WJW Fox 8 has stepped up and purchased the remaining tickets to the Cleveland Browns game on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. The station is televising the game that would have been blacked out in the Cleveland area if it hadn't sold out. While Browns fans are out of the woods this week, chances are that a home game will not be seen on television this year. Of the four remaining games this season, only one is currently sold out.

The Cleveland State Vikings have signed two high school players in the early signing period. Joining Gary Waters and CO are Ludovic Ndaye & Devon Long.

"The addition of Devon and Ludovic have assured that the Cleveland State Basketball program will continue to be successful," Waters said. "They will both help to provide us with stability on the interior along with rebounding and scoring. More importantly, they continue the progression of building size within the program.

"I am excited to have these two young men in the Viking Basketball program because they will help us to continue the tradition that we have established," Waters added.

Ndaye is a from Montreal currently playing prep basketball in Arizona. He stands 6-9 with a 220 pound frame and averaged 12.1 point and 6.2 rebounds a game at Westwind Prep in Phoenix.

On the incoming freshman from Canada, Waters stated:

"Ludovic is a big, strong post player who will fit into our defensive scheme because of his ability to score both inside and on the perimeter, rebound and be a stopper inside. He is another athletic performer who will help us elevate our post game."

Tensions are heating up in the Cleveland Browns locker room. Veteran running back Jamal Lewis, who is so fed up that he has announced his he is hanging up his cleats after the season, says that Eric Mangani is overworking his team :

“You’ve got to take care of your players so they’re ready to go on Sunday, or in this case, Monday. It’s all about making your players ready, fresh and efficient for the games.

“With the way we work in the OTAs, in training camp, two-a-days and in practice (during the season) – 2½ to three hours a day, every day – you want to see some results, some wins, and we’re not seeing that.”

When asked if he had expressed his concerns with the embattled head coach the running back stated:

“It’s not my place, and that’s been the case with any coach I’ve played for,” he said. “My job is to run the football. My job is not to evaluate things and then try to fix the problems that exist.

“Just like he can’t go into one of my businesses and tell me how to run it, I can’t go to him and tell him how to run his team. This is his show. I run my show, and he runs his show.

The Cleveland State Vikings tip-off their awaited 2009-2010 season tomorrow night in Western New York where they face Saint Bonaventure. Gametime for the contest is set for 7 p.m.

Here is the information regarding the two teams:

Cleveland State (26-11 in 2008-09) at St. Bonaventure (15-15)
Date: Friday, November 13, 2009
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Site: Reilly Center (5,780), Olean, NY
Radio: WHKW 1220 AM (Cleveland), WHKZ, 1440 AM (Warren) (Al Pawlowski)
**No Televsion coverage of the contest**
Series: SBU Leads 5-0
Last Meeting: @SBU 81, CSU 67 (1/28/03)
CLICK HERE FOR THE GAME NOTES

The Vikings start their home season in interesting fashion hosting Division III foe Wilmington in a game that will start before noon.
Here is the ticketing information you need to know about the businessman’s special against Wilmington on Monday that kicks off the Vikings home schedule:

« Monday, November 16th vs. Wilmington
« Game time is 11:30 a.m.
« $10 Gets you an admission ticket and a voucher for a hot dog, drink, and chips.
« Anyone attending is able to bring their lunch in with them
« $5 vouchers for a hot dog, drink, and chips will be available for purchase at the Box Office

It was a big day yesterday for Ohio State basketball when Thad Matta landed what scout.com and espn.com are calling the best recruiting class in country. The Buckeyes number one recruit is s 6-foot-9 power forward Jared Sullinger from Columbus' Northland High School. J.D. Weatherspoon, Sullinger's teammate at Northland who plays small forward, also signed with the Buckeyes.

Deshaun Thomas, a 6-7 native of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; and guards Lenzelle Smith Jr., a 6-4 from Zion, Ill., Aaron Craft from Findlay Liberty-Benton and 6-4 Jordan Sibert of Cincinnati also picked the Buckeyes yesterday.

Here are some clips of the incoming Buckeyes:

The Cleveland State men's basketball program will have an increased presence this season on WTAM, 1100 AM as not only will The Gary Waters Radio Show return for a third season, but The Big One will join the Vikings Basketball Radio Network for three games during this season.

The Gary Waters Radio Show, a weekly 60-minute call-in show about Viking basketball, returns to the airwaves beginning tonight with the first of at least 11 episodes planned during the 2009-10 season.

In addition, WTAM will air the Dec. 19 home game against West Virginia, the Dec. 22 road contest at Ohio State and the Feb. 13 home matchup with Butler.

Hosted by WTAM's Andre Knott, the Gary Waters Show will air between 8:00-9:00 p.m. for the four episodes after tonight and carrying it into the new year and from 7:00-8:00 p.m. for the final six episodes with the majority of shows being scheduled for Monday nights.

The first episode will air tonight (Nov. 10) from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

The 2010 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships will take place Dec. 14-19, 2010, at the Hoover Arena, operated by IceLand USA, in Strongsville, Ohio. Approximately 300 figure skaters from across the country are expected to compete at the four-day event, which is being hosted for the second time since 2007 by The Greater Cleveland Council of Figure Skating Clubs.

Qualifying rounds begin Wednesday, Dec. 16 in the West Rink. The intermediate compulsory dance competition will kick off the championship events Thursday, Dec. 17 in the West Rink. Competition concludes Saturday, Dec. 19 with the intermediate ladies and juvenile boys free skates in the West and East Rinks, respectively.

Advance event tickets may be purchased by completing the order form on the event web site, www.clevelandskating.com/jrnationals, and submitting it via fax at 440.777.1706 or e-mail at info@clevelandskating.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the arena box office during the event. Individual event tickets begin at $15. All-event passes are $50 (Wednesday-Saturday) and $35 (Thursday-Saturday). Discounted tickets are available for senior citizens and children ages 6-12. All seats are general admission.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Cleveland Browns are set to give Brady Quinn the nod to start against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. An official announcement is said to come tomorrow according to Eric Mangini.

If the report is true, it means that the starting quarterback job has come full circle. Quinn was replaced by Derek Anderson in Baltimore Ravens game this season but failed to produce and currently has the lowest rating as a quarterback in the NFL this year. Quinn will have his hands full against the tough Ravens defense with a green wide receiving corp and an aging running back.

Cleveland State hosted crosstown rival John Carroll for an exhibition game basketball this evening and while the contest was sloppy at times it gave fans a glimpse from what we can expect from the 2009-2010 Vikings and Blue Streaks. The Blue Streaks would hang with the Vikings for much of the first half but CSU would pull away for a 92-75 victory when it was all said and done. What was more important we saw from a number of individual players, especially on the Vikings side.

Here are some notes from the game from the two area colleges: