Quantcast
Channel: Cleveland Sports News
Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live

Minnesota's Derrick Williams takes advantage of playing time: NBA rookie rankings

0
0

At this point of this shortened season, these rankings will reflect which rookies had the best week.

williams-power-twolves-vert-2012-mct.jpgView full sizeGiven a chance at playing time thanks to Kevin Love's suspension, rookie Derrick Williams excelled for Minnesota.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At this point of this shortened season, these rankings will reflect which rookies had the best week. At the All-Star break on Feb. 26, with two months under their belts, we'll start ranking the leaders for the Rookie of the Year award. Those rankings might not change much from week to week.

(Statistics through Friday's games.)

1. Derrick Williams, Minnesota, F

Stats: 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, .6 assists.

Comment: Averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds in two starts for suspended Kevin Love.

Rank last week: Unranked.

2. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland G

Stats: 18 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists.

Comment: Before suffering concussion at Miami, driving layup beat Dallas.

Rank last week: 1.

3. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota, G

Stats: 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.7 assists.

Comment: Tied career high with 14 assists vs. Kings.

Rank last week: 3.

4. Klay Thompson, Golden State, G

Stats: 7.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists.

Comment: Increased career high points twice, now 19.

Rank last week: Unranked.

5. Kemba Walker, Charlotte, G

Stats: 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists

Comment: Averaged 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists in 3 starts.

Rank last week: 2.

6. Tristan Thompson, Cleveland, F

Stats: 7.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, .1 assists.

Comment: Career-high 13 rebounds vs. Bucks made him top rookie rebounder.

Rank last week: Unranked.

7. Ivan Johnson, Atlanta, F

Stats: 5.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, .5 assists.

Comment: Career highs in points (14) and rebounds (13) vs. Sixers.

Rank last week: Unranked.

8. Bismack Biyombo, Charlotte, F

Stats: 3.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, .2 assists.

Comment: Averaged 7.3 points, 8 rebounds in 3 starts.

Rank last week: Unranked.

9. Lavoy Allen, Philadelphia, F

Stats: 5.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists.

Comment: Averaged 8.5 rebounds in last 2 games.

Rank last week: 5.

10. Jordan Williams, New Jersey, F

Stats: 3.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, .4 assists.

Comment: Increased career high points twice, now 11.

Rank last week: 9.

Dropped out: Detroit's Brandon Knight, Lakers' Andrew Goudelak, San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard, Washington's Shelvin Mack, Boston's JaJuan Johnson.

Just missed: Leonard, Denver's Kenneth Faried, New Orleans Gustavo Ayon, New York's Iman Schumpert, Oklahoma City's Reggie Jackson, Philadelphia's Nicola Vucevic, Phoenix's Markieff Morris, Sacramento's Isaiah Thomas.


Racist overtones roil tensions in English soccer match

0
0

By Steve Douglas Associated Press LONDON - A ball had yet to be kicked in Saturday's tension-filled match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford when the fierce rivalry between English football's two most successful teams plumbed new depths. And it was no surprise that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and United defender Patrice Evra were at the center of...

By Steve Douglas Associated Press

LONDON - A ball had yet to be kicked in Saturday's tension-filled match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford when the fierce rivalry between English football's two most successful teams plumbed new depths.

And it was no surprise that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and United defender Patrice Evra were at the center of the storm.

soccer.jpgManchester United's Patrice Evra, right, celebrates after his team's 2-1 win over Liverpool. Luis Suarez, left, of Liverpool, who previously taunted Evra, is at left.

Suarez's decision to shun a pre-match handshake with Evra, the player he was found guilty of repeatedly racially abusing during a Premier League match in October, inflamed tensions that spilled over into the dressing rooms and required the intervention of police on two occasions.

The most high-profile match in the English game, which United won 2-1 to go top of the standings overnight, was suddenly overshadowed.

"I couldn't believe it," United manager Alex Ferguson said of Suarez. "He is a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club.

"He shouldn't be able to play for Liverpool again."

It was the first time Suarez and Evra had come face to face since the Uruguay striker was banned for eight matches for calling Evra "Negro" several times at the match at Anfield on Oct. 15.

Ferguson had said the prospect of a pre-match handshake would not be an issue. He was wrong.

As the players crossed for the traditional ritual before kickoff, Suarez withdrew his hand away from Evra, infuriating the United captain and adding to an already hostile atmosphere.

Evra tried to pull back the arm of Suarez as the Uruguayan moved to shake hands with goalkeeper David De Gea, who was next in the United line. Suarez refused to turn back.

Evra threw up his left arm in disgust, while United teammates Rio Ferdinand and Danny Welbeck -- who are both black like Evra -- pointedly refused to shake Suarez's hand moments later.

"After seeing what happened, I decided not to shake his hand ... I lost all respect for the guy," Ferdinand told United's in-house television station MUTV. "It could have been resolved between the two players today. After this, it's not great."

Evra was spoken to by referee Phil Dowd but was reported to have chased after Suarez as the players walked down the tunnel at halftime. According to Sky Sports, a melee erupted outside the dressing rooms, forcing stewards and police to intervene.

After the match, an emotional Evra danced in delight in front of the United fans, patted the badge on his jersey to whip up the crowd and -- tellingly -- ran past Suarez who was trudging off the pitch dejectedly.

Liverpool players Jose Reina and Martin Skrtel rushed over to protest against Evra's actions. Stewards and police had to intervene for a second time.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish defended Suarez, as he has done ever since the saga erupted four months ago.

"I think you are bang out of order to blame Luis Suarez for whatever happened today," an angry Dalglish told a television interviewer.

Dalglish hasn't yet reacted to Ferguson's comments.

Suarez was booed by United fans whenever he touched the ball, just as Evra was jeered by Liverpool supporters in the FA Cup fourth-round match between the sides two weeks ago.

"For a club with their history, I'd get rid of him, I really would," Ferguson told MUTV. "Liverpool Football Club have a player banned for eight matches and they've tried to blame Patrice Evra. It's him they should be blaming. He could have cost them a European place."

Suarez scored Liverpool's goal in the 80th minute to reduce the deficit to 2-1 but wasn't at his best throughout.

Reacting to the match in a Twitter post, he barely referred to the furor he had caused.

"We are lost and we are sad because we have made a big effort," Suarez wrote. "Disappointed because everything is not that it seems."

The focus on the pre-match handshake, which is part of the Football Association's 'Respect' campaign, was just as intense a fortnight ago in a match between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers that also had a backdrop of racism.

QPR defender Anton Ferdinand -- the younger brother of Rio -- was spared having to decide whether to shake the hand of John Terry when the FA allowed the teams to forego the ritual.

That match was the first meeting of the west London rivals since Terry was alleged to have racially abused Ferdinand during a Premier League match in October.

Terry will face a criminal charge over the incident in July and has already been stripped of the England captaincy by the FA, a decision that led to the departure of Fabio Capello as coach this week.

Capello was unhappy he wasn't consulted by the FA over the decision.

The FA may now regret deciding not to pull the pre-match handshake at Old Trafford, and is now duty-bound to ask for further evidence from Dowd over what happened at the end of each half.

The governing body will be thankful the teams do not meet again this season.

Akron keeps rolling, dominates Northern Illinois, 75-51

0
0

This was the seventh straight victory for the Zips, who lead the MAC's East division.

AKRON, Ohio -- With the Akron Zips, every opponent has to know that -- one thing; sooner or later -- it's coming.

A quick-hitting scoring run that turns defeat into victory, or a close game into a blowout. Such was the case Saturday night when the Zips cruised to a 75-51 victory over Northern Illinois in Rhodes Arena.

"A good game because we had to work for it," Akron head coach Keith Dambrot said. "It's all part of our development."

With a 43-33 lead, the Zips went on a 16-1 run fueled by eight points from freshman Nick Harney. Spin moves off the baseline, short flips, driving layups and free throws ultimately capped a 12-point night for the 6-7 forward out of Benedictine High.

"We're really good at spurt ability," Dambrot said. "We've got to get the tempo of the game going to get more of those spurts. We rode the right horses tonight."

Harney had scored just 13 points in his last three games, but finished Saturday with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

"I think I had it going a little bit," Harney said. "Coach believes whoever has it going, ride 'em. I was pretty much feeling it, so he kept it coming."

In the midst of that run was an offensive rebound and thunderous dunk from Euclid High product Demetrius Treadwell that took the gas out of the Huskies.

Nik Cvetinovic led all Zips with 14 points, but reserves Harney and fellow freshman Treadwell (11 points, eight rebounds) was all the Zips (18-7, 10-1) really needed to get past the hapless Huskies (3-20, 2-9). This ended Akron's tour through the MAC West unblemished (6-0).

The Zips built a 31-24 halftime lead, even though NIU had a 20-9 edge on the boards, including 10 off the offensive glass. The Zips, however where shooting 11 of 21 from the field with eight players on the scoresheet.

This was the seventh straight victory for the Zips. They have only been challenged once during this stretch, a 69-66 overtime win at Western Michigan.

The 10-1 start in league play is KSU's best since the 2006 team finished 15-3 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Dig this: Michigan State's determination on defense unravels Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes: Bill Livingston

0
0

Michigan State digs out a victory with a masterful defensive plan against Jared Sullinger and Ohio State.

Gallery preview

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- They call it "digging" in basketball, and it was how Michigan State got gold-strike rich Saturday night against Jared Sullinger and Ohio State.

The Spartans didn't double-team Sullinger, the Buckeyes' 6-9, 265-pound post man, in their 58-48 victory. That is because, as an ESPN feature asserted, 55 percent of Sullinger's passes out of double teams become baskets. The Spartans weren't going to give the Buckeyes' outside shooters the luxury of time and space.

Instead, the Spartans used rangy 6-10, 240-pound Adreian Payne, Sullinger's former AAU teammate from Dayton, and burly 6-9, 270-pound Derrick Nix to tag-team him in the paint. They tried to put a fresher man on him again and again.

Spartans coach Tom Izzo -- knowing Ohio State coach Thad Matta only grudgingly uses his bench, even when it is imperative that he develop it -- also told his big men to run, even when the break was not there, sprinting up and down the floor to fatigue Sullinger. The Buckeyes' big man played all 40 minutes. He was gassed at the end. He was also querulous, yammering at referees, screaming to the crowd, gesticulating in disbelief over calls.

Sullinger had a triple-double of sorts -- 17 points, 16 rebounds and 10 turnovers. Izzo, like John Calipari with NBA first-round draft choice Josh Harrellson in the Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament upset last spring, was going to single-cover Sullinger. But whenever the OSU sophomore, in jostling toward the rim against a defender, put the ball on the floor, the Spartans' guards were digging at it, like dogs with buried bones.

Sometimes they rushed in and swiped at it before racing back to their man on the defensive perimeter. Sometimes they merely bluffed the dig, making Sullinger hurry his move.

Sullinger is the single biggest reason why Ohio State is a Top 10 team. It is axiomatic that he has to have better help than a combined 4-for-24 effort from William Buford and Deshaun Thomas, the other scorers in the starting lineup.

But with Sullinger, who made only 5-of-16 shots from the floor, a certain amount of ugly basketball is also a given. There are off-balance, twisting shots. There are speculative efforts that miss everything, but are often rewarded with a whistle. There are shots that have almost no window of success due to the effort expended to take them.

"He got under the backboard a couple of times and couldn't get himself out," said Matta.

Overall, though, Michigan State's tactics were effective because of a glaring flaw in Sullinger's game. Even though he has excellent hands for a big man, Sullinger tends to bring the ball down after grabbing a rebound in traffic, gathering himself for the putback. But when he does that, he is no longer 6-9. He has equalized what should be an advantage.

