The Cleveland Browns have something in their upcoming  NFL schedule that has only happened nine times over the past 35 seasons to other NFL teams. Is that a good or bad thing for our beloved Browns?

We’ll get that part of the schedule momentarily, but Cleveland’s upcoming games this season are filled with lots of ups and downs. If you think of a schedule as a roller coaster, this one has so many twists and turns that it’ll keep every Browns fan’s stomach churning.

The NFL scheduling Gods did Cleveland no favors with this 17-game slate. For starters, the team is sent on the road to hot Florida in the middle of September for two games in a row. It starts in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and then proceeds to Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and our friend quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Photo via Imagn Images

The fact that Cleveland has a brand-new head coach in Todd Monken, who’s had no previous head coaching experience in the NFL, seems like an uphill battle to begin the season with.

Cleveland is sent on the road six times or the first nine weeks. That also includes three straight away games.

If the Browns can manage to stay above water by Week 10, the NFL gifts Cleveland four straight home games over the holiday season, with the Week 11 bye mixed in.

I guess that’s the thanks Browns get from the league for participating and such a bizarre schedule.

The odd four game homestand has only happened nine times to teams in the NFL over the past 35 seasons. Most of these teams, which have included the Baltimore Ravens and the Green Bay Packers, have had good success previously with this set up going 4-0 or 3-1. The outliner to this group is the Tennessee Titans who went 0-4 in both 2005 and 2025. So, the odds would be in Cleveland’s favor but not a guarantee as the Titans proved.

Photo via Imagn Images

Cleveland has a very young team and hopefully this mixed bag of games won’t have as much effect on the outcomes as we older Browns writers might think.

Cleveland struggled to find that winning formula over the past three decades. Some have pointed out that the teams Cleveland is playing this season have a losing winning percentage of only 43% against the competition from the season ago.

But one still has to play the games and a reliance on a team’s strength of schedule should just be thrown out the window once the new season starts.

We have four months to debate the Browns schedule, the team’s talents, and what to expect from Coach Monken. At this point., everything’s just a big guess! So, buckle up on that thrilling roller coaster (AKA “A Browns season”) and be ready for the ride of a lifetime!

The post Browns gifted a holiday treat with their 2026 NFL schedule appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Now comes an even bigger challenge.

What awaits the fourth-seeded Cavaliers is a trip to New York City — one of the toughest environments in basketball during playoff season. Madison Square Garden, the mecca of basketball, will be packed with desperate and passionate fans hoping to see the New York Knicks make a long-awaited run to the NBA Finals.

The Knicks enter the series rested and confident after dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers in four games following a pair of losses earlier in the postseason to the Atlanta Hawks. Meanwhile, Cleveland arrives battle-tested, carrying both fatigue and momentum after back-to-back seven-game series victories.

Cavaliers Finding Their Identity

Through difficult playoff matchups against long, athletic frontcourts in Toronto and Detroit, Cleveland’s big men have begun to establish themselves under pressure. The tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen has played a major role in helping the Cavaliers discover their postseason identity.

That growth will be tested again against another physical and lengthy New York roster.

The Knicks are anchored by 7-footer Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the most skilled big men in basketball. Unlike the frontcourt players Cleveland faced in earlier rounds, Towns can stretch the floor while also creating offense as a passer. He shot nearly 37% from three-point range during the regular season while averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds. In the playoffs, he has continued to produce with 17.4 points and 10 rebounds per game.

New York also relies heavily on the versatility of OG Anunoby. The athletic forward elevated his production during the postseason, improving from 16 points and five rebounds in the regular season to 21.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the playoffs. The lingering concern for New York is Anunoby’s hamstring injury, especially against Cleveland’s quick and shifty guards. However, the Knicks benefit from having eight days of rest entering the series.

The Knicks will also lean on their physical wing play from Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, whose postseason numbers may not fully reflect the impact they bring defensively and in transition.

But everything starts with Jalen Brunson.

Brunson has once again proven himself as the engine of New York’s offense and one of the league’s premier playoff performers. He is averaging 27.4 points and six assists per game this postseason while consistently controlling the pace and creating opportunities for teammates. Brunson thrives in big moments, and there may be no player in the series more energized by the Madison Square Garden atmosphere.

That crowd will also have plenty to say when Mitchell — who was once heavily linked to New York in trade rumors — steps onto the floor.

The Three-Point Battle Could Decide the Series

One of the biggest storylines entering the matchup is perimeter shooting.

