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#12 Miami at #2 Ohio State

Cavs21MVP — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:17:42 GMT

#12 Miami at #2 Ohio State Scouts Inc Preview

Miami offense vs. Ohio State defense
• Hurricanes QB Jacory Harris has an opportunity to shine in this game. The Buckeyes lack elite speed along the defensive front, which leads defensive coordinators Jim Heacock and Luke Fickell to blitz more than they would like. They will occasionally utilize a zone blitz with a defensive lineman dropping off into underneath zone, but more often they simply bring extra pressure with a linebacker charging through one of the gaps. Harris' effectiveness in recognizing the blitz, finding his hot reads and making accurate throws with pressure in his face likely will determine the outcome of this game.

If he deals with it well, Miami has too many weapons at wide receiver -- including Leonard Hankerson, Travis Benjamin, LaRon Byrd and Aldarius Johnson -- for the Buckeyes' secondary to hold up, especially with starting cornerback Chimdi Chekwa nursing a sore hamstring. However, making quick, smart decisions while under pressure -- particularly on the road -- has been Harris' weakness to date. If the Miami quarterback has not made significant strides in this department, he will be exposed in Week 2.

• Ohio State's stout run defense is anchored by DE Cameron Heyward. The Buckeyes are big and strong up front, and they do a very good job of protecting MLB Brian Rolle and WLB Ross Homan. Rolle and Homan diagnose plays quickly, take solid angles in pursuit and wrap up in space. Considering Ohio State's experience advantage in the trenches -- with the exception of Miami OT Orlando Franklin -- and its excellent linebacker play, it won't be surprising if Miami's rushing attack sputters. If Miami RB Graig Cooper were at full strength it likely would be a different story, but Cooper played sparingly last week and does not appear to be close to 100 percent following offseason knee surgery. The Hurricanes still have some talent at running back, but Damien Berry is not nearly as elusive or quick as Cooper, and while Mike James is a bit faster than Berry, he lacks the experience to consistently anticipate creases and make the proper cuts.

• The Hurricanes can gain an advantage on special teams, where Ohio State is unusually vulnerable due to inexperience. First year PK Devin Barclay had a field goal attempt blocked by Marshall last week and it was returned 61 yards for a score. The kick was a bit low, but LS Jake McQuaide was mostly to blame for giving up too much ground as a blocker. In addition, kickoff specialist Drew Basil appears to have a strong leg, but the freshman is inconsistent with his distance. Basil's third kickoff in the opener was too short and Marshall RS Andre Booker took advantage with a 63-yard return. Miami, on the other hand, has one of the most versatile and dangerous kickers in the country, Matt Bosher, who handles the place-kicking, kickoff and punting duties. In addition, the Hurricanes have potential game-breakers in the return phase in Travis Benjamin and Lamar Miller.

Key individual matchup
Miami LOT Orlando Franklin vs. Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward
These are two of the best players in the country at their positions. Heyward will move around the defensive line at times, but the majority of his snaps are spent at right end, which is where he will go head-to-head with Franklin. Heyward does not possess elite top-end speed, but he is big and powerful, does a good job of anchoring versus the run, and also has the quickness and power to generate consistent penetration with an array of double moves and bull rushes. Franklin might be the best offensive tackle Heyward faces this season, though. The 6-foot-7, 312-pounder has quick feet for his size, consistently gets into good position, and shows the lower-body strength and balance to limit Heyward's push as a power rusher. If Franklin can keep Heyward quiet as a pass-rusher, it will force Ohio State to blitz more often than it likes, and then it will be up to QB Jacory Harris and his receivers to communicate and connect against a vulnerable back seven.

Ohio State offense vs. Miami defense
• In his past two outings (wins over Oregon and Marshall) Buckeyes QB Terrelle Pryor has appeared more comfortable in the pocket and is making quicker decisions. He is still a threat to run, but Pryor can do more damage by making proper reads and distributing the ball to his underrated supporting cast. As he showed last week, Pryor will still lose the strike zone on occasion, and he continues to struggle with his accuracy on quick-hitting underneath throws. He simply needs to learn to take some zip off his fastball. But Pryor's accuracy continues to improve and he is showing much better anticipation. His first-quarter completion against Marshall to Dane Sanzenbacher -- Pryor delivered the ball in between the linebacker and safety against a Cover 2 zone -- is a throw he likely would have missed last year at this time.