"He definitely brings the ball down a lot," said Nix. "We noticed that in scouting, and we used that to our advantage."

It is a common failing. The colorful former NBA star Darryl Dawkins liked to bounce the ball once to get his rhythm. Dawkins might have gotten rhythm out of a Gershwin song, but the delay of the bad-habit dribble let defenders foul him and make him earn the two points at the free-throw line.

When Kevin Mackey coached Cleveland State, he used to scold big men by chirping, "Don't put the cheese on the floor. The mice will get it."

"Most of the turnovers were just me going up for a shot," said Sullinger.

That was mostly denial speaking. Still, it did happen that way a few times, once when Payne simply tied Sullinger up as he raised the ball for a jumper, with the possession arrow going to Michigan State.

The difficult remedy to this game of mice and men is simply not to bring the ball down. Boston's Kevin McHale was one of the great NBA rebounders because he almost always kept the ball above his head on follow shots.

"[Sullinger] has got to learn to do that," said Matta.

Either that or develop a better touch on the 18-footer in less congested space that he will have to make more consistently to start at power forward in the NBA.

"We didn't expect them to double. We knew they would dig. But they don't usually dig like they did today," said Sullinger.

Michigan State makes Final Fours regularly with its blue-collar ethos, its rebounding and its defense. It is said that the Spartans bring their hardhats to work. Against the Buckeyes, it was their picks and shovels.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

When will the Cleveland Cavaliers be a buyer at the trade deadline? Hey, Tom!

0
0

Before the recent series of injuries, the Cavaliers' improved play was giving some fans reason to hope for a playoff berth.

grant-gm-horiz-dia.jpgView full sizeCavaliers GM Chris Grant is still probably up to two years away from making trade deadline moves to immediately help the team, as compared to stockpiling young talent and draft picks.

Hey, Tom: The Cavs should get a lottery pick this year and continue the rebuilding. I love the progress so far and think their timeline is accelerating with the play of Irving. When do you think they stop playing for development and start playing for the playoffs by signing free agents, trades, etc? Are the Cavs one year away, two years? -- Joe Carter, Davis, Calif.

Hey, Joe: The Cavs would love to get one of the top draft picks, but that's growing less likely by the week. I expect them to be busy at the trade deadline and again this summer. The Cavs are still two or three seasons away. General Manager Chris Grant considers free agency a tool, but not one he wields for big deals. The Cavs will build through the draft and trades and certainly hope to contend for postseason next year with bigger goals in following years.

Hey, Tom: Everyone is saying "the offer for Andy has to blow the Cavs away." Indiana did not offer Roy Hibbert a contract. Are there any talks of the center swap? We get one of the only true young centers. Indy gets an active, playoff-savvy veteran. No picks needed I would make that trade all day. -- Dan Wilson, Cleveland

Hey, Dan: Have not heard any chatter. Trades between divisional opponents are infrequent. I can't imagine the Pacers won't try to re-sign him in the off-season. I like Hibbert. He is a true center. It would be interesting to see what happened if Hibbert got to free agency.

Hey, Tom: Seems like the Cavs have hardly missed the injured Anthony Parker and Omri Casspi is a stiff. Why not give some of Parker's minutes to Ramon Sessions and Daniel Gibson and sit Casspi down at the end of the bench? Alonzo Gee has earned the right to start. It is okay to be critical of Byron Scott once in a while, Tom. -- Tim Corbett, Ladera Ranch, Calif.

Hey, Tim: Casspi has not had a good season, but I don't disagree with Scott's decision to bring players like Gee, Gibson and Sessions off the bench when the club is healthy. They provide energy and offense. If Sessions starts at shooting guard, who backs up Irving? People get too hung up on who starts. With the game on the line, Scott usually has the right guys on thefloor.

Hey, Tom: Why did the Cavs cut Mychel Thompson and open a roster spot when they had no other player to take his place? Why not send him to the development league until they had a replacement? It looks like they still needed help at shooting guard against Miami. -- Jim White, Attica, Ohio

Hey, Jim: Thompson's contract would have become guaranteed on Feb. 10. The Cavs wanted the roster flexibility with an eye on the trade deadline. They likely will fill that slot with players on 10-day contracts. As for Thompson, the Cavaliers did not own his rights so they couldn't send him to the Canton Charge.

Hey, Tom: One of the top prospects on the mock draft boards this year is Anthony Davis out of Kentucky. If the Cavs get crazy lucky and get a shot at drafting this kid, what are the chances he could play SF? He seems to have a lot going for him, including being a PG until a recent growth spurt, but can he play the 3 or is he strictly a 4? -- J Smith, Rocky River

Hey, J: A youngster that big (6-10, 220) is going to play power forward. I saw Davis last summer at the LeBron James Skills Academy and was very impressed. He was battling Ohio State's Jared Sullinger in low-post drills and more than holding his own.

Hey, Tom: Living in California, I don't get to see many Cavs games. I was wondering about Anderson Varejao's improved offense. Is it a result of having Irving on the floor with him, a lack of offense from the small forwards and shooting guards, or just an improvement in his offensive game? -- J T, San Diego

Hey, J T: I think it's a bit of everything. Varejao has worked hard on his game and has had a few more opportunities to shoot because the Cavs have limited offensive options. His 13-foot baseline jumper to seal the win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday was a classic example of Varejao's growing confidence in his offensive game.

Hey, Tom: What do you think about the Cavaliers trying to get Xavier Henry from New Orleans? Right now he isn't playing much and would be a good young upgrade on the wing. That way we can focus on getting a small forward in the draft. -- Anthony Jones, Strongsville

Hey, Anthony: The fact Memphis gave up on Henry -- a No. 12 overall pick in 2010 -- so quickly raises some red flags. I know he's had some injury problems, but it seems very strange.

-- Tom

Deflated Cleveland Cavaliers offer little fight in lopsided home loss to Philadelphia

0
0

With their best two players out of the lineup, the Cavaliers were a deflated, defeated bunch and the Philadelphia 76ers showed no pity.

Gallery preview

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A week ago, The Q was at full throat, the Cavaliers slaying the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, a surprising season pregnant with possibilities.

Anderson Varejao was building an All-Star portfolio with another double double and Kyrie Irving was delivering his second game-winning basket in seven days.

A week later, Irving sat concussed at the end of the bench next to Varejao, whose right hand was encased in a soft cast. The Q was reading-room quiet and a familiar whiff of last season wafted over the court.

With their best two players out of the lineup, the Cavaliers were a deflated, defeated bunch and the Philadelphia 76ers showed no pity in a clinical dismantling of the home side, 99-84, before 17,155 fans.

The Cavaliers have lost by greater sums this season, but those setbacks usually reflected either a lack of execution or effort. This was simply a paucity of talent. Varejao's three-headed replacement of Semih Erden, Samardo Samuels and Ryan Hollins combined for eight points and 11 rebounds.

The Cavaliers had as many airballs (six) as the Sixers had turnovers.

Midway through the third quarter, Erden accepted a cross-court pass from Omri Casspi, made like a 7-foot Irving with a spin move at the foul line before hoisting a layup that barely grazed the rim.

The groan from Loudville was audible at courtside.

But given the untimely news of Varejao's fractured right wrist, which hit teammates like a sucker punch two hours before tipoff, coach Byron Scott graded the performance on a slight curve. He sensed his club was down before the game and its mood never brightened.

"Obviously, the energy wasn't there from the start to the finish of the game," said Scott, whose team was playing its fourth game in five nights. "I kind of expected that. Just kind of watching guys in the locker room when Andy was there.

"It's like I told the guys, 'This is the NBA, guys get hurt and it provides opportunity for others and you just have to be ready to play. Hopefully, we will get over this little hangover and be ready to play Wednesday."

While Irving might return for that contest against Indiana, Varejao could be lost from four to six weeks. He said it's not been decided whether he will require surgery.

"It's terrible," Varejao said. "I can't believe this has happened."

The Cavaliers (10-16) lacked the urgency and crackle that has been part of their game so many night this season. Antawn Jamison led them with 20 points and Ramon Sessions contributed 19 points and eight assists. But the Cavaliers were never in the game after the second quarter.

The starless Sixers showed again why they are one of the league's best stories, placing six in double figures and playing strong defense. Jrue Holiday had 20 points and Thaddeus Young added 16 points for the visitors.

The Sixers (19-9) scored the first nine points of the second quarter as part of a 20-6 run. The Cavs were chasing the game the rest of the night. At the break, Scott still sensed the loss of Varejao in the room.

"Even at halftime I said, 'Andy is out, period.'" Scott said. "He's not going to play and you have to be ready to play and everybody has to be ready to step up their game, simple as that."

The Cavaliers lost Varejao to season-ending ankle surgery after 31 games last season and Sessions admitted his minded drifted to the hellish 19-61 campaign.

"It was like 'Oh, here we go again,'" Sessions said.

A week ago, the Cavaliers left The Q with such optimism. Two injuries to two top players have curbed it. The Cavaliers have three days to get their minds and their game right.

Kyrie Irving's concussion a learning experience for Byron Scott, too: NBA Insider

0
0

Irving is the NBA's most high-profile player to suffer a concussion this season and before he returns to action he must follow protocol.

irving-scott-practice-horiz-li.jpgView full size"Being cautious about (concussions) is important and Kyrie understands right now," says Cavaliers coach Byron Scott. "He wasn't real happy about it the other night, but we're doing this all in his best interests."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Byron Scott played in the NBA during an era when elbows were sharper and hard fouls drew praise from teammates not calls from the league office.

In the 1980s, players complaining of headaches the morning after games were often treated with several aspirin and little regard for their day-to-day status.

"I was asked the other day if I ever had a concussion and I don't know," said Scott, who played from 1983-97. "I got hit back in the day so many times and had headaches and woke up and still went to practice. It wasn't a big deal then ..."

Times and concern for player safety have changed. Scott's prized rookie, Kyrie Irving, has entered the NBA as it unfurled its first comprehensive concussion policy in December. Irving is the most high-profile player to suffer one this season and before he returns to action he must follow protocol, which includes passing a series of physical exertion tests.

Irving has missed three games after smacking the back of his head on Dwyane Wade's knee Tuesday night in Miami. His concession was diagnosed prior to tipoff on Wednesday.

"Being cautious about it is important and Kyrie understands right now," Scott said. "He wasn't real happy about it the other night, but we're doing this all in his best interests."

The NBA has averaged about 15 reported concussions the past five years, a league source said, a fraction of totals in the NFL and NHL. But just ask the Milwaukee Bucks, who visited The Q on Friday, how head injuries can affect a season. They lost three players to concussions last season and Carlos Delfino was sidelined for two months.

League spokesman Tim Frank said the NBA policy, which follows similar ones in the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball, has been in the works for more than a year. Cavaliers team physician Richard Parker contributed to it.

"The science of concussion management has changed dramatically over the past couple of years and we felt that it was very important to synthesize all the learning and make sure all of our teams have the best information and resources available," Frank wrote in an email.

During preseason, teams were required to show players a video to educate them on the dangers of head injuries and to alert them of warning signs. Irving notified Cavaliers trainer Max Benton of his headache and how he felt progressively worse as tipoff approached Wednesday.

As part of the guidelines, the point guard was given an exam that gauged eye movement, balance, memory, etc. In training camp, players had to take neurological tests to establish a baseline. They must return to that baseline and be symptom-free before they can begin physical activity.

"We had to do the test and everything before the season and I was like 'Do you really think we are going to need that?'" Anderson Varejao said. "Yes, we are going to need it. It's good thing to protect the players."