The Knicks have allowed opponents quality three-point looks throughout the season and into the playoffs, but previous opponents failed to capitalize consistently. That could become dangerous against a Cleveland team that shoots 37.1% from deep.

New York, however, is just as dangerous offensively from beyond the arc, connecting at an impressive 40.8%.

Whichever team controls the three-point line could ultimately control the series.

Cleveland showed against Detroit that when their shooters get rolling, they become extremely difficult to beat. The Cavaliers also hope the continued development and confidence of Mobley and Allen will help erase the long-standing criticism surrounding the team’s physicality.

Why James Harden Could Be the X-Factor

The Cavaliers believe they may have already discovered a blueprint for success against New York.

The Knicks have struggled defensively against pick-and-roll actions, and Cleveland exposed some of those weaknesses during a 109-94 victory over New York on February 24, 2026.

In that matchup, James Harden controlled the tempo offensively, finishing with 20 points while consistently creating open opportunities for Mitchell and Allen. Harden’s ability to manipulate defenses in the pick-and-roll pulled defenders away from the paint and opened the floor for Cleveland’s offense.

If Harden can once again control the pace and force defensive adjustments, the Cavaliers could create the type of offensive rhythm needed to steal games on the road.

Veteran Leadership Matters

Cleveland’s roster now includes valuable playoff experience throughout the rotation.

Max Strus brings postseason toughness and Finals experience. Dennis Schröder adds veteran leadership and grit at the point guard position. Dean Wade continues to provide versatile defense, while sharpshooter Sam Merrill gives the Cavaliers another dangerous perimeter option.

Cleveland enters the series as an underdog, but that role may suit this team perfectly.

Coaching Chess Match

This series also features an intriguing coaching storyline.

The Cavaliers are led by Kenny Atkinson, a New York-area native who previously coached within the organization from 2008 to 2012. Atkinson’s calm approach, player development background, and trust in veteran leadership have helped steady Cleveland throughout the postseason.

On the other side is former Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown, who coached Cleveland across two separate stints and led the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. Brown has built New York around defensive discipline while allowing Towns to occasionally operate as a point-forward to ease pressure on Brunson.

Prediction

This series has all the ingredients of a classic Eastern Conference battle.

Earlier this season, it felt like Cleveland, New York, and Detroit were the three teams most capable of representing the East after Cleveland’s trade for Harden. Now two of those teams are meeting with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line.

If the Cavaliers can steal one of the first two games in New York, the pressure shifts dramatically.

Cleveland has enough scoring, veteran experience, and offensive firepower to pull off the upset.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 7

And if that happens, it could set the stage for an even bigger storyline in 2027 — the possibility of LeBron James returning home to Cleveland for one final championship run.

Story by Ian Cunningham

X iancle1

Instagram icchangeshowcase

The post Cavaliers vs. Knicks: Can Cleveland Shock New York and Win the Eastern Conference Finals? appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

All three 7^th and 8^th grade issues passed, while eight of nine high school issues passed. High school issue 2B failed by a 416 to 358 vote (29 abstained), which would have allowed students at a public school that does not sponsor a particular team sport to participate in that sport at another public school, provided that the schools were within 20 miles and the superintendents of both schools approved the arrangement.

The OHSAA Board of Directors approved all 12 issues to be placed on the ballot. More information about this year’s referendum issues and complete results of the voting are available at https://www.ohsaa.org/School-Resources/referendum-voting.

The OHSAA’s annual referendum voting period is from May 1 through May 15. Each member school has one vote on each referendum issue, which is cast by the high school principal. OHSAA Constitution Article 8-1-9 requires every member high school to submit a ballot.

The approved Bylaw and Constitution changes will go into effect August 1, unless noted otherwise. A simple majority of votes cast by member school principals is required for a proposed amendment to be adopted.

In addition to voting for the referendum issues, member schools had the opportunity to vote for representatives to fill expiring positions on their respective OHSAA District Athletic Boards, with terms beginning August 1, 2026. District athletic board election results can be found at: https://www.ohsaa.org/about/districtboards

The OHSAA is a voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit membership organization. The organization regulates interscholastic athletic competition for its member schools, consisting of 815 high schools and 741 7th and 8th grade schools.

Review of the 2026 High School Referendum Issues

ISSUE 1C – Modify Constitution Article 8

Modify Constitution Article 8, Amendments to the Constitution & Bylaws

Allows the OHSAA Board of Directors to reinstate a bylaw or constitutional provision that was previously removed to comply with state law, if that law is later repealed. This eliminates the need for an emergency referendum and allows the rule to take effect immediately as it was last approved by the membership.

