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GM Chris Grant has Cleveland Cavaliers moving in the right direction, says Tom Reed (SBTV)

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Plain Dealer Cavs beat writer says Grant has hit on both Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson from the 2011 NBA draft. Watch video


Cleveland, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough, who's a big Dominique Wilkins fan, and Branson Wright.


Former Cavalier J.J. Hickson has been released by the Sacramento Kings. Should the Cavs try to bring him back? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer Cavaliers beat writer Tom Reed, who is in Atlanta where he will cover tonight's game between the Cavs and the Atlanta Hawks.


Tom says he thinks the Cavs are moving in a good direction without Hickson on the roster. He also talks about whether Cavaliers GM Chris Grant should be in the running for NBA Executive of the Year; and how Tristan Thompson has been performing in his role as the starting center.


SBTV will return Thursday with Plain Dealer Ohio State reporter Doug Lesmerises checking in from Boston and breaking down Thursday night's Sweet 16 game between the Buckeyes and Cincinnati.




Paul Hoynes talks No. 5 starter spot, bullpen and third base: Podcast

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Who will win the No. 5 spot in the rotation? Can Asdrubal Cabrera repeat last year's season? The Plain Dealer's Tribe beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

duncan.JPGView full sizeCan Shelley Duncan prove to the Indians that he can be the everyday left fielder?

Who will win the No. 5 spot in the rotation? Can Asdrubal Cabrera repeat last year's season?

The Plain Dealer's Tribe beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Can Travis Hafner carry over his spring to the season?

• Will Jeanmar Gomez pitch his way into the rotation?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to follow Paul on Twitter.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton suspended 1 year for role in bounty program

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Saints also fined $500,000 and will forfeit second-round draft picks this year and in 2013.

sean-payton-gregg-williams.jpgIn this Sept. 26, 2010, file photo, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams are shown during their NFL game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Payton was suspended for a year, and Williams - now with the St. Louis Rams - was suspended indefinitely today by the NFL for their roles in a bounty system that paid players for injuring opponents.


New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton was suspended without pay for the 2012 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was banned indefinitely today because of the team's bounty program that targeted opposing players.

Handing down sweeping and serious punishment for a system that paid out thousands of dollars when hits knocked specific opponents out of games, Goodell also suspended Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games next season, and assistant coach Joe Vitt for the first six games.

In addition, Goodell fined the Saints $500,000 and took away their second-round draft picks this year and next.

After the NFL first made its investigation public on March 2, Williams admitted to -- and apologized for -- running the program as the Saints' defensive coordinator from 2009-11. He was hired by the St. Louis Rams this offseason.

Goodell will review Williams' status after the upcoming season and decide whether he can return to the league.

The Saints now must decide who will coach the team while Payton is barred, his suspension is effective April 1, and who will make roster moves while Loomis is out. After the NFL made clear that punishments were looming, Payton and Loomis took the blame for violations that they acknowledged "happened under our watch" and said Saints owner Tom Benson "had nothing to do" with the bounty pool, which reached as much as $50,000 in 2009, the season the Saints won the Super Bowl.

The NFL said payoffs went to 22 to 27 defensive players for inflicting game-ending injuries on targeted opponents, including quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. "Knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.

All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL warns teams against such practices before each season, although in the aftermath of the revelations about the Saints, current and former players from various teams talked about that sort of thing happening frequently -- although not on the same scale as the NFL found in New Orleans.

Punishment for any Saints players involved will be determined later, because the league is still reviewing the case with the NFL Players Association.

So far, though, the discipline for the Saints' involvement in the bounty scheme is more far-reaching than what Goodell did in 2007, when the NFL came down on the New England Patriots for illegally videotaping an opponent. Goodell fined the Patriots $250,000, stripped a first-round draft pick, and docked their coach, Bill Belichick, $500,000 for what was known as "Spygate."

For more Cinesport video, go here.


Tim Tebow traded by the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets

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Denver gets fourth- and sixth-round draft picks.

tim-tebow-fans.jpgTim Tebow leaving the field after his last play as a Bronco in Denver -- an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas that gave Denver a 29-23 playoff game win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.



NEW YORK, New York -- Tim Tebow has been traded to the New York Jets.



The team said Wednesday it has acquired the quarterback from the Denver Broncos. Denver general manager Brian Xanders says the Broncos will receive fourth- and sixth-round draft picks, while New York gets a seventh-rounder - all in 2012.



The trade first was reported by Fox Sports. Denver started shopping Tebow after signing Peyton Manning. Tebow is expected to complement starter Mark Sanchez, who received a $40.5 million contract extension, with $20.5 million guaranteed, earlier this month. The Jets also had pursued Manning.



(Poll: Is trading for Tim Tebow a good move by the Jets?)



Tebow led the Broncos to the playoffs last season - along the way beating Sanchez and the Jets, who missed the postseason. But Denver executive John Elway believed Manning gave the team a better chance at winning a championship now.



Though executive John Elway and coach John Fox wouldn't exactly come out and say it after they signed Peyton Manning on Tuesday, the Tebow era in Denver is over.

At the news conference Tuesday to introduce Manning, Elway said he was exploring all his options for Tebow, the incredibly popular and polarizing quarterback who led the Broncos back to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2005.

"Tim Tebow is a great kid. If I want someone to marry my daughter, it would be him," Elway said. "But I think with the opportunity to have Peyton Manning's services, we had to take advantage of that. Now that it's happened, we have to go back and address Tim and see what the best situation is for the Denver Broncos, as well as him."

Tebow's base salaries for the next few seasons are very cap friendly: $1.942 million in 2012, $2.266 million in 2013 and $2.590 million in 2014.

Although the unorthodox QB energized the Broncos last season and guided them back to the postseason, Tebow's long, looping throwing motion led to some accuracy issues. And with his eagerness to run, he's hardly the prototypical pocket passer.

Still, Tebow has a flock of fans for reasons that have to do as much with his faith as his football skills. A devout Christian, he's been a role model since his days at Florida, when he led the Gators to two national titles and captured the Heisman Trophy.

His soaring popularity made this decision even more difficult for Elway.

"I've got to make the best decisions I can for the Denver Broncos. Without a doubt in my mind, this is the best decision for the Denver Broncos at this point and time," Elway said.

Manning eventually plans to reach out to Tebow, once he settles in and catches his breath after his whirlwind free agency tour.

"I know what kind of player Tim Tebow is, what kind of person he is," Manning said. "What an awesome year he had this year. If Tim Tebow is here next year, I'm going to be the best teammate I can be to him. He and I are going to help this team win games.

"If other opportunities present themselves to him, I'm going to wish him the best. He's going to be a great player wherever he is."

For more Cinesport video, go here.

NFL: Are the NFL fines and suspensions against the New Orleans Saints too much? Poll

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Did the NFL go too far with its suspensions and fines against the New Orleans Saints?

roger-goodell.jpgCommissioner Roger Goodell.

If the NFL was trying to send a message, I'm sure it is being heard loud and clear.

Not only did the NFL suspened New Orleans head coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season, but former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is banned from the league indefinitely because of the team's bounty program that targeted opposing players.

If that wasn't enough, Goodell suspended Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games of 2012, and assistant coach Joe Vitt has to sit out the first six games.

Did Goodell go too far?

 







Hines Ward's retirement: A Clevelander looks back

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One Clevelanders reflection of what recently retired Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward meant to the NFL.

