for the Post-Gazette about the Steelers' offensive coordinator intrigue, refers to a Jan. 21 report by his colleague, Gerry Dulac.

And, Cook wrote earlier today, anticipating how Tomlin would handle questions about the change in offensive coordinators:

No one at Steelers headquarters has disputed the report by the Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac that Tomlin told Arians right after the season that he wanted him back and told staff members that Arians would be back. No one, including team president Art Rooney II, has disputed Dulac's report that Rooney II trumped Tomlin and forced out Arians.

The way Arians' exit was handled made Tomlin look weak. How does Tomlin put a positive spin on that?

Certainly by now, Tomlin has a better grip on the company line. He'll put on a smile -- real or otherwise -- when Haley steps to the lectern today. By the time he finally sits down with the media again -- it hasn't happened since the day after the playoff loss against the Denver Broncos -- he probably will make Haley sound like the second coming of Bill Walsh.

Cook also wrote:

I'm guessing Tomlin will have the chance to be here for a long time. I'm just not so sure anymore that he wants to stay.

We're not going to have to wait long to find out.

Steelers.com has reported Tomlin's contract runs through next season with an option for 2013.

Browns' fans see enough problems with their own team, but they might be curious to see how the situation plays out in Pittsburgh.

Will Ferrell does creative player introductions prior to Chicago Bulls game at New Orleans Hornets: Video

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Hornets fans watched their team drop to 4-22, but they and the players on both teams got laughs out of the actor-comedian's introductions.

will-ferrell.jpgWill Ferrell announces the starting lineups for the Chicago Bulls and the Hornets before Wednesday night's game in New Orleans.



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The New Orleans Hornets owned a 4-21 record prior to their home game on Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls.


Their fans needed a distraction from the ineptitude. Maybe that's why actor-comedian Will Ferrell was called on to introduce the teams' starting lineups before the game.


The Hornets are now 4-22, after their pitiful 90-67 loss, in a game that wasn't even that close.


But, Ferrell served his purpose, entertaining the fans and drawing smiles from some of the players with his unique intros on "80s Night" in New Orleans.


Bernie Augustine writes for the New York Daily News about Ferrell's NBA public announcing debut:




Ferrell, the Saturday Night Live alum, took over the player introduction duties at Wednesday night’s Bulls-Hornets game and got creative when it came to the player bios.


“At forward, number five ... he still lives with his mother ... Carlos Boozer,” Ferrell said for his first introduction.


The one-liners kept coming after that. Not only does Rose love “The Notebook,” but Luol Deng collects rare birds and has a pet dolphin named Chachi.


He had a ridiculous fact for every player in the starting lineup, and not just the visitors.


“After basketball, his dream is to become a rodeo clown,” Ferrell said when introducing Hornets point guard Jarret Jack to the 15,000-plus fans in attendance.



Video: Will Ferrell introduces the starting lineups for the Chicago Bulls and the Hornets on Wednesday night in New Orleans:



Cleveland State men's basketball falls flat, loses an ugly one to Valparaiso

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The Vikings trail, 17-1, and 28-8 in the first half and never make a serious challenge, and might lose the chance to host the Horizon League Tournament.

Gallery previewCLEVELAND, Ohio — Facing a key conference game on its home court, Cleveland State men's basketball team not show up.

Nobody saw it coming except, perhaps, Valparaiso.

The Vikings lost, 59-41, to the Crusaders on Thursday night in the Wolstein Center. The only lead the Vikings had was 1-0 early in the game.

The Vikings were losing, 17-1, with just under 12 minutes to play in the first half and down, 28-8, before they even put up a fight. They shot 24 percent in the first half and 25.9 percent for the game after shooting 50 percent or better during a five-game winning streak. In the first half the Vikings missed nine layups, and never got untracked.

"That's a lack of focus or you are uptight," CSU head coach Gary Waters said. "Maybe it was the crowd [4,521]. That was a bad outing for us."

The snapshot of the game came with 6:11 to play after a Valpo timeout. The Crusaders were clearly running on fumes, playing without center Kevin Van Wijk, who suffered a knee injury at the seven-minute mark of the first half. They were working on a six-minute field goal drought that saw the Vikings close within 47-34 with the ball.

But the best CSU could get coming out of the timeout, with 6-8 forward Anton Grady begging for the ball inside, was a 3-point air ball from guard Jeremy Montgomery.

"I tried to get it all in one play," a dejected Montgomery said afterward.