Issue 1C Passed 741-49 (13 abstained)

ISSUE 1B – Modify Bylaw 4-1-4, Member of an Interscholastic Team

Adds language to clarify that a school is considered to have “sponsored a sport” once its team participates in a regular-season contest (not a preseason event). This helps determine student eligibility to participate elsewhere under state law when their school of attendance cancels its season.

Issue 1B Passed 711-77 (15 abstained)

ISSUE 2B – New Exception to Bylaw 4-3-1, Enrollment & Attendance

Would have allowed students at an OHSAA member public school that does not sponsor a particular team sport to participate in that sport at another OHSAA member public school, provided that:

1. The other school is within 20 miles (by the most direct route), and
2. The superintendents of both schools approve the arrangement.

Issue 2B Failed 416-358 (29 abstained)

ISSUE 3B – Modify Bylaw 4-4-1 Exception 1, High School Academic Hardship Exception

Removes the requirement that a student must have been withdrawn or removed from school during the immediately preceding grading period for the exception to apply. Instead, the student and/or family must provide documentation showing that a hardship existed at the time their ineligibility occurred.

Issue 3B Passed 611-165 (27 abstained)

ISSUE 4B – Modify Bylaw 4-6-2 Exceptions 4 & 6, Residency

Modifications to Exception 4 permit a student whose parents live outside the state of Ohio, but who have been continuously enrolled within the same member public school/district since the start of 6th grade, to participate at the member high school in which they are enrolled.

     Parallel modifications to Exceptions 4 and 6 add language to permit students whose parents live outside the state of Ohio, but who have been continuously enrolled within the same member school district/system since the start of 4th grade, to participate within that district/system in 7th & 8th grade. Applicable for both public and non-public members.

Issue 4B Passed 663-95 (45 abstained)

ISSUE 5B – Add New Note to Bylaw 4-7-2, Definition of Transfer

Exempts a student from being subject to the transfer bylaw when they change their enrollment to a different but return to the same school of attendance without participating in any sport(s) while enrolled at the other school.

Issue 5B Passed 709-74 (20 abstained)

ISSUE 6B – Modify Bylaw 4-7-2, Exception 1, Bona Fide Change of Residence

Codifies a formal definition of a bona fide change of residence. The definition requires a student’s parents to fully relinquish all responsibility for their previous residence by selling it, leasing it to a non-family member, transferring it to an LLC for business purposes, or terminating the lease, in order for this exception to apply. The new language also gives the Executive Director’s Office discretion to review and address cases where this requirement has not been fully met.

Issue 6B Passed 653-111 (39 abstained)

ISSUE 7B – New Transfer Bylaw 4-7-8, Superintendent’s Memorandum of Understanding

Allows a transfer student to have their eligibility fully restored upon a transfer if the Superintendents or Heads of School from both OHSAA member school systems enter into a memorandum of understanding confirming that the transfer is necessary to protect the student’s physical or mental well-being or to address other appropriate extenuating circumstances. This exception may be used up to two times during a student’s high school career.

Bylaw 4-7-2 Exceptions 4 (Self-Support), 9 (Discontinues Entire interscholastic Athletics Program), and 10 (Death of Immediate Family Member) stricken.

Issue 7B Passed 573-207 (23 abstained)

ISSUE 8B – Modify and New Section to Bylaw 4-11, NIL

Adds clarifying language to Bylaws 4-11-2 (b) and (d), and 4-11-3 to ensure consistent application within NIL regulations. Also creates new Bylaw 4-11-8, which allows students to enter into agreements with athlete agents (only as defined in ORC §§ 4471.01) solely for marketing purposes. Any such agreement must also be disclosed to the Executive Director’s Office within 14 days.

Issue 8 B Passed, effective date May 16, 2026

Issue 8B Passed 623-131 (49 abstained). Effective Date May 16, 2026.

Review of the 2026 7^th-8^th Grade School Referendum Issues

7^th-8^th ISSUE 1B – Modify Bylaw 4-2-2, Exceptions 1 & 2, 7th & 8th Grade Age Requirements

Modifies the current requirement that a student must have no impact on the outcome of a contest to qualify for the requested exception, changing it to require that the student does not have a significant impact. This allows students who play a limited role (e.g., are in the rotation but not a major contributor) to still be eligible. The Executive Director’s Office will consider the extent of the student’s participation when making determinations. All other requirements remain unchanged.

