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

Stunning developments in story of Manti Te'o's girlfriend give Notre Dame a black eye: Bill Livingston

0
0

Nothing might equal the embarrassment Te'o has brought on the Irish community.

billblog-teo.jpg View full size The story of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o took a bizarre twist on Wednesday.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Their faces were a map of Notre Dame's fan base -- a red-haired guy with a brogue, a dark-skinned guy with the cities of New Jersey in his voice, a guy sneaking a cigarette before boarding the rent-a-car bus at O'Hare Field in Chicago who looked like he would know his way around Slavic Village.

This was the morning after Notre Dame beat Wake Forest, while Kansas State and Oregon had lost the night before. Ohio State had beaten Wisconsin in Madison in overtime the same night. It looked like the Notre Dame fans, in their blue and gold jackets and sweatshirts and green hats, had done little but celebrate the victory, although one of them must've been the designated driver.

I had driven to Rockford, Ill., an hour from Chicago, immediately after the Buckeyes' game. Like the Irish fans, I was working on short sleep as we boarded the bus to catch our 9 a.m. flights.

They were crating unopened six-packs of Diet Coke onto the bus. One guy was chug-a-lugging one from a pack he had ripped open.

"No. 1, baby!" the Irish-looking guy said, correctly anticipating the polls later in the day.

"Congratulations," I said.

"Football fan?" he said.

"Reporter. I write columns about Ohio State for the Cleveland Plain Dealer."

"You saw a better game, but we have a better team," one of the Irish fans said.

"That could be true," I said. "All I know is that Notre Dame this year reminds me of Ohio State in 2002, the last time they won it all."

We discussed that on the five-minute ride to the terminal -- the defensive orientation of that Buckeye team and this Fighting Irish one; the way they both played two overtime games, the way the Buckeyes brought pride back to a Midwestern university that had gone a long time without a national championship; the way a great Southern power, Miami then, Alabama now, barred the path to the championship.

"I hope you're right in your analogies, columnist," the oldest guy said as they got off before me.

This columnist was never one of those guys who begrudged Notre Dame its spot in the national championship game against Alabama. I thought it was good for college football for the Irish to be a factor again. I thought they had a chance. On that, hoo-boy, was I ever wrong.

The difference between ND then and OSU in 2002 was that the Buckeye defenders, especially Chris Gamble, could run. After Alabama's 42-14 rout, I thought Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o had had one of the most ineffective big-game performances I had ever seen. I thought of those guys at O'Hare briefly after Alabama dismantled Notre Dame. They had to be crushed.

Te'o had finished second on my ballot, and on ballots nationwide, in the Heisman Trophy voting because he played middle linebacker for an undefeated Notre Dame team and because of his moving personal history of tragedy.

Now we know Te'o's story about his dead girlfriend was a complete fraud. The media members who wrote about it have a black eye. The school has a black eye. Gerry Faust, the former Notre Dame and Akron coach, whose pride in the Irish I wrote about this season has to be stunned.

There were a lot of one-liners about Te'o after the BCS Championship Game. There will be a lot more now -- about the lie he lived, about whether it is even remotely possible he could have been duped, about the Notre Dame myth-making factory, about a complacent media that was suckered.

But everyone wants to buy into a story like Te'o's. We know now that Irish legend George Gipp was in the pool halls as much as the classrooms. We know that Paul Hornung's Heisman at the expense of Johnny Majors in 1956 was an injustice. But nothing might equal the embarrassment Te'o has brought on the Irish community.

I think the boys who were on the bus are drinking more than Diet Coke tonight.


Akron Zips have little problems with Ball State and win, 71-64

0
0

Zips extend their winning streak to eight games.

Gallery preview

AKRON, Ohio -- Perhaps it's becoming too easy for the Akron Zips. Even as Ball State played one of its best games of the season, the Zips absorbed a double double from the Cardinals' Majok Majok and survived for a listless 71-64 victory against BSU Wednesday night at Akron's Rhodes Arena.

With the exception of a short stretch late in the first half, when a 16-6 run by the Cardinals gave them a 28-22 lead, the Zips seemed to wake up -- then go to sleep -- throughout the game and still pull out the victory. BSU's 6-9, 245-pound Majok had his way against Akron's highly touted 7-0 senior, Zeke Marshall, on a night when at least one NBA scout was on hand.

Marshall, now with 300 blocked shots in his career, played 27 minutes on tender knees going against Majok, who finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Nick Harney paced the Zips with 15 points.

"He was a lot tougher than we expected," said Akron's Alex Abreu, who hit a big 3-pointer late that took the air out of the Cardinals (7-8, 1-2 Mid-American Conference3).

"[Majok] surprised me. I've never seen anybody take it to Zeke like that."

Marshall finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots, but his performance was better than most of his teammates, who just didn't come to play.

"We just didn't have our normal juice," said Akron head coach Keith Dambrot. But he added, "Good teams win these games, average teams don't."

Abreu agreed.

"We haven't brought it every day, and it translated to the game," he said. "Our energy wasn't top level. We pulled it off, but we're not playing our best basketball. We've been getting through on talent and defense."

The Zips (12-4, 3-0) entered the game on a seven-game winning streak, and -- shy of a 62-58 win against Princeton -- haven't really been tested. Not since Ball State won the MAC in 1988-89 has the difference between very good, average and bad in the MAC been so clearly defined.

For the second straight home game, the Zips were lethargic through the first 17 minutes, as the Cardinals stayed close, then used the 16-6 spurt to turn an 18-12 Akron lead into a 28-22 Ball State advantage with 3:10 to go in the half. Then Akron closed out the half on a 12-0 run, fueled, in part, by an incidental technical foul called on BSU's Chris Bond that led to a pair of Akron free throws, followed by a Marshall put-back off the extra possession for a 34-28 halftime lead for the Zips.

This was despite the fact that Akron shot a tepid 35.7 percent in the opening half and had eight turnovers to BSU's 42.3 percent and 10 giveaways.

