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Cleveland Browns agree to historic broadcast deal, don't anticipate any coverage gaps on game days

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NFL says Cleveland pact marks first time rival stations banded together to win broadcast rights

donovan-dieken-horiz-pdfile.jpg View full size The long-standing Browns broadcast team of Doug Dieken (left) and play-by-play voice Jim Donovan are expected to be unaffected by the team's move of the radio rights from WTAM/WMMS to AM station WKNR and FM stations WKRK and WNCX.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns will make NFL broadcast history next season through a new radio partnership announced on Thursday morning.

But will an unprecedented “triple cast” allow fans to hear Jim Donovan scream “Touchdown – Browns,” no matter where they are listening in the Cleveland area? The club and the stations involved in the unique business arrangement said Wednesday that coverage gaps are a non-issue.

The Browns have awarded their game-day broadcast rights to ESPN’s WKNR AM/850 and CBS Radio’s WKRK FM/92.3 and WNCX FM 98.5. The franchise’s games had been aired on Clear Channel Communication stations, WMMS FM/100.7 and WTAM AM/1100, since they returned in 1999.

Contract terms were not revealed, although it’s believed the stations have the right to carry Browns games for at least five seasons.

“We really think this is a great deal and we got to that point through the creativity and intelligence of our partners,” Browns president Alec Scheiner said. “We had a vision for what the Cleveland Browns needed in terms of content and exposure and programming. CBS and ESPN got together and delivered all the things we wanted jointly. I will give them all the credit for coming up with this structure.”

The fact rival sports talk-show stations (WKNR and WKRK) would unite for the winning bid speaks to the Browns’ immense local popularity despite their losing ways. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The Plain Dealer that both the triple cast and competing networks joining forces are each “first-of-its kind” according to league research.

Historical context aside, some fans are more worried about their radio signal fading out as Brandon Weeden fades back for a critical fourth-quarter pass.

WTAM has a 50,000-watt signal in the day and evening. WKNR broadcasts are 50,000 watts during the day, but drop to 4,700 watts at night, which could have an impact on prime-time games and also late-season 4:15 p.m. kickoffs. The two FM stations are both less than 50,000 watts.

As news of the agreement leaked late Tuesday, some local fans took to message boards and wrote emails citing anecdotal evidence of dead zones within the area. But the Browns and representatives from the stations said at least one, if not more, of the three stations will always have a clear signal for games.

There’s also the Browns Radio Network for fans traveling statewide. The affiliates, which operate on one- and two-year deals, have not been released for the 2013 season. There were 24 affiliates on the network this past season. Live streaming will be available on the team and station’s web sites, according to the Browns, as well as the club’s mobile phone app.

“Just the combination of the three stations will reach Northeast Ohio clearly, cleanly and with many options for listeners,” said Tom Herschel, senior vice president and markets manager for CBS Radio in Cleveland.

The Browns plan to keep the broadcast tandem of Donovan and Doug Dieken intact. The club and teams declined to discus how they will divide advertising revenue.

Beyond game days, the club will nearly double its Browns auxiliary programming to 1,000 hours annually. The new deal kicks off at the NFL Draft (April 25-27) as WKRK will supply live broadcasts on the first two nights with WKNR providing coverage on the final day. The stations will simulcast a coach’s show and also promote philanthropic events sponsored by the Browns.

“We wanted our fans to be able to listen to a great deal of programming,” Scheiner said. “By being on a number of stations we feel as though we are broadening the number of people who can hear our content and we believe a lot of it will be unique to what others can provide.”

Scheiner said the 1,000 hours of annual programming -- which will include an expanded Cleveland Browns Daily show -- is comparable to the Dallas Cowboys’ agreement. Scheiner worked for the Cowboys prior to his arrival in Cleveland in late December.

While negotiations did not heat up until January, WKNR and WKRK formed their alliance in mid-October. Craig Karmazin, founder of Good Karma Broadcasting, which owns the ESPN affiliate, said the two sides quickly got past their status as rivals. He knew CBS had a history of forging bonds with competitors, citing the network’s willingness to work with Turner Broadcasting on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

“We talked about (the rivalry) in our first conversations,” Karmazin said. “But the Browns are such a great community entity we knew could make it work. We thought working together would send a really powerful statement for the Browns.”

A representative for WTAM did not return a message seeking comment on Wednesday.


A familiar fade: Jeff Green's driving layup at the buzzer lifts Boston Celtics to 93-92 comeback win over Cleveland Cavaliers

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Jeff Green scored 21 points and his driving layup at the buzzer lifted the Boston Celtics to a 93-92 victory over the Cavaliers on Wednesday night at The Q.

There were 2.1 seconds left and the Cavaliers were clinging to a 92-91 lead on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night at The Q.

Alonzo Gee, defending Paul Pierce, had knocked the ball out of bounds right in front of the Cavs' bench. As the officials reviewed what seemed to be a fairly clear call, coach Byron Scott sent out his charges with a fairly simple defensive mandate: Switch everything.

But they didn't.

C.J. Miles guarded the inbounds pass from Avery Bradley, and Gee was on Pierce away from the ball. Jason Terry slipped Wayne Ellington and got in Luke Walton's way, while Jeff Green got the ball above the 3-point line, took one dribble with his left hand and sliced between Ellington and Shaun Livingston for a right-handed layup at the buzzer that lifted the Celtics to a 93-92 win.

• Final statistics from Celtics-Cavaliers

• Chicago ends Miami's win streak at 27, 101-97

"Tough way to lose a game," Scott said as the Cavs dropped their sixth straight to fall to 22-48.

"The thing I'm more upset about than anything was that the ball was knocked out of bounds by Zo, and they reviewed it."

"So basically you give them another timeout. It was very clear."

The Celtics, who were playing their second game in two days, were out of timeouts at that point, but during the review, Boston coach Doc Rivers called over his players to diagram the last play, and it worked to perfection.

"I'm a player," said Green, who finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and one blocked shot for the Celtics, who snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 37-34, solidifying their hold on the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and taking a 21/2-game lead over eighth-place Milwaukee.

Brandon Bass added 22 points, and Pierce had 19 points and 10 rebounds -- all on the defensive end.

"Me, Paul [Pierce], Avery [Bradley], Jet [Jason Terry] all have the confidence to take big shots," said Green, who had lifesaving open-heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in January 2012. "When you've got a Hall of Famer like Paul who accepts that the play is called for you, it makes you even more confident."

Once again, the Cavs failed to (choose one):

a) Play with a lead

b) Close out a game

c) Communicate on defense

d) All of the above

The Cavs held their biggest lead, 86-72, with 8:08 left in the fourth quarter on a short jumper by Marreese Speights, and they were still up, 88-78, after a 17-footer by Speights with 5:49 left. From that point on, the Cavs went 1-of-9 with three turnovers, while the Celtics closed out the game on a 21-6 run.

"I thought we stopped being aggressive . . . looking at the clock . . . again playing not to lose the game instead of playing to win the game," Scott said.

Yet with his team struggling down the stretch, Scott elected not to use one of his three remaining timeouts after Pierce brought the Celtics within 92-91 with a 7-foot fadeaway with 32 seconds left. Instead, Livingston missed a 10-footer with 10.9 seconds left and Jordan Crawford got the rebound with 9.9 seconds left, paving the way for the game-winning play.

Asked why he didn't take a timeout, Scott said: "I knew what they were going to do. They were going to switch everything anyway. It was going to be pretty much the same as what we ended up with. Shaun was going to have the ball, or Wayne was going to have the ball and try to make a play. I thought Shaun got a good look. Got it right in the paint, about a 10-footer. He just missed it."

And the Cavs missed another chance. "We have to hold ourselves accountable," Ellington said. "We're all professionals here and should all be communicating with each other and helping each other on the defensive end of the floor.'"

Spring fishing for steelhead, rainbows, crappie swinging into action: D'Arcy's Fishing Report

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Spring is finally arriving, ans so is the good spring fishing. Steelhead trout are being caught from the Northeast Ohio rivers, walleye are biting around the Western Basin of Lake Erie, crappie fishing is starting to light up and stocked rainbow trout are providing lots of opportunities.



