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State track meet to include eight wheelchair events starting next season

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The state track meet will feature eight wheelchair events starting next spring, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Thursday. The Board of Directors voted to add boys and girls wheelchair finals in the 100 meters, 400, 800 and shot put. Individual honors will be awarded, but participants will not score points for their teams.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association's Board of Directors voted to add boys and girls wheelchair track and field finals in the 100 meters, 400, 800 and shot put.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The state track meet will feature eight wheelchair events starting next spring, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Thursday.

The Board of Directors voted to add boys and girls wheelchair finals in the 100 meters, 400, 800 and shot put. Individual honors will be awarded, but participants will not score points for their teams.

Track is the first OHSAA sport that will include wheelchair athletes in a state tournament and makes Ohio one of about a dozen states to do so.

"This is something we have talked about for some time now and I'm thrilled that our Board of Directors has taken the formal step to make this a reality," OHSAA Commissioner Dan Ross said in a statement. "The executive committee of the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches has worked diligently to finalize the details and establish the parameters, and we are excited that the OHSAA will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on this group of outstanding student-athletes and create lifetime memories for the participants along with their families, schools and communities."

The top eight in each event will get state berths based on regular season fully automated timing qualifying. Athletes must have a permanent, physical disability and must be verified by a physician.

 


Cleveland Browns may be for sale, according to WIP in Philadelphia

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The Cleveland Browns may be for sale, according to WIP radio in Philadelphia.

lerner-mug-2010-ap.jpgAre the Browns for sale?

CLEVELAND --The Browns may be for sale, according to radio reporter Howard Eskin of WIP in Philadelphia.

 Eskin reported on his twitter account today that Former Eagles President Joe Banner is interested in putting together a group to buy the Buffalo Bills, and the Browns and St. Louis Rams may also be for sale.

 A Browns source said he hadn't heard anything about the Browns possibly being for sale.

 Team spokesman Neal Gulkis also said, "At this point, it sounds very speculative. As far as I know, there's nothing to i.''

 Shortly after his tweet, Eskin joined The Bull and The Fox radio show on 92.3 The Fan to expound on his report.

"It's my understanding that the Bills are (Banner's)first priority,'' said Eskin. "I was also told by an NFL source that Cleveland and St. Louis may be for sale, but Joe's first order of business from what I was told was Buffalo, if in fact he can get that money together and do all of those things.

 "Cleveland and St. Louis were secondary in the information that I got...I was told my somebody I truly, truly respect with information, but outside of that, I know nothing further.''

 Eskin said he heard about the interest in Buffalo from "a couple of different people. Cleveland and St. Louis was by someone else, but it all connected, because Buffalo was mentioned in that conversation as wel.

 "I don't know how serious (it is). Obviously there's a thought there, because if NFL people are getting a feel for this, then there is a thought there that the Browns could possibly be sold. For the right price, anything could be sold.

 "It's kind of an interesting dynamic, and I know it would be important to the people in Cleveland.''

 The Browns have been owned by the Lerner Family since 1999. Randy Lerner inherited the team in 2002 when his father, Al Lerner, died.

 

Facing old team isn't weekend motivation for Chris Perez: Indians Insider

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Former St. Louis Cardinal Chris Perez returns to St. Louis this weekend for an interleague series. He does so as the big leagues' top closer with 19 saves.

perez-save-kc-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeChris Perez isn't sweating his return to St. Louis since being traded by the Cardinals to the Indians in 2009. "I'm glad I got traded," he said Thursday. "I got a good opportunity here. It worked out on their end, too. They won the World Series last year."

DETROIT -- Almost three years ago, the Indians sent third baseman Mark DeRosa to St. Louis for relievers Chris Perez and Jess Todd. DeRosa and Todd are no longer part of the equation, but Perez returns to St. Louis Friday as the top closer in the big leagues with 19 saves.

Perez downplayed the reunion as the Indians head west to begin their first interleague series under National League rules at Busch Stadium.

"I was only there for 1 1/2 years," said Perez. "It's not like I was there for 10 years. I didn't help them win anything. I was a middle reliever, I don't think they really cared [that they traded me]."

Perez was acquired by the Cardinals as the 42nd overall pick in the 2006 draft out of the University of Miami. He made his big-league debut in 2008 and was traded to the Indians on June 27, 2009.

"I'm happy to go there because I have a bunch of friends left on the team," said Perez. "I played with pretty much half of their roster coming up through the minors. I'll just be happy to play big-league ball with the guys I started my career with."

Perez has converted 19 straight saves after blowing an opportunity on opening day this year. He was a closer throughout his minor-league career with the Cardinals and saved eight games for them in the big leagues in 2008 and 2009.

"I closed a little bit for them, but they never really gave me my shot," said Perez. "It is what it is. I don't know all the details on what happened at the trade deadline. There has been some rumors that it was up to the Indians and they could have picked me or Jason Motte [St. Louis' current closer].

"I don't know. I don't care. I'm glad I got traded. I got a good opportunity here. It worked out on their end, too. They won the World Series last year."

Sizemore slowed: Lonnie Soloff, the Indians' head athletic trainer, said Grady Sizemore's return to the lineup has been slowed. Soloff said Thursday that Sizemore cut back on his running recently because of pain.

Sizemore had right knee surgery at the end of last season. On March 1, he had surgery on a herniated disc. In 2010, he had microfracture surgery on his left knee.

"As a result of having multiple joint involvement, he gets sore from time to time," said Soloff. "We treat any and all those responses very conservatively."

Soloff said Sizemore cut back on his running activities a couple of weeks ago.

"We're looking to initiate that again," said Soloff. "He's been hitting and throwing and doing all his training."

Asked if this represents a setback for the former All-Star center fielder, Soloff said, "I'm not sure how you qualify a setback with a guy like that. We're still optimistic that he'll contribute in 2012. It's unreasonable and unfair to Grady and to the process to set a definitive timetable."

Soloff said the Indians have learned to be patient with Sizemore.

"We're working off his daily feedback and we're progressing on how he feels," he said. "If he's a little sore on a given day, we'll adjust his program."

Life as a backup: Lou Marson doesn't want to think or talk about it. Something might get lost in the translation between his head and his bat.

This season Marson is a bonafide, no-doubt-about-it, back-up catcher. The only guy who gets less playing time than a backup catcher is a long reliever. The Indians don't carry a long reliever, so what does that tell you about Marson?

This all came about when the Indians signed free agent first baseman Casey Kotchman in February and made a commitment to Carlos Santana as their starting catcher. Last year Santana bounced between first and catcher, leaving playing time for Marson.

This year that playing time has all but vanished. Just check Marson's batting average for the necessary evidence. On May 24, almost two months into the season, he had 30 at-bats and three hits. That's a .100 average for those scoring at home.

When Santana went on the disabled list with a concussion May 25, that changed. Despite missing three games when he was hit in the mouth with a pitch on May 27, Marson has hits in his last seven starts. No one is calling Joe DiMaggio's relatives for a reaction, but it's a start.

Marson, who started Thursday against the Tigers, is hitting .500 (7-for-14) in his last seven starts. The streak has raised his average to .213 (10-for-47).

"I don't want to think about it or talk about it," said Marson. "I just try to get in there and have quality at bats and put the barrel on the ball."

Marson says his new role is frustrating, but he's accepted it. He just needs to learn how function inside it.

"This is new to me. Older guys on the team have told me to be aggressive," said Marson. "Swing at the first fastball you see. I'm not that type of hitter.

"I feel like I need to go up and have a quality at-bat. Not necessarily take pitches, but if I'm not looking there, don't swing. If you get yourself out early in the count, you don't have quality at-bat. I don't go up there and just swing because it's a fastball."

Then Marson laughed and said, "but like I said, I don't want to talk about it."

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Ohio State Buckeyes P.M. links: Etienne Sabino, a 2008 super recruit, seeks star season as 5th-year senior; John Simon's work ethic

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Links to more Buckeyes football, basketball and track stories.

etienne-sabino.jpgOhio State linebacker Etienne Sabino (6) made five starts in 2011. Overall for the season, he totaled 62 tackles, including 6 1/2 for losses, and two quarterback sacks.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Etienne Sabino was ranked by some analysts as the nation's top inside linebacker in the high school class of 2008.

His once-lofty status has not yet translated into stardom at Ohio State.

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com writes about Sabino and his Buckeyes career, including a 2010 red-shirt campaign when he failed to win a starter's job, and last season, when he started five games.

Ohio State opens its first season with Urban Meyer as its coach on Sept. 1 -- a home game against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks -- and Sabino is expected to be one of the leaders of the Buckeyes' 4-3 defense.

Rittenberg refers to 2011 Buckeyes interim head coach Luke Fickell -- now a co-defensive coordinator and the linebackers coach -- when he writes:

Fickell, who like many had such high hopes for Sabino coming out of spring practice in 2010, has seen the fifth-year senior embrace the urgency before his final season in Scarlet and Gray.

"He is an unbelievable example to a lot of guys because he was one of those highly, highly recruited guys," Fickell told ESPN.com. "Things didn't happen for him really fast, and he's had a true up-and-down college career from what people might have thought or he might have thought when he came out. It just doesn’t always happen for everybody really fast.