It's estimated half the NBA's 30 teams were using similar protocol, but the league desired uniformity. Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan, oversees the NBA's concussion program and consults with team physicians before a player is given final clearance.

Irving resumed physical activity on Saturday as he rode a stationary bike. He must still do agility work and non-contact basketball drills without anysign of setbacks.

In many ways, the NBA is just catching up to other leagues. But better late than too late. Players like Delfino and Miami's Mike Miller can testify to the fear and uncertainty related to an injury that comes without a timetable for return.

For many fans, the topic is a non-starter right up to the moment their child suffers a concussion in a sport. Scott isn't sure he ever sustained one, but he sounds comforted knowing his 19-year-old rookie is in the hands of an evolving medical science.

Davis and White win short dance program

0
0

 COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.  - U.S. Champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White took a step toward successfully defending their Four Continents Figure Skating Championships ice dance title by winning the short dance Saturday. The 2011 world champions and 2010 Olympic silver medalists finished their program with a mark of 72.15, edging reigning Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada,...

 COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.  - U.S. Champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White took a step toward successfully defending their Four Continents Figure Skating Championships ice dance title by winning the short dance Saturday.

The 2011 world champions and 2010 Olympic silver medalists finished their program with a mark of 72.15, edging reigning Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada, who had 71.60 points.

shortdance.jpgMeryl Davis and Charlie White win the short dance program Saturday night at Colorado Springs, Colo.

"We felt really good out there," White said. "Everyone likes to talk about altitude, but we tried hard to counter, and it helped our performance. The characters were better portrayed. Technically, we need to work on our levels, so we'll get back to work on that."

Moir feels good about his and Virtue's chances Sunday in the free dance.

"It was a good skate for Tessa and I the way that we attacked it," Moir said. "I made a couple of mistakes, and there are some places where we can make up some points at worlds, but all-in-all, the changes we have done in the last month -- and specifically in the weeks since nationals -- have really worked well. We had a strong skate, so we have to be happy with that, and it sets us up well for tomorrow."

Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were third at 64.23, and two-time U.S. silver medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani were fourth with 63.38.

"This was one of our better performances this season," Weaver said. "We started bobbly with the rhumba patterns, but we forgot that and built toward the end. It's hard to do with this rhythm to get through and have energy throughout. We are looking forward to doing this one more time at the World Championships."

Fifth place went to 2012 U.S. bronze medalists Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, who earned 49.93 points for their program.

Earlier, China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong won the pairs short program.

Sui and Han, the two-time and reigning world junior champions, had a score of 66.75 points, more than three points clear of 2012 U.S. Champions Caydee Denney and John Coughlin at 63.35.

"Today, we did our best in the short program," Cong said through an interpreter. "It's very amazing and wonderful. We feel so happy, and my partner did very well. Congratulations to the other teams."

The Colorado Springs-based Denney and Coughlin have only been partners since May.

"It felt like I hoped it would skating at home, and I felt the support from our friends and family," Coughlin said. "It was nice to put out a good performance for them and for ourselves. Our components improved greatly from our last Grand Prix score, so I'm excited about that."

They felt good about their ability to take their program to an even higher level than nationals.

"Going into this, we felt we could improve on this program and we could improve on this from nationals, and I felt like we did that," Denney said.

Americans Mary Beth Marley and Rockne Brubaker were third with 62.42 points.

"We're just really happy with our skate today," Brubaker said. "We were pretty strong on things, and this was definitely a step in the right direction. Between nationals and here, it's definitely how you want to be skating here."


Is Casey Kotchman really an upgrade at first base for the Indians? Hey, Hoynsie!

0
0

The Indians' personnel moves around first base dominate this week's mailbag.

casey-kotchman-rays.JPGView full sizeCasey Kotchman isn't a typical power hitter at first base, but his higher on-base average could keep rallies going longer for the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: I'm not sure I understand the Casey Kotchman signing. I see where ESPN's Buster Olney projects him hitting fifth (usually a team's second-best power hitter), but in 148 more at-bats than LaPorta, he hit fewer homers and drove in fewer runs. How, exactly, does this help? -- Rory Wohl, Chagrin Falls

Hey, Rory: Not sure where Kotchman is going to hit. Last year with the Rays, he hit anywhere from third through ninth. He spent most of his time hitting fifth (42 games, .324 average), sixth (36 games, .346) and seventh (47 games, .272).

Kotchman is not a power hitter, but he has a good on-base percentage, which is needed on a team that struck out the second most times in the AL last year.

Hey, Hoynsie: With the Tribe getting Casey Kotchman, what's going to happen to Matt LaPorta? I hope you're not going to say platoon at DH with Vlad Guerrero still available. -- Jeff Kosakowski, Olmsted Falls

Hey, Jeff: All indications have LaPorta starting the season at Class AAA Columbus.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why are the Indians wasting their time and money looking at Yoenis Cespedes? We all know the Dolans aren't going to open up their wallet for him and I don't think Cespedes is looking for a minor-league contract. -- Bobby Kuhn, Middleburg Heights

Hey, Bobby: It never hurts to ask. Maybe they don't get Cespedes, but the agent might steer his next client to them. A long time ago, that helped them sign Danys Baez, another Cuban defector.

Hey, Hoynsie: Now that the Nationals have signed Edwin Jackson, they have too many starting pitchers. They need someone to play center field. The rumor is that they will try to trade John Lannan. The Tribe has a lot of outfielders and no left-handed starters. My idea is to trade Grady Sizemore to the Nationals for Lannan. They will both make $5 million this year so there will be no impact on payroll. Lannan pitches 180 to 200 innings per year with an ERA under 4.00 and is a ground ball pitcher. He would really improve our staff and rid the team of all the risks and strikeouts associated with Grady. -- Denny Pinch, Arlington, Va.

Hey, Denny: Lannan was Manny Acta's opening day starter for the Nationals in 2009 so he knows what kind of pitcher he'd be getting. That being said, I think the Nationals would have to see Sizemore play for an extended period of time before making such a deal.

Three of their reported starters, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Chien-Ming Wang, are all coming off surgeries. I think they'd have to feel really confident that Sizemore could play between 100 and 120 games this season before making such a deal.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is it mere coincidence or is there a good reason that the Tribe only signed Casey Kotchman to a one-year deal? This gives Matt LaPorta one more chance to prove he can cut it in the majors and if he does, then they won't bring Kotchman back in 2013. -- Dale Brodt, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Hey, Dale: The Indians and Kotchman never really talked about anything but a one-year deal. It allowed both sides to keep their options open in 2013. Kotchman can re-enter the free agent market and maybe the Tribe will take another look at LaPorta.

Hey, Hoynsie: In one of your articles, it read as if GM Chris Antonetti and President Mark Shapiro built their offense around left-handed hitters due to statistics at Progressive Field. Did anyone ask why no left-handed starting pitchers to control opponents? -- Vince Davidson, Cleveland

Hey, Vince: Interesting question. Lefties hit .286 against the Indians last year, while right-handers hit .242. At Progressive Field, the opposition hit .259 overall against the Tribe and .268 on the road.

Last year, according to the Bill James 2012 Handbook, Indians left-handed hitters out-homered the opposition at Progressive Field, 71-40. Over the last three years, Tribe lefties have out-homered the opposition at home, 134-115. On the flip side, last year opposing lefties out-hit the Tribe's lefties, .275-.258, at home. Over the last three years, opposing lefties enjoy a .269-.263 advantage.

So maybe a left-handed starter would help the Tribe.

The Indians like their left-handed heavy lineup at home because it's difficult for a right-handed hitter to clear the 19-foot wall in left field unless he hits it down the line.

Hey, Hoynsie: What is the health status of Anthony Reyes? Will he be in big-league camp? -- J.S., Green City, Mo.

Hey, J.S.: Anthony Reyes is no longer with the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: In regard to recent sports phenomenon, the 2007 Cleveland Indians have to be at the top of the list. I know the season hasn't started, but does this team have the potential to match that team's performance? -- Frank B., Freihung, Germany

Hey, Frank: The 2007 team came out of nowhere so I guess the 2012 Indians could do the same. On paper, given the advantage of hindsight, there's no comparison.

The 2007 Tribe had five players hit 20 or more homers. Casey Blake (18) and Franklin Gutierrez (13) contributed as well. Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore were still healthy and hit like it. Victor Martinez led the club with 114 RBI.

CC Sabathia won the Cy Young with 19 victories. The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona matched him with 19 victories, a total he hasn't come close to since. Paul Byrd, fueled by HGH, won 15 games and Joe Borowski led the AL with 45 of the ugliest saves you'll ever see.

Except for this year's bullpen, I don't see much comparison.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Indians ever draft a player that turns into a superstar, will they be able to afford the player for six years? The Giants offered Tim Lincecum $17 million in arbitration and then signed him to a two-year deal worth $40.5 million. -- Ben Beilstein, McKinney, Texas

Hey, Ben: Let's not put the cart before the horse. First, the Indians have to draft a superstar, then we'll talk. Seriously, though, they did it with CC Sabathia. He was a No.1 pick and pitched 7 1/2 years in Cleveland before they traded him.

Hey, Hoynsie: I know Buddy Bell was very popular while playing third base for the Tribe for several years. I attended many games back in that period, and it seems to me almost every game I went to, Bell would make one or more errors. I think one game he made three. Overall, isn't Bell considered to have been an above-average fielder?

If so, I guess I just went when he had an off-day. -- Bruce Allen, Land O' Lakes, Fla.

Hey, Bruce: Not to be a wise guy, but you must have missed the six Gold Gloves that Bell won in as many years with Texas for his play at third base.

Bell was 20 when the Indians brought him to the big leagues in 1972. He played with the Tribe through 1978 and went through some growing pains. He blossomed in Texas, going to four All-Star Games.

-- Hoynsie

Cleveland Cavaliers get three days to clear heads and regain edge: Days of Wine-n-Gold

0
0

Cavaliers can ill afford to backslide to last season in the absence of Varejao

Cleveland Cavaliers lose to Philadelphia 76ers, 99-84View full sizeTristan Thompson figures to get more playing time in the absence of Anderson Varejao.
CLEVELAND – In a compressed season three-day breaks between games are rare. This one is perfectly time for the reeling Cavaliers.

They have 72 hours to overcome the shock of losing Anderson Varejao to a fractured wrist. Seventy-two hours to regain their enthusiasm and effort that have made a 10-16 start tolerable to many fans. A concussed Kyrie Irving appears close to returning. Now, they’ve got to get their game back.

You could see the 99-84 defeat to the Sixers coming all the way up E. Ninth. The mounting injuries, the loss of the popular Brazilian, the fourth game in five losses.

Not even Byron Scott, who rarely keeps his opinions private, saw the need to criticize the lack of energy or production.

“I told the guys in (the locker room) I understand,” Scott said. “It doesn’t take away from the fact we didn’t compete at a high level like I think we are capable of doing. I’m not going to give them one, but I do understand.”

They will take Sunday off and have two hard days of practice in preparation for Indiana and Miami. The playoffs -- a remote possibility even in the best of stretches – are probably history.

But you gain an identity by how you play. And Scott can ill afford to let Irving and Tristan Thompson marinate in a defeatist culture. This cannot backslide into last season. There will be lots of losses, yes, but they cannot believe they are beaten before they step on the court. That seemed the case Saturday.

Varejao’s absence affords Irving a chance to increase his leadership role. It’s going to be his team eventually anyway. It also presents a big opportunity for Thompson to grow into his minutes. I’ll address this topic in more detail on Sunday. For now, the Cavaliers have three days to clear their heads and rest their bodies and get on with their season.

