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Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs 1st in fan Pro Bowl voting for AFC special teams, Phil Dawson 2nd among kickers

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Browns kicker Phil Dawson finished 2nd in fan voting for the Pro Bowl; and Josh Cribbs finished 1st as a special-teamer.

BEREA, Ohio - Punter Reggie Hodges' Twitter campaign must have worked.

Hodges, who launched a campaign on his Twitter account several weeks ago to get kicker Phil Dawson into his first Pro Bowl, has already apparently made a huge impact.

When Hodges first challenged Browns fans to catapult ironman Dawson into the Pro Bowl, Dawson hadn't even cracked the top five in fan voting. A week later, he was fifth, and today it was announced that Dawson finished second in fan voting, which accounts for one-third of the total.

Coaches and players, who make up the other two-thirds, vote today and Friday. Pro Bowl rosters will be announced Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NFL Network.

Josh Cribbs, a two-time Pro Bowler, finished first as a special-teamer and second as a kick returner. D'Qwell Jackson finished second among linebackers; and five-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas finished fourth among offensive tackles. Rookie running back Trent Richardson is fifth among running backs.


Akron's Keith Dambrot, Cleveland State's Gary Waters are major midmajor successes: Terry Pluto

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Cleveland State's Gary Waters is a men's college basketball coach with 300 career victories. Akron's Keith Dambrot has 297 as their two teams meet Sunday.

gary-waters.JPG View full size Gary Waters is in his seventh season coaching the men's basketball team at Cleveland State and has a record of 129-86 (.600) with the Vikings.  
keith-dambrot.JPG Keith Dambrot is in his ninth season coaching the men's basketball team at Akron and has a record of 189-91 (.675) with the Zips.  

In 1989, Keith Dambrot walked out of Ben Braun's office, and Gary Waters walked in.

Braun was the head coach at Eastern Michigan. Dambrot had been an assistant under Braun for three years.

Dambrot was 30 years old in 1989 and dreaming of being a head coach. So he left for Division II Ashland.

To replace Dambrot, Braun turned to a 39-year-old Waters, who had spent the previous 15 years as an assistant at the Division II level.

If you look at their basketball backgrounds, there would be no clue Waters would have 300 career victories.

Or that Dambrot would own 297.

Or that at age 61, Waters would have just signed a seven-year contract to keep coaching at Cleveland State.

Or that at age 54, Dambrot would have a 10-year deal to remain coaching at Akron.

"It's pretty amazing -- for both of us," Dambrot said. "I was a baseball player in college. I had a problem and was out of college coaching (for 11 years) in the middle of my career. Gary came from little Ferris State.

"It's not like we had big-name coaches in our corner who gave us jobs. We had to work our way up."

Waters and Dambrot were both in a reflective mood as their teams prepared to play Sunday at 2 p.m. at Akron's Rhodes Arena.

"Keith has done an amazing job at Akron," Waters said. "It's a lot like what we faced at Cleveland State. Both are city schools. When we took over, the programs had been losing and not many fans cared."

Waters was convinced he could win at CSU because he had won at Kent State. In his five seasons at Kent (1996-2001), Waters took the Golden Flashes to their first NCAA Tournament in 1999, and did it again in 2001.

"I wasn't sure anyone could win consistently there," Dambrot said. "But Gary did, and they've been tough ever since -- no matter who is the coach."

Dambrot has led Akron to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2009, '11). The Zips' only other NCAA appearance was in 1986 under Bob Huggins. They had won only one Mid-American Conference tournament game before Dambrot took over as head coach in 2004.

The money offer

This spring, Dambrot was offered a long-term deal worth $700,000 annually to coach at Duquense, his father's alma mater.

"I just didn't want to leave Akron," he said. "I grow up here. I went to school here. I have watched the program grow. And the administration has done some good things to keep me happy."

Dambrot's base salary is $400,000.

Also, it was Akron that gave him a chance to return to college coaching. In 1993, he was fired as head coach of Central Michigan after using a racial slur in a team meeting.

"For five years, I couldn't even get a high school job," he said.

Dambrot then was hired as head coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary. After three years, former Akron head coach Dan Hipsher hired Dambrot as an assistant.

"[Akron] gave me a second chance," he said. "I'm grateful for that."

So when Duquense called, he hesitated.

"Keith was smart not to take that job," Waters said. "If he did, it would have been purely for the money. It's not an elite school in that conference (Atlantic 10). Other than the money, it would have made no sense for him to go there."

Follow the money

Waters said he made that mistake in 2001, leaving Kent State for Rutgers. He was lured by the thought of coaching in the Big East and on the East Coast.

But a man who grew up in Detroit and only coached in Michigan and Ohio discovered that New Jersey was a new basketball world, one where he was not especially welcomed.

"When I came to Cleveland State (in 2006), I got at least 50 calls from high school coaches saying they were glad I was back in the area," Waters said. "When I went to Rutgers, I got one call."

Waters had three winning seasons and a record of 79-75 in his five years at Rutgers. That was a good run at Rutgers, with a 20-win season in his third year being the most in 11 years. But the chemistry was bad with the administration, and Waters left in spring 2006.

A desperate Lee Reed called. He was the athletic director at CSU, where Mike Garland had a 21-60 record over the previous three seasons.

Reed worked in the athletic department when Waters was there. Waters and his wife, Bernadette, were anxious to return to the Midwest, and they liked Northeast Ohio when living in Kent.

"Gary was the perfect guy for that job," Dambrot said. "If he couldn't turn that program around, no one would."

Waters said this is his final coaching job. If he stays for all seven years on his contract, he will be 68. He has a base annual salary of $340,000 with reasonable incentives worth another $100,000.

CSU received the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for 2011-12 as the Vikings ranked in the top 10 percent among Division I colleges on the Academic Progress Report. All 19 seniors to have played for Waters have earned their diplomas.

"I know Keith does a good job off the court with his kids, too," Waters said. "That's something you can do when [the coach] stays in the same place."

Are they spoiled?

Waters was 10-21 his first season (2006-07) with the Vikings. The next year, they were 21-13 and went to the National Invitational Tournament for the first time in 20 years.

Dambrot was 19-10 his first season with the Zips (2004-05). They next year, they were 23-10 and went to the NIT for the first time in 17 years.

Waters has been to one NCAA Tournament (2008) with CSU and three NITs.

Dambrot has been to the two NCAA tournaments and three NITs.

"Fans don't like to hear this, but I think they've gotten spoiled at both schools," Dambrot said. "Now, they expect Gary and I to make the NCAA every year -- and maybe win a game in the tournament -- for it to be considered a success."

CSU is in the Horizon League. Butler left the league and odds are the only Horizon League team to make the NCAA will be the one that wins the conference tournament.

"In the MAC, you have to win the tournament to go to the NCAA," Dambrot said. "We've been to the MAC tournament finals the last six years. We won twice, lost the other four. And when we lose, we don't go."

Waters mentioned that Akron lost to Ohio (64-63) in last season's MAC final, but didn't receive an NCAA bid.

"And Ohio went to the Sweet 16," he said. "Akron was good enough to be in the NCAA."

Both coaches mentioned that it's easy for a fan base to forget how far the two programs have progressed.

"I know that some people aren't happy that we're 5-4 right now," Dambrot said. "But we usually do start slow. And the fact is, what counts in the MAC is how you finish."

CSU is 7-4, but this is Waters' youngest team. The only senior is Tim Kamczyc. CSU's best player is sophomore Anton Grady, who is expected to miss the rest of the season because of knee surgery.

"I still think we can have a good year," Waters said. "But it's not going to be easy."

Basketball never is at Cleveland State and Akron, no matter how the coaches have made it look.

Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress' Thursday press conference: A transcript

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Offensive coordinator Brad Childress says rookie Trent Richardson isn't wearing down.

