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The Second Apron Is Brutal, but the Cavs Can Still Improve

Employees of Brilliant Electric Sign Company work on the large banner hanging on the walkway between the garage and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Cleveland Cavaliers playoff banners have been popping up this week as the Cavs prepare for their first round NBA playoff series starting on Saturday, April 15, 2023, against the New York Knicks.. David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Cleveland, OH- When the buzzer sounded to mark the end of game 5 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals, it was a somber moment, to say the least, for Cavs fans. A 60 plus win season, coupled with the third best net rating of the NBA, left a lot to be desired. Once again, bringing to the table another offseason of mock trades due to a postseason disappointment. However, unlike most offseasons, this will be the most challenging trade market for Cavs GM Koby Altman to navigate, as the Cavs are over the 2nd apron.

The threshold for this apron is $207.8 million dollars, and the Cavs payroll is currently $220.7 million, according to Spotrac. This apron was specifically set to stop teams like the Cavs from spending big on 3 or 4 players and then filling out the rest of the roster with a mid-level exception player and vets who were looking to take a pay cut in order to win a ring. This new rule stops teams constructing similar rotations through rules like not being able to trade a first round pick seven years into the future, no sign-and-trades, not being able to send cash in trades, and finally needing to match salaries in order to trade players. There are a few more restrictions, but the rules outlined above are the biggest impediments when it comes to the Cavs being able to improve their team via trades. So, with the elephant out of the room, let’s look at two Cavs trades.

The first trade is probably the most well known, and originated from Cleveland.com Cavs writer Chris Fedor. Fedor suggested that the Cavs could send All-Star Point Guard Darius Garland to the Orlando Magic in return for two former first round picks in Point Guard Jalen Suggs and forward Tristan da Silva. As for the Magic, I would think they would do this trade, since the team noticeably lacked offensive production, so getting Garland would fix that. I don’t think the Cavaliers would make this trade, but they should strongly consider it. Suggs brings elite defensive skills, evidenced by his All-NBA Defensive Second Team honor, while da Silva, despite limited production in his rookie season, was a standout shooter at Colorado. The Cavs could benefit greatly by adding a great defender and some three-point shooting.

The next trade originates from myself and involves the Cavs and the Lakers. The Cavs would trade Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro to the Los Angeles Lakers and in return receive Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2028 Los Angeles unprotected 1st round pick, and a 2030 Los Angeles Lakers swap(best with the Cavs) first round pick. The Lakers are in desperate need of a center, and Okoro could fill in the void left by trading Finney-Smith. As for the Cavs, they pick up Finney-Smith, a three-and-D wing that is capable of starting, and they pick up Hachimura, who is an efficient scoring 6 ‘8 wing. Also, this trade would move the Cavs out of the second apron to the much more favorable 1st apron. Out of all trades I’ve seen mocked to the Cavs, I believe this is the one where both teams have a chance of saying yes(since most mock trades usually have the fans’ home team overwhelmingly winning the trade).

If the Cavs want to go far in the playoffs, then they have to stay healthy (something that hasn’t gone their way), but they also should listen to trade calls that could potentially stop the early playoff exits.

YouTube Video: The Aaron Rodgers + Pittsburgh Steelers Situation

Strongsville, OH- With the news of Aaron Rodgers signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, we decided to give our thoughts on this move. Rodgers is going to go down as an all-time great quarterback, but does he have enough left in the tank to be a good quarterback in the Steel City? Find out our thoughts and more in the YouTube video below

Link to “The Aaron Rodgers + Pittsburgh Steelers Situation”: https://youtu.be/mkZ9q0ip8Xc?si=GLv2oGEwkHW2v7sD

Steelers QB Predictions: Howard vs. Rudolph

OTA (Organized Team Activities) practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been completed. National Champion for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Will Howard, has been put in charge of the Pittsburgh offense for 2025. There were a lot of uncertainties coming into the draft. This was true for the majority of teams that needed a quarterback. Now when looking at him, there was a rocky start on day 1. It is surprising how he has adapted to develop under Mason Rudolph. He has also broken out to potentially be the starter on day 1. Who will actually be the starter week one when Pittsburgh travels to MetLife Stadium to take on the Jets? This question is too hard to tell being this far out from the regular season. We can however make predictions if Mason Rudolph is to start and do the same for Will Howard. So here are my three predictions for how each Quarterback will affect the Steelers season. Let’s begin with Mason Rudolph, who is the veteran in this case.

