Everyone needs to thank Joe Z for posting these articles by high school students.

Hey! Notable journalists and media personalities began their careers through apprenticeships, internships, or entry-level training roles. Aspiring journalists have to get their starts somewhere. Gaining experience through internships, etc. Who knows? Maybe your reading articles from the next Terry Pluto or Hal Lebovitz

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Unfortunately too many of them read and sound like they were written by Joe Z ! Other wise terrible !

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Just Baseball’s Shaan Donohue predicted

" that Gavin Williams will sign 6 year $90M deal.

What inside info does Shaun have?
Perhaps I can make that prediction too. Well, I'd like it to happen but I think I know as much as Shaun.

Clase & Chickens, Browns coaches, Cavs coaching, TV dollars — Terry Pluto’s Thinking ...

Updated: Feb. 08, 2026, 6:01 a.m.|Published: Feb. 08, 2026, 6:00 a.m.

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

Things I heard, things I think:

I thought it was about chickens

This from cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes about the new claims that Cleveland reliever Emmanuel Clase threw pitches out of the strike zone to win bets in 48 games, not nine as previously charged.

“ESPN reports that attorneys for Luis Ortiz, Emmanuel Clase’s teammate and co-defendant, asked that their client’s case be severed from Clase’s, arguing that the two players have vastly different levels of culpability. Federal prosecutors indicted Ortiz in November for throwing rigged pitches during two games in June of 2025. Clase’s interactions with bettors, they said, date back to 2023.

“Ortiz’s legal team argues that the indictment contains no evidence that their client communicated directly with bettors, according to Thursday’s filing. They said a jury presented with evidence of Clase’s pattern of behavior could only find Ortiz guilty by association.”

You may recall that one of the defenses offered by the Clase camp was that it wasn’t betting on baseball … It was all about cockfighting! In fact, Clase is a major figure in the cockfighting world in the Dominican Republic. He claims all those phone conversations were about betting on cockfights, which is legal in the Dominican.

Perhaps the legal chickens are indeed coming home to roost as the Ortiz camp is blaming Clase for the problem. This is baseball’s version of Law & Order, fingers are pointing and deals will probably be made.

As my friends in law enforcement tell me, Ortiz is probably using the SODDIT defense: “Some Other Dude Did It!”

Meanwhile, Clase is still on paid leave. He has a guaranteed contract for $6.4 million in 2026 and team options for $10 million annually in 2027 and 2028. At some point, MLB will suspend him and that money goes away. Ortiz does not have a contract for 2026.

Baseball’s TV money

This from FOX 2 in St. Louis on the Cardinals’ new TV contract:

“A Cardinals spokesperson tells FOX 2 that the franchise anticipated earning around $60 million annually under its previous regional TV deal. Under the new MLB streaming model, however, the Cardinals now expect that figure to fall by around $20 million, bringing this year’s projected television revenue closer to $40 million.”

The Cardinals had been with FanDuel. This same change in TV revenue happened to the Guardians and several teams before the 2025 season. The drop in revenue has hammered Cleveland and other middle markets.

The collapse of many of these regional sports networks is another reason MLB should push for a salary cap when the labor agreement expires after the 2026 season. Many franchises are taking big financial hits. The days of lucrative local TV contracts are gone, except in huge markets.

Browns coaches: Consider renting

Jim Schwartz lasted three years as the Browns defensive coordinator. He replaced Joe Woods (2020-22), whose tenure also was three years.

That led to me to ask, “Has anyone lasted more than three years on that job?”

The answer is Nick Saban, 1991-94. Yes, that’s with the old Browns.

Here’s a list of the defensive coordinators since the team returned in 1999.

Three years: Schwartz, Woods and Todd Grantham (2005-07).

Two years: Gregg Williams (2017-18), Jim O’Neil (2014-15), Dick Jauron (2011-12), Rob Ryan (2009-10), Dave Campo (2003-04), Foge Fazio (2001-02).

One year: Steve Wilks (2019)), Louie Cioffi (2016), Ray Horton (2013), Mel Tucker (2008), Romeo Crennel (2000) and Bob Slowik (1999).

I can’t stop now

How about offensive coordinators since 1999:

Four years: Alex Van Pelt (2020-23).

Three years: Bruce Arians (2001-03).

Two years: Brian Daboll (2009-10), Rob Chudzinski (2007-08), Maurice Carthon (2005-06).

One year: Tommy Rees (2025), Ken Dorsey (2024), Todd Monken (2019), John DeFilippo (2015), Kyle Shanahan (2014), Norv Turner (2013), Brad Childress (2012), Terry Robiskie (2004) and Pete Carmichael.

NOTE #1: In 2018, Todd Haley and Freddie Kitchens had the job for half a season. There are a few years when the Browns didn’t have an offensive coordinator because the head coach did the job himself.

NOTE #2: After leaving the Browns, the following became head coaches: Daboll, Chudzinski, Arians, Monken and Shanahan.

NOTE #3: Monken and Chudzinski were both fired by the Browns. They later returned to the team as the head coach.

WANTED: A special teams coach!

I haven’t heard a word about the Browns hiring a special teams coach. The Rams took Bubba Ventrone, which is no loss. My all-time favorite was Brad Seely (2009-10). He’s retired.

There is more job security in this position, at least since 1999. These guys all lasted longer than any Browns defensive coordinator in that span: Chris Tabor (2011-17), Jerry Rosburg (2001-06) and Mike Priefer (2019-22).

And finally ...

Early in the season, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson took a little grief because the team was “clunky,” as he called it.

The Cavs had a lot of injuries and struggled – especially compared to the 64-18 Cavs in 2024-25.

Atkinson was the NBA’s Coach of the Year last season.

We’ll see how this ends up, but Atkinson and his staff are doing a better job this season given all the injuries, etc.

At one point, the Cavs had a 15-14 record. Since then, they are 16-7 heading into Saturday night. They also had won nine of their last 11 games.

The coaches have developed young players such as Jaylon Tyson, Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Craig Porter Jr.

When James Harden enters the starting lineup, it will be the Cavs’ 26th different lineup this season.

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