GENERAL FISHING REPORT

The big thaw that kicked up water levels in the Lake Erie tributaries around Northeast Ohio this week also lured fresh runs of steelhead trout. Stocked rainbow trout are being caught from a variety of locations. The spring crappie fishing is expected to fire up this week and Western Lake Erie walleye are being caught while jigging the reefs or slowly trolling minnow-style diving plugs.

RIVERS AND STREAMS

The Lake Erie tributaries around northeast Ohio were being visited by good numbers of spawning steelhead trout this week. Water levels kicked up by the wet snow and warming temperatures are coming down, with the Rocky, Chagrin and Vermilion rivers in the best shape for success. All are clearing, and should be excellent for the weekend. Conneaut Creek should be good in a couple of days, but the muddy Grand River needs extra time to clear.

The top selections for spinning tackle have been small 1/16- and 1-32-ounce black marabou jigs, sometimes sweetened with maggots, waxworms or minnows. Also good have been small white tube jigs and spawn bags. Fly presentations include egg patterns, especially sucker spawn flies now that white suckers have begun their spring invasion.  Trout are also being caught on olive or black bead-head nymphs and stone flies, or swinging small streamers.

Rainbow trout are being released weekly in the East Branch of the Rocky River by the Cleveland Metroparks, with a few hundred trout sprinkled between Rt. 82 in Strongsville and the main branch or the Rocky River.

The warmer weather has also helped start the walleye run in the Maumee River and, on a smaller scale, the Sandusky River.

LAKE ERIE

Cold weather had limited fishing opportunities on Western Lake Erie for both trolling fisherman and anglers working the expansive Niagara Reef complex with lead-head jigs in green, purple and chartreuse, but a fair to good weekend of walleye is in the forecast. The Lake Erie Walleye Trail's Happy Hooker Tournament on Saturday at Fenwick Marina in the Port Clinton area will help define spring patterns for walleye fishing.

Despite mediocre fishing weather in recent days, some walleye have been caught while trolling west of Green Island and the Catawba area, and around "F" Can off Camp Perry. The jig bite had been slow, but the warming water temperatures have walleye moving to the spawning reefs.

The crappie fishing around the Lake Erie marinas has been fair to good for anglers working emerald shiner minnows under a float.

INLAND LAKES, RESERVOIRS

The Division of Wildlife's spring rainbow trout stockings continue, with Westlake Recreation Center's pond and the Cleveland Metroparks' Hinckley and Shadow lakes getting a visit from the popular trout truck on Monday. More than 2,000 pounds of foot-long rainbow trout were released recently in Mentor's Granger Pond at Veterans Park. Small jigs and ice flies tipped with a few maggots or waxworms, PowerBait or salmon eggs have been catching trout. As the waters continue to clear and warm, spinners and spoons will come into play.

The warmer weather will soon kick off the spring crappie fishing. Top early spring crappie lakes include Mosquito and West Branch reservoirs and Nimisila Lake, as well as Oberlin Lake, Welllington Upground Reservoir and little Spencer Lake. Work small jigs and minnows under a float starting in 3 to 5 feet of water, gradually moving to deeper water.

The bass fishing has been slow. The KSU Thaw Open, the first bass tournament of the season, will launch at Mosquito Reservoir on Saturday. Walleye at Mosquito and Pymatuning reservoirs should begin to chase jigs and minnows or twister tails and small diving plugs like the Shad Rap, especially late in the day and just after dark. Anglers will be wading the points after dark soon for walleye at both lakes.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers and Byron Scott searching for answers to all the losing

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The Cavaliers lost their sixth straight game Wednesday, prompting questions about Byron Scott's coaching strategy and the players' commitment to team principles.

scott-watching-cavs-horiz-ss.jpg Byron Scott has challenged his Cavaliers to play better in the team's final 12 games of the season.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Byron Scott celebrated his 52nd birthday Thursday trying not to second-guess all that happened in another heartbreaking loss Wednesday night, trying to understand whether he's getting through to his Cavaliers after 60 games, and discussing it all in a lengthy film session aimed at preventing a seventh straight loss Friday against Philadelphia.

Conclusions? Sometimes, Scott wishes time would have frozen ages ago.

"I wish I were 25 and could still go out there and play and maybe it'd be a little bit of a different story," he said. "But (the coaches) can't play, so all we can do is give you the game plan and hope that you go out there and follow it."

In another fourth-quarter meltdown, in which Boston erased a 14-point deficit in the final 8:08, the Cavaliers failed miserably in an attempt to defend the Celtics' Jeff Green on a game-winning layup.

In trying to find answers while watching film, forward Luke Walton said players understand what they need to do offensively and defensively, but simply aren't doing it. The Cavaliers' losing streak matches their longest of the season, experienced twice before.

"I think everyone from players to coaches are frustrated with losing," Walton said. "Stuff that we're doing has happened to us multiple times. I think coaches are kind of frustrated as to why we're not, as players, making the changes and doing things differently to stop letting that happen.

"And as players, it's tough to keep losing the games."

In examining the loss, Scott's game management and substitution patterns -- Tyler Zeller did not play in the fourth quarter despite 11 points and nine rebounds -- prompted numerous post-game questions in perhaps the harshest media criticism since he arrived in Cleveland three years ago.

A day later, when asked if he would have coached the game differently, Scott paused at length before responding.

"I could say yeah, but I'm going to say no. Because that's 20-20 (hindsight)," he said. "Now that I looked at it? Yeah, there's a whole lot of things I would have done differently. But at that particular point, going throughout the game, no, I wouldn't change anything. Now, if we could go back and start over? I would change about 10 things. But since I can't? I'm not going to go back and have regrets on things that after I see it, I say, 'Oh man, I wish I'd done this.' There's no need to even go there."

Pressed further, however, on ending the game with three timeouts -- none was called during the Celtics' late-game charge while the Cavaliers were 1-for-9 shooting -- Scott reconsidered. With the current lineup -- devoid of playmakers Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters -- Scott said it might not be best to aim for spontaneity.

"That's one of the things I probably learned last night," Scott admitted. "We get in that situation tomorrow night or any other game, maybe I'll just go ahead and burn that one (timeout) and set up something specifically for that person to try to get a better shot."

The Cavaliers have 12 games remaining, half against teams currently out of the playoffs. Scott said he's challenged his team with goals on both offensive and defense, but that he doesn't feel additional pressure to ensure those numbers are reached.

He merely wants to see improvement, to get better.

"We're so close to being where we want to be as a basketball team," Scott said. "But all these little things add up. And they cost you wins. And that's one of our biggest problems right now -- just doing all the little things we have to do."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654.

Lake Erie's walleye, yellow perch still slumping, but Ohio daily bag limits remain the same for 2013

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Fisheries experts from around Lake Erie announced what they believe is a scientifically sound harvest strategy for walleye in 2013 at a Great Lakes Fishery Commission meeting on Thursday in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Lake Erie Walleye.jpg A trophy Lake Erie walleye fell head over tail for a spinner harness and nightcrawler that featured a "burnt shrimp" blade colored in orange and charcoal.  

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- The Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch populations continue to decline, but the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission decided at its annual meeting here on Thursday that there were enough of Ohio's favorite fish to maintain the same bag limits of a year ago.

It certainly helps that Buckeye fishermen seldom catch the number of walleye allowed each year by the Walleye Task Group. Ohio has only reached what is called its total allowable catch in two of the last 25 years. For 2013, the lakewide harvest was set at 3.356 million fish. Ohio was allocated 1.715 milllion walleye, slightly less than the 1.782 million in 2012. It is estimated Ohio sport anglers caught 921,390 walleye in 2012, a big jump from the weather-plagued harvest of 593,000 walleye in 2011.

Ontario, the other major player in the Lake Erie harvest, uses commercial fishing nets to catch its allocation. Only sport anglers are allowed to catch and keep walleye in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie. Ontario's gill nets only missed its quota of 1.502 million walleye by about 100,000 fish. The industry was handed a quota of 1.445 million walleye in 2013.

"We changed the methods we use to assess the population of Lake Erie walleye this year," said Jeff Tyson, the head of Lake Erie fish management for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "If we hadn't made the changes, the assessment model would have said something different, and probably would have reported a higher population. We're trying to develop the best model for counting walleye, and assume there's 17 million walleye out there. But unless we drain the lake, we won't really know."

To find a substantially lower population estimate of walleye, you would have to go all of the way back to 1978. A modern high point in the walleye population arrived with a spectacular 2003 year class that pushed the estimated number of Lake Erie walleye to about 80 million. That 2003 class is still making waves, said Tyson.

"The 2003 class contributed more than 30 percent to the fishery in 2012," he said. "And they have also contributed to the quality of the fishery, with those 10-year-old walleye in the trophy class now."

Ohio fisheries experts have set population standards that would require them to lower the daily bag limit. If Ohio's share of Lake Erie walleye had sunk below 1 million, the bag limits would have to be cut to five or four walleye per day.

Yellow perch fishing has blossomed along the Lake Erie shoreline, and the good news is there's a solid population in the Central Basin and Eastern Basin of Lake Erie. The Western Basin yellow perch production, however, is of major concern. Because of problems with climate change, invasive species and phosphorous pollution from the Maumee River, the largest watershed in the Great Lakes Basin, yellow perch are having a rough time surviving after they've hatched.

Ohio gets a larger share of Lake Erie's walleye, while the Ontario commercial industry gets a larger chunk of the yellow perch harvest. This year, Ontario was allocated about 5.969 million pounds of yellow perch, while Ohio's quota for sport and commercial fishermen was 4.895 million.

"We've seen problems with yellow perch recruitment in the Western Basin since 2007, which was an average year," said Tyson. "We're facing water quality issues there, which are causing those waters to become more eutrophic."

Lake Erie's central and eastern basins are mesatrophic, or biologically diverse waters supporting a larger number of species of fish. The Western Basin, because of pollution, sewage and agricultural run-off, has become eutrophic, its waters more friendly to white perch, carp and white bass than walleye or yellow perch.

"White perch are certainly an issue now, especially the predation impact they're having on the yellow perch population," said Tyson. "It's something we'd never considered in the past, because it's so hard to determine. Larval yellow perch digest quickly in the stomachs of white perch, so we didn't have a handle on the predation. We don't have the science to back it up yet, though."

Ashland University Eagles women's basketball team plays Dowling College in Division II national championship game on Friday night

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The nationally-televised game features Ashland's two-time Division II national Player of the Year, forward Kari Daugherty. Ashland, the national runner-up a year ago, is 36-1. Dowling, from Long Island, N.Y., is 30-3.

ashland-logo.jpg  


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ashland University Eagles women's basketball team plays Dowling College's Golden Lions for the Division II national championship game on Friday night.

Some facts on the game:

Ashland University vs. Dowling College (Long Island, New York)

What: NCAA Division II women’s basketball national championship game.

When and where: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Bill Greehey Arena, San Antonio, Texas.

TV/radio: CBS Sports Network, WMFD-TV (Mansfield); WNCO/1340-AM (Ashland), WRDL/88.9-FM (Ashland University (WNCO broadcast also available on Ashland University athletics website www.goashlandeagles.com).

Records: Ashland, 36-1, ranked second in the nation, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion; Dowling (of Long Island, N.Y.), 30-3, ranked 10th, East Coast Conference champion.

Coaches: Ashland, Sue Ramsey, 18th season, 323-199; Dowling, Joe Pellicane, ninth season, 169-94.

Top players: Ashland — Kari Daugherty, 6-1 Sr. F (22.2 points, 13.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game); Daiva Gerbec, 6-0 Sr. F (14.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg); Taylor Woods, 5-8 Soph. G (12.0 ppg, 3.7 apg); Alyssa Miller, 5-9 Jr. G (10.4 ppg, 5.2 apg); Lindsay Tenyak, 5-8 Sr. G (7.3 ppg, 1.5 apg). Dowling — Danielle Wilson, 6-3 Sr. F (17.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 3.0 blocked shots per game); Connie Simmons, 5-10 Sr. G (11.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.3 apg); Christine Verrelle, 5-8 Soph. G (7.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.0 apg).

Notable: Ashland lost the national championship game last season to Shaw, 88-82, in overtime. Kari Daugherty has been named the Division II national Player of the Year for the second straight season. Eagles coach Sue Ramsey was the Division II national Coach of the Year for last season. The Eagles score 76.1 points per game and allow 54.3. Ashland is a superb shooting team, hitting 46.8 percent from the field, including 38.6 percent on 3-pointers, and 77.4 percent at the foul line. Taylor Woods is shooting 41 percent (70-of-171) on 3-pointers and Lindsay Tenyak 38 percent (63-of-168). Dowling’s Golden Lions average 59.8 points a game and allow 47.8.


Florida State's E.J. Manuel on Browns' inspection list: Cleveland Browns Insider

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The Browns will conduct a private workout with Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel April 5 in Tallahassee, Fla.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After signing veteran Jason Campbell, the Browns continue to scout the top quarterback prospects in the draft.

On April 5, they'll travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to conduct a private workout with Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel, a league source told The Plain Dealer Thursday.

Manuel (6-4, 237) has been praised by draft analysts, with NFL Network's Mike Mayock now having Manuel as his second-ranked quarterback behind West Virginia's Geno Smith, who will get a workout with the Browns

Browns CEO Joe Banner stressed on Thursday that the Browns will keep looking for a quarterback who can take them to the next level.

The Eagles, with the fourth pick in the first round, worked out Manuel Thursday. Their coach, Chip Kelly, recruited him out of high school. He'll also work out for the Bengals on Friday. Manuel led the Seminoles to a 25-6 record as a starter. He's FSU's all-time leader in completion percentage (66.9), which ties for second in ACC history.

Pro Football Weekly writes of Manuel, "A big, strong, athletic passer who excels passing on the move. Has franchise quarterback potential if he can learn to settle down in the pocket."

The Browns are also bringing in Arizona dual-threat passer Matt Scott for a pre-draft visit.

Cooper, Swearinger to visit: Guard/center Jonathan Cooper of North Carolina and South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger are among the 30 draft prospects that will visit the Browns.

Cooper (6-3, 305) has drawn comparisons to former Steelers center Dermontti Dawson. The Browns' guard situation is somewhat uncertain as they wait for the final word on Jason Pinkston's condition. He suffered a pulmonary embolism that ended his 2012 season, but tweeted on Wednesday that the blood clot in right leg is gone.

Swearinger (6-0, 215) would be a candidate to start opposite T.J. Ward. A hard hitter who's made 159 tackles over past two seasons, Swearinger has played strong safety, free safety and cornerback.

Butler to Saints: Former Cowboys linebacker Victor Butler, who visited the Browns last week, signed a two-year deal with the Saints, where he'll be reunited with former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

MLB, Navy combine for annual Bob Feller Act of Valor Award

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MLB, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the USS Alabama Battleship Commission sponsor an award that will keep the memory of Indians legend Bob Feller alive.

feller-wave-10-horiz-ap.jpg Bob Feller was as proud of his service in the U.S. Navy as he was for pitching with the Indians. Those combined loyalties sparked the new award in his name.  

PEORIA, Ariz. -- On Veterans Day one big-league player, one baseball Hall of Famer and one member of the U.S. Navy will receive the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award in Washington, D.C., in a tribute to the memory of the Cleveland Indians' legendary ace.

MLB, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the USS Alabama Battleship Commission spearheaded what will be an annual award honoring the winningest pitcher in Indians history. Feller died in 2010 at the age of 92.

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, which is fitting. Feller was as proud of his service in the Navy during World War II as he was his career with the Indians.

"This distinctly unique award," said author Peter Fertig, who created the honor, "will reward those who can measure up to Bob Feller's courage and the strict standards by which he lived his life, every single day."

Said Bob DiBiasio, Indians vice president of public affairs, "The Indians share strong feelings for Bob's contribution to our organization and this country, and are proud to share in the creation of this award. We look forward to working with the Navy to establish an award of which we can all be proud."

All 30 MLB teams will nominate one player for the award. The names of three of those 30 players will be announced at Progressive Field near Memorial Day.

Feller was the first big-league player to enlist after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Feller missed four seasons with the Indians while serving in the Navy. He served aboard the USS Alabama, which won nine battle stars, eight while Feller was aboard.

On Twitter: @hoynsie


Nick Swisher, Justin Masterson look ready for season: Terry Pluto's Scribbles

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While Nick Swisher impresses, Michael Bourn has had a quiet spring for the Tribe.

Gallery preview

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Some late-week scribbles as the Indians close in on opening day.

1. Nick Swisher has had a very impressive spring, hitting .396 with three homers and 11 RBI in 53 at-bats. He has a quick, compact swing from both sides of the plate, while also walking eight times. He has been very good at first base. He will be a huge presence in the middle of the lineup.

2. At the other end of the free agent horizon, Michael Bourn has done little, hitting .213 (13-of-61) with four extra-base hits, two steals and 11 strikeouts. Manager Terry Francona rarely says a discouraging word about a player, so he naturally said he wasn't concerned. He expects the center fielder to "make an impact" once the regular season opens. Bourn has made some excellent defensive plays.

3. Opening day pitcher Justin Masterson looked ready, holding San Diego to one run in five innings, fanning seven and walking one. He has a 4.76 ERA this spring. A few days ago, Francona, who managed Masterson in Boston, said, "Justin is one of my favorites, he's such a good kid. With him, you bet on the person."

4. Jason Kipnis (.170) has battled a sore elbow much of the spring. He did homer Thursday. He has only 24 official at-bats, so it's hard to read much into his spring stats – but he is healthy now.

5. Chris Perez was extremely sharp in his Tuesday outing. But Thursday, the fastball didn't have much zip and it was high in the strike zone. He served up two homers and was changed with four runs in an inning. It was only his third outing since coming back from a sore shoulder. He will pitch again Saturday. Francona said there were no indications of physical problems Thursday -- control was the main issue.

6. The Colorado Rockies had an interest in David Huff, who is headed to the waiver wire. But after the lefty was knocked around for three runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings against the Rockies, trade talks stopped. Huff has a 5.82 ERA, 22 hits (four homers) in 17 innings.

7. Huff, 28, has a career 18-28 record with a 5.30 ERA in 52 big-league games. Being a lefty, Huff may attract interest. He wants a fresh start with a new team, but his last few outings have not helped.

8. Since being told he won't make the team, Matt Capps has pitched three scoreless innings. I saw all three outings, and he looks good. He is headed to Class AAA Columbus and could be the first reliever recalled. He was 14-of-15 in saves at midseason for the Twins last year before hurting his shoulder.

9. After being told he'd start the season at Class AAA Columbus, Carlos Carrasco didn't pout. Instead, he threw five scoreless innings in a minor-league game. That impresses the front office.

10. Perhaps the most significant warning sign about Brett Myers (11.25 ERA) is he has walked eight in 16 innings. Myers is a control pitcher. If he falters, the Indians can put him in the bullpen, where he pitched last season (3.31 ERA), They will have plenty of options at Class AAA between Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, Carrasco and possibly Daisuke Matsuzaka. Carrasco and Bauer would be the two leading candidates right now.

10. Some fans are wondering about Roberto Hernandez (Fausto Carmona). He has a 5.35 ERA for Tampa Bay, trying to earn a spot as a fifth starter. In the Tampa Bay Times, Marc Tompkins wrote: "Hernandez started very well against some of the Phillies' top hitters, allowing only one hit in four quick innings, throwing only 35 pitches and getting nine ground balls for 10 outs with his trademark sinker. Then over his final two innings he inexplicably allowed 10 hits and a walk on 51 pitches leading to nine runs in what ended as a 10-1 loss."

NCAA Tournament 2013: Marquette marches on with 71-61 win over Miami

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By Staff | The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Vander Blue's buzzer-beater came at the end of the first half. For a change, Marquette didn't need one at the end of the game. After sweating through a pair of edge-of-your-seat comebacks in the NCAA tournament, Blue and the Golden Eagles figured out how to put one away early, earning Marquette's...









By Staff | The Associated Press






Jamil Wilson


Marquette forward Jamil Wilson (0) celebrates their 71-61 win over Miami in an East Regional semifinal in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Washington. Wilson scored 16 points in the victory. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)





 

WASHINGTON — Vander Blue's buzzer-beater came at the end of the first half. For a change, Marquette didn't need one at the end of the game.

After sweating through a pair of edge-of-your-seat comebacks in the NCAA tournament, Blue and the Golden Eagles figured out how to put one away early, earning Marquette's first trip to the Elite Eight since 2003 with a 71-61 win over Miami on Thursday night.

Blue, who spurred the rallies that beat Davidson by one and Butler by two, finished with 14 points. He wasn't Marquette's leading scorer — that was Jamil Wilson with 16 — but it was Blue's offensive and defensive energy that pushed the Golden Eagles to a double-digit lead in the first half, a spread Miami never came close to making up.

The third-seeded Golden Eagles (26-8) will face either top-seeded Indiana or No. 4 seed Syracuse in the East Regional final on Saturday, aiming for a spot in the Final Foul for the first time since Dwyane Wade took them there a decade ago.

The game wasn't hard to decipher. Marquette could shoot; Miami couldn't. The Hurricanes (29-7) had sentiment on their side, returning to the arena where coach Jim Larranaga led mid-major George Mason to the Final Four seven years ago, but they made only 35 percent of their field goals and missed 18 of 26 3-pointers.

Marquette, meanwhile, shot 54 percent, a stark turnaround from its 38 percent rate from the first two games in the tournament. Davante Gardner added 14 points, with 12 coming in the second half when the Golden Eagles were comfortably ahead.

Shane Larkin scored 14 points to lead the No. 2 seed Hurricanes, whose NCAA run to the round of 16 matched the best in school history.

Blue missed his first two shots — pining for a foul after throwing up a clumsy airball on a baseline drive — but he got on the board when he picked off a pass and converted the steal into a one-handed jam to give Marquette an 8-4 lead.

That got him going. A running one-hander made it 12-4. Blue and Junior Cadougan forced a steal, getting Larkin to commit his second foul in the process. The next time Blue missed, Trent Lockett was there to dunk the rebound and put the Golden Eagles up by nine.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes couldn't sink a shot, from inside or out. Raphael Akpejiori flung a hook that hit so high off the backboard that it looked better suited for a setup toss in a dunk contest. Miami started 2 for 12, including 0 for 6 from 3-point range, and Larkin's 3-pointer more than 11 minutes into the game was the first Hurricanes field goal scored by anyone other than Kenny Kadji.

Even when the Hurricanes ran a play perfectly, the shot wouldn't fall. Trey McKinney Jones had a nice screen set for him in the final minute of the first half, but his open 15-footer rattled in and out.

Jones' miss set the stage for Blue to end the half with an exclamation point. He hit a step-back 15-footer just before the horn to give Marquette a 29-16 lead at the break. He drained the shot, strutted backward downcourt, cocked his right arm and gave Wilson a chest bump as the Golden Eagles headed to the locker room well in control.

Miami shot 21 percent (6 for 29) in the half, and just 9 percent (1 for 11) from beyond the arc.

Blue's basket with 10:03 to play gave Marquette a 51-30 lead. The Hurricanes, who by then had started to press full court, then put together their best sequence of the night, a 7-0 run that cut the lead to 14 with 8½ minutes left.

But Wilson's dunk and Gardner's inside basket stretched the lead back to 18. Gardner became the scene-stealer in the closing minutes, thumping his chest to the Marquette fans after a dunk in the final four minutes.

The Hurricanes played without backup center Reggie Johnson, who had surgery Tuesday for a minor knee injury. Johnson was averaging seven rebounds, but he would have helped only if he could've put the ball in the basket.

Miami's loss was similar to its early-season defeat to now-famous Florida Gulf Coast, when the Hurricanes shot 26.7 percent (8 of 30) in the first half and 29.1 percent (16 of 55) for the game.

Officials allowed the game to be physical. Only eight fouls were called in the first half.







Thad Matta's gamble helps Buckeyes rally from sluggish start: Ohio State Insider

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Three years after early foul trouble iced one of OSU's top players, Matta sees the same thing happen to Aaron Craft -- but changes his strategy.

LOS ANGELES -- Ohio State still has nightmares about the foul trouble that sent defensive star David Lighty, the Buckeyes' glue, to the bench in the first half against Tennessee in a Sweet 16 game in 2010.

Lighty picked up his second foul just over six minutes into the game and sat until halftime, missing more time than he had in any of the Buckeyes' previous 17 games.