"We always try to tell them, 'It’s not about where you start, it's where you finish.' He's on that route to really be able to finish very, very well."
Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes PD Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises' interview on Starting Blocks TV, during which he says tight end Jake Stoneburner and offensive lineman Jack Mewhort are unlikely to miss any games despite their suspensions following arrests on misdemeanor charges.

Buckeyes sports story links


Senior defensive end John Simon is influencing young Buckeyes' players with his strong work ethic. (By Brandon Castel, the-Ozone.net)

The Buckeyes will serve their one-year ban from the Big Ten championship game and bowl games this season, but they still have their goals. (By Tony Gerdeman, the-Ozone.net)

Part 2 of an interview with defensive tackle recruit Billy Price, from the high school class of 2013. (By Michael Chung, Bleacher Report)

In the event of their absence from any games, Ohio State would have options in replacing Jake Stoneburner and Jack Mewhort. (By Brandon Castel, the-Ozone.net)

A more realistic ceiling would be 10-2 or 11-1, but it would not be a total shock for the Buckeyes to go 12-0 this fall. (By Brian Bennett, ESPN.com)

Ohio State could have a player emerge as one of the Big Ten's 1,000-yard receivers in 2012. (By Brian Bennett, ESPN.com)

Thad Matta has the eighth-best Division I college basketball coaching job in the country. A look at the Top Ten. (By Eamonn Brennan, ESPN.com)

Updating the Buckeyes at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championship. (OhioStateBuckeyes.com)

How the Buckeyes' women are doing at the national track and field meet. (OhioStateBuckeyes.com)


Thistledown agreement outlines area where track can move

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The agreement allows Rock Ohio Caesars to move the thoroughbred track within a 12-mile radius of GPS coordinates in the southeast corner of Green.

thistle2.jpgHorses work out at Thistledown in early May. The track could move from North Randall to the Akron-Canton area.

If Thistledown leaves North Randall, it's headed for a site near the Akron-Canton Airport.

The owners of the horse racing track have an agreement  with Gov. John Kasich that limits their choice of sites to an area between Akron and Canton along Interstate 77.

Under the agreement, which was announced Wednesday, Rock Ohio Caesars may move the thoroughbred track within a 12-mile radius of GPS coordinates in the southeast corner of Green. Rock Ohio was known to be looking at property in that vicinity.

racino-options.jpgUnder an agreement with the governor's office, Thistledown could relocate within this area covering Canton, parts of Akron and surrounding communities.

Rock Ohio, which also owns the new Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, plans to operate slots-like video lottery terminals at the track. But the company has expressed interest in moving the track farther from the Horseshoe to avoid competing with itself.

The state's agreement with Rock Ohio will let the company temporarily install up to 2,500 machines at Thistledown in North Randall while reserving the right to move. Kasich's office and Rock Ohio will set a deadline for the company to decide whether the track will move.

Kasich wants to position Ohio's gambling interests to maximize their profits and tax benefits for the state. Ohio will eventually have four casinos under a 2009 constitutional amendment and up to seven racetracks with video lottery terminals, a plan authorized by the legislature.

Scioto Downs in Columbus opened the first "racino" a week ago. Northfield Park, a harness track not far from Thistledown, has announced plans to team with Hard Rock International on a $275 million development.

Another casino owner, Penn National Gaming, plans to move a Columbus racetrack to the Youngstown area. Both Penn and Rock Ohio waived a previous agreement that would forbid the operations to be within 50 miles of each other.

Once Rock Ohio selects a permanent location for Thistledown, it must spend $150 million to improve the site. If the track moves, the company also must pay the state a $25 million relocation fee.

Video lottery terminal licenses and moving a racetrack require approval from the Ohio Lottery Commission and the state Racing Commission.

Data-analysis editor Rich Exner contributed to this story.

Follow Thomas Ott on Twitter @thomasott1.

Bud Shaw talks about the Cleveland Browns for sale rumor on 92.3 The Fan; says they would not be a hard sell

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Bud Shaw joined Bull & Fox to talk about whether there is the possibility that the Browns could be for sale, whether Randy Lerner is to blame for the recent woes of the franchise, and if the Browns would be a hard sell.

bud-shaw.jpgBud Shaw
Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw joined The Bull and The Fox Show on 92.3 The Fan (WKRK-FM) this afternoon to talk about the rumor of the Cleveland Browns being up for sale.

He also discussed whether Randy Lerner is to blame for the recent woes of the franchise, if the Browns would be a hard sell, the Indians taking two of three in Detroit, Derek Lowe’s struggles, whether the Celtics or Heat will come out of the Eastern Conference and more.

Each weekday, Plain Dealer reporters and writers will share their insights on sports topics on The Fan. You can also catch their views on SB TV on the Starting Blocks blog.

Cleveland Browns P.M. links: Wide receiver remains a major problem, based on recent years and little new but proven talent

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Browns' top two wideouts in passes caught in 2010 and then 2011 combined for just eight touchdown catches in 63 total games between them. Links to more Browns stories.

greg-little15.jpgGreg Little caught 61 passes for 709 yards and two touchdowns as a Cleveland Browns rookie in 2011.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' top two wide receivers in receptions last season were rookie Greg Little and veteran Josh Cribbs.

Both played all 16 games. Combined, Little and Cribbs caught 102 passes for 1,227 yards and six touchdowns.

The New England Patriots' Wes Welker-- call him a slot receiver if you'd like -- led the NFL with 122 receptions. Among other wide receivers, the Atlanta Falcons' Roddy White caught 100 passes and the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson hauled in 96.

Around the NFL, seven individual wide receivers and two tight ends compiled more receiving yards than did Little and Cribbs combined. And, 32 players, regardless of position, caught more touchdown passes than the half-dozen Little and Cribbs totaled together. Another 12 players matched their six TD catches.

Little and Cribbs, though, performed like Jerry Rice and Steve Largent compared to the Browns' top two pass-catching wideouts in 2010.

That's when veteran Chansi Stuckey and Mohamed Massaquoi, then in his second season, ranked 1-2 among the team's wide receivers in receptions. They combined to catch 76 passes for 829 yards and TWO touchdowns (both by Massaquoi). Stuckey played every game. Massaquoi missed one.

That season, 14 individual receivers and three other players caught more passes than Stuckey and Massaquoi combined. There were 28 wide receivers and three other players who gained more receiving yards. Around the league, 103 players, regardless of position, caught at least three touchdown passes. Another 46 matched the two of Stuckey and Massaquoi together.

The biggest move the Browns have made during the off-season to address their deficiencies at wide receiver has been to select Travis Benjamin with a fourth-round draft pick.

Jamison Hensley writes for ESPN.com that no matter who the Browns' quarterback is, he will be working with a subpar wide receiving unit if things don't improve:

I went to the Cleveland Browns' minicamp this week with an open mind about their wide receivers. I left shaking my head.

By my count, there were six dropped passes in a 90-minute practice Wednesday. If this carries into the season, the passing attack will struggle again and it wouldn't matter whether the quarterback is Brandon Weeden, Colt McCoy or Aaron Rodgers.

You could chalk it up to a bad practice for a lot of teams, but the Browns were tied atop the NFL in dropped passes last season. There were legitimate excuses for 2011. Greg Little hadn't played a full season since 2009. Mohamed Massaquoi dealt with a foot injury in training camp and another concussion during the season.

There are really no excuses this year, especially with Weeden putting the ball on the spot for the most part.
Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot's story that a Twitter report that the Browns are for sale is not true; a video report by Cabot and Tom Reed on the final day of the Browns' minicamp; Bud Shaw's interview on 92.3 The Fan, saying the Browns wouldn't be a hard sell; a Starting Blocks TV interview with safety T.J. Ward; a transcript of coach Pat Shurmur's Thursday news conference; and more.

Browns story links

Jason Pinkston, beginning his second season, looks to be a solid player at left guard. (By Jeff Schudel, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)

The Browns are counting on rookie Mitchell Schwartz to bolster the offensive line. (By Fred Greetham, Orange and Brown Report)

Five big questions facing the Browns coming off their three-day minicamp. (By Steve Doerschuk, Canton Repository)

Running back Brandon Jackson is facing competition in his return from a missed season due to injury. (By Mike McLain, Warren Tribune Chronicle)

Young players on both sides of the line of scrimmage got a lot of repetitions during the Browns' minicamp. (By Matt Florjancic, clevelandbrowns.com)

Wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi welcomes the challenge to emerge as a difference-maker. (By Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal)

Observations from the third day of the Browns' minicamp. (By Scott Petrak, Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette)

An opinion that rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden would give the Browns a better chance to win than third-year Brown Colt McCoy. (By Jamison Hensley, ESPN.com)

Browns coach Pat Shurmur says that it's "probably safe" to assume that rookie Trent Richardson -- the third overall pick in April's draft -- will start at running back. (By Steve DiMatteo, Dawg Pound Daily)

Brandon Weeden is the player to lead the Browns. (By Bob Frantz, News-Herald)

Brandon Weeden looks to be the favorite to win the Browns' starting quarterback job. (By Bob Evans, National Football Authority)

Eric Hagg putting in the work to earn a starting safety role: Browns Insider

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For now, it appears the Browns might have Hagg's name scribbled in pencil for starting duties. Watch video

hagg-mini-2012-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeEric Hagg has made a positive impression during minicamp and the second-year safety is in the mix for a starting role.