Akron never trailed in the second half, although the Cardinals drew within 59-55 inside the final five minutes. But Majok missed a pair of free throws that would have brought the Cardinals within two, followed by a Harney driving layup, and the Zips were never threatened again. The Cardinals finished the game out-shooting the Zips, 44.4 percent to 41.2 percent, edging Akron on the boards, 33-32, and with more assists, 15-13. And while BSU had 15 turnovers to Akron's 13, in defeat this season, the Cardinals had been averaging 17 miscues.

The biggest difference was Akron's 22-4 scoring effort off the bench.

"We manhandle most people, but they manhandled us tonight," Dambrot said.

Of course, none of this matters for the next contest, as the Zips are sure to be on top of their game Saturday on the road at Kent State.

"No problem having energy on Saturday," Abreu said. "It's the other games."

Dan Gilbert to buy Detroit's Greektown Casino, a money-making and revitalization effort

0
0

Dan Gilbert has placed another big bet on his hometown -- he's buying a majority stake Detroit's Greektown Casino Hotel, a Las Vegas-style casino that sits just blocks from the front door of his Quicken Loans headquarters.

GilbertCASINOf.jpg From left, Austin Carr and Fred McLeod congratulate Dan Gilbert last year at the grand opening of the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, a downtown casino modeled, in part, on Detroit's Greektown Casino Hotel.  
DETROIT--Dan Gilbert has placed another big bet on his hometown -- he's buying a majority stake in Detroit's Greektown Casino Hotel, a Las Vegas-style casino that sits just blocks from the front door of his Quicken Loans headquarters.

In announcing the deal Wednesday, executives with Gilbert's gambling company, Rock Gaming LLC, said the pending purchase was part of their strategy aimed at revitalizing downtowns such as Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Baltimore -- and in the process making money.

"We think that these urban cities represent a great opportunity for us to give back to those communities and also for us to invest and do well," said Matt Cullen, chief executive officer of Rock Ventures LLC and second behind Gilbert in charge of the Quicken Loans family of companies.

"We really like the connectivity of the Greektown property," Cullen added. "It's right in the heart of downtown. It's surrounded by an entertainment district."

It's also in the heart of Detroit where Gilbert and his companies, with this purchase, have invested more than $1 billion in the last few years.

They've purchased 15 large properties -- including prestigious but worn Chase and Madison buildings -- and brought more than 7,000 employees to the downtown Woodward Avenue corridor that's anchored by the historic Campus Martius Park.

When he was a child, Gilbert's father owned a bar on Woodward Avenue a few miles away.

"I've heard Dan say that he spent the first 50 years of his life building Quicken Loans and now he's going to spend the next 50 years making Detroit what it once was," Rock Gaming spokeswoman Jennifer Kulczycki said.

Cullen.jpg Matt Cullen, second behind Dan Gilbert in charge of the Quicken Loans family of companies, pictured inside the online lender's Detroit headquarters in 2011. The pending purchase of nearby Greektown Casino Hotel is part of Gilbert's effort to revitalize downtown, Cullen says.  

The Greektown Casino Hotel was one of two models for Gilbert's concept of so-called "urban casinos" that could make money and also revitalize downtowns, Kulczycki said. It's a concept that he used to sell Ohio voters on amending the state's constitution to allow casino's in the state's four largest cities.

Gilbert's companies and Caesars Entertainment Corp. own and operate the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland in the Higbee building on Public Square. The partnership is set to open a casino in downtown Cincinnati March 4, and another in downtown Baltimore next year.

Caesars, which owns a casino in Windsor, Onatrio, just across the Detroit River from Greektown, is not a partner in this deal.

Greektown is the smallest of Detroit's three casinos. It offers gamblers 2,700 slot machines, dozens of table games, a dedicated poker room and a 30-story, 400-room hotel.

Greektown, which opened in 2000, recorded its best revenue year in 2011 when it generated $352.8 million after being sold out of bankruptcy to a group of hedge funds and investors.

For the first 11 months of 2012, its revenue was nearly $325 million, according to figures from the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Officials with Rock Gaming said Wednesday they don't have any immediate plans to upgrade the property, but they indicated it could be better run.

Gilbert's purchase of a controlling interest in Greektown from Greektown Superholdings Inc. is contingent on approval by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Rock Gaming officials said they were "optimistic" about gaining approval and possibly finalizing the deal in the next few months. They declined to give the dollar amount of their investment.

They indicated they have additional plans for Detroit and Cleveland, where Gilbert employs several thousand people and owns or has a majority stake in the Horseshoe casino, the Cavaliers, The Q, the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and Veritix, an online event ticketing company, among other investments.

"We're paying attention to opportunities in Cleveland as well," Cullen said. "Obviously, there's the casino and the Ritz. We're looking at significantly improving the Ritz, and we certainly have our eyes on some other opportunities.

"So I'd say stay tuned down there as well."

Cleveland Browns to interview Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for defensive coordinator vacancy

0
0

The Browns will interview former Bucs head coach Raheem Morris for their defensive coordinator vacancy.

raheem morris.jpg Raheem Morris will interview for the Browns defensive coordinator job.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio  --Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris is scheduled to interview with the Browns for their defensive coordinator position, a source confirmed.

 The interview, which was first reported by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, is expected to take place on Friday.

 Morris, 36, spent the 2012 season as Redskins' secondary coach after getting fired as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He turned down the defensive coordinator post with the Vikings, but had an agreement with Washington that he could leave to take a coordinator position.

 Morris went 17-31 in his three seasons as head coach of the Bucs, including 10-6 in 2010. He also served as defensive coordinator  in the second half of his first season as head coach, when they finished 3-13.
 
 Morris coached a Redskins secondary that finished 30th in the NFL in pass defense, but was hit hard by injuries in the first half of the season. The defense improved in the second half and helped the Redskins win seven straight games.

 Browns coach Rob Chudzinski had also targeted Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano for the coordinator job here, but he's believed to be still talking to the Chargers, who named Mike McCoy their head coach on Tuesday.
 
 The Browns are expected to announce some assistant coach hires on Thursday, including longtime NFL head coach Norv Turner as offensive coordinator.

Kyrie Irving trails in All-Star voting, holds out hope as reserve: Cleveland Cavaliers Insider

0
0

The Cavaliers' second-year point guard trails Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams in the latest voting.

incavs-kyrie.jpg View full size Kyrie Irving will have to wait until next week when All-Star reserves are announced to find out if he made the team.  

