AURORA, Ohio - Kirtland's come-from-behind, 38-37, Division V regional final win over four-time state champ Youngstown Ursuline was something special. Small-school football has always been special to me and this game exemplified just how persevering a team and community can be.
Down 24-0 at halftime, Kirtland staged an impressive rally to top Youngstown Ursuline in a Division V regional final. Pictured, defensive lineman Evan Brettrager attempts to tackle Youngstown Ursuline quarterback Chris Durkin. - (Youngstown Vindicator)
AURORA, Ohio - Kirtland's come-from-behind, 38-37, Division V regional final win over four-time state champ Youngstown Ursuline was something special.
Small-school football has always been special to me and this game exemplified just how persevering a team and community can be.
"People may have counted us out, but we're the Kirtland Hornets," quarterback Scott Eilerman said of the team's mind-set at the break.
Kirtland's faithful never gave the impression the game was over because they never believed it was over, and I should have known better.
There was no armchair quarterbacking in the stands though there were plenty of opportunities. Ursuline, which totaled 180 first-half yards while holding Kirtland to 23 yards, also held a 32-13 advantage in plays and a 10-0 edge in first downs.
"I just told them we're going to come out [in the second half] and get one [touchdown], then go for two and get it down to two scores," Hornets coach Tiger LaVerde said after the game.
That's exactly what happened.
Adam Hess scored on a 5-yard run on the fourth play of the Hornets' 67-yard drive to start the second half, and Damon Washington ran in the first of Kirtland's four two-point conversions, cutting the deficit to 24-8.
Kirtland made it 24-16 on Hess' 10-yard TD scamper and Eilerman's two-point run. And not even Ursuline's 67-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker could discourage the fired-up Hornets.
"We're going to do what we do best. That's run the football," LaVerde said.
Run they did, grinding out 250 second-half yards, which included Eilerman's 39-yard touchdown jaunt and Hess' conversion to put Kirtland ahead for the first time, 32-31. Hess' 2-yard touchdown spurt widened its margin to 38-31, but a failed 2-point conversion gave Ursuline one final chance.
Chris Durkin's 8-yard touchdown pass to Shannon Hightower with 8.7 seconds remaining was a reason to sweat as Ursuline readied for its conversion attempt but Kirtland's players, coaches and fans went into a frenzy when the Hornets stopped Durkin on the run.
"We just never lost hope," said Hess. "It's unbelievable."
PARMA, Ohio - Mindful of my fast-approaching deadline as I descended Mt. Byers from the press box with two minutes remaining, I remember thinking: "Wow. Two great games in a row for Mentor. Sure am glad this one ended before 10:30." Yes, I jinxed myself.
Mentor quarterback Mitch Trubisky celebrates one of several Cardinals touchdowns during a historic two-week stretch in which Mentor defeated No. 1 St. Edward, 63-56, and No. 2 St. Ignatius, 57-56, in the playoffs. It is believed to be the highest-scoring two-game run in state playoff history. - (Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer)
PARMA, Ohio - Mindful of my fast-approaching deadline as I descended Mt. Byers from the press box with two minutes remaining, I remember thinking: "Wow. Two great games in a row for Mentor. Sure am glad this one ended before 10:30."
Yes, I jinxed myself.
I arrived on the sideline in time to watch St. Ignatius pick its way through the porous Mentor defense for a game-tying touchdown with five seconds left, and the drama was just beginning.
Three overtimes, six touchdowns and a decisive two-point conversion later, Mentor had the regional final victory and I had a heck of a story to write -- again.
Never before have I witnessed two weeks of football quite like Mentor's consecutive playoff victories over St. Edward, 63-56, and St. Ignatius, 57-56. It is believed to be the highest-scoring two-game run in state playoff history.
It wasn't just the 2,500 yards, 232 points and 122 first downs compiled in both games combined, it was the drama, poise and level of skill that captivated more than 18,000 total fans in Byers Field and statewide television audiences. Most remarkable was the caliber of the competition -- St. Edward was ranked first in the final state poll, St. Ignatius fourth and Mentor seventh.
Mentor trailed St. Edward by three touchdowns with 15 minutes remaining. While the Cardinals' defense suddenly shut down St. Edward and dodged a few bullets, Mentor scored four unanswered TDs, winning when wideout Brandon Fritts snagged a 16-yard pass and dragged a defensive back across the goal line with 33 seconds left. The Mentor-St. Ignatius game featured five ties and six lead exchanges and an individual game of "Can you top this?" between Mentor quarterback Mitch Trubisky and St. Ignatius tailback Tim McVey.
Simply, it was fun to watch.
Not surprisingly, it was fun to play.
"It was so much fun, I can't tell you. It wasn't stressful or pressure. That's the best thing about it," Trubisky said earlier.
That quote says a lot about Trubisky, a North Carolina recruit who was named Mr. Football. He's a rare kid who is able to ignore tension and play uninhibited. He extended plays and made great decisions repeatedly with the season on the line seemingly every time he ran or passed for one of his 12 touchdowns and 1,125 yards of individual offense in the two-game set.
Everything anyone loves about high school football was on display for eight quarters (and three overtimes).
CANTON and MASSILLON, Ohio - Great football is what it was. Six games, 24 quarters and two days of terrific high school football played in ideal weather conditions. The football Gods were with us last weekend for the state finals. They usually are when you watch high school football in Ohio.
St. Vincent-St. Mary's Newman Williams can't contain his big smile as he holds the game ball as he and teammates celebrate their 42-21 win over Bellevue after the Division III state championship game in Canton. - (John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer)
CANTON and MASSILLON, Ohio - Great football is what it was.
Six games, 24 quarters and two days of terrific high school football played in ideal weather conditions. The football Gods were with us last weekend for the state finals. They usually are when you watch high school football in Ohio.
The final weekend of the season was an additional reward for a guy who got to watch Mentor, St. Ignatius, St. Edward, North Royalton, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Hudson, Aurora, Nordonia, Mogadore and Kent Roosevelt at varying times throughout the first 14 weeks. Not a bad appetizer.
Anyone who watched the six state championship games in Stark County saw Ohio live up to its reputation of having some of the finest high school football in the country.
That's what will stick with me about the 2012 season.
For one of the few times in my life I watched all six games in person, hustling between Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and Canton's Fawcett Stadium, thanks mostly to Canton South principal Todd Osborn, who served as one of the drivers that shuttled media and school administrators between venues.
The kids who participated in those six games gave me -- and the 43,911 customers with a vested interest -- something to remember with a steady display of pinpoint passes, remarkable receptions, eye-popping runs, headache-inducing tackles and deft defensive efforts. This was great high school football. Not good. Not better-than-average. It was great football and great theater. I've watched enough of both to know.
