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Cavaliers fire Brown as coach
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CLEVELAND (AP) -- Of the many reasons the Cleveland Cavaliers had for firing coach Mike Brown after five seasons without an NBA title, one mattered most.
They can't lose LeBron James.
Less than two weeks after their stunning, second-round loss to Boston in the playoffs, the Cavaliers fired Brown on Monday, an expected move that perhaps indicates the team believes it can re-sign James, the two-time MVP and free agent-in-waiting.
Brown was the most successful coach in franchise history. In five seasons, he led the Cavs to the playoffs every year, to the finals in 2007 and to 127 wins in the past two seasons. But Brown failed to win a championship, and after Cleveland's second straight early exodus from the postseason -- a collapse that included two blowout losses at home and dissension in the Cavs' locker room -- and with James about to explore free agency, owner Dan Gilbert decided to make a change.
"After a long and deep analysis of all of the factors that led to the disappointing early ends to our playoff runs over the past two seasons, we concluded that it was time for the Cavaliers to move in a different direction," Gilbert said in a statement. "The expectations of this organization are very high and, although change always carries an element of risk, there are times when that risk must be taken in an attempt to break through to new, higher levels of accomplishment.
"This is one of those times."
The Cavs did not hold a news conference to explain their decision to relieve Brown, who went 314-177 and was the league's coach of the year in 2009.
Brown was not immediately available for comment. No one answered the door at his home in Westlake, Ohio.
A James family publicist said the superstar is out of town on vacation and would not be available to comment on Brown's dismissal.
Boston's Doc Rivers and Orlando's Stan Van Gundy, the coaches who knocked Brown and the Cavs from the playoffs the past two years, expressed disappointment in Cleveland's decision.
"Obviously, I was not thrilled to see it," Rivers said before Game 4 in Boston. "I wonder what you have to do to keep your job -- back-to-back 60-win seasons. Our profession is tough."
Said Van Gundy: "Franchises have the right to make any decisions they want. You can't do a hell of a lot better. There's not a coach in the league that has done better than Mike Brown."
The Cavaliers were under a deadline to dismiss Brown. If they had waited beyond 10 days after the season, they would have had to pay the 40-year-old coach his salary for next season. Cleveland's assistant coaches remain under contract for 2010-11.
The team now faces an even more pressing deadline. James can become a free agent on July 1, when he'll head a free-agent class unlike any other in league history. He will hit the market with fellow superstars Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and others, and while the expected bidding wars are weeks away, the speculation and suspense are hanging over the NBA playoffs.
James has said winning will be the most important factor in choosing a team. In building around him, the Cavs have already shown their commitment to giving the 25-year-old James the tools he needs to win multiple titles.
Now, by firing Brown, who won more than 66 percent of his games, the Cavs have again demonstrated a willingness to go beyond the norm to make James happy. While the All-Star forward did not call for Brown's head, it was clear during the Boston series that James and his coach were not on the same page.
The Cavs, though, are in a bind as complex as any defense they saw in the playoffs.
James will likely keep his options open until free agency begins, and without an agreement from him, it will be almost impossible for the team to land a high-profile coach since any prospective coach can't be assured he'll have James.
Beyond that, general manager Danny Ferry's contract expires next month and there's no guarantee he wants to stay around.
If Ferry isn't re-signed, the Cavs face the prospect of preparing for the NBA college draft and free agency without a coach or GM -- hardly the position they thought they'd be in after winning 61 regular-season games and dispatching Chicago in the first playoff round.
It gets even trickier. Gilbert will undoubtedly try to make a big splash to convince James to stay, but to do so he'll likely have to land a high-profile coach. There's no indication Gilbert has reached out to anyone yet but the top-tier candidate list would include people like Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, Michigan State's Tom Izzo or Kentucky's John Calipari, a close friend of James, whose seat near Cleveland's bench added awkward drama to the Cavs' loss in Game 5 to the Celtics.
Jackson's contract with the Lakers expires after this season. The 10-time champion has talked about retirement and recently said he can't imagine himself coaching anywhere else, but that may not stop Gilbert from making him a strong pitch -- especially if James is part of the package.
Krzyzewski and James formed a strong bond in three seasons together on the U.S. Olympic team, winning a gold medal in Beijing two years ago. Krzyzewski came close to leaving Duke for the Lakers in 2004, and if he's ever going to test his mettle in the pro game, the opportunity to coach James could be enough to pry him from campus.
Also, assuming he stays, Ferry is close with Krzyzewski, whom he played for in college and still calls "coach."
"The NBA rumors have been addressed several times in recent years by coach Krzyzewski," Duke spokesman Jon Jackson said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "He has repeatedly stated that he will be the Duke head coach for the remainder of his career."
Gilbert has always been impressed with Izzo, who fits the tough-minded defensive profile the owner was looking for when he hired Brown in 2005. Also, Gilbert is a Michigan State graduate. Izzo has turned down previous NBA overtures, but maybe none as big as what Gilbert might offer.
And then there's Calipari, who has insisted he'll stay at Kentucky. But that's not likely to stop the Cavs from reaching out to Calipari to gauge his interest in coming to Cleveland, a move that could keep James home.
Brown, meanwhile, did everything in his five seasons with the Cavs -- everything but win a title. In the end, that meant Gilbert had little choice but to let him go.
The Cavs owner can't let James walk away as easily.