BEREA, Ohio -- Eric Hagg earned an ethnic studies degree from the University of Nebraska, but the Browns free safety's days of copious note taking and classroom study are just beginning.

He filled two notebooks last season as a rookie, jotting down formations, defensive coverages, alignments and advice from coaches. It didn't matter whether Hagg had committed an assignment to memory, he put pen to paper anyway.

"Football is basically like school work," noted Hagg, who said he graduated with a 3.0 grade point average. "They say when you write something down it helps you remember it more. I believe it."

For now, it appears the Browns might have Hagg's name scribbled in pencil for starting duties. While training camp doesn't open until late July, the second-year pro has been running drills with the first-team defense. He will challenge Usama Young for the job.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Hagg has been noticeable in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills in the past week during organized training activities and minicamp, which concluded Thursday. He's intercepted a pair of passes and nearly added third on Thursday as he broke up a deep ball from quarterback Brandon Weeden.

However, succeeding at the NFL level -- especially for a second-year pro drafted in the seventh round -- is about more than creating a few turnovers in June.

"Making plays builds your confidence, but so does just knowing what you are doing," Hagg said.

Coach Pat Shurmur sees a player making significant strides since missing the first six games of his rookie season due to torn cartilage in his left knee. Hagg played the final 10 games at strong safety, registering 10 tackles and recovering a fumble in a reserve role.

Shurmur notices the attention to detail that's going into Hagg's notebooks -- he's onto a third one this spring.

"Communication is huge when you play safety and you have to learn it in the classroom first and then be able to come out here and do it," Shurmur said. "There are players that can learn it in the classroom and it doesn't transfer. There are players that can't handle it very well in the classroom, but once they practice they get it. I see there is some transfer of learning and he's doing well in the classroom and it is showing up out here."

Hagg said Nebraska coach Bo Pelini imparted the importance of knowing his position before stepping on the field. Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson also stressed it, encouraging Hagg to write down pertinent information on the grease boards in the locker room and classrooms.

Understanding the nuances of the position and the tendencies of opponents, Hagg said, have helped "slow down the game." Safeties have to make rapid coverage decisions as their team's last line of defense. He was up to the challenge Thursday as he and Joe Haden combined to break up a long Weeden pass intended for Mohamed Massaquoi.

"He studies the game well and asks a lot of questions," strong safety T.J. Ward said. "Hagg is going to be a good player whether he starts or not. He has good range, good feet, good cover skills."

No suspense: Shurmur isn't quite ready to name Weeden his starter at quarterback. He's not, however, prolonging the drama concerning his other first-round rookie. Asked if Trent Richardson will be the starting running back, Shurmur said: "I think that is probably fair to say."

Quotable: All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas on the potential of the offensive line: "I think it's going to be the strength of this offense for years to come. I'm the oldest guy and it's only my sixth year."

Extra point: Offensive tackle Oniel Cousins returned to practice after missing Wednesday's session to deal with a family matter, a team spokesman said.


Mohamed Massaquoi says he's healthy and ready to break out in 2012 for Cleveland Browns

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Browns wide receiver says he's not worried about his health and has been working to "get better every day." Watch video

massaquoi-vert-2012-minicmp-cc.jpgView full sizeMohamed Massaquoi says he's over the concussions that abbreviated his last two seasons with the Browns. "If I'm out there I'm going to be healthy," he said. "I'm fully healthy, I feel good and I'm excited about this season."

BEREA, Ohio -- Mohamed Massaquoi, whom the Browns are counting on this season, rejected the notion that he hasn't been the same player since Pittsburgh's James Harrison smashed him in the head in 2010 to cause the first of his two NFL concussions.

"For me, it's just a matter of being consistent," the receiver said at Thursday's minicamp. "I'm one of the guys that have to play more consistent this year and not spark here and spark there, but rather make the routine play and make all the occasional catches; not a catch here, a catch there.

"If I'm out there I'm going to be healthy. I'm not going to risk myself to have further injury. I don't think any player's going to do that, especially when you're talking about a concussion and a brain, because you don't know the lasting effects of it. So right now, I'm fully healthy, I feel good and I'm excited about this season."

Massaquoi sat out only one game after Harrison's blow, but in the nine subsequent games, caught one touchdown pass and averaged only three catches a game.

Last off-season, he suffered a bone chip in his foot and missed training camp. Just as he was rounding back into shape, his brain was rocked again -- in the home game against Seattle Oct. 23 -- almost exactly a year after Harrison.

At least statistically, Massaquoi was never the same. He tried to come back after missing a game, but came off the field in Houston after feeling woozy. He rested the following week against St. Louis, and never made much of an impact in the final seven games.

His first three games back, he caught three passes for 26 yards. All told, he caught 13 passes and no touchdowns in the final seven games. He finished the season with 31 catches for 384 yards and two TDs -- a far cry from what he and the team expected.

In an interview last month on 92.3 The Fan, Browns President Mike Holmgren acknowledged that the concussions had taken their toll on Massaquoi, the Browns' second-round pick in 2009.

"I think he's finally gotten over the concussion thing he had," Holmgren said. "It kind of changed his game just a little bit in my opinion. But he is a talented guy. I've had great talks with him. I think he can be a really, really fine player."

Massaquoi, heading into the final year of his rookie contract, conceded that he's being extra cautious, especially with the concerns over the long-term effects of concussions.

"It's concerning if you don't take care of it, if you don't handle it the right way knowing that we play a violent game and knowing what we know now about concussions," he said.

"For me, I try to read more, I try to do little things more. ... It's not, 'oh he's taking extra precautions because he had the concussion.' No, I'm taking extra precautions just because when I'm 65, 70 years old, I don't want to be one of those guys that has lasting effects."

Gallery preview

This season, Massaquoi, who's caught 101 passes over his first three seasons with seven TDs, will have to stave off a challenge from rookie Travis Benjamin, the speedster from Miami. He's currently starting opposite Greg Little, and the Browns have high hopes.

"Massaquoi's had a couple tough years with injury and not getting the ball thrown his way enough, in my opinion," Holmgren told The Fan. "I think you're going to see him have a little bit of a breakout year, and we need him to do that. He really has the potential to be a very, very good receiver, and no one's seen it."

Massaquoi appreciated the vote of confidence.

"He's a guy that's seen a lot of football," he said. "He's seen a lot of great play, and whenever a guy like that endorses you and says what he said, you have to step up to the plate and accept the challenge."

Likewise, Shurmur sees a big campaign from his starting wideout, fueled in part by more efficient quarterback play.

"I expect a lot from him and he expects a lot from himself," Shurmur said. "I see a much healthier Massaquoi. I think he's had a great off-season. I'm very pleased. He's made plays out here. I think that's money in the bank for him as he gets ready for training camp and the season."

Massaquoi prefers not to wonder how last season might've been different if not for the broken foot.

"I'm not gonna look back and say 'what if, what might have happened, what could have happened with this or that?' I'm just gonna embrace this moment, get better every day, take every day for what it is and look forward to being able to play on Sundays."

Last off-season, he spent months working out with receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson to elevate his game. This off-season, he's looked right in his own backyard for advice.

"I've been talking to a lot of guys like Joe Thomas, D'Qwell [Jackson], Sheldon Brown just to see exactly how they got to where they are, what makes them the type of pro that they are, just as far as staying healthy, taking care of their bodies, how they prepare, how they watch film, all those little things that you don't really know exactly how to do when you come in as a young player," he said.

For now, he's preparing for that breakout year.

"My feet feel good, my head feels good, whatever else you might think is wrong, it feels good," he said. "I'm ready to just go out and have fun."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Kent State's Nick Hamilton provides one of baseball's best feel-good stories: Terry Pluto

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Hearing disorder is just another challenge to overcome for the Golden Flashes' DH as the team prepares for this weekend's NCAA super regional in Oregon.

nick-hamilton-ksu-2012-vert-abj.jpgView full sizePlaying baseball despite having diminished hearing isn't a big issue for Kent State's Nick Hamilton. "I think it has helped me as a person," he says. "It's shaped and made me want to do something that people said I couldn't do. I like to challenge myself."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some people say you're "different." It's because of the hearing aids.

You're Nick Hamilton and 22 years old. You were picked by the Tribe in the 35th round of this week's amateur baseball draft, and are the DH for the Kent State baseball team headed to Oregon the NCAA super-regional this weekend.

If you feel different in any way, it's blessed.

You carry a .364 batting average on what has a chance to become the best team in Kent State's impressive baseball history. You have two parents who "are just great people" in Wendy and Tom Hamilton. There's a chance to sign a pro contract with your favorite team -- and your dad is the radio voice of the Tribe.

As a kid, you fell asleep reciting the names of the middle-1990s Tribe: Belle, Ramirez, Thome, Nagy, Vizquel, Sorrento, Baerga, Lofton.

"Some kids counted sheep, I pretended to be my dad doing the pre-game lineups on the radio," you say with a laugh.

Dad says you began switch-hitting when you were about four, imitating Tribe second baseman Carlos Baerga. Mom said it was about that time when some doctors said you probably would soon be completely deaf. Odds were against ever being able to speak clearly. There was the risk of an emotional shell, "a total introvert," in the words of one specialist.