Every game of the 41st annual state tournament was worthy of a state championship. There wasn't a dog among them.
Five of the six games were decided by 10 points or fewer and even St. Vincent-St. Mary's 21-point victory over Bellevue in the Division III game wasn't determined until Newman Williams turned a four-minute span into a personal highlight reel during the second half.
The photograph in Sunday's Plain Dealer and in this online post -- taken by The PD's John Kuntz -- of Williams holding the game ball and wearing a smile wider than a football field, was perfect.
If you need validation that high school football in Ohio is a cut above most, consider this: Division I state champion Cincinnati Moeller went 6-0 against out-of-state opponents this season. Four of those six -- Gilman (Md.), Grand Rapids Christian (Mich.), Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.) and Louisville Trinity (Ky.) --were state champs.
Pretty remarkable stuff when you consider St. Edward beat Moeller; Mentor beat St. Edward; St. Edward beat St. Ignatius; and Mentor and St. Ignatius split.
For the naysayers who point to the decline in attendance as a sign that high school football is waning, I say this: What else would you expect when all the games are televised live? Not a fan of that decision, but, hey, the games made it easier to endure the aggravating, cumbersome television timeouts.
The knock on Romeo Crennel was that he was more camp counselor than head coach. Turns out the Kansas City Chiefs desperately need him to be both.
After seeing an unthinkable act, Romeo Crennel has displayed uncommon poise and provided a resolute center for the Kansas City Chiefs over the last week. Browns fans should acknowledge that when Crennel leads his team onto the turf at Browns Stadium on Sunday, says Bud Shaw.David Eulitt, Kansas City Star
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- They call him "Rac," but "Rock" works, too.
There's no cheering in the press box, or I'd be clapping out of respect and support for Romeo Crennel Sunday. The former Browns' coach has thrown a warm arm around his football team at a time when he might need the biggest hug of all.
He deserves that much from Cleveland fans when he leads his Chiefs out of the tunnel to face the Browns. More importantly, he could use it.
Crennel and Kansas City GM Scott Pioli witnessed something no one should ever have to see when Chiefs player Jovan Belcher drove to the Arrowhead complex Saturday and killed himself in front of them after fatally shooting his girlfriend.
"My father was a career military man and seeing his strength as a man in certain situations..." Crennel said on a conference call Wednesday. "And my mother was a very patient lady and seeing her and how she dealt with things, I think that combination helped me get through it and deal with it."
A three-month old girl in Kansas City will never know her mother or father. That alone makes what happened Saturday a terrible tragedy. The reasons for it make it unspeakably horrific.
"You can't go away from it," Crennel said. "I'll never be able to go away from it. But in the business that we're in we have to try to move on and we have to try to focus on our job at hand."
Grief counselors made themselves available at the team hotel last Saturday. The Chiefs somehow managed to win a football game, defeating Carolina, 27-21. Afterward Crennel and quarterback Brady Quinn, a No. 1 draft choice of the Browns in 2007, spoke movingly and insightfully. Quinn called Crennel a "rock" Wednesday.
"I'll never be able to go away from it," Crennel says of the suicide of Jovan Belcher. "But in the business that we're in we have to try to move on and we have to try to focus on our job at hand."John Sleezer, Kansas City Star
Some people feel strongly that the Chiefs and Panthers had no business playing Sunday. Crennel makes a heartfelt case that the organization wasn't trying to make football more important than a murder-suicide involving a team member.
"It was good therapy for us," he said. Nothing more. Who exactly would need reminding that life is more important than football, anyway? Almost all of us know its place in our lives and always know where to find it -- in the category of diversion.
Crennel said counselors are in the team offices again this week. The Chiefs moved up practice Wednesday so players, coaches and team officials could attend a private memorial service.
"We're trying to move forward the best we can," Crennel said, knowing that the uncharted territory that greeted him Saturday won't turn familiar for him or his team for a long, long time.
SPINOFFS
• Every time word comes of "another suitor" involved with the Indians on a free agent, I am reminded of my legendary string of prom date rejections in high school. Good times. ...
• Tom Watson doesn't believe golf belongs in the Olympics, saying he still thinks of the Olympics as "track and field, not golf; to be honest with you."
I'm guessing he then screamed at the interviewer to get off his lawn. ...
• If one more coach or player is scape-goated and sent packing in Philly, all Eagles coach Andy Reid will need is an oversized pair of Bermuda shorts and a beach to walk on to replicate the final days of Richard Nixon. ...
• Shocking that a player as professional and genuine as Joe Thomas didn't like Peyton Hillis' act, calling the situation last year "toxic" in an interview with reporters Wednesday.
Was it the time Hillis didn't even attempt to play with strep throat, or when he decided to get married back in Arkansas during the season that endeared him so completely to his struggling teammates? ...
• One scene from Tuesday's Travel Channel documentary on the Browns showed Pat Shurmur in the locker room giving a game ball to owner Jimmy Haslam. No one was surprised when Shurmur threw it to the Browns owner instead of handing it off. ...
• You don't have to disagree with Bob Costas' gun-related opinions expressed Sunday to argue it's a topic better addressed in a much longer segment than halftime of a football game. But that's the funny thing about commentators. They sometimes strain logic. They sometimes don't make their point clearly.
Bob Costas discusses his Sunday comments in MSNBC interview
Still, they are paid to comment. You can't call for their firing every time you hear something you don't like. ...
• In another scene from "NFL Road Tested," Phil Dawson says, "I just want to win games, whether it's touchdowns, field goals, safeties, their bus doesn't show up. I just want to win games."
It's been since October 1999 that Dawson faked a field goal and ran it in for the only touchdown of his career. About time he started pulling his weight. ...
• Sports Illustrated named LeBron James Sportsman of the Year, presumably because his NBA title and Olympic gold medal were testimonies to the honorable pursuit of team-stacking.
And because SI knew it would sell better than a Usain Bolt cover. ...
• Check out the new Air Jordan XX8 and I think you'll agree. They are not your father's basketball shoes.
They're your grandfather's galoshes. ...
• A photo of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker holding fake guns on a man dressed as referee Joey Crawford at a Halloween gathering at a private residence caused some misplaced concerns among viewers after it went viral. It was all in the spirit of fun. It could easily have been Manu Ginobli, dressed as Zorro for the occasion, holding a sword.
The only interesting aspect to me is why Gregg Popovich let them attend Halloween festivities and didn't send them ahead to Christmas celebrations. ...
• Who finished second in Sportsman of the Year voting? Ndamukong Suh? ...