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The starting lineups for the NBA All-Star Game will be announced Thursday, and unless Cavaliers fans do some serious ballot-box stuffing in the closing days, Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving will not be among them.

In the most recent results announced by the NBA on Jan. 3, Irving ranked fourth in voting for the Eastern Conference backcourt, behind Miami's Dwyane Wade, Boston's Rajon Rondo and Brooklyn's Deron Williams. Voting continued until Monday, and the top two backcourt players will be the starters.

Irving is still holding out hope NBA coaches will select him as a reserve. The reserves will be announced Irving is still holding out hope NBA coaches will select him as a reserve. The reserves will be announced Jan. 24.

"I've just been trying to play like an All-Star this whole entire season, trying to keep that mind-set," Irving said before the Cavs faced the Portland Trail Blazers in The Rose Garden on Wednesday night. "Whatever happens, happens. Obviously, anything could happen in the next month, so I'm just going to continue to play the way I've been playing and try to get my team wins."

Irving was the MVP of the Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend last season, and when asked if he'd like to return and play in the regular All-Star Game this season, his answer was obvious.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said Wednesday. "But that comes with playing every single night and just doing what I do."

Cavs coach Byron Scott was asked what he thought Irving's chances were this season and whether he should make it.

"I don't know what his chances are, and I don't know if I think he should make it," Scott said Wednesday. "It's all predicated on how your team is doing, as well. If you're playing great, if your team is playing pretty good, then you have a better chance.

"Obviously, recordwise, we're not there. So I think that's a reflection on the players as well. Chance of him making it? Probably 40-60."

Irving, incidentally, had a group of 60 people come to Portland from Seattle to watch the game, an outing his grandfather organized.

Looking good: When the Trail Blazers visited Cleveland on Dec. 1, Scott didn't have much time to visit with former Cav J.J. Hickson. They exchanged hugs and hellos, and that was about it. But Scott has been following Hickson's progress from afar and likes what he sees.

"I think he's played well," Scott said of Hickson, who entered Wednesday's game as the Blazers' leading rebounder with 11 per game, to go along with 12 points per game. "He's kind of found his niche. He's doing what the team needs him to do. He's hitting the glass on both ends, and he's going after everything. He's taking what they're giving him on the offensive end. He's not looking to jack up shots or anything like that. He's just playing his role, and he's doing a good job."

Gilmour pulls away from Aurora in second half to win girls basketball game

0
0

GATES MILLS, Ohio -- Through the years, Bob Beutel has used practices to develop his girls basketball teams and hone them into finely tuned machines. That is, until this year.

GATES MILLS, Ohio -- Through the years, Bob Beutel has used practices to develop his girls basketball teams and hone them into finely tuned machines.

That is, until this year.

"This team is not a good practice team," Beutel said of his current squad at Gilmour Academy. "They know it. We do more cerebral stuff than physical stuff in practice. But come game time, they're a gritty team."

That toughness was apparent Wednesday at Gilmour as the Lancers pulled away in the second half to defeat a weary squad from Aurora, 63-44.

Gilmour (14-1) is ranked No. 14 in The Plain Dealer Top 25 and is third in the state in the Division III Associated Press poll. The lone loss for the Lancers was to undefeated St. Joseph Academy on a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Aurora, which lost its fourth consecutive game after opening the season with eight victories, was missing two starters. Point guard Alexa DeBord is out with a back injury and four-year starter Camilla Brown was out sick.

Early in the third quarter Aurora held a 33-30 lead. That's when things fell apart and the Lancers finished the game on a 33-11 run.

"We just ran out of gas," Aurora coach Erika Schultz said. "We don't have the depth to have people injured. We don't have enough to run with these teams."

The game turned when Gilmour applied its version of a diamond press and the Greemen wilted under the pressure. Aurora had 20 turnovers in the second half, 29 for the game.

"It was our lack of execution," Schultz said. "When your point guard is out it throws everybody off. And when you're tired your body doesn't always do what you want it to do."

The Lancers were led by 6-3 junior center Jess Janota, who had 19 points, leaving her two points shy of 1,000 in just 23/4 years of varsity play. Janota, who battled Aurora's standout center Allison Howard all game, added eight rebounds and four assists.

Senior guard Dominique Edomwande added 15 points and nine rebounds for Gilmour, Kelsey Dugger had nine points and Kelly Harrington had eight points and five steals.

"People view us as being the big three," Beutel said in reference to Janota, Dugger and Edomwande. "But they all play their roles. They all buy into their roles and they buy into the team thing."

Howard had 10 points at the half but she tired in the second half and ended up with 13. Of course, covering Janota and also bringing the ball up the court much of the time would wear out anyone. Madelyn Gilley also had 13 for the Greenmen, nine in the first half.

Joe Magill is a freelance writer from Auburn Township

Notre Dame star Manti Te'o's emotional story of playing while grieving a dead girlfriend is reportedly a hoax

0
0

Deadspin reports that the Lenna Kekua story was fabricated, and that she never existed.

manti-teo.jpg Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o finished second to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in the Heisman Trophy voting.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o's reputation as an elite player took a hit during the Fighting Irish's 42-14 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 7.

Now, a far more serious indictment of Te'o, this of his character, has emerged.

Numerous news outlets, such as Sports Illustrated, reported that when Te'o helped Notre Dame to a 20-3 win at Michigan State on Sept. 15, he played with a heavy heart.

The story went that within several hours shortly before the game, Te'o learned of the death of his grandmother, Annette Santiago, and then of the death of his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, 22.

Kekua, a Stanford graduate according to the stories, had suffered injuries in a car accident and was then diagnosed with leukemia, the stories said.

Teo's play under such trying circumstances became an inspiration, as Notre Dame went 12-0 and reached No. 1 in the national polls.

It turns out that, reportedly, the story is a hoax -- one that Te'o perpetuated as it was reported by some of the largest electronic and print media outlets in the nation. And, Deadspin reports, they can find no evidence that Lennay Kekua was a real person.