BEREA, Ohio -

Cleveland Browns OC Brad Childress' Thursday press conference, as provided by the Browns:


 

(On what happened on Brandon Weeden's interception early in the second half against the Redskins)- "It was a deep crossing route, if my memory serves, to Greg Little. I just don't think he put enough air on top of the ball. I don't think he saw the guy, obviously, or he wouldn't have thrown it quite the way he threw it, but he didn't give it enough air to put over the top."

 

(On what Weeden needs to do after he throws an interception like the one early in the second half against Washington)- "He needs to get back and look. He gets on the sideline, he looks at the pictures. I don't know if you're asking directly what happens after that."

 

(On how he moves forward from throwing interceptions)- "Just like he's done all year long, we've got to keep shooting. You can't go into a shell and be afraid to throw it up out there, obviously with merit. You need to see those kinds of things, but once that happens to you one time you're a little bit more diplomatic with your next throw. Without holding on to it and being conservative with it."

 

(On if Weeden is being over coached)- "I don't know. Most coaches I know coach them right up to the time that the ball gets kicked and then through that and after that. I don't know. I guess, I probably didn't equate up to the Indianapolis game and to now. You have to suffice to say he's a rookie, he's going to have some back steps as we go. Sometimes it's going to be three steps ahead, one step back. Do I like it what way? Do I prefer it that way? No, I'd like to see it as a steady climb, but he's going to digress every now and then, as I think most rookies do. It's rare when they don't. Whether we're talking about the guy we're playing on the other side this week. Go back and look at some of his numbers from his rookie year."

 

(On what is happening on the plays where Weeden is holding onto the ball too long)- "I'd probably beg to differ with you on whether he's getting it out. You don't see him taking an inordinate amount of sacks where he just flat doesn't know where to go with it, or how to get it there or how to throw it away and live to play another down. I probably don't see that that way. Has he had some that have been slapped back at him? He has. You look at those things sometimes you say, 'Jesus, the guy's too short, is his delivery this way?' It's probably because those guys on the defensive line, when they get stuck now and our lines had been doing a nice job of protecting; when they get stuck they're timing jumps. Typically, they're standing around the line of scrimmage, they can't get there. You have to give kudos to those guys because they haven't quit on the rush and from our standpoint, we probably can't be staring in the same spot for too long."

 

(On how you temper Denver's pass rush)- "You better make provisions to double, to chip, to slide protections, to fade a tight end in there and help your tackle every now. Those two guys are something coming off of the edges, (Elvis) Dumervil and (Von) Miller. I probably didn't have as great of a feeling for them how good they are or how fast they are until you spend time starting to watch film on these guys. They run a lot of people down. I think probably the people that don't get enough credit are those inside guys, those inside players, those defensive tackles that are pushing the pocket. You know what you've got in the speed coming off of the edges."

 

(On if Weeden is hesitant to throw the ball)- "I haven't seen him be particularly reticent to throw the football. I haven't seen him hold it. I think he's getting it out predominantly on time. Are there some throws where maybe he's pulled back on it? There may be a few of those. I don't think any more or any less than any other quarterbacks that I've seen play."

 

(On Joe Thomas' season overall)- "Pretty steady. I don't know, there are not a lot of stats that go around the left tackle position.  If the quarterback's not getting knocked on his rear end from the blind side, you think the guys doing a pretty good job. We haven't talked about Joe that much in here. He's doing a pretty good job, just a steady job."

(On what does he see from Weeden that says this isn't as good as he will get at 29)- "I don't know. I guess that's there obviously because of his age. We're talking about a rookie. It's no different than if a guy goes on a Mormon mission when he's 19 and he comes back to BYU, and he's still a freshman. He's a freshman. You say, 'Well he's not by age.' No, he's not by age, but he's a rookie in this venue. I think that kind of encapsulates where he's at. He's in a rookie season of learning what the drill is and getting that first lap around the track. That's no different than he or Mitchell Schwartz or Josh (Gordon) or anybody. Can we expect it to get better? You should expect it to get better. If you say, 'Geez, the guy has had time to do this.' Is one year time? I don't think so. I think typically, you're judging those guys two and three and four year increments, if you give them that long."

 

(On if it hurts because he's coming into the league along with other dynamic quarterbacks)- "When you say that, I go right away to (Andrew) Luck and I note that he's maybe got four more touchdown passes, but has one more interception. I think his passer rating is below Blaine Gabberts, below the kid at the Vikings (Christian Ponder), below a lot of people. Perception wise, does it hurt him coming in? It doesn't hurt him. It's just going to be called a pretty doggone strong class as it goes forward I think."

 

(On how much can Weeden grow at his age)- "If you'd give me this Tony (Grossi), you'd say do you think Andrew Luck is mature, or you think he's going to have a growth spurt or anything like that? Or add 20 pounds or inches. How much is he going to grow? He's got all his faculties about him that you're saying he's probably got about what he's going to have. His experience is going to be the same as Brandon's, providing that they both start 16 games. He's had maybe a little bit more success in terms of the wins. He started probably faster than Brandon started. I would think maybe a 29-year old, maybe, would process faster than a 23-year old. We're talking about chronological age. I don't know that there are a lot of case studies on this thing. From a physical maturity standpoint, I don't know how much he's going to change. What kind of offseason he has is going to have something to do with it, how many offseason programs he has been in."

 

(On what wears a quarterback down and if it's taking a lot of sacks over the years)- "I don't think that there's a finite number of throws that you can squeeze out. It's not like toothpaste coming out of the tube, where you say we're 29 here, we don't have much more to go here. There are guys that maintain that stroke. I'm going to the extreme, but Brett Favre at 40 could still throw it. He could tell you that he could still throw it. It's just that he didn't have some other faculties that he would like to possess. The beating that they take has something to do with it. You're right, it's not like a running back that comes out and you say, 'Boy that's a high mileage guy.' Or like a rental car at the airport, you say, you've got a lot of miles on it right here. They've been pretty easy miles I think."

 

(On how he would rate the talent around Brandon Weeden)- "I don't know if I'm a good one to rate. You're probably better off to talk to a personnel person about that."

 

(On Weeden having to play with the hand he's dealt)- "I don't think it's crying poor. I think you're always in a climb to acquire personnel. Whether it's in the running game or in the passing game, whether it's at tight end or wide receiver. Guys that can complement him, if you can get better in another area it only stands to serve you in the passing area."

 

(On is it because a lot of the players are still young)- "In our case, yeah. Those are some guys that just showed up after him."

 

(On is there an overriding reason he is missing the open receivers)- "That's a good question. I couldn't assign it into one box I don't think. Whether it's got anxious, got a little bit too pumped, didn't see a guy. I don't think I'd put all those in one category if you're terming his misses Tony (Grossi). I just couldn't feed them all into one thing and say, 'Well, it's because his heart was beating too fast, or he was too excited, it was the first series of the game."

(On if he talks to Weeden about why he missed the throws when they watch tape)- "We talk about making the routine plays routinely is what we talk about. I think if you can make those routine plays, then the special plays come based on the guys that are standing on the other end of the football."

 

(On Weeden having a better year if he hits those throws)- "To me, that's like saying, if Josh Gordon catches the ball against Indianapolis. What statistically does that mean? Will that end up equating to win? I don't know. I don't know what ends up happening in that game. That's a kind of a nebulous thing to get your brain around. What does that mean? The routine plays are the ones you want the guy to make and seeing people in the correct order you want to see him in. By large, he's doing that, but the ones that stick out are the ones that you're mentioning."

 

(On how he will project what kind of player Weeden will be next year)- "I would think he'd be, I'm not going to say leaps and bounds. I would say you'd see a different guy come to training camp, and progress through the preseason and into the regular season. That's provided things stay static around him, which there's no guarantee there either. This is a fluid business as we all know."