Rudolph has the opportunity to start for the black and gold brigade in the 2025 season. He will face a struggling New York Jets franchise. What most people tend to do is overlook Mason Rudolph and make assumptions that he falls to pressure. While there won’t be “season on the line” pressure, the situation will test him. The 29-year-old could lose his job to Howard. That is contingent however on how he performs in the first 3 games of the regular season. Rudolph can still play when needed. He proved this by leading the Steelers to a win. They defeated division rival Cincinnati Bengals 34-11. (I was at that game). When we observe games like this, we see that Rudolph has shown recent evidence. He can lead an offense. In one game, he threw for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those who know the NFL well, however, also realize a QB is only as good as his receivers. Rudolph had quality receivers. George Pickens (his main target) had 4 receptions for 2 touchdowns and 195 yards. Counterpart Allen Robinson, having 4 receptions for 36 yards. Pittsburgh is in a similar situation. They have Jalen Warren at running back for assistance. The receivers include DK Metcalf and many others that are unknown at this time. Pittsburgh’s receiving core overall will be different from years past, but Metcalf is an established veteran. My confusion lies in what Pittsburgh was thinking in the George Pickens trade. I’m confused. If Pittsburgh was already planning to trade Pickens, why didn’t they go for a wide receiver in the draft? I’m not saying get a receiver instead of Derrick Harmon in the first round. I’m saying possibly go with someone like Isaiah Bond in the 2nd or 3rd round. Where the offense will shine however is with rushing, while Najee Harris left for LA. This should not negatively affect the Steelers since they have Jaylen Warren, and Trey Sermon, a former Buckeye.

Now let’s begin with the predictions and analysis for 2024 Offensive MVP Will Howard. He is overall one of the best options in this year’s QB class. However, as with everyone, there is an adjustment period. Going from West Chester, Pennsylvania to Columbus, Ohio, and now he is back in the Keystone State. Howard had a phenomenal 2024 campaign at Ohio State, passing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns. While watching him during his time at Ohio State, he reminded me a lot of Peyton Manning. This is because he can throw the ball, but he’s not going to be the fastest guy on earth. He also isn’t a one-man show, like Peyton who had targets like Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Marcus Pollard. Howard shows these characteristics by having talents like Jerimiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. He also has the run game of Trey Sermon and Quinshon Judkins. Now these weapons will be different, but I think it will be a positive difference. The stakes are higher now and the weapons will be there if coached right. Arthur Smith, the offensive coordinator is entering his second season at the helm for the Steelers. He needed to get his ground made, and to have Howard who is impressionable. It is time for the Steelers to step up. They need to decide if they will emerge with Will Howard as their starter on day 1. They need to prepare and more importantly Howard needs to work this summer. To show the Pittsburgh Steelers that he is the quarterback of the future and nothing will be handed to him. Now if this is attainable, we will have to wait and see.

53rd Annual Cuyahoga County East-West High School All-Star Scholarship Football Game is Set for June 6

Berea, OH- As the 2024/25 school year comes to a close, it is tradition across Ohio to have one final big game for the state’s best football players. These all-star games not only help prepare players who are going to the next level by providing them some Spring football, but also a way for many to say goodbye to the sport they love.

Tomorrow night, Cuyahoga County is having its All-Star game at George Finnie Stadium on the campus of Baldwin Wallace University. The teams have been practicing for over a week at their respective fields. Tonight is walkthrough and media night for the squads as they get ready for the game tomorrow night.