Valpo's Ryan Broekhoff, working on a 24-point night, snatched the rebound under the basket, then drove coast-to-coast for a dunk and a 49-34 lead that all but took first place, and perhaps a chance at hosting the Horizon League Tournament, out of the hands of the Vikings (20-5, 10-3), and placed it firmly in the grasp of the Crusaders (18-8, 11-3). Valparaiso swept CSU this season.

"I was trying to track the ball, because I'm not a physical guy that can bang around and get [a rebound]," Broekhoff said. "I noticed it was short so I ran under the ring, pushed through. Kind of an instinct. I grabbed the ball, pushed it out and kind of caught everyone else by surprise, flat-footed and straight-legged. I was either going to take a layup or go for a 3. I was able to force it [to the rim] and finish the play."

The Vikings had guard D'Aundray Brown back in the lineup, marking his first game back since suffering a groin injury two games ago. But his availability did not faze the Crusaders. Valparaiso took it right to CSU, and the Vikings kept digging themselves into a deep hole.

Turnovers became missed layups, rebounds were fumbled away and shot selection left much to be desired. Defensively, it was clear Cleveland State was not going to let post man Wijk work the Vikings over, as he did for 23 points in the Crusaders' 72-66 victory earlier this season.

But the poison for the Vikings moved from inside to outside as Broekhoff, the 6-7 junior forward from Australia, bombed away from the perimeter. He scored the first 11 points for Valparaiso as the Crusaders took a quick 11-1 lead. That would grow to 17-1 before the Vikings finally knocked down their first field goal, a 3-pointer from guard Trevon Harmon.

But the bumbling and stumbling continued. Valparaiso looked on the verge of blowing the Vikings off their own court, 28-8, before CSU finally put together a 9-0 run to at least get within contact of the Crusaders, 29-17, at halftime.

Certainly it could not get any worse as the Vikings missed nine layups during the first 20 minutes and shot just 6-of-25 from the field (24 percent), while Valparaiso was operating at 47.4 percent efficiency. CSU did outrebound the Crusaders, 17-15.

Brown did not start the second half, but neither did Van Wijk. The Crusaders once again used 3-pointers to jumpstart the second half with a 9-2 run, and CSU never got closer than 14 points.

The veteran Vikings, with four senior starters, now have to quickly regroup for an 11 a.m. ESPN2 game Saturday against Butler, which upset Youngstown State on Thursday night, 68-59, and will look to do the same against the Vikings.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexand@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

Loss to Valparaiso changes the outlook on rest of schedule: Cleveland State Men's Basketball Insider

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Head coach Gary Waters says the loss to Valpo makes it all look tenuous, pending on how the Vikings recover and play Saturday morning against Butler.

cleveland state.JPGView full sizeCleveland State's Trey Harmon drives against Valparaiso's Jay Harris in the first half at the Wolstein Center.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Many Cleveland State fans believed the game against Valparaiso would be the start of a coronation for the Vikings men's basketball team. But the stunning 59-41 loss takes some of the steam out of the Vikings, who had won five straight.

Valparaiso (18-8, 11-3) is alone in first place in the Horizon League, a half-game over CSU (20-5, 10-3), and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker with a two-game season sweep.

The Vikings' immediate schedule has them hosting Butler on Saturday, and the Bulldogs are coming off a road upset Thursday over Youngstown State. CSU goes on the road next week to second-place Milwaukee. A rugged BracketBuster game at home with Drexel is next, but that is followed by a conference road trip to Green Bay.

Before the season ends, there's a matchup in the Wolstein Center with unpredictable Detroit. A victory over Valpo would have made the schedule look palpable. But head coach Gary Waters says the loss to Valpo makes it all look tenuous, pending on how the Vikings recover and play Saturday morning.

However, the Vikings do have something to cling to -- four senior starters.

"When you have got veterans, you have got a chance of bounding back," Waters said.

Brown's status: While Cleveland State senior swingman D'Aundray Brown started against Valparaiso, he only played eight minutes, and none in the second half. Waters said after the game it is likely Brown will be out of action for at least a week because of an injured groin. That puts a strain on the Vikings, who will move freshman forward Anton Grady into the starting lineup, leaving basically a seven-man rotation with freshmen Marlin Mason and Charlie Lee coming off the bench.