 

(On how much of a factor Trent Richardson's rib injury is to his yards per carry)- "I think we talked about this last week. I don't know that, that thing will ever be quite where it needs to be until after he gets some time to rest in the offseason. To equate that to yards per carry, I wouldn't do that certainly. He's just had some different looks at it than the guy behind him, than Montario (Hardesty). We can be a little bit cleaner in the running game, which would make him be a little bit cleaner with his yards per attempt."

 

(On if he senses that Richardson is wearing down)- "I don't get that sense at all, nope. That's one thing that, I feel like he's strong right here as we go into the last two weeks."

 

(On if he takes time to think about what could happen in two weeks)- "I can't waste a lot of time doing that. That's kind of a misuse of energy. What will be, will be. I believe that."

 

(On if he likes the fact that Weeden said he hasn't been good enough)- "I like that among any player in this league that is not a displace blame guy. I think as a quarterback, you've got to own it particularly, because they can say, 'Hey all a guy has to do is be a game manager.' Anybody that touches the ball 60 or 70 times a game is going to have something to do with the outcome. Whether it's the center quarterback exchange, or whether it's a long throw for a bomb."



Outdoor Notebook: Missing Ontario temperature buoy found by Avon Lake city crew

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The Avon Lake city service crew has found one of Ontario's missing temperature buoys along the Ohio shoreline, and wants to return it.

 

bouys 012.jpg A crew from the Avon Lake Service Department carries a missing Ontario Ministry of natural Resources buoy from the Lake Erie shoreline. The water temperature buoy was one of three that disappeared from the Ontario shoreline after the north winds of Hurrican Sandy.  

 The Province of Ontario will get at least one of three missing temperature buoys back, thanks to Ed Moran and his service crew in Avon Lake.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources found three of its six temperature buoys missing when officers went to retrieve them in late fall to download temperature information. Officials suspected Hurricane Sandy's big northerly winds were the culprit, since the buoy anchors were still in place off Wheatley, Ont. 

 They were right.

 "The buoy we recovered washed up on the east wall at the Avon Lake boat ramp (on the Lake Erie shoreline) the day after Hurricane Sandy went through the area," said Service Department Foreman Ed Moran, who still has the 6-foot hard plastic buoy and about a dozen feet of anchor chain in the back of his city truck. "When we read about the buoys last Friday in The Plain Dealer, we contacted the MNR. They're still trying to figure out how and when they're going to retrieve it."

Two of the buoys are still missing. MNR official John Cooper believes they also might be found somehwere along the Ohio shoreline between Sandusky and Conneaut. He said the buoy recovered by Avon Lake was missing the temperature recording equipment, most likely when it battered against shoreline rocks. 

 "We're still looking for the other two buoys, and asking people along the Ohio shoreline to be on the lookout," said Cooper.

Tough an smugglers: Ontario border officials caught an employee of Phoenix Fish Farms LLC of Peru, Ind., trying to smuggle 2,600 pounds of bighead carp and grass carp into Canada on Jan. 9 across the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ont. Ontario MNR officers were called in and the carp were confiscated. On Thursday, Justice of the Peace Susan Hoffman in Windsor's Ontario Court of Justice levied a $30,000 fine against the company.

Transporting live Asian carp across U.S. state lines or into Canada is illegal. Ontario officials have been at the forefront in catching Asian carp smugglers trying to satisfy a demand for the food fish, which are traditionally purchased while still alive, primarily from Toronto fish markets.

Major League Baseball 2013 free-agent list: players available, players signed

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Travis Hafner, Casey Kotchman and Grady Sizemore all are still available.

JOSH-HAMILTON-ANGELS.JPG Slugger Josh Hamilton is the big offseason catch by the Angels.  

REMAINING FREE AGENTS

The 102 remaining MLB free agents for the 2013 offseason (x-signing club, if different, would lose draft pick):

American League

BALTIMORE (6) -- Endy Chavez, of; Bill Hall, of; Nick Johnson, dh; Joe Saunders, lhp; Jim Thome, dh; Randy Wolf, lhp.

BOSTON (5) -- Aaron Cook, rhp; Daisuke Matsuzaka, rhp; Vicente Padilla, rhp; Scott Podsednik, of; Cody Ross, of.

CHICAGO (7) -- Brian Bruney, rhp; Orlando Hudson, 2b; Francisco Liriano, lhp; Jose Lopez, c; Brett Myers, rhp; A.J. Pierzynski, c; Dewayne Wise, of.

CLEVELAND (3) -- Travis Hafner, dh; Casey Kotchman, 1b; Grady Sizemore, of.

DETROIT (2) -- Jose Valverde, rhp; Delmon Young, of-dh.

HOUSTON (1) -- Chris Snyder, c.

LOS ANGELES (2) -- LaTroy Hawkins, rhp; Jason Isringhausen, rhp.

MINNESOTA (2) -- Matt Capps, rhp; Carl Pavano, rhp.

NEW YORK (6) -- Pedro Feliciano, lhp; Freddy Garcia, rhp; Raul Ibanez, of; Derek Lowe, rhp; x-Rafael Soriano, rhp; x-Nick Swisher, of.

OAKLAND (2) -- Stephen Drew, ss; Brandon Inge, 3b.

SEATTLE (2) -- Kevin Millwood, rhp; Miguel Olivo, c.

TAMPA BAY (3) -- Kyle Farnsworth, rhp; J.P. Howell, lhp; Luke Scott, dh.

TEXAS (4) -- x-Mark Lowe, rhp; Mike Napoli, c; Roy Oswalt, rhp; Yoshinori Tateyama, rhp.

TORONTO (5) -- Jason Frasor, rhp; Kelly Johnson, 2b; Brandon Lyon, rhp; Carlos Villanueva, rhp; Omar Vizquel, 2b.

National League

ARIZONA (3) -- Henry Blanco, c; Matt Lindstrom, rhp; Takashi Saito, rhp.

ATLANTA (8) -- Jeff Baker, of; Miguel Batista, rhp; x-Michael Bourn, of; Matt Diaz, of; Chad Durbin, rhp; Chipper Jones, 3b; Lyle Overbay, 1b; Ben Sheets, rhp.

CINCINNATI (2) -- Miguel Cairo, 1b; Scott Rolen, 3b.

COLORADO (2) -- Jason Giambi, 1b; Jonathan Sanchez, lhp.

LOS ANGELES (6) -- Bobby Abreu, of; Todd Coffey, rhp; Adam Kennedy, inf; Juan Rivera, of-1b; Matt Treanor, c; Jamey Wright, rhp.

MIAMI (5) -- Chad Gaudin, rhp; Austin Kearns, of; Carlos Lee, 1b; Juan Oviedo, rhp; Carlos Zambrano, rhp.

MILWAUKEE (3) -- Alex Gonzalez, ss; Shaun Marcum, rhp; Francisco Rodriguez, rhp.

NEW YORK (6) -- Ronny Cedeno, inf; Scott Hairston, of; Ramon Ramirez, rhp; Jon Rauch, rhp; Kelly Shoppach, c; Chris Young, rhp.

PHILADELPHIA (2) -- Jose Contreras, rhp; Brian Schneider, c.

PITTSBURGH (2) -- Rod Barajas, c; Chad Qualls, rhp.

ST. LOUIS (3) -- Lance Berkman, 1b; Brian Fuentes, lhp; x-Kyle Lohse, rhp.

SAN FRANCISCO (5) -- Aubrey Huff, 1b; Guillermo Mota, rhp; Brad Penny, rhp; Freddy Sanchez, 2b; Ryan Theriot, 2b.

WASHINGTON (5) -- Mark DeRosa, of; Mike Gonzalez, lhp; Edwin Jackson, rhp; x-Adam LaRoche, 1b; Chien-Ming Wang, rhp.


SIGNED FREE AGENTS

NEW YORK -- The 63 free agents who have signed, with name, position, former MLB club if different, and contract. The contract information was obtained by The Associated Press from player and management sources. For players with minor league contracts, letter agreements for major league contracts are in parentheses:

American League

BALTIMORE (1) -- Re-signed Nate McLouth, of, to a $2 million, one-year contract.