Looking at Team East, there is a heavy emphasis on Cleveland-area players with schools such as Benedictine, John Hay, Bedford, Lutheran East, Maple Heights, Glenville, Cleveland Heights, and Shaw represented. Additionally, the likes of Garfield Heights, Warrensville Heights, Orange, Chagrin Falls, Brush, Wickliffe, Euclid, Madison, Trinity, Shaker Heights, and Gilmour also have representation on the roster. All in all, a good sample of Cleveland resides on Team East with plenty of college-bound players set to impress.

As for Team West, there’s a bigger emphasis on the suburbs of Cleveland. The Cleveland West Conference has a lot of representation with Lakewood, North Olmsted, Normandy, Valley Forge, Bay Village, and Rocky River having players on the roster. The North Coast Conference is represented by both sides of the Parma Holy War, with three Namers and one Bruin on the squad.

Looking at the colleges, a good amount of Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets are going to be playing along with other OAC schools, such as Heidelberg and Muskingum, having representation. Former Ohio Athletic Conference stars John Carroll also have a few players in this game. Additionally, Ashland leads the D2 charge with plenty of standout players.

Tomorrow night is going to be bittersweet for a lot of these players. It is the last time that they will be representing their high schools, now Alma Maters. Still, while the emotions will be at an all-time high, so will the talents of these players. No pressure of next week, just the pressure of one final Friday Night Lights session under the Berea night sky.

Premier Ohio Vs Stark County Terriers WRCL Baseball Sets League Live Viewership Record

North Canton, OH- On June 2, the 2025 Western Reserve Collegiate League began with a battle between the regular season champion Stark County Terriers hosting the regular season and playoff runner-ups, Premier Ohio.

Outside of two broadcasts last year, this marks the beginning of the league having games broadcast on SmeeSports. The fans did not disappoint as 304 views were recorded live. At the time of writing, there are 444 views of the broadcast. While that number seems small, perspective shows the full story. Last season, the most viewed WRCL broadcast tallied 317 views, including playback. Expanding the stats to Summer baseball across all leagues, our record is 348 for the OPL Championship between North Coast and BHM Buckeyes.

Expanding to high school sports, which tend to get more views than travel leagues, Monday’s broadcast competed with plenty of our OHSAA broadcasts. Including a district semifinals game, all six softball games streamed on SmeeSports were outperformed by Monday’s game. Additionally, 12 high school baseball games recorded fewer views, with one (Alliance Vs Warren JFK) matching the 444 views exactly at the time of writing. Finally, five Tri-C games recorded fewer views. Adding that context, the viewership is really impressive.

Looking at the game, Premier got the opening day win 9-4 behind an impressive 16 hits. Ed Ramos put Premier on the board with an RBI double in the second. He would proceed to score from third later in the inning. RBIs from Michael Steingass, Jack Amis, Bryce Bogan, and Teagan O’Guinn added four more runs to Premier’s lead. In the bottom of the third, William Feser hit an RBI single for Stark County to put them on the board. However, the game script shows five Terriers stranded on the basepath between the second and third innings. From there, Premier held a steady lead with 9-1 being the largest it ever got.

On the mound, it was Henry Mates, Matthew Botger, Zach Barber, and Ryan Gordon holding things down. Mates got the start, throwing two innings while recording two strikeouts and earning the win. Botger followed up with two strikeouts of his own. Barber and Gordon closed the game out with one strikeout each.

As for Stark County, Mount Union sophomore (rising junior) Ty Dennison started the ballgame. This was his first start since his impressive six-inning relief outing against Catholic in the NCAA baseball tournament. Dennison earned three strikeouts but allowed six runs in a losing effort. Garret Odey and Luke Jansen finished the game off for the Terriers. Odey struck out two batters while Jansen punched out one. The big play on the mound came from Jansen as he threw out a runner at first, getting a lead.

With collegiate Summer leagues folding across Northeast Ohio, the Western Reserve Collegiate League has remained a mainstay and staple in the area. With seven top-tier teams this year, the competition will be fierce. The best way to stay connected to the league is to follow the WRCL on X at @wrclbb. The league website is also updated daily. To watch our broadcast of the game on Monday, click the link below.