Michigan's Self-Imposed Punishment for Ncaa Violations
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The University of Michigan on Tuesday admitted to a series of violations in its storied football program, but insisted the problems related to practice time and the activities of graduate assistants were not enough to warrant major punishment from the NCAA.
Michigan released details of self-imposed sanctions it hopes will satisfy the NCAA, whose staff will hold a hearing on the case in August. A final decision on NCAA penalties could take months.

Michigan's self-imposed penalties
Penalties self-imposed by the Michigan football program Tuesday:

• Cut back practice and training time by 130 hours over the next two years, starting this summer.

• Cut number of assistants from five to three and banned them from practices, games or coaching meetings for the rest of 2010.

• Recommendation for two years of probation. The school said it should not be tagged as a repeat offender despite a 2003 scandal in the basketball program.

• Letters of reprimand issued to seven people -- including head coach Rich Rodriguez.

• Acknowledged for first time that staffer Alex Herron was fired after his claim of not being present during some activities was discredited by players.

Michigan said it will cut back practice and training time by 130 hours over the next two years, starting this summer. It also trimmed the number of assistants -- the so-called quality control staff -- from five to three and banned them from practices, games or coaching meetings for the rest of 2010.
"I'm glad to get that over with," coach Rich Rodriguez said Monday night in Midland at the Michigan AP Sports Editors Meeting. "But that is just part of the process."
The self-imposed sanctions included a recommendation for two years of probation for the NCAA's winningest football program, which is 8-16 in two seasons under Rodriguez. The school said it should not be tagged as a repeat offender despite a 2003 scandal in the basketball program.
"We're imposing on ourselves what we believe is corrective actions," athletic director David Brandon said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Ultimately, the NCAA will decide what the appropriate sanctions and penalties are."
The violations came to light last fall during a second straight losing season for Rodriguez, who will return for his third season at Michigan this fall. Anonymous players told the Detroit Free Press that they were exceeding NCAA limits on practice and training time, prompting school and NCAA investigations.
The NCAA has outlined five potentially major rules violations, all related to practices and workouts. It accused Rodriguez of failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance in his program -- a charge Michigan vehemently denied even as it acknowledged an overall failure by the athletic department.
"We think that is overly harsh," Brandon said. "We do believe that there were things he could've done better and Rich would be the first to agree that details he delegated shouldn't have been in retrospect."
Brandon said the school decided not to take away scholarships or eliminate coaching positions.
"That's usually a result of something deemed to be an offense that created a competitive advantage," Brandon said. "Those kind of sanctions are also typically related to academic fraud, gambling, recruiting violations and extra benefits."
Michigan told the NCAA that letters of reprimand were issued to seven people -- including Rodriguez -- who shared responsibility for the violations. One staffer who worked under Rodriguez at West Virginia before joining him at Michigan, Alex Herron, was fired after his claim of not being present during some activities was discredited by players.
The school said two main problems -- too many people acting as coaches and too many hours being put into football by the players -- occurred in part because of "inattention by the football staff."
"The university agrees that it failed as a whole to adequately monitor its football program to assure compliance regarding the limitations upon the number, duties and activities of countabale football coaches and the time limits" for practice," it said. "The university also agrees that Rodriguez failed to satisfy the monitoring responsibilities required of head coaches."
After his hire from West Virginia, Rodriguez filled all five quality control positions in the program -- essentially assistants to assistants who were paid $17 per hour to "run errands for the coaches, check on student-athlete class attendance and academic issues, and chart plays."
The school said the staff "crossed the line in specific situations and engaged in 'coaching activities" as defined by the NCAA.
Rodriguez also told school investigators he didn't know about forms used at Michigan to track athletes' activities until last summer, 18 months after he was hired, and he said no one ever told him those forms were not being filed with compliance officials by his program.
Rodriguez's response was submitted by his attorney, Scott Tompsett. He said the coach was "very disappointed that his administrators failed to provide the job descriptions on multiple occasions and he is disappointed that the compliance staff never brought their failure to his attention. Rodriguez has always had an open-door policy for anyone to bring matters to his attention."
The school said it had discovered the paperwork problem and was working on it when the story broke. The bigger issue was the lack of communication. The school said the football program didn't provide requested information to the compliance office, which failed to alert Rodriguez -- who "should have paid closer attention to his subordinates."
Rodriguez regretted that he didn't adequately monitor certain aspects of his program, but added in his response that following NCAA bylaws was not a "one-man job."
"We're not happy to be in this process, but we're handling it in a professional and transparent manner before we move on," Brandon said. "The NCAA will hear our case in August, then will deliberate as long as is needed -- and that could be weeks -- before making a decision that we can agree with or choose to appeal."