Issue 1B Passed 374-153 (35 abstained)

7^th-8^th ISSUE 2B – Modify Bylaw 4-3-3, Exception 1, 7th & 8th Grade Semesters Requirements

Modifies the current requirement that a student must have no impact on the outcome of a contest to qualify for the requested exception, changing it to require that the student does not have a significant impact. This allows students who play a limited role (e.g., are in the rotation but not a major contributor) to still be eligible. The Executive Director’s Office will consider the extent of the student’s participation when making determinations. All other requirements remain unchanged.

Issue 2B Passed 383-145 (34 abstained)

7^th-8^th ISSUE 3B – Modify Bylaw 4-4-5 Exception 1, 7th & 8th Grade Academic Hardship Exception

Removes the requirement that a student must have been withdrawn or removed from school during the immediately preceding grading period for the exception to apply. Instead, the student and/or family must provide documentation showing that a hardship existed at the time their ineligibility occurred.

Issue 3B Passed 399-125 (38 abstained)

OHSAA Official Press Release

The post OHSAA Member Schools Pass 11 of 12 Referendum Items appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Francisco Lindor batted .301 and seemed to play with electricity in his fingertips. José Ramírez hit .312 and turned pressure into opportunity. Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana each launched 34 home runs. Rajai Davis, at age 35, stole 43 bases and kept finding ways to make things happen. The statistics were real, impressive, undeniable. But in Cleveland, they felt like the outline of something even larger, a team learning how to turn belief into momentum.

Photo via Imagn Images

A team that wouldn’t quit

What made that October run so stirring was how incomplete the club looked on paper and how complete it felt once the games began. Michael Brantley was recovering from shoulder surgery. Carlos Carrasco season abruptly ended in September when a line drive broke his pinkie finger. Danny Salazar was limited after missing time with a forearm strain. And yet Cleveland kept advancing, as if the roster had decided that loss would not be allowed to define it. Skipper Terry Francona kept pulling the right strings.

Corey Kluber became the rotation’s cold-blooded heartbeat, winning 18 games in the regular season and then pitching like a man who could bend October to his will. Andrew Miller arrived from the bullpen like a storm front, piling up strikeouts in impossible spots and making entire innings feel unfair. Cleveland swept Boston in the Division Series, beat Toronto in five games for the pennant, and suddenly the franchise was back in the World Series for the first time since 1997. To the rest of baseball, it was a remarkable run. To Cleveland, it felt personal.

The two most exciting words in sports

Game 7 gave the city everything sports can possibly give and almost nothing it can safely hold. The Indians entered the night one win from a championship and then spent hours trying to wrestle history into their own hands. Chicago struck first. Dexter Fowler homered in the opening inning. The Cubs kept pressing until the scoreboard read 6-3, and every Cleveland fan in the building could feel the game tightening in their chest. Kluber, heroic throughout the postseason, lasted only four innings that night. Miller, who had seemed nearly untouchable in October, gave up runs that made the climb steeper. The box score looked unforgiving. The emotions felt worse. And still, Cleveland would not break.

A homerun that rocked Northeast Ohio

Then came the eighth inning, the one that still lives in Cleveland like a heartbeat that never fully quieted down. Brandon Guyer doubled home a run. The noise rose. The deficit shrank. Then Rajai Davis came to the plate against Aroldis Chapman, one of the hardest throwers the sport had ever seen. Davis had hit 12 home runs all season. He was known more for speed than thunder, more for pressure than power. But with two outs and two strikes, he whipped the bat through the zone and sent the ball screaming over the wall in left. A two-run homer. A tie game. In an instant, 38,104 people inside Progressive Field were no longer watching baseball. They were inside a detonation of hope. Strangers grabbed each other. Grown adults shouted until their voices vanished. For one blinding moment, Cleveland was no longer waiting for joy. Joy was already there.

World Series Game 7, down 2 in the 8th…

Then Rajai Davis made the @Indians fans go WILD #LiveOnFS1 | #OpeningDayAtHome pic.twitter.com/v2CZpzBAJW

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 27, 2020

Curse the rains

Then the rain came, and with it one of the strangest pauses in sports history. For 17 minutes, the World Series stopped with the score tied 6-6, as if the night itself needed time to breathe. Fans stood in suspense, soaked in anxiety and possibility, staring out at a field that suddenly looked like the center of the universe. When play resumed, baseball returned to being mercilessly precise. In the 10th, Ben Zobrist doubled home the go-ahead run, Miguel Montero added another, and the Cubs led 8-6. Cleveland answered again because that is what that team did. Davis, somehow at the center of the storm once more, drove in a run to make it 8-7. The tying run moved into scoring position. The city leaned forward one final time. Then the last out settled into a glove, and the dream ended a few feet short.

