Favorite Spread o/u Underdog

DIVISION I
Ignatius 4 35 Glenville
Solon 3 ½ 35 Mayfield
Canton McKinley 1 ½ 44 GlenOak
Massillon 6 ½ 38 Twinsburg
Hilliard Davidson 11 34 Pickerington Central
Dublin Coffman 6 40 Westerville South
Middletown 7 ½ 54 Cin. Anderson
Cin. St. Xavier 3 33 Cin. Elder

DIVISION II
Ashland 5½ 45 Warren Howland
Lake Catholic 9 37 Canfield
Tol. St. Francis Pick 43 Avon Lake
Tol. Central Catholic Pick 53 Maple Hts.
Logan 14½ Col. Brookhaven
Marion-Franklin 11 Olentangy Orange
Cin. Winton Woods 21 NC Tecumseh
Cin. Turpin 1 39 Trotwood-Madison

DIVISION III
Poland Seminary 4 32 Akron Hoban
Youngstown Mooney 25½ Hubbard
Col. Watterson 18 Napoleon
Col. DeSales 22 ½ Tipp City Tippecanoe

I read in The Plain Dealer that the City of Cleveland will waste $5 million to build a pedestrian bridge at the opening of North Coast Harbor and I ask, why a bridge hardly anyone will use?

This is to span a little bit of water behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, from the tip of a pier on the west to Voinovich Park on the east. Not many people go back there, a few in the summer, none in the fall, winter and spring.

There are a few concerns about the height of the bridge because it will open in the middle and rise 135 feet high to allow boats to pass through. Among the concerns is that it will reach into the glide path of Burke Lakefront Airport.

I'm guessing that it also will be a gathering spot for gulls, whether the bridge is open or closed. Be careful walking across that bridge. You might slip and fall off due to the gull droppings.

I heard a lot of jokes about the Browns' bye week. My favorite was John Telich's line: "The Browns were 20-point underdogs to bye week."

It was genuinely pleasant not having to worry about them. As painful as it is, in our racket we must watch because we might have to talk about them.

The Browns are sadder than a country song and after reading Randy Lerner's exclusive email interview with Tony Grossi in The Plain Dealer last week I have not one iota of hope. Randy is a very nice person, very likeable, but the poor fellow is clueless about football and he admits it.

In 11 years now the Browns have not had a general manager who had a track record. The only actual general manager was Phil Savage. It was his first crack at the position and he failed.

That's why the name Ernie Accorsi generated excitement. The same with Mike Holmgren. Too bad the Dolan brothers didn't get the Browns. They went up to $500 million but Al Lerner's pockets were bottomless with all the money he made on credit card interest rates. The Dolans' football man was Don Shula. The old Miami Dolphins coach was past his prime, but at least he had a prime.

You can make a lot of money betting against the Browns. They rarely cover the spread. Yesterday, for instance, the Browns were 13-point underdogs and they lost by 24 to the mediocre Chicago Bears. No number is too big for our Browns.

Last week a wise old head in a newsroom which will not be identified suggested that the best time to bet against the Browns is when they're at home because the oddsmakers automatically allow three points for home field advantage. The Browns have no home field advantage. They're equally pitiful home or away.

Keep that in mind in two weeks when the Browns come off the bye week and play Baltimore here at home. While that's the best time, remember that there is no bad time.

By the way, speaking of numbers, I'll post the official line on every high school playoff game in the state Thursday morning. For conversational purposes only.

MORE NUMBERS. Two schools missed the playoffs on tie-breakers. Level three points were the difference as Canton McKinley edged Hudson in Division I and also gave Pemberville the nod over Clearview in Division IV.

In 14 other instances less than one computer point was the difference between eighth and ninth places.

1. St. Ignatius 9-0. A crowd of 13,000 will witness the Holy War Saturday afternoon at Lakewood Stadium.

2. Glenville 8-1. A crowd of 130 will witness the Tarblooders against East High Friday afternoon at Rhodes field.

3. Solon 9-0.

4. Mayfield 8-1.

5. Lake Catholic 8-1.

6. Shaw 6-1-1.

7. Chagrin Falls 9-0.

8. Maple Hts. 6-3.

9. Wadsworth 8-1.

10. North Royalton 8-1.

11. West Geauga 8-1.

12. Twinsburg 8-1.

13. Parma 6-3.

14. Ravenna 7-2.

15. Mentor 5-3.

16. Cleveland Hts. 4-5 (includes 3 forfeits).

17. St. Vincent-St. Mary 6-3.

18. St. Edward 4-5.

19. Brunswick 6-3.

20. Hudson 7-2.

21. Aurora 6-3.

22. Hoban 6-3.

23. Walsh 5-3.

24. Euclid 5-4

25. Padua 6-3.

26. Amherst 7-2.

27. Willoughby South 7-2.

28. Highland 6-3.

29. Olmsted Falls 6-3.

30. Kenston 6-3.

31. Rocky River 7-2.

32. Avon Lake 6-3.

33. Akron Garfield 6-3.

34. Copley 6-3.

35. North Ridgeville 7-2.

36. Trinity 7-2.

37. NDCL 6-3.

38. North Olmsted 6-3.

39. University School 5-4.

40. Bay Village 7-2.

(That's all for now. High school football playoffs next week. My overpriced book spanning 45 years in this racket next spring. Start saving up.)