Tressel's wife has heart surgery
CLEVELAND -- The wife of Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is recovering from surgery to repair a heart valve.
Norma Watson, Tressel's mother-in-law, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that her daughter, 56-year-old Ellen Tressel, had the operation at the Cleveland Clinic on Tuesday in hopes of improving blood flow through the heart.
Watson says the procedure went well and her daughter is likely to leave the hospital this weekend. She says the coach plans to stay with his wife for the duration. He's missing the Big Ten's league meetings in Chicago.
Ellen Tressel's mother says doctors detected a problem when she was tested for a heart condition (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) that runs in the family. She wasn't ill but had noticed shortness of breath.

Ohio State Michigan Nough Said

LOOK FOR THE BUCKEYES THROWBACK UNIFORMS AGAINST MICHIGAN

Ohio-Michigan dislike more than just football
All of the different articles on the GAME!!!! www.espn.com, www.si.com, www.cbssportsline.com, www.msnbc.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The deep and abiding enmity between Ohio and Michigan is certainly nothing new.
When teams from No. 10 Ohio State and Michigan meet on Saturday to play football for the 106th time, it’ll just be the latest skirmish between two states and their residents who have despised each other for almost two centuries.
“We understand how important it is, not only here as a football squad, but the state as a whole, to get that victory against Michigan for the bragging rights for the year,” Ohio State linebacker Austin Spitler said.
The first offsides call took place early in the 19th century.
A disagreement over widely divergent surveys called into question the location of their border. Was Toledo in the new state of Ohio? Or in the territory of Michigan?
Ohio Gov. Robert Lucas, sounding a bit like a certain grumpy football coach, refused to even negotiate the line of scrimmage. In defiance, Lucas named the county in which Toledo was located after himself and appointed a sheriff and a judge.
Michigan’s territorial governor, 22-year-old Stevens T. Mason, was outraged. He assembled a 250-member posse and marched south, initiating what was called the Toledo War.
It really wasn’t much of a war. There was only one casualty, when an Ohioan named Two Stickney stabbed a Michigan sheriff in a tavern brawl.
Eventually, Michigan was forced to concede Toledo was in Ohio, but was pacified by a gift of 9,000 square miles of rich mining and timber land in the Upper Peninsula.
A Michigan government Web site sniffs, “In retrospect, it’s obvious who won the War.”
The two universities first met in football in 1897. They started playing annually in 1918, and since 1935 have renewed acquaintances in the final game of the season.
The vitriol between the two states and their two universities was magnified from 1969-78 when curmudgeonly Woody Hayes prowled and growled on the sidelines for the Buckeyes and Michigan was coached by the similarly stubborn and hardheaded Bo Schembechler — an Ohio native and former Hayes acolyte.
Hayes refused to even utter the name of “the state up north.” Legend has it — although no one doubts it — that the petulant, at times childish Hayes once ran out of gas in Michigan but pushed his car over the state line rather than spend his money there.
Something akin to that passion is handed down from generation to generation even today.
“I went to St. Mary’s down in Lancaster, a little Catholic school. We had to wear our (school) uniforms, but for the Ohio State-Michigan game we got to dress up in either Ohio State or Michigan clothes,” said Buckeyes offensive lineman Jim Cordle. “That was fun. We got to cheer into the PA system and then they’d measure (which team’s fans) had the loudest cheer. And then every year we went to an Ohio State-Michigan party to watch the game.”
The two states are so similar yet remain committed in their distaste for each other. Columbus drivers scowl at those behind the wheel of cars with Michigan plates. Graduates of the University of Michigan consider their rivals to be the Ivy League, Stanford, Cal — certainly not the agricultural school down in Columbus.
Over the years, the rivalry has found been manifested in sports.
In the 1940s, the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers were two of the best teams in the American League. Fans debated who was better, Bob Feller or Hal Newhouser? Lou Boudreau or Hank Greenberg?
From 1950 to 1957, the Cleveland Browns of Otto Graham and the Detroit Lions led by Bobby Layne each won three NFL championships. (These days they are competing for the title of the league’s worst team. That title will be decided on Sunday.)
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons have met in three physical, chippy playoff series this decade, the Pistons persevering in seven games in a second-round series in 2006, with the Cavs and LeBron James winning eight of 10 meetings in series wins in 2007 and last year.
Last spring the Columbus Blue Jackets made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time, but the upstarts were no match for the 11-time champion Detroit Red Wings. The Winged Wheels won in a sweep.
There are plenty of other ties between the states. Mark Dantonio, a former assistant coach at Ohio State, is now coach at Michigan State. Brian Kelly, a former head coach at Central Michigan, is now coach at fifth-ranked Cincinnati.
Just last week, Bruce Springsteen performed in Cleveland on Wednesday night and in Auburn Hills, Mich., two nights later. “The Boss” forgot where he was for the second gig and several times said, “Thank you, Ohio!” to silent Michiganders.
John Kerry made a similar gaffe during the 2004 presidential campaign, praising Ohio State’s football team after he had crossed into Michigan. Yet he still won the state in the general election — and lost Ohio.
The rivalry is clear to see when it comes to sports. And there’s nothing quite like the jealousy, dislike and mistrust that seems to accompany “The Game,” as the annual showdown has become known.
Ohio State wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher will be playing in only his third showdown with the Wolverines. But as a native of Toledo, he has a particularly vivid view of the heated rivalry on both sides.
“There’s always a little something extra when it comes to the Michigan game,” he said. “It has a lot to do with the history. It goes back a long time.”
All the way back to the days of posses and Two Stickney.