BOSTON (6) -- Re-signed David Ortiz, dh, to a $26 million, two-year contract; signed David Ross, c, Atlanta, to a $6.2 million, two-year contract; signed Jonny Gomes, of, Oakland, to a $10 million, two-year contract; signed Shane Victorino, of, Los Angeles Dodgers, to a $39 million, three-year contract; signed Koji Uehara, rhp, to a $4.25 million, one-year contract; signed Ryan Dempster, rhp, Texas, to a $26.5 million, two-year contract.

CHICAGO (1) -- Signed Jeff Keppinger, 3b, Tampa Bay, to a $12 million, three-year contract.

DETROIT (2) -- Signed Torii Hunter, of, Los Angeles Angels, to a $26 million, two-year contract; re-signed Anibal Sanchez, rhp, to an $80 million, five-year contract.

HOUSTON (1) -- Signed Carlos Pena, 1b, to a $2.9 million, one-year contract.

KANSAS CITY (3) -- Re-signed Jeremy Guthrie, rhp, to a $25 million, three-year contract; signed George Sherrill, lhp, Seattle, to a minor league contract; signed Xavier Nady, of, San Francisco, to a minor league contract.

LOS ANGELES (4) -- Signed Ryan Madson, rhp, Cincinnati, to a $3.5 million, one-year contract; signed Joe Blanton, rhp, Los Angeles Dodgers, to a $15 million, two-year contract; signed Sean Burnett, lhp, Washington, to an $8 million, two-year contract; signed Josh Hamilton, of, Texas, to a $123 million, five-year contract.

MINNESOTA (1) -- Signed Kevin Correia, rhp, Pittsburgh, to a $10 million, two-year contract.

NEW YORK (5) -- Re-signed Hiroki Kuroda, rhp, to a $15 million, one-year contract; re-signed Andy Pettitte, lhp, to a $12 million, one-year contract; re-signed Mariano Rivera, rhp, to a $10 million, one-year contract; signed Kevin Youkilis, 3b, Chicago White Sox, to a $12 million, one-year contract; re-signed Ichiro Suzuki, of, to a $13 million, two-year contract.

OAKLAND (1) -- Re-signed Bartolo Colon, rhp, to a $3 million, one-year contract.

SEATTLE (1) -- Re-signed Oliver Perez, lhp, to a $1.5 million, one-year contract.

TAMPA BAY (3) -- Re-signed Joel Peralta, rhp, to a $6 million, two-year contract; signed James Loney, 1b, Boston, to a $2 million, one-year contract; signed Roberto Hernandez, rhp, Cleveland, to a $3.25 million, one-year contract.

TEXAS (2) -- Re-signed Colby Lewis, rhp, to a $2 million, one-year contract; signed Joakim Soria, rhp, Texas, to an $8 million, two-year contract.

TORONTO (2) -- Signed Maicer Izturis, inf, Los Angeles Angels, to a $10 million, three-year contract; signed Melky Cabrera, of, San Francisco, to a $16 million, two-year contract.

National League

ARIZONA (3) -- Signed Eric Hinske, 1b, Atlanta, to a $1.35 million, one-year contract; signed Eric Chavez, 3b, New York Yankees, to a $3 million, one-year contract; signed Brandon McCarthy, rhp, Oakland, to a $15.5 million, two-year contract.

ATLANTA (3) -- Signed Gerald Laird, c, Detroit, to a $3 million, two-year contract; signed B.J. Upton, of, Tampa Bay, to a $75.25 million, five-year contract; re-signed Reed Johnson, of, to a $1.75 million, one-year contract.

CHICAGO (4) -- Signed Scott Baker, rhp, Minnesota, to a $5.5 million, one-year contract; signed Dioner Navarro, c, Cincinnati, to a $1.75 million, one-year contract; re-signed Shawn Camp, rhp, to a $1.35 million, one-year contract; signed Scott Feldman, rhp, Texas, to a $6 million, one-year contract.

CINCINNATI (2) -- Re-signed Jonathan Broxton, rhp, to a $21 million, three-year contract; re-signed Ryan Ludwick, of, to a $15 million, two-year contract.

COLORADO (1) -- Re-signed Jeff Francis, lhp, to a $1.5 million, one-year contract.

LOS ANGELES (2) -- Re-signed Brandon League, rhp, to a $22.5 million, three-year contract; signed Zack Greinke, rhp, Los Angeles Angels, to a $147 million, three-year contract.

MIAMI (2) -- Signed Juan Pierre, of, Philadelphia, to a $1.6 million, one-year contract; signed Placido Polanco, 3b, Philadelphia, to a $2.75 million, one-year contract.

NEW YORK (1) -- Re-signed Tim Byrdak, lhp, to a minor league contract ($1 million).

PHILADELPHIA (1) -- Signed Mike Adams, rhp, Texas, to a $12 million, two-year contract.

PITTSBURGH (2) -- Signed Russell Martin, c, New York Yankees, to a $17 million, two-year contract; re-signed Jason Grilli, rhp, to a $6.75 million, two-year contract.

ST. LOUIS (2) -- Signed Randy Choate, lhp, Los Angeles Dodgers, to a $7.5 million, three-year contract; signed Ty Wigginton, inf, Philadelphia, to a $5 million, two-year contract.

SAN DIEGO (1) -- Re-signed Jason Marquis, rhp, to a $3 million, one-year contract.

SAN FRANCISCO (3) -- Re-signed Jeremy Affeldt, lhp, to an $18 million, three-year contract; re-signed Angel Pagan, of, to a $40 million, four-year contract; re-signed Marco Scutaro, inf, to a $20 million, three-year contract.

WASHINGTON (2) -- Re-signed Zach Duke, lhp, to a $700,000, one-year contract; signed Dan Haren, rhp, Los Angeles Angels, to a $13 million, one-year contract.

Japan Pacific League

RAKUTEN (1) -- Signed Andruw Jones, of, New York Yankees, to a $3.5 million, one-year contract.



Kent State wins with ease over St. Francis, Pa., 77-48

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KENT, Ohio -- Kent State built a large halftime lead against winless St. Francis (Pa.) Thursday night in the  MAC Center, then earned a 77-48 victory over the Red Flash to snap a three-game losing streak and rise a game above .500 at 6-5. In the process, one of Kent's two struggling scorers, 6-7 senior Chris Evans, snapped out of...

chris_evans.jpg View full size Senior Chris Evans scored 17 points to lead Kent State over St. Francis (Pa.).  

KENT, Ohio -- Kent State built a large halftime lead against winless St. Francis (Pa.) Thursday night in the  MAC Center, then earned a 77-48 victory over the Red Flash to snap a three-game losing streak and rise a game above .500 at 6-5.

In the process, one of Kent's two struggling scorers, 6-7 senior Chris Evans, snapped out of his shooting slump with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting. But senior guard Randal Holt still had his issues, going 1 of 6 on 3-pointers in the opening half before finishing with eight points for the game.

Another good sign for Kent was a 13-point game from sophomore guard Kris Brewer. But the inside game that will be desperately needed during upcoming Mid-American Conference play was not to be found by the Golden Flashes.

Only a brief spritz of points from 6-9 center Melvin Tabb helped give Kent its biggest lead, 23-1, in the opening half. But there was little else despite a clear size advantage for Kent State as the Golden Flashes settled for flipping 3-pointers instead.

Kent even struggled against St. Francis on the boards, being out-rebounded, 33-30. The Flashes can expect a much stiffer challenge at home, Saturday, 7 p.m. against Arkansas State.