33d484e85658b6cbaaa640e70d93146d-getty-136322650.jpgHines Ward's Last Hurrah, Hurdle

Hines Ward personified all things evil within the National Football League.

The deflating third-and-long receptions and the heart-breaking touchdowns. Hauling in countless passes from men who were equally despised, Ward always seemed to have a knack for nailing down the lid to coffin of hope. Defensive backs were essentially man-handled in the run game with blind-side, open-field blocks. And that never-ending smile, the one that incensed the opposition and their respective fans alike. Oh, that smile.

A 15-year veteran, Ward holds nearly every receiving record which lies in the mustachioed halls of Pittsburgh Steelers lore. In addition to all he did with the ball in hand, Ward is also the proud owner of a reputation for being a “dirty” player. Cincinnati Bengals safety Chris Crocker recently claimed that Ward “tried to end people’s careers,” forcing defensive players to defend themselves with as much effort as that put forth toward their own end zone. It was Ward who led the NFL to make a rule to actually protect the defenders from hard-hitting wide receivers – 15-yard penalties for all blind-side blocks involving a helmet, forearm or shoulder.

At 36 years of age, Cleveland Browns fans know Ward all too well.  Perhaps not as well as Keith Rivers or Ed Reed or Daven Holly or Bart Scott, but the 14-year relationship with Ward is one of many memories, some better than others. Upon their return in 1999, the Browns were greeted by their bitter rival. Some homecoming that turned out to be; the final score was a 43-0 shellacking in front of the lakefront crowd. Ward, making up for lost time in the wake of the Browns' absence, hauled in three passes including one touchdown, his first of many against the Cleveland Franchise. His 1,000th and final NFL reception, fittingly, occurred within the confines of Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Super Bowl XL was one of the ugliest championship games in recent memory. It would only make sense that Ward, a scrappy player on a team that barely even made the playoffs, would leave with the MVP trophy and his first of two Super Bowl rings. Making things worse, he did so by being a recipient of a highly-controversial blood transfusion. The evil would even transcended to reality television where Ward, with that maniacal smile plastered on his 6-foot frame, took home the God awful Mirror Ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars. Does it get any worse that that?

But with tears in his eyes, dressed in an all-too-familiar black, and a legacy unmatched long-time Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward decided to finally call it a career. Rather than playing on, like many before him, for a foreign franchise, Ward – who insists he can still play the game at a high level – will ultimately let a salary cap maneuver set the sun. A receiver on a team known mostly – until recently – for their running game, rarely a player to ever crack the top-10 at his position during any given season, never among the most athletic or most publicized, Ward’s game was rooted entirely in all things loathsome.

Draped in that rod and cone-gauging black and gold, with that flash of white gleaming from his teeth, Ward drew the ire of the majority, something that’s very difficult to do without committing a laundry list of crimes or holding a nationally televised press conference regarding free agency.  The path of destruction, the trail of opponent fan tears. In a poll conducted in 2009, Ward’s peers would not even consider him “tough” due to how he played the game. The Dean of disdain.

And I wish he spent the last 15 years on my team.

--

Follow WFNY's Scott on Twitter 

Former Giants middle linebacker Jonathan Goff visited Cleveland Browns, source said

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Former Giants middle linebacker Jonathan Goff visited the Browns on Tuesday, a league source said.

goff.jpgLinebacker Jonathan Goff has visited with the Browns.

CLEVELAND -- Former Giants middle linebacker Jonathan Goff visited the Browns on Tuesday, a league source confirmed.

Adam Caplan of the thesidelineview.com first reported the visit.

It's not yet known if the Browns will sign Goff, who sat out all last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Giants are also trying to re-sign him.

The last season Goff was healthy, in 2010, he made 80 tackles a sack and a forced fumble. He tore the ACL last year in practice the week before the opener.

Goff (6-2, 241) was a fifth-round pick of the Giants in 2008 out of Vanderbilt. He's started 20 of his 32 games with the Giants, including all 16 in 2010. Goff would provide depth behind D'Qwell Jackson.

Tim Tebow traded to the New York Jets: Is it a good move for the Jets? Poll

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Tebow led Denver to a surprising playoff berth and playoff game win, but has been criticized for his mechanics. Jets incumbent Mark Sanchez helped New York to four playoff wins in 2009-10, but has been criticized by some for his attitude.

mark-sanchez-tim-tebow.jpgJets quarterback Mark Sanchez and then-Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow last Nov. 17 in Denver, after Tebow led a 95-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes to give the Broncos a 17-13 win. Sanchez and Tebow are now Jets teammates.



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Quarterback Tim Tebow has been traded by the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets.



The Associated Press reports about the trade of the quarterback who came off the bench to lead Denver to the AFC West championship and a 29-23 playoff-game overtime win over the Pittsburgh Steelers:



Denver general manager Brian Xanders says the Broncos will receive fourth- and sixth-round draft picks, while New York gets a seventh-rounder - all in 2012.



The trade first was reported by Fox Sports. Denver started shopping Tebow after signing Peyton Manning. Tebow is expected to complement starter Mark Sanchez, who received a $40.5 million contract extension, with $20.5 million guaranteed, earlier this month.



Some pre-trade reports claimed that the Jets were interested in Tebow in part because they feel he can help team chemistry. Tebow, who has played two NFL seasons, has been criticized for his throwing mechanics, but lauded for his work ethic and ability to inspire teammates.



Meanwhile, Sanchez, the Jets' incumbent quarterback, will begin his fourth season. He has been criticized, anonymously, by teammates for what they perceive as an inconsistent work ethic. Sanchez, however, has been the Jets' starting quarterback in four playoff wins -- two each during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.



Some observers feel Sanchez did not play well last season for the Jets, who finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs. Denver, too, finished 8-8, but was 1-4 when Tebow took over at quarterback, and had lost 25 of its previous 32 games.



The Broncos defeated the Jets, 17-13, last Nov. 17 in Denver. Tebow accounted for 92 of the yards on a 95-yard scoring drive that won it -- running 25 yards for the touchdown with less than a minute to go.





Cleveland Cavaliers and Tristan Thompson look to atone for their performance against Atlanta

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The rookie center enters with confidence after 27-point, 12-rebound effort versus New Jersey.

Cavaliers lose to Atlanta Hawks 103-87View full sizeCavaliers' Tristan Thompson will look for a better showing Wednesday night against Zaza Pachulia (28) in the rematch with Atlanta
ATLANTA -- Tristan Thompson did not have to wait long to get his rematch against Zaza Pachulia and the Atlanta Hawks.

Just three days after the Hawks center manhandled  Thompson and Samardo Samuels, he gets another look at them Wednesday night in Phillips Arena.

Thompson welcomes the opportunity.

"Most definitely," he said. "On Sunday, Zaza beat me up. He out-rebounded me, he beat me down the floor. It's unacceptable. Tonight, I have to bounce back and hit him first."

Pachulia recorded nine points and 12 rebounds, including five offensive boards, in Atlanta's 103-87 victory. The rugged Georgian -- yes, a Georgian playing in Atlanta -- stands 6-foot-11 and weighs 275 pounds. He has two inches and 48 pounds on Thompson.

Coach Byron Scott said he also thought Thompson was a bit nervous and too "amped up" in making his first start. A night later, he scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Cavaliers' 105-100 victory over New Jersey.

Thompson hopes to use his quickness and athleticism more against Pachulia and the Hawks tonight.

