Cleveland State Vikings senior guard Norris Cole was named the Horizon League Conference player of the year as well as defensive player of the year after leading the conference in scoring (21.6 ppg), assists (5.5 apg), and steals (2.2 spg). He also averaged 6.0 rebounds per contest.
He was named league player of the week five times, sharing the league record for most awards in a single season with two other players.
With Cole leading the way, the Vikings shared the regular season Horizon League Title with Milwaukee and Butler, the first time they’ve been regular season champs. This was also the first time a Vikings player has been named player of the year in the Horizon League.
The last chance for Cleveland fans to see Cole in action could be tonight, as the Vikings play host to UIC in the opening round of the Horizon League Tournament at the Wolstein Center. If Cleveland State wins, their next game will be in Milwaukee against the winner between Wright State and Green Bay on Friday evening.
Despite getting 27 points from senior guard Norris Cole, the Cleveland State Vikings fell to the Milwaukee Panthers 87-83 Thursday night at the Wolstein Center. Trevon Harmon added 22 points as the Vikings record now stands at 23-7 overall, 12-5 in conference play.
The Vikings are now in a four way tie for first in the Horizon League with Buter, Valparaiso, and Milwaukee as each have five losses in conference play. Due to tiebreakers, the Vikings are not likely to get a number one or two seed in the Horizon League postseason tournament.
The regular season concludes with a home game against Green Bay on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2:00 PM at the Wolstein Center.
1. When the Cleveland Browns win a game, no matter what it looked like, take it. Don’t complain about it. Don’t say they didn’t deserve it. Don’t say they were lucky. Again, take it. The Browns have lost so many games over the years that left us fans in disbelief so just take a deep breath and enjoy the fact that the Cleveland Browns won a game.
2. The Cleveland Cavalier fans have more heart than any of the players that play on the squad. What a bunch of bitches those players are. Every single one of them. Instead of playing grab ass with players on the opposing team, mix in a physical foul once in a while. The Cavs are obviously one of the less talented teams in the NBA, so they have to make up for it in heart and playing physical. The problem is they have no heart, and the players don’t know how to be physical. There is a difference between being physical and being dirty. I’m saying to play physical.
3. Wladimir Klitschko was set to defend the Heavyweight Championship of the World this weekend. That was until he tore a pectoral muscle earlier this week. Reports say he tore it while working the punching mitts. I don’t buy it. I’m going to say that he and his girlfriend Hayden Panettiere were practicing cheers to revive her Hollywood career and he hurt himself after they did some crazy acrobatic maneuver.
These two don't look akward together do they?
4. The biggest surprise players on The Ohio State University Buckeyes this football season were Boom Herron and Brian Rolle. Sure, both players were well-known coming into the season, but had underachieved in prior years. Herron proved to be a tough player inside the tackles and was the most consistent offensive player of the season. Rolle, an undersized linebacker, stepped up and showed the playmaking abilities that the Buckeyes were looking for when they recruited him out of Florida. Herron will be one of the top running backs in the country next season. The most disapointing players? Terrelle Pryor and Cameron Hayward. Pryor continued to be inconsistent as a quarterback and didn’t capitalize on his near perfect Rose Bowl game from last year. Heading into the season he was the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, however, he failed to even make first or second team quarterback in his own conference. Cameron Hayward passed up first round riches to play in the NFL last year to come back and play his senior year. A commendable act no doubt, but he should have dominated this year. There were games when you didn’t even hear the announcers mention his name. Sure, he was double and triple teamed much of the year, but if your Cameron Hayward, you’ve gotta find a way to make plays. I’m being extremely critical here, because Heyward still had a solid year, but a player of his stature didn’t have the type of dominating season that was expected.
5. I’ve said it before, and i’m going to continue to preach it. THE BEST BASKETBALL IN THE CITY CONTINUES TO BE PLAYED BY THE CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS! They are 11-0 and are on the cusp of being ranked in the top 25. Don’t get caught up in their ranking. Just know that head coach Gary Waters and his staff are concentrating on getting them ready for postseason play. Also Norris Cole, who has already been named athlete of the week twice in the Horizon League this season, is more fun to watch than anyone on the Cleveland Cavalier roster.
6. It’s great to be a Cleveland Indians fan right now. I mean, while Boston is picking up Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, and the Yankees on the verge of signing Cliff Lee, the Indians are promoting Snow Days at progressive field and getting close to signing Nick Punto. Nick Punto!! Punto is a stud at 33 years old and coming off a monster year in which injuries limited him to playing 48 games, but he hit an astounding .238!! I’m camping out for my Tribe tickets already. Damn you Larry Dolan. Damn you.
7. While Jared Sullinger, Jon Diebler, and William Buford get most of the attention and accolades for The Ohio State University Buckeye basketball team, the heart and soul of the team is David Lighty. The Cleveland native leads the team in scoring, and is averaging career highs in assists and steals. What you won’t see in the box score is the defensive intensity he brings as well as the hustle plays that he makes on the court by tipping balls and frustrating opposing players.