What are your favorite football traditions at your school?
Ohio State: "I love the Ohio State Marching Band performing Script Ohio. It's an amazing tradition at OSU, as is the singing of Carmen Ohio at the end of all games by the team."

Iowa: "The swarm which is the entrance by the football team where they are all holding hands. Magic Bus, Big A-- Turkey Leg, Black and Gold everywhere hours before the game. The Pink lockerroom for visitors. Touching of Nile Kinnick before the team enters the stadium. The fight song."

Michigan State: "Definitely the MSU Fight Song. (FIGHT! FIGHT! RAH TEAM FIGHT!) But some of the more recent additions are great, such as whenever the Spartan defense holds the offense til third down they play a popular line from the movie 300, "SPARTANS! What is your profession?""

Penn State: "School buses, painted blue, riding past the tailgate areas outside of Beaver Stadium and pulling up to the players entrance before the game, with JoePa and the starting QB riding in the front seats and exiting the bus first, to the cheers of fans old and young. Game-time in-stadium experience, including the chanting of "We Are - PENN STATE," plus the linkage of the current year's team to the great players and teams in the past, and, finally, and best of all, the black shoes, white helmets and plain uniforms, signifing a pedestrian-like approach to the concept of "team" being greater than any one individual."



Tress Owns Michigan
Jim Tressel may go on to win another national championship at Ohio State.
He'll likely win more BCS bowl games and more Big Ten titles. When he's finished coaching, he might enter politics or open his own sweater vest manufacturing company.
But when we look back on Tressel's place in college football history, he will always be remembered for this week. Michigan week.
No one does it better.
Head coaches of national powerhouses are judged primarily on their ability to win games in early January, and Tressel is no exception. But their records against archrivals aren't taken lightly, either. Tennessee's Phil Fulmer got the axe last year largely because of his struggles against rivals Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Florida's Urban Meyer wins national titles, but he also pleases fans by beating rivals Georgia, Tennessee, Miami and Florida State.
You can knock Tressel for his three-game losing streak in BCS bowls, his consecutive double-digit losses in the national title game, his management of quarterback Terrelle Pryor or his conservative play-calling. On those topics, swing away.
But when it comes to the Ohio State-Michigan game, Tressel is king. He boasts a 7-1 mark against Michigan, including wins in each of the last five games. He has beaten Michigan when Ohio State is the better team (2008, 2007, 2005, 2002) and even when Michigan might be the superior squad (2001, 2004). He beat Michigan in the most hyped regular-season game in recent years, the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in 2006 at Ohio Stadium.
Tressel is one of the reasons Lloyd Carr no longer coaches the Wolverines. Carr went 1-6 against The Vest. In Rich Rodriguez's first game against Tressel, Ohio State spanked Michigan 42-7.
And it's not just the record. Tressel plays up this rivalry the right way. He makes it a big deal without inciting the opponent. He doesn't need unique circumstances -- like Justin Boren's transfer from Michigan or Pryor's flirtation with Rodriguez -- to get his players motivated.
"It's an exciting week," Tressel said last year at the start of Michigan week. "Our guys can feel the excitement on the campus and in the community. It's the reason many of them chose to go to Ohio State or to go to Michigan was so they could be a part of this game for four or five years and it's just a little bit different feeling. It's a hard one to explain unless you've been there."