NOTES, QUOTES, OBSERVATION

--- Scott said he intends to start Semih Erden again on Wednesday. He believes Erden, scoreless in nearly 14 minutes, is a better matchup against 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert.

--- Omri Casspi had another tough night. He was 2-of-9 from the floor with three airballs. The Cavs need a lot more from their starting wing.

--- Really impressed with the Sixers. They lack stars, but they are athletic, they defend and they spread the scoring. Doug Collins has to be a serious coach of the year candidate.

--- Alonzo Gee set a career high with nine free throws on 10 attempts. The reserve winger, who finished with 17 points, continues to impress.

--- Cavs have two games remaining in their brutal 15-game stretch. Record to date: 4-9.

--- Last word to Scott regarding the three-day break: “We need the rest, number one. Not only the three guys that we have out, we have a bunch of other guys that are banged up. We definitely need the rest and need some time (to) get some treatment and adjust because we know our lineups are going to be a little different, It gives us a few days to work on some other things on both ends of the floor as well.”    


Wi maintains lead as Tiger Woods charges

0
0

With five birdies in a six-hole stretch, Tiger Woods went from the periphery of contention to the thick of it Saturday.

tiger-woods0212ap.jpgTiger Woods lines up his putt on the ninth green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links during the third round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Coming off an early bogey that put him eight shots behind, Tiger Woods was in a bunker to the left of the 13th fairway at Pebble Beach when he cut a 9-iron too much, sending it right of the green toward deep rough.

The ball caromed off a mound and onto the green and started rolling. And rolling. When it finally settled a foot below the hole, and the gallery's cheers grew increasingly louder, Woods hung his head and smiled.

He went from possible bogey to unlikely birdie.

And with five birdies in a six-hole stretch, he went from the periphery of contention to the thick of it Saturday in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, another step toward showing his game is on the way back.

"Looked like I was having a tough time making par, and I was making birdie, and off we go," Woods said. "Sometimes, we need those types of momentum swings in a round, and from there, I made some putts."

If nothing else, he made it interesting going into the final round of his PGA Tour debut.

Charlie Wi played bogey-free at Spyglass Hill for a 3-under 69 to build a three-shot lead over Ken Duke, who had a 65 on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula.

Woods had a 5-under 67, his best Saturday score on the PGA Tour since the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and climbed within four shots of the lead. It's the closest he has been to a 54-hole leader on the PGA Tour since the 2010 Masters.

Saturday at Pebble is all about the stars, as CBS Sports traditionally devotes its coverage to celebrities, from Ray Romano to Bill Murray dressed in camouflage while throwing a football to former San Francisco 49ers lineman Harris Barton.

Sunday will have some star power of its own.

Not only is Woods in the penultimate group — right in front of two players who have never won on the PGA Tour — he will be in the same group as longtime nemesis Phil Mickelson, who had a 70 at Pebble Beach despite playing the par 5s in 1 over.

Still in the mix is two-time Pebble Beach champion Dustin Johnson, former world No. 1 Vijay Singh and three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, who was two shots off the lead at one point until a sloppy finish at Spyglass for a 72.

Wi is 0-for-162 on the PGA Tour and now has to face his demons of self-doubt — along with a familiar force in golf.

Woods couldn't convert a share of the third-round lead with Robert Rock two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, but he is showing an upward trend. He has given himself a chance to win on the back nine of his last four stroke-play tournaments.

With a new swing, it's starting to look like the old Tiger.

"But the scenario doesn't change," Woods said. "The ultimate goal is to win a golf tournament."

That's something Wi has never done. He was at 15-under 199, and he has a 54-hole lead for only the second time on tour. He had a one-shot lead at Colonial last year and was runner-up to David Toms.

This time, Wi will be in the last group with someone in a familiar spot. Duke is winless in 142 starts.

The last two weeks haven't been too kind to 54-hole leaders, either. Kyle Stanley lost a five-shot lead at Torrey Pines, and Spencer Levin blew a six-shot lead the following week in the Phoenix Open. Both were going for their first PGA Tour win.

Your turn, Charlie.

"I haven't really thought about that," Wi said, when asked if it were a blessing or a burden to be in front. "But I enjoy being in the lead. It's a lot more fun than trying to come from behind. I know that tonight is going to be very exciting, and I'm sure I won't sleep as well as if I'm in 50th place. But that's what we play for, and I'm really excited."

Woods was at 11-under 203, having lost some momentum on the front nine at Pebble by missing a few fairways and hitting some ordinary wedge shots. He closed with seven pars.

Mickelson was at 9-under 205, along with Johnson and Hunter Mahan. Harrington was at 206, while another stroke back were Singh and Geoff Ogilvy.

Wi is No. 175 in the world, while Duke is at No. 258. They have combined for 304 starts without a win. Right behind them are Woods and Mickelson, who have combined for 18 majors and 110 PGA Tour wins.

"It's really fun, especially when the big guys are up there," Duke said. "That's when everyone is out there watching. If you do perform well and play well, they will be watching you, as well. It's going to be fun."

With a short burst of birdies, it looked as though Woods was having a blast.

He rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the 14th, and then had a 25-foot putt up the slope on the 15th. One of the amateurs in his group had a similar putt, so Woods was able to look at the break. He learned well, extending his left arm as he often does before the putt drops. And it did.

Woods made good birdie putts from 20 feet on the 17th and 8 feet on the 18th, where he also got a small break. Not wanting to hit driver in the first place because he couldn't reach in two, he came out of the shot. It looked like it might go out-of-bounds until it hit a CBS spotter and settled behind the bunkers.

Woods made an easy birdie on the par-5 second, but that was hit. He had to save par on the short par-4 fourth from a bunker, and didn't give himself enough good looks the rest of the way.

No matter. He moved up the leaderboard, higher than he has been in some time on this tour.

Woods played in the final group two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, tied for the lead with Rock, and he had his poorest day striking the ball and finished in a tie for third. Woods played in the final group at his Chevron World Challenge at the end of last year and birdied the last two holes to beat Zach Johnson.

Woods doesn't distinguish between tours, or even official events. Winning is winning. Losing is losing. All he sees at the moment is progress, and it's hard to deny it.

"My bad days and bad shots are not as bad as they used to be," Woods said.

Wi is making his own brand of progress, getting more comfortable with his swing and being in contention. He talks often about the demons in his head, which is typical of most any golfer.

"I'm sure I'll be fighting my demons all day tomorrow and it's how I handle myself tomorrow," Wi said. "It's not what other players are doing. How I handle myself tomorrow is going to be the outcome of the tournament."

DIVOTS: Joseph Bramlett, playing on a sponsor's exemption, made an albatross on the 11th hole at Spyglass when he holed out from 187 yards with a 6-iron. He negated that with two double bogeys and shot 73. ... Among the amateurs to make the cut were Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who is playing Pebble Beach for the first time.


It's isn't a snub, it's All-Star hypocrisy: Bud Shaw's Sunday Sports Spin

0
0

First an All-Star snub and now a wrist injury is the definition of an undeserved bad week for Anderson Varejao, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin column.

varejao-paul-dribble-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeA fractured wrist is certainly a bad break for Anderson Varejao, who has symbolized all of the cliches that basketball coaches like to tout --- even if the NBA brethren haven't chosen to reward him, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- NBA coaches: The gang that didn't shoot straight in All-Star selections...

NBA coaches stand on certain principles. I used to think some were even more important than their dedication to wearing a proper fitting Hugo Boss suit. Effort in a play-for-pay league should be one of the loftiest. Former Cavs' coach Mike Brown occasionally even kisses a sweaty player or two when he sees it on the defensive end of the court.

So how could these gate keepers of playing the game the way it's meant to be played leave Anderson Varejao off the East All-Star team? Now, it might seem moot with Varejao suffering a non-displaced fracture of his right wrist Friday. But they had a chance to do the right thing and whiffed.

Kyrie Irving didn't make it either, but there was only one snub involving a Cavaliers player. That was the Varejao omission. Irving will go to a bunch of All-Star games, but the reason his absence is justified -- aside from the competition at point guard in the East -- is his small sample of work in a season shortened by a lockout.

Not picking Irving is understandable simply because the season is so new and he's even newer. The league's coaches are still learning about him.

Most rookies don't embrace defense. In most cases, it's not what made them lottery picks. They don't realize the effort required or don't bring it with any consistency. That's the case with the 19-year-old Irving, who has already doubled his work load after playing just 11 games at Duke last season.

Varejao is totally different case. Including Varejao would've given coaches the opportunity to reward the concept of relentless, selfless effort, especially during a cramped season designed to buckle the legs and challenge the mind. Varejao's work ethic has proven contagious for the Cavaliers, who don't have an overflow of good reasons to be in the hunt for a playoff spot. Depending on how much time he misses now with the wrist injury, that hunt could be called off.

The injury doesn't get coaches off the hook. He is fourth in the league in rebounds and first in offensive rebounds. He is the ultimate energy guy, now with a new and improved shooting touch, having his best year in a season built to drain all energy reservoirs.

There's always going to be deserving players who don't get All-Star recognition. But if any group should've caught the Varejao Fever this season, you'd think it would be the coaches who beg for the kind of effort he willingly gives every night out.

SPINOFFS

Lance Armstrong says the U.S. Attorney's decision to end a two-year investigation and not bring federal charges against him should end any question that doping helped him win the Tour de France seven times. So, except for all those former teammates claiming he cheated, some of whom contend the U.S. Postal team ran a systematic blood doping program ... case closed.

Prosecutors were unable to prove Barry Bonds lied about using steroids either. That makes Lance Armstrong at least as innocent as Bonds, so he has that going for him...

Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino will play a businessman in an upcoming Hawaii Five-O episode about an attack on a man dressed as a NaKoa warrior. Victorino is from Hawaii but that's not his only familiarity with the show's theme. Street violence involving skilled fighters with their faces painted is what Philadelphian residents call an Eagles-Giants game letting out...

With National Safe Sex Awareness Month underway, NuVo Condoms, in the name of "prevention," will send a gift package to the NBA player with the most blocked shots each week in February. Curiously, NuVo is also the sponsor of the World Series Beer Pong Tournament in Las Vegas. (You were guessing Peoria?)

I mean, the kind of guys who spend weekend after weekend training for a beer pong tournament are already practicing involuntary abstinence...

The baseball Giants will hold Bruce Lee Tribute Night in honor of the San Francisco native on Sept. 4. It's a nod to the Chinese Year of the Dragon. No word yet on whether the Browns will take the cue and honor the city leaders who signed off on the terms of their team friendly stadium lease. May I suggest 2015, the Year of the Sheep...

Chad Ochocinco will change his name again in time for his summer wedding. Based on his 2011 production in New England, we wish Mr. and Mrs. Chad Decoy all the best...

snoop-mug-ap.jpgView full sizeHe's primarily a football fan, but he'll rap about pretty much any sport.

South Carolina legislators rejected a bill to require the Clemson and South Carolina football teams to play each other at least once every year. Rep. Nathan Ballentine (R) said he introduced the bill to quiet a growing fear that new conference alignments may interrupt one of the nation's longest running rivalries.

Ballentine did not say what his campaign slogan would be in the next election, though the old standby of "Less Government" no longer seems to fit...

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Actor Erik King from Dexter and Cavs' coach Byron Scott -- Tom Teets

Chris Bosh and Snoop Dogg -- Mike P., Euclid

SHE SAID IT

bosh-mug-ap.jpgView full sizeHe may be Miami's third amigo, but he's close to averaging 20 points a game.