• Keeping Pryor comfortable in the pocket will be a challenge for the Buckeyes. Their offensive line as a whole has good size, adequate mobility and above-average experience. However, LOT Mike Adams and ROT J.B. Shugarts are the least experienced of the bunch, with only 16 combined starts, and they face the toughest challenge versus Miami's potent defensive end duo of LDE Allen Bailey and RDE Oliver Vernon. Bailey is a versatile lineman with great power and quickness for his size. He won't threaten Shugarts with speed around the corner, but he has an array of power moves that will keep Shugarts guessing. On the opposite side, Vernon is fresh off a 3.5-sack breakout performance in the opener, and he has the explosive speed and athleticism to make Adams' life miserable. Look for the Buckeyes to frequently give one or both of their tackles help in pass protection. If that's the case, Pryor needs his three best pass-catchers -- WRs Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey and RB Brandon Saine -- to consistently separate from coverage and make plays, because the QB won't be getting as much help as usual from a No. 3 receiver or tight ends.

• The Buckeyes are using a two-back rotation of Saine and Dan "Boom" Herron and will occasionally have them on the field at the same time. In our opinion, the more touches for Saine the better, because he's a true difference-maker. Saine shows good patience waiting for his blocks to develop, and once he sees a crease he shows great burst to get through the line of scrimmage or bounce the run outside. Saine is also a natural pass-catcher with route-running savvy and reliable hands. In Week 1, the Buckeyes clearly worked to get the ball to Saine more often as a receiver out of the backfield, and we expect that trend to continue versus Miami and beyond. It will require a great deal of discipline from Miami's linebackers -- particularly MLB Colin McCarthy and WLB Sean Spence -- to keep Saine in check. The Canes cannot afford to have their "space" linebackers get overzealous when filling gaps versus the run or play-action.

Scouts' Edge
These programs have combined for 12 national titles and accounted for 80 first-round picks in the past 25 NFL drafts. Ohio State's controversial 2003 Fiesta Bowl win over Miami -- which won the national title for the Buckeyes -- will also generate a great deal of buzz leading up to this showdown. However, the history and tradition of these two programs won't matter when they take the field. What will matter is the play of Pryor and Harris. Harris is the better pure passer, but Pryor is making significant strides in that department. Plus, Pryor is developing into a better decision-maker, is the better athlete and has the built-in advantage of playing this nonconference showdown at home. The Hurricanes are much-improved from a year ago, and we expect them to battle Ohio State for four quarters. But coach Jim Tressel's Buckeyes know how to win close games and will take control in the fourth quarter.

Prediction: Buckeyes 27, Hurricanes 24

classic game on now

covert_op — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:16:14 GMT

Maybe this comes on all the time, I dunno..

But the Ohio State VS. Miami game is on right now..

Kellen Winslow ..Ken Dorsey... Maurice freakin Clarret, before he crashed and burned

I think its the big ten channel... Time Warner ... like channel 77 or something

Browns add Vallos and Roberson

layneroxxx — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:39:53 GMT

Browns add Vallos and Roberson

Quote:

By Nate Ulrich
Beacon Journal sports writer

POSTED: 07:30 p.m. EDT, Sep 07, 2010

The Browns claimed offensive lineman Steve Vallos off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks and signed defensive back Derrick Roberson, the team announced Tuesday.

To make room for Vallos and Roberson on their 53-man roster, the Browns waived linebacker David Veikune, a 2009 second-round draft pick (52nd overall), and veteran offensive lineman Billy Yates.

Vallos, a native of Boardman, appeared in 16 games in each of the past two seasons. He started three times last season, twice at center and once at left guard.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Vallos was selected by the Seahawks in the seventh round (232nd overall) of the 2007 draft. He spent his rookie season on the Seahawks' practice squad.

Roberson made his NFL debut with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, appearing in six games. He had three tackles and three passes defensed. He was waived Saturday by the Buccaneers.

The 5-10, 180-pound Roberson, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., spent time on the practice squads of the Houston Texans, the Minnesota Vikings and the Buccaneers before earning playing time in 2009.

In 2009, Veikune and Yates served as backups for the Browns. Last season, Veikune played in 10 games without a tackle, and Yates played in seven games.

The Browns claimed offensive lineman Steve Vallos off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks and signed defensive back Derrick Roberson, the team announced Tuesday.

To make room for Vallos and Roberson on their 53-man roster, the Browns waived linebacker David Veikune, a 2009 second-round draft pick (52nd overall), and veteran offensive lineman Billy Yates.

Vallos, a native of Boardman, appeared in 16 games in each of the past two seasons. He started three times last season, twice at center and once at left guard.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Vallos was selected by the Seahawks in the seventh round (232nd overall) of the 2007 draft. He spent his rookie season on the Seahawks' practice squad.

Roberson made his NFL debut with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, appearing in six games. He had three tackles and three passes defensed. He was waived Saturday by the Buccaneers.

The 5-10, 180-pound Roberson, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., spent time on the practice squads of the Houston Texans, the Minnesota Vikings and the Buccaneers before earning playing time in 2009.

In 2009, Veikune and Yates served as backups for the Browns. Last season, Veikune played in 10 games without a tackle, and Yates played in seven games.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/102393609.html

Cleveland Browns waived 2009 second-round pick David Veikune

tedginnjr — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:34:38 GMT

Quote:

CLEVELAND -- The Browns have conceded the David Veikune experiment won't be working out.

They waived the 2009 second-round pick to make room for cornerback Derrick Roberson, an undrafted player who's been on the practice squad of three teams.

Veikune was the 52nd overall pick of the 2009 draft. He played defensive end at Hawaii and was tried at both outside and inside linebacker. He played in 10 games as a rookie and was not credited with a tackle.

Roberson, 5-10 and 180 pounds, appeared in six games with Tampa Bay last year.

The transaction decreases the imbalance on the Browns' roster. They now have 11 linebackers and four cornerbacks.

The team also confirmed it was awarded offensive lineman Steve Vallos off waivers from Seattle and waived swingman Billy Yates.

Not that surprising, but still disappointing that we waive a 2nd round pick from just a year ago...

Comedian Mike Polk's latest song

K1ngofhart — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:43:42 GMT

http://blacksportsonline.com/home/in...s-a-btch-song/

Just a short song titled "Lebron is a bitch". I thoroughly enjoyed it. :chuckles:

Sons of Anarchy Season 3

jonmchugh — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:36:32 GMT

is anybody else stoked for the new season of SOA? I came across this show last summer and was instantly hooked to it. The finale of season 2 was awesome. You had Jimmy taking Jacks son, Jemma killing Zobells daughter and then the bitch ATF agent setting her up basically. I really looking forward to season 3 tonight. It airs tonight at 10pm on FX.

Antawn Jamison via Hoopsnote.com: "The Chemistry was not good."

MYoung23 — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:41:13 GMT

http://www.hoopsnotes.com/2010/09/an...lly-difficult/

Quote:

Antawn Jamison: �It Was Really Difficult�
By Dimitri - Monday, September 6, 2010 - 8:510 comment
I like

Antawn Jamison was in Paris this weekend for the �NBA 5 United� basketball tournament organized by Adidas. We met him in the shop on the Champs-Elysees, where a signing session was organized.

The last year has been a crazy season for you. With what happened in Washington, your trade, a very good regular season with the Cavaliers and disappointing playoffs, what do you retain?

Antawn Jamison: That was difficult! It was really difficult� In DC, we had great opportunities with a new coach and a good group, very positive in the beginning of the season. We had confidence in ourselves. And then things started to go wrong, with Gilbert�s incident, the death of Abe Pollin� It was very frustrating because we knew that we were better than what we showed on the court. From there, you wait until the season ends to start on better bases and that�s where I learned that I was traded to Cleveland.

What was your first reaction when you learned about this trade?

Antawn Jamison:It was amazing to be in a team which played for the title with one of the best players in the league, because Lebron is really a great player. I arrived in Cleveland and tried to adapt myself, to melt myself in the collective. And then there was the elimination in the playoffs while we were there favorites and we realized that the chemistry was not good in the team. After that you ask yourself lots of questions, you think on how to come back stronger the following season. In the end, it�s been a season with a lot of ups and downs.

LeBron in Miami. Your reaction?

Antawn Jamison:His departure has touched me! I thought I would be able to relax myself while winning 60 games each year (laughs). And it was great to play with a great player like him. I really thought he would stay, so that was a blow.

But you understand his choice?

Antawn Jamison:Yes, perfectly. He wanted to play with Wade and Bosh. Now, for our part, we will have to focus on our season which should be interesting with a new coach and a group composed of veterans and young players.

About your new coach, have you ever talked with Byron Scott about your role in this team?

Antawn Jamison: Yes, we already spoke a lot and you can immediately see why he has been so successful in the past. He is a coach who has led his team to the Finals, and he will make everything he can for us to be competitive every night. In my case, he expects me to be a leader on the field and that�s what I want to be. His systems suited me well. It will be close to what that were put in place in Washington on the offensive side. This year we will seek to progress as a team and we have the right coach for this.

About this summer, did the injuries you experienced in the past have changed your way to handle the offseason?

Antawn Jamison: Oh yes, completely! The work you are doing during the summer is very important. When you�re young you think about partying, having fun. This summer, I take a break of one month before starting my preparation. The most important thing for me is to stay fit, so I work with a coach to strengthen me. I also practice yoga to stretch myself. I always try to start each season with something more in my game. I have an unorthodox way to play, and it�s a part of my success, but I must continue to work. This summer, I mostly tried to improve my 3-point shot.

Interview by Arnaud Lucotte for Hoopsnotes.com

Florida Pastor Plans Quran Burning

AanandM7 — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:15:55 GMT

I'm on my Blackberry so I can't really post an article, so I'm sorry.

I've been on a general hiatus from RCF and more specifically its political threads because of personal rasons. I, however, felt that it was necessary to comment on this story of a Florida pastor that is hosting a mass burning of the Quran on September 11th. I'm a Hindu, not a Muslim.

The pastor is burning the Quran because he wants to "send a message" to Muslims and wants to stand up for the United States. He believes that Muslims will be hesitant to attack the US because of this rally. History, on the other hand, tells us otherwise. On RCF, I've repeatedly went over the reasons for why US actions in the Middle East and Central Asia have caused backlash. This burning at home is no different. General Petreaus has already warned that the Quran burning will be a rallying call for the Taliban against US troops in Afghanistan. Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, is already home to many mass protest against the burning.

The pastor wants to be part of the War on Terror. He is; he s inciting Muslims around the world, who don't know how free and tolerant this country is, against us. This war is about the hearts and minds of the local populations that could support our cause instead of the causes of Al-Qaeda. Here, we have ignorant people making those same people hate us. I'm not condemning American involvement in foreign countries. Everything that benefits us will come with consequences. This, however, has no benefit to this country and turns the Muslim world against us. If you know anyone participating in this, I hope you will tell them to think otherwise.

Bucs Radio Voice on Moohead Radio 5PM Today

moohead — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:13:19 GMT

http://mooheadradio.com

This will be a very informative show. Derek Fournier is the webmaster of whatthebuc.com as well as the Bucs voice on 1010AM WQYK in Tampa. He will discuss what we can expect from the Bucs this week, and Tampa media's feelings about their team. He will point out strengths and weaknesses of their team. This is a must listen if you are picking the result of this game. We'll see you all at 5PM today. Go Browns!

Study ranks Cleveland as one of most stressed cities in the United States

Maximus — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:01:26 GMT

Study ranks Cleveland as one of most stressed cities in the United States

By Garrett Downing, NewsNet5/WEWS-TV

A new study ranks Cleveland as one of the most stressful cities in the country.

The �U.S. Uncovered� study, conducted by Portfolio.com, says Cleveland is No. 3 on its "most stressful places in America."

The study took crime rates, unemployment and health of residents into account when creating the rankings.

According to the study, Cleveland has the most robberies per 100,000 residents and had an increased number of deaths from heart failure, hypertension and stroke.

Detroit was ranked as the most stressed city because of its high unemployment rate, as well as its high murder and robbery rates.

Los Angeles, with its expensive housing and high air pollution, was No. 2.

Salt Lake City was the least stressed of the 50 largest U.S. cities.

For more information on the study, go here .

Hickson predicted to have a break-out year

Shakey — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:45:50 GMT

An NBA scout selected 5 players to have a break-out year. It's from Sporting News, sorry if it's been posted elsewhere:

Quote:

5. J.J. Hickson(notes), PF, Cavaliers. There is a reason everybody wanted this guy at the trading deadline, but the Cavs will be happy they kept him. He is a beast inside and a great athlete. He could eventually block 2.5 to three shots per game. He will be a good rebounder, and although he might not have the smoothest offensive game, he runs the floor very well�and they're going to be a good transition team.

full article

Making a Point: Projecting the Cavaliers' scoring distrubtion without #23 this season

camakazee — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:24:40 GMT

I just made a post breaking down the statistics of current Cavs players from the past without James in the lineup. I understand several have small sample sizes and include some meaningless end-of-the-season games (I mention this in the post, but figured I'd mention it for the non-readers that want to harp on it :chuckles:), but I wanted to project who'd be most likely to carry the load this year.

Anyway, there are several tables that don't post smoothly from WP to RCF so make sure to check out the post HERE for all of that. Here's a snippet and a sweet graphic made by Smooth that sums up how the Cavs core performed in the six games without James last season. There are more advanced statistics in the tables...

Quote:

The majority of emails I’ve received post-Decision this off-season have revolved around the idea of projecting the performance of this upcoming season’s Cavaliers. Many have asked me whether or not I think Antawn Jamison will return to his Wizards’ style of play or if J.J. Hickson will blossom without LeBron James, who assisted 32.5% of Hickson’s field goals last season. Well, while it’s impossible for me to know how these guys will perform over the course of a full season without James, I figured I would take an in depth look at how Cleveland’s core played without #23 in the lineup over the past few seasons.

For instance, last season James missed six games with the Cavaliers going only 1-5 without him playing in those games. However, several Cavaliers, including Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison also missed a few of those games as well. Regardless, the Cavs are only 10-16 (.385) over the past seven seasons in games that they were left without the services of LeBron James.

Without James in the game, several players were able to take more shots than they were used to and the ball often moved more fluidly throughout the offense. In fact, Sam Amico recently touched upon this idea, claiming “last season I was half-joking when I said the two most exciting NBA games I saw were Cavs games without LeBron. It had nothing to do with LeBron, clearly the greatest player in franchise history and a guy you always wanted on the court.

“Rather, it was that the rest of the Cavs had to play team basketball in the truest sense — and were fighting to prove they were more than just their superstar,” he added. Therefore, with this notion in mind, here is a look at how current Cavaliers performed over the six game span without James last season.

After a quick glance at the chart, there are quite a few positive statistics to note. First, both Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison averaged more than 19 points per game without James in the lineup. These numbers are particularly impressive for Jamison, who averaged 19.2 points on only 14.0 field goal attempts in 27.6 minutes per game, shooting 52.9% from the field and averaging 25 points per 36 minutes. In my opinion, this makes me believe that Jamison could average over 20 points per game this season, just as he averaged 20.5 points per contest through 41 games with Washington last season.

Williams, on the other hand, attempted more shots per game and shot an inefficient 38.6% from the floor. Regardless, his 8.0 assists per game as the team’s primary ball handler is a bright spot for the Cavaliers as they look to run a more fast paced offense this year.

http://numbersdont.com/?p=3500

So. I'm pretty wasted...

JSS2306 — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:38:53 GMT

Wasted off the fact that I really don't have any trust in my own country and the world. I'm by no means a conspiracy theorists and usually I disagree with anything Alex Jones might have to say just based off the fact that he claims the movie "Machete" to be the start of a race war.

However...

I was wondering if anyone had checked out his movies such as:

Invisible Empire:

or

Endgame:

I wasn't just intrigued by the off the top accusations, but more so the political facts that surround his claims which seemingly are backed by factual documentation or albeit video clips from the most prominent players in history.

I watched both movies over the weekend after work and I have to say, I'm at the very least intrigued... immensely.

Some of the footage and facts are quite frankly, mind changing. However, I do know history is always skewed so I don't exactly take it for what it is although I sort of have this inside gut feeling telling me that maybe we are all products of such an amass plan of global domination. lol

Any thoughts?

TONS of Great Sports Memorabilia and Restaurant/Kitchen Equipment For Sale

sgm405 — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:22:51 GMT

Hey all...my father-in-law has just closed up shop on his restaurant/sports bar, and is selling a ton of great stuff. He has loads of restaurant/kitchen equipment in great quality if anyone is interested, as well as tons of sweet sports memorabilia. I have listed the sports stuff below. Everything is in great shape and was autographed in person, and pictures are available upon request (didn't want to load 1,000 pictures).

He is located in Wooster and I am in Akron, so pickup is available in those places, or they can be shipped. Please send me a private message to make an offer on something, or to get more information. Thanks guys!

Brad Daugherty Autographed Picture (He is holding a Pepsi bottle, picture has Pepsi Logo)

Cleveland Indians Jersey Autographed by Entire '07 Indians Team (Minus Paul Byrd; White Jersey)
Travis Hafner Autographed Bat (Case Included If Picked Up)
Grady Sizemore Autographed Bat (Case Included If Picked Up)
Eric Wedge Autographed Jersey (Framed, Blue Jersey)
Cleveland Indians "Going, Going Gone" Picture
Paul Byrd Autographed Picture
Travis Hafner Autographed "Player Clubhouse" Sign
Charles Nagy Autographed Picture
Victor Martinez Autographed Picture
"Indians Blvd." Sign (Plastic)
Mike Hargrove Autographed Picture
Kenny Lofton Autographed Picture
Ryan Garko Autographed Mini-Home Plate
Travis Hafner "Pronk" Wall Banner
Grady Sizemore Wall Banner
Cleveland Indians 60th Anniversary 1948 World Series Champions Pennant
Travis Hafner Autographed HUGE Banner
Casey Blake Autographed Picture (2)
Jason Michaels Autographed Picture
Travis Hafner Autographed Picture
Jason Davis Autographed Picture
Jeremy Sowers Autographed Picture
Jose Mesa Autographed Picture
Einar Diaz Autographed Picture
"Jim Thome Dr." Metal Sign

"The Browns Are Back" Panoramic Picture (Framed)
Jamir Miller Autographed Picture (Larger Picture, can measure it)
"Super Tickets" Framed Picture (Tickets from Every Super Bowl)
Autographed Browns Pennant (Believed to be Kenard Lang)
Browns Wall Banner (Helmet)
Autographed Hanford Dixon picture
Leroy Kelly Autographed Picture (2)
Bob Golic Autographed Picture
Ozzie Newsome Autographed Picture
Paul Warfield Autographed Picture (2)
Bob Gain Autographed Picture

Jim Tressel Plaque (Holding National Champions Trophy, Plate Says 2002 Natl Champions)
OSU "Locker Room" Sign (Plastic)
Ohio State Wall Banner
Woody Hayes/Paul Bryant Picture and Plaque (Plate on it has career records for both)
Troy Smith Plaque (Says Hesiman Trophy Winner)
Ron Lewis Autographed Picture
"Buckeyes County" Metal Sign
"Buckeyes Blvd" Plastic Sign
"2002 National Champions" Plaque
"OSU Buckeyes Ave." Metal Sign

Alternate Navy Unis this season?

RoytheBoy — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:08:50 GMT

The Navy Hickson shirt suggests that the Cavs plan on using Navy this year. I'm betting the jersey will be like the old navy ones with the checkered collar and armholes, in addition to using the new font.

http://www.cavaliersteamshop.com/fan...ffset=2&s_id=0