You can feel it at Ohio State.
Seven months before The Game, you walk into the office of co-defensive coordinator Jim Heacock. On the wall, Heacock has a sign that reads, "No Ohio State team has defeated Michigan 5 times in a row."
The 5 is crossed out and replaced with a 6.
Tressel puts this game on a pedestal, and it trickles down throughout the rest of the program. Ohio State already has a Rose Bowl berth essentially locked up, but if you think the Buckeyes will come out with any less fire Saturday at Michigan Stadium (ABC, noon ET), remember who coaches them.
After Saturday's overtime win against Iowa, Tressel said his players could enjoy the win until midnight.
"When the clock strikes 12, we know what week it is," he said, "and that's exciting."


Saine and Herron
As they do every season, Ohio State fans had plenty of burning questions about a Buckeyes running back this fall.
Jaamal Berry.
They wondered when Berry would see the field, how his injured hamstring was progressing and whether head coach Jim Tressel would end up redshirting the highly touted freshman from Miami. These questions peppered Tressel at his weekly news conference and filled up my inbox.
As the wait for Berry continued, it was clear that many Buckeye fans had seen enough of running backs Brandon Saine and Dan Herron. Chris "Beanie" Wells was sorely missed, and for the first time since 2004, when Lydell Ross and Antonio Pittman shared the carries load, Ohio State lacked a dominant runner.
Could the Buckeyes win the Big Ten without a bell cow in the backfield? The answer arrived last Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
Saine and Herron turned in their best performances of the season in the biggest game of the season. The two backs combined for 200 rush yards and three touchdowns against a stout Iowa defense as Ohio State rode a run-heavy offense to a 27-24 overtime victory.
"Those are two tough kids and the seniors mean a lot to those two," Tressel said after the game. "They were not going to let those seniors down."
Ohio State didn't hide its intentions on offense from the get-go. Tressel didn't want to throw downfield against an Iowa defense that ranks second nationally in interceptions (19).
So the Buckeyes ran the ball a season-high 51 times, with 43 attempts going to either Saine or Herron. Ohio State's offensive line, which, like Saine and Herron, has drawn plenty of criticism this season, imposed its will against the Iowa defensive front.
"Boom [Herron] and Brandon were running the ball," quarterback Terrelle Pryor told reporters. "We really didn't need to pass."
The two backs accounted for almost all of Ohio State's big plays on offense.
Saine gave the Buckeyes their first lead with a 22-yard scoring burst late in the second quarter. After Iowa tied the score at 10-10, Herron sprinted 11 yards to the end zone out of the Wildcat formation. Moments later, following a Ross Homan interception, Saine scooted down the sideline for a 49-yard score.
"We were really just having fun out there and stepping up and doing what we knew how to do," Saine said. "We weren't trying to overthink anything. We were trying to be in the moment the whole time."
It has been a mixed bag this year for both Saine and Herron. Both have had decent performances -- Saine against Indiana and Illinois, Herron against Illinois and New Mexico State -- and both have battled injuries (concussion for Saine, ankle for Herron).
But when Ohio State needed to lean on the run game, both backs stepped up.
"They both learned their way as they backed up Beanie over the years," Tressel said. "They waited their turn and kept trying to improve along the way, and they're playing good football."