• Former outfielder Lenny Dykstra is serving 6 1/2 months in prison for selling and hiding memorabilia that was part of his bankruptcy fraud and money laundering case. He was already serving a sentence on a grand theft conviction and for providing a false financial statement. In the past year he was also sentenced to nine months for exposing himself to women he met on Craigslist.
This is believed to be the first time since a 1985 game against Toronto that Dykstra hit for the cycle. ...
• Orange County Register columnist Mark Whicker on the New Orleans Hornets' plan to change their name to Pelicans: "A Pelican dives face-first to get food, like most visitors to New Orleans." ...
HE TWEETED IT
"I would like to apologize to the Jets family and my fans for my emotional outburst." -- Braylon Edwards, after Tweeting that the "idiots" running the Jets are to blame for New York's poor record, not quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Apparently somebody reminded Braylon they were the same idiots who once signed him. On Tuesday, he was released by the Seattle Seahawks ...
HE SAID IT
"I've seen guys take pictures of themselves in the mirror. This game turns a lot of guys into egomaniacs." -- Doc Walker, Redskins' tight end during the "Hogs" glory days, telling USA Today how humble and down-to-earth Robert Griffin III is by comparison.
Now where would Walker have crossed paths with Braylon Edwards?
YOU SAID IT
(The Somewhat Anticipated Mid-Week Edition)
"Hey Bud:
"What is the biggest fib at this time of the season? The Browns can still make the playoffs or one light goes out and the rest stay on?" -- Doug, Westlake
No decisions have been made on Shurmur and Tom Heckert.
"Bud:
"Using Bob Costas' logic, is it the fault of my computer if I send you the occasional dumb question?" -- Nate J, Brunswick
Occasional? Anything but that. "You Said It" depends on a steady stream of them.
"Hey Bud:
"How are you handling the pressure now that you are in first place on the Browns predictions?" -- Doug, Westlake
As expected, pretty much like Jose Mesa in Game 7.
"Hey Bud:
"Is it true the new helmet visor Brandon Weeden wears is made by the people who manufacture the plastic license plate covers that are supposed to prevent the red light cameras from reading your number?" -- Pat
You have that confused with something else. Many "You Said It" contributions come from people who make license plates.
"Bud:
"Was Weeden able to recognize his own receivers' routes against the Raiders? As a side note, we'd all feel more positive if he would not wear a ball cap so much." -- John McEllen
Give him a break. He's clearly doing it to honor Charlie Brown.
"Bud:
"I'm not totally familiar with your career. Are you the same Bud Shaw who wrote 'Fanny Pack' descriptions for the J. Peterman catalogue in the early 80s?" -- Jim Corrigan
I can't think of that time without hearing Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" in my head.
"Bud:
"Is it true that having Tim Couch as a member of the selection committee that chose Kentucky's new head football coach Mark Stoops increases the likelihood that Mr. Stoops will be sacked before he can rebuild the program?" -- Keith, Cleveland
First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.
"Bud:
"The Browns finally have a chance to win a game in which Brady Quinn is the starting QB." -- Angelo, Cleveland
Kobe Bryant has become the youngest player in NBA history to eclipse 30,000 career points and only the fifth overall to hit that mark.
With this shot just before halftime, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) goes over 30,000 points for his career during the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Hornets at the New Orleans Arena on Wednesday, December 5, 2012. Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kobe Bryant has become the youngest player in NBA history to eclipse 30,000 career points and only the fifth overall to hit that mark.
Bryant entered the elite scoring club during the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the New Orleans Hornets. He arrived in New Orleans 13 points short, and scored his 13th and 14th points on a short jumper with 1:16 to go in the first half.
Because the basket came in the flow of play, there was hardly any reaction on the court as Bryant and his teammates ran back on defense.
Bryant is 34. Wilt Chamberlain was 35 when he hit the mark, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone were each 36 and Michael Jordan was 38.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- John Carroll didn't have to look far to find the coach it believes will take its football program to the next level. Tom Arth, a former Division III All-American quarterback for the Blue Streaks as well as an NFL quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts, has been named the Blue Streaks' new coach. He is the 17th...
New John Carroll head football coach Tom Arth.JCU photo
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- John Carroll didn't have to look far to find the coach it believes will take its football program to the next level.
Tom Arth, a former Division III All-American quarterback for the Blue Streaks as well as an NFL quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts, has been named the Blue Streaks' new coach. He is the 17th head coach in the 92 years of JCU football.
For the past three seasons, Arth has served as an assistant coach and co-offensive coordinator on the staff of Regis Scafe, who was let go after the 2012 season.
"Tom has demonstrated leadership qualities, football expertise, and the ability to engage people which will take our football program to the next level of success," JCU Athletic Director Laurie Massa said in a statement. "His experiences in the NFL, the business world, and at John Carroll have given him skill sets with a Mission focus that will serve us well as we work toward our goals of championships and student development."
Arth, a St. Ignatius grad, joins Jerry Schweickert (1965-76), Frank Amato (1984-86) and Tony DeCarlo (1987-98) as the only John Carroll graduates to serve as JCU head coach.
"I am motivated by the challenge and humbled by the opportunity to lead our football program and serve the John Carroll University community," Arth said in a statement.
At JCU, Arth has been the quarterbacks coach, co-offensive coordinator, assistant recruiting coordinator, and director of football operations. He helped the Streaks' offense average 396 yards and 28.9 points per game over the past three seasons.
From 1999 to 2002, Arth set 18 JCU records, earning unanimous All-America honors as a junior and senior. In 2002, he guided the Blue Streaks to a 12-2 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III national semifinals for the first time in program history.
In 2003, Arth signed a free-agent contract with the NFL's Colts, where he spent three seasons as a backup to quarterback Peyton Manning. He also had stints with the Green Bay Packers, NFL Europe and the Arena Football League.
It's hard to keep track of just what the Indians are trying to do in preparation for 2013. Even new manager Terry Francona isn't quite sure where this will all end.
"As a team, when you lose 90-something games, you have to listen [to trade options]," new Tribe manager Terry Francona said Wednesday. "You have to figure out a way to get better."Mark Humphrey, Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Indians are a team being pulled in several directions at once. Will there be a master plan in place when they finally go snap?
They've spent most of this off-season testing the market for their best players: Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, Justin Masterson and Chris Perez. This week at the winter meetings they've chased more high-priced free agents than the New York Yankees.
So what exactly are they trying to do?
"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," joked manager Terry Francona, when he talked to reporters on Wednesday.
"If we wanted you to know, we'd invite you up to the suite. There is a lot going on. I don't think there's anything we haven't explored. ... I don't know where it will end up. I don't think anyone does."
After losing 93 or more games in each of the last three seasons, the Indians apparently have an open mind and a much-needed infusion of cash from owner Larry Dolan. They offered outfielder Shane Victorino $44 million over four years on Tuesday, but he took three years and $39 million from Boston.