Lights, camera, action: Cleveland State's game against Butler at 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPN2) is expected to draw about 6,000 or more fans as tickets for seating in the lower bowl are gone. Tickets for the upper bowl are still available, but prime locations are going fast. The first 2,000 fans to arrive at the Wolstein Center will get free green T-shirts. There also will be a special in the concession stands with $1 hotdogs.

Player-player: The race for Horizon League Player of the Year looks to be firmly in the grasp of Valparaiso 6-7 junior forward Ryan Broekhoff. He entered Thursday's game fourth in the league in scoring (15 points per game), first in the league in rebounding, seventh in free-throw shooting percentage (75.7 percent) and ninth in steals (1.2). Against CSU he had 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

Out of action: Freshman Vikings guard Ike Nwamu did not dress for Thursday's game. He was sidelined after suffering concussion symptoms following CSU's Tuesday practice.

Cleveland State men's basketball team shoots itself in foot from point-blank range: Terry Pluto

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Coach Gary Waters wants his team to realize it was just a bad night Thursday against Valparaiso ... and it was.

cleveland state 2.JPGView full sizeCleveland State's Anton Grady blocks Valparaiso's Erik Buggs during the second half.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nine layups.

Over and over again, Cleveland State coach Gary Waters went right back to the nine layups.

The nine layups . . . missed.

All in the first half.

Yes, you can talk about Cleveland State making only 1-of-13 shots from the 3-point line. Or how the Vikings' press seemed rather timid. Or how the Vikings had only three assists all night.

Three assists? In 40 minutes? What is this, a nightmare game at the recreation center where "pass" is a dirty four-letter word.

You can even talk about how they were behind, 17-1, to start the game.

That's right, they played more than eight minutes and scored one point . . . at home.

So it's no surprise that Valparaiso was a 59-41 winner against CSU at Wolstein Center.

CSU fans can mention that defensive stopper D'Aundray Brown tried to play with his groin injury and lasted only eight scoreless minutes. But Valparaiso lost 15-point scorer Kevin Van Wijk to a knee injury. He played seven scoreless minutes.

This was just a bad game, period.

That was Waters' message, dressed up in about nine different references to the nine missed layups.

He wants his team to believe that this was just one terrible night . . . and nothing bigger.

Certainly not a repeat of last year's 73-61 loss to Butler in front of a season-high 8,490 fans in this same building. CSU finished the regular season by splitting the final six games and never quite seemed to be the same Vikings.

The Vikings had a 13-5 regular-season record in the Horizon League -- which landed them in a three-way tie for first place. But they lost the chance to host the conference tournament and then were knocked out in the second round at Milwaukee.

Thursday was a chance for the Vikings to take a commanding position to host the 2012 tournament.

This game was watched by 4,521 fans, the second-largest crowd of the year. At the start of the week, only about 1,700 tickets were sold -- so interest was growing in these Vikings.

Yet another reason Waters was extremely disappointed to see his team be so overwhelmed so early in a home game.

He talked about how "you lose a piece of yourself" when losing an important home game such as this.

The Vikings are 20-5, 10-3 and in second place in the Horizon.

Valparaiso is 11-3 in the conference and not only in first place, but it owns two victories against CSU. The Vikings need to finish ahead of Valparaiso in the standings to host the tournament.

And here comes Butler for a Saturday game at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.

Yes, the Bulldogs no longer seem like the Final Four team of the previous two seasons, not with their 8-6 record in the Horizon. But they have tormented CSU for years.

No doubt, Waters will remind the team that CSU won, 76-69, earlier in the season at Butler. The Vikings entered that game at 2-10 against Butler since Waters became coach.

So some things can change.

It will have to start with CSU's guards, who shot a combined 8-of-28 (1-of-11 on 3-pointers). No doubt, Tre Harmon and Jeremy Montgomery had at least five of those missed layups, along with not showing their usual poise in setting up the offense.

The Vikings' best player in their most important game of this season was a freshman. The box score shows Anton Grady with only five points, but the young man from Cleveland Central Catholic had nine rebounds, five blocked shots and wasn't the least bothered by the physical nature of this game.

Meanwhile, senior center Aaron Pogue had three points and three rebounds in 16 forgettable minutes.

No one game can make or break a season, but this loss means that CSU's battle with Butler on Saturday will come close.