"He was boxing me out, not letting me get to rebounds," Thompson said. "Tonight, I have to be extra active and try to drain him out."


NOTES

--- Scott said he would like to see both Kyrie Irving and Thompson -- the Nos. 1 and 4 overall picks -- participate in the Las Vegas summer league in July. Neither participated last year because of the lockout.

When it was mentioned that high drafts might not like that idea after their rookie season, Scott replied: "So?"

Scott thinks it would be a good for them to play together for just a few games, not the whole slate.

"The more they play together, the better they're going to be and the more they'll get to know each other," Scott said. "I think that's important. Even if we have six or eight summer league games, even if they just play half of them, they just need to play together."

--- Scott confirmed what we wrote yesterday: Ryan Hollins was more than OK with the idea of being waived. In fact, the coach said Hollins' agent called general manager Chris Grant and asked for a buyout. The Cavs obliged.

--- Daniel Gibson (ankle) is questionable for tonight's game.

--- Scott said he wants to give Luke Walton a few more practices before playing him in a game. His target date is Sunday against Phoenix.

--- Lots of good stuff from Scott and the team regarding their trip to the World Trade Center memorial on Monday. The coach said the idea originated with Grant and that he was all for it. The entire team and support staff made the visit before flying to Atlanta. We'll have much more on the topic later tonight, but here's a very compelling comment from Antawn Jamison:

"It was something I needed to see and I wanted to see . . . You need situations (as a team) away from basketball to put things in perspective. We did it on an off day and basketball was the furthest thing from my mind. We were just regular people out there. There were a lot of other people out there doing the same thing we were doing. It's good to do things like that and to expand our horizons a little bit. It's good for us to see the impact something like this had not only on New York, but the rest of the world."

PROJECTED STARTERS: Cavs -- Irving, Parker, Gee, Jamison, Thompson; Hawks -- Teague, Hinrich, Johnson, Smith, Pachulia.

 






Mike Holmgren on the radio, Ryan Hollins gone and Jeanmar Gomez : Blog Roundup

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Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.


gomez-frontal-delivery-2011-ap.jpgJeanmar Gomez has been solid this spring. Should he make the 25-man roster?
Cleveland Indians


Dan Hennessey from Let's Go Tribe takes a look at the future of the American League Central's payroll team-by-team and talks about the Tribe's flexibility in 2014.
"The Tribe's only 2013 commitments are potential buyouts for Travis Hafner ($2.75 million) and Ubaldo Jimenez ($1 million), if their club options are not picked up. It's amazing in terms of flexibility, but with it comes a great deal of uncertainty. I personally feel like the Tribe's in great position. The farm system rates poorly because much of the talent is at the lowest levels of the minor leagues, and there have been a number of recent graduations.


The Indians are in a good position, but the work isn't done. The only thing that stops me from worrying about a future Kansas City domination of the AL Central is that, well, they're still the Royals and they might find ways to screw this up. But the Royals are coming and the Tigers aren't going anywhere."

T.J. Zuppe of ESPN Cleveland/850 AM WKNR states why Jeanmar Gomez should be included on the 25-man roster come Opening Day. He also talks about the spring training performances of Ubaldo Jimenez and Josh Tomlin.
"It is really hard to make a case against pitcher Jeanmar Gomez making the opening day roster. The 24-year old righty has tossed 11 scoreless innings this spring and has worked both out of the pen and started. Manny Acta alluded to one starter possibly making the 25-man roster out of the bullpen. Could Gomez be in that mix? There is not much more he can prove in Columbus."

holmgren.jpgShould Mike Holmgren make an effort to reach Cleveland fans through the local media?
Cleveland Browns


The Browns blog Cleveland Huddle talks about how the Browns must upgrade their offense in the draft.
"The other interesting twist that could come on drat day is if the Miami Dolphins don't get a quarterback they could call the Browns for a trade to the 8th pick. If they Browns go down to 8 they could take Trent Richardson and pick extra picks. This would be a good move for the Browns because they could get an elite runner, keep the 22nd pick, and add to the 9 picks they already have. So Cleveland Browns fans if you looking for you team to make some noise wait until the end April for the draft."

Craig Lyndall of Waiting For Next Year explains why Mike Holmgren should make it a priority to speak with the Cleveland media before he speaks with Seattle media.
"Mike Holmgren needs to preempt every Seattle appearance with a Cleveland one.


Sounds simple, right? That's because it is.


Mike Holmgren needs to pick one radio show, be it WKNR, WTAM, 92.3 or even WMMS and talk to them for 10 minutes on the same day before he calls his buddy Dave Mahler in Seattle. Maybe even do it a day before he calls Mahler. Seattle won’t mind. I promise."

Cleveland Cavaliers beat Washington Wizards, 100-93Ryan Hollins' career in Cleveland came to an end Tuesday.
Cleveland Cavaliers


Colin McGowan of Cavs: The Blog writes a humorous take on Ryan Hollins being waived by the Cavaliers.
"The first five cars Ryan Hollins attempted to start sputtered and made a sort of laughing sound as Ryan Hollins turned the key in the ignition. The sixth car, an old box Chevy that Ryan Hollins had refurbished with the exorbitant amount of money he had accumulated playing professional basketball, started smoothly, and Ryan Hollins pulled out of his driveway, killing three pedestrians while making a simple K-turn."

Stepien Rules' Brendan Bowers writes an email to Hollins, thanking him for the memories.
"I heard your departure from the Cavaliers was a mutual decision, and I just wanted to thank you for your role in that. It was time bro, and it takes a real man to be able to admit such things. I also appreciate you not showing off this season, ball hogging it up, or being out there worried about your own statistics too. If you had been, you might not have allowed Tristan Thompson the opportunity to start out of position at Center this season to close out the year. But you cared more about the future of this organization than yourself Ryan, put up numbers of 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game as a result, and I appreciate you doing that."

Browns should grab Morris Claiborne at No. 4 to play along side Joe Haden - Comment of the Day

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"Morris Claiborne has been my guy from the start as the article says you get a shut down corner which will make your defensive line better and he runs back punts and kickoffs if need be. What more do you want. If we would have picked up that offensive tackle in free agency it really would have helped but the powers that be didn't think so." - Moosie

morris claiborne.JPGView full sizeSome cleveland.com readers wouldn't mind the Browns drafting corner Morris Claiborne with their No. 4 pick.
In response to the story NFL mock draft links: Browns get another cornerback to team with Joe Haden?, cleveland.com reader Moosie would like to see the Browns grab Morris Claiborne at No. 4 in the draft. This reader writes,

"Morris Claiborne has been my guy from the start as the article says you get a shut down corner which will make your defensive line better and he runs back punts and kickoffs if need be. What more do you want. If we would have picked up that offensive tackle in free agency it really would have helped but the powers that be didn't think so."

To respond to Moosie's comment, go here.

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

Cleveland Browns P.M. Links: Could Scott Fujita face disciplinary action? Jonathan Goff visited the Browns; Browns' rank in free agency; Manny Lawson is no longer on the list

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Former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, now with the Cleveland Browns, could face disciplinary action stemming from the Saints' bounty scandal.

scott fujita.JPGBrowns linebacker Scott Fujita.

Now that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has put the hammer down on the Saints coach Sean Patton, among others, could Browns linebacker Scott Fujita face disciplinary action stemming from the Saints' bounty scandal?

ESPN's Jamison Hensley writes how Fujita, who played for New Orleans from 2006 to 2009 (the 2009 season was his only one under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams), was linked to the bounty probe in a report by ESPN's Chris Mortensen earlier this month.