Dad was stunned, at one point considering the prospect that he earned his living with his voice -- yet his oldest child might not be able to hear him. Tom Hamilton wasn't ready to accept that, at least not without a fight.

Mom saw something that didn't match the grim diagnosis of a withdrawn, sullen child. You were a happy kid who wanted to communicate. A kid who liked to play any sport, who wasn't afraid to talk even if he didn't sound quite like the other kids.

"At one point, they talked about Nick having to attend a school for the deaf and learning sign language," Wendy Hamilton recalled. "Tom and I know that it is necessary for some kids. Not everyone's condition is like Nick's, and some have to use sign language. But we wanted Nick to be as main streamed as possible and see if that would work out for him."

It wasn't easy, but it worked out.

Operating room was a familiar room

hamiltons-nick-tom-brad-tribe.jpgView full sizeIn the summer of 2007, a 17-year-old Nick Hamilton (left) posed with his brother, Brad, on either side of their father, Indians play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton.

Your ears lacked fully developed stirrup bones that protect the inner ear. That led to lots of trips to specialists, and lots of medical procedures. You say you had six surgeries on your ears. Dad says nine. Mom says 11.

You say some of those surgeries "don't really count" because they "were putting tubes in my ears, and lots of people have that."

People such as Kent State coach Scott Stricklin talk about the obstacles overcome by lip reading and eight years of speech therapy. You had to deal with hearing aids with failed batteries or muffled sounds when sweat flows into your ears.

There are times when you know that you can't hear everything on the field.

"But baseball is a great sport for me because of all the signs we use," you say.

There are days when something is missed. There are conversations that you can't follow, if the person is too far away and you can't see their face.

Mom said, "Nick could set his hearing aids so he could hear just the teachers, or set them so he could hear also what was going on the classroom. He also set them to hear everything he could."

Saying "I didn't hear that" was not a good excuse for your parents.

"They said if I didn't hear something, go up and ask questions," you say. "I learned to do that."

There was a 3.7 grade point average at Avon Lake High (batting .481 as a senior). At Kent State, you are on the Dean's List with a double major in business and finance.

There are days when there is some fear. Your hearing loss is listed between "moderate" and "severe." If there was a major setback, it could lead to total hearing loss -- which hearing aids can't help.

"I don't think about that much. My [hearing] tests have been good. But it is a fact of life that I can't lose much more. I'm protective of what I have."

Obstacles? Not really.

"As long as I remember, I've had hearing aids. I think it would have been harder if I lost my hearing later in life."

Tom Hamilton said, "Hey, that's how Nick sees things: Don't complain, do something about it."

The ability to compensate

You do see things. Clearly.

"I have 20/10 vision. It's like one sense makes up for another. It's like some blind people can really hear well."

That's why one of the scariest moments of your life was at a game this spring. While playing third base, a throw was lost for a brief second and smacked into your face, directly below the right eye. Your face swelled, turned black and purple and maybe a little green.

You could barely see out of the eye, and wondered if there was permanent damage.

"I am very sensitive about my eyes."

The eyes are one of the reasons that you've become an excellent hitter.

"I have no idea how you'd pitch to Nick," said Kent State pitching coach Mike Birkbeck. "He's liable to swing at any pitch, any time. He makes great contact. His balls find holes, they hit bags and they drop in front and between outfielders.

"He's one tough out."

Nick Hamilton on the excitement of this weekend's super regional



Some teammates joke they are waiting for one of your fly balls to hit a bird and drop for a double. Stricklin talks about "good Karma around Nick, and not just on the field. People like to be around him."

A year ago, KSU lost Travis Shaw to the 2011 baseball draft. He hit 15 homers for the Flashes, and now the son of former Tribe pitcher Jeff Shaw is a .337 hitter for Class A Salem in the Boston Red Sox system.

"Nick doesn't have the same power, but he's stepped into the middle of our lineup for Travis," said Stricklin. "He has knocked in as many clutch runs as anyone on our team."

You have only one homer, but 35 RBI in 49 games.

"I didn't even know Nick had hearing aids until I met him in person," said Stricklin. "We recruited him out of high school, but always talked on the phone. He went to Xavier for a year, and then called and said he's like to transfer. We were delighted to have him.

"Only after he showed up did I know about his hearing loss. Because of how he handles it you don't notice it."

With support, anything is possible

One day, your mother talked about the problems of hearing aids. She had heard that when you wear a tight batting helmet or sock hat over your ears, sometimes there is a high-pitch noise. Or maybe an echo.

Yes, sometimes that was true. Your response was that it's not a big deal. There hasn't been much teasing from other kids. Then again, "If they did, I didn't hear."

But then you turn serious.

"Of my friends, I'm the only one that has hearing aids. People have always accepted me, and I appreciate that."

At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, you look like a Division I baseball player.

"I watch Nick against some of the best teams and pitchers in the country, and I'm amazed," said Tom Hamilton. "I know I could never play at that level. At one time, part of me wondered if Nick could. People doubted him at every step -- but that fuels him. He controls his own dreams."

Dad said you couldn't even lift heavy weights until late in high school because doctors feared there could be damage to your ears from the strain. Football was ruled out by the doctors, too. They also said basketball was out, but that didn't stick.

"We let him play basketball," Tom Hamilton said. "We decided that we can't shelter him from everything, he needed to be a kid."

Mom never doubted you, and "knew" her husband could deal with the challenge. "But I wondered about my ability," said Wendy Hamilton, her voice cracking. "We all prayed so much for strength. I do believe God had a reason for Nick to take this path in life."

Tom Hamilton says his wife was the driving force behind finding the right doctors and treatments. Both parents looked back in their families to see if anyone had hearing problems. No one did. Siblings Kelsey (20), Bradley (16) and Katie (14) have no issues.

"In some ways, it's just a fluke," you say. "We don't know why it happened.

"I think it has helped me as a person. It's shaped and made me want to do something that people said I couldn't do. I like to challenge myself."

There will be no rush to decide whether to sign with the Indians or return to school for your senior year.

"I'm playing for a team with a chance to get to the College World Series. That has been one of my dreams. The same with getting a chance to play for the Indians. I never looked [at the hearing loss] as a disability, it's part of who I am and it hasn't stopped me from doing what I want to do."

Out of the Las Vegas limelight, Kelly Pavlik 'ready to go' in Friday bout vs. Scott Sigmon

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Former champion will look to continue comeback in ESPN2 bout.

pavlik-lopez-2011-squ-ap.jpgView full sizeKelly Pavlik (left, delivering a left hand against Alfonso Lopez in 2011) isn't worried about not being the main event in this weekend's boxing action in Las Vegas. "It's just a matter of time until I'm back on the big stage again," he said. "I still draw a lot of attention, so it doesn't really bother me."

Andy Samuelson

Special to The Plain Dealer

LAS VEGAS -- The lights aren't quite as bright off the famed Las Vegas Strip, but Kelly Pavlik still garnered the biggest cheers Thursday night during the official weigh-ins for his ESPN2-televised super middleweight bout against Scott Sigmon on Friday night.

"It kind of is a little humbling, but it's expected," said Pavlik after he and his Virginia-based opponent both tipped the scales at 167 pounds Thursday inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino -- located just two miles from the MGM Grand, the site of Saturday's showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley.

"The main thing right now is to go out there and put on a show. It's just a matter of time until I'm back on the big stage again. I still draw a lot of attention, so it doesn't really bother me."

Nothing should in Sin City, as the town where tourists hope to get rich as been very kind to the 30-year-old from Youngstown.

"It's a great feeling to be back here," said Pavlik (38-2, 33 KOs), who is 11-0 in bouts in Sin City and last fought here when he defeated Alfonso Lopez last May, which also took place during a Pacquiao fight.

"I'm ready to go and I feel good."

So too is his 25-year-old opponent, who downplayed the "war of words" that took place during this bout's buildup.

"I don't really know where the 'war of words' came from except for me saying one bad thing when the [first] fight fell through," said Sigmon (22-3, 12 KOs), who originally was in the mix for an early spring bout against Pavlik, but later ripped him in numerous media outlets and on his Facebook page when the contest was called off.

"All I've done is express that I want to win the fight. If that's a bad thing to do as a fighter, it shows how [expletive] boxing has become. Of course I'm coming to win the fight, I'm not coming to lose the fight."

While few pugilistic prognosticators are giving the heavy underdog much of a chance, Sigmon says he enjoys the role. He said can inflict a similar style that Sergio Martinez and Bernard Hopkins used in scoring victories over Pavlik.

"I'm going to make it a rough night," said the self-trained and lightly regarded Sigmon. "I respect Kelly Pavlik as a man and as a fighter. But this is a huge stage to show everyone what I can do."

Pavlik's manager, Cameron Dunkin, shrugged off the bravado and swears fans are going to see an even shaper version of "The Ghost" -- who easily defeated Aaron Jaco by second-round TKO on March 31 in San Antonio.

"I never saw Kelly look so good as the other night," Dunkin said. "I know it wasn't a [big-name] opponent. But his hands were up on his chin like they should be. He didn't have his left hand down at his side.

"His jab was snapping and his hooks were real short. He shortened up his punches. I just think he is being trained properly."