Link to Stark County Terriers Vs Premier Ohio Baseball: https://www.youtube.com/live/uSvg6JRCegk?si=x4fJqU4VLnbo4nyZ

The Healthiest You Chiropractic Center Player of the Game: Quinn Marquis (3/4)

Want to sponsor our broadcasts? Contact me at nsmee00@gmail.com

Xavier University’s Baseball Season Comes to End in BIG EAST Tournament

Cincinnati, OH – Xavier University Musketeer’s baseball 2024-25 season has officially come to an end after falling 11-2 to UConn in an elimination game in the BIG EAST Tournament on May 23.

The game had a slow start as UConn scored first in the third inning, and continued to add runs in the fourth and fifth to take the lead of 10-0. It was not until sophomore, Jake Lambdin, scored a solo home run in the sixth that the Musketeers were on the board. The Musketeers gained their second run after bases were loaded due to walks and Lambdin was walked, getting the RBI for the Musketeers. Finally, UConn added their final run in the eighth inning.

Xavier’s biggest player in this tournament was junior infielder, Connor Misch. Misch batted at .385 and had six RBI and scored five runs for his team. In his time thus far at Xavier, the infielder has made his mark and proved to be an asset to the team. He played 29 games in 2023 and made the BIG EAST all academic team for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. He played 46 games in 2024 and made the all-BIG EAST second team in 2024.

Xavier’s bullpen had a run for its money in their final game, facing a good hitting team in UConn. The two pitchers who kept UConn from scoring no runs were Luke Hoskins and Joseph Chavana. Hoskins is a right handed senior, and in this game he struck out two people and allowed two hits within 1.2 innings. Chavana is a right handed graduate and in this game he walked two, struck out one person, and allowed no hits within 1 inning.

The Musketeers had a season record of 32-27, which is consistent with their last few years of play. Inside of their conference they held a 14-7 record, defeating some big named rivals such as University of Connecticut, Butler, and the University of Cincinnati. Now the Musketeers can focus on their off season and see how they may change and develop their team and skills to go even further next season.

New Beginnings: Johnny Faddoul Hired as Next Holy Name Boys Basketball Head Coach

Parma Heights, OH- When the news broke near the end of April that Ryan Patton would not return as the Holy Name boys basketball head coach, the biggest question being asked was who would replace him? The answer is the former professional basketball player and alumnus of Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, Johnny Faddoul.

Faddoul has worn a ‘number of hats’ throughout his time in basketball. He was a star player for NDCL in the late 2000s. During his 2008/2009 senior season, he was the North Coast League Co-MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and a First-Team All-Conference Member while also being the Lions’ captain. Following his time at NDCL, he took on the role of a walk-on at Cleveland State University.

Following his time at CSU, he played professional basketball for the Hoops Basketball Club in Lebanon. After the 2012/13 season, he jumped right into coaching. From 2015 to 2021, Faddoul was an assistant coach at Lutheran East. During his time with the Falcons, he won seven district titles, five regional championships, and two state titles. He helped lay the foundation for Lutheran East to become a yearly title contender. His most recent role was at Lake Erie College as an assistant coach.

Stepping out of OHSAA and NCAA basketball, Faddoul has coached in the Adidas Guantlet Circuit for the Ohio Basketball Club (2016-2019), the Under Armour Circuit for Ohio C2K (2019-2021). Finally, he has been a trainer and AAU director for HoopTech.

Holy Name athletic director Richard Kozub expressed his excitement about hiring Coach Faddoul as he remarked,

“I am extremely excited about Coach Faddoul being at Holy Name. We had a large number of highly qualified applicants. Coach Faddoul’s experience at both the high school and collegiate levels, both as a player and coach, is exactly what we were looking for as a leader of this program. I am really looking forward to seeing him in action for the Green Wave!”

Holy Name is coming off a 4-17 campaign, which saw a lot of close games go against the Green Wave. Drew Styers, who is committed to playing basketball at John Carroll, headlined a mass exodus of seniors who made up the backbone of the squad in the 2024/25 campaign. Young players such as Chris Hyatt and Pat Kelley are expected to have increased roles in the upcoming season.