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

Laurel girls basketball team tops Cuyahoga Heights for eighth straight victory

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SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Laurel's girls have flown under the radar most of the basketball season, but they got the attention of visiting Cuyahoga Heights during Laurel's 51-47 nonleague victory Thursday. "They controlled the game from start to finish, but they're 15-2 for a reason," said Redskins coach Al Martin, whose team is ranked 19th in The Plain Dealer....

Laurel's Jenna Bailey drives around Cuyahoga Heights' Elizabeth Spence to score two Thursday night at Laurel. - (Thomas Ondrey, PD)

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Laurel's girls have flown under the radar most of the basketball season, but they got the attention of visiting Cuyahoga Heights during Laurel's 51-47 nonleague victory Thursday.

"They controlled the game from start to finish, but they're 15-2 for a reason," said Redskins coach Al Martin, whose team is ranked 19th in The Plain Dealer. "They're very balanced, and we haven't run across too many teams this year with all five players who can pass, cut and score like Laurel does.

"Our defense wasn't that great, but they played very good offense, got to the rim and made free throws."

The unranked Gators won their eighth straight game by taking advantage of their speed and height. They scored plenty in the paint and cashed in at the foul line.

Laurel put together a pair of 6-0 rallies to grab a 26-20 halftime lead and made 7-of-15 from the field in the third quarter before going cold (1-of-8) in the final eight minutes.

Six of the Gators' eight fourth-quarter points came from the charity stripe, where they finished with a 17-of-19 effort.

"We shot about 60 percent from the foul line in our first four games but have shot around 87 percent [76-of-87] the last five games," said Laurel coach Dave Meyer.

"They slowed it down on us in the first quarter, but when we picked up the tempo, we got the momentum."

Freshman Nicole Felice and seniors Jenna Bailey and Alexis Guy tallied 14, 12 and 11 points, respectively, for Laurel and combined for 18 of its 27 rebounds.

Senior Deana Lewis carried the Redskins (16-2) with 24 points and eight of her team's 25 rebounds despite being double- and triple-teamed. Sophomore Elizabeth Spence chipped in 12 points, while senior Brooke Rayokovich added four points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

"This is definitely our biggest win of the year," Guy said. "That's a great team, and Lewis is a phenomenal player."

"We tried keeping Jenna Bailey on [Lewis] as much as possible, but we had do a lot of switching up because Heights moves so well."

The Redskins made just 1-of-9 free-throw attempts in losing for the first time in 13 games.

"We did a nice job on Lewis in the post, but she took us outside a few times, so we had to start keeping an eye on her around the perimeter in the second half," Meyer said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

On Twitter: @BobFortuna

Off The Ice With ... Gerald Coleman, Lake Erie Monsters goalie

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Coleman recalls his time playing for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL and spending time outdoors.

gerald coleman.JPGView full size

Catches: Right. Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 215. Born: April 3, 1985, Romeoville, Ill.

PD: Last season and part of this season, you performed superbly for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. Best part of playing in Alaska?

GC: The fans, the outdoors and the wildlife.

PD: Several Aces fans have emailed saying they miss you a lot.

GC: The fans are fantastic. We were selling out pretty much every game. The fans have cowbells and they're loud. Everywhere you go in Anchorage, you're recognized.

PD: Regarding the wildlife -- what is one sighting that comes to mind?

GC: One day after a game, I was driving down the road and a moose was trotting next to me. I looked out my window and he was eye-to-eye with me.

PD: Have you hunted and fished in Alaska?

GC: Fans took me out fishing last summer. It was very enjoyable.

PD: Best catch?

GC: A halibut -- about 50 pounds.

PD: What about the hunting?

GC: I've only really been out with groups because it costs so much to go hunting, and the timing with our season hasn't been quite right. It's great just being a part of a group.

PD: Toughest part of playing in Alaska?

GC: The darkness. In the winter, it doesn't get light until 10 a.m. and it goes dark around 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m.

PD: What about the travel?

GC: It can be difficult, for sure. You're flying a lot. This year's team had three 20-day trips.

PD: Growing up in Illinois, did you always want to play hockey?

GC: Not always. Baseball was my first love, and I liked soccer. But after a while I wanted to play hockey because it was so tough.

PD: Why goalie?

GC: I couldn't skate very well, so the coach put me in net because they needed a goalie.

PD: How challenging is it to be a 6-5 goalie?

GC: Sometimes you don't see the puck, and it ends up hitting you. But I think the positives outweigh the negatives, especially when you're diving to make a save and the extra couple of inches pay off.

PD: Favorite players growing up?