Francona, after eight years as Boston's manager from 2004-11, is used to winning those kind of bidding wars. He's getting to see how the other half lives as a first-year manager of the Indians.
"It's kind of hard to fault a guy like Shane Victorino on going to Boston," said Francona. "When guys get to be a free agent, they've earned that right to go wherever they want and it's a great baseball town.
"I have a lot of respect for him and how he went about his decision. It's hard to fault somebody for that."
Francona is the Indians' head recruiter. He talked to Victorino and he called free agent Nick Swisher to sell him the Tribe. Just how does he entice players to come to a team that hasn't gone to the postseason since 2007 and hasn't won a World Series since 1948?
"I'm not going to talk about specific players," said Francona. "If they want to talk about it, that's their prerogative. In general, when I talk to any player, I always just tell them the truth. I found out that always works out the best."
Francona is also trying to do some repair work at home regarding the players who have been the subject of daily trade rumors. He's been exchanging text messages with Cabrera, who is at home in Venezuela, while the Indians are trying hard to trade him. Choo called him Tuesday for a 10-minute chat.
"It's been upbeat," he said. "I don't sense a panic in anybody's heart. As a team, when you lose 90-something games, you have to listen [to trade options]. You have to figure out a way to get better. But we value those guys a lot, and they know that."
Francona hasn't been dealing with just the Tribe's upper crust. He had a half-hour conversation with Matt LaPorta. The one-time prospect is recovering from hip surgery and was recently taken off the 40-man roster and outrighted to Class AAA Columbus.
The mood in GM Chris Antonetti's suite was somber Tuesday after Victorino rejected their offer, but Francona was in a good mood when he walked into the room after talking to LaPorta.
"We got a chance to reflect about 10 days after [LaPorta] had a pretty tough conversation with Chris [Antonetti]," Francona said. "I think I'm at a stage in my career that this is a challenge that's really exciting for me."
When the winter meetings end Thursday, Francona and pitching coach Mickey Callaway will spend about a week in the Dominican Republic trying to help Ubaldo Jimenez become the pitcher he was in the first half of the 2010 season.
"Mickey has already made one trip to the Dominican to see Ubaldo," said Francona. "If we get him and Masterson back to what they were, that would be a huge step in the right direction."
When Francona was hired in Boston, he took over a team that had reached the seventh game of the ALCS the year before.
"The expectations were win or go home," he said. "This is a little different. We're younger. We're not in the same position. But our expectations, at least in my opinion, are still the same. We're supposed to try to win."
Cavaliers rookies Dion Waiters, Tyler Zeller getting the silent treatment from game officials.
Cavaliers youngsters including Tyler Zeller -- here battling Chicago's Taj Gibson for a loose ball Wednesday night -- have been waiting in vain for some help from NBA officials during the team's slow start.Tony Dejak, Associated Press
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Byron Scott can't remember whether he got any calls as a Laker rookie. But what he knows for sure is that his rookies -- Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller -- aren't getting any.
Waiters has missed the last two games with a sprained left ankle, but Zeller got whacked repeatedly going to the basket in Detroit on Monday and didn't get a call. It has happened all season. Before he went out with a fractured left-index finger, reigning rookie of the year Kyrie Irving was frustrated frequently by referees not giving him calls on drives to the basket.
Scott was asked before Wednesday's game against Chicago when players start getting calls.
"I don't know," Scott said. "Sometimes I'm trying to figure out what you have to do. Being a rookie is one thing but still a foul to me is a foul, simple as that."
Scott said Zeller has been handling things pretty well, but admitted there's not much to do about it.
"You can send tapes in," Scott said. "He's a rookie. Referees are not going to give us a lot of calls, period. I told our guys that before the season even started. So don't cry about it, just keep playing. The only way we're going to get their respect is just by playing hard every single night.
"We don't want to be crying about it every night either. We know we're getting hammered a lot, and we're not getting calls. But at the end of the day, we look at the stats and we're right there either even or more free throws attempted than our opponent. So we can't cry about it too much."
Is it worth getting a technical foul over?
"My problem is, when I get a tech I kind of go overboard, so it kind of goes from techs to $35,000 fines or ejections," Scott said. "So I'm trying to keep my cool as much as possible."
Baby talk: Scott has assigned his rookies Waiters, Zeller and Kevin Jones -- baby dolls and carriages, and he wants to see them at the games. Their babies are named Mary, LaQuisha and Connie, or C.C., respectively.
"It's just going to give them a little bit more added responsibility," said Scott, who did the same thing when he was the coach in New Orleans.
Previously, veteran Daniel Gibson had assigned the rookies to carry sparkly pink backpacks -- Barbie for Waiters and Dora the Explorer for Zeller. Jones escaped that fate while he was in the D-League at Canton.
Zeller didn't look too thrilled with the development. Asked if he had any experience with babies -- his "baby" brother is 7-0 Indiana Hoosiers star Cody Zeller -- Zeller grumbled, "No."
The last word: From Scott, on whether there's any chance Irving could come back early from his injury, which was projected to keep him out at least two more weeks: "I don't know. I know he's anxious. Like we've always done, we're not going to take any chances.
"We'll leave it up to the doctors. Then he has to get a practice in where he's going live with full contact and everybody's hitting and grabbing and all that. But the chances of him coming back early, I have no clue."
The Indians continue to try and sign a hitter to improve their struggling offense.
The Indians are talking about a deal that would send shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to Arizona.Darren Celebrese, Canadian Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The free agent market could be forcing Kevin Youkilis and the Indians closer to a deal.
The Indians have been negotiating with Youkilis to play first base. Other teams like him as a third baseman, but two of those teams dropped out of the bidding Wednesday at the winter meetings as Arizona signed Eric Chavez and the White Sox landed Jeff Keppinger with a three-year deal.
Chavez signed a one-year deal worth $3 million. Keppinger, recovering from a broken right fibula, signed for a reported $12 million, assuming he passes the physical.
The Yankees are interested in Youkilis because Alex Rodriguez will miss at least half of next season because of hip surgery. The free-spending Yankees, however, are under budget restraints and might not be able to afford Youkilis, who made $12.5 million last season. It's believed Youkilis is looking for a two-year deal. His agents were going to call their client on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the offers they've received.
Youkilis, who played for Tribe manager Terry Francona in Boston, hit .235 (103-for-438) with 15 doubles, two triples, 19 homers and 60 RBI for the Red Sox and White Sox last season. He'll be 34 in March.
Multi-team deal: The Indians have been linked to an on-again, off-again multi-team trade involving Arizona, Texas and reportedly Kansas City.