While questions such as who will HN play outside of the NCC, will they play in showcases, and will this team be able to make a deep playoff run still remain a mystery. However, the question of who will be leading them into this next chapter has been answered.

SmeeSports is Looking for Sponsors

Strongsville, OH- If you have been a follower of SmeeSports over the past year, you may recall our ‘looking for sponsors’ graphic that is on the screen during breaks in the action. This is not simply for show. Not only does it take time and effort to produce a great broadcast, it also takes some money.

With that being said, we are still seeking additional broadcast, social media, and website sponsors. You might be wondering why you or your company should sponsor SmeeSports — and rightfully so. We are one of the fastest-growing broadcasting companies in Northeast Ohio. Through our partnerships with Spectrum Channel 1022 Alliance, Holy Name Baseball, and others, we have been able to provide easily accessible and high-quality broadcasts featuring some of the best talents Ohio and beyond have to offer. Built on our pillars of Faith, Family, and Sports, we pride ourselves on staying true to these values while providing our athletes with the best possible coverage.

Beyond this, sponsorship packages are very affordable! The packages we have in place are as follows:

– Basic Broadcast Sponsor ($10 Per Game): This gets you a 30-second ad that runs on rotation throughout the broadcast.

-Highlight Package Sponsor ($5 Per Video): This gets your logo placed on a short form (60 seconds or less) highlight reel featuring footage from one of our many games. These highlights could be one player or a group, depending on the game. The video gets posted to Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

-Gameday Graphic Sponsor ($5 Per Graphic): This gets your logo placed on a teaser graphic for our broadcasts. Typically, these graphics include a player from each team. The graphic is posted on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

-Website Sponsor ($100 Per Year): This gets an ad for your business on our website under the sponsors tab. This ad will always be present on the website and is fully customizable. It’s a great way to be advertising 365 days a year!

-Article Sponsor ($15 Per Article): This gets an ad for your business placed at the top of each article you sponsor. You could sponsor a specific team, style of content, etc. Just like the website sponsorship option, it is fully customizable.

-Broadcast Presenter ($5 Per Game): This add-on has your name said throughout the game. For example, “This is WRCL baseball on SmeeSports presented by INSERT COMPANY.”

-Keys to Victory Sponsor ($5 Per Game): This add-on attaches your business’s name to 3 keys to victory that we will track throughout the game. For example, “Your INSERT COMPANY Keys to Victory are”

While these are our main sponsorship opportunities, others can be created based on your desires and needs. If interested, contact me at nsmee00@gmail.com and we can talk more about these sponsorship opportunities.

If you own a business in the Cleveland or Stark County area, the time to contact me about sponsoring broadcasts is NOW! Join the SmeeSports family today!

High Flyers Welcome Scrappy #23 Seed for OHSAA Baseball District Semis

Gates Mills, OH- On May 27, #6 Hawken will welcome #23 Holy Name for an OHSAA Division 4 District Semifinals clash. In years past, this game would have been played at a neutral site. However, the additions of divisions five, six, and seven spread the playoffs out more. Neutral sites now begin in the district finals.

The Hawks enter play posting a 19-5 record along with a CVC championship after an 8-2 league campaign. Additionally, they dominated Akron Springfield 14-0 to begin postseason play. As for the Green Wave, they sit at .500, with a 13-13 record. For the second season in a row, the Namers are playing on ‘borrowed time’ as they upset #14 Cloverleaf 6-1 in the Sectional Finals. This round has been a tough roadblock for HN to overcome. Last season, they fell to STVM 8-1 in this round. Their prior two appearances in the District Semifinals saw them lose to Tallmadge and Elyria Catholic in 2022 and 2019, respectively.

Similar to last year, Holy Name found a rhythm down the stretch after a rough start. With a 2-8 conference record, a lot of expectations were undershot. After losing to Elyria Catholic on May 7, the Green Wave found their wakeup call. Since then, they are 8-3 with big wins over Gilmour and Padua thrown in the mix.