Timothy Burke and Jake Dickey write for deadspin.com:

Manti Te'o did lose his grandmother this past fall. Annette Santiago died on Sept. 11, 2012, at the age of 72, according to Social Security Administration records in Nexis. But there is no SSA record there of the death of Lennay Marie Kekua, that day or any other. Her passing, recounted so many times in the national media, produces no obituary or funeral announcement in Nexis, and no mention in the Stanford student newspaper.

Nor is there any report of a severe auto accident involving a Lennay Kekua. Background checks turn up nothing. The Stanford registrar's office has no record that a Lennay Kekua ever enrolled. There is no record of her birth in the news. Outside of a few Twitter and Instagram accounts, there's no online evidence that Lennay Kekua ever existed.

The photographs identified as Kekua—in online tributes and on TV news reports—are pictures from the social-media accounts of a 22-year-old California woman who is not named Lennay Kekua. She is not a Stanford graduate; she has not been in a severe car accident; and she does not have leukemia. And she has never met Manti Te'o.

Notre Dame has issued a statement on the matter through Dennis Brown, assistant vice president.:

"On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te’o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax.
"While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators."


St. Joseph Academy basketball player Greta Burry give Akron her oral commitment

0
0

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Greta Burry has over a year before she packs up a leaves for college but at least the St. Joseph Academy junior knows where she's going to further her academic and basketball career. The 6-0 junior forward recently gave Akron her oral commitment after also entertaining scholarship offers from Bowling Green and Kent.

St. Joseph Academy Greta Burry gave Akron her oral commitment. - (Allison Carey, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Greta Burry has over a year before she packs up a leaves for college but at least the St. Joseph Academy junior knows where she's going to further her academic and basketball career.

The 6-0 junior forward recently gave Akron her oral commitment after also entertaining scholarship offers from Bowling Green and Kent.

"Akron offered me at the beginning of the school season," said Burry, who sat out most of her sophomore season with an ankle injury. "I visited BG over the weekend but I really like Akron.

"It's close to home, has great facilities and suits me perfectly for what I'm going to major in."

Burry, a Lakewood resident who plans on majoring in pre-med with aspirations of being a pediatrician, is averaging 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds for the state-ranked Jaguars.


St. Joseph Academy basketball player Greta Burry gives Akron her oral commitment

0
0

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Greta Burry has over a year before she packs up a leaves for college but at least the St. Joseph Academy junior knows where she's going to further her academic and basketball career. The 6-0 junior forward recently gave Akron her oral commitment after also entertaining scholarship offers from Bowling Green and Kent.

St. Joseph Academy's Greta Burry gave Akron her oral commitment. - (Allison Carey, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Greta Burry has over a year before she packs up a leaves for college but at least the St. Joseph Academy junior knows where she's going to further her academic and basketball career.

The 6-0 junior forward recently gave Akron her oral commitment after also entertaining scholarship offers from Bowling Green and Kent.

"Akron offered me at the beginning of the school season," said Burry, who sat out most of her sophomore season with an ankle injury. "I visited BG over the weekend but I really like Akron.

"It's close to home, has great facilities and suits me perfectly for what I'm going to major in."

Burry, a Lakewood resident who plans on majoring in pre-med with aspirations of being a pediatrician, is averaging 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds for the state-ranked Jaguars.

Early mock draft predictions for Browns, trading Ubaldo and Dion Waiter's best game: Blog Roundup

0
0

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

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


Cleveland Browns


Is it too early to talk about the NFL Draft and what the Browns might do with their No. 6 pick? Below are some links to a few early mock drafts.




AX016_2192_9.JPG


Damontre Moore for the Browns at No. 6? (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)





 

Gil Brandt of NFL.com has the Browns selecting Damontre Moore from Texas A&M.


"The Browns need a pass rusher, so they go with the best one left on the board in Moore, who offers a ton of upside."


Rob Rang of CBSSports.com also has the Browns selecting Moore.


"The roster appears ripe with young talent but could use a dynamic pass rusher. Moore...accomplished the rare feat of leading his team in tackles (80), tackles for loss (20) and sacks (12.5) through the regular season."


Dan Kadar at SB Nation has the Browns picking LSU DE/OLB, Barkevious Mingo.


"Stop before you think Mingo had a "down" year because he only had 4.5 sacks. Aldon Smith had six sacks in his final college season and Jason Pierre Paul had 6.5. Mingo is an athletic dynamo who was often used to contain the edge. Head coach Rob Chudzinski was non-committal in his introductory press conference about whether the Browns would run a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense, noting the team will go with a hybrid attacking defense. That may be a role that suits Mingo best. He's agile and active enough to be a linebacker but he can play with his hand down as well. Of course he'll need to improve as a run defender, but adding a player that may need to be game planned around will benefit the defense as a whole."


Josh Sanchez of Fansided.com and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report say Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones will be selected by the Browns.


Sanchez: "D’Qwell Jackson is one of the best linebackers in the NFL, but he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves because he is stuck in Cleveland with very little help around him. That can all change if the Browns wise up and pull the trigger on a top linebacker prospect in the first-round. Jones would bring a pass rushing ability to the Browns defense that they have lacked."


Miller: "Rob Chudzinski heads to Cleveland as the new head coach of the Browns, and with him comes an exciting vertical passing game that will fully utilize the talents of Josh Gordon, Greg Little and Brandon Weeden. But what about the defense?


Former general manager Tom Heckert had done a good job with the beginning stages of building this defense, but the pieces aren't all in place. The Browns need another cornerback, another pass-rusher and more threats on the outside at linebacker. Basically, they need to build around D'Qwell Jackson and Joe Haden.


Jarvis Jones has some question marks on his scouting report. He's not very big (6'3", 240 lbs.) and he transferred from USC with spinal stenosis before landing at Georgia. Jones has been a phenomenal player the last two seasons, but the health questions could push his stock down on draft day. If not, he's an impact player waiting to be placed at outside linebacker in any scheme the Browns choose to run."


Cleveland Indians


Jeff Mount at Wahoo's On First says the Indians should look to trade Ubaldo Jimenez.


"This is Ubaldo Jimenez. You can blame his mechanics, his attitude, his health, or his intelligence, all of which have been questioned over the past year. The bottom line is that we have seen more than a year of this maddening inconsistency and nothing to indicate that this year will be any different. There is a possibility that a new manager and pitching coach will get his mechanics straightened out or fix whatever is wrong in his head, but how often does that actually happen?
What surprises me is that, through all the talk of who the Tribe should trade in order to build a contender for 2013, Ubaldo’s name never comes up. To review: he’s scheduled to make almost $6 million dollars, which will probably make him one of the five highest paid players on the team, depending on how the arbitration cases come out. By most rational measurements, he was the worst pitcher in the American League last year, at least among those who pitched more than 150 innings. And after this season he will be a free agent."



AX029_4E24_9.JPG


Waiters has his best game against the Kings. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)





 

Cleveland Cavaliers


Colin McGowan at Cavs: The Blog takes a look at Dion Waiters' best game as a Cavalier, which was his performance against the Kings.
"By the way, this might have been Dion Waiters’s best game as a Cavalier. (With the time he rained flames from heavens against the Clippers being his other notably great game.) Saint Weirdo was really smart in taking it to the rim and drawing fouls in the first half, and then at some point in the fourth quarter, he did that Dion Waiters thing where he took some unconscionably bad shots and just kept hitting them. He finished the game with 33 points on 12-for-18 shooting. He also got to the line eight times (converting six of his attempts), and pitched in five assists. A really, really impressive performance, even against sub-par defense. It’s these sorts of games that give us hope."

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.

Manti Te'o's draft stock was already falling, prior to story about deceased girlfriend being revealed as a hoax

0
0

Famed talent expert says bizarre story could further hurt draft status of Notre Dame linebacker, but it was already harmed by Te'o's poor performance in BCS national championship game.


Here's the real story: Manti Te'o's stock in the NFL draft already was sinking.

 Blame his performance in the BCS title game, not any hoax or conspiracy, for that.

Still, the uncertainty surrounding Notre Dame's All-American linebacker could further hurt his draft stock, NFL draft consultant Gil Brandt said.

Brandt called the story "something I have never witnessed" in his half-century in pro football.

"I think some teams will say it isn't worth the problem" to draft Te'o, said Brandt, who has the linebacker rated 19th overall in the first round.

The former Dallas Cowboys general manager added Thursday that Te'o's stock had plummeted after a poor performance in the BCS championship game.

"I don't think anybody considered him to be a top-five pick before all this happened," Brandt said. "In that game against Alabama, this was like a guy who was the best shooter in the world in basketball and here comes a game and he can't even hit the backboard. His play in that game was absolutely horrible. He missed on run blitzes; guys ran over him ..."

Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery said "it's no different what the red flags are."

"You've got to identify them," he said. "You've got to research it and then you decide what impact that has on the total person in terms of his ability to play football and to manage his life."

David Schwab, a senior executive at sports management firm Octagon, considered Te'o perhaps the most marketable player coming into this year's draft. As the face of a Notre Dame team that returned to national relevance, the Heisman Trophy runner-up had the name recognition of few college stars.

"Compassionate" and "heartwarming" were some of the adjectives Schwab would have used to describe his image.

Now, that persona will depend on the details that emerge about the story of a girlfriend who didn't exist.

"If he truly had nothing to do with it, I think the long-term damage is zero," said Schwab, who specializes in matching companies to celebrities.

In the short term, it's unlikely to see Te'o promoting any products, because a public appearance would turn into an impromptu news conference about the hoax. If uncertainty lingers about exactly what happened, Schwab said, many companies may hesitate to sign him.

But even if Te'o is implicated in the hoax, he could still eventually turn into a sponsor's dream if he blossoms as an NFL star.

"If you perform on the field, you quickly become marketable," Schwab said.

Look no further than Ray Lewis, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker who was charged with murder in 2000. The charges were dropped after Lewis agreed to testify against two other men and he subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice. This week he's a beloved figure heading into the AFC championship with retirement looming.

Te'o would hardly be the first player to see his draft stock sink because of off-field issues. Last year, North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins fell to the second round after multiple run-ins with the law related to marijuana got him dismissed from Florida.

Warren Sapp in 1995 and Randy Moss in 1998 slid because of character concerns; both are now considered potential Hall of Famers.

Teams may be less likely to take a risk on Te'o in the draft if they don't believe he can become a dominant player.

Brandt noted how the inside linebacker position doesn't carry as much importance in the NFL as it once did. In the last 10 years, only four inside linebackers were taken in the first round, although one of them was perennial All-Pro Patrick Willis of San Francisco.

"I think it would be different if it was a quarterback who would change the game," he said. "But linebackers are a piece to the puzzle; they don't solve the puzzle. Other than Ray Lewis, I don't know of any linebacker you say, 'We've got to have this guy.'

"(Inside) linebackers are not as important as they used to be. We're down to one or two first-round linebackers now."

Brandt wondered how Te'o could be so effective during the season, including seven interceptions — "unheard of, like hitting .450 in baseball" — and then so unproductive in the championship game.

"Between now and 97 days from now when the draft comes, there'll be a lot of people investigating just what took place," he said.


Cleveland Indians Asdrubal Cabrera, Carlos Santana, Mike Aviles will play in World Baseball Classic

0
0

Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana are among additional Indians named to the World Baseball Classic.

carlos santana.JPG Carlos Santana is on the WBC roster for the Dominican Republic.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians locker room is going to be missing some familiar faces this spring once the World Baseball Classic gets into full swing.

Provisional rosters were announced Thursday for all competing nations. The 28-man rosters must be made official by Feb. 20.

Here's a list of the Indians competing.

-Relievers Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez are scheduled to pitch for Team USA.

-Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera will play for Venezuela.

-Catcher Carlos Santana is scheduled to play for the Dominican Republic.

-Infielder Mike Aviles and minor league left-hander Giovanni Soto are scheduled to play for Puerto Rico.

-Catcher/infielder Yan Gomes is scheduled to play for Brazil, but still hasn't made a final decision.

Another member of the Indians organization will also be working at the WBC. Kim Stearns, one of the Indians doctors, will provide medical coverage in Fukuoka, Japan when the tournament begins on March 2. The competing teams in Japan are Brazil, Japan, Cuba and China.