"A two-team trade is difficult to make happen," said GM Chris Antonetti. "When you add more than two teams, it adds a whole other layer of complexity."
The Indians are reportedly trying to acquire young starting pitching in exchange for shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. The Indians have supposedly asked for right-hander Trevor Bauer, the third overall pick in the 2011 draft, and left-hander Tyler Skaggs.
Other reports have the Indians sending Cabrera to Arizona for outfielder Justin Upton.
Backup plan: If the Indians do deal Cabrera, they've talked to the Dodgers about acquiring shortstop Dee Gordon. The left-handed hitting Gordon could platoon with Mike Aviles. Gordon hit just .228 (69-for-303) with nine doubles, three triples, one homer and 17 RBI. He did steal 32 bases in 82 games.
The Indians have also reportedly talked to agent Scott Boras about free-agent shortstop Stephen Drew. He finished last season with Oakland.
We want bats: After missing on Shane Victorino, the Indians have talked to outfielder/first baseman Nick Swisher. Francona talked to Swisher on the phone Tuesday night.
Swisher could fill a hole in the Indians outfield, but at what cost? Victorino turned down the Tribe's four-year, $44 million offer Tuesday. It's hard to calculate what Swisher is asking for because the free-agent outfield market has grown pricey.
Last season with the Yankees, the switch-hitting Swisher hit .272 (146-for-537) with 36 doubles, 24 homers and 93 RBI. His postseason performance is best forgotten.
Mark Reynolds is another option. The Indians have met with his representatives at these meetings. Reynolds, a right-handed hitter who can play first, third and outfield, has big-time power with a high rate of strikeouts.
"If he's a [hitter], we've talked to him," said Antonetti. The Indians did miss out on outfielder Jason Bay, who signed a one-year deal with Seattle. The Tribe offered Bay a one-year deal as well.
Award time: Outfielder Tim Fedroff and right-hander Cody Allen are the Indians' minor-league players of the year. Fedroff's award is named for Hall of Fame shortstop Lou Boudreau. Ross's award is named for Hall of Famer Bob Feller.
Allen, 24, started last season in Class A ball and made it to the big leagues. In his first 12 appearances out of the bullpen, he did not allow a run. Fedroff hit a combined .316 (148-for-468) with 79 runs, 23 doubles, 10 triples, 12 homers and 54 RBI at Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus.
Odds and ends:Julio Franco's old agent, Chuck Berry, said the former Indian is interested in managing. He's managed in Mexico, Venezuela and the Mets' minor-league system.
Franco's son, Joshua, is playing for the Mariners. They signed him for $100,000. This past year he hit .237 (22-for-93) with 11 RBI for Seattle's Dominican Summer League team.
Tuesday night, Tampa Bay traded infielder Derek Dietrich to Miami for shortstop Yunel Escobar. Dietrich, 23, grew up in Parma and attended St. Ignatius High School.
Finally: The Indians have the fifth pick in Thursday's Rule 5 draft. Their 40-man roster is at 39 so they could add a player.
The Cavaliers lose to the Chicago Bulls for the 10th straight time, 95-85, on Wednesday night at The Q.
Cavaliers forward C.J. Miles stretches out to steal the ball away from Chicago's Marco Belinelli in the second quarter of Wednesday's game at The Q.Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It doesn't matter who plays or who doesn't, whether the game is at home or on the road, the Cavaliers just cannot beat the Chicago Bulls.
Wednesday night the Cavs were without starting point guard Kyrie Irving (fractured left index finger) and rookie starting shooting guard Dion Waiters, while the Bulls were without starting point guard Derrick Rose (left knee surgery) and starting shooting guard Rip Hamilton (torn plantar fascia in left foot.) Call that a wash.
But what's left of the Bulls handled what's left of the Cavs on Wednesday night at The Q, 95-85, for Chicago's 10th straight victory over Cleveland overall, its sixth straight in The Q. Call that a washout.
Anderson Varejao recorded his 10th straight double-double, one short of the team record held by Elmore Smith, with 11 points and 15 rebounds as the Cavs dropped their third straight game to fall to 4-15. Marco Belinelli had 23 points and Luol Deng added 22 for the Bulls, 9-8.
Cavs coach Byron Scott started veteran Daniel Gibson in place of Waiters on Wednesday, after shifting small forward Alonzo Gee to shooting guard on Monday at Detroit and promoting reserve small forward Omri Casspi to the starting lineup. Scott was hoping the changes would prevent the Cavs from falling behind like they did at Detroit, where they trailed after the first quarter, 30-17.
Instead, it was worse. The Cavs trailed, 25-11, after the first quarter Wednesday. Chicago shot 66.7 percent in the period, while Cleveland was at 31.3.
The Cavs trailed by as much as 18 in the second quarter, 45-27, before scoring the last eight points of the half -- five by backup point guard Donald Sloan -- to climb to within 10. So futile was the effort on both sides that the Cavs' 39 percent shooting in the quarter was actually better than the Bulls (34.8).
Two free throws by rookie Tyler Zeller got the Cavs within 64-59 with 1:51 left in the third quarter, but Kirk Hinrich scored the Bulls' last six points and Chicago took a 72-63 lead. When the Bulls opened the final period on an 11-3 run, the game was pretty much decided.
Thomas becomes the first player in team history to twice earn the honor.
Browns left tackle Joe ThomasAP file
BEREA, Ohio - Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas has gone from one Peyton to another Payton in a manner of 24 hours.
A day after criticizing former teammate Peyton Hillis, who comes to town with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the perennial Pro Bowler was named the Browns' Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Thomas becomes the first player in team history to twice earn the honor, recognizing performance and community service. The NFL's three finalists will be named at a later date, with the winner announced during Super Bowl XLVII.
Thomas made more news Wednesday, however, for hammering Hillis, the Browns former halfback, for sitting out so many games last season due to a contract dispute. He called the situation "toxic" and thought it was better for all involved that Hillis left the Browns.
Browns coach Pat Shurmur was asked if he was all right with the team captain's comments during Thursday's news conference.
"I'd prefer my players say nothing," Shurmur said. "But I realize that's not the case. If you guys want me to comment on anything that relates to this year, I would be happy to."
Shurmur had said Wednesday he would not revisit Hillis' role in the 2011 season and would only discuss "Peyton Hillis, the 2012 version."
Reporters in Kansas City are expected to ask Hillis today about Thomas' remarks.
In other Browns news from Thursday:
The club had all 53 members of the active roster on the practice field for the second straight day. That is a rare luxury this late into a season. Shurmur said cornerback Dimitri Patterson (ankle) had a good practice Wednesday, and the coaching staff must make a decision on his availability for Sunday's game. Patterson, who's missed the past seven games, said he was healthy enough to play last week in Oakland.
Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said he's aware of the gadget plays Brian Daboll likes to occasionally employ. Daboll is the former Browns offensive coordinator working in the same capacity with the Chiefs. Jauron called Daboll creative, but added the Browns can't devote too much time game planning for all the trick plays.
Although free safety Usama Young (concussion) is expected to play Sunday, Jauron plans to keep Tashaun Gipson in a rotation at the position.
Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress answered a series of questions about wide receiver Josh Gordon coming off his six-catch, 116-yard performance in Oakland. Regarding the receiver's potential, Childress said he hopes "It's the tip of the iceberg."
Childress acknowledged that he testified in the ongoing New Orleans Saints bounty probe Monday in Washington and said he doubts he will be called upon again. As coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Childress was one of the first to alert NFL officials of a possible bounty program after quarterback Brett Favre was roughed up in the 2010 NFC Championship Game.
Cavs coach Byron Scott knows he can count on veterans Anderson Varejao and Daniel Gibson to keep their teammates' spirits up and their minds on the task at hand.
"We've got two guys in that locker room who were here when we lost 26 in a row,'' Scott said, referring to the Cavs' NBA-record 26 game losing streak in 2010-11. "They never wavered. I know those two guys are going to keep fighting. I know the other young guys we have don't know any different right now but to go out there and fight.
"Like I told them in the locker room [after losing to Chicago], we're just going to keep working and this thing's going to turn around. If you keep working hard, keep playing hard, good things are going to happen.
Masked man: Tyler Zeller said he wasn't sure how much longer he would have to wear the mask to protect his broken cheek bone. He was injured on Nov. 5 and was told he'd have to wear the mask six weeks, which would be Dec. 17.
But it's unclear if he has to wear it six weeks from the time of the injury, or six weeks from his first game back against Dallas on Nov. 17. If it's the latter, he would have to wear it until Dec. 29.
At one point, the rookie said that if he got used to it, he might keep wearing it, like Chicago's Rip Hamilton did. But he made it clear on Thursday that as soon as he can take off the mask he will.
Ohio bowhunters are responsible for a big increase in the number of white-tailed deer harvested this season around the Buckeye State.
The week-long Ohio deer gun season lured an army of deer hunters to the woods last week. This year's harvest totals, however, reveal more bowhunters than ever before are enjoying the Buckeye State's four-month archery deer campaign.
There were 86,964 bucks and does killed during the traditional deer-gun week, which ended Sunday. That is a 3.7 percent decline from the 90,282 deer killed in 2011.
During the first two months of the archery season, bowhunters killed 79,410 deer, a huge increase of 26 percent despite five fewer days during the first half of the archery season. The spike in bowhunting success has been fueled by the popularity of hunting with a crossbow, which is easier to learn to use than a longbow and does not require as much practice. Ohio has long been a leader in liberal crossbow hunting regulations, and two of the country's major crossbow manufacturers - TenPoint Crossbow Technologies and Horton Archery - are located in the Akron area.
"As the deer herd continues to spread out in Ohio, we're seeing hunting pressure spread out, as well," said Chief Scott Zody of the Division of Wildlife. "In the 1980s and 1990s, the deer gun season was the big thing. These days, more sportsmen are hunting closer to home, and taking advantage of the long archery deer season." Zody said while there was a decrease in hunting pressure during this year's deer gun season, harvest totals are right on target.
"The number of bowhunters has been on the increase in recent years," said Dave Kohler, head of game management. "Deer harvest totals this year are quite different than in 2003-2004, when gun hunters killed 116,236 deer during the seven-day season and archery hunters took 50,564 deer over four months. "
Coshocton County was back on top after deer gun week, with 3,119 deer tagged. It was followed by Muskingum (2,927), Tuscarawas (2,860), Guernsey (2,620), Harrison (2,370), Licking (2,271), Washington (2,163), Knox (2,159), Belmont (2,127) and Carroll (2,062). For county-by-county deer totals, visit cleveland.com/outdoors.
Shotgun hunters have one last chance to fill their tags this season, with a special deer gun weekend Dec. 15-16.
Safety first: There were very few hunting accidents reported during the deer gun season, and no fatalities, reported Jamey Graham of the Division of Wildlife. Most of the hunter incidents involved self-inflicted wounds, with hunters in Lorain, Carroll and Lawrence counties shooting themselves in the foot. Hunters in Geauga and Carroll counties were shot in the leg by another hunter.
License sales up: The popularity of hunting is increasing in Ohio, according to license sales. There have been 271,569 hunting licenses sold this year, topping last year's 265,447. Hunters also bought 276,116 deer permits, a big jump from last year's 241,617 deer tags. Landowners do not need hunting licenses or deer permits.
Fishing license sales are up, too, with some help from a good summer of Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch fishing. This year's sales have hit 647,010, up from 593,923 in 2011.
Fall Brawl winner: Bret Berkey of Aurora won the Fall Brawl walleye derby, which ended last weekend, with a career best 14.5-pound, 30.25-inch walleye. Berkey caught the trophy fish off Cleveland Browns Stadium a few hours after sunset in late November on a custom-painted blue-chartreuse HJ14 Rapala lure in 30 feet of water to win $2,500.
Berkey was fishing with Todd Johnson of Twinsburg and Doug Fair of the Massillon area. Melissa Sugrue finished second with a 13.34-pound walleye, followed by Gary Zart's 12.80-pound walleye. Alvey, Natoce, Korenko named: Two retired Division of Watercraft officials and a Kelleys Island author have been named to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Coastal Management. Ken Alvey, a former watercraft chief, is president of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association and director of the Boating Association of Ohio. Leslie Korenko, retired from the Internal Revenue Service, is a historical author who has written three books about Kelleys Island. Doug Natoce is a regional manager for Brunswick Commercial and Government Products, which oversees the manufacturing of Boston Whalers boats. A decorated watercraft officer, he retired after serving as ODNR law enforcement chief.
Dick Jauron praises CB Sheldon Brown's play from last week.
Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron held his weekly press
conference with members of the media on Wednesday in Berea. This
transcript is provided by the Cleveland Browns Media Relations staff.
(On Brian Daboll running trick plays and if they are prepared for that)- "You
hope you're prepared. It's hard, he does a lot of very creative things
on offense. We've certainly talked about it and will look at some of
them, but you just don't have time to prepare for every possible gadget
play that people might run. Hopefully, like I said, we'll be aware on
Sunday. It's hard, and they're good. They do a nice job with it."
(On if Dexter McCluster is their Wildcat quarterback)- "He
is their Wildcat quarterback. I suppose he doesn't necessarily have to
be, but that's what they've shown. It makes sense that he would be the
guy."