Ohio State, also a No. 2 seed back then, still managed to hold a halftime lead against the Volunteers, but the Buckeyes couldn't pull away. Then No. 6 seed Tennessee came back for a 76-73 win.

Reminded of that on Twitter on Thursday night, Lighty jokingly wrote "Don't bring that up ... that was a championship year."

Thursday night, Aaron Craft, the Buckeyes' defensive glue, picked up his second foul with 9:32 left in the half on a drive by Arizona's Nick Johnson. After Johnson made free throws, the Buckeyes were down, 24-17, as Craft went to the bench.

But then something changed from 2010. After Arizona stretched its lead to 31-20, OSU coach Thad Matta motioned for Craft as a Johnson 3-pointer dropped through. Craft came back, and the Buckeyes got back in the game.

"It got to a point where I just tried to come in and settle us down a little bit," Craft said. "I don't think I did too many crazy things. I just tried to run the offense and get us to play better defense."

Ohio State's 14-7 run over the final six minutes closed the gap to 38-34 when it looked like the game might get away. With Craft's physical style of defense, playing him on the cusp of real foul trouble isn't easy, but it was necessary. There was no point in saving Craft for the second half if the Wildcats were going to take a big lead into the final 20 minutes.

"Freshman year I don't think I would have been able to do it," Craft said. "I wouldn't be able to play with two fouls, I'd probably pick up that third one. But as the years have gone on I've learned and I've grown. I don't play perfect. I made a stupid foul at the end tonight. But trying to find a way to stay in the game with two fouls is huge."

Three years after a long absence for their best defender hurts the Buckeyes, Ohio State shortened that absence and made it work.

Findlay friends: Coaches Thad Matta and Sean Miller weren't the only participants Thursday night who knew each other. Freshmen Brandon Ashley of Arizona and Amedeo Della Valle of Ohio State were teammates at Findlay Prep in Nevada last year.

Ashley was ranked as the No. 23 overall recruit in the nation and was a McDonald's All-American. He averaged 7.6 points and 20.6 minutes for the Wildcats and started 21 games. Della Valle, a late addition as the only freshman on Ohio State's roster, averaged 2.5 points in 15 games.

"I knew we had an Italian on the team, and when I saw him he kind of doesn't necessarily look the part," said Ashley, repeating the description Della Valle has used on himself. "You don't think he's as good as he is, but he steps on the court and it's different. He's very energetic and into the game and wears his heart on his sleeve.

"He was a very good player last year. He's a great shooter and even though he didn't play the point, he almost took that role on and made some big plays for us."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

CBS analyst Doug Gottlieb apologizes for 'white man's perspective' quip

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By Staff | The Associated Press NEW YORK — CBS analyst Doug Gottlieb got coverage of the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 off to an awkward start, saying he was there to bring the "white man's perspective" to the network's pregame show. Speaking on a panel with four African-American men, Gottlieb made his comment Thursday during a pre-game segment before...









By Staff | The Associated Press






Titans Panthers Football

CBS Sports issued a statement of apology on behalf of analyst Doug Gottlieb on Thursday. (AP Photo)





 

NEW YORK — CBS analyst Doug Gottlieb got coverage of the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 off to an awkward start, saying he was there to bring the "white man's perspective" to the network's pregame show.

Speaking on a panel with four African-American men, Gottlieb made his comment Thursday during a pre-game segment before Marquette faced Miami, sparking criticism on Twitter that it was inappropriate.

"I don't know why you guys ask me, I'm just here to bring diversity to this set, give kind of the white man's perspective," he said during the show.

Fellow analyst Greg Anthony made a face after Gottlieb's remark and Kenny Smith said he had "jumped right into it."

Gottlieb was still on set Thursday night and unavailable for comment, but issued a statement through CBS.

"It was not a smart thing to say and I apologize," he said.

Here's the clip:







Dramatic 3-pointer by LaQuinton Ross propels Ohio State past Arizona, 73-70, in NCAA West Regional semi

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No. 2 seed Ohio State advances to the West Region final on Saturday. Watch video

ross-winning-three-ariz-ncaa-jg.jpg View full size A minute earlier, LaQuinton Ross had rescued the offense with a driving layup as the shot clock expired ... only to surpass those exploits with his game-winning shot.  

Los Angeles -- Aaron Craft turned Los Angeles into Dayton -- with a twist.

In Ohio against Iowa State on Sunday, Craft, the Ohio kid, hit the game-winning shot in the Buckeyes' second NCAA Tournament game. Thursday night's West Regional semifinal saw a similar setup -- the point guard was dribbling out the clock in a tie game against an opponent that wouldn't go away.

But in L.A., it was time for LaQuinton.

Both games saw the Buckeyes drain 3-pointers in the final seconds to break ties and send the Buckeyes on.

And when sophomore LaQuinton Ross took a pass from Craft and hit his 3 against No. 6 seed Arizona on Thursday with 2.1 second left, he put No. 2 seed Ohio State one step away from a return to the Final Four, a 73-70 win sending the Buckeyes into Saturday's West Regional final. Ohio State will play No. 9 seed Wichita State, a 72-58 winner over La Salle, at 7:05 p.m. on WOIO Channel 19.

The design of the play was for Ross to slip off a screen and get the ball, with the Buckeyes figuring Arizona would switch after a pick-and-roll. The Wildcats had been switching all game, Craft said, and the setup could have led to a Ross jumper or to Craft keeping the ball as he did against the Cyclones, when he got a mismatch off the switch and shot over a bigger, slower defender.

But Arizona messed that up, defending the Buckeyes well.

"I didn't communicate very well off the screen today," Craft said. "But this time we got the opening for Q and he played great all second half, and he did a phenomenal job to knock it down."

"They stayed in their defense and didn't switch, so he made the throwback and Aaron made the right play, which he tends to do," assistant coach Chris Jent said.

  Jent said the Buckeyes had worked on late-game situations with their small lineup, which they used a lot in the second half against the Wildcats, during practice time in Los Angeles. So though the play didn't work exactly as called, the idea was to have Ross at the heart of the play.

Why?

"He's our best shooter," Jent said, before adding that Deshaun Thomas was right there with Ross and Lenzelle Smith Jr. just behind. "But he's a pretty calm guy. He wasn't rattled at all."

Neither were the Buckeyes, it seemed, who have the last-second game winner down to a science.

Ohio State trailed, 38-34, at the half, but that was a victory for the Buckeyes, who were down, 31-20, before Craft returned from the bench, having taken a seat after his second foul.

The Buckeyes then scored the first 10 points of the second half to take a 44-38 lead, as the Wildcats either turned the ball over, got blocked by Amir Williams or settled for 3-pointers. Arizona's first basket of the second half came with 14:39 to play.

  But Arizona rallied just as Iowa State had. The Buckeyes lost a 13-point second-half lead on Sunday. On Thursday, the Buckeyes saw Arizona come back from 10 down in the second half. The Wildcats tied the score at 70 on a driving layup, foul and free throw from Mark Lyons, with Ross so upset about fouling Lyons on the play that he nearly had tears in his eyes.

But it was Ohio State time again.

"When it's a close game, the game is automatically about toughness," Smith said, "and I think we are the toughest team in college basketball. So I'll take us over anybody when we have a close game. We knew we weren't going to lose this game. So I like these types of games."

After Smith knocked away a long pass from Arizona as the Wildcats tried to set up a desperate shot to tie the game, the Buckeyes had reason to believe his words.

"We know we're not going to knock people out, but we have a feeling you aren't going to knock us out either," Jent said. "We're going to be there. We're not going anywhere. You might beat us, but we're not going anywhere."

So after playing what coach Thad Matta said was maybe their most selfish defense of the season in the first half, the Buckeyes adjusted at halftime. They worked together on defense, got out in transition, took better shots, and again, just found a way in the second half to do just enough.

"The last play was what I was thinking about on the flight we took to get out here," Smith said. "I think I walked the aisle like 10 times. It was the worst flight ever. I couldn't fall asleep because Aaron was waiting for me to fall asleep so he could put mustard on me or something. So I didn't want to go home. Luckily we get to stay and enjoy this beautiful weather. I think it's snowing at home. I don't want to go back yet."