GC: Obviously, Michael Jordan. Hockeywise, it probably would be [goalie] Ed Belfour. He was unbelievable. I wanted to be like him.

PD: Preferred activities away from the ice?

GC: Golf, spending time with family.

PD: Wildest thing seen in a rink?

GC: A fight by fans in the stands in Stockton, Calif. The game stopped to watch them.

PD: Smartest person you've ever met?

GC: My mom, Sarah Wright. Whenever I have a question, she knows the answer.

PD: What do you need to do to get to the next level?

GC: Consistency. I've been told I have the tools, it's just a matter of maintaining a high level of play. I can't have one good game, one bad game.

PD: Can you dunk a basketball?

GC: Yes.

PD: Any pregame rituals?

GC: Eat and sleep at the same times on days of games.

-- Dennis Manoloff


Cleveland Cavaliers and Irving must wait until concussion symptoms abate

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Irving re-evaluated by Cleveland Clinic doctor, and must pass multistage return-to-play protocol

Cleveland Cavaliers lose to New Jersey Nets, 99-96View full sizeCavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving must wait to be symptom free before returning to practice after suffering a concussion on Tuesday night in Miami.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kyrie Irving's dazzling drives and fourth-quarter heroics have helped the Cavaliers unexpectedly contend for a playoff spot with the season nearing its halfway point.

It's unclear, however, when the 19-year-old rookie can rejoin the excitement he's created at The Q.

Irving probably will miss his second consecutive game tonight, against Milwaukee, because of a concussion. The head injury was sustained in Tuesday's loss in Miami and diagnosed before Wednesday's home win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Now, comes the difficult part for Irving, the Cavaliers and their fans -- the waiting.

The point guard must be symptom- free to resume practicing and will need to be cleared through a new return-to-play protocol established by the NBA in December.

There is no timetable for his return. He met with Dr. Rick Figler at the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday afternoon for further evaluation. Multiple sources have confirmed it was Irving's first concussion.

Unlike many sports injuries, concussions don't come with a rehab window. No two-to-four weeks or four-to-six months.

It is always day to day with head trauma. Susan Joy, a member of the Cleveland Clinic clinical concussion program, said the brain's complexity makes its difficult to project a recovery time.

Generally speaking, Joy said people with appropriate rest can feel better in seven to 10 days and most patients are healthy within three weeks. But athletes hardly lead a normal lifestyle and the sports pages are increasingly filling with stories of long-term recoveries from concussion.

The Cavaliers likely will rely on backup point guard Ramon Sessions through the weekend, who registered 24 points and 13 assists in Irving's absence in a victory Wednesday night over the Clippers.

Irving was injured with 5:37 left in Tuesday's game. Driving to the basket, he collided with Miami's Chris Bosh and fell backward, striking the back of his head on the knee of Dwyane Wade.

Irving, who was fouled on the play, converted two free throws and remained in the game until coach Bryon Scott removed four starters with 1:27 left and the Cavaliers trailing by 11 points. The 19-year-old met with reporters after the game and was joking with teammates in the locker room. It's believed he first complained of a headache to trainer Max Benton on the charter flight home as Benton performed his routine checks to see how players are feeling.

The Cavaliers did not have a shoot-around on Wednesday because of the back-to-back games. Irving arrived at The Q shortly after 4 p.m. and informed the Cavaliers he still had a headache. The medical staff began to test for a concussion, which involves more than just questions. They allowed Irving to participate in the team walk-through at 4:30 p.m. in the arena's practice gym. The point guard returned to the locker room after briefly trying to shoot a few shots on the arena court. It was while hoisting jumpers that Irving began to feel worse.

"He went out and warmed up and said his head felt like it was on fire," coach Byron Scott said.

After further evaluation, team physician Dr. A.J. Cianflocco diagnosed Irving with a concussion and the Cavaliers notified his family and agent. He did not watch the Clippers' game from the bench, but remained in the trainer's room.

Joy, a team physician for Cleveland State, said early detection increases the likelihood of a speedy recovery.

"We didn't want to put him out there [in the game] and risk it even though, even before the game, he was feeling terrible about not playing," Scott said after the game. "I talked to him about how we're not going to put him out there when we think there is a possibility that he has some symptoms."

