Ohio Sports Fan Blog

Indianapolis Colts All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney says the pain in his sprained right ankle is subsiding and he still hopes play in Sunday’s Super Bowl.


Freeney said Wednesday that in addition to using an oxygen tent, he has been walking barefoot and in the Florida sand to strengthen the ankle.

It appears to be working.

Though it’s been a slow progression, Freeney says the ankle feels a little better each day.

One other Colts starter, cornerback Jerraud Powers, also is questionable with a left foot injury. Coach Jim Caldwell said Powers is improving but he may not practice until later this week.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

One month and one day from the NHL trade deadline, all signs point to Blue Jackets left winger Raffi Torres being traded to a playoff contender in exchange for draft picks or prospects.

As of yesterday, the Blue Jackets and Torres’ agent, Eustace King, had not discussed, even preliminarily, a contract extension that would prevent Torres from becoming an unrestricted free agent July 1.

When asked whether he was frustrated by the lack of progress toward a new deal, Torres said: “I want to stay here and play hockey here. I’m very happy here in Columbus.

“To be honest, I have to stop thinking about (a contract extension) and just worry about what’s happening on the ice. I don’t feel like I’ve been playing my best hockey for the last couple of weeks or so.”

The Blue Jackets, who play the Colorado Avalanche at 9 tonight in the Pepsi Center, would like to keep Torres, too, but money likely will be an issue.

Click here to read the full article – By Columbus Dispatch

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This is perfect for the Indianapolis Colts: They have Peyton Manning and they’re back in the Super Bowl.

The four-time MVP threw three touchdown passes and the Colts rallied from an 11-point, first-half deficit to beat the New York Jets 30-17 Sunday in the AFC championship game.

The Colts (16-2) are now headed back to the NFL title game for the second time in four years and their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. Better yet, they’re heading back to their lucky city — Miami, where they’ve played all four of those games and won there twice.

“I thought we just kept our mouths shut and went to work this week,” Manning said.

The big-talking Jets, and their equally big-talking coach, Rex Ryan, were all the incentive Indy needed Sunday.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Shaquille O’Neal had one regret about moving into elite NBA scoring air. It should have happened long ago.


O’Neal became the fifth player to score 28,000 career points, and the Big Diesel made his enormous presence known at both ends of the floor as the Cleveland Cavaliers began a long stretch of home games with a 108-100 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.

O’Neal reached the major milestone with a layup in the first minute. He was proud of the achievement, but felt it was overdue.

“I’ve missed like 5,000 free throws,” O’Neal said. “If I had at least hit half of those, then I would be at 30,000 right now.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Peyton Manning beat the Ravens and buried a myth.

In his first game since winning an unprecedented fourth NFL MVP award, Manning threw for two touchdowns Saturday night in the Indianapolis Colts’ 20-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The decisive win came after a playoff bye, something that had been a plague, not a respite, for Manning and his teammates.

“I don’t think it matters if you’ve had a bye or you’re playing home or away,” Manning said when asked about Indy’s previous 0-3 record after sitting out the wild-card round. “This myth that you can’t win after a bye week, I haven’t believed in it.”

The Colts (15-2) will host the AFC championship next Sunday against San Diego or the New York Jets.

“Whoever it is, we know it’s going to be a challenge and we have to step it up another notch,” coach Jim Caldwell said.

Manning and the other Colts starters got lots of rest when the rookie coach sat them for long portions of the final two regular-season games, both losses after they had opened 14-0. Then they had the bye, a reward for owning the league’s best record.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Purdue got its first glimpse into how tough the road will be in the Big Ten — a conference where even cellar dwellers like Iowa can make things difficult for visitors.


E’Twaun Moore scored 21 points, 15 in the second half, and the fourth-ranked Boilermakers overcame a sluggish start to beat Iowa 67-56 on Tuesday night for its best start in 16 seasons.

Robbie Hummel added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Boilermakers (12-0, 1-0 Big Ten), who have opened with 12 straight wins for the second time. Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson led Purdue to a school-record 14-0 start in 1993-94.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named today as the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, December 21st through Sunday, December 27th.

In four games during the week, James averaged an Eastern Conference-best 29.5 points on .511 shooting, 7.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 38.0 minutes per game. James wins the award for the second time this season and the 22nd time in his career. He led the team to four consecutive wins during the week (all over Western Conference opponents) and the Cavs have now won nine of their last 10 games, bringing their record to 24-8 on the season, 11-3 overall against the Western Conference and 14-3 (.824) against teams that had at least a .500-record the day of the game.

James finished with 29 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 109-91 victory over the Suns on December 21st, helping the Cavs become the first team to defeat Phoenix at home this season and handing Phoenix its first home loss since March 12, 2009, a span of 285 days. The Cavaliers are the only opponent to win in Phoenix in the Suns’ last 21 home games. In that span, the Suns are 19-0 against the rest of the NBA and 0-2 against the Cavs.


Click here to read the full article – By of woio.com

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The head coach was dry as he ran off the field after clinching a title — no celebratory sideline dousing. Players’ eyes were dry, too — all the tears had been wrung out.

Either way, they were in the playoffs.

Carson Palmer’s touchdown pass to Chad Ochocinco completed a 98-yard drive in the closing minutes Sunday, sending Cincinnati to a 17-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs that clinched the AFC North title five days after the Bengals buried teammate Chris Henry.

They wore the receiver’s No. 15 on their helmets and their hearts.

“I’m not jumping for joy or glee, just thinking about 15 once that clock hits zero,” Ochocinco said. “That was everybody’s mindset, to go out and win this one for him.”

The Bengals (10-5) reached the playoffs for only the second time in the past 19 years after dealing with Henry’s death. His wooden locker stall still has his shoulder pads resting on the top shelf, an assortment of shoes on the bottom rack and his helmet hanging from the side — almost as though he would show up at any moment and suit up.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning became the fourth player in NFL history to pass for at least 50,000 yards, a mark he met during his game against the New York Jets on Sunday.


Manning entered the game needing 159 yards to reach the milestone. He surpassed the mark on a 24-yard completion to Austin Collie, and joins Brett Favre, Dan Marino and John Elway as the only quarterbacks to do so.

Manning might not be finished yet. He needs one more 300-yard game to tie the NFL single-season record. He has nine, one short of Rich Gannon’s mark, set with Oakland in 2002 and tied by New Orleans’ Drew Brees last season.


Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Serious. Credible. A leader. In Mike Holmgren, Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner hit the trifecta he desperately wanted.

Holmgren, who returned Green Bay to prominence and raised Seattle’s profile during his NFL career, on Monday accepted an offer to become president of the Cleveland Browns, a tradition-rich franchise needing a major makeover after a decade of losing and front-office incompetence.

Lerner said he reached a preliminary agreement with Holmgren, a Super Bowl-winning coach who brings immediate credibility to the down-and-out Browns.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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