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Doug Lesmerises' Four Things from Ohio State 73, Arizona 70

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On a Wildcat's silent stretch and the improving games of two young Buckeyes.

craft-drive-osu-ariz-ncaa-jg.jpg View full size Aaron Craft had 13 points and five assists in Thursday's victory, but once again he helped disrupt the offensive game of a opponent, as Arizona's Mark Lyons had a long scoreless streak as the Buckeyes rallied from an early deficit.  

LOS ANGELES -- Four things I think about Ohio State and the NCAA Tournament.

1. I thought Aaron Craft had a chance to get into the head of Arizona point guard Mark Lyons, who does it all for the Wildcats. Then Lyons got off to a blazing start, with 10 points less than 10 minutes into the game. Then he went away.

After his 3-point play with 10:56 left in the first half, Lyons didn't score the rest of the half and went nearly a full 20 minutes without a point. He finally got on the board again with a free throw with 11:31 left in the game. Arizona's leading scorer at 15.4 points per game, Lyons made a huge game-tying play in the final 30 seconds with a drive, foul and free throw and finished with 23. But Craft made the pass to win the Buckeyes the game. As an Arizona assistant said Wednesday, point guards are judged on wins.

2. It might be crazy, but the player I keep thinking about as a comparison when you think about the ceiling for Sam Thompson is Indiana's Victor Oladipo. Oladipo made a huge leap from his sophomore to junior year, turning himself into what I thought as the best overall player in the Big Ten. He was a beast on defense, a dunk highlight waiting to happen, and dangerous enough to with his jump shot.

Thompson has the dunks and the defensive ability. He can take that up another notch. But he looked smooth on two first-half 3-pointers, a sign of how his jumper has improved. If that's there all the time next year, and that opens up for driving lanes for him, he has All-Big Ten talent, for sure.

3. Some early-season analysts loved to comment that LaQuinton Ross was the best NBA prospect on Ohio State's roster. At the time, the comments were crazy. Ross wasn't performing at the level to warrant that, no matter what his talent. Now? Less crazy.

4. The crowd was late arriving, but by the end, the Staples Center wasn't a bad place for a regional. It doesn't create a lot of buzz in town, but the crowd was into it at the end, and though Arizona had more fans, the Buckeye backers held their own.

Jeff Tyson named head of Lake Erie fish management programs: Outdoor Notes

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Jeff Tyson has been keeping an eye on Lake Erie's fish, from emerald shiner minnows to trophy walleye, for two decades.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jeff Tyson has been keeping an eye on Lake Erie's fish, from emerald shiner minnows to trophy walleye, for two decades. This spring, he has become the man in charge of one of Ohio's most important resources.

Tyson was named Lake Erie fish management program administrator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, replacing the retired Roger Knight. He had joined the Sandusky Fisheries Research Unit as a fisheries biologist in 1994, moving up to fisheries biology supervisor in 2003.

“Jeff brings a wealth of Lake Erie fisheries management experience to his new position,” said Rich Carter, executive administrator of fish management and research. “Jeff is a talented biologist with great interpersonal skills that will allow him to effectively communicate about Lake Erie fish management.”

Tyson received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fisheries from the University of Missouri.

Camp for free: Ohio State Parks is making it easy to have a spring camping fling, offering a free night of camping on April 18 at its 54 campgrounds around the state. Reservations are needed at 1-866-644-6727.

T-Bone featured at Tinker's Creek bash: The Hunter's Night Out held by the Tinker's Creek Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited in Bedford on April 26 features one of America's best-known deer hunters. Travis "T-Bone" Turner of The Bone Collector television show will tell tales and entertain deer hunters, said Banquet Chairman Matt McCann (330-467-1729), who has tickets for the annual banquet.

Holy Mackerel, it's a sale: The largest sale of new and used fishing tackle in the area is April 4-7 at the Holy Mackerel Fishing Tackle Flea Market. Held each spring by Mike and Leon Wohlever at the New Russia Township Hall, 46268 Butternut Ridge Rd., Oberlin. The pair of tackle experts are also offering appraisals of antique fishing tackle. Admission is free, and so is the parking.

Pheasants in Medina County: The Medina County Chapter of Pheasants Forever is holding its inaugural sportsman's banquet on April 6 at the South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Association, 5370 Erhart Rd., Chatham Twp. Dave Clements (330-722-5241) has tickets.

Netters compete for Asian Carp: Fishermen and fisheries officials around the country are still talking about the inaugural Asian carp tournament held March 12-13 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Western Kentucky. Most were surprised by the success of the netters. Commercial fisherman Barry Mann of Benton, Ky. and his crew won the $10,000 top prize, filling their boat with 28,760 pounds of the invasive carp. Overall, about 40 tons of carp were weighed by 15 teams of netters.

While there isn't a market that makes netting Asian carp -- primarily silver and bighead carp -- worth their while, Kentucky officials are hoping to save the popular fishing lakes by building a nearby carp processing plant. Federal carp czar John Goss said at the annual Ohio charter Captain's Conference recently that the primary market for the carp is to convert the algae-eating fish into liquid fertilizer.

Bud Pidgeon leaving USSA: The long-time president and CEO of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, a Columbus-based lobbying group for anglers, hunters and trappers, Bud Pidgeon Jr. is stepping down at the end of 2013. Pidgeon created the popular Trailblazer Adventure program, which now has 800 events in 48 states. He also helped create the Families Afield Campaign, responsible for the sale of more than 800,000 apprentice hunting licenses in 34 states.


Ohio State's LaQuinton Ross rescues Buckeyes: Bill Livingston

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The 6-8 sophomore forward's silky 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left was only fitting considering LaQuinton Ross used Kobe Bryant's locker at Staples Center for Ohio State's win over Arizona in the NCAA Tournament.

bill-ross.jpg View full size Ohio State sophomore LaQuinton Ross scores two points on this drive to the basket in the second half of the Buckeyes' victory over Arizona.  

LOS ANGELES -- Q-ball, side pocket.

LaQuinton Ross was the X-factor for Ohio State going into the NCAA Tournament. The 6-8 sophomore power forward's contributions are variable, and they can be vast, in both victory or defeat. In the last eight minutes of the Buckeyes' 73-70 thriller over Arizona Thursday night in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, he was the difference.

Ross had scored 11 of the Buckeyes' last 14 points, but now it was 70-70, one possession left on the game clock.

"We switched 400 handoffs and ball screens," said Arizona coach Sean Miller. "We switched from the opening tip-off to the last one. We did not switch that one. Ross got a good look. Whether he makes it or not, we all live with it if it's challenged and we do what what we're supposed to do. But part of the reason he had such a great look at the end was two guys went with the ball."

Runway models might do more with their looks perhaps. Ross did enough, though, with his good one, sighting from deep on the left wing and sinking Ohio State's second straight last-gasp victory 3.

It was Aaron Craft's jumper from the right side of the arc last weekend in Dayton against Iowa State with a half-second to play. It was Ross, after taking Craft's pass, scoring with 2.1 seconds left against Arizona at Staples Center.

On the last possession, Craft, struggling through a second straight erratic game at the free throw line and in finishing at the rim, had identified the Buckeyes' closer. It was not going to be himself and, despite a torrid 16-point first half, it was not going to be Deshaun Thomas, who took only three shots in the second half, making one.

"Craft was a little wider out than we anticipated. He set the screen, and LaQuinton Ross was kind of deep off on the 3 (arc)," said Solomon Hill, who carved up Ohio State in the lane as he led Arizona back from a 10-point deficit.

"I threw it and said, 'Knockdown,' " said Craft. "So he'd better make it. I'm glad he listened to me. Sometimes you need to tell him what you need him to do, but I don't think he needed too much reassurance of what to do with the ball there."

On stand-still shots, Ross' mechanics are his game. His shot is feathery, his touch silken, his release fluid. The rotation on the ball ought to be in a shooting coach's training film.

But there were more good vibes at work here. If clothes make the man, then where The Man hangs his clothes must make the game-winning man. That's Ross' theory, and he's sticking to it.

"I called dibs on Kobe's locker. I had to find out I had the locker. He was one of my favorite players growing up, one I modeled my game after," said Ross.

Big shot-wise, for one night anyway, he called dibs on Kobe Bryant's game too.

Like many shooters, Ross does not exactly lack for self-assurance. At Wednesday's practice, he even considered challenging TNT analyst Reggie Miller, one of the greatest outside shooters ever, to a shooting contest. "Craft told him what I said. I think I'm going to make him come out of retirement and shoot a little bit," Ross said.

He is entitled to the impudence of youth, at least for a night. "It's what you dream of growing up -- making a game-winning shot in the NCAA Tournament or the NBA. It's great to be here right now," said Ross.

It isn't just Ross' unruffled stroke that makes his development so critical, however.

"He's a matchup nightmare," said Hill. "He's a four (power forward). He's playing against our four, our 6-10 forward, that's not used to guarding guys on the wing. Deshaun Thomas takes up space on the post and on the outside, and those guys feed off each other."

Ross rained 3's in triplicate in the final eight minutes, two from the wings, one from the corner on Craft's bowling-ball drive. Ross drove for two layups in the crunch too. In the final 1 1/2 minutes, Craft gave him the ball near midcourt, with the shot clock on red-alert. "I saw the shot clock going down, and the coaches told me to go," said Ross.

He went, albeit after shuffling his feet, an infraction unwhistled by the referees. Driving from near midcourt to the rim, twirling through the obstructing bodies, slashing past the flailing arms, Ross banked in a layup for a 69-63 lead. In its way, it was poetry in motion, a high Q maybe.

"I know him from summer camps," said Arizona's senior guard, Mark Lyons, of Ohio State's 6-8 forward. "He's a good guy. But when I shook his hand after the game, I said, 'I can't stand you.' "

Q-ball, with all pockets full of miracles.

NCAA Tournament 2013: Syracuse's D, Carter-Williams beat Indiana 61-50

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By HOWARD FENDRICH | AP Sports Writer WASHINGTON — It took winning a national title for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim to get over a late-shot loss to Indiana the last time the schools faced off in the NCAA tournament. This meeting, 26 years later, was never close enough to come down to the final seconds, thanks mostly to Boeheim's...









By HOWARD FENDRICH | AP Sports Writer






Cody Zeller, Brandon Trich, Rakeem Christmas


Indiana forward Cody Zeller (40) is trapped between Syracuse guard Brandon Trich, left, and forward Rakeem Christmas (25) during the first half of an East Regional semifinal in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)





 

WASHINGTON — It took winning a national title for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim to get over a late-shot loss to Indiana the last time the schools faced off in the NCAA tournament.

This meeting, 26 years later, was never close enough to come down to the final seconds, thanks mostly to Boeheim's trademark 2-3 zone defense. Now he has the Orange one victory from getting back to the Final Four.

Limiting Indiana to its lowest output of the season while forcing 19 turnovers and compiling 10 blocks, fourth-seeded Syracuse used Michael Carter-Williams' 24 points to upset the No. 1 seed Hoosiers 61-50 Thursday night to reach the East Regional final.

After getting past preseason No. 1 Indiana, Syracuse (29-9) will face No. 3 seed Marquette on Saturday night in an all-Big East matchup for a berth in the Final Four. Boeheim and the Orange haven't been to the national semifinals since Carmelo Anthony led them to the 2003 title.

Marquette beat No. 2 seed Miami 71-61 in Thursday's first game in Washington.

» Complete Syracuse basketball coverage from Syracuse.com

Syracuse, which is leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference this summer, lost at Marquette 74-71 during the Big East regular season on Feb. 25.

Less than a half-minute into Thursday's game, as Indiana star Victor Oladipo headed to the free-throw line, the arena's overhead scoreboard showed a replay of "The Shot," as it's come to be known — Keith Smart's baseline jumper in the final seconds that lifted Bob Knight's Hoosiers past Boeheim's Orange in the 1987 national title game.

Boeheim said he wasn't able to put that behind him until 16 years later, when he got his title. Boeheim entered Thursday with 50 wins in the tournament, fourth-most in history, and more than 900 victories overall, and so much of that success has been built thanks to his unusual zone defense, 40 minutes of a puzzle for opponents to try and solve.

Indiana, like most teams outside the Big East, isn't used to seeing that sort of thing, and it showed right from the outset. Didn't matter that Indiana ranked third in the country this season in scoring, putting up 79.5 points per game — and never fewer than 56 — while making 48.6 percent of its shots.

But the Orange held Indiana to 33 percent shooting and frustrated the Hoosiers — from the players down to the coach, Tom Crean. Cody Zeller was held to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Victor Oladipo scored 16 for Indiana, none easily.

At one point early on, Crean scanned a sheet of notes, then shoved it into his navy blue suit jacket's inside pocket.

No help there.

Then, more than 5½ minutes in and his team still without a field goal, Crean called a timeout while trailing 11-3. By then, the Hoosiers had four turnovers and were in the process of missing their first five shots.

Always moving, Crean called over freshman forward Jeremy Hollowell to give him a talking-to and a slap on the backside. Later, Crean got down on a knee and used a white towel to help dry a wet spot on the floor in front of his team's sideline. Crean barked "Are you sure?!" at an official after one non-call when Indiana let yet another possession go astray.

Boeheim, in contrast, looked on calmly, taking it all in with his arms crossed over his midsection or with his chin resting on his right fist. He seemed something like an interested observer rather than active participant in the proceedings.

Sure must have liked what he saw, though.






Cleveland Indians GM Chris Antonetti expects a busy off-season to blossom into a winning summer: Terry Pluto

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After a winter of wheeling, dealing and spending, Tribe General Manager Chris Antonetti expects the team to compete for a playoff spot.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- What will the Indians do this season?

Chris Antonetti answered in a quiet voice, "I expect us to compete for a playoff spot."

At the end of last season, I would have laughed in Antonetti's face if he had made that prediction. Now, I think, "Maybe he's right. Detroit is very good, but there are two wild cards. Boston and New York seem to be a mess ... so, maybe."

Give the fan base a reason to pause and say ... maybe.

The final record in 2012 was 69-93, the third time in four years the Tribe had at least 93 losses. Never in the history of the franchise had the Indians lost 90 three times in a four-year span. But after a stunning off-season in which they committed $116 million in contracts to four free agents, at least the team is now good enough to think about having a Indian summer worthy of attention.

Expect to compete? Maybe. The roster has been overhauled (only nine players from 2012 opening day) and dramatically upgraded (12 players new to the organization).

Who knew the Tribe would commit $116 million to four free agents? You know how the Tribe does the winter: Sign some guys to one-year contracts. Make a trade. Bring in a bunch of former big leaguers on minor-league deals.

Some of that happened. Mark Reynolds signed for $6 million for a single season of first base and designated hitter. Brett Myers agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract to be an improvement from baseball's worst rotation in 2012.

Antonetti concocted a nice deal, turning Esmil Rogers (purchased from Colorado for $150,000 in 2012) into Mike Aviles and legitimate hitting prospect Yan Gomes. But much of that was business as usual -- and the Indians knew something had to change.

Chasing free agents

swisher-point-2013-spring-cc.jpg View full size The arrival of Nick Swisher was the first move that shook up the organization and its fan base.  

"People noticed when we signed Nick [Swisher]," said Antonetti. "But we were competing for free agents before that."

They offered Shane Victorino a four-year, $44 million contract. Instead, he signed with Boston for $39 million over three years. They had serious talks with free agent Michael Bourn, but agent Scott Boras was looking for at least $75 million over five years. They made a legitimate offer for pitcher Edwin Jackson -- probably the $44 million they offered Victorino. But Jackson signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the Cubs.

The Indians were offering some significant money, but had no takers. That produced a yawn from fans, because they have heard before how the Tribe was the runner-up for attractive free agents.

"The key was ownership had empowered us to financially compete for high-quality players," said Antonetti. "You have to give Paul [Dolan] credit for that. He encouraged us to be aggressive."

The Indians sent Shin-Soo Choo to the Reds in a three-team swap that included Arizona. The Indians added $3.5 million to the package, and it produced promising starter Trevor Bauer, relievers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw and outfielder Drew Stubbs.

The Indians targeted Swisher, knowing the Yankees suddenly were on a savings program and the former Ohio State star was open to playing in Cleveland. Did they want to give $56 million over four years to a 32-year-old player? It's the most expensive contract in Tribe history.