(On if the Chiefs use Peyton Hillis and Jamaal Charles as a change of pace)- "I
think that's exactly what they do. You know Peyton well. He's a big
powerful back, a really good downhill runner. He gets behind his pads.
He's hard to stop. Then Charles is just a great zone runner. They do a
very nice job in their zone scheme. He's a great runner in everything.
In the zone scheme, he's got the ability to stretch the defense and then
put that one foot in the ground and make the cut. He's got the speed to
go the distance. He's a big threat anytime in the course of the
football game. It gives them a really good one-two punch."
(On how they study Brady Quinn without a lot of film on him)- "I
think you go off of last week. He played very well last week. I thought
he handled their team very well. He threw the ball well. They
controlled kind of the tempo of the football game with their run game
and their pass. They mixed it well. He did a very nice job. Obviously,
we hope we get the upper hand on him. Clearly, we want that. He played
extremely well for them a week ago and that's what we look at. We'll
spend most of our time on their recent game."
(On if he can name the main reason why the defense has been better against the run in the last three weeks)- "Not
really, no. We've gotten healthy up front. We've gotten almost
everybody back up front in the defensive line. It helps us to play in
waves we've always talked about that. It keeps people rested. People
have made plays. They've just done a nice job making plays."
(On if he can compare Jamaal Charles to a back they've faced this year)- "He's
different. Obviously, he's different. He's got that great speed down
the field. He is a very good zone runner. It doesn't mean he doesn't run
the scheme plays well also, the other plays well also like the counters
and the toss cracks. He does those very well too. He's different and
somewhat similar to Ray Rice. Both of them are very good. They are very,
very good readers of the defensive scheme and where the holes are. They
get there quickly, get in and out of the hole quickly and down the
field and really attack a defense and make things happen."
(On if their gap integrity has improved)- "Yeah, I suspect that it has. If it's not, people will find those gaps. They'll find empty gaps on you."
(On if he was pleased with the run defense against Oakland)- "There
are certain things we could have played better, certainly. We were
pleased with the win. That's what we were pleased with. Yeah, there were
things we could have played better."
(On what the possibility of having the secondary back together healthy means for the defense)- "It
will be good. Dimitri (Patterson) has had a couple good days of
practice. Bubba's (Ray Ventrone) back, Usama's (Young) back, so we'll
just have to see. Obviously, we can't carry everybody into the game.
It'll make for some tough decisions for Coach (Pat) Shurmur, but it's
just good to have them all back and working again."
(On if the last two games are the most physical they have played since he's been here)- "I
hadn't really thought about that. I think they played hard. They played
very hard in both games. They made a lot of plays. The ball bounced for
us a couple times. You have to have that happen. I'm really pleased
with the effort they've been giving and the way they have prepared.
Hopefully, it will continue."
(On if he talks to the team about Brady Quinn being a former number one draft pick to show that he has talent)- "No,
I don't. It doesn't mean other people don't, position coaches might,
but I don't. I just talk about the player. Obviously, I can't speak for
every coach and every player, but it doesn't really matter where he was
picked once he's in the league. If he's playing, you've got to play
against him and do well."
(On if Tashaun Gipson is a guy they would like to give more playing time even with Usama Young back)- "We like Tashaun. He'll definitely stay in the rotation."
(On Oakland avoiding Joe Haden and if he's seen that any other time this year)- "They
definitely didn't go after him much. They didn't go after him that
much. Joe is playing well. I don't know where it will go. Clearly, if
they were going to go away from him then they are going to go at Sheldon
(Brown) and they'll probably think that one over. That didn't work out
so good. We'll just have to wait and see. I thought Sheldon just played a
terrific game out there in every area. He tackled. He defended the
thrown ball. He had pass break-ups and a big interception. We'll just
have to see what people want to do."
(On how well he knows Romeo Crennel)- "Not well, but well enough to say hello to him. We've talked a few times, but not well."
(On having an appreciation for what Crennel went through last week)- "I can only imagine, but I can't really put myself in that situation. It's just a terrible thing. It's just a tragedy."
(On if Brown is the slowest guy in the secondary)- "I
don't know. I remember when David Brown, the great cornerback that I
was fortunate enough to work with late in his career. I remember talking
to coach (Lindy) Infante in about him. Coach wondered what he ran the
40 in. Then we both agreed we'd just assume not know. It doesn't make
any difference because for some reason you just couldn't beat him. Let's
not worry about what he runs the 40 in, he just knows how to play. I
don't know that."
(On what made Sheldon Brown play as well as he did last week)- "He
clearly understands the game. He knows how to play the game. He made a
lot of plays. That was a terrific game. He's getting his hands on the
ball so many times in the course of that game. That was really rare."
(On what he's seen from the young linebackers)- "We're
really happy with them. Billy Davis and Chuck (Bullough) have done a
terrific job getting them ready. They've performed. JMJ (James-Michael
Johnson) has been in that starting role and he's just gotten better
every week. L.J. (Fort) is primarily playing special teams. He's playing
them and playing them well, and it's critically important to our whole
football team. Craig (Robertson) is filling in that role in our sub
package and our nickel package. He's gotten a lot of experience
throughout the year, and he just gets better and better. They've been
really terrific additions to the football team, two of them as
free-agents and JMJ of course is a draft pick. All of them are terrific
teammates, I think, they're really the kind of people you want on your
team."
Cavaliers coach Byron Scott is getting tired of seeing Zeller take hits and not get to the foul line. Anderson Varejao and Daniel Gibson, with 16 combined Cavs' seasons, try to lead young, struggling team. More Cavaliers story links.
Cavs center Tyler Zeller (40) is fouled by 76ers center Steve Hawes during Cleveland's 92-83 home win over Philadelphia on Nov. 21.Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer
The Cavs have lost three straight games, seven of eight and 13 of 15. With point guard Kyrie Irving (broken finger) and guard Dion Waiters (sprained ankle) sidelined by injuries, they lost to the Chicago Bulls, 95-85, on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
Minnesota, which has dealt with a number of injuries, is 8-9.
Many NBA rookies don't get the benefit of the doubt when the officials' whistles blow. It seems, too, that some young players get even less consideration from the refs than do their contemporaries. Cavs rookie center Tyler Zeller, taken with the 17th pick in the first round of June's draft, may fit in that category.
He has told his players to ignore the calls and noncalls and to play through it, but Cavaliers coach Byron Scott is starting to get aggravated with some of the foul calls he believes the Cavs aren’t getting — particularly Tyler Zeller.
Zeller, a rookie, has been clobbered underneath the basket on shots to the point he has been forced to readjust the protective mask he wears, yet he isn’t getting many foul calls.