 

 

 

Cleveland Browns' Mitchell Schwartz faces Denver Broncos' sackmeister

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Cleveland Browns rookie right tackle draws a huge assignment in Sunday's game at Denver. He will often be tasked with trying to block last year's Defensive Rookie of the Tear, linebacker and sack specialist Von Miller. Watch video

schwartz.jpg Browns tackle Mitchell Schwartz has a big task Sunday, protecting quarterback Brandon Weeden from Denver sack specialist Von Miller.  

BEREA, Ohio - Browns rookie right tackle Mitchell Schwartz will find out just how good he is on Sunday when he faces Broncos pass-rushing nightmare Von Miller, the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.

"If he's not the best [we've faced], he's very, very close," said Schwartz. "He's probably the best pure athlete in terms of speed and change of direction and athleticism. You set too wide, he'll get inside of you at the snap of a finger. You try to take that away, and he'll beat you on the corner. He's able to do everything, which gives you a lot of challenges."

Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in 2011 out of Texas A&M, is third in the NFL with 16 sacks this season and tied for third with six forced fumbles. He also has 25 tackles for a loss, and has joined Dallas' DeMarcus Ware (2008) as the only players since 1994 to record at least 15 sacks, 25 tackles for a loss and five forced fumbles.

Overall, the Broncos are second in the NFL with 42 sacks, second only to the Bengals' 43.

"He may be the fastest guy on their defense, corners and safeties included," said left tackle Joe Thomas, who will also occasionally oppose Miller. "I don't know if he runs a 4.5 or a 4.4 or whatever he is, but there's nobody that's quicker or faster at outside linebacker, that's for sure. He may be one of the fastest linebackers in the league. When you talk about the combination of speed, quickness and you put him out there rushing the quarterback at 240 pounds or whatever he is, that's a tough group of talent to deal with."

But Thomas, a five-time Pro Bowler, is convinced that Schwartz, the Browns' second-round pick (37th overall) out of California, is up to the task. Together, they have helped the Browns allow only 26 sacks this season, tied for eighth-fewest in the league.

"He's doing a great job this year," said Thomas. "He's exceeded everybody's expectations. He's playing as well as probably any right tackle in the league and without having seen every rookie, I think he's probably the best rookie tackle that I've seen on film so far. He's just consistently doing his job day in and day out and that's what you have to do as a tackle."

Schwartz credits Thomas, who will oppose the Broncos' other sackmaster, Elvis Dumervil (nine sacks), for helping to put him on a fast track this season.

"It's huge," Schwartz said. "[Thomas] has pretty much done everything and seen everything a guy can do in the NFL. So any small detail that he's picked up on is a big plus for me and not many guys are able to have that."

Schwartz has no doubt that his mentor will be named to his sixth straight Pro Bowl, which will put his Hall of Fame goal within reach.

"Oh yeah, he's ridiculous," said Schwartz. "It's just the consistency. He'll go games without having one bad play, which is just insane when you think about it. Every single play is the same thing. That's probably the biggest thing about what makes him so good."

Thomas probably already received Miller's vote in player balloting this week.

"Joe Thomas is probably one of the better tackles in the league," Miller said on a conference call this week. "I was able to spend some time with him in the Pro Bowl, so Joe Thomas is as good as it gets. But as far as the defense goes, you want to go against the best guys out there. So this weekend, we can really gauge ourselves against one of the better guys in the league."

He has also been impressed with Schwartz, who has given up very few sacks this season.

"I think he's pretty good," said Miller. "I think he's pretty solid. But it's kind of hard separating yourself from Joe Thomas on the other side and you have people constantly comparing and contrasting the two. But I think Mitchell Schwartz, he's one of the better tackles we'll go against this year."

  The Browns brought Miller in for a pre-draft visit in 2011 when they had the No. 6 overall pick and loved him, but knew he would be long gone.

"Yeah, I believe it was [former President] Mike Holmgren," Miller said. "He told me they were going to take me if I was available, but he told me -- and I didn't believe it at the time -- I wouldn't make it down to the Cleveland Browns. But he told me if I did, that he was going to take me. But it was a blessing that I got picked at No. 2."

Offensive coordinator Brad Childress is prepared to give Schwartz and Thomas some help.

"You better make provisions to double, to chip, to slide protections, to fade a tight end in there and help your tackle every now and then," he said. "Those two guys are something coming off of the edges, Dumervil and Miller. I probably didn't have as great of a feeling for them, how good they are or how fast they are, until you spend time starting to watch film on these guys. They run a lot of people down."

Running back Trent Richardson knows Miller will not only be gunning for Brandon Weeden, but for him, too.

"He's one of the best linebackers I've ever seen. The guy is special, he's very special," Richardson said. "You know where the play is going, and it seems like most of the time he knows it, too."

Cleveland Cavaliers' masked men saved face at the Cleveland Clinic

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The Cavaliers masked men have the Cleveland Clinic's Tim Riorden to thank.

kyrie.jpg View full size Cavs guard Kyrie Irving is wearing a Tim Riorden creation.  

Tim Riorden was heading to bed last Friday when he got a message about 11:30 p.m.

The Cavaliers' team doctors were in the emergency room with point guard Kyrie Irving, who suffered a small fracture of his upper left jaw bone during that night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Riorden, interim director of orthotics and prosthetics at the Cleveland Clinic, makes the face masks that protect such injuries, so he's used to late phone calls and urgent requests.

"Usually, it's we need a mask and we need it yesterday," said Riorden, who also makes artificial limbs and supportive braces. "It's always a rush. This is the fastest turnaround I've had."

The trouble last Friday was that the Cavs were playing the Knicks in New York next day. Irving already had missed Friday night's team flight to New York, and he needed a mask in about 12 hours if he was going to be able to make it to Madison Square Garden for the game.

One problem: It takes 18 hours to dry the clear plastic Riorden normally uses for the face masks.

In a pinch, there's a black plastic Riorden can use to make a temporary mask, but the NBA will let players use that only in emergencies.

So while Irving scored a career-high 41 points wearing the black mask -- which earned him the nickname "The Dark Knight" from his teammates -- in the loss to the Knicks last weekend, he had to switch to a clear mask, which is easier to see through.

The process for either mask is roughly the same, said Riorden, who was in his office about 6 a.m. Saturday, two hours before Irving arrived.

First, Riorden makes a plaster cast of the player's face -- covering the hair and eyes and wrapping strips of plaster around the head, making note of the injured area that will have to be protected. That process takes 30 to 45 minutes, including cleanup time. The player only has to wear the plaster cast about five minutes while it dries.

Riorden then removes the cast and seals it before pouring in plaster to make a mold of the player's head. Although he can speed the drying process, it still takes about an hour. At that point, he will fit the plastic mask to the face mold, allowing for extra cushioning at the site of the injury.

Finally, it's fitted to the player's face.

"Our biggest thing is making sure their vision is clear," Riorden said. "The closer we can get it to their face, the better."

The last thing is fitting the straps that hold it in place. Riorden lets the players determine how tight they want the straps.

"We used to use elastic straps that went over their ears," Riorden said. "They didn't like those. We call these four- or five-point that go over the top of their heads. Some liked it, some didn't. They do get hot. All the masks get hot, so they want to put it on top of their heads when they're not playing and those are tougher to put up.

"The double elastic straps are self-adjustable. If you don't keep it snug, when you're running down the court, it's bouncing up and down on your neck. That's got to be aggravating. Some of the players leave the top one tighter and the one loose on the bottom. I leave it up to them. My recommendation is usually snugger is better."

There is a gym in the Clinic, so players can put on the mask and practice taking shots or making passes. Some players will adjust quicker than others. Irving, for example, needed only a half of basketball to get used to the mask. Tristan Thompson, who broke his nose Nov. 18, said he still wasn't used to his face mask. Tyler Zeller, who broke his cheekbone Nov. 5, ditched his at the first opportunity, which was two days ago at Boston.

"I've done the Cavaliers for years, but this is the first time I've had three at once," Riorden said.