"Paul encouraged us to do all we could to get it done with Nick," said Antonetti. "He can play first and the outfield. He has been very durable (151 games a season over the last eight years). He's also very productive. He came to us with the right values and we believed he'd be a great fit."

The last big deal

bourn-atbat-spring-2013-cc.jpg View full size The surprise signing of Gold Glove outfielder Michael Bourn was the capstone to the Indians' winter roster renovation.  

After the signings of Swisher, Reynolds and Myers, Antonetti thought "there were no more resources for a significant investment." But he kept talking to different agents.

In the past, super agent Boras treated the Indians as if they were a guy wearing a cardboard box crashing a party of tailored tuxedos. But after the offers to Victorino and Jackson, followed by the signing of Swisher ... well, Boras had a feeling the Tribe might be open for serious business.

He had dropped his price for Bourn to $48 million for four years, and Antonetti believed that was a good deal for a 30-year-old Gold Glove center fielder.

Several times in the conversation, Antonetti said, "Give ownership credit ..." No one with the Tribe ever imagined the team committing $100 million to sign Bourn and Swisher, but they did.

"There is risk whenever you make substantial investment," Antonetti said. "But for us, there was even more risk if we didn't."

Because the Indians were down to about 5,000 season tickets and on the verge of being utterly irrelevant to local fans. The Dolans also had sold STO for an estimated $240 million, and a new national TV contract was coming on line in 2014 that could be worth another $26 million annually for every team.

The Indians will have to live with Bourn and Swisher for the next four years. This season, they will chew up $18 million of the estimated $82 million payroll. But in 2014-16, it's $28.5 million annually.

"We had to make sure we weren't just paying for past performance," said Antonetti. "That happens in some free-agent signings. We think both guys will be productive for several years."

Reason for optimism

The off-season began with the hiring of Terry Francona as manager.

"He never asked what our payroll would be or who we'd sign," said Antonetti. "He was about making us a better team. We were honest about the challenges. We had some good players for a nucleus, but we really needed to add to it."

With the Dolans opening their wallet, Francona became the closer, utilizing his reputation as a winner (two World Series titles in Boston) and relationship with players.

"Tito has unbelievable credibility the moment he walks through the door," said Antonetti. "He knows how to create an environment for success. When he took over, he read every bit of information on every player we had. When he met with the coaches and they talked players, he had picture of everyone from Nick Swisher to Matt Carson [on a screen] so the coaches would know what the players looked like."

Antonetti talked about how Francona had success in Boston "transitioning players from the minors to the majors ... [Jon] Lester, [Dustin] Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis and Clay Buchholz are some examples."

He believes Francona can maneuver a roster with three center fielders in the outfield, with two-super subs in Mike Aviles and Ryan Raburn capable of playing several positions.

"We are a more balanced lineup [rather than extremely left-handed as in 2012]," said Antonetti. "We are more athletic, much better defensively, especially in the outfield."

The Tribe's internal stats had the outfield ranked last defensively in the American League. With Michael Brantley, Stubbs and Bourn, it should be among the best in 2013.

"The key will be the consistency of our starting pitching," said Antonetti. "It has a ton of potential, because we have depth in the minors [Carlos Carrasco, Bauer, Cory Kluber]. Our bullpen should be good and deep once again. I believe we are in much better shape than a year ago, and not just for this season -- but for the next few years."

Cleveland Browns audition a pair of kickers in Berea

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Dimke was perfect on five kicks last preseason for the Detroit Lions

BEREA, Ohio --The search for Phil Dawson's replacement continued Friday as the Browns worked out two kickers at the team facility.

Derek Dimke and Thomas Weber were auditioned, several league sources told The Plain Dealer. News of the workouts was first reported by the Beacon Journal.   

The 22-year-old Dimke, a University of Illinois product, attended Detroit Lions training camp last season, making both field-goal attempts and all three of his extra points before being released Aug. 27.

Weber, 25, who played at Arizona State, missed two field-goal tries for the Cincinnati Bengals in preseason a year ago.

The Browns are looking for a kicker for the first time since the club returned to Cleveland in 1999. Dawson, who earned his first Pro-Bowl invite last year, signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal a week ago with the San Francisco 49ers.


For Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas, the point of NCAA success is winning: Bill Livingston

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Deshaun Thomas is still the focus of the defenses of Ohio State's opponents, even if the Buckeyes have won two straight NCAA games on last-second shots by someone else.

LOS ANGELES – "Sometimes, I take a bad shot in the game and, even myself, I say, 'Man, that that shot went in! So it's a good shot now,'" said Deshaun Thomas.

His reputation, undeserved of late in particular, is of a basketball specialist, a gunner. The second-most prolific Ohio State 3-point shooter, Lenzelle Smith Jr., has taken less than two-thirds as many 3s as Thomas. The next-busiest Buckeye in overall shots, Aaron Craft, has attempted slightly more than half of Thomas' total.

"We just want to limit [Thomas'] touches," said Wichita State coach Greg Marshall Friday, when discussing the Wheat Shockers' matchup with Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight at Staples Center. "Make him take hard shots. He is -- and this is a compliment -- a bad shot taker and a bad shot maker. That's how talented he is. He takes twice as many shots as anybody else on their team, so you better guard him. You better stop him first because he's going to take a lot of shots."

The growing diversity of the OSU offense has become evident in a winning streak that reached 11 in a row Thursday night, when LaQuinton Ross got hot late and beat Arizona in the final 2.1 seconds with a 3-pointer, 73-70.

Really, though, the only reason the Buckeyes had a chance to win was the torrid first half of Thomas, who, while Ohio State was falling behind by as much as 11 points, scored 16 points.

Last Sunday, Craft's 3-pointer in the final half-second beat Iowa State, 78-75. Because Craft had been uncharacteristically mistake-prone in the final minutes, missing free throws and layups as Iowa State climbed off the mat, the shot was cast as proof of his maturity and atonement.

Really, though, Craft only got that chance, making good on a mulligan after Iowa State lost the rebound of another of his misses, because Deshaun -- "Eshaun" no more -- made a hustle play on defense, deflecting to Sam Thompson a pass near the OSU basket that was just waiting to be marked down in the scorebook as an assist.

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"They're always calling me Eshaun, taking the 'D' out of my name," said Thomas, smiling. "I want my 'D' back."

As important as that is the fact that he has his shooting touch back. Not that it's absence would have deterred him all that much.

Thomas said, "I can go 0-for-10, but I'm going to keep shooting. I'm going to get on a hot streak. That's the scoring mentality, the way you were brought up. If you're a scorer, you can't stop shooting."

It is not as if Thomas does not discriminate between good and bad shots.

"A bad shot is forcing the issue, forcing a shot out of a double team, taking a contested shot, driving and throwing my shoulder into a guy," he said. "A good shot is if I'm open coming off a screen and also having a little guy on me and I can shoot right over the top."

Like many scorers, who must subordinate their boundless self-confidence to the demands of ball-sharing and team play, Thomas filters his offense through the prism of self-interest. "I take a lot (bad shots), but I make a lot of them too. It's me being aggressive. The way my (shooting) percentages are in this tournament, that tells you they are really good ones. If I take a bad shot, my percentage is bad."In three NCAA Tournament games, Thomas is 23-of-40 overall (57.5 percent) and 8-of-13 on 3s (61.5 percent). In the last two games of the grueling Big Ten Tournament, he was 12-of-38 (31.6 percent) and 2-of-17 beyond the arc (11.8 percent, a truly woeful statistic).

"It was always natural growing up," Thomas said. "Me in the third grade, playing the [YMCA] ball, always scoring, playing against people who were older, scoring against them. Always had the knack for the ball. Got in high school, had the green light, played every position, took every shot, took every bad shot."

It shows how far Thomas has come that his smile was radiant, his joy unforced, as he congratulated Ross after the winning shot Thursday night.

"Finishing" is a coaching term that is in vogue. It refers to completing a scoring play, to being strong with the ball. It seems to make the game some kind of woodworking project. But a player can be strong without the ball, too, as a decoy and a supportive teammate.

In woodworking, the finishing touches smooth the gnarled grain and bring out the natural beauty of the material. It works for basketball, too.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

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