The NFL is still reviewing player involvement in the bounty program, according to the league's official release announcing disciplinary action:

Commissioner Goodell said he will separately address potential sanctions for players and others with documented involvement in the bounty program.

Browns safety Usama Young also played for the Saints from 2007 to 2010, writes Hensley.

  

 

More Cleveland Browns

Nate Ulrich writes how free-agent linebacker Jonathan Goff visited the Browns, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Here's how the Browns are doing so far when it comes to free agency, according to the Bleacher Report.

CantonRep.com has a few notes and nuggets when it comes to the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns are not interested in Manny Lawson, writes Mary Kay Cabot on Cleveland.com.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers P.M. links: A 17-26 record so far, compared to 19-63 finish last season

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Longest losing streak this season has been six games, 20 short of last season's NBA-record slide. Links to Cavs stories.

kyrie-irving5.jpgPoint guard Kyrie Irving (with the basketball), considered the favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year honors, is a primary reason the Cavaliers are much-improved over last season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Atlanta Hawks tonight.

The Cavs are 17-26 going into the game. And though their play has been erratic at times, the overall picture is much brighter than a year ago.

Cleveland finished last season 19-63. Included was a 37-game span during which the Cavs won one game. They had a 7-9 record before a 10-game losing streak, and then, after a win, lost an NBA-record 26 games in a row.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Tom Reed's story that Cavs rookie forward-center Tristan Thompson is hoping to play better against the Hawks than he did the last time the teams met; Reed's interview on Starting Blocks TV, saying that the Cavs are headed in the right direction; his story on new Cavs backup point guard Donald Sloan; a few NBA mock draft links; and more.

Cavs post-ups

Cavs at Hawks game preview by Noey Kupchan for STATS and AP.

Cavaliers -- without Ryan Hollins -- at Atlanta game preview. By Conrad Kaczmarek for the blog "Fear The Sword."

Cavs-Hawks game preview on CBSSports.com.

Daniel Gibson sidelined, Ryan Hollins waived and Cavaliers notes by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Forward Antawn Jamison's basketball event in Charlotte has the objective of helping at-risk students. From the Charlotte Observer.

Reasons the Cavs will be ready to compete next season. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

Reserve point guard Donald Sloan knows about competing. By Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

The Sweet 16 and the NBA draft (and the Cavs). On the blog "Waiting For Next Year."

The Hawks stay resilient in the face of injuries. By Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Ohio State vs. Cincinnati? Just don't call it a rivalry

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Ohio State and Cincinnati have played only once in 50 years. Why isn't it a regular rivalry?

matta-osu-prac-2012-horiz-ap.jpgView full size"I don't know if I can give you a great answer exactly why we don't play," Ohio State head coach Thad Matta says of the Buckeyes and Cincinnati's Bearcats pointedly avoiding in-season matchups. "It's one of those things that it is what it is."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fifty years ago, Ohio State and Cincinnati refused to play each other, too.

Well, maybe "refuse" is too strong of a word. At the very least, Ohio State and Cincinnati's men's basketball teams had no plans to play each other in 1962. Not after the Bearcats had topped the Buckeyes, 70-65, in overtime one year earlier, in the national title game.

In that 1961 season, the undefeated Buckeyes were heavily favored for the championship and loaded with talent that included future NBA players Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek. But Cincinnati prevailed, a triumph that declared them as not only the top team in the country, but in Ohio, as well.

A year later, the two teams met, again -- by chance -- in the national title game, again. Cincinnati won, again, this time by 71-57.

"So, it still kind of has bad blood between the two schools," Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger said Wednesday in Boston. "So this one is going to be remembered for whoever goes to the Elite 8, and it's going to be a battle of Ohio."

It's hard to imagine that bad blood has lasted 50 years, but maybe there's something to Sullinger's theory. Since that 1962 game, OSU and Cincinnati have faced each other just once, a 2006 matchup at the John Wooden Tradition in Indiana that OSU likely scheduled more to allow Indianapolis natives Greg Oden and Mike Conley to play back home than to rekindle a long-extinguished rivalry.

cronin-ncaa-cinci-2012-mug-ap.jpgView full size"I have friends that have coached at Ohio State and they were basically told, 'You're not playing Cincinnati,'" says Bearcats coach Mick Cronin. "It's been a longstanding historical decision from their school."

Now, 51 years after that first loss in a national championship game, the two Ohio teams will meet in the NCAA Tournament. But why isn't it an annual game? Why don't the two schools have this game circled each year?

"It would be a yearly event just like Louisville and Kentucky, but I don't see it happening," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin told Yahoo! last year. "I have friends that have coached at Ohio State and they were basically told, 'You're not playing Cincinnati.' It's been a longstanding historical decision from their school."

OSU's suggested long-standing stance on nixing the rivalry has never been openly admitted. Coach Thad Matta merely said it's difficult to juggle the Buckeyes' schedule. Like most top programs, the schedule is heavily loaded with schools willing to travel to Columbus as near-guaranteed victories, and then sprinkled with a handful of prominent, elite programs that provide national exposure.

"I don't know if I can give you a great answer exactly why we don't play," Matta said. "I know as we put together our schedule every year and now with the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, they're talking about playing a Pac-10/Big Ten Challenge, we've got a ton of them ... and it's one of those things that it is what it is."

Still, other regional schools have managed to keep rivalry games intact. Kentucky-Louisville is a battle every year, and Marquette-Wisconsin, Illinois-Missouri and even Xavier-Cincinnati (which this season turned into a brawl) remain as must-watch games.

Even a suggestion to Matta that the two teams meet in the literal middle wasn't met with acceptance Wednesday.

"In Jeffersonville at the outlet mall?" Matta wondered. "I doubt it. It's probably highly unlikely."

Which is why attention turns to the 1961 and 1962 games. Back then, like now, Ohio State was a heavy favorite. Cincinnati, ranked No. 2 in the country in 1961, wasn't thrilled to hear it.

"We got tired of everything being about Ohio State," said Bob Wiesenhahn, a senior forward on the 1961 Bearcats. "We were real fired up. We were tired of taking a backseat to them the whole time."

It was a radio announcer's suggestion that Wiesenhahn couldn't contain Havlicek that ignited him most. When Wiesenhahn heard that declaration while he was getting taped for the game -- after waiting out a four-overtime consolation game that was played prior to the championship -- he took offense.

He then limited Havlicek to four points, while he scored 17.

The next season, OSU's Lucas was injured, and the Bearcats had an easier time in a 71-57 triumph. Aside from the Buckeyes' 72-50 stomping in 2006, the rivalry has been dead ever since.

"It would be good, they could fill up any place," Wiesenhahn said. "The in-state intensity -- and fans would get a kick out of it. It's a shame they don't play."

But this year's participants wants to remind you that Thursday's meeting is not a rekindling of a rivalry.

"It's not about Cincinnati versus Ohio State. It's about advancing, trying to get to the Elite 8," Cincinnati forward Yancy Gates said. "I mean, maybe if we would have played in the regular season or something, maybe I would have said, 'This is a special game.' But really we're just focused on trying to get to New Orleans like everybody else here."

Plain Dealer reporter Doug Lesmerises contributed to this story.