Pundits called Irving, Thompson and Zeller "The Three Masketeers." When rookie Dion Waiters was ready to return from his sprained left ankle on Monday, Cavs coach Byron Scott was jokingly asked if Waiters would have to wear a mask, too.

"No, he doesn't have to wear a mask," Scott said, laughing. "We're going to get two more guys to wear one, then we'll have a whole team."

Leuer recalled: With the Cavaliers struggling on offense and defense through a five-game losing streak, the team recalled forward Jon Leuer from their NBA Development League affiliate in Canton on Thursday. Leuer has appeared in six games (all starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 20.3 points on .54.5 percent shooting and 12.3 rebounds in 35.8 minutes per game as the Charge went 5-1. Leuer has played in five games this season for the Cavs, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game. He is expected to be ready to play when the Cavs host Indiana tonight at The Q.


Mary Kay Cabot, Tom Reed preview Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos (video)

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Plain Dealer Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed preview the game Sunday against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Watch video

 

BEREA, Ohio -- Plain Dealer Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed preview the game Sunday against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Dennis Manoloff's scouting report on the Broncos

Click here to watch this video on a mobile device

To reach this Plain Dealer videographer: dandersen@plaind.com

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Cleveland Browns and NFL A.M. Links: The Browns don't have to look far for motivation; Dimitri Patterson enjoys new opportunity; the Broncos plan to play their best

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Change is coming, and many players know the last two games of the season are an audition.


CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Browns are out of playoff consideration and they will finish with their fifth consecutive season under .500.

So what do the Browns have to play for? Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich writes how the team has plenty to play for, especially if they want to remain members of the Browns.

Owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner are going to reveal who will stay and who will go shortly after the season ends Dec. 30. General Manager Tom Heckert, coach Pat Shurmur and other key members of the organization will learn their fates.

In the meantime, the players view the final two games of this season as their final auditions in front of the franchise’s new bigwigs.

Many of the players hope much of the foundation in the front office and coaching staff remain, they won’t be caught off guard if it happens, writes Ulrich.

What kind of changers?

According to several reports, NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi will likely take control of the Browns’ personnel department if Heckert leaves. And the Boston Globe, citing two unnamed league sources, reported earlier this month that Alabama coach Nick Saban, Oregon coach Chip Kelly and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, a Canton native, would be on the Browns’ radar to replace Shurmur if Lombardi is hired.

 
Stay tuned.


More Browns and NFL news

Dimitri Patterson is happy about his new opportunity (Miami Herald).

Is Brad Childress the answer for Brandon Weeden (CantonRep.com)?

More on Dimitri Patterson's departure from the Cleveland Browns (Fox Sports Ohio).

Josh Cribbs remains popular among fans (ESPNCleveland.com).

The Browns will face a huge rush from the Broncos (The News-Herald).

Despite denials, rumors persist that Nick Saban is going to the NFL (Yahoo.com).

OL Mitchell Schwartz will face a top sack master on Sunday (Cleveland.com).

Having coach Chuck Pagano back will bring normalcy back to the Colts (IndyStar).

Ben Roethlisberger's criticism doesn't faze coach (Post-Gazette).

Marvin Jones is more than the second rookie to become No. 2 receiver (Cincinnati.com).

Number of carries is not important to Ray Rice (Baltimore Sun).

ESPN suspends Rob Parker for 30 days for RG3 comments (NFL.com).

The Browns should expect the best from the Broncos (Ohio.com).


Friday, Dec. 21 television and radio sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Highlights include Cavaliers' home game against Indiana.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports highlights

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

7:30 p.m. Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, Central Florida vs. Ball State, ESPN

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

7 p.m. Medina at Avon Lake, AM/930

7:30 p.m. Nordonia at Highland, AM/1350

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

7 p.m. Niagara at Notre Dame, ESPNU

7 p.m. FAU at Indiana, ESPN2

9 p.m. Middle Tennessee State at Vanderbilt, ESPNU

9 p.m. Stanford at Northwestern, Big Ten Network

9 p.m. BYU at Baylor, ESPN2

NBA

7:30 p.m. Indiana at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, Fox Sports Ohio; AM/1100


Cleveland Browns rule out Mohamed Massaquoi, Jordan Cameron and Tashaun Gipson for Broncos game

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Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, safety Tashaun Gipson and tight end Jordan Cameron have all been ruled out for Denver.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns have ruled out receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, tight end Jordan Cameron and safety Tashaun Gipson for Sunday's game against Denver.

"They won't even make the trip with us,'' said coach Pat Shurmur.

Gipson was set to start at safety with T.J. Ward out with a bone bruise in his knee, but suffered a foot injury midway through Thursday's practice and did not return to the field.

Second-year safety Eric Hagg will get the nod at free safety opposite Usama Young on the strong side. Hagg started the first two games of the season and then was inactive the next two weeks.  He was also inactive the past two weeks after playing sparingly or not at all the previous 10 games.

Hagg acknowledged that his season has "been a battle mentally,'' but said he continued to prepare hard each week as though he were going to play a significant role. Safety Ray Ventrone is also ready for duty if called upon.

"(Hagg's) learned that he can play in this league,'' said Shurmur. "He does a good job in coverage. "Anytime you play for awhile and then you don't play, you get a little better view of it.''

With Massaquoi out with his knee injury, rookie Josh Cooper will be active for the first time in five weeks. Cooper has played in four games this season, catching seven passes for 98 yards. Earlier this season, Massaquoi missed give games with a pulled hamstring.

Cameron, who may have suffered the concussion during the Redskins game, showed up at the facility not feeling well on Wednesday and was held out of practice all week.

He's expected to be replaced by tight end Alex Smith, who has played fullback the past seven games, but Smith was absent from practice today. Smith is believed to be ill, but is expected to be OK for the game.

Defensive end Frostee Rucker returned to practice today with his groin injury. "We're hopeful he'll be ready,'' said Shurmur.


Cleveland Browns: Pat Shurmur press conference transcript for Friday, Dec. 21, 2012

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Coach Pat Shurmur says team will be without Tashaun Gipson, Mohamed Massaquoi and Jordan Cameron for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.


Opening statement

"(Tashaun) Gipson, (Mohamed) Massaquoi and (Jordan) Cameron, I'm going to rule them out at this point. They won't even make the trip with us so I'll save you the searching on that."

On if Gipson got hurt yesterday in practice

"He did."

On what Eric Hagg learned from his starts early this season

"I think he's learned that he can play in this league. He did a good job while he was in there. He does a good job in coverage. Anytime you play for a while and then you don't play, it gives you a little better view of it while you're watching it. I'm sure he's learned something as he's prepared."

On if ball control is more important this game than others

"I think what's important is scoring points. I think you've got to score points however you can. It makes sense for their offense to not be on the field. I'll take it the other way, we can't have a whole bunch of three and outs."

On what he's seen from Tank Carder

"He's a long player. He's very physical and I think he's got pretty good instincts for the position. He's another one of those young linebackers that is going to get a good opportunity."

On if he will try to get the ball to Travis Benjamin this week

"He'll be out there playing, yeah. We'll have plays designed to throw it his way and we'll see if we can get it done."

On if there is a spot for Josh Cooper this weekend

"He'll play this weekend, yeah. Basically, he'll replace Mo (Mohamed Massaquoi)."

On how has Jordan Norwood looked coming back

"He looks good. He practiced all week, so we'll be able to make a decision on him next week, but he looked good. He would require a roster move to get him back up."

On if he likes the new Injured Reserve rule

"Yeah, for us it's played out well. We were able to use it. If there wasn't the new rule right now, Jordan wouldn't be out here practicing so yeah, I do."

On Elvis Dumervil compared to Von Miller

"He's a defensive end along the lines of (Dwight) Freeney and (Robert) Mathis, really pass rushers. They are stocky, they are hard to get your hands on and they are very explosive. It's going to be a big challenge for us. Von Miller is more of a linebacker type guy that you see more in coverage. They both play coverage, but that's pretty much the difference."