And yet that is not why Cleveland remembers the 2016 Indians only with pain. It remembers them because they gave the city a version of itself worth recognizing durable, defiant, and unwilling to surrender even when logic said to. Their postseason lasted 15 games. Lindor hit .310 that October. Kluber authored masterpiece after masterpiece. Miller became nearly mythical. Davis produced one of the most unforgettable swings in franchise history.

They did not win the final game, but they left behind something rare in sports, something stronger than a clean ending. They left a memory that still aches because it mattered so much. They reminded Cleveland that the deepest bond between a team and its city is not formed only in triumph. Sometimes it is forged in the moment a crowd rises together, believes together, and discovers that even heartbreak can feel holy.

The post Game 7, 2016 World Series: The Night Cleveland Believed appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Watch as Cherie and her family and owner watch the final run.

Tempo’s historic win was close, as the horse narrowly defeated Renegade by a neck. Ocelli, in their maiden run as an entry off the also-eligible list finished almost a length behind. The payouts are listed below.

Kentucky Derby winners and payouts 2026

1st: 19 Golden Tempo $48.24 $19.14 $11.90
2nd: 1 Renegade $7.14 $5.45
3rd: 22 Ocelli $36.34

$2.00 Exacta 19-1 $278.86
$0.50 Trifecta 19-1-22 $5625.39
$1.00 Superfecta 19-1-22-12 $94,489.95
$1.00 Superhighfive Carryover $848,360.43
$1.00 Daily Double 6-19 $94.83

Pre Race Trouble

Prior to the start of the race, Great White, a behemoth horse at 1300 pounds and over 17 hands tall, was spooked by something and threw his rider, Alex Achard, off and fell to the track. He was scratched by race doctors. A few of the horses were already in the starting gate and needed to be backed out. Winning jockey, Jose Ortiz, said later: “I didn’t want to be loaded [after the incident]. I think [my] horse is ready. When you put him in he knows he’s going forward.”

When the race began, Renegade was bumped and tossed towards the rail as Six Speed and Wonder Dean raced out to the lead. Golden Tempo stayed last for much of the race. But Ortiz was keeping one horse in his sights, Renegade, ridden by his older brother Irad. “It was one of my targets to follow.”

A defining race maneuver

It wasn’t until late in the homestretch that race announcer, Larry Collmus, finally shouted that Renegade and Golden Tempo had raced to the front. At the final furlong, Golden Tempo was behind two horses (one being Renegade) which blocked his move to the outside. But strangely both horses veered toward the inside and Ortiz had his opening. Flying around, Tempo raced up towards Renegade, where they battled each other towards the finish. Ocelli, the last horse entered, had the lead as the two brothers sprinted to the finish line.  

What a race!

Irad, perhaps the best jockey in the world right now, gave his younger brother a high five after the race. “I felt we were moving along very nice,” Jose mentioned in the post race. Jose felt he could stay outside and his horse would have enough. Jose had an incredible two days. He was the rider who won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday night with the mount, Always a Runner.

 “He’s a dead closer,” trainer DeVaux remarked about her horse in the post race press conference. “[T]he Louisiana Derby really solidified that he was getting there.” Replying to why she let up on his training early in the week and if it concerned her during the race she had the line of the presser:

“So you know it’s just one of those things that you have to have faith in the process, faith in the horse, and faith in Jose. A lot of faith. A lot of faith. Gotta have faith. There’s a song back there!”

Golden Tempo grabs the $3.1 million prize for the win. The Derby was DeVaux’s 300 win as a trainer. And the 19th post position has another winner. The last win from the 19th spot was in 2012 with I’ll Have Another. 

When asked about a Preakness entry, the team talked about waiting to see how the horse felt Sunday and over the next few days. When questioned about the team (owners, trainer, jockey) Cherie shared this:

“We are not here for ourselves or our egos. We are here for the horse.”

Congratulations, Cherie and Jose! You gave the country a wonderful 2 minute and 2 second ride in confidence, loyalty and faith! Sometimes great things happen to great people. And great horses!

Post Race Press conference

The Full Race

The post Ya Gotta Have Faith! Golden Tempo Wins The Kentucky Derby! appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Snacks

Pimento Cheese Spread

Do NOT buy store bought. Never. I have used my Master’s recipe which is divine. I will link it here. If you have a Pinterest account, drop me a DM (@petrorock44) and I can share it.