Team USA begins play March 8 against Mexico. The championship will be play March 19 at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Tristan Thompson has been most consistent player lately for Cavs: Comment of the Day

0
0

"Irving it just goes without saying was great, but Tristan Thompson had a great game today as well. He has been the most consistent Cav's player lately." - rome

AX084_13E4_9.JPG Tristan Thompson has been the most consistent player for the Cavaliers lately, says one cleveland.com reader. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)  
In response to the story Cleveland Cavaliers beat Portland Trail Blazers as Kyrie Irving scores 31 points, cleveland.com reader rome says Tristan Thompson has been most consistent for the Cavaliers lately. This reader writes,

"Irving it just goes without saying was great, but Tristan Thompson had a great game today as well. He has been the most consistent Cav's player lately. If we had Andy with TT for the defense, I think we would have won a lot more games. They miss his defense in the middle. We almost lost that gaem because someonee was not blockout on a free throw."

To respond to rome's comment, go here.

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

Saturday's St. Edward-St. Ignatius basketball game sold out

0
0

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Saturday’s basketball game between host St. Ignatius and St. Edward is a sellout, Wildcats Rory Fitzpatrick said. No passes will be honored and no scouts will be admitted, he added.

Saturday's basketball game at St. Ignatius against rival St. Edward is sold out and no passes or scouts will be admitted, the school announced.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Saturday’s basketball game between host St. Ignatius and St. Edward is a sellout, Wildcats Rory Fitzpatrick said.

No passes will be honored and no scouts will be admitted, he added.

The game, one of the most intense rivalries in the area, pits St. Edward, ranked third in The Plain Dealer Top 25, against the No. 4 Wildcats.

“People should not show up without a ticket,” Fitzpatrick said. “Every seat we have is accounted for. No one will be admitted without a ticket.”

No. 7 Garfield vs. No. 1 Shaker nearing a sellout: A limited number of tickets are available for Friday's boys basketball game between host Shaker Heights and Garfield Heights, Raiders Athletic Director Don Readance said. The remaining tickets are on sale Friday at both schools.

Off the ice with Monsters forward Luke Walker

0
0

Monsters RW Luke Walker Shoots: Left. Ht/Wt: 6-1, 174. Born: Feb. 19, 1990, New Haven, Conn. Acquired: Fifth-round pick in 2010. PD: You remain sidelined because of a concussion suffered in early December. Update? LW: Day to day. You don't really have a time frame with concussions. It comes down to when you're symptom-free, and I'm getting better slowly but...

Monsters RW Luke Walker

Shoots: Left. Ht/Wt: 6-1, 174. Born: Feb. 19, 1990, New Haven, Conn. Acquired: Fifth-round pick in 2010.

PD: You remain sidelined because of a concussion suffered in early December. Update?

LW: Day to day. You don't really have a time frame with concussions. It comes down to when you're symptom-free, and I'm getting better slowly but surely. What's holding me back are the headaches here and there; you can't have any of those.

PD: Your father, Gordie, played parts of four seasons with the Rangers and Kings. What have you learned most from him?

LW: He was my coach for most of my time growing up. He taught me how the game works. More than anything, he taught me how to think the game.

PD: What is your favorite piece of memorabilia from your dad's playing days?

LW: A Wayne Gretzky stick.

PD: How many times have you had the nickname "Sky" directed your way?

LW: (Chuckle) I knew that was coming.

PD: Sorry.

LW: It's OK. You had to ask. Believe me, I'm used to it by now. A lot of people bring it up once, then it usually goes away.

PD: What do you think of the Star Wars franchise?

LW: I actually love the movies. I've seen them a lot, which is kind of weird. It probably would be better if I stayed away from them.

PD: Don't tell me you actually liked the original Luke Skywalker.

LW: (Chuckle) Yes, I did.

PD: You don't have a light saber in your residence, do you?

LW: When I was young, I did. One of those plastic fold-out ones. But I grew out of it.

PD: Preferred activities away from the ice?

LW: Try to stay out of trouble. Keep things hush-hush. Video games, movies.

PD: Toughest part of playing pro hockey?

LW: The mental aspect. When you have three games in three nights, for example, you get run down. The (third) game comes and you might be thinking, 'I don't know if I can even do this.' The legs are burning, but you've got to get the head right.

PD: Highlight of pro career?

LW: After getting drafted, the coaching staff didn't really know who I was. The scouts said, 'Maybe we should take a look at this guy.' I was kind of a nobody coming in, but I had a good camp and made this club a year earlier than I thought I would.

PD: Favorite place to go in Cleveland?

LW: I'll say this: I don't hate Morton's. Great steak.

PD: Your best friend on the team is Mike Connolly. What is one thing about him he might not want us to know?

LW: I think he's got a Chipotle addiction.

PD: Summarize Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth.

LW: He used to be a player, and he's still got that player mentality. He never gets too serious, which is nice, but he's tough when he needs to be. You know where you stand with him. You can talk to him, unlike some coaches.

PD: Favorite activities growing up besides hockey?

LW: Lacrosse. At one point, I had to choose between the two and chose hockey.

PD: Which team will win the AFC and NFC title games, respectively?

LW: The Patriots in the AFC; I've got to go with Tom Brady. Niners in the NFC.

PD: What do you do to pass the time on long bus trips?

LW: Card games. There's always a card game going somewhere. If I'm not playing cards, I'll watch movies or TV shows on the computer.


Hannah Rosinski and Jacob Jaffe to wrap up careers at U.S. Figure Skating Championship

0
0

Hannah Rosinski and Jacob Jaffe will end their dance skating careers at the the 2013 U.S. Figure Skating Championship in Omaha, Neb., on Sunday.

hannahandjacob.jpg Hannah Rosinski and Jacob Jaffe practice at the rink in the Cleveland Heights Community Center before heading off to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Omaha, Neb. -- their final competition together.
 

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- Hannah Rosinski and Jacob Jaffe will soon be ending a career when most teenagers are on the verge of beginning one.

Jaffe, 19, along with his 17-year-old Junior Division Dance partner Hannah Rosinski, will be living their last hurrah at the 2013 U.S. Figure Skating Championship, which begins Sunday in Omaha, Neb.