"I didn't know anything about it. I wasn't happy about it. I understand it's punk rock and everything, but to me there was such a feeling of love and good energy, and positivity it seemed negative. It's such a teenager ... irrelevant thing to do ... just out of place." -- Madonna on performer M.I.A.'s obscene gesture during the Super Bowl halftime show.

Not at all like the 13 F-bombs Madonna dropped on David Letterman's show in 1994.

HE SAID IT

"It would have probably been more fun to play with LeBron, but if you want to win and win and win, it's Kobe. Not that LeBron's not a winner, just that [Kobe's] mindset is to go into every practice, every game, to get better." -- Larry Bird to Grantland.com on whom he'd like to team up with from today's cast of NBA players.

Oh, that small difference?

Details. Details.

THEY SAID IT

"M-V-P, M-V-P" -- The Madison Square Garden crowd serenading Knicks' breakout guard Jeremy Lin during his stunning 38-point performance against the Lakers.

However, Stephon Marbury still thinks it's for him.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"What would Gisele Bundchen say about your performance?" -- JJ

She'd probably say I can't pass as a serious journalist and write Spin at the same time.

"Bud:

"Why all the fuss about M.I.A.'s gaffe at halftime when Browns' fans do that during the entire game?" -- Michael Sarro

It's an FCC thing. Unlike with a televised Browns game, the Super Bowl audience wasn't out raking leaves.

"Bud:

"If a New England loss in this Super Bowl gives us the image of a topless Rob Gronkowski celebrating, do you think perhaps a Patriot victory in SB XLVII will give us a similar celebration from Gisele Bundchen?" -- John Bertschler, Broadview Heights

My bigger concern is a Ravens Super Bowl win and a topless David Modell.

"Bud:

"Now that Kyrie Irving has surpassed LeBron in game winning shots for a career, how long will it be before Irving shoots a free throw left-handed?" -- Jim W

That is so 2010. To match LeBron now he'd have to shoot left-handed while Tweeting.

"Hey Bud:

"Have you ever asked your bosses at the PD to pay you in advance in a lump sum for, say, six years of 'routine work' not yet performed?" -- Doug, Westlake

Thank you for not assuming I pay them.

"Bud:

"Spin should consider a new feature highlighting major-league ballplayers' actual and reported ages: Separated at Birthdate." -- Joe Percio

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"I didn't follow the Cavs' losing season last year. Does that mean I shouldn't ask Dan Gilbert for extra Gladiators playoff tickets?" -- Jon, Independence

Repeat winners get whatever Mike Holmgren gives them and they'll like it.

On Twitter: @budshaw

Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about Colt McCoy and the West Coast Offense, the newest Cavalier and some Tribe spring-training tidbits

0
0

He may or may not be their starter in 2012, but the Browns believe Colt McCoy will be a better quarterback by the fall.

mccoy-suggs-horiz-2012-jg.jpgView full sizeOften given less than optimal amount of time in the pocket, Colt McCoy wasn't always able to go through the required progressions to run the West Coast Offense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sure, we're getting a taste of winter, but there's plenty of sports talk to keep you warm.

About the West Coast Offense ...

1. The Browns believe Colt McCoy will be a more productive QB next season. They still are keeping their options open, but if they decide not to sign a free agent such as Matt Flynn or use the No. 4 pick for a quarterback, they are convinced McCoy will be better. It's because McCoy has been in three different offenses in three years -- at Texas, Browns under Brian Daboll, Browns under Pat Shurmur.

2. The West Coast offense is different. When a play is called, the quarterback has a structured progression: 1-2-3 options. He has a little less freedom than some offenses to find an open receiver, but WCO coaches believe the priority list of receivers on each play helps the quarterback make a quicker throw and operate with less confusion.

3. I was critical of the throws to Greg Little standing in the middle of the field, about five yards from the line of scrimmage. He usually caught the ball, and was blasted by the defense. The Browns say Little was often not the main receiver, he was there to occupy a safety as other receivers made cuts behind him. Think of a triangle, with Little in the middle.

4. What the Browns don't like to talk about is that those cutting receivers either -- A.) Didn't get open fast enough, B.) McCoy became impatient and threw to Little as a safety valve, or C.) The timing was off.

Obviously, there were different breakdowns. When Little was targeted 13 times in a loss to the Bengals -- a game where he had four drops -- it was not by design. McCoy went to Little so often because he believed Little was the only one open, not because he was No. 1 in the progression.

5. The Browns believe Little should be given credit for making some very tough catches, rather than dwelling on his 12 drops (No. 2 in the NFL). He led the team with 61 catches. He was in a new offense after having missed his final year at North Carolina because he took money from an agent. They are very upbeat about his future. In Mel Kiper's 2011 rookie rankings, the ESPN analyst ranked Little at No. 20, a real jump for being picked No. 59. Kiper wrote: "Little needs to become more consistent, but, after missing a year of football, he showed hints of future stardom -- he had seven more catches than [the Falcons'] Julio Jones." Among rookies, only the Bengals' A.J. Green (65) had more catches.

6. The Browns believe Little is their top receiver ... right now. They were impressed by how Joshua Cribbs improved. He caught a career-high 41 passes and led the team in catches of at least 20 yards. There were some rumors about Cribbs not returning in 2012, and that's ridiculous. The coaches love how he played well against teams such as Pittsburgh, along with his willingness to play special teams.

7. Jordan Norwood earned some respect for his play as a slot receiver, and he has chance to make the team next season. The Browns are hoping Carlton Mitchell can show something in the mini camps. Mitchell has the speed and physique (6-3, 220), but he's battled injuries and inexperience, having only three catches in two years.

8. Hard to know what to make of Mohamed Massaquoi, who had a foot injury and the second concussion of his pro career. Massaquoi has averaged 34 receptions over his first three seasons, and has been handed the starter's job each year.

9. While the Browns see value in Little and Cribbs, they know they must find a receiver with speed who is a real threat, not "just a track guy," as speed players with bad hands are known. Kiper has the Browns looking hard at Kendall Wright of Baylor. Dan Shonka of Ourlads.com, an NFL scouting service, also likes Wright for the Browns, comparing him to the Panthers' Steve Smith.

10. The Browns led the NFL last season with 43 dropped passes, and were 29th in pass plays of at least 25 yards. So it's not as if the dropped passes were a product of a big-play offense. Quarterback is an issue, but so are the receivers who must quickly get open and hang on to the ball.

About the Browns and football families ...

1. While some fans were bothered that the Browns hired Brad Childress as offensive coordinator because he's so close to Shurmur, Mike Holmgren, etc. ... well, that's how it works in the NFL. Josh McDaniels is back with Bill Belichick in New England, where he started his pro coaching career. McDaniels left to be head coach in Denver, then offensive coordinator in St. Louis. After being fired from both jobs, he returned to Belichick.

2. Brian Daboll is the new offensive coordinator in Kansas City. He is the former Browns offensive coordinator under Eric Mangini. Mangini and Daboll are part of the Belichick football family, although Mangini and Belichick clashed after "spygate" a few years ago.

3. So what does that have to do with Daboll in Kansas City? The Chiefs' general manager is Scott Pioli, who broke into football with Belichick. The head coach is Romeo Crennel. Before he was the Browns' head coach, Crennel was Belichick's defensive coordinator in New England. So Pioli and Crennel turned to Daboll, who did a nice job in Miami once Matt Moore took over as quarterback.

4. Crennel's associate head coach is Maurice Carthon, who worked with Crennel in Cleveland ... and that relationship eventually goes back to Belichick.

5. I can write a book about all the Belichick connections in the NFL, but Akron native Michael Holley already did, it's called "The War Room," and it's an excellent read. The Browns have switched football families. Phil Savage, Crennel and Mangini were in charge of the team from 2005-10, and they were from the Belichick tree, which really begins with Bill Parcells.

6. The other big NFL family is Holmgren (back to Bill Walsh) and the West Coast offense. In last week's notes, I laid the connection from Holmgren to Eagles coach Andy Reid to Shurmur and Childress. So we will see if the Browns can do better with this family.

cavs-uzoh-layin-vert-jg.jpgView full sizeBen Uzoh scored on this reverse layup over the Sixers' Evan Turner in the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to Philadelphia.

About the Cavaliers ...

1. Can Ben Uzoh play? Who knows? But the Cavs have a goal each year to find someone from the NBA Development League who can become a role player. Last year, that guy was Alonzo Gee, and he may become much more than that. The Cavs wisely believe there are players in the D-League who can be assets, you just have to find the right ones and put them in the right roles.

2. Ten-day contracts are a way to conduct these tryouts. Uzoh played 42 games with New Jersey last season, averaging 3.8 points and shooting 42 percent from the field. Underwhelming. But the Cavs know Gee struggled in his first tryouts with Washington and San Antonio. It's not easy for an undrafted free agent to immediately stick in the NBA.

3. The Cavs sent two scouts to the D-League to find backcourt help, especially a physical athlete who can play some point. They found the 6-3, 210-pound Uzoh, who had played only five games in the D-League, scoring 21 points, shooting 57 percent and averaging 7.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He rarely made turnovers. He was a four-year starter and 15-point scorer as a senior at Tulsa.

4. The Cavs are looking for backcourt help, because several teams are calling about point guard Ramon Sessions. The Lakers seem to have a real interest, and they have two first-rounders (their own and one from Dallas). So they can trade a first-rounder, and even take Sessions back on their $8.3 million trade exception -- without forcing the Cavs to take a player back in return for salary-cap purposes.

5. The Lakers are one of several teams waiting on Dwight Howard, as most in the NBA expect him to be traded by March 15. They may need one (or both) of those first-rounders to make a deal for Howard.

6. If Christian Eyenga could master some basketball skills, the door is wide open for him to grab minutes at small forward. Eyenga is wildly athletic, but it's hard to know if he'll ever be able to survive in the league. He recently completed nine games at Canton in the D-League, and averaged 8.9 points in 24 minutes per game. He shot only 40 percent, was 1-of-11 on 3-pointers and only went to the foul line 17 times (making 11).

7. Compare that to Manny Harris, who is averaging 18.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in Canton. He's shooting 44 percent from the field, and the Cavs may bring him up if they need a shooting guard. They went with Uzoh rather than Harris because their scouts had Uzoh's point guard skills rated higher.

kipnis-bunt-2011-vert-to.jpgView full sizeIn his first full season in the big leagues, Jason Kipnis will be counted upon to be productive at the plate against both righties and lefties, which has been his habit in the minors.

About the Indians ...

1. Jason Kipnis is already in Goodyear, Ariz., working out at the Tribe's spring facility. It makes sense that Kipnis is being handed second base; he hit .272 (.841 OPS) in 36 games with the Tribe in 2011. He batted .297 (.863 OPS) in his minor-league career, arriving in the big leagues after only 254 games. One of the ways the Indians can challenge the Tigers in the Central Division is for Kipnis to have an impact sophomore season.

2. Kipnis will be 25 on April 3. Almost from the moment he signed in 2009, Kipnis has hit -- lefties or righties, doesn't matter. Between Class AAA and the Tribe, he had 19 homers and 74 RBI in 479 at-bats. The only concern is the converted outfielder had six errors in 36 games. The Indians believe he's athletic enough to become an average second baseman on the pivot with above-average range, assuming he keeps working on his defense.

3. It's important Kipnis hits lefties, because the Tribe wants Jason Donald available to play the outfield (either center or left) when a left-hander is on the mound. Donald batted .377 (.949 OPS) against lefties last season, and has consistently hit them well in his career. An infielder until this winter, the Indians saw enough of Donald in the instructional league as an outfielder to believe he can make the switch with little problem.