Footage from 1962 NCAA title game: OSU vs. Cincinnati



Editor's note: There is no sound with this footage of highlights from the game. Pictured in Ohio State jerseys (which are white) are John Havlicek (5), Richard Reasbeck (10), Mel Nowell (3), Doug McDonald (12), Jerry Lucas (11), James Doughty (14) and Gary Bradds (35), In Cincinnati's dark jerseys are Paul Hogue (22), Tom Thacker (25), Tony Yates (20), George Wilson (32) and Ron Bonham (21).

Sweet 16 Thursday game capsules: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Cincinnati Bearcats and 3 other regional semifinal game match-ups

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Syracuse vs. Wisconsin followed by Ohio State vs. Cincinnati in the East Regional. Louisville vs. Michigan State followed by Florida vs. Marquette in the West Regional.

william-buford-deshaun-thomas.jpgOhio State's William Buford (left) and Deshaun Thomas (right), who have combined to score 30.6 points per game this season, will face a strong Cincinnati defense when the Buckeyes and Bearcats meet in an East Regional semifinal game on Thursday night.

Thursday NCAA Tournament game capsules

EAST REGIONAL

Boston, Massachusetts

Syracuse vs. Wisconsin

7:15, CBS

SYRACUSE

Location: Syracuse, New York.

Record: 33-2.

Nickname: Orangemen. Coach: Jim Boeheim.

Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.

Region: East. Seed: No. 1.

Tournament Record: 55-34, 35 years. Last appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (74.5); Kris Joseph 13.7; Dion Waiters 12.7; Brandon Triche 9.1; Scoop Jardine 8.6; C.J. Fair 8.3.

Rebounds: Team (35.2); Fab Melo 5.8 (ineligible); C.J. Fair 5.4; Kris Joseph 4.9.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.7/10.6); Scoop Jardine 4.9/2.3; Brandon Triche 2.7/1.3; Dion Waiters 2.5/1.3; Michael Carter-Wiliiams 2.1/0.6.

3-pointers: Team (.345); Kris Joseph 50; Dion Waiters 40; Brandon Triche 39; James Southerland 36; Scoop Jardine 34.

Last Ten: 9-1.

The Skinny: The Orange, without starting center Fab Melo (eligibility issue), are in the round of 16 for the third time in four years. The Syracuse bench, led by 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Dion Waiters and 6-8 junior forward James Southerland, has outscored opposing reserves, 61-16.

WISCONSIN

Location: Madison, Wisconsin.

Record: 26-9.

Nickname: Badgers. Coach: Bo Ryan.

Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At large.

Region: East. Seed: No. 4.

Tournament Record: 25-16, 18 years. Last appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (64.0); Jordan Taylor 14.7; Ryan Evans 11.1; Jared Berggren 10.3.

Rebounds: Team (33.8); Ryan Evans 6.8; Mike Bruesewitz 5.2; Jared Berggren 5.0; Josh Gasser 4.2.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (11.8/9.0); Jordan Taylor 4.0/1.6; Josh Gasser 1.9/1.2.

3-pointers: Team (.362); Jordan Taylor 60; Ben Brust 55; Jared Berggren 42; Josh Gasser 41.

Last Ten: 7-3.

The Skinny: The Badgers won two games at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M., to advance to the round of 16. They also won twice at the Pitt in 2000 and advanced to the Final Four. Wisconsin leads the nation in scoring defense (52.9).

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Cincinnati vs. Ohio State

9:45, CBS 

CINCINNATI

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio.

Record: 26-10.

Nickname: Bobcats. Coach: Mick Cronin.

Conference: Big East. Bid: At Large.

Region: East. Seed: No. 6.

Tournament Record: 43-24, 26 years. Last NCAA Appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (68.2); Sean Kilpatrick 14.3; Dion Dixon 13.1; Yancey Gates 12.4; Cashmere Wright 10.7; Jaquon Parker 9.3.

Rebounds: Team (36.2); Yancey Gates 9.1; Jaquon Parker 5.6; Sean Kilpatrick 4.7; Justin Jackson 4.2.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (13.1/10.7); Cashmere Wright 4.6/2.2; Sean Kilpatrick 2.1/1.5; Dion Dixon 2.1/1.8.

3-pointers: Team (.339); Sean Kilpatrick 89; Cashmere Wright 59; Dion Dixon 46.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: Cincinnati reached its first regional semifinal in the NCAA tournament since 2001. The Bearcats play Ohio State for only the second time since beating the Buckeyes in 1961 and 1962 for back-to-back national championships. The Bearcats and Ohio State last played on Dec. 16, 2006, when Ohio State won 72-50 in Indianapolis in the Wooden Tradition.

OHIO STATE 

Location: Columbus, Ohio.

Record: 29-7.

Nickname: Buckeyes. Coach: Thad Matta.

Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At large.

Region: East. Seed: No. 2.

Tournament Record: 49-26, 28 years. Last appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (74.8); Jared Sullinger 17.4; Deshaun Thomas 15.9; William Buford 14.7.

Rebounds: Team (37.1); Jared Sullinger 9.1; Deshaun Thomas 5.3; William Buford 4.8; Lenzelle Smith Jr. 4.6.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.8/11.8); Aaron Craft 4.7/2.1; William Buford 2.8/2.1; Lenzelle Smith Jr. 2.0/1.3.

3-pointers: Team (.328); William Buford 57; Deshaun Thomas 46.

Last Ten: 7-3.

The Skinny: The Buckeyes are in the regional semifinals for the third straight year. Two years ago, as a No. 2 seed they lost to Tennessee in the round of 16. A year ago, they were top-seeded and ranked No. 1 when they fell to Kentucky in the regional semifinals. Ohio State plays Cincinnati in Boston, a rematch on the 50th anniversary of the Bearcats beating the Buckeyes in the national championship game for the second year in a row.

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WEST REGIONAL

Phoenix, Arizona

Michigan State vs. Louisville

7:47, TBS

MICHIGAN STATE

Location: East Lansing, Michigan.

Record: 29-7.

Nickname: Spartans. Coach: Tom Izzo.

Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At large.

Region: West. Seed: No. 1.

Tournament Record: 54-24, 26 years. Last appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (72.4); Draymond Green 16.3; Keith Appling 11.5; Brando Wood 8.6; Branden Dawson 8.4.

Rebounds: Team (38.0); Draymond Green 10.5; Branden Dawson 4.5; Adreian Payne 4.3.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.4/12.9); Keith Appling 3.9/2.3; Draymond Green

draymond-green.jpgVersatile Michigan State forward Draymond Green (23) is averaging 16.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and has made 51 3-point shots.

3.9/2.9.

3-pointers: Team (.365); Draymond Green 51; Brandon Wood 45.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: The Spartans are in the round of 16 for the 10th time in 15 years. Only Duke, with two more appearances, has won at least two games in NCAA tournaments more often since 1998. Tom Izzo is 7-2 in the round of 16. Since the field expanded in 1985, Draymond Green has more combined points (40), rebounds (20) and assists (16) than any other player in his first two games of an NCAA tournament.

LOUISVILLE

Location: Louisville, Kentucky.

Record: 28-9.

Nickname: Cardinals. Coach: Rick Pitino.

Conference: Big East. Bid: Big East champion.

Region: West. Seed: No. 4.

Tournament Record: 62-39, 38 years. Last appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (68.6); Kyle Kuric 13.0; Russ Smith 11.4; Chris Smith 9.8; Gorgui Dieng 9.3; Peyton Siva 9.2; Chane Behanan 9.1.