"It really hasn't hit me yet," said Jaffe, a Cleveland Heights resident and skater since he was 5. "The fact I won't be skating competitively anymore, well, it's just hard to imagine."

Two other Pavilion Skating Club members will also be competing: 16-year-old Hawken junior Micah Jaffe (Jacob's brother) and South Euclid resident/Ohio Virtual Academy junior Kimberly Berkovich, 16, in the Novice Dance Division while Parma resident/Cleveland State freshman Troy Tomasello, 17, will represent Strongsville Skating Club in the Junior Men's Division.

The Jaffe/Rosinski duo, making their second consecutive trip to nationals, placed third in Novice Dance a year ago in San Jose (Calif.) in what appeared would be their final competition.

Jaffe, then a senior at Hawken, had already earned early acceptance into Brown but decided to delay being an Ivy League freshman for a year.

"I wasn't that hard a decision," said Jaffe, who hasn't declared a major. "I was really focused on skating at nationals last year and when we did what we did there, I was even more determined to give it one more try."

Rosinski, a Beaumont senior, is happy to be returning to nationals with Jaffe.

"I couldn't think of anyone else I'd want to finish with than Jacob," said Rosinski, a University Heights resident who will major in early child education at either Miami University or Ohio State.

When both of their partners left to attend college, Rosinski and Jaffe were paired up by Pavilion Skating Club coaches Jackie Miles and Chip Rossbach. Their coach is Brandon Forsyth when they train in Michigan while coach Shane Mahoney runs them through their off-ice training.

"I've known Jacob forever," said Rosinski, who picked up the sport when she was 3. "I honestly don't know why we didn't start skating together sooner."

Their six-times-a-week practices total 20 hours, not including the additional 10 hours during the holiday break, but that still may not be enough to overcome the more-experienced field.

"We're competing in the Junior Division which is a level up from last year," said Jaffe. "Two of the returning pairs placed at nationals last year and a lot of the skaters have been together much longer than we have.

"We'd like to finish in the top eight, and it's a realistic goal."

Jaffe will head to Israel after nationals, spending five months in a kibbutz and learning Hebrew, before going off to college.

Rosinski will head back home.

"I'm scared I'm going to be so bored because skating has been my life," she admitted. "We usually take a day off after competition but when I get back this time, thats's it.

"I'm done. Wow."

Cleveland Browns' Jim Brown and Josh Cribbs do the voices for their characters in Nicktoons episode aired on Friday and Saturday

0
0

Episode is part of the "NFL RUSH ZONE: Season of the Guardians" series.


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown and current Browns kick returner-wide receiver Josh Cribbs do the voices for animated characters of their likeness in this week's episode of NFL RUSH ZONE: Season of the Guardians on Nicktoons.

The show is telecast this Friday night at 9 Cleveland time on Nicktoons and re-aired on Saturday morning at 7 on the NFL Network.

The episode has the undefeated and Youth Tackle Football champion Steelers visiting Canton to play the Bulldogs, who aren't very confident about the match-up. The Bulldogs, however, are boosted by the attitude of one of their players and by encouragement from Brown and Cribbs.

"NFL RUSH ZONE: Season of the Guardians" airs new episodes Fridays at 9 p.m. Cleveland time on Nicktoons, re-airs Saturdays at 7 a.m. on NFL Network and is co-produced by Nickelodeon and the NFL. All 32 NFL teams are showcased throughout the season. Episodes are also accessible on Nicktoons.com and NFLRUSH.com.

Big changes could be coming to transfer rule in Ohio High School Athletic Association's bylaws

0
0

The OHSAA is considering proposing changes to its transfer bylaw that could have a dramatic impact if approved by member schools. Instead of sitting out 12 months, a transfer would be sidelined just half a season.

ohsaa-logo.jpg View full size The Ohio High School Athletic Association is considering proposing changes to its transfer bylaw that could have a dramatic impact if approved by member schools. Instead of sitting out 12 months, a transfer would be sidelined just half a season.  
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The word "transfer" appears 58 times in the Ohio High School Athletic Association bylaw covering eligibility.

The 14-page bylaw itself has 46 exceptions to its own rules, many of them the result of legal action brought to the OHSAA by a transferring student's family.

The OHSAA staff is overwhelmed with transfer issues and appeals. Legal counsel Steve Craig told the Board of Directors last month he has spent more time in court this school year than ever before, and almost all of the cases involved transfers.

Every time one ruling is reached, it seemingly creates two more trap doors, and the OHSAA worries about future rulings that could alter its mission.

"It's a nightmare," one OHSAA staffer said recently.

The OHSAA is about ready to throw up its hands and at least partially open the floodgates.

The OHSAA is considering a bylaw that could have a dramatic impact on student-athletes changing schools: A transfer, regardless of motivation, would need to sit out just half a season in the sports he or she played, instead of the now-required 12 months.

If the rule is adopted, a football player could transfer and be eligible to play Week 6. If that athlete also played basketball at his old school, he could play in the 12th basketball game. If he did not run track at his previous school and decided to pick up that sport, he would be eligible the full season.

Most other transfer requirements would remain in place, as well as the exceptions. So, if a legitimate change of address or custody occurs, eligibility would be immediate.

But for those who don't fit the exceptions and are transferring because they don't like their coach or think they have a better chance to play elsewhere, they could transfer via a move, open enrollment and only miss half the regular season.

The rule change still is in the discussion stage, but definitely is on the radar of the OHSAA's Board of Directors. There is a strong possibility the board will vote next month to put the bylaw on the upcoming May referendum alongside the controversial public-private separation already on the ballot. Member schools would need a simple majority to make the change, and if approved, it would be ready to go this fall.

In some ways, the 12-month wait is too harsh. If it happens after a student's freshman year, it could force him or her to sit out a third or a half of their remaining high school career. Seniors have missed their final seasons. That's a big sacrifice.

But the one-year wait has a purpose. It's a deterrent. It dampens the free-agent atmosphere that ruled the day not so long ago.

More frequently in those days, student-athletes were changing schools numerous times, even switching back and forth between seasons. Football players at one school would be wrestlers at another. Girls basketball was a merry-go-round for elite players whose parents thought they would rule the world. Of course, there were the less-than-scrupulous coaches whose open gyms became open season on other school's players.