Richrod Knows the Rivalry
You could hear the frustration in Rich Rodriguez's voice Monday when he once again had to reiterate the obvious.
Michigan-Ohio State is a big deal. Um, yeah.
"Just because I did not coach here before, I did not play here, I'm not from the state of Michigan, doesn't mean I don't understand the rivalry," Rodriguez said. "I understand it as well as any coach can understand it. I've only [coached] in it in one game. Trust me, I understand the importance of the rivalry."
The fact that Rodriguez has to keep defending himself on this issue is ridiculous, and it perpetuates the argument that Michigan will always be skeptical of anyone outside the fraternity.
Yes, Rodriguez has changed some time-honored traditions (the way captains are picked, etc.) at Michigan. There's a different feeling around the program, one that many don't like. But he's not stupid or blind to the obvious. He knows Ohio State isn't just another game.
Rodriguez has repeatedly told the story of having a "Beat Ohio State" button slipped inside his coat pocket before his introductory news conference as Michigan's head coach in December 2007.
How many more times do people need to hear it?
I asked Rodriguez on Tuesday if he looked forward to the day when he wouldn't have to prove he understood the rivalry.
"It's kind of amusing," he said. "I kind of expected it the first year, coming from outside. But even then it was like, 'Geez, I think anybody in college football understands it.' And certainly after you’re here a while, whether you’re here a year or a month or a day, you’re going to hear about the rivalry and the importance of this ballgame.
"It'll pass in time, I'm sure."
Perhaps only after he beats the Buckeyes.

RIP Mrs. Spielman and Hang in there Chris
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The wife of former NFL and Ohio State star Chris Spielman has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
WBNS radio in Columbus, where Chris Spielman co-hosts a show, says 42-year-old Stefanie Spielman died Thursday at the family's home in Upper Arlington.
Stefanie Spielman was 30 years old and three months pregnant in 1998 when she detected a lump in her breast. She later miscarried and discovered she had cancer.
Chris Spielman was playing linebacker with the Buffalo Bills when he decided to give up football for a year to stay home with his wife and children. When his wife lost her hair because of chemotherapy treatments, he shaved his head.
The Spielmans became advocates for breast-cancer detection and research, winning several awards for their dedication to the cause.
Chris Spielman was a standout linebacker at Ohio State and a 10-year NFL veteran. He's currently a college football analyst at ESPN.

Terrelle Pryor to Decide this Week! Don't hold your Breath!