The NBA has set concussion guidelines this season and Cavs team physician Dr. Richard Parker was part of the panel that made recommendations to the league. Irving can resume practicing once he is symptom free, passes a neurological baseline test and adheres to a multiple step return-to-play protocol. He must increase his exertion level from riding a stationary bike to agility work to non-contact drills without any setbacks. Irving also will need clearance from the head of the league's concussion program, Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher.

The injury is not nearly as prevalent in basketball as it is in football and hockey, but Miami Heat swingman Mike Miller has suffered multiple concussions in his career.

The NBA has set concussion guidelines this season and Cavs team physician Dr. Richard Parker was part of the panel that made recommendations to the league. Irving can resume practicing once he is symptom-free, passes a neurological baseline test and adheres to a multistage return-to-play protocol. Irving also will need clearance from the head of the league's concussion program, Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher.

The injury is not nearly as prevalent in basketball as it is in football and hockey, but Miami Heat swingman Mike Miller has suffered multiple concussions in his career.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: treed@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

Illinois upsets Ohio State women's team with 2 seconds remaining: College Basketball Roundup

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Cleveland State and Notre Dame College's women's teams get victories on Thursday night.

ohio state basketball.JPGView full sizeIllinois players celebrate after beating Ohio State, 66-65, at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Ill.

Alexis Moore made a game-winning layup with two seconds left to give Illinois a 66-65 win in women's college basketball over No. 10 Ohio State on Thursday night, in Champagne, Ill.

After Tayler Hill drove the lane for a driving right-handed layup in traffic with 19 seconds left to give Ohio State a one-point lead, Moore answered with a twisting go-ahead basket to give Illinois (9-16, 3-9 Big Ten) its first win against a ranked opponent this season.

Adrienne Godbold led four Illini players in double figures with 16 points, and set up the win with a pair of free throws with 40 seconds left that gave Illinois a 64-63 lead.

Hill scored 20 points to lead Ohio State (21-3, 8-3), which has now lost two out of the past three games. Ashley Adams tied a career high with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Cleveland State 67, Loyola 65 Shalonda Winton scored 29 points to lead the Vikings (9-14, 4-8 Horizon League) to a victory in Chicago over the Ramblers (10-13, 5-7). The Vikings scored 10 of the first 12 points in the second half.

Loyola shot just 39 percent from the field and was 0-for-8 from the three-point line.

Notre Dame College 71, Walsh 62 The host Falcons (11-11) forced 28 turnovers and defeated the Cavaliers (13-13). NDC's Lauren Macer led all scorers with 19 points. She sank 5-of-8 three-pointers.

Northeast Ohio fishing report and outdoors calendar for February 10-19

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Walleye fishermen had been finding success around Western Lake Erie reefs in recent days.

fishing.jpgView full size

Trout are still in the spotlight all around the area. Stocked trout continue to be a winter bonus in Cleveland Metroparks lakes and steelhead trout fishing has been fair to good in major Lake Erie tributaries.

A big stocking of rainbow trout in late January by Cleveland Metroparks in Wallace, Shadow, Ledge, Judges and Ranger lakes has been biting this week. The trout range from 12 inches to as hefty as four pounds, with a few brown trout in the mix. With a lack of ice, fishermen have been dunking tiny ice jigs baited with salmon eggs, waxworms, maggots and PowerBait from fishing platforms and shore. Most suspend baits under a tiny float. The best success has been shoreline dropoffs.

Major steelhead trout streams are low and generally clear, and wild trout are very wary of fishermen. Fishermen are targeting deep pools and tail outs with spawn bags, jig-maggot rigs and minnows. Cold nights have resulted in slushy fishing conditions early in the day, conditions that should prevail as temperatures slump this weekend.

Walleye fishermen had been finding success around Western Lake Erie reefs in recent days. Colder weather and windy conditions in the forecast should slow that fishing, and make it riskier this weekend. Colder weather has also begun to create a thin ice cover on inland lakes, making the fishing difficult to impossible.

Outdoors calendar

Today through Sunday: Columbus Sports, Vacation & Boat Show, Ohio Expo Center, Columbus. Show hours: Today, 2-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission, $8. Visit columbussportsshow.com.

Sunday: Gus Ferencak Memorial and Del Shamp/Chuck Weber Classic All-Breed Hunter's Trial, 8 a.m., Columbia Game Club, 237 U.S. 224, Sullivan Township. Call Ginny Reznik, 330-723-1679.

Feb. 16: Steelhead Workshop presented by the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders, 7:30 p.m., Ampol Club, 4737 Pearl Road, Cleveland.