That also is a nightmare.

Notable: Here's the exact wording of the private-public separation referendum item OHSAA member schools will vote on in May -- two understated sentences that could turn Ohio high school sports upside down:

"Member school teams and individuals may compete in OHSAA sponsored tournaments only in the tournament to which they have been assigned. Notwithstanding this provision, all member non-public school teams and individuals shall be assigned to a tournament separate and apart from tournaments in which member public school teams and individuals compete."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Cleveland Browns coach Rob Chudzinski smart not to clean house -- Terry Pluto

0
0

Rob Chudzinski’s first group of assistant coaches is a reason for Browns fans to be encouraged.

rob-chuzinski.JPG Coach Rob Chudzinski has shown wisdom in the choices of his coaching staff.  

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- At this point, the only real news about Norv Turner would have been if he had changed his mind about becoming the Browns offensive coordinator.

It seems from the moment the Browns hired Rob Chudzinski as their new head coach, word was Turner would be joining the staff to run the offense.

That was good news back then, and there's even better news now as the Browns not only officially announced Turner, they also named five other coaches.

Actually, two of them are already on the staff -- Chris Tabor and George Warhop.

This is where Chudzinski impresses, as new coaches so often want to rip up the old staff and bring in their own guys.

Warhop is a respected offensive line coach. He was hired by Eric Mangini in 2009, retained by Pat Shurmur and now has the same position with Chudzinski. The Browns added a second offensive line coach in Mike Sullivan.

The point is the Browns had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The only member inherited by Warhop is All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas. The others came to the Browns and developed under Warhop's watch.

So when a team finally has a solid line, the last thing you do is change offensive line coaches.

And Chudzinski didn't fall into that trap.

The same with Chris Tabor, who rebounded from a rocky rookie year in 2011 to assemble one of the best special teams in 2012. Football Outsiders rated them No. 2 in the NFL, behind Baltimore.

In a casual conversation, Phil Dawson raved to me about the growth of the special teams under Tabor this season. He mentioned how it was a very young group, and Tabor had to continually make adjustments to the coverage groups.

In some ways, keeping Tabor and Warhop is nearly as important as adding Turner -- because the Browns can't keep changing everything every two years when a new head coach arrives.

But obviously, Turner is a major addition.

He has been a head coach for 15 years with three different teams. Chudzinski had worked for Turner twice, and he is wise to add this 60-year-old veteran as his mentor.

Turner was fired after a 7-9 record with San Diego, his offense ranking 31st -- yes, even below the Browns.

But the previous four years, the Chargers offense was ranked 6-1-10-11. He is respected as an offensive coordinator who had success with Dallas and some other teams.

Like Chudzinski, Turner is not married to one system.

Chudzinski had success with the stationary Derek Anderson (Browns 2007) and the athletic Cam Newton (Carolina 2011-12). Turner developed Philip Rivers into a top 10 quarterback, and has success stories going back to Troy Aikman with Dallas in the early 1990s.

It's easy to imagine Turner and Chudzinski looking at video of Brandon Weeden and asking: "OK, what does he do well? How can we make him better?"

Maybe Weeden will fail as an NFL quarterback. Or maybe he will improve next season simply because he's no longer a rookie, and experience is critical.

And maybe that West Coast Offense was not the right fit for Weeden in 2012 because it was very different from his scheme at Oklahoma State.

But this much is certain: If Weeden doesn't produce with these two coaches, he has no long-term future as a starting quarterback.

To reach Terry Pluto:

terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674

Previous columns online:

cleveland.com/columns

Cleveland Browns' stadium deal with FirstEnergy averages about $6 million a year for 17 years

0
0

The amount puts the deal on par with the 20-year, $122 million agreement the Indianapolis Colts signed with Lucas Oil Products in 2008.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- FirstEnergy will be paying the Browns an average of about $6 million a year for at least 17 years for the right to have its name on Cleveland Browns Stadium.

That's the word from an NFL source who was not authorized to talk on the record and would not discuss the structure of the agreement.

The amount puts the deal on par with the 20-year, $122 million agreement the Indianapolis Colts signed with Lucas Oil Products in 2008. Some other notable deals: the Baltimore Ravens have a five-year, $75 million deal at M&T Bank Stadium; and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a 20-year, $57 million deal at Heinz Field.

The Akron-based utility had no comment on the terms of the deal, which was unveiled with great fanfare Tuesday after months of negotiations.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said during the event that FirstEnergy asked that fees and other details not be disclosed.

FirstEnergy's last report to investors in November showed profits were down 20 percent compared to the year before, partly because of declining demand and competition from companies with cheap gas-fired power plants.

Of all its divisions, the only bright spot was the free-wheeling and unregulated FirstEnergy Solutions, which sells power all over Ohio as well as in other states.

FirstEnergy is a $16 billion a year company and the $6 million annual expense comes under the cost of doing business -- in other words marketing, which is becoming more important as power companies compete.

These costs cannot come be passed onto FirstEnergy's customers through rate increases. Still, both regulators and consumer advocates will be watching.

"I have not heard that the utility will seek to charge electricity customers for the cost of the stadium naming rights," said Ohio Consumers' Counsel Bruce Weston. "But it's not an expense that electricity customers, even if they are football fans, should have to pay."

Todd Snitchler, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio said he doesn't expect FirstEnergy to try to pass on the cost.

"That is all shareholder money," he said. "We don't have any control over how they spend those dollars."

Former Ohio Consumers' Counsel Bill Spratley, now head of Green Energy Ohio, said he hopes FirstEnergy and the Browns will next consider "greening" the stadium.

"The Cleveland Indians have been real league leaders," he said of the Tribe's decision to put a solar array and a wind turbine at Progressive Field.

"I see this partnership as an opportunity for FirstEnergy to be associated with green energy. A solar array would look very nice down there. It's time for them to play ball," said Spratley.

Henry Henderson, director of the Midwest Program for the Natural Resources Defense Council echoed that thought.

"They can learn a thing or two from Progressive Field, which has gotten national kudos as one of the greenest sports facilities in the country, thanks in part to their wind turbine and solar arrays."

-- With Tom Reed

Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images