4. Grady Sizemore is in Goodyear and is taking some batting practice, running, throwing and looking good after his knee surgery. That said, Sizemore has to prove he can stay healthy after three injury-plagued seasons. But at least the early news is good.

5. Hard to believe the Yankees signed Russell Branyan -- despite hitting .197 with 41 strikeouts in 127 at-bats for Arizona and the Angels last year.

6. Some fans wonder why the Tribe has so few prospects in ESPN's Top 100. Consider that they traded two -- Alex White and Drew Pomeranz -- to Colorado. The Indians have Lonnie Chisenhall and Kipnis in the majors. The only Tribe player in Keith Law's Top 100 is Francisco Lindor, at No. 35. He was the team's top pick in 2011, but played only five games in rookie ball because he signed late. But Law rated him over Pomeranz (No. 45), which is why these ratings are hard to figure.

7. Lefty Scott Barnes probably should be in the top 100 as he could end up in the Tribe rotation later this season. Law listed right-hander Austin Adams as "just missing" the top 100. He was 11-10 with a 3.77 ERA at Class AA Akron. Scouts love his fastball, which is the high 90s. Law rated the Tribe farm system at No. 29 because "trades and promotions have gutted this system, which now has very little above low Class A. One of the Indians' better drafts in years last June should help."

Injuries, expectations can fuel problems with pain pills

0
0

The problem with pain pills often compounds, sports psychologists and some former players say, when an injury forces an athlete to the sidelines for an extended time or out of the sport for good.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Addiction to prescription painkillers is a growing national health problem that mainly plays out off the athletic field.

But are athletes somehow psychologically wired in a way that makes them more susceptible?

The ingredients are there:

•Athletes, especially those in full-contact sports like football and hockey, are prone to injuries serious enough to require surgery.

•There's the internal and external pressure to fight through pain to stay on the field and avoid being labeled "weak."

•And highly addictive prescription pills are the traditional postoperative pain reliever whether you're an athlete or not.

"There are way more people outside of athletics who are addicted, simply because there are just more regular students than student-athletes," said Marcus Amos, a licensed substance-abuse counselor who travels the country as an NCAA-sanctioned speaker on the topic. "But I think it's more consistent with athletes because of the physical problems they go through."

The problem with pain pills often compounds, sports psychologists and some former players say, when an injury forces an athlete to the sidelines for an extended time or out of the sport for good. The funk that sets in feeds the potential for addiction.

"One of the main problems is you put so much time and effort into a game like we do, and then it's taken away from you by injury, then you're depressed," said a former Akron football player who was prescribed painkillers while he was sidelined for weeks after a surgery.

"Someone hands you an orange bottle and tells you to hope for the best. . . . The NCAA needs to make people more aware of this. In my opinion, it's one of the most dangerous things out there."

The NCAA posts guidelines for dispensing prescription medication in its Sports Medicine Handbook, but does not track the distribution and use of pain pills to athletes at member schools.

Leonard Moore, a University of Texas professor who helps universities create programs that guide male black athletes to succeed in college, believes the potential for addiction is especially acute once players are out of the spotlight.

"If you're used to being 'the man' since fifth grade and you don't go pro, your whole identity is messed up," said Moore, a 1989 Cleveland Heights High School graduate. "When that's over at 21 or 22, you see some serious self-destructive behavior kick in."

When depression kicks in, the use of painkillers to play can evolve into the abuse of painkillers to numb the emotional and physical void.

Athletes prone to depression or attention deficit disorder are even more susceptible, said Dr. Jack Stark, a sports psychologist in Omaha, Neb. He served as the psychologist for the University of Nebraska's football team for 15 years until 2003.

"When athletes get hurt and can't work out, they get very depressed," Stark said.

Stark said he has had to put some patients on antidepressants to cope. They miss the natural euphoria and other health benefits from endorphins released during regular, prolonged exercise.

"If you've been 'shooting up' naturally by working out and it goes away," he said, "you need a substitute."

Plain Dealer reporter Jodie Valade contributed to this report.

Universities monitor, control distribution of painkillers

0
0

Team doctors, head trainers and coaches at some area universities say the distribution of prescription painkillers is controlled and monitored -- a process not much different than when an athlete visits his family physician.

19GPULSE7_1991919.JPGTeam medical representatives at Akron, Cleveland State, Kent State and Ohio State say their institutions follow a protocol for addictive pain pills. Painkillers are only prescribed by licensed team physicians.

Bill Lubinger and Jodie Valade

Plain Dealer Reporters

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The image of the locker room candy jar full of help-yourself painkillers is pure Hollywood.

Team doctors, head trainers and coaches at some area universities say the distribution of prescription painkillers is controlled and monitored -- a process not much different than when an athlete visits his family physician.

But some former Akron football players said if they needed pain pills, it wasn't difficult to get them from teammates or elsewhere on campus.

Jeremy Bruce, a former Akron wide receiver who had transferred from West Virginia, said painkillers were readily available on campus and in the locker room when he played from 2005 to '09.

"I know pills get passed around in college football. I'm not going to throw anybody under the bus, but I know if you wanted pain pills and were hurting and needed pills to practice or get through the day, you could get pills," he said.

"They're not the crazy, high-milligram pills like Oxy[Contin], but they're Vicodin and Percocet. People get addicted to those as well."

Another former Akron football player, who requested anonymity, said: "I know guys who, literally, if someone had a surgery, his cell phone's ringing that night. . . . That's everywhere. That's part of the culture of college football."

Team medical representatives at Akron, Cleveland State, Kent State and Ohio State say their institutions follow a protocol for addictive pain pills. As a standard practice, painkillers are only prescribed by licensed team physicians, and only when an injury requires surgery or an athlete suffers a fracture or dislocation.

Bill Bleil, an assistant head coach at Iowa State who served in the same capacity at Akron in 2008, said coaches aren't involved in distributing pain pills and haven't been in his 32 years of coaching college football.

"The attending physician would have to do that," he said. "The most we could ever get out of the training room was cold medicine."

A typical prescription would be 25 pain pills for a procedure like knee ligament reconstruction, an amount that would last from a few days to a week, said Ohio State's head team physician, Dr. Chris Kaeding. The dosage, he said, is no different than what would be prescribed for a non-athlete.

"We don't give them enough to cause a problem. We only give them a couple days to a week's worth and that's it," Kaeding said. "No OSU athlete gets any kind of narcotic to practice or play."

Former standout Kent State safety Brian Lainhart said painkillers were prescribed only for injuries that required surgery, and were available and only through the team's medical staff and in limited supply.

When Lainhart had surgery on the meniscus in his left knee, he remembers being prescribed a generic version of Vicodin, enough for a few days.

"If you were done and said, 'Hey, give me some more,' they wouldn't do it," he said.

Athletic departments typically do not keep a running tally of the number and type of pain medications distributed, but records are usually kept in each athlete's medical chart.

If an NCAA-required random drug test detects pain pills that aren't documented in a player's chart, the athlete is asked to explain it and bring in the bottle, prescription or doctor's note, said Trent Stratton, Kent State's head trainer and director of sports medicine.

"It's pretty controlled," concurred Marcus Amos, a licensed substance-abuse counselor and an NCAA-sanctioned speaker on the topic.

But athletic medical staffs and coaches are somewhat powerless, he said, because the potential for abuse occurs and is available beyond the cocoon.

"They can't stop the addiction part," Amos said. "A lot of athletes are supervised properly. It's what happens when they're out of the team staff's sight, out of supervision of a team doctor or team trainer."

And once they are back on the field, it isn't necessarily obvious when a player is hooked on pain pills.

Several former Akron coaches interviewed for this story said they had no idea Chris Jacquemain and Tyler Campbell, two former Zips who overdosed, were addicted to painkillers.

"Opiate-addicted people are pretty crafty," Amos said. "It's easy to hide."


Football could not save Chris Jacquemain and Tyler Campbell from painkiller addiction

0
0

Chris Jacquemain was the quarterback with the golden arm. Tyler Campbell was the gritty walk-on defender. Within a span of four months last year, the former Akron teammates were dead from drug overdoses.

pain-pill-campbell.JPGView full sizeThe Campbell family, Wayne and Christy with their sons Ryan, 19, left, and Alex, 13, bottom, are photographed with a picture of their oldest son. Tyler, a former University of Akron football player, overdosed on heroin in July 2011.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the days after Chris Jacquemain failed his first drug test, after he'd gone through a detox program to rid his body of the prescription painkillers he couldn't stop taking, it was clear the Akron Zips' starting quarterback needed a supportive environment.

That meant not returning home to Mentor, where in high school Jacquemain first wowed football fans with his strong arm and accurate passes. Bad influences there were too numerous. Temptations were too many.

Instead, in July 2009, Jacquemain went to Pickerington, a quiet Columbus suburb, to stay with his good friend and Akron teammate Tyler Campbell.

Wayne Campbell, Tyler's gregarious and barrel-chested father, was happy to have them.His son Tyler was one of three children he and his wife, Christy, raised in Pickerington. A former college football player who is now an assistant high school coach, Wayne Campbell knew about the demands and requirements the boys faced heading into Zips training camp.

At Akron, the Campbells were known as a good, solid family. Under Wayne Campbell's watchful eye, the two young men would be enveloped in a stable surrounding and positive influences.

What Wayne didn't know was that his son and Jacquemain were addicted to the prescription painkiller OxyContin. Within a four-month span in 2011, his son and Jacquemain would be dead from heroin overdoses, victims of an opiate addiction that began, their families say, when they got hooked on prescription painkillers during college.

Scoring OxyContin and other prescription painkillers on a college campus is relatively easy, and pills are often swapped in football locker rooms because players are expected to play through pain.

As much as Wayne Campbell tried, as many hours as he devoted to helping Tyler recover from his addiction and avoid hazards, in the end he could do little but watch his son and his good friend transform from determined and charismatic players to college dropouts and narcotics statistics.

"We always thought his love of the game would take over," Wayne Campbell said.

"We thought football would save him."

S27ZIPSA_8051669.JPGView full sizeChris Jacquemain at InfoCision Stadium before the start of his senior year at the University of Akron. Jacquemain threw for 2,748 yards as a junior in 2008. He began taking OxyContin to treat football-related injuries in 2007.

The recruit and the walk-on

Jacquemain and Campbell could not have come from more different backgrounds, could not have begun their football careers at Akron under more divergent circumstances.

Jacquemain was so naturally gifted that Mentor High School coaches began eying him when he was a pipsqueak in the city youth program. Mentor head coach Steve Trivisonno played high school ball with Chris' father, Scott, so he particularly knew what a loss it was when Chris opted for Mentor's Lake Catholic High School, and was the only freshman on Lake Catholic's 2001 state championship team.

But Trivisonno was ecstatic when after two seasons Jacquemain transferred to Mentor, and the agile 6-2 player with cropped blond hair began to shine at receiver and quarterback.

Dozens of big programs, including Penn State, recruited Jacquemain, but he decided early his senior year to attend Akron. It was close to home, and he had a chance to play right away. People compared him to Akron alum Charlie Frye, the one-time Cleveland Browns quarterback, and he'd have a chance to break Frye's Zips records.

Campbell, meanwhile, was not recruited by a single Division I football program -- despite being a hardworking, hard-hitting defensive back. With the help of his father, he sent 30-40 letters to colleges looking for an opportunity to join a team as a walk-on. Only Akron responded. He would have to earn his way onto the team and to a scholarship, but he had a chance.

Jacquemain and his family came from blue-collar stock, with Scott supporting his wife, Cindy, and two sons as a truck driver. Campbell grew up in a comfortable suburb where the median household income is about $75,000. Wayne Campbell is in sales, a polished talker who with Christy raised Tyler and his two younger brothers in a gleaming four-bedroom house.