Rebounds: Team (37.9); Gorgui Dieng 9.1; Chane Behanan 7.4; Kyle Kuric 4.3.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (13.5/14.4); Peyton Siva 5.5/3.5; Chris Smith 2.0/1.1.

3-pointers: Team (.313); Kyle Kuric 72; Chris Smith 62; Russ Smith 38.

Last Ten: 7-3.

The Skinny: Louisville came into the tournament off a surprising run to the Big East tournament title and continued its winning ways. The Cardinals were ousted in the opening round of the tournament the past two years. They returned to the round of 16 for the first time since 2009. That year ended with a 64-52 loss in the Midwest Regional finals to the Spartans.

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Marquette vs. Florida

10:17, TBS

MARQUETTE

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Record: 27-7.

Nickname: Golden Eagles. Coach: Buzz Williams.

Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.

Region: West. Seed: No. 3.

Tournament Record: 38-30, 30 years. Last NCAA Appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (75.9); Darius Johnson-Odom 18.5; Jae Crowder 17.6; Davante Gardner 9.6; Vander Blue 8.5.

Rebounds: Team (36.2); Jae Crowder 8.4; Davante Gardner 5.4; Vander Blue 4.4; Jamil Wilson 4.1.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (16.7/13.3); Junior Cadougan 5.4/2.6; Vander Blue 2.6/2.3; Darius Johnson-Odom 2.8/2.4; Jae Crowder 2.1/1.3.

3-pointers: Team (.339); Darius Johnson-Odom 75; Jae Crowder 60.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: Jae Crowder, the Big East Player of the Year, continues to shine with 25 points and 16 rebounds against BYU in the second round and 17 points and 13 rebounds against Murray State. The Golden Eagles also made it to the regional semifinals last year before getting routed by North Carolina.

FLORIDA

Location: Gainesville, Florida.

Record: 25-10.

Nickname: Gators. Coach: Billy Donovan.

Conference: Southeastern. Bid: At large.

Region: West. Seed: No. 7.

Tournament Record: 34-14, 17 years. Last appearance: 2011.

Scoring: Team (76.3); Kenny Boynton 16.1; Bradley Beal 14.6; Erving Walker 12.1; Erik Murphy 10.5; Patrick Young 10.3.

Rebounds: Team (35.6); Bradley Beal 6.7; Patric Young 6.4; Will Yeguete 6.3; Erik Murphy 4.3.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.8/11.0); Erving Walker 4.6/2.0; Kenny Boynton 2.5/1.4; Bradley Beal 2.1/2.1.

3-pointers: Team (.383); Kenny Boynton 107; Erving Walker 66; Bradley Beal 58; Erik Murphy 56; Mike Rosario 33.

Last Ten: 6-4.

The Skinny: Florida limped into the NCAA tournament, losing four of its last five games. A fresh start seemed to work as the Gators made it to the regional semifinals for the sixth time in 12 NCAA tournament appearances under coach Billy Donovan. They did it in easy fashion with a 71-45 win over Virginia and an 84-50 rout over Norfolk State.


It's time for Ohio State to end 50 years of Bearcat avoidance: Bill Livingston

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Basketball has changed a lot since Cincinnati and Ohio State met 50 years ago in the NCAA Tournament. It is time for the Buckeyes to play the Bearcats regularly.

hogue-ncaa-trophy-1961-horiz-ap.jpgView full sizeThe Buckeyes and Bearcats have met just once on the basketball court since Paul Hogue carried off the 1962 NCAA championship trophy for Cincinnati following a 71-57 victory over Ohio State in Louisville, Ky.

BOSTON -- For Cincinnati and Ohio State, the NCAA Tournament has often been the stage for their return to glory.

It was that way a half-century ago when the Bearcats beat the Buckeyes in the national championship game in 1961 and 1962, reaching the tournament the second time only after surviving a neutral-site Missouri Valley Conference playoff game against Bradley.

It is that way in Thursday's long-delayed, oft-evaded and much-anticipated postseason meeting of the two teams in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. Although Ohio State has been to three Final Fours since its three straight in early 1960s -- with the 1999 appearance vacated for rules violations -- and Cincinnati has been to one Final Four since its spree of five straight from 1959-63, neither has been the way they were.

Cincinnati, as it did in the 1960s, has made the bigger transformation. The Bearcats have finally returned as a program of consequence, six years after fiery coach Bob Huggins' ouster.

They have also tried to recast themselves as a team with an identity gentler than that of a motorcycle gang. That was the national view of the Bearcats after their forward, Yancy Gates, precipitated one of the nastiest basketball brawls in years during a lopsided loss to archrival Xavier.

The Sweet 16 has been an NCAA stopover the past two years for the Buckeyes, with consecutive unhappy results against Tennessee and Kentucky. But it is the first such advance since 2001 for Cincinnati.

The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee has been trying to set up this match for years, though. In 1992, the Buckeyes' overtime loss to Michigan's Fab Five prevented a meeting with UC in the Final Four. In 2000, Kenyon Martin's broken leg and Ohio State's inability to recapture the Scoonie Penn tournament magic of the season before prevented a Sweet 16 matchup.

The NCAA Tournament's best quality is its emphasis on inclusiveness and merit. The little guys get their chance against the behemoths in a game built on size. Princeton beat UCLA when the Bruins were trying to defend a national championship. Siena, with 3,200 students, beat Ohio State, with 54,000. Butler almost climbed the mountaintop twice, reaching the past two NCAA championship games.

In keeping with this openness, even Kentucky, probably the benchmark for arrogance, has played in-state rival Louisville for years.

Although Ohio State plays in-state rivals in football, probably because blowouts are almost assured, the pre-Big Ten basketball schedule in Columbus could stand a Cincinnati, Xavier, Dayton or Cleveland State every year or so.

Cincinnati's title celebration after the 1961 championship



Cincinnati especially. Ohio State needs to get over this aversion that dates to the Kennedy Administration. Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek haven't played since the '70s. Bobby Knight, a substitute on those teams, is a media member now, for heaven's sake.

Whatever happens in this Sweet 16, though, it will not have the shock value of the Bearcats' 1961 season. Without one of the greatest players of all-time in Oscar Robertson, who had led the Bearcats to two straight Final Fours; with a new coach in Ed Jucker, replacing George Smith, who became the athletic director after the Big O left; with a slower playing style, scoring 75 points per game, compared to 86.5 in Smith's final year; the Bearcats shocked Ohio State in overtime, 71-65.

Consider it a triumphant, early example of Winning Without LeBron.

The Buckeyes, by contrast, were putting up video game scores -- averaging 90.4 points per game without a 3-pointer or a shot clock in the 1960 championship season and hovering in the mid-80s in the next two runner-up seasons.

The Bearcats, for their part, were turning the offensive poetry into garble, making defense the rock on which they stood. (Offense, apparently, was the brick.) A former baseball coach who had recruited no less than Sandy Koufax to UC, Jucker understood the value of deterrence.

As for this Sweet 16, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said the presence of four Ohio teams, including Xavier and Ohio University, speaks volumes about the quality of high school and AAU basketball in what is considered a football state.

But it is doubtful that it is any bigger point of pride than in the 1961 championship game. All of the Ohio State starters were from Ohio. Excepting Paul Hogue, who was from Knoxville, Tenn., the Bearcats were either from Cincinnati or its Ohio and Kentucky suburbs. In fact, in three straight title game appearances from 1960 to '62, no non-Ohioan played a single minute for Ohio State.