Newly acquired trainer Robert Garcia took the compliment in stride, saying it's Pavlik's work ethic at his new camp in Oxnard, Calif., that has put him in place to rebuild a career nearly crushed last year by highly-publicized fight cancellations and accusations of alcoholism.

"He's looking better and better every day, every week. I think the fight tomorrow night will show," Garcia said. "It takes a lot for a person that's married and has kids and has done all the training camps before in his hometown to switch everything up.

"To make that decision tells you a lot about the kind of person he is. He knows that he has to come back and start all over again. It just tells you that he's willing to go through that to be up there again."

Andy Samuelson is a writer based in Las Vegas.

LeBron James scores 45 as Miami Heat beat Boston Celtics, set up Game 7

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James also has 15 rebounds, overwhelming the Celtics and leading the Heat to a 98-79 victory Thursday night that forces a decisive game.

LeBron James.jpgView full sizeLeBron James silenced his critics for at least one night, coming up big in the Heat's victory Thursday at Boston.
BOSTON — LeBron James pushed away elimination, right along with any defender who tried to stop him.

He wasn't going to let another season end in Boston. The Eastern Conference finals, and his chase of an NBA championship, are headed back to Miami for a Game 7.

James had 45 points and 15 rebounds, overwhelming the Celtics and leading the Heat to a 98-79 victory Thursday night that forced the decisive game.

"He was absolutely fearless tonight, and it was contagious," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "The way he approached the last 48 hours, and not only LeBron, but everybody else. Nobody likes getting dirt thrown on your face before you're even dead. He showed great resolve."

James shot 19-of-26 from the field and finished four points shy of his playoff career-high while playing 45 minutes, not sitting down until the victory was long secured.

After two days of questions about the Heat's future and his own history, James provided his response in resounding fashion in a building where Miami had lost 15 of its previous 16 games.

"In an environment like this, you want to have a big game," he said. "I wanted to be there for my teammates, no matter what was going on throughout the course of the game.

"This was a gut check for us, and it's good to see we were able to bounce back after that loss, after that Game 5 loss at home."

Dwyane Wade added 17 points for the Heat, who need a victory at home Saturday night to return to the NBA finals. And if James plays like this again, Miami should have no problem getting it.

"He played amazing. He was locked in from the beginning of the game like I've never seen him before," Wade said.

dwyane wade.jpgView full sizeHeat guard Dwyane Wade, left, drives against Celtics forward Kevin Garnett during the fourth quarter.
Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 10 assists for Boston. Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass each scored 12 points, but Paul Pierce had only nine on 4-of-18 shooting.

In the site of some of James' biggest disappointments, the only disappointed ones Thursday were the thousands of fans who hoped to see a celebration but instead filed out of the TD Garden midway through the fourth quarter, just before the league MVP called it a night.

"He was comfortable all night," Rondo said. "We didn't get into his air space."

Miami barely won Game 2 before dropping the next three games, but this one was never in doubt. James was a one-man force on what's supposed to be a Big Three, carrying the Heat in the first half while Wade made only 1 of 6 shots.

The Celtics were hoping to complete a comeback from a 2-0 deficit, as Oklahoma City did in the Western Conference, and advance to face the Thunder in the NBA finals. But they missed 13 of 14 3-point attempts and will have to win a second straight game in Miami to play for the title.

James' season was twice ended in Boston while playing for Cleveland, the Celtics emerging as the winner in a Pierce-James duel in Game 7 of the 2008 East semifinals, then beating the Cavs in Game 6 of the second round two years later.

That was James' last game with Cleveland, leaving that summer for Miami and the All-Star help that Wade and Chris Bosh could provide.

He needed none of it Thursday.

He had 30 points by halftime and spent the night silencing the Celtics crowd and perhaps some of the doubters he somehow still has. He set the tone for the game by making 6 of 7 shots and scoring 14 points in the first quarter, and he made sure the Heat were never challenged from there.

"I hope now you guys can stop talking about LeBron and he doesn't play in big games," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "He was pretty good tonight. So we can put that to bed and go play Game 7."

Meanwhile, Pierce, whose 3-pointer over James was the biggest basket of Boston's Game 5 victory, missed 13 of 16 shots through three quarters, including all six 3-point attempts.

The Heat obviously weren't deflated by that loss and came to fight, scoring 10 straight points to build a 10-point lead shortly after Mario Chalmers was called for a technical foul after getting mixed up with Ray Allen. They extended it to 12 points later in the period, taking a 26-16 lead into the second after shooting 58 percent in the period.

Wade finally got on the board with a jumper to open the second, but he seemed strangely passive even with Miami trying to save its season.

No matter. James didn't need the help.

He had consecutive baskets for a 15-point lead and came up with a basket every time the Celtics tried to get any rhythm. He soared high above the rim — and any other player — for a follow dunk after the Celtics had crept within eight in the final 2 minutes of the half. Miami led 55-42 at the break.

James made 12 of his first 13 shots before missing from the perimeter on his final attempt of the half.

Only Rondo kept it from being a blowout, scoring 19 points and adding five assists in the half. Relishing the challenge, he even emulated Garnett by doing a couple of knuckle pushups after being knocked to the court while drawing a foul, but he couldn't keep up with James and needed some help that never arrived.

The Celtics, trying desperately for one last championship before the expected breakup of their Big Three, hope this one doesn't get added to recent series losses against Orlando in 2009 and the Lakers in the NBA finals in 2010, when they lost Game 6s with chances to win series and then fell in Game 7.

James' first basket of the third quarter increased the lead to 17 points, and from there it was just a matter of coming up with another score any time the Celtics tried to make a run.

Boston never came close, and when a 3-pointer by Shane Battier made it 81-63 with 10:19 to play, Rivers spent part of a timeout standing alone on the court with his arms folded, leaving it to the players to try to come up with an answer that wasn't there.

Bosh entered with 5 ½ minutes left in the first quarter of his second game back after missing nine with a lower abdominal strain, finishing with seven points and six rebounds.

Cincinnati boxer Rau'shee Warren hopes third time is the Olympic charm

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Cincinnati boxer Rau'shee Warren is the first three-time Olympic boxer in U.S. history after turning down the temptations of turning pro after his upset loss in China in 2008.

USA Today video interview with U.S. Olympic boxer Rau'shee Warren



COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Had he turned pro after the 2008 Olympics, Cincinnati's Rau'shee Warren figures he could have been a world champion right now. He wanted to be a gold medalist first.

"But I feel like everyone's got their time to shine," Warren said. "I feel like my life is about to start shining after the Olympics. Right now, I'm focusing on going over there and representing my country and, me being the vet, pushing my teammates."

Warren, a 25-year-old flyweight (114 pounds), is the first three-time Olympian in United States boxing history, a rarity created by the trials upset that landed him on the 2004 team as a 17-year-old and the first fight upset that knocked him out of the Games as a 21-year-old medal favorite in 2008.

Following his disappointment in China, his stock was down. He didn't like the offers and the attitudes he faced while pondering a pro step, so he decided to take one more run at a medal in London.

"It was very tempting," he said. "There was a lot of pressure and a lot of people pushing me to go, saying how fast I could become a world champion. At the end, it came down to me, it was my decision.

"They were trying to get me to buy into it and trying to get me to sign because they felt it was my last chance, that I've got to go professional. That's what made me turn a different way."

Warren instead decided to compete in the World Series of Boxing, a hybrid organization created two years ago that serves as a bridge between amateur and professional boxing and allows fighters to earn money from their bouts while maintaining Olympic eligibility. Between those fights and the stipend he receives from USA Boxing, Warren, who said he grew up poor in some rough neighborhoods in Cincinnati, had more than enough to chase his gold and support a family that now includes two young children.

"It's pretty good. It was enough for me," Warren said. "I don't complain. It's a good deal."

Warren believes others fighters who should have retained their amateur status jumped at the chance to turn pro because they were scared to miss their opportunity. He believes his best chance is turn pro with a gold medal, and his World Series of Boxing fights have made him a better fighter than a pro career would have.

"We're fighting the top athletes, we're not just fighting bums," Warren said. "In the pros at the beginning, you're fighting bums."

There is a chance that by the 2016 Olympics, professionals will be allowed to fight. Warren said he wouldn't want world champions in there, but he would favor younger pros with, for instance, 15 or fewer professional fights who are still learning or on the way up.

For these games, Warren is the old pro of this amateur team.

"It's awesome," said USA featherweight (123 pounds) and first-time Olympian Joseph Diaz, Jr. "I can take in all the experience he has and learn everything he tells me. He's a great fighter and he can teach us all that stuff. And I think this year, he'll be bringing back that gold medal."

Retiring Western Reserve Academy field hockey coach Marie Fiedler leaves a legacy of success: Terry Pluto

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Now 72, Fiedler just retired after 49 years of teaching chemistry and coaching field hockey, the last 40 years at WRA, a boarding school in Hudson.

fiedler-mug-2011-pd.jpgView full sizeIn his last season with Western Reserve Academy, Marie Fiedler was The Plain Dealer's Coach of the Year in field hockey.

AKRON, Ohio -- It was 41 degrees with the wind whipping, sleet flying. Some members of the Western Reserve Academy field hockey team thought, "She'll never make us practice outside."

Those were the younger players, those who really didn't know coach Marie Fiedler.

"This was one of the most miserable days," recalled Katelyn Drake, Fiedler's assistant coach. "I know that most teams were practicing inside. Probably every team was practicing inside."