8. If you have a bad lower back like I do, get an inversion table. The thing works wonders. Takes every ounce of pressure and removes it from your back. Simply amazing.
9. I know its early, but TJ Ward and Joe Haden remind me an awful lot of the Frank Minnifield and Felix Wright combination. What a backfield. Keep it up guys.
10. There are two Cleveland boxers that are participating in the World Series of Boxing. For those that don’t know, the World Series of Boxing is an amateur boxing league that follows professional rules. There is no headgear, no shirts, and rounds are scored on a ten point must system. The fights last five rounds. The two Cleveland boxers are Raynell Williams and Terrell Gausha. They both participate on the Team from Memphis called the Memphis Force. Both were victorious in their opening bouts. The bouts are televised on Versus.
Raynell Williams during his first bout with Memphis.
11. I heard that there is going to be a new Top Gun movie coming out. Please say it isn’t so!! First The Karate Kid was remade, and now Top Gun? SMDH.
12. There is excellent boxing on this weekend. Both Showtime and HBO are giving fans their money’s worth. Showtime is showing its Bantamweight tournament bouts, featuring four of the top six bantamweights in the World against each other, while HBO is focusing on the Jr Welterweight division, with three of the top ten Jr Welterweights in action.
13. The University of Akron Zips soccer team has made it to the Final Four of the College Cup. They are on their way to back-to-back National Championships!
1. Running back Peyton Hillis, left tackle Joe Thomas, and center Alex Mack will make the Pro Bowl this season. I don’t see anyone making it from the defensive side of the ball, as the Cleveland Browns defense tends to be more of a team defense playing together as one unit, rather than relying on a few playmakers on that side of the ball to control opposing offenses.
2. Cavaliers point guard Daniel “Boobie” Gibson deserves props. Not only for his play on the basketball court, but for his charity in the Browns team shop during the team’s loss to the Jets on Sunday. Gibson tweeted during the game, which he was attending, “headed to the team shop..Free gear on me if you here!! He’s must follow status now!!
3. I’m much happier that Antonio Margacheato sustained a prolonged beating for 12 rounds against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, rather than suffering an early knockout loss. Margacheato should of been banned from the sport forever after he attempted to enter the ring with loaded gloves when he took on Shane Mosley in 2009. He will suffer more long term damage from that beating, and he deserves whatever health issues he will be dealt with.
4. Terrell Pryor is going to have a big time game on Saturday in Iowa. Mark it down. Take my word for it. He’s too much of a competitor and the fact that people are counting him out right now will feed into his hunger.
5. Cleveland State’s Norris Cole is the most exciting basketball player in the city. He is the Horizon League Athlete of the week and his Vikings are 4-0, matching the best start in school history. Cole is a senior, and was a first team All-Horizon League selection last season. He is averaging 22.3 points/game this season.
6. It’s the offseason for the Indians and the GM winter meetings are underway. That means the Tribe is in the market for a pitcher that is coming off an injury. Brandon Webb anyone? My bet is he will be wearing a Cleveland uniform next year. Damn you Larry Dolan. Damn you.
7. The best basketball player in the state of Ohio is Jared Sullinger. He’s already convinced me that he can eat whatever he wants and it won’t matter. I was comparing his weight to that of “Tractor” Traylor last week, but the bottom line is he has accomplished more in two games than Traylor ever did in his entire college and professional basketball career.
8. Don’t text and drive. Please. Don’t text and drive.
9. I’m not saying that Eric Mangini had a good draft class in 2009, and the Massaquoi and Robiskie apparent busts really stick out, but what about the Alex Mack pick? I’d take a Pro Bowl player in any draft. Also, it was Mangini who brought up bringing Peyton Hillis to Cleveland, after watching him as a member of the Broncos.
10. I, like everyone else, want to see Pacquiao and Mayweather square off in the ring. I do, however, find it astonishing that despite adding over 50 pounds since turning pro, Pacquiao is as fast and as powerful as ever. The whispers about steroids have been out there, and if Mayweather is going to go through the Olympic style drug testing to prove he is clean, then Pacquiao should as well.
11. I was going to call out my kids for not letting me get the proper amount of sleep I need to be a productive member of society, but I was afraid my words would get taken out of context. I feel you Leboob. I understand. SMDH.
12. There are already too many weight classes in boxing, and now we are getting more with all the catch weight fights. The Pacquiao/Margacheato fight was at a catch weight, and this week’s big fight is also at a catch weight. Martinez is the middleweight champion of the World. If Williams wants the title, the fight should be at the 160 pound middleweight limit. When will the madness end?
13. Ohio is the Soccer capital of the World!! No, just kidding, but Ohio just may be the soccer capital of the USA. Cleveland St. Ignatius was named the National Champions after their perfect 23-0 season, and Akron has a chance to become back to back national champions as they are currently participating in the College Cup.
Castro's Kingdom 