On if Frostee Rucker will be good to go Sunday

"Yeah, we're hopeful that he'll be ready."

Ted Karras Jr. named new head football coach at Walsh University

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Karras is the son of one former NFL player and the nephew of another, Alex Karras.

ted-karras-jr.jpg Ted Karras Jr., shown addressing his team at NAIA champion Marian University, is the new coach at Walsh University.  

NORTH CANTON, Ohio - Walsh University today named Ted Karras Jr. its new head football coach.

Karras, 48-23 as a head coach, spent the last seven seasons at Marian University in Indianapolis, and recently won the NAIA National Championship. He replaces Jim Dennison, who started the Cavs program in 1995 and served as the only coach.

The 2012 season was Karras' fifth winning season in six years, as his Knights earned the program's first NAIA national title. The Knights spent five weeks as the top ranked team in the NAIA, and were ranked in the top ten the entire season.

Karras coached at Marian after three seasons at Rose-Hulman in Indiana.

Karras was a four-year starter at Northwestern from 1983-87 and spent one season with the Washington Redskins.

His father, Ted Sr., played for the George Halas-led Chicago Bears from 1960-64. His uncle, the late Alex Karras, played 13 seasons with the Detroit Lions (1958-71) and was also known for his acting career.

Cleveland Browns News and Notes leading into game against the Denver Broncos (video)

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Cleveland Browns News and Notes with D'Qwell Jackson, Trent Richardson Josh Cribbs and Eric Hagg as they prepare for Sundays game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Hosted by Plain Dealer's Browns beat writer Tom Reed. Watch video

 

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns News and Notes with D'Qwell Jackson, Trent Richardson Josh Cribbs and Eric Hagg as they prepare for Sundays game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.  Hosted by Plain Dealer's Browns beat writer Tom Reed.

Click here to watch this video on a mobile device

To reach this Plain Dealer videographer: dandersen@plaind.com

On Twitter: @CLEvideos


Worst losses for Browns since 1999, pursuit of Nick Swisher and trade options for Cavs: Blog Roundup

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Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Dawg Pound Daily, Cavs: The Blog and The True Fan's Sports Blog.

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




X00067_9.JPG


Browns' fans won't be happy about this list.





 

Cleveland Browns


Jimmy Weinland over at Dawg Pound Daily takes a look at some of the worst losses for the Browns since 1999.
"Redskins 38 – Browns 21


December 16, 2012


For my money this drubbing by the Robert Griffin III-less Redskins qualifies as one of the ten worst defeats in the expansion era. Kirk Cousins embarrassed a hot Browns team in their own house in his first-ever NFL start. It’s rare that you see an entire organization completely undressed to the level the Browns were in this game.


From the regression of Brandon Weeden, to being laughably out-coached (and yes, the Redskins were reportedly laughing at the Browns after the game) and the squashing of the entire front office’s organizational philosophies, this was the signature game of the 2012 season and served as the metaphorical nail in the coffin for Pat Shurmur and Tom Heckert. While you could argue that these guys would have been shown the door anyway, they still carried a lot of juice with the fan base into this game, only to completely lose every last ounce of it."



X00113_9.JPG


More than a few teams want Nick Swisher.





 

Cleveland Indians


Tim at The True Fan's Sports Blog writes about the pursuit of Nick Swisher, which includes the Indians.
"Cleveland Indians


The Indians moved Shin-Soo Choo to Cincinnati and got Drew Stubbs to play center as Michael Brantley will now move to left field leaving a gap in right where Nick Swisher could be a fit. The Indians have shown interest in Swisher as moving Choo has opened some cash for GM Chris Antonetti to spend now. Swisher would also be able to transition into a DH role after a couple of seasons in Cleveland as the Indians could surprise some people next year. Swisher would be the guarantee that the Indians could put with Carlos Santana in the middle of the order to protect him as Swisher would be perfect in the 3 or 5 hole around Santana. However, I still wonder how much cash the Indians really have as I don't think they have enough to get involved though they are apparently considering it."



gee.jpg


Could Alonzo Gee be used as a trade chip?





 

Cleveland Cavaliers


Kevin Hetrick at Cavs: The Blog talks about some trade options for the Cavs that doesn't include Anderson Varejao.
"Trade 3


Portland’s record currently resides at a mediocre 11 and 12. Their 2013 – 2014 payroll eclipses $44 million for nine players, with 2014 – 2015 touching $45 million for eight players. None of those players is J.J. Hickson, presently fifth on the team in minutes and pacing them in PER. At some point, they owe a top-12 protected pick to Charlotte. Their best five players turned 27, 26, 24, 24 and 22 this season and have played in 96% of their games, against the League’s fifth-easiest schedule. Where is this team going? A fringe playoff team, minus one draft pick, with limited ability to add salary, and a bulk of their core already entering their prime? Maybe they win 8 of their next 10, but if not (Hollinger Playoff Odds are 7%), perhaps a shake-up is in order.


How about: Wesley Matthews for Alonzo Gee, Jon Leuer and 2013 Laker / Miami pick.


Why it works for Cleveland: As a third guard to pair with Kyrie and Dion, Matthews makes sense. Possessing good size, and as a 39% career three-point bomber, he will spread the floor for his new driving back-court mates. An efficient scorer, who tries on defense, there are a reasonable 2 years and $14 million remaining on his contract.


Why it works for Portland: Did you read everything above? If January passes with this team still winning half and losing half, it seems time to make a move. This move gives them the opportunity to make a max offer (similar to this off-season with Hibbert) and also restores their missing draft pick. Gee presents a serviceable replacement for Matthews; before being buried in Cleveland, Jon Leuer played well for Milwaukee; this move offers reasonable ‘now’ and ‘later’ situations for the Blazers."

Have a post that you think should be featured in our daily Blog Roundup? Email the link here. You can also follow Glenn on Twitter.

Sunday's rival could be tomorrow's partner for Peyton Manning, Jimmy Haslam: Mary Kay Cabot's Kickoff

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It wouldn't be surprising for Jimmy Haslam to hire Peyton Manning someday for a key position with the Browns.

manning-orlovsky-2012-ap.jpg View full size Respected around the league -- especially by one new NFL owner with strong ties to Tennessee -- Peyton Manning's post-football options could involve the Browns.  

DENVER -- Jimmy Haslam will oppose one of his best friends Sunday in Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, but someday, the two might be on the same team.

The two are close from their University of Tennessee bond, and it wouldn't be surprising for Haslam to hire Manning someday for a key position with the Browns. In an interview in August, Haslam said, "I hope Peyton plays four more years, but Peyton would be a great contributor whether it's a business, a large nonprofit; he's just a competent, smart, hardworking guy."

This week in Denver, Manning expressed his mutual admiration.

"Jimmy Haslam and really his entire family have been great supporters of me," said Manning. "His dad was a player on [Tennessee's] 1951 national championship team and they've been great supporters of the university so I'm happy for Jimmy and his family, becoming an NFL owner.

"He's the kind of guy that's going to be a great NFL owner. He gets it and he loves football and obviously he and I have a lot in common that we both love University of Tennessee football but I've always appreciated his friendship and support of me. ... Cleveland's real lucky, I can tell you that."

Manning represents the quality of individual Haslam and Joe Banner will be looking for in the organization. He's also the gold standard for the caliber of quarterback they'll be seeking.

In Denver, Manning is learning from former Broncos quarterback John Elway, the team's executive vice president of football operations. Elway took a chance and brought Manning to Denver despite the QB's four neck surgeries, and Manning responded with an 11-3 record and Super Bowl aspirations.

Maybe someday Manning will have a chance to help the Browns find a superstar like himself.