Feb. 18: Columbia Game Club's Sportsman's Flea Market, Medina County Fairgrounds, 735 Lafayette Road, Medina. Show hours 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission $5, women and children under 16 free. Contact Joe Najm, 440-845-6363.

Feb. 18: 53rd annual Buckeye Big Buck Club banquet and awards ceremony, Myers Convocation Center, Ashland University, Ashland. Hunting seminars begin at 11 a.m., membership meeting at 3 p.m., dinner at 5:30 p.m. and awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. For tickets ($35, children $25) contact Mike Rex, 740-591-4746 or mrex@frognet.net

Feb. 19: All-Breed Hunter's Trial, 8 a.m., South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Association, 5370 Erhart Road, south of West Smith Road, Chatham Township. Entries close Feb. 16. Contact trial Chairman Mike Kristof, 216-663-6427 or maktheqwk@wowway.com

Ohio hunting seasons

Archery Deer Season -- Through Wednesday.

Cottontail Rabbit Season -- Through Feb. 29.

Crow Season -- Through March 12.

Coyote, Woodchuck -- No closed season.

Trapping Seasons

Mink, Muskrat, Beaver, River Otter -- Through Feb. 29.

Cleveland Woods and Waters Club names Steve Madewell as Man of the Year: Outdoors Notebook

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Madewell, the executive director of Lake Metroparks, has been instrumental in expanding park borders and providing a wealth of recreation, especially angling access and opportunity for steelhead trout fishermen.

steve madewell.JPGView full sizeSteve Madewell is the Cleveland Woods and Waters Club's Man of the Year.
Steve Madewell is a career conservationist and outdoorsman whose ability to enlarge and enhance park systems has earned him the Cleveland Woods and Waters Club's Man of the Year Award.

Madewell, the executive director of Lake Metroparks, has been instrumental in expanding park borders and providing a wealth of recreation, especially angling access and opportunity for steelhead trout fishermen. The award comes as the avid angler and hunter has decided to head west, taking the reins of the larger Metroparks of the Toledo Area this spring.

The Woods and Waters Club's 61st annual banquet returns to the American Croatian Lodge at Ohio 91 and Lake Shore Boulevard in Eastlake on Feb. 21 with outdoor exhibits, raffles and games. Open to the public, tickets are $55, $85 for couples. Call Kevin Stedman, 216-750-9671. The club is also honoring Jason Posojil with its annual President's Award for his work on the club's board and its annual banquet.

Madewell is known for being as comfortable in a board room as on a steelhead stream or in the deer woods. His skills at bringing together business and conservation partners, as well as attracting major state and federal grants, have spearheaded land and stream acquisitions in Lake County. He and his wife, MJ, live on a pristine steelhead stream in Lake County.

Shows on tap: The Westlake-based Lake Erie Marine Trades Association is hosting the Columbus Sports, Vacation and Boat Show today through Sunday at the Ohio Expo Center at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus. The Trades Association folks even brought along Twiggy, the water skiing squirrel, and is featuring Angler's Alley.

For bargain fishing and hunting gear, check out the Columbia Game Club's Sportsman's Flea Market on Feb. 18 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Medina County Fairgrounds in Medina.

Check-in changes: The Ohio Wildlife Council reports it wants to allow deer hunters extra time to check their deer. Instead of an 11:30 p.m. deadline, they can put it off until noon the following day. Wildlife officials will discuss the new hunting proposals at open houses on March 3, including the local district office in Akron. The statewide fish and game hearing is March 8 in Columbus.

Dustin Johnson in 3-way tie at Pebble; Tiger starts well

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Twenty months later, Dustin Johnson finally hit the drive he wanted at Pebble Beach. Ten years later, Tiger Woods must have wondered what kept him away from the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Woods was five shots to par out of the lead, a solid start to his PGA Tour season.

tiger romo.jpgView full sizeTiger Woods, right, stands with his amateur partner, Dallas Cowboys NFL football quarterback Tony Romo, at the 18th hole at Spyglass Hill Golf Course during the first round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Twenty months later, Dustin Johnson finally hit the drive he wanted at Pebble Beach. Ten years later, Tiger Woods must have wondered what kept him away from the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

On a spectacular day of scenery and scoring, Johnson blasted a tee shot on the third hole at Pebble Beach and then pitched in for eagle from 41 yards in front of the green. He added another eagle on his way to a 9-under 63 and a three-way tie atop the leaderboard Thursday.