Finding success, finding Oxy

In 2007, the sophomore Jacquemain, after one redshirt year and another spent as a backup, started nine games and began his assault on the record book: four touchdown passes against Western Michigan, second-most in school history; 389 yards passing in that game, eighth-best at Akron.

He also started using OxyContin.

Jacquemain's family says it began with a separated shoulder that sophomore season and a prescription for the painkiller Percocet to ease the pain in his throwing arm. At some point, he progressed -- on his own -- to the stronger OxyContin, typically prescribed only to patients with severe pain because of its dangerous withdrawal symptoms and addictive nature.

When teammates spotted him using OxyContin at a party and reported him to coaches, Jacquemain was suspended for the Zips' late-season game against Bowling Green, a defeat. Chris told his father the experience at the party was a "first-time" encounter, that it wouldn't happen again. Akron referred him to counseling, which was standard team procedure for a player suspected of having an addiction problem.

While Jacquemain was establishing his Akron career, Campbell was just beginning his. He played all 12 games in 2007 as a freshman walk-on, primarily on special teams. From the start, his teammates noticed something about Campbell: He hit like a freight train. Jeremy Bruce, an Akron wide receiver two years ahead of Campbell, remembers watching a practice from the sidelines early that season and asking a senior who was the tough, fast kid in on every defensive play.

"That's Tyler Campbell," the senior told him. "He's one of our favorite new players."

Coaches agreed. Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart awarded Campbell a scholarship as he began his sophomore year in 2008. Wayne Campbell was proud. He knew his son was a "late bloomer," the kind of kid who just needed a chance to prove how good he could be.

tyler-campbell-pain-pills.JPGView full sizeTyler Campbell recorded 18 tackles in his first game as a starter against Wisconsin in 2009.

More success, another injury

By 2008, Jacquemain and Campbell were becoming good friends and dominant forces for the Zips.

Jacquemain, now a junior, won the quarterback position outright, and responded with one of the best seasons in Akron history. He threw for 2,748 yards, fourth-best in Zips history, and completed 57.9 percent of his passes, fifth all-time in a season. He was poised to deliver Akron to a brighter fortune than its 5-7 record that season and set the stage for his own personal success. He had a chance, it seemed, at the NFL.

"He was a great competitor, a great kid," Brookhart said. "He did a lot of things to help the program be successful."

Campbell, meanwhile, made an impact from Akron's first game. When defensive coordinator Jim Fleming told Campbell he was starting at safety just before the Zips' season opener at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium, Campbell, overcome by nerves, threw up in the corner of the locker room.

Then, he recorded 18 tackles against the Badgers in a performance Fleming has retold often as an inspiring story of perseverance and hard work.

As the season progressed, Campbell suffered through the ups-and-downs of injuries, missing one game, and sustaining a shoulder injury that required surgery in January 2009.

Campbell left his surgery with a prescription for 60 Percocet.

OxyContin's grip tightens

As 2009 progressed, family and friends of both players began to sense a change in their personalities.

Campbell began to spend more time away from his roommates. He communicated less with his closest friends, and was secretive about his whereabouts and actions. He repeatedly called his father to ask for money to help pay for expenses. Christy Campbell remarked often to her husband that Tyler seemed sad, unusual for the kid who was always ready with his trademark smirk.

Jacquemain, typically a quiet leader, began talking nonstop around family. He was fidgety and evasive when asked about what he was up to. He constantly asked his family for money, and slowly, his parents and grandmother, Jeanine, began to notice that money was missing after he visited.

Campbell and Jacquemain had drawn closer as friends, often hanging out together in the locker room and after practices. So when Jacquemain failed a drug test in July 2009 and went to spend time with Campbell and his family in Pickerington, it made sense. At one point during Jacquemain's stay, his mom called Christy Campbell, thanking her in tears because Chris "had nowhere else to go."

At the time, Christy didn't understand why.

Three games into the 2009 season, Jacquemain was still using OxyContin. He failed another drug test and was caught stealing from the locker room. A string of thefts -- team equipment, money from teammates' lockers -- had plagued the team for months, until Jacquemain was discovered to be the source. He was removed from the team for a "violation of team policy."

Campbell played 11 games that 2009 season, but totaled only 31 tackles. He was despondent and moody at times during the season, but his roommates chalked it up to his erratic play.

When Jacquemain was dismissed from the team, Wayne Campbell finally put the pieces together. He realized why his son was asking for money so often, why he seemed so moody and distant. When Tyler returned home to Pickerington for Christmas break, his father immediately forced him to take a drug test. Tyler failed. He was using OxyContin, too.

Tyler Campbell enrolled in a rehab program nearby, but only completed four weeks in the six-week program so he could return to school in Akron. Still, his parents were confident he had kicked his drug problem.

Rehab and hope

By January 2010, Jacquemain, who had retained his scholarship despite being dismissed from the team, was back at school in Akron. But soon into the semester, he returned to his parents' Mentor home, admitting that he had a deep addiction that needed help. Jacquemain enrolled in an in-patient drug-rehabilitation program.

By then, he had sold most of the possessions he had at school -- his TV, his video game system, books, even his championship rings from Lake Catholic's state title and Akron's MAC championship from his redshirt season -- to support his drug habit. He'd acquired his grandmother's ATM card, and over a period of time withdrew about $10,000 from her accounts. In all, his father estimates, he stole about $20,000.

By spring 2010, family and friends of Jacquemain and Campbell were hopeful they'd beaten their addictions to painkillers. But breaking free from the drugs' hold was a much different, much more painful struggle than the two young men had ever faced. Infinitely more painful than the injuries that began it all.

Football becomes an afterthought

In 2010, Akron fired Brookhart and hired Rob Ianello, a former Notre Dame assistant coach, to take over the football program. Ianello, now an assistant coach at Kansas, said he was told of the addiction issues of Jacquemain and Campbell and that he needed to bring discipline to the program.

In March 2010, Ianello learned that Campbell might have returned to OxyContin. He called Campbell into his office, and staged what he called an "intervention," in which Campbell confirmed Ianello's suspicions. They agreed that Campbell should return home to Pickerington to address the problem with another stint in rehab, worrying about football later.

Campbell withdrew from school for the semester, intent on getting well and returning to the football team. Wayne Campbell spoke to Ianello in the summer about his son -- how Tyler seemed healthy and stable for the first time in a long time -- and he learned what their next step would be: Tyler would have to earn back not only the trust of his teammates, but his scholarship as well. Withdrawing from school had voided Tyler's football scholarship.

Wayne saw the news crush his son. After all Tyler's hard work, his identity as a Division I football player was gone.

Meanwhile, Jacquemain's downward spiral continued. At some point, he switched from OxyContin to heroin. Both drugs are opiates that deliver similar highs, but heroin is easier to obtain and cheaper -- about $10 for one hit of heroin compared to about $50 per pill of OxyContin -- because of a recent crackdown on OxyContin pill factories in Ohio.

Jacquemain quickly deteriorated, losing 25-30 pounds after he stopped working out and focused more on obtaining the drug that he told his friends and family he needed. He worked sporadically for a moving company. He'd be clean for stretches, then noticeably back using for longer periods. He reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Danielle Krantz, and while she encouraged him to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, he continued to hang out with "the wrong crowd" in Mentor, despite her protests.

The drugs were no longer something Jacquemain enjoyed; they no longer gave him the detachment and euphoria he once felt when he took them.

Without them, he felt unwhole, sickly. He needed them.

Addiction claims one, threatens another

As the calendar turned to 2011, Campbell and Jacquemain were unanchored and battling their addictions, on and off the opiates, in and out of rehab. They held jobs for short times.

Brookhart, now an assistant coach at Colorado, contacted Campbell to dangle the possibility of playing football for the Buffaloes. Wayne Campbell saw his son grow ecstatic again at the prospect -- only to deflate to a new low when he learned that his college eligibility had been exhausted. In all, Wayne watched his son go in and out of rehab four times. At one of the programs, some of his fellow participants told Tyler how heroin was a cheaper substitute for OxyContin. His addiction worsened.

At the end of January 2011, friends who let Jacquemain live with them called police after he stole about $1,250 worth of jewelry and valuables. As the case moved slowly through the Lake County court system, Jacquemain negotiated a deal to enter a drug-treatment program instead of serving time in jail.

In early July, Jacquemain proposed to Krantz, the girl he met on a Mentor playground in elementary school.

At the same time, Campbell was in rehab again. He began to tell his parents that he might pursue a future in counseling, to teach others what he'd learned about addiction. He confided in his father that he might try renewing his left-handed pitching skills. He'd gained 30 pounds of muscle since he last played baseball in high school, and he might have a shot at making waves in the sport. Wayne Campbell encouraged his son's forward thinking. He seemed happy.

On July 21, Campbell was released from rehab. By the time he returned home and after he checked phone messages -- including one from someone he owed money for drugs -- he was dashing out the door, again. He had one obligation: to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

"I have to do this on my own," Tyler told his parents.

Tyler Campbell came across heroin that night. Maybe on the way to or from the meeting, maybe at the meeting, or maybe even stashed in his bedroom. Wayne and Christy Campbell found their son in his bedroom the next morning, dead from an overdose. He was 23.

The news reverberated through the Akron football community, echoing all the way to Mentor. Scott Jacquemain talked to his son about Campbell's death, reminding him how fortunate he was not to have reached the same fate. Soberly, Chris Jacquemain agreed.

A month later, Jacquemain failed a drug test and was sent to jail for 60 days.

Return to football?

By October 2011, Jacquemain was out of jail and living with Krantz and her father in Mentor. He was attending meetings regularly and working out again. And then, he had a brilliant idea: Maybe he wasn't done with football, just yet.

Tryouts for the Cleveland Gladiators, the local arena football team, were approaching. His strong and accurate arm was a perfect fit for the fast-paced indoor game. He asked his father to send in the application fee.

On Nov. 30, Chris Jacquemain awoke feeling sick. His fiancee, Krantz, assumed it was an illness, and fell back asleep. When she woke in the afternoon, Jacquemain was in the bathroom with the door locked. She pounded on the door, unsure what was wrong. He didn't answer.

When the door was opened, Jacquemain was on the floor, his fingers already turning blue. Krantz didn't see the heroin nearby that caused the overdose.

Jacquemain was dead at age 25.

Grieving, teaching and educating

In the wake of the addiction problems of Campbell and Jacquemain, Akron's athletics department changed its drug testing policy. The department's testing process had been only what was required by the NCAA. Since fall 2011, Akron has tested its athletes at more stringent levels, amounting to a zero-tolerance policy. Any athlete testing positive is referred to school counseling and disciplined. Akron also now has independent contractors, rather than school employees, perform the drug testing.

The Jacquemains and Krantz still struggle to come to grips with Chris' death. His grandmother refuses to watch college football: It's too sad to be reminded of her grandson with the golden arm. On Chris' Facebook page, family and friends leave messages professing their love and saying how much they miss him.

In the weeks that followed Tyler's death, Wayne Campbell became restless. He realized the amount of time he'd devoted to trying to help his son stay sober -- about 20 hours a week, he estimated -- and he wasn't sure what to do with himself.

For two years, he'd watched Tyler's every move, scoured his cell phone bills for questionable numbers that might indicate a problem, kept track of his friends and where he went every day. He'd tried to save his son, and it hadn't worked. Wayne wondered how it had all come to this.

"You become addicted to their addiction," Christy Campbell said.

Wayne turned his restlessness to action. Within weeks, he and friends began meeting to make sense of Tyler's death. The result was Tyler's Light.