In losing to a very ordinary Green Bay team, 31-3, Sunday the Browns reached their lowest level of futility since returning as an expansion team in 1999, which means it's the saddest moment in the history of pro football in Cleveland. I echo what Reggie Rucker said on Channel 5 Sunday night. "Embarrassing," he said.

"Shameful," I say.

Anyone who shows up at Browns Stadium the rest of the year should have a big brown "S" stamped on his or her forehead identifying that person as Stupid, a Sap, and a Sucker.

Please, do not buy tickets for the remaining games unless you purchase them on e-bay or Craig's List or even on the streets for less than face value. Many people will be happy to unload their tickets for whatever they can salvage. They've already done their duty. They financed Donte Stallworth's $4 million roster bonus. Donte was injury prone, slow to heal and no good. Quite a trifecta. And they gave him the $4 million anyway. Meanwhile, Josh Cribbs wonders why they won't sweeten his deal. Don't we all.

Did You Know That Knute Rockne's First Name Was Actually Pronounced Keh-NUTE?

Jerry McKenna, the sculptor who is the world's foremost authority on legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, is in town for a couple of days. After beers and burgers at Herb's Tavern Tuesday night, Jerry spoke of Rockne and referred to him as Keh-NUTE. He stuck that "k" sound on the front of Knute's first name.

"When did you start calling him Keh-Nute?" I asked.

"I always called him Keh-Nute," said McKenna, "because that's how he pronounced his name."

"How come he kept the pronunciation of his first name a secret?" I persisted. "The world called him 'Nute.' He never corrected anybody."

"He didn't have to correct anybody because they didn't call him 'Nute.' They called him 'Rock.' Everybody did."

You can't argue with McKenna. He has personally known the Rockne family for decades. When we were in high school in the 1950's Jerry boldly walked up to the front porch of Rockne's son, who lived in Lakewood at the time, and pounded on the front door just to meet him. Later Jerry actually visited the site of the plane crash where Rockne died in a Kansas cornfield. He also visited the house where Rockne was born in Voss, Norway.

The only interesting games left are high school affairs. The Browns chronic story line is, "Can they beat the spot?" This past week they did. They were getting 14 and lost by 13, a small triumph.

In my humble opinion, if the Browns trade Brady Quinn, they will go 1-15 because when Derek Anderson gets hurt they'll have no backup quarterback. Injury is inevitable. Two-thirds of all starting quarterbacks in the NFL go down with injury for more than one game at some point in the season. Browns quarterbacks are more vulnerable than most for obvious reasons.

This isn't to say they'll win any games with Brady, either. But at least he knows the plays. That's what it has come down to. Embarrassing, no?

Here's the latest medical report on my old friend, Dick Zunt, 77, who covered the high school sports beat at The Plain Dealer for over 40 years until retiring a few years ago. They tell him he has an advanced case of malignant melanoma, a pretty bad cancer. They'll try radiation. He's been told chemo is not the answer.

Bill Hickey, 82, another old Plain Dealer writer, got a good report on his cancer. His recent series of chemo treatments showed positive results.

I'm feeling OK. I just got a flu shot. I can't imagine anyone out there gives a darn. Nevertheless, I'll let you know if there are any changes.

John Telich of Fox 8 sports is really feeling good. He'll get the Chuck Heaton Award at the Press Club Hall of Fame dinner later this month. It rwards a lifetime of class, dignity, compassion and saintly lifestyle. Here's what they say about Telich: He never said a bad word about anyone.

Now, to some high school football. Here's what they really mean by pay to play. Hawken visiting Independence. They're both 6-0. Tuition at Hawken is over $20,000 per year.

A sweet win for Cleveland Heights High football coach Jeff Rotsky, beating his old school, Maple Heights, which totally stunned me. Great upset.

Cast Your Vote -- Randy or David

The Devil You Know or the Devil You Know

I've always blamed former Cleveland mayor Mike White for running Art Modell out of town. It was White and the entire Gateway movement and their smug attitude toward Modell that led us down the primrose path.

"Don't worry about Modell," White said. "He's not going anywhere. Take care of the Indians and the Cavs."

Organized Baseball repeatedly threatened us that we would lose the Indians if a new ballpark were not built. Over the years Seattle and New Orleans almost stole them. So the Indians, a franchise that had not even tried to win under several owners for 30 years, got its new ballpark and Modell, who won a championship and came close several other times, got nothing. Even worse, Modell had his prime tenant taken away from him.

Remember, Modell had a deal with the City of Cleveland to manage the old Stadium. He maintained the aging joint. He was the custodian. Over the years he re-wired it, re-plumbed it and re-roofed it. He needed the rent from the Indians and Browns to cover the costs and that didn't always cover them. He brought in tractor pulls, rock concerts and high school football doubleheaders to help cover the costs.