Santa's sleigh also carries NBA's unofficial opening day: NBA Insider

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Christmas Day games signal the true arrival of the NBA season.

durant-dunk-2012-okc-ap.jpg View full size Third in the league in scoring and with his Thunder cruising in the Northwest Division, Kevin Durant will be a prime-time focus in Tuesday's Finals rematch with LeBron James and the Heat.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than leading the league in sarcastic comments by Charles Barkley, more than making the highlights of a Top Ten play each night, one thing tells an NBA player he has finally arrived, that he has succeeded in a way that all must acknowledge.

Playing a game on Christmas Day.

"As a player, you want to play on Christmas Day," longtime player and current TV analyst Chris Webber said. "That's the only day you don't want to be home with your parents and family. You want them to share that day with you watching those games. ... It's almost like the real introduction of basketball to the season."

Until Dec. 25, sports attention is divided. There's college football, the NFL, and in most years, the NHL, too. But on Christmas, there are full bellies, satiated kids with toys, and a long afternoon and evening to devote to watching the best basketball in the world.

"It's the bull's-eye of basketball as a whole, globally," said NBA commentator Steve Smith. "Before I made it to the NBA, it brought my family even closer. No matter what we were doing -- playing with toys, people going their own way -- we all stopped and got ready 20 minutes before that game, and we all argued and told stories of who was better. ... As a fan right now, this is where things start to shake out for your team. After 25-30 games you can see who has a legit chance."

This year, as in the past four years, there are five games to watch after unwrapping presents. Take a look at the key matchups and what's at stake for each team on the most hallowed day of basketball of the season:

Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets, noon

The Celtics play for the 29th time on Christmas Day, the third-highest appearance total in the league. Brooklyn, of course, is making its first appearance with its new sparkling arena, Barclays Center.

This was supposed to be a matchup of two great point guards, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams, but it might be more about the Nets trying to get back on track -- and quiet rumors of coach Avery Johnson's demise. Williams has been vocal in questioning the Nets' offensive system. Meanwhile, the Celtics are struggling, too, just to attain a mediocre 13-13 record. Paul Pierce remains steady, but Kevin Garnett and new addition Jason Terry haven't produced as in years past. Which team can get it all together first?

New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers, 3 p.m.

This centerpiece game will be worth watching because of the intrigue as much as what happens on the court. Will Steve Nash finally play for the Lakers, as the point guard has been hinting of his return from injury? Will Pau Gasol and Mike D'Antoni learn to co-exist? Will Kobe Bryant snap, once again, and bellow his discontent and displeasure with the performance of this talented, yet struggling, squad?

The Knicks have surprised everyone with their fast start, and as the most experienced Christmas Day team -- they've played 48 times on Dec. 25th, including the first game in 1947 -- they're sure to understand what it takes to perform well on the big day. Amar'e Stoudemire is close to returning from knee surgery, and if he is back in time for this game, how will he fit in?

Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat, 5:30 p.m.

What's not to hate with the Heat? They're defending NBA champs, LeBron James somehow seems to be getting better -- he's in such top-notch shape he rides his bike to and from games in Miami lately -- and they even added sharp-shooting Ray Allen this season to help the outside game. It's just not fair.

Except Oklahoma City is playing just as well as last season, despite trading standout sub James Harden to Houston. This rematch of last season's NBA Finals will give Kevin Durant an opportunity at revenge in what should be a playoff atmosphere.

Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m.

Speaking of Harden, he joined the Rockets with a splash and has remained steady in showing he's more than a sixth man. This remade, Jeremy Lin-led squad faces a scrappy Chicago team that has managed to fare well without Derrick Rose. The Rockets are the youngest team in the NBA, and faces a tough Bulls defense that holds teams to 90.3 points per game, second-best in the league.

Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

A quick turnaround for the folks at Staples Center to switch the court from Lakers to Clippers will probably overshadow, yet again, what has been a low-radar story: The Clippers are playing well. Better than that other team that they share a home court with, in fact.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have led the Clippers to 12 straight victories. Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari will try to counter the steady diet of lobs headed their way.

Five Questions ... with Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers

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Boston's coach calls the Cavaliers "a hard-playing team, a well-conditioned team, a team that plays extremely hard."

rivers-argues-ref-2012-ap.jpg View full size Doc Rivers can match any NBA coach with his in-game passion, but offered some calmer thoughts about the league and the Cavaliers.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The veteran coach offered a few thoughts before a recent game vs. the Cavaliers.

Q: What do you tell your team about a team coached by Byron Scott?

A: It's going to be a hard-playing team, a well-conditioned team, a team that plays extremely hard. When you look at all the injuries they've had -- and they've had a ton of them and, you hate to say this, but they've had them to key guys -- it makes it a hard job, especially when you're young. Yet when you see them play, they're in every game and they play hard.

Q: Is Anderson Varejao the best rebounder in the league?

A: He's the most active. I'm sure there's somebody who has a better gift at it. But he's just an amazing player to watch. Not only the best rebounder, he may be the best passing big. He is skilled. His energy is part of his skill. But I don't think people realize how good he is.

Q: How is rookie Jared Sullinger, the former Ohio State star, doing?

A: He's been good. He has been up and down, just like rookies. He's a high IQ player, a great kid to have on the team, high character. I think he's going to be a good player for a long, long time in our league.

Q: Did you see anything different in Paul Pierce's shot when he scored 40 on the Cavaliers last week?

A: No. Paul is the toughest guy to read. He never takes the same shot. He doesn't even have the same release point. No kid should watch that. It's amazing how he does it. Watch his free throws. He takes them at different angles. You never know when he's got it going because he's just tough to read. You could tell Ray's [Allen] right when it left his hands if it was good or it was flat. Paul, there's no read on it. It just goes in. It's nice when it goes in.

Q: Besides your nickname, what's the most important thing you got from former Marquette coach Rick Majerus, who died earlier this month?

A: There's a lot of things. Part of it is just stubbornness. He told me a lot about that coaching-wise, especially my first year. He'd tell me, "Hey, you're not going to be very good, but stick to what you're doing, stick to your guns. Everybody's going to tell you to do something different. Do what you want to do." I can't tell you how many times he told me that: "Hang in there and do your stuff." He pounded that into me. He's a very loyal guy. He had his friends. Sometimes he didn't let his friends around him. But he was extremely loyal. His thing with me was the fundamental part of the game. That's what he taught me. He always said, "You can't cheat the game."

Five Questions ... with Cleveland Browns TE Brad Smelley

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Brad Smelley still enjoys reliving the championship moments with Alabama.

smelley-brns-2012-camp-jk.jpg View full size Brad Smelley is hoping for more opportunities to block for Browns teammate and friend Trent Richardson.  

DENVER -- A quick conversation with the former Crimson Tide tight end/fullback.

Q: You won two national titles at Alabama. What was the highlight?

A: Probably going out my senior year with a national championship and beating LSU in their backyard and getting some revenge.

Q: You were an H-back at Alabama and blocked a lot for Trent Richardson. What's it like blocking for him?

A: When you've got a guy back there like Trent, he makes a lot of people miss. He works hard, so it gives you extra incentive to play hard for him because you see how he plays.

Q: How close are you with Trent?

A: We hang. We chill.

Q: Your whole family seems to play sports. Who is the most athletic?

A: My brother was the quarterback at South Carolina, and my sister played volleyball at Birmingham Southern. That's a tough call. I don't know. If I had to name somebody, probably my mom. She has the most athletic build.

Q: Your dad has a non-profit called Global Effect. What does that do, and have you considered going on a mission with him?

A: He does a non-profit organization in Haiti, so he goes over there 2-3 times a month and imports water filters over there. A lot of communities over there the worst problem they're dealing with among their problems is unclean drinking water. So he brings water filters over there. They're drinking water out of sewers on the side of the road and potholes. But you can take that water and run it through the water purifiers and it cleans the water. So they do a whole community outreach, they go into one community and work with them, build churches and homes and stuff. I haven't been able to yet because of football.

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