Zeller entered Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls averaging 2.2 trips to the free-throw line every night despite playing an average of about 22 minutes.
Per Scott’s instructions, and his own common sense, Zeller often keeps quiet and just runs to the other end of the floor. But sometimes he can’t help but complain to the officials.
“I try not to just because I don’t think you ever accomplish anything by it,” Zeller said. “But sometimes you can’t really help yourself. You just have to make sure you play through it.”
Cavaliers story links
Center-forward Anderson Varejao, in his ninth Cavs' season, and guard Daniel Gibson, in his seventh, are providing leadership for a young, struggling team. (WaitingForNextYear)
Cavs' rookies get baby dolls and strollers, as the photo shows. And, game observations. (By Nate Smith, Cavs: The Blog)
Playing without Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters leaves little margin of error, and the Cavaliers lose. (By Bob Finnan, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)
Marco Belinelli, starting his second straight game in place of injured guard Richard Hamilton, leads the Bulls to a win over the Cavaliers. (FoxSportsOhio.com/Associated Press)
Browns who played under coach Romeo Crennel are not surprised about how he's been able to lead his team through tragedy.
Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Kansas City Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel told the Cleveland media in a recent conference call how tough football has been since the tragic murder and suicide committed by one of his players last week.
Linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and committed suicide in the team's parking lot by shooting himself in the head in the presence of coach Crennel.
The Chiefs played their game the next day against Carolina, and despite everything surrounding the tragedy, Crennel was able to guide his team and pull out the victory over the Panthers.
Several Browns players, who played for Crennel when he coached in Cleveland, said they weren't surprised how Crennel was able to lead his team throughout the emotional storm.
"That's Romeo," said Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs. "He's the type of man that's able to lead. He was a father figure to us, and that's the kind of leader those guys (Chiefs) especially needed in their situation."
Rookies Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden talk about the confidence they and the Cleveland Browns are gaining in winning four of their last seven games.
Watch video
BEREA, Ohio -- Rookies Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden talk about the confidence they and the Cleveland Browns are gaining in winning four of their last seven games.
Former Browns running back Peyton Hillis, now with the Chiefs, said Joe Thomas' remarks were like dealing with a "crazy ex-girlfriend.''
Former Browns running back Peyton Hillis fired back at Joe Thomas today after Thomas ripped him Wednesday.Amy Sancetta, Associated Press
BEREA, Ohio - Former Browns running back Peyton Hillis, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, shot back at Browns Pro Bowl left Joe Thomas today, saying his remarks were like dealing with a "crazy ex-girlfriend.''
Specifically, Thomas ripped Hillis for putting his contract dispute ahead of the team, for refusing to play ill and "injured'' and for creating a "toxic'' situation in the locker room.
He also said Hillis didn't want to be here and Browns players "didn't want him here.''
On Thomas’ remarks: “It’s kind of like a crazy ex-girlfriend. It's been over a year. Get over it. I guess when you get paid over $100 million by one team, it's kind of easy to point the finger at other guys and try to hate on them for trying to get another contract.’’
On if he has regrets from his time in Cleveland: “I don’t have any bitterness or resentment or regrets. I did what I did. There are always regrets in every process or things you wish you had done better. Now is now. I’ve got to do the best I can for me now.’’
More on Thomas' remarks: “I’m not talking about anybody. I’m trying to go about my life like everybody else. I’m trying to play and I’m trying to make a living.”
Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Wahoo's On First, Bleacher Report and Cavs: The Blog.
Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.
Should Pat Shurmur remain as Browns head coach? Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer
"Shurmur has had some of the weight taken off his shoulders with Brad Childress calling the shots on offense, a job that Shurmur had last season, and the team is finally stringing some solid games together. They played the Ravens tough earlier in the season, broke their 16-game road losing streak and beat the Steelers for the first time since 2009.
Granted, the Steelers game was with Charlie Batch in at quarterback, but the defense still forced those eight turnovers and Richardson ran for 85 yards and a touchdown on the vaunted Pittsburgh defense.
If the team struggles for the remainder of the season and is limping through the first few games of next year, then I wouldn’t be against looking for a new coach. But the Browns could use some stability in the front office with the way they're playing. "
"Both Reynolds and Youkilis bring something to the table (otherwise why covet?) but they’re far from similar. Different, you might say. Youk is sometimes known as the Greek God of Walks, and with a career .384 OBP why not? Heck, outside of a dreadful 40-game stretch last year in Boston it’s never been below .346. The guy gets on base even as he looks funky doing it. For comparison’s sake, Casey Kotchman’s OBP was .280 last year, and didn’t help any by being a punchless left-handed hitter. (We could discuss Youk’s strange build and what that would bring to the team, but that’s a story for another day.)"
Tristan Thompson needs to improve his rebounding. AP Photo/John Bazemore
"For the starters Tristan Thompson was effective picking up the trash to the tune of 11 points on mostly garbage buckets, but he had ZERO defensive rebounds in 32 minutes. That’s pretty putrid. Varajao was Mr. Hustle again with 15 boards and three steals, but it was obvious that he was the focus of the Bulls defense, and that his jumper wasn’t falling tonight. He struggled, shooting 4-16. Noah has always given him fits. Gee struggled as well, shooting going 0-4 from behind the arc (though his toe-on-the-line two did cut the lead to 9 in the 4th). The Cavs starters were 2-11 shooting from beyond the arc, a big reason why Andy couldn’t get any space.
Scott elected to bring Casspi off the bench instead of starting him tonight, presumably because he wanted Gee on Deng, but it was the wrong move for many reasons. First Deng lit it up on a highly efficient 72% true shooting. Second, if there’s one thing I’ve figured out about Casspi, it’s that he thrives on consistency. If he gets a new role, it takes him a couple games to get adjusted. He struggled, not getting space to get his shot off, and not having it drop when he did. Starting him one night and bringing him off the bench the next isn’t going to work. Third, Gibson’s much better off the bench against lesser defenders (and offensive players at this point) than starting. I thought starting him threw off all the rotations and the Cavs’ defense. If Scott had done it my way we might have only lost by 7 (probably not though, as the Bulls didn’t call off the dogs till they got up 17)."
"Chiefs may be an inspired team right now. Not to mention former Clevelanders always seem to do well against us, regardless of the professional sport they play. Still gotta go with the Browns on this one; they're simply the better team." - indianscavsbrowns89
The Chiefs may be inspired, but the Browns are the better team says one cleveland.com reader.Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer
"Chiefs may be an inspired team right now. Not to mention former Clevelanders always seem to do well against us, regardless of the professional sport they play. Still gotta go with the Browns on this one; they're simply the better team."
To respond to indianscavsbrowns89's comment, go here.