I also make homemade Amish sandwich bread and it’s a culinary delight!

Feeling adventurous? Try the Pimento Mac and Cheese. Just add the pimento cheese spread to elbow macaroni and pop it in the oven!

Cucumber Canapes

Louisville friends of mine say this is one of their parents and relatives favorites. Grab the small pumpernickel bread or puff pastry in your grocers refrigerated section. Careful though. Cukes have a higher water content so spread them on the bread/pasty just before serving to minimize the soggy factor.

Drinks

Mint Julep

It’s hard to find a drink more associated with a sporting event (even a social event) than the Kentucky Derby and Mint Juleps. But my suggestion is to make the mint sugar syrup in advance. I’ve had them muddled before. Good, but not that great. I’ve had them when the host SAID it was a sugar syrup, but my taste buds said…nope. Straight water.

MUST be bourbon. I had a person serve with whiskey and it’s just NOT the same! But buy the mint NOW. Stores will run out of this. I’m sure Trader Joe’s will make sure they have plenty! But don’t chance it. But it must be simple. No strawberry or mango or anything else. Classic. Period.

Try it mock style with unsweetened iced tea or maybe ginger ale! 

Main Course

Kentucky Hot Brown

When I was a restaurant manager and moved to Dayton, Ohio, we had similar sandwiches called Hot Shots. These hot browns are better! Thick, crusty bread. Turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and a mornay sauce. Sign me up! Wow!

Dessert

Kentucky Bourbon Pie

Whoa Nellie! What a treat!

We know this isn’t sports, per se. But it’s what we eat when we watch the Derby. Share with us what you like on Kentucky Derby day!

The post What To Serve At Your Derby Party (Besides The Mint Juleps) appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Bazzana making his debut. #GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/TKZ3WRlNNG

— Natalie (@nats_sportschat) April 28, 2026

Cleveland made room by optioning infielder Juan Brito to Triple-A Columbus. Perhaps turning to Bazzana as the club searches for a spark amid an uneven start and a lineup that had struggled for consistent contact and on-base production.

Bazzana gets the call

The 23-year-old left-handed hitter arrived from Columbus with a strong early-season line at Triple-A: a .287 average with a .422 on-base percentage and a .511 slugging percentage in 24 games. Plus eight stolen bases and a pile of extra-base hits that included 11 doubles. The combination of plate discipline and gap power convincing the Guardians the timing was right.

Bazzana said he learned of the promotion after Columbus’ doubleheader in Buffalo on Sunday and that a wave of family and mentors were able to make the trip for the moment. He also didn’t shy away from the expectations that come with being a top pick. “It’s the beautiful part of it,” Bazzana said before the game. “I’ve worked really hard to be in a place where there is expectations and pressure… Any expectations that are out there, I have just as great for myself.”

Manager Stephen Vogt said the decision was both need-driven and performance-based, noting the club wanted “a little jolt” and liked what it saw from Bazzana’s at-bats in Triple-A. Vogt’s message for the rookie was simple: “Go have fun,” he said, adding that Bazzana had earned the day he’d pictured since childhood.

A long way from Australia

Bazzana, a native of Hornsby, Australia, became the first player born outside the United States to be selected No. 1 overall when Cleveland took him out of Oregon State. His climb accelerated despite a 2025 season interrupted by an oblique strain, and the Guardians have viewed him as a potential long-term fixture in the infield. Their most anticipated position-player debut since Francisco Lindor’s arrival a decade earlier.

For his walkup song, he chose “Down Under” to pay homage to Australia and talked about it postgame.

Travis talked about choosing his walk up song for his MLB debut. (And why “Waltzing Matilda” wasn’t it) pic.twitter.com/mbFRXYZyLF

— Natalie (@nats_sportschat) April 29, 2026

Bazzana went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks (one intentional) and a strikeout in the Guardians 1-0 loss to the Rays.

For Cleveland, the call-up is as much about stabilizing second base as it is about injecting upside. With Bazzana in the middle infield, the Guardians can keep their best bats in the lineup more consistently and focus on the slumping offense.

The post Guardians call up top pick Travis Bazzana for major league debut in Cleveland appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Currently, Silent Tactic sits at 25-1. At post position 13, the horse owned by John C. Oxley has a 6.4% chance of winning in that spot and a 21.8% chance of being in the money according to history of the “lucky” 13 spot! Jockey Christian Torres will attempt to be a first-time winner on his bay colt. 