Here is the article from www.rivals.com
Rivals.com recruiting staff
It's finally over, or at least it will be by the end of the week.
The recruiting process for Jeannette, Pa., quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No. 1 player, will end this week when he announces where he will play college football. Pryor has said publicly it is down to two schools, but won't say which two. Here's Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Mike Farrell's take on the situation.
Pryor led his basketball team to a 76-72 overtime win over Strawberry Mansion in the Pennsylvania Class AA title game Saturday.
"I spoke to Terrelle late Sunday night after hearing about the Associated Press article where he said he was deciding this week," said Farrell. "I knew he was going to say something about his football recruiting situation after that game, but wasn't sure if he was going to narrow things down, give a date of his decision or what. We had discussed some things off the record; he just didn't want it out there and he had some good reasons. I think he knew last week."
The timing of the 6-foot-6, 235-pounder's public comments shouldn't be overlooked according to Farrell.
"Terrelle was hoping he would be playing for a state title in basketball on Penn State's campus on Saturday, so there were certain things he didn't want public last week and still doesn't really want out there," Farrell continued. "He has done his research. He has talked to the coaches - as well as players and recruits - from his top two teams. Now it seems like he's ready to get it over with even though he has until April 1."
Farrell feels the two schools he's choosing between are obvious.
"To me, it's Ohio State and Michigan," Farrell said. "Had he eliminated Penn State before the basketball title game in State College, things could have gotten a little ugly or at least distracted the basketball team. There could have been some signs, some hecklers, just some general distractions that he didn't want. I also don't think he has ever wanted to disrespect Penn State in any way. Some of the things he's said about Penn State like not liking the area and such, that's just who he is ? he's honest and tells it like it is. He loves coach Tom Bradley and has great respect for Joe Paterno, he's always said that. I know he really wanted to win the state title and didn't want his football issues to get in the way of things for his basketball teammates."
Pryor scored 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead his team to a 76-72 overtime win over Strawberry Mansion in the Class AA title game Saturday. Shortly thereafter, he told the AP he's going to sign his letter of intent and end the recruiting process.
"He didn't even remember saying that he narrowed it down to two or whatever and didn't know who he said it to, but he said it was accurate," said Farrell. "He has a great deal of respect for all the coaches that have recruited him, so he doesn't want to say one team finished second or third. I expect to see four hats (Oregon, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State) on the table if he does the hat deal when deciding, but he's down to two for sure.
"He wouldn't tell me which two though, and I didn't press him," Farrell said. "But look at it this way. He waited until after he finished his game at Penn State to make this announcement, and he was on campus strictly for hoops - which means he never took his planned official visit to Happy Valley. He has never been to Oregon, so that leaves Ohio State and Michigan."
Ohio State and Michigan look to be the final two for Pryor.
Pryor will talk to the head coaches at his final two schools this week before deciding.
"He spoke to Joe Paterno Sunday night and I got the impression that coach Paterno was not one of those two head coaches," Farrell said. "I think he talks to Rich Rodriguez and Jim Tressel this week, talks it over one more time with his family and then decides."
Farrell said Pryor had hoped to visit Penn State as well as take day trips to Ohio State and Michigan with his mother before deciding.
"He said that's not happening now," Farrell continued. "He said it's his decision and his parents are backing him all the way. Is there a chance he sneaks in a visit to Penn State between now and when he decides? There's always that chance, but it didn't sound like it was in the plans reading between the lines."
If Penn State is truly out, is Pryor's father, Craig, OK with that? After all, it was Craig who wanted his son to delay signing so Penn State could get an official visit.
"I think he wanted to take his time and make sure he was making the right choice," Farrell said. "He respected his family's input, which is why he held off on Signing Day. His dad wanted him to give another look to Penn State. I know Terrelle talked to a few Western Pennsylvania guys currently on Penn State's team recently about the coaching situation up there and the atmosphere. He did some research on his own, and I think his dad is good with that."
So if it's Ohio State and Michigan, who wins?
"To me, I'd be stunned if he picked anyplace but Ohio State," Farrell stated. "He did say he was still doing research on Michigan and that he didn't know, as of Sunday night, where he was going. But I think he's pretty sure. He took that one-day trip to Ohio State for a basketball game recently, and he's friendly with Ohio State signees like Michael Brewster and J.B. Shugarts. He really likes the area, the coaching staff and everything. There have been stunning decisions before and I've been wrong before, but Ohio State is my guess and has been for a long time."
Did Pryor ever attempt to get to Penn State for that official visit?
"I think he was going to take it the same weekend his father, Craig, had emergency heart surgery a couple of weekends ago," Farrell said. "There was a small window of opportunity to visit Penn State, but it didn't happen."
As for a date for the decision, Pryor indicated to Farrell he was still unsure of the particulars.
"I got a text from him Monday morning telling me I'd know when he does," Farrell said. "He's trying to work that out with his coach and principal. It is looking like it will be either Thursday or Friday of this week. He knows he's going to have to do a news conference, although he'd rather just pick a school and end this.
"A lot of people said he did this for the attention, but I know that's not true. He barely spoke to any media following Signing Day and some of the criticism really hit him hard. Once he decided to delay his decision, he wanted to wait until basketball was over to choose. It's over now, and it's decision time."
And so the Terrelle Pryor saga, arguably the most hyped college football recruiting decision in history, is coming to an end.

Terrelle Pryor Still Undecided.... Imagine That!

Terrelle Pryor again delayed his signing today when he spoke about not having enough time to really go through the recruiting process. Give me a break! Obviously, this kid has got Maurece Clarrette written all over him. So, as a huge Ohio State fan I say to Mr. Pryor, "Go to Michigan because it will me much more fun kicking your butt their, then babysitting you here at OSU!"

Check out what http://cbssportsline/ says in this wire arctile

Which school? No. 1 recruit Pryor still pondering
Feb. 6, 2008CBSSports.com wire reports