The nonprofit's goal is to educate about the dangers of prescription drugs. Tyler's Light is in its infancy, but it has raised thousands of dollars, formed a board of directors and held meetings twice a month.

The main objective will be to inform middle-school kids of the addictive nature of prescription drugs, reaching out before the problem reaches them. Christy Campbell's hope is that the organization can focus, too, on educating college athletes on the dangers of prescription painkillers, how taking Percocet after surgery has potential to lead to heroin.

Wayne Campbell's mission is to learn as much as he can about drug addiction. He reads books, goes to special meetings, talks with experts and repeats all he's learned to anyone who will listen.

He thinks about the times Tyler would emerge from rehab and everyone in the family would think, "This is the time it's going to work."

"Looking back now, it looked like he was trying to get out of a room, but couldn't find the door," Wayne said.

During the last two years of Tyler's life, Wayne Campbell sat at the window to that room, trying to help his son find a way out, trying not to be distracted with why and how his son got trapped there in the first place.

"I never thought this could happen," Wayne Campbell said. "I thought these kids who OD'd were ones who started on drugs at age 14. He was a strong-willed kid who could overcome any adversity. I thought he could overcome this."

Now he hopes that with the help of Tyler's Light, others can.

Sports TV and radio listings for Northeast Ohio, Sunday, Feb. 12

0
0

Here's today's and tonight's sports listings for TV and radio for the Cleveland area.

paul-pierce.jpgPaul Pierce and the Boston Celtics host the Chicago Bulls today at 3:30 in a game televised on WEWS/Channel-5.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today on the air

(Click on to links for more team or event information)

AUTO RACING

7 p.m. NHRA, Winternationals (tape), ESPN2

EXTREME SPORTS

3 p.m. Winter Dew Tour, WKYC

GOLF

1 p.m. Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, WOIO

HOCKEY

12:30 p.m. NHL, Washington at N.Y. Rangers, WKYC

3 p.m. AHL, Syracuse at MONSTERS, WKNR/850-AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Monsters coverage)

6 p.m. NHL, Anaheim at COLUMBUS, Fox Sports Ohio

7:30 p.m. NHL, Philadelphia at Detroit, NBC Sports Network (preview)

MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Noon Stony Brook at Vermont, CBS Sports Network

1 p.m. Illinois at Michigan, WOIO (preview)

1 p.m. St. Johns at Georgetown, ESPN (preview)

6 p.m. Boston College at Virginia Tech, ESPNU

6 p.m. Northwestern at Purdue, Big Ten Network

8 p.m. Evansville at Drake, ESPNU

NBA

3:30 p.m. Chicago at Boston, WEWS (preview)

7 p.m. Miami at Atlanta, ESPN (preview)

9:30 p.m. Utah at Memphis, ESPN (preview)

RODEO

6 p.m. WinStar World Casino Invitational (tape), CBS Sports Network

RUGBY

2:30 p.m. Sevens, semifinal, NBC Sports Network

4:30 p.m. Sevens, semifinal and final, WKYC

WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

1 p.m. Kansas at Kansas State, Fox Sports Ohio

1 p.m. Penn State at Northwestern, Big Ten Network

2 p.m. Southern Miss at SMU, CBS Sports Network

2:30 p.m. Whiparound coverage, ESPN2:

        Marquette at DePaul;

        Miami at Maryland;

        Iowa State at Texas Tech;

        Arkansas at Auburn

3 p.m. Michigan State at Iowa, Big Ten Network

3 p.m. UCLA at Stanford, Fox Sports Ohio

4 p.m. West Virginia at Notre Dame, ESPNU

5 p.m. Whiparound coverage, ESPN2:

         Saint Johns at Rutgers;

         Florida at South Carolina;

         Wake Forest at N.C. State;

         Purdue at OHIO STATE

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage)

St. Ignatius senior Rustom Khouri will sign with Fordham

0
0

CLEVELAND, O. - Rustom Khouri, a 6-0, 225-pound linebacker for Division I state champion St. Ignatius, will sign a national letter of intent with Fordham.  "I love the campus and the new coaching staff,'' said Khouri, an Avon resident who accounted for 129 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks. "The coaches said it's a clean slate and everyone will have...

CLEVELAND, O. - Rustom Khouri, a 6-0, 225-pound linebacker for Division I state champion St. Ignatius, will sign a national letter of intent with Fordham.


 "I love the campus and the new coaching staff,'' said Khouri, an Avon resident who accounted for 129 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks. "The coaches said it's a clean slate and everyone will have equal chance to earn playing time, and I'm good with that.''


 Khouri, a member of The Plain Dealer All-Star Team who also visited Columbia, will major in finance.

 "I'm happy with my decision and very excited,'' he said.

In the NBA's chaotic and compressed season arrives a little Linsanity: Bud Shaw

0
0

With all due respect to Kyrie Irving's emergence, if ever a NBA season needed a story as surprising and fun as Jeremy Lin's it's this one, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.

lin-knicks-drive-lakers-ap.jpgView full size"Jeremy Lin possesses power to save NY Knicks season and Mike D'Antoni's job," reported one typically understated New York newspaper, "improve fan morale and end dispute between MSG Network and Time Warner Cable."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NBA isn't the most fertile ground for a sports Disney movie, at least not the kind based on a true story.

If Hollywood made one, though, it would be about a Harvard kid who lights up Kobe Bryant and the Lakers for 38 points at Madison Square Garden on dreamy February night. He'd pine for a NBA career while sleeping on his brother's couch. Golden State and Houston would've cut him just recently.

He'd string together four games of 20-plus points, six-plus assists and 50 percent shooting, launching his overpaid, under-performing franchise on a five-game winning streak. He'd have a short, tabloid friendly name that rhymed with "win."

The sidelined veteran point guard (think Baron Davis), slowly recovering from a herniated disk, might suddenly feel healthier than he has in a year. But now the team would be telling him, "Hey, no hurry. Put your feet up. Better safe than sorry."

The Jeremy Lin Story playing out for real with the Knicks is a morphing of "Invincible," "Cool Runnings" and "The Rookie." Only more impressive.

Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) became a special team captain for the Philadelphia Eagles after never playing college football. The Jamaican bobsled team, the inspiration for "Cool Runnings," crashed their sled in the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary and walked across the finish line. Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid) went from high-school physical science teacher to 35-year-old bullpen pitcher with Tampa. but even that might not trump Lin's road less traveled.

The casting call is yet to go out for Lin, the first Harvard player in the NBA since the 1950s. The school hasn't qualified for the NCAA tournament since before the Indians' last World Series title. Even by no-scholarship Ivy League standards, Harvard is a basketball outsider and not particularly synonymous with other professional sports leagues.

One of its more famous NFL alums, Pat McInally, is remembered more as the only player to ace the Wonderlic test than for his years as a Pro Bowl punter with the Bengals. McInally tells people that a NFL GM informed him his perfect score might've cost him a few rounds in the draft because "we don't like extremes -- we don't like [players] too dumb and we sure as hell don't want them too smart."

In Lin, NBA GMs saw a smart, athletic 6-3 point guard, but not one saw enough to draft him or keep him around until circumstances forced the Knicks' hand. But five starts into his NBA career, he's credited with resurrecting the Knicks a year after they brought Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony to town.

"It doesn't get better than this," head coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters.

A New York Daily News Web site headline Sunday declared, "Jeremy Lin possesses power to save NY Knicks season and Mike D'Antoni's job, improve fan morale and end dispute between MSG Network and Time Warner Cable."

That doesn't include what he can for Commissioner Gordon and the Gotham City police.



The East coast media machine often turns good stories into legend. Good careers sometimes get elevated to Hall of Fame consideration in part because they unfolded in New York. In Kansas City ... meh. No big deal. There's some of that at work here.

But the interest stoked by Lin in lighting up such a big stage with his infectious personality, and thriving at point guard without Stoudemire or Anthony in the lineup, isn't just New York-centric. It helps, no doubt, that his night against the Lakers came while wearing a Knicks uniform and playing at the Garden. But that's hardly the only appeal.

What he's doing just doesn't happen in the NBA. Not from where he came from, and not to the heights reached in his first week as a NBA starter.

You could argue the condensed season is the real fertile ground from which such a story could spring. NBA teams are critically short on practice time with more games crammed into each week. Game-planning for a particular opponent is in decline. The undisciplined play, injuries and tired efforts make for exactly the kind of season that needs the fun Jeremy Lin has brought to one of the NBA's biggest and most important markets.

This just never happens.

Unless you think the Fish That Saved Pittsburgh was based on the true story of how astrology completely turned around the fortunes of a pro basketball team.

On Twitter: @budshaw

Cleveland Cavaliers P.M. links: Injuries become a major story in yet another Cavs season

0
0

Cavs' respectable start now in much jeopardy due to injuries to Anderson Varejao, Kyrie Irving and another starter, Anthony Parker. Links to more Cavs stories.

irving-varejao-harangody.jpg(left to right) The Cavs' Kyrie Irving (out with a concussion), Anderson Varejao (out with a fractured wrist) and Luke Harangody during Cleveland's 99-84 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Again, as has so often been the case through their 42 NBA seasons, the story about the Cleveland Cavaliers begins with injuries.

Cleveland fashioned a respectable start to the season, going 10-14 before losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers on Friday and Saturday nights, respectably. Remember, the Cavs finished last season 19-63.

Center Anderson Varejao, however, suffered a non-displaced fracture to his right (shooting) wrist against Milwaukee, and early estimates are that he will be out four to six weeks. Varejao was passed over this week as an Eastern Conference all-star selection, though most observers considered him a legitimate candidate.

Point guard Kyrie Irving has missed the last three games with a concussion, and is day-to-day. Irving is considered by most pundits as the leader in the Rookie of the Year race.

Not to be overlooked is the absence of veteran starting guard Anthony Parker, who has missed the last seven games with a sore back, and whose status is not yet certain for Cleveland's next game -- at home against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Parker may not be the classic scorer for his position, but he is one of the Cavs' best shooters and a solid defender, and his absence makes the Cavs go one player deeper on the bench than they'd like.

Conrad Kaczmarek, writing for the blog "Fear The Sword," reviews the Cavs' 99-84 homecourt loss to the 76ers on Saturday night and comments:

The idea that this game was going to be horrible was pretty clear to me. It was Cleveland's fourth game in five nights, the Sixers are a really good team, and the Cavs were without their two best players. Initially, it seemed the Anderson Varejao merely had a sprained wrist, but an MRI revealed that he had a fracture in his wrist. Ugh. Once this was announced, it seemed like much of the excitement and energy around the Cavaliers dissipated. Without their star rookie and emotional leader, the Cavs had nothing to offer and sleepwalked through this blowout.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Tom Reed's Cavaliers Insider, focusing on Varejao's injury; Reed's game story on the Cavs' 99-84 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday night; "Terry Pluto's Talkin;' " Reed's "Days of Wine-N-Gold;" his NBA Insider; his "Hey, Tom!;" his "Tom Reed's Tipoff;" and more.

Cavs post-ups

Anderson Varejao's injury changes the outlook for the Cavaliers. On the blog "Waiting For Next Year."

Kyrie Irving begins the process to return from his concussion. By Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

NBA notes by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal, highlighted by the early evidence that Kryie Irving and forward Tristan Thompson were the correct first-round picks for the Cavaliers.

NBA observations and other news -- mostly about the Cavaliers -- by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Cavs lose the game and, for now, their star center. By Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

On NBA.com/cavaliers, video of Cavs' coach Byron Scott's interview with the media following the loss to Philadelphia.

Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images