Casse’s story

But for Casse, this race is his passion. And training horses is pretty much all he knows.

Training horses, it’s like flying a plane. As long as everything’s going fine, you’re good. But when you hit trouble, it’s nice to have the pilot that’s been doing it for 35 years. And that’s me.

Mark Casse was 12 years old when he went with his dad to the Hall of Fame for Horseracing. “Some day I’ll be in here,” he told his dad. I’m sure his dad told him kindly, “Sure thing, son.” What dad whose son shared his love for horses wouldn’t?

Mark spent his teen years working on his training license which he received at 17. His first winner? Solid Rocket, September 23, 1978. In the mid 1980’s Casse decided to head to Canada. “Kind of got a little burnt out on it all.” He was still training in the US at Churchill Downs and Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky prior to the official move to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. His move to the Great White North paid dividends as a 12 time winner of trainer of the year. After roughly 3000 wins, he was honored as the 2016 inductee in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. And in 2020 he found himself in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, like his 12-year-old self relayed to his dad those forty plus years ago.

2019 and Casse’s first Triple Crown Victory!

Casse finally grabbed his first Triple Crown win with War of Will at the 2019 Preakness. In the Derby just a few weeks prior, Mark’s horse finished officially 7th after the disqualification of Maximum Security, who had drifted into Casse’s horse in the homestretch, leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione to pull his horse back to avoid the collision. The Preakness was a crowning affair!

It was so important to win it. I just wanted him to get his chance to show everyone how good he is because he is a super horse. We thought we were going to win it two years ago [with Classic Empire] and we got beat at the wire so I kept trying to figure out where the wire was. 

A winner in Baltimore!

But then, that wasn’t the only Triple Crown race Casse would win. Enter the Belmont! Casse had two entries in the race. Sir Winston, who eventually won in a tight battle, and War of Will who finished 9th. There was some discussion at the end of the race that Sir Winston’s jockey, Joel Rosario, had pinched War of Will down the homestretch. The stewards at the Kentucky Derby felt the disqualification was merited for their race, while the Belmont folks felt differently. So the final stood and Casse won two of the three Triple Crown races in 2019.

Interestingly the horse that Sir Winston beat? Tacitus, who happens to be Silent Tactic’s stud father! You can’t make this craziness up sometimes!

Casse lifetime statistics as of 2026.

Starts 25,524

Firsts 4,178

Places 3,794

Shows 3,346

Total Earnings $279,027,411

In 2026 alone, Mark has amassed 58 wins in 367 starts. As of April 28, his winnings this year total $6,886,383. But he has never won the Kentucky Derby. He hopes to fix that with his horse, Silent Tactic.

Silent Tactic

Casse entered his horse in six races this season, which also happened to be the ONLY six he’s ever raced in. His results? Two wins and four places! A great start for Tactic. His first two races were at Woodbine in Canada and garnered his first win in his first race and a 2nd in his second on the all-weather surface. 

Casse then decided upon an interesting strategy for the colt. Let’s race him at Oaklawn in the dirt for the others. Oaklawn is considered one of the tracks closest to what a horse and jockey will face at Churchill Downs for the Derby. Tactic often starts slowly which could impact his ability Saturday. But no one questions his ability to close with speed and power. But as Mark said today to the Courier Herald, “We need the perfect storm.” If he’s at the 5/16th pole in fourth or better, Tactic can fly and have a chance. Torres needs to keep him in the middle of the pack for most of the race then let him gallop to the wire, as Mark shared with reporters.

Other Derby Challengers

Silent Tactic has raced other entries in the Derby like Strategic Risk and early favorite Renegade. In fact, Silent Tactic is the only horse to have run all four of the Derby prep races this year. First, in the Smarty Jones Stakes he finished 2nd. Southwest Stakes he won. The Rebel Stakes saw him have the lead but lost to Class President, a horse injured and not available for the Derby. And he really didn’t have a chance in the Arkansas Derby against Renegade where again he finished second. But to race in all four is an impressive and “old school” feat.

Pace? Tactic’s got it!

Silent’s speed overall is not overwhelming due to poor to average starts in his six races. But in his last two starts his Equibase numbers were 99 and 101, solid numbers for a Derby favorite. But for context, Renegade’s win in Arkansas nabbed a 107 rating.

But you see why Mark is so keen on the horse. Six races and in the money in all? Incredible. He is improving each race. But was Silent Tactic part of the group’s “A-team”? No. I will let Mark share his feelings on the horse in this interview a few days ago. Go to the 5:32 mark to hear his story on how Tactic made the decision for Oxley, Casse and Torres. He also hits on a key idea to watch Saturday: Does this field have pace?