Woods was five shots to par out of the lead, a solid start to his PGA Tour season. He had six birdies in a 4-under 68 at Spyglass Hill, the fourth-best score on that course. Spyglass was hardest of the three courses, though not by much. The weather was so pure that all three courses played about one shot under par.

Charlie Wi was over at Monterey Peninsula and had a shot at 59 without ever knowing it. Wi was 8 under after a tap-in birdie on the 13th hole, and needed only three birdies in the last five holes. Trouble is, he had no idea the Shore Course was a 70. He made one more birdie and had a 9-under 61.

"I was looking at the scorecard like, 'What's the par here?' I did not know it was a par 70," Wi said. "That 59 never crossed my mind. Not once."

Joining them was former U.S. Amateur Danny Lee, who holed a bunker shot for eagle at No. 2 and holed out from the 11th fairway with a wedge for another eagle to match Johnson at 9-under 63.

Johnson is turning into his generation's "Prince of Pebble." He won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in consecutive years, and then had a three-shot lead at Pebble in the U.S. Open two years ago until he shot 82 in the final round. On the third hole of that round, he hit driver left into the bushes for a lost ball and made double bogey.

On Thursday, he smashed a driver nearly 340 yards over the trees to just short of the green, setting up eagle. Even now, he still thinks about that tee shot in the U.S. Open. Walking off the tee, he said to caddie Bobby Brown, "I could have used that in the U.S. Open."

"Walking off that hole, I told Bob, 'This hole owes me a few more than just that one.'"

Johnson overpowered the par 5s at Pebble Beach, the secret to playing that course well. He had a 6-iron for his second shot at the par-5 second for an easy birdie, holed a 65-foot eagle putt on the sixth hole, got up and down from the bunker just short of the 14th for birdie, then cringed when his 40-foot eagle attempt on the 18th just turned away.

"I thought it was going in," Johnson said. "I was laughing. I made plenty of putts today."

Woods made his share, too.

He opened with consecutive birdies, stuffing his approach on No. 10 and two-putting for birdie on the par-5 11th. He also holed a downhill, 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th that was good enough to elicit a small fist pump, and from behind the par-5 opening hole, hit a flop shot to 7 feet and made that.

One of his two bogeys was sloppy. It came on the short par-4 fourth, with a shallow green set among sand dunes and ice plant at a diagonal angle. Instead of going toward the middle of the green and letting the slope take the ball to the hole, Woods went at the flag. The ball bounced hard over the green and into a sandy patch of dunes, in a foot print.

He did well to blast a wedge some 30 feet past the hole and had a good two-putt from there for bogey. Woods picked up another birdie on the par-5 seventh for his 68. He played the par 5s in a 3 under.

"I don't know if it's a good sign or a bad sign," Woods said about his 68. "With the scores the way they are, I thought I could have it lower than I did. The guys are just tearing this place apart with no wind. I'm not too far away from posting a good number out here."

His partner, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, contributed pars on the holes where Woods made bogey, and Romo had a birdie on the par-5 14th when Woods missed the fairway and had to settle for par. As a team, they were tied for 25th.

Romo gets to play a forward tee, but he doesn't get any shots with a scratch handicap.

Phil Mickelson always entertains at No. 4 at Spyglass, a tee shot that gives him so much stress each year. He is determined to hit driver, and did again Thursday, this time relieved to at least be able to find it. And while he missed a 7-foot birdie putt after a splendid flop out of deep rough that ran 100 feet across the green, Mickelson was glad the hole was behind him.

As for his 2-under 70?

"The greens were perfect," Mickelson said. "They rolled so good, and that's why it was disappointing to let some of those go. I've been putting really well lately, and I expected to make some of those. Shot a couple under par, but it could have been a lot better."

Johnson's lone mistake came from a poor tee shot on the par-3 12th into a bunker. His start was tough to beat, though. With a 4-foot birdie putt on the fourth, he made it through six holes in 6 under, and then played solidly from there.

"I've been working really hard the last three days on the putter and the driver, and it paid off," Johnson said. "I'm starting to roll the ball like I usually do."

Ken Duke shot a 28 on the back nine at Pebble Beach and was at 8-under 64, along with Brian Harman. Nick Watney and Kevin Na each had a 6-under 66, the lowest score from Spyglass.

The conditions were so good that more than half the field broke par no matter where they were playing.

For more Cinesport video, go here.

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