But after playing for Fiedler from 2002-06 before serving as an assistant coach, Drake knew something else.

"We were going outside," she said. Which they did. So much for prep school kids having it soft.

"That's Marie," said her brother, John Fiedler. "She is tough, she is disciplined and she is smart."

Now 72, Fiedler just retired after 49 years of teaching chemistry and coaching field hockey, the last 40 years at WRA, a boarding school in Hudson. And that bone-shaking, teeth-rattling practice? That's not a story from the musty past.

"It happened this season," said Drake. "That's why I was so surprised that she's quitting. I know she's 72, but she's still a great teacher and coach."

Fiedler's field hockey team had a 15-1-1 record this season, WRA outscoring the opposition, 72-16. She was named The Plain Dealer's coach of the year. Fiedler has never won a state title because WRA is not a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

"There were years we beat the best teams in the state, so they knew we had the best team," she said this spring when announcing her retirement. Her career record at WRA is 451-105-63.

"I had been talking to my brothers about when to retire," said Fiedler. "John said I should think about leaving when I was on top. I didn't want to get to the point where I was tired of doing this. I also want to be able to do things in my retirement."

On the field, always a competitor

When Fiedler grew up in Akron, she had a goal. She wanted to be like her hero, Tribe catcher Jim Hegan. She had five brothers, and played baseball with them in summer. No one dared tell her that she "throws like a girl."

Because she didn't.

These days, she'd be playing on the boys youth teams with her brothers. But in the 1950s, when she played with the boys, it was in pickup games. Girls weren't welcome on youth boys teams. Her brothers insist she sometimes caught without wearing a mask.

She also learned basketball from her brothers, preparing her for girls games at Akron's old St. Mary's High. Other girls complained she was too rough. Fielder threw elbows and claims to have fouled out of most of her high school games.

She was an excellent student in the sciences and business. Her goal was to be like her brothers, some who had major corporate jobs.

Fiedler interviewed at Goodyear. This was when women were not viewed as management candidates. She was offered a job in the library. Her father, Leon, was an executive at BF Goodrich in Akron. In his part of the office building, she said, they didn't even have a women's restroom. He told her to "go into education," because women could make their mark as teachers. It hurt. Why couldn't she play in the same corporate games as the men?

Fiedler often went pheasant hunting with her father, and could shoot as well as most men. She could compete in most sports with boys. Her grades were outstanding.

While stubborn and gritty, Fiedler also is realistic. She took the advice of her father, earning a master's degree from Kent State in chemistry and education. She taught high school in Kent, and later in Los Angeles. At those schools, she coached girls basketball, swimming and field hockey.

"Marie is the kind of person that if she watches a sport for 10 minutes, she can figure out how to coach it," said John Fiedler.

Not only did Drake play field hockey for Fiedler at WRA, she also was on the lacrosse team.

"She wasn't the coach," said Drake. "But one day, she came up to me on the sidelines during a game and gave me a tip. And she was right. She is confident enough to coach anything."

Losing is not an option

fiedler-coach-bw-wra-spec.jpgView full size"So many former players and students came up to her and thanked her," Marie Fiedler's brother, John, says of her sister (here coaching field hockey in the 1980s). "Many said what I always thought -- they didn't fully appreciate her until after they graduated."

Forty years ago, she was hired at WRA when it went coed. Along with coaching field hockey, she coached swimming from 1973-77 and had a 37-7-1 record. She was varsity girls basketball coach from 1977-85, her career record being "about 20 games over .500," according to Fiedler.

When she originally began coaching field hockey, one of her first questions was, "Who plays any sport in a skirt?"

One of the favorite stories about Fiedler dates back to the early 1970s, a rules meeting involving several field hockey coaches.

"It was supposed to be a lady-like sport," said Fiedler. You can imagine how she felt as coaches talked about rules designed to restrict rough play, and not using schemes such as zone defenses.

Finally, she almost screamed: "This is just a dumb way to play! We have to be more than just be nice to each other!"

"Know this about Marie, she absolutely hates to lose," said Chris Breuker, a close friend who taught biology at WRA from 1973-2007.

Fiedler says she has been blessed with bright students. Athletically, they were not always the superior team, "but we can out-think the other team," she'd tell her students.

Fiedler is fearless when it comes to public reaction, Drake said.

"This past season, she pulled one of our best players out of game because the girl wasn't playing hard," said the assistant coach. "I wondered what was she doing? This was a big game and we were losing. This girl could really score. But MF [Fiedler's nickname] wanted to get the player's attention. After a while, she put her back in and she scored."

Drake admitted she "never would have done that."

A woman of blunt wisdom

"She doesn't sugar coat anything," said Drake.

Fiedler has told more than one WRA student to "get a summer job at McDonald's and learn what the real world is about."

And she meant every word.

"I went to one of the receptions the school had for her," said John Fiedler. "So many former players and students came up to her and thanked her. Many said what I always thought -- they didn't fully appreciate her until after they graduated. So many of them now consider her their second mother or grandmother. She has made more of an impact on lives than I ever did in the corporate world."

Fiedler is a teacher "who went to about every sporting and school event," Drake said.

For the first 10 years at WRA, she lived in one of the girls' dorms. While she later moved into a home in Hudson, she still did once-a-week dorm duty. She also was known for being in her office late many nights, especially as exams approached.

"She certainly wouldn't give you the answers," said Drake. "But she helped you study."

This email came from Christopher Glenn: "My mother attended Reserve, and was among the first female graduates of the school in 50 years after they abandoned the all-boys model (1922-1972). 'MF' had taught and coached my mother, and when she heard I was on the way, made a point to become a mentor to me. ... [Going to a boarding school at 14], there were some serious nerves. ... First seeing her at orientation, and how she greeted us warmly. She and my mom started talking about events that happened decades earlier, as if they were only a few months in the past.

"From that point, I have appreciated that great mentors can command and return a respect that transcends the years and turns pupils and teachers into old friends. I have held her in esteem ever since."

Retiring, but forever active

fiedler-classroom-wra-spec.jpgView full size"I'll stay busy," Fiedler says of retirement and leaving the chemistry classroom she occupied for four decades. "Only I will be able to say 'no' to some things, do more of what I'd like."

Fiedler's friends wonder if she can ever slow down.

"She'll never just retire and not doing anything," said Breuker. "She couldn't handle it. She already told me that she is willing to help the new coach, if that's needed."

Fiedler spent 20 years working part time for the Hudson Emergency Medical Service, often working holidays so others could be with their families. She retired from the EMS at the age of 66.

"Marie has had the added challenge of being a single woman all these years," said Breuker. "I worked on the EMS squad with her. I taught with her. My husband and I became good friends with her. That was one of the reasons I taught for 34 [years at WRA] and she stayed 40 -- you make deep friendships with the people at the school."

Fiedler had major back surgery in 2010. She has bounced back, and still can kayak and serve as a volunteer at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

"I'm one of those people on a bike wearing a yellow helmet," she said. "I love to travel. I want to go to Alaska and Australia. I have friends all over the country."

She has visited Peru, Spain, Africa and Hawaii. She has an 18-year-old mixed-breed dog named B.J., who has appeared in several team photos. She just took in a new dog a friend found lost at the Akron Rubber Bowl.

"I'll stay busy," she said. "Only I will be able to say 'no' to some things, do more of what I'd like."

Fiedler has 16 nieces and nephews, and that doesn't count all the former students over the years who'd love to see her.

During a church service on Mother's Day, the pastor asked all the mothers to stand. Fiedler remained seated. A few of her friends kept saying, "Marie, just stand up! You have had more kids than any of us."

At last, she stood with the rest of the mothers, a tribute that meant as much to her as anything she has received since announcing her retirement.

Euro 2012 kicks off today: Is it better than the World Cup?

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The World Cup may be the best-known soccer tournament on the planet. It may not be the best. To many fans, the European Championship ranks as the top competition.

euro-2012-ceremony.jpgLeft to right the EURO 2012 mascot Slavek, tournament director in Ukraine Markiyan Lubkivsky, Ukraine's national soccer player Andriy Shevchenko, UEFA ambassador Croatian soccer star Davor Suker, President of the Football Federation of Ukraine Hryhoriy Surkis, mascot Slavko during a presentation of the UEFA EURO 2012 Cup on Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, May 11, 2012. The 'UEFA EURO 2012 Follow the Trophy" tour will visit seven Ukrainian cities, including the four host cities. The Soccer Euro 2012 kicks off June 8, 2012 in Warsaw and ends with the final on July 1 in Kiev. 31 matches will be played in eight Polish and Ukrainian cities.

WARSAW, Poland — The World Cup may be the best-known soccer tournament on the planet. It may not be the best.

To many fans, the European Championship ranks as the top competition.

This year's continental championship, generally called Euro 2012, kicks off Friday in Warsaw when co-host Poland plays Greece at the National Stadium. Ukraine also will be hosting games.

With only 16 teams instead of 32, many believe the caliber of play at the European Championship exceeds that of the World Cup, which gets diluted by some of the slots apportioned to areas of the globe without strong soccer traditions.

If that sounds arrogant, consider that only one non-European country (Uruguay) has been among the semifinalists at the last two World Cups.

Both tournaments take place every four years, but in alternate even-numbered years. That puts the European Championship, which started in 1960 but became a full-fledged tournament in 1980 when eight teams competed, in the same summer as the Olympics.

For Euro 2012, defending champion Spain — which also won the 2010 World Cup — is the favorite, especially with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta controlling play. But the Netherlands and Germany are also contenders with their own game-changing players, notably the Dutch trio of Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder.

Others, like England with Wayne Rooney and Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo, will also be in the mix.

Hooliganism is always an issue at major soccer tournaments; this year's competition has already been marred by racism concerns and political turmoil in Ukraine.

The 16 teams in the championship — the two co-hosts and 14 other nations that made it through a two-year qualifying tournament — have been split into four groups of four. The top two in each group reach the quarterfinals.

The final will be played on July 1 in Kiev.

Here's a look at the stars, top teams, and a few players who could surprise at Euro 2012.
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cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid.jpgReal Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal celebrates after scoring during a semifinal second leg Champions League soccer match against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

BEST PLAYERS

Cristiano Ronaldo

If it wasn't for Lionel Messi ... Ronaldo has been engaged in a hotly disputed fight with Messi to be considered the best player on the planet, but the Argentine, a three-time World Player of the Year, always seems to get the upper hand. The flashy Portugal forward has all the tricks in the book, but has been accused of never producing his best on the international stage. He can change all that here.
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Xavi Hernandez

With his sublime first touch, vision and passing range, the Barcelona star is the beatkeeper of the indomitable Spain team. Voted player of the tournament at Euro 2008, he placed third in the last three World Player of the Year awards. But Xavi's performances in what is likely his final international tournament may be hampered by fitness problems that have dogged his end to the season.
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Andres Iniesta

Xavi's partner in Spain's and Barcelona's midfield and the scorer of the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, which shot the balding Iniesta into football immortality. Iniesta's quick feet and effortless dribbling ability makes him stand out, with Xavi describing him as the "complete player."
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Moody and temperamental, Ibrahimovic is often left frustrated by the limitations of his Sweden teammates. But it's a different story at club level, where he has played for the top clubs in Spain and Italy. Outrageously skillful and a great scorer, he has a distinctive languid style that his critics attack when things aren't going right. Sweden's only world-class player.
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Mesut Oezil

After two stunning seasons with Real Madrid, comparisons are starting to be drawn between Oezil and French great Zinedine Zidane. Rising to prominence at the 2010 World Cup, the graceful playmaker has the rare ability to make the perfect pass and will be the central component of Germany's attacking play at Euros.
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Robin van Persie

His goal-scoring exploits for Arsenal this season have made Van Persie one of the most sought players in world football. He has a wand of a left foot to rival even the great Messi and will lead the Netherlands as they look to shake off their "underachievers" tag.
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Karim Benzema

France finally has a striker to take over from Thierry Henry. The barrel-chested Benzema's explosive pace and unforgiving finishing saw him emerge as Real Madrid's No. 1 striker by the end of the season. He has been France's leader up front in its sensational recent run of 21 unbeaten games.
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Gianluigi Buffon

Buffon comes into the tournament under a cloud of betting-scam allegations as part of the fallout of the Italian match-fixing scandal, but his reputation as the world's premier goalkeeper remains intact. Tall and athletic, there are no weaknesses in the 34-year-old 2006 World Cup winner's armor. A key member of an Italian backline that had the best defensive record in qualifying.
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Mario Balotelli

Whether it's exploding fireworks in his bathroom or ripping off his jersey to display messages on T-shirts, the enigmatic Balotelli always provides a story. The striker has all the talent in the world and unbelievable coolness under pressure, but has too many off days and could easily implode for Italy this month.
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Wayne Rooney

For Balotelli, read Rooney. His crazy kick-out at a Montenegro defender leaves him suspended for England's first two games at Euros, but there was never a doubt he'd be picked on the squad. The Manchester United striker can be the best player in the world when he's on and is one of England's few world-class stars.
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spain-euro2012-training.jpgMany are picking Spain, the defending World Cup champions, to win Euro 2012 as well.

FAVORITES

Spain

By transforming international football with its tika-taka passing style, top-ranked Spain has been the team to beat for the past four years. The defending world and European champions are classy and stylish, but aren't unbeatable. The Spanish are without leading striker David Villa and defender Carles Puyol because of injury, and there also are fears their Barcelona and Real Madrid stars are tired. Spain is looking to become the first country to retain its European title.
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Germany

A young team which lit up the 2010 World Cup with its fearless attacking play has blossomed into a force set to be Spain's biggest threat at Euro 2012. The Germans score goals for fun and cruised through their qualifying run with 10 straight wins. Question marks remain, however, over whether Germany's eight-strong Bayern Munich contingent recovered from losing the Champions League final in dramatic style to Chelsea.
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Netherlands

The Dutch challenge England for the tag as Europe's biggest underachievers, but also rival Spain and Germany as the most talented team at Euros. Defensively, they look suspect, but they seem unstoppable going forward, led by the lethal Van Persie. Staying true to their expansive, offensive style will be key; they retreated into their shell in the 2010 World Cup final in 2010 and deservedly lost.
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France

The French head into Euro 2012 on the back of an unbeaten run of 21 games and coach Laurent Blanc looks to have unified the squad after its infamous mutiny at the World Cup in South Africa. Much will depend on the influence forwards Franck Ribery and Benzema can have and, like the Dutch, France's defense appears to be its weak link.
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Italy

The Azzurri won the World Cup in 2006 amid the fallout from a match-fixing scandal back home. Could history repeat itself six years later at these Euros? Whether the Italian league crisis unites the squad remains to be seen. Italy has arguably the best defense in the competition and in strikers Antonio Cassano and Balotelli, the Italians have two mercurial players who could light up the tournament.
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FIVE TO WATCH

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The one wild-card pick in an otherwise formulaic England squad, Oxlade-Chamberlain could be the "super sub" that coach Roy Hodgson turns to at Euros. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has impressed when given an opportunity in his first season at Arsenal with his pace and penetration and is set to be a regular for club and country for years to come.
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Christian Eriksen

Euro 2012 could be the tournament where the 20-year-old Eriksen shines on the international stage, despite Denmark's devilishly difficult group. The stylish Ajax playmaker has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe and this summer could be his shop window to secure that move.
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Robert Lewandowski

An expectant Poland will be relying on its most recent player of the year to reproduce the goal-scoring exploits that fired Borussia Dortmund to a second straight German title this season. Given the co-host's relatively straightforward group, the 23-year-old striker is being tipped by some as a potential winner of the Golden Boot, given to the tournament's top scorer.
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Ibrahim Afellay

The Netherlands have had high expectations for this winger for years and after recently returning to action following an injury-plagued season, he could finally deliver at Euros. With his lightning speed and sweet dribbling skills, Afellay provides a touch of Barcelona play in orange, and his smooth link-up play with Van Persie should earn him a starting berth this tournament.
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Andre Scheurrle

Reportedly high on the shopping list of mega-rich Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, the 21-year-old Scheurrle is a versatile forward who will be a backup to Lukas Podolski for Germany, but could easily end up taking his spot in the coming years. The emerging star of German club Bayer Leverkusen has the technique and selfless work rate to make himself a star.


Friday, June 8 television and radio sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Highlights include Indians at St. Louis and boxing's Kelly Pavlik vs. Scott Sigmon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

ARENA FOOTBALL
 
8 p.m. Pittsburgh at GLADIATORS, FM/92.3 

AUTO RACING
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12:30 p.m. Pocono 400 practice, Speed Channel

2 p.m. Canadian Grand Prix practice, Speed Channel

3:30 p.m. Pocono 400 “Happy Hour Series,” Speed Channel

7:30 p.m. Firestone 550 qualifying (tape), NBCSN

9 p.m. WinStar World Casino 400, Speed Channel

BASEBALL

7 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Dayton, AM/1330

7 p.m. N.Y. Mets at N.Y. Yankees, MLB Network

7:05 p.m. Altoona at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350

8 p.m. Chicago Cubs at Minnesota, WGN

8:15 p.m. INDIANS at St. Louis, SportsTime Ohio, WKYC; AM/1100 

BOXING

10 p.m. KELLY PAVLIK vs. Scott Sigmon, ESPN2 

COLLEGE BASEBALL SUPER REGIONALS
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Noon Stony Brook vs. Louisiana State, ESPN2

3 p.m. Saint John’s vs. Arizona, ESPN2

7 p.m. Stanford vs. Florida State, ESPN2

9 p.m. Texas Christian vs. UCLA, ESPN 

CYCLING
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3 p.m. Criterium du Dauphine, Stage 5 (tape), NBCSN 

GOLF
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9 a.m. Nordea Masters (tape), Golf Channel

Noon Wegmans Championship, Golf Channel

3 p.m. St. Jude Classic, Golf Channel

6:30 p.m. The Tradition (tape), Golf Channel

HORSE RACING
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5 p.m. Brooklyn Handicap and Jaipur Stakes, NBCSN 

SOCCER
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11:30 a.m. Euro 2012, Poland vs. Greece, ESPN

2:30 p.m. Euro 2012, Russia vs. Czech Republic, ESPN

7 p.m. Men’s World Cup qualifier, U.S. vs. Antigua & Barbuda, ESPN 

TENNIS
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11 a.m. French Open, men’s semifinals, WKYC 
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Would Fab Melo be the right pick for Cavs in late first-round? - Comment of the Day

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"I'm not really sold on Melo at 24. There are a lot of centers coming out next year. The player that intrigues me the most at 24 if he is there, is Evan Fournier. He kind of reminds me of Manu Ginobli. He can be stashed in Europe if needed. He plays SG/SF. At 6'7 he is great size for a shooting guard, he is a good defender, great ball handler, and can create his own shot." - g77

fab melo.JPGView full sizeWould Fab Melo be a good first-round pick for the Cavaliers?
In response to the story Harrison Barnes would be a great fit for the Cavaliers - Comment of the Day, cleveland.com reader g77 isn't sold on Fab Melo. This reader writes,

"I'm not really sold on Melo at 24. There are a lot of centers coming out next year. The player that intrigues me the most at 24 if he is there, is Evan Fournier. He kind of reminds me of Manu Ginobli. He can be stashed in Europe if needed. He plays SG/SF. At 6'7 he is great size for a shooting guard, he is a good defender, great ball handler, and can create his own shot. He needs to work on his 3pt shooting but he is only 19 and at pick 24 good value. Ideally, I'd love to trade up and nab Terrence Ross but if not Fournier is a pretty good consolation prize."