JEANNETTE, Pa. -- Terrelle Pryor's decision -- or, actually, non-decision -- gives Penn State coach Joe Paterno and Oregon's Mike Bellotti a second chance. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez gets a reprieve, if only a temporary one.
COMMENTARY
Pryor postpones decision after JoePa takes Jeannette by storm by Dennis Dodd
• What's Your Take? Tell Dennis your opinion!
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who expected a firm Pryor commitment on Wednesday? He is getting a lot more nervous.
Pryor, the Pittsburgh-area quarterback who is considered the nation's top unsigned high school football recruit, backed off his apparent choice of Ohio State on signing day and said he needs more time to make up his mind.
Pryor's self-imposed delay means Oregon and home state Penn State are back in the race after the multi-sport star apparently had narrowed his choices to Ohio State and Michigan. On Tuesday night, Pryor felt comfortable with Ohio State, only to change his mind after waking up Wednesday.
"I had my mind set last night that I was going to go ... but Penn State is hitting me hard and I don't think I gave them a fair chance and I want to take a visit there," Pryor said. "Just check out their campus. Just give him (coach Joe Paterno) a chance; he's a great guy. I just think I should go there (to visit)."
The groans from Columbus could almost be heard a state away in Jeannette, where Pryor's image appears on a billboard at the edge of the town of 10,000 and his every move is watched with great interest.
'I'd like to take more time and be fair to all the coaches that recruited me,' Terrelle Pryor says. (AP)
"He hasn't had time to make an informed, intelligent decision," Jeannette coach Ray Reitz said. "Right now, waiting is the best decision for him in the long run."
Pryor's other career is complicating matters. He is one of the Pennsylvania's best high school basketball players, and Jeannette is about to begin tournament play. With most tournament games on the weekends, it could be difficult for Pryor to quickly schedule his Penn State and Oregon visits.
"We played 16 football games, won the state championship (in mid-December) and two days later we jumped into basketball," Pryor said. "I haven't had that much time to get involved in the recruiting process. I'd like to take more time and be fair to all the coaches that recruited me, who spent a lot of time recruiting me."
Another issue: Pryor's father, Craig, has received numerous visits from Penn State coaches and apparently wants his son to play there.
"Me and my dad had a battle of differences," said Pryor, the only Pennsylvania player to rush for more than 4,000 yards and pass for 4,000 in his career. "They've been hitting my father hard. They been to my dad's house so many times. My dad's in love with them. (Penn State assistant) Tom Bradley probably knows the town more than he does."
Pryor's decision to wait is uncommon, as most top players have long since committed by signing day, but he doesn't have to sign with any school until April 1. Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, a family friend who was asked by Pryor to give him advice, doesn't think he will need that long.
"This is the decision he has to live with the next four years," Batch said. "I told him, 'Don't make the decision under pressure.'"
Pryor has the speed, size and the athletic ability to be a Vince Young-type quarterback in college, and he is rated as the nation's No. 1 player by Scouts.com and Rivals.com. He was the MVP last month in the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio. But there are questions about his arm strength and the quality of his opponents in the second smallest of Pennsylvania's four classes.
The other notable quarterbacks to emerge from the Pittsburgh area over the years -- Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana among them -- all played against stronger competition at the time.
"To me, he's a glamour guy who's overrated," said Bill Urbanik, a longtime NFL and college assistant who does player analysis for Takkle.com. "He'll be good but not great. He's a power forward, but now you want him to play point guard. I've seen too many big guys fail at quarterback."
Urbanik, who grew up in Donora, Pa., near Jeannette, also said, "Put him in Texas or California and he'd be pretty good, but not No. 1 in the country. There, they all can run like he can run, and they'll catch him. He doesn't have great quickness."

The Nation's #1 Recruit, Terrelle Pryor has a Big Decision to Make as Signing Day Nears

February 6, 2008, could be the shot heard round the world all over again. The nation's number one high school football recruit must chose where to continue his career. Will it be Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, or Oregon? That's what everyone is asking themselves right now.

I have never seen an athlete that has captured the entire state of Ohio and Michigan like Pryor has done. What will he do, who will he chose? That's all you hear, and see on the web. I honestly think he is starting to toy with these schools by saying who is in the lead and wearing their clothing. He wore a Michigan sweatshirt before the High School All-American game, then placed a Buckeye Leaf on his helmet. So, you tell me, is he getting too cocky, or over his head, is his true colors starting to unfold before all of us that believe he will be the savior?

He says he would also like to play basketball. He is a tremendous talent and a top 100 basketball player (scouts inc), but is he really going to play hoops and take the chance of losing millions of dollars by getting hurt? What do you think? How many coaches will be HONESTLY willing to take that chance? I am sure they are all going to tell him that he can play both right away, but in the end, he will be playing football and only football.

I believe there have been plenty of number one quarterbacks coming out of high school and end up falling flat on their face. Jimmy Clausen anyone........ I don't think Pryor will fall, but someone will need to keep a close eye on him. Sometimes these players seem to get way ahead of themselves. Maurice Clarette????

In the end, I think Terrelle Pryor will be a tremendous asset to any football program, but it is going to take a great coach to truly bring out the best in a pre-madonna. If he goes to my beloved Buckeyes then great. If he doesn't, then I will not lose any sleep over it at least not until late November when a certain team comes to visit the Horseshoe.