Hawken has been a model of consistency all season. One look at their offense tells the story of their success–runs, runs, and runs. Averaging 9.08 runs per game while having a team batting average of .328, the Hawks have dominated at the sticks. Stars such as Miles Hamilton (.379 average) and Asher Kimball (.362 average) have led by example.

Looking at the ballpark, the Hawks have one of the most unique in the state. If you take a look at the outfield, you’ll find a soccer field and a softball field. Given these dimensions’ obscurities, Hawken has still hit five home runs this season.

Defensively, both squads have stellar pitching staffs. Ethan Gibson started for Hawken against Springfield. In four innings, he allowed 1 hit while striking out 8 batters. Holy Name threw their ace, Dom Marchetta, against Cloverleaf. With his 12 strikeouts, Marchetta now sits second on the career strikeout leaderboard at Holy Name.

Based on the stats and the season so far, Cole Twardokus or Billy Butler will most likely be on the mound for the Hawks. As for Holy Name, it has been confirmed by coach Mike Masetta that Harrison Frank will be starting. Frank pitched in HN’s Sectional Final win over Canton South in 2024. He threw a complete game while allowing 4 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 2 batters.

The game will begin at 5 PM at Hawken, with the winner advancing to the District Championship against the winner of #1 Lake Catholic and #27 Northwest.

You can watch the game on the SmeeSports YouTube channel with Nathan Smee and Cameron Ragazzo on the call starting at 4:50 PM with pregame.

Watch Hawken Vs Holy Name Baseball: https://www.youtube.com/live/pSWZ4zfGPDI?si=Sli4-b-KK6xHOms3

Mount Union MVB Wins the 2025 MCVL Regular Season Crown

Alliance, OH- For the first time since the 2023 season, Mount Union has won the MCVL regular season title. Today, they took down rivals Baldwin Wallace 3-2 on the road to ensure a solo title.

The last time the Purple Raiders won the conference, they went 7-1 with their loss coming against #3 Wittenberg. Before the season began, the Purple Raiders were slated to finish third in the conference behind the Tigers and the Yellow Jackets.

In the regular season finale, Mount Union got out to an early 7-0 lead in set 1. BW fought back as much as they could, getting as close as 2 points. Still, it was UMU taking home the opening frame 25-19. The Purple Raiders kept cruising in the second set, establishing a cushion from the jump. In the end, Mount Union left set 2 with a 25-20 victory.

Baldwin Wallace started their comeback in the third frame. With a 20-16 lead in the third, the game looked destined to head to a fourth set. However, a 7-1 run from the Purple Raiders saw them lead 23-21. With their backs against the wall, the Yellow Jackets rallied off 4 points in a row to win the third set 25-23. BW turned around after the third to control the fourth set, winning 25-20. Unlike the third set, Baldwin Wallace controlled the tempo.

Heading into the final set, momentum was with the Yellow Jackets. Still, Mount Union got to work and battled. A 3-0 run from the Purple Raiders set UMU up to succeed. In the middle of the fifth, a 6-0 run put the dagger in BW’s valiant comeback. Jacob Nussdorfer’s 10th and final kill sealed the 15-7 win in set 5.

Looking at the stat sheet, it was the senior duo of Jack McClure and Will Heeney who led the charge. McClure posted 19 kills while Heeney recorded 41 assists. As for digs, it was a balanced effort. Peyton Koszelak had 10 digs while Aaron Armour and Beckham Heller had 9.

For the Yellow Jackets, Daniel Latham led the way with a game-high 22 kills. Evan Herbst ran the BW offense with a total of 38 assists. In the back line, it was Daniel Abercrombie who ran the show with 13 digs.

The stage is now set for the MCVL Tournament. Mount Union will host as the #1 seed. Wittenberg will be the #2 seed with Baldwin Wallace sitting as the #3 seed. Finally, Trine makes the tournament as the 4th and final seed. On Friday, April 11, the Purple Raiders will play the Thunder while the Yellow Jackets look for redemption against the Tigers. The championship game will be played the following afternoon. While the times are not confirmed, the games are rumored to be played at 4PM and 7PM on Friday and 4PM on Saturday.

Picture Credit: Payton Berkley (PB30photos on Instagram)