Three of this season's OSU starters are Ohioans -- Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft and William Buford. Gates is UC's only homegrown starter.

Recruiting was a much more parochial enterprise in the '60s. Cincinnati reached no farther than Indianapolis for Robertson or Muncie, Ind., for Ron Bonham who was the star of the 1962 champions. The basketball world was smaller then.

That's not the case now. The world and the game are bigger than Ohio State's small grudges and ancient pettiness.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Cleveland Browns' Scott Fujita awaits Roger Goodell's ruling on players involved with Saints bounties

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Fujita will find out soon if he'll be penalized for his involvement in paying teammates for big plays when he was a member of the New Orleans Saints in 2009.

fujita-reax-brees-jg-vert.jpgView full sizeScott Fujita did not have any comments Wednesday following NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's sanctions against the Saints for their use of a bounty system while Fujita was in New Orleans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns linebacker Scott Fujita will find out soon if he'll be penalized for his involvement in paying teammates for big plays when he was a member of the New Orleans Saints in 2009.

Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended New Orleans head coach Sean Payton for a year, assistant coach Joe Vitt six games, former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely and Saints GM Mickey Loomis for eight games on Wednesday. He also fined the franchise $500,000 and took away second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013. Goodell then said that "next up" are the players involved in the program. He said he's considering input from NFPLA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith on the punishments.

"I've had several conversations with the leadership of the NFLPA, DeMaurice Smith in particular, and other players who have contacted me, including those that are in a leadership position," Goodell told NFL Network. "I've probably spoken to two dozen players the last couple of weeks. We want to continue to have that dialogue. I'm disappointed players would identify opposing players and intentionally try to injure them, and that's something we're going to continue to pursue."

Fujita, a member of the NFL Players Association's Executive Committee, was likely one of the players who spoke with Goodell, and is facing possible sanctions. Pay-for-performance -- even with no intent to injure -- is also against league rules.

The Saints' Man of the Year in 2009, Fujita told Sports Illustrated's King earlier this month that he paid Saints teammates for big plays, but not for intentionally injuring players. A source had told King that Fujita and two other Saints defensive leaders contributed between $2,000 and $10,000 to the performance and bounty pool, which was administered by former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

But Fujita, a Saints captain from 2006-08, told King that he handed the reward money directly to teammates instead of contributing to the pool, and that it was never for a bounty. Fujita did not immediately return an email or calls seeking comment.

"Over the years I've paid out a lot of money for big plays like interceptions, sacks and special teams tackles inside the 20," Fujita told King. "But I've never made a payment for intentionally injuring another player."

Full report on Goodell's ruling on the New Orleans Saints.

Fujita, who also serves on the NFLPA's Player Safety and Welfare Committee, added that his close friendship with former Saints safety Steve Gleason, who's suffering from ALS, and former Cardinal and Steelers special teams star Sean Morey, who retired after multiple concussions, has altered his outlook.

"You don't spend time with guys like Sean Morey and other former players, or have close friends whose health fails them, possibly because of this game, and not be affected by that," Fujita told King. "I wanted to be part of the paradigm shift."

In a statement released by the NFL, the only Saints player linked to the program by name was defensive captain Jonathan Vilma, who offered $10,000 to any player who knocked Brett Favre out of the NFC Championship Game in 2010, according to multiple sources.

Fujita, who suffered a concussion in 2010 and has pushed for independent neurologists on the sidelines of games, has been a tireless advocate for player health and safety. During negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement last year, he helped fight for -- and won -- fewer full-pad practices during the season.

About 22 to 27 Saints defensive players were reportedly involved in the bounty system. Browns safety Usama Young, who played for the Saints from 2007 to 2010, could also not be reached for comment.

Goodell defended the severe punishments he's handed down so far, which doesn't bode well for the players.

"I don't think you can be too hard on people who put at risk our players' health and safety."

Spreading the word: Goodell instructed all clubs Wednesday to certify that no such bounty program exists at any NFL team.

In a memo to NFL clubs, he mandated that principal owners of every NFL team to meet with the head coach and confirm that the team doesn't operate a pay-for-performance or bounty system. The owners must also inform the coach that such programs are illegal and if one exists, must be terminated immediately. The owner and coach must certify this in writing to the commissioner by March 30.

Goff visited: Former Giants middle linebacker Jonathan Goff visited the Browns on Tuesday, a league source confirmed.

Adam Caplan of the thesidelineview.com first reported the visit. It's not yet known if the Browns will sign Goff, who sat out all last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Giants are also trying to re-sign him.

The last season Goff was healthy, in 2010, he made 80 tackles with a sack and a forced fumble. He tore the ACL last year in practice the week before the opener. Goff (6-2, 241) was a fifth-round pick of the Giants in 2008 out of Vanderbilt. He's started 20 of his 32 games with the Giants, including all 16 in 2010. Goff would provide depth behind D'Qwell Jackson.

Ohio universities in NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament find national recognition is sweet

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Officials at Ohio University, Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University are basking in the national attention that's raising the profile of their institutions as their men's basketball teams compete in the NCAA Sweet 16.

oufans.jpgOhio University fans (shirtless L-R) Chris Lampe, Marlowe Alter, Jeff Kuhn and Patrick Lippert run through a cheer before the start of the 2012 Mid-American Conference championship game. OU won - leading to its run in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio University President Roderick McDavis said he hasn't stopped smiling since its basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on Sunday night.

"I can't tell you the feeling I have," he said. "It is a double joy to provide leadership and I'm also a proud alum."

McDavis, who graduated from OU in 1970, gave a short impassioned speech in the locker room that was nationally televised following a victory over South Florida on Sunday.

McDavis and officials at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, which also made the Sweet 16, are basking in the national attention that's raising the profile of their institutions beyond state borders.

It will likely lead to more applications, a wider pool of students and increased alumni support, they said.

And, at least for the duration of their tournament stays, places them at the same level as Ohio State University, the other Ohio school in the top 16. (See a Storify summary of the reactions among fans of all four schools in the viewer below.)

For OU, which is sometimes confused with its nationally known Big Ten neighbor in Columbus, success in the tournament offers a chance to tell its story.

"I always felt and said athletics can be a window to your university," McDavis said. "Athletics are fun and entertaining and open the door so people can see what else your university is all about."

McDavis said it also gives the school in Athens a chance to counter its reputation in another field -- as the number one party school in the country as ranked by Princeton Review.

"This shows it's about more than what the perception may be," the school president said.

"As people see your university on the national level they say 'Let's check this out' and go to your website. They see the excellence in our academic programs and other things, including our beautiful and scenic location."

The university has compared page visits to its web site during last weekend's NCAA Tournament with the same Friday through Monday period in March a year ago.

The number of visits, 191,416, was almost a 16 percent increase and included a high percentage of first-time visits. Looks initiated through Google, Bing and Yahoo were also up significantly.

Xavier's total reach on Facebook increased over 75 percent in the last week, said Debora DelValle, director of public relations at the Cincinnati school.

"It's publicity you almost can't buy," she said of the tournament.

Xavier, the only private school of the four, is a regional institution trying to attract students from across the country, she said. The success of the basketball team, which has been in the Sweet 16 four of the last five years, has garnered attention, she said.

CBS Sports called seeking video of the campus that it might air this weekend, she said.

"Once you get into the Sweet 16 the story starts to get a little broader and it is not just about the team but about the university," she said."

Gregory Vehr, vice president of governmental relations and university communications at UC, agreed.

"Every step of the way it turns it up a few notches and the media attention gets higher and people began asking more questions," he said.

UC's basketball team has made six appearances in the NCAA Final Four in its history and its football team has also been successful.

That success is a point of pride to alumni, Vehr said.

"It can lead to them referring potential students or providing support for the university," he said.

OU's alumni base has been energized and from a fundraising perspective the timing could not be better, McDavis said. "We are in a $450 million capital campaign," he said.

He said the success of the basketball team followed a great season for its football team, which won its first bowl game.

The national attention, though, is much higher in basketball and increases as a team progresses in the tournament. OU won its first game in its last appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2010 but didn't make it to the Sweet 16.

McDavis said he listened to several sports shows on Sirius satellite radio Tuesday on a round trip visit to Columbus for a meeting.

"Ohio was mentioned at least 20 times," he said. "This is great marketing and great advertising you just wouldn't get. It's invaluable."

That was affirmed by Cleveland State University Athletic Director John Parry, who was athletic director at Butler University when it advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 2003.

"Kids were at least looking at the school and learning about what it has," he said. "When they said to their friends 'I'm going to Butler,' they wouldn't say 'Where?' "

Parry said administrators, students and alumni at universities that don't normally make it past the first or second rounds in the NCAA Tournament are thrilled by the national attention while those at large universities that annually have successful programs are more nonchalant.

"There is more of a blas response from the Ohio State world," he said. "They are hoping for the Final Four."

But that is not to say OSU is not thankful for the early wins in this year's tourney.

"Anytime our student success garners national attention it enhances the reputation and image of our university," said Dolan Evanovich, vice president for strategic enrollment planning at OSU in an e-mail.

Tim Tebow trade is finalized: Denver Broncos send the quarterback to the New York Jets

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The deal hit a snag earlier Wednesday when the Jets apparently balked at repaying Denver more than $5 million for a salary advance due Tebow. ESPN reported that the two sides had agreed to split that cost.

tim-tebow-jets.jpgTim Tebow has been traded from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets. Here, Tebow scores on a late 25-yard touchdown run that gave Denver a 17-13 win over the Jets on Nov. 17.

NEW YORK, New York -- The Denver Broncos and the New York Jets have completed a trade to send quarterback Tim Tebow to New York.

The deal hit a snag earlier Wednesday when the Jets apparently balked at repaying Denver more than $5 million for a salary advance due Tebow. ESPN reported that the two sides had agreed to split that cost.

The Broncos also will receive fourth- and sixth-round draft picks, while New York gets a seventh-rounder — all in 2012 — as agreed to in the initial deal.

Denver started shopping Tebow after signing Peyton Manning, and the Jets were considered a long shot as late as Tuesday night. But New York went after Tebow, envisioning him as a versatile complement to starter Mark Sanchez, who received a $40.5 million contract extension, with $20.5 million guaranteed, earlier this month. The Jets also had pursued Manning.

(A report earlier Wednesday on how the trade had been delayed from becoming final, and other details regarding the transaction)

 

Cavaliers pay an emotional visit to World Trade Center Memorial: Cavaliers Insider

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The Cavs spent about an hour at the site on Tuesday and were told by a tour guide they were the first NBA team to visit the shrine to the 9/11 victims.

parker-cavs-squ-hawks-ap.jpgView full sizeCavaliers guard Anthony Parker gets off a shot for two points over Atlanta's Kirk Hinrich in the first quarter of Wednesday's game in Atlanta.

ATLANTA -- As coach of the New Jersey Nets, Byron Scott took the same route to the team's practice facility every day. A creature of habit, Scott would come to the last stop sign before turning into the complex and gaze across the Hudson River at the World Trade Center.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, his glance was followed by an overwhelming sense of dread. One of the Twin Towers was ablaze and he did not yet grasp how the world was about to change.

"I got in my office, turned the TV on real quick and started hearing the reports of us being under attack and I could see the second plane coming," Scott said. "It showed the second plane coming and it hit the second tower and I was amazed. I saw it on TV, but then I went outside the office. It was like a movie. You didn't think this was really happening."

Now the Cavaliers coach, Scott took his players and the team's support staff to the World Trade Center Memorial on Tuesday before they flew to Atlanta. The trip was the idea of General Manager Chris Grant and green-lighted by Scott.

The Cavs spent about an hour at the site and were told by a tour guide they were the first NBA team to visit the shrine to the 9/11 victims.

"It was something I needed to see and I wanted to see," forward Antawn Jamison said. "You need situations [as a team] away from basketball to put things in perspective. We did it on an off day and basketball was the furthest thing from my mind.

"We were just regular people out there. There were a lot of other people out there doing the same thing we were doing. It's good to do things like that and to expand our horizons a little bit. It's good for us to see the impact something like this had not only on New York, but the rest of the world."

Rookie Kyrie Irving, who grew up in West Orange, N.J., spent hours not knowing the whereabouts of his father Drederick, a financial advisor who had worked for years at the WTC.

About eight months before the attack, Irving's father changed jobs, but still walked through the buildings each morning from the train station. Drederick was in one of the towers' lobbies when the first plane struck. He escaped the chaos and walked nine miles over six hours to the Bronx, where a friend drove him to his children, Kyrie, then age 10, and Asia, 11.

Irving, who turns 20 on Friday, said he had not been to the site since the tragedy and went only to be part of the team. He clearly remains affected by the day.

"I just didn't want to go back there based on the ... times with my father and the times he had there," Irving said.

During the visit, Scott checked on Irving to see how he was feeling emotionally. Irving said he was OK, just a bit tired from Monday night's game.

Scott believed the entire team took something from the experience.

"We do understand that some of these guys were [very young] when this happened. But it's still a very significant part of history when you're being attacked by terrorists. We thought it was important."

Summer camp: Some high draft picks do not want to attend the NBA's summer leagueafter they have established themselves. Irving is not in that category.

"Even if Coach Scott didn't want me to go, I was going to be there anyway," Irving said.

Scott believes it would be good for rookies Irving and Tristan Thompson to play together, even if it's only for a few games. Irving went a step further: With as many as four draft picks joining the team in July, the newbies will have a chance to play with the starting point guard.

Due to the lockout, neither Irving nor Thompson took part in last year's summer league in Las Vegas. Irving said he knows it can be an anxious time for young guys trying to make a favorable impression.

"I'm going there to cool everybody down," Irving said. "[I'll] be the cool guy down there."

He grew up watching the summer league, Irving said, and one of his favorite memories is the camera panning the crowd and catching a napping Scott, a clip that can be found on YouTube.

Asking for it: Scott said the agent for Ryan Hollins, waived on Tuesday, called Grant about buying out the center. The team, which was not going to re-sign him, obliged. The 7-foot Hollins is expected to be picked up by another team.

Still out: Daniel Gibson missed Wednesday's game with a left ankle sprain. He sustained the injury in Monday's game in New Jersey. Gibson said he "jammed" the ankle while planting his root rather than turning it or stepping on another player's shoe.

Varejao update: Scott said there remains no timetable for the return of center Anderson Varejao, who fractured his left wrist on Feb. 10. The coach plans to speak to team doctors when the club returns home Saturday.

Dribbles: Scott said the club definitely wants to re-sign restricted free agent Alonzo Gee. "He is the type of person you want in your organization," he said. ... Former Cavalier forward J.J. Hickson, waived by Sacramento, was claimed by Portland on Wednesday.

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