To respond to g77's comment, go here.

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

Cleveland Browns receivers will be an improved bunch this year, says Mary Kay Cabot (SBTV)

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Plain Dealer Browns reporter also discusses whether she still thinks team should have drafted WR Justin Blackmon. Watch video


Cleveland, Ohio - Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough.


It's Friday, so it's Hey, Mary Kay! day, when Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot answers fan questions from her weekly Q and A feature.


Today, she discusses whether she still wishes the Browns would have taken Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon in the draft, given his recent DUI arrest; what she thinks of the Browns receivers and whether they will be a weakness again this season; and whether any of the young prospects appear to be stepping up in minicamp.


SBTV will return Monday.


 

Lottery Hopeful Harrison Barnes wisely following in Kyrie Irving's footsteps

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Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has helped pave the way for a close friend as he looks to enter the NBA.

ap-201206071546567884758_1339117086.jpgHarrison Barnes is saying, and doing, all of the right things

He hardly provided a sound bite and may not have a secret handshake with a hip-hop mogul, but Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has managed to provide a road map for the NBA’s future. A tad enigmatic due to only playing 11 collegiate contests, Irving has captured the hearts of Cavs fans by speaking softly and carrying a big stick and an even bigger shot. He may not have entered the league with his own line of player exclusive high-tops or been catered to by some of the world’s elite, but Kyrie Irving crossed and bounced and spun his way to a level of national prominence and others have rightfully taken copious notes.

With his hair freshly lined and his collar carefully tucked in to his Carolina Tar Heel-blue sweater, NBA lottery hopeful Harrison Barnes surely did not act the part of a teenager worried about his “brand.” Descending upon the media portion of the NBA Draft combine one year after one his best friends in Irving did the same, Barnes, fresh off of his 20th birthday, stood out amongst the group of giants not due to size or stature but due to his demeanor, professionalism and understanding that, despite the inability to legally consume alcohol, he has to be as much of an adult as the veterans with whom he will soon be sharing a locker room.

“This is your job now,” Barnes said to the media horde which circled him. “You always want to try to look professional and nice. Personally, I think how you dress says a lot about how you carry yourself.”

This is the same Barnes who, along with Irving, was touted as one of the best high school basketball players in America; the same Barnes who studied entrepreneurship at UNC’s top-20-ranked Kenan-Flagler business school 1 .

Unlike the point guard who quietly opted to attend his in-state rival, however, Barnes donned the stigma of a young athlete who romanticized the business aspect of life; the off-court celebrity that would provide him with the opportunities to be the focal point of commercial spots ranging from local fast food joints to powder-tossing puppets. The same Barnes who, at age 17 via a Skype-centric press conference which included phrases like “leaving my legacy”, famously decided to attend Chapel Hill’s sacred grounds due to the recruiting tactics of Michael Jordan the businessman more than Michael Jordan the athlete 2 . The same Barnes who notoriously returned for his sophomore season, passing up the advancement of a multi-million-dollar pay day, for the potential of increasing his endorsement potential.

“The longer you stay in college,” Barnes explained during his decision to delay the draft, “the better a brand you build.”

Later, in an interview with The Atlantic, Barnes stated, “I think if anybody has an opportunity to play professional basketball and to not transcend that into off-the-court endeavors is really a waste.” He referred to himself as “the business guy who happens to play basketball.”

These words rang loud in areas such as Cleveland where countless athletes have seemingly taken the me-first approach — former Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards famously struck up an in-game conversation with an opposing defensive back with the topic being how to get into modeling and acting. And with that, the scarlet letter was planted firmly into the chest of a player who was a star on the court and a bit of a scholar off of it 3

Harrison Barnes also happens to be the same player who has been feverishly linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers, owners of the fourth-overall selection who happen to be in dire need of filling the scoring void left by the departure of LeBron James two summers ago. For the Cavaliers, having a front office that selected Irving as well as power forward Tristan Thompson in 2011 due to their character just as much as their on-court prowess, afford to take a risk on a guy who could potentially just be using his first NBA team as a stepping stone to bigger towns and brighter lights? 

Armed with a silky shooting touch, an excellent mid-range game and one of the best basketball IQs in this draft class, Barnes is slowly showing that we may have been mistaking his apparent desire for "brand recognition" for the mere understanding that there is life beyond sport. After all, if professional sports are anything -- what with the lockouts and unions and ratings-based discussions -- they are a business, and no longer just for the men in suits who formerly just pulled the strings of their billion-dollar marionettes.

Afforded the opportunity to talk with Irving during his Rookie of the Year coronation, I asked what sort of words of advice he would lend to those who would soon be first-year players. After a pause, Irving delivered a response which was well-thought and very candid.

“You have to be ready to work every single day,” said Irving. ”It becomes a business and you have to understand the business part. You have to understand the basketball part, but more importantly the business end. That’s what the NBA is.”

The first-overall selection spurned other agency promises of Hollywood glam for those of Jeff Wechsler, who told Irving the importance of not only saving money for the days after his shoes are bronzed, but also giving back to the charities and wetting multiple philanthropic endeavors. Heading into the league with some Nike shoes strapped to his feet, Irving quickly piled up sponsors though the shortened season; Georgio Armani, Pepsi MAX, Skullcandy headphones, Todds shoes, and Deucebrand watches serve as what will likely be tip of the corporate iceberg with which Irving is associated. Where Nike takes the "Kyrie Never Stops" campaign remains to be seen.

Now Barnes has essentially followed in lockstep, saying all of the "right" things, but living them out as well. The business acumen is already well-established, now all Barnes needs is the opportunity to execute his plan. In turn, Irving influenced his good friend to sign with the same agent and just as Kyrie did a summer ago, Harrison Barnes is spending his “offseason” in the Miami-based home of Wechsler, preparing for his life as a professional basketball player, focusing on team-specific meetings and work-outs, but also the items which exists on the periphery.

There is no telling if this storybook will end with Barnes landing in Cleveland, to play along side his friend and confidant, replacing a departed Tar Heel in Antawn Jamison, and helping resurrect a team that has now finished with one of the worst records in the NBA over two consecutive seasons. Irving’s presence in Cleveland is already turning the lakeside town into a bit of a destination for top-flight draftees, and the 6-foot-8-inch forward out of Ames, Iowa will undoubtedly be selected early within the June 28 festivities. Even in the event Barnes does not call Cleveland his next home, he will undoubtedly be more prepared for what lies ahead than a good portion of his peers. And he’ll have a fellow 20-year-old in Irving by his side, helping show him the way.

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  1. 15th according to Forbes, 19th according to US News & World Report. [back]
  2. A February 8, 2012 report from Wall Street Journal study found that since 1985, NBA-bound players from UNC have earned more money than basketball alumni from any other college. Duke was second. [back]
  3. An honor student in high school, Barnes was the proud owner of a 3.6 GPA and has a knack for the brass family of instruments. [back]

Mohamed Massaquoi's success could depend on Greg Little's production - Browns Comment of the Day

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"Massaquoi will be productive but only if Greg Little emerges as a true number one wideout. I saw MoMass in live action many times while he was at Georgia and LOVED when the Browns drafted him but I never felt like he would be a true number one wideout. A little bit of a tweener since he lacks elite size and speed to separate from a defense's number one corner on every play." - BigWheel45

little.JPGView full sizeCan the Browns have more than one productive receiver?
In response to the story Mohamed Massaquoi disagrees that he's never been the same since James Harrison's crushing blow to his head , cleveland.com reader BigWheel45 says production of the wide receivers depends on if one can step up to be primary target. This reader writes,

"Massaquoi will be productive but only if Greg Little emerges as a true number one wideout.

I saw MoMass in live action many times while he was at Georgia and LOVED when the Browns drafted him but I never felt like he would be a true number one wideout. A little bit of a tweener since he lacks elite size and speed to separate from a defense's number one corner on every play.

Nonetheless, he can still put up really nice numbers and contribute to this offense."

To respond to BigWheel45's comment, go here.

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