Bottom Line

I really like this horse, jockey, and trainer. But it just seems like too many variables to overcome. Indeed, a perfect storm could push the colt to the finish line. But I like my chances taking him to place or show. Yet, if a horse can pull off this incredible feat, it will be one trained by Mark. 

“Sometimes you just got to let these horses…come into their own.”

The post Mark Casse: A 40 Year Overnight Sensation and His Horse! appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

It was another good night at the 2026 NFL Draft for the Cleveland Browns. On Day 2 and rounds 2 and 3 the Browns drafted big wide receiver Denzel Boston from Washington with pick No. 39. They then made a trade with the San Francisco 49ers and moved up in the same round to draft safety Emmanuel McNeil- Warren from Toledo with pick No. 58. Cleveland also took another offensive tackle Austin Barber with the No. 86 pick.

After Day 1 and the 1st round of the draft where the Browns took tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver KC Concepcion, these latest moves are making the new and improved Browns much better for new head coach Todd Monken well before the first snap in Week 1.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has continued his hot streak of drafting great football players. In last year’s draft, Berry helped draft linebacker Carson Schwesinger, defensive tackle Mason Graham, running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin.

The newly drafted wide receiver Boston was projected by many football analysts as a 1st round talent but slipped into the 2nd round where the Browns were quick to grab him. He had an excellent career at Washington. This past season he caught 62 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s a big receiver standing at 6’4 and has speed and good route running skills to separate from his opponent. With his size he was also able to win on those 50/50 jump balls thrown by the quarterback.

That ability to stretch the field but also get in the passer windows closer to the line of scrimmage and win those short routes make him an intriguing talent.

Considering Cleveland had last drafted a wide receiver in the 1st round back in 2016 when they chose Corey Coleman out of Baylor, taking Boston at the No. 39 pick and Concepcion in the 1st round make what the Browns are prioritizing even more interesting.

There were some Cleveland fans that were disappointed on Day 1 of the draft when their team passed up safety Caleb Downs of Ohio State. Well, that disappointment might have subsided some when the Browns drafted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a safety out of Toledo with pick No. 58. McNeil-Warren was considered by many projections as the second or third best at the safety position.

McNeil-Warren is considered one of the best at his position because of his flexibility at the safety position. He’s excellent at covering at the line but also dropping back into pass coverage. He collected 214 tackles, 11 for losses, deflected 13 passes and had five interceptions. He also forced nine fumbles and recovered two of them.

It’s been a great first two days for the Browns in this draft. The draft will continue on Saturday with rounds 4-7. Stay tuned!

The post Browns win Day 2 of the NFL Draft appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

The Cleveland Browns scored big on the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft. The team selected Spencer Fano a left tackle from Utah with their No.9 pick. Cleveland then took wide receiver KC Concepcion from Texas A&M at the No. 24 pick.

There had been a lot of buildup to this year’s draft for Browns fans as many of them hoped that they would draft local product wide receiver Carnell Tate out of Ohio State. However, Tate was taken by the Tennessee Titans in a surprise selection at the No.4 pick.

Cleveland had the No.6 pick and ended up making a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs who took Cleveland’s pick at 6. In exchange the Browns got new picks at No. 9, No.74, and No.148.

With that No.9 pick Browns chose to go with the offensive tackle in Fano instead of going for a wide receiver or another Ohio State player like safety Caleb Downs.

The Browns need to build their team in the trenches to  help protect their starting quarterback of the future. So, the selection of Fano is a good step in the right direction. NFL draft projections had Fano as one of the top one or two offensive tackles. With the Browns, adding other free agent offensive lineman like Zion Johnson in recent weeks this only helps steady the offensive line.

Cleveland definitely needs to fill many gaps. They have many glaring needs, especially on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver.

Photo via Imagn Images

Drafting Concepcion is another good foot forward in giving their offense a boost. It’s only the third time in recent Cleveland draft history that they’ve taken a wide receiver in the first round. The team drafted wide receiver Corey Coleman back in 2016 and Braylen Edwards in 2005.

Concepcion was considered a first or second round pick by most NFL draft predictions so the Browns taking him at pick No.24 was a good selection. He has exceptional speed and the ability to separate from his defender.. He will give the Browns offense and their quarterback a new weapon to hopefully open up the field.

He collected over 2200 yards receiving and 25 touchdowns in his time at Texas A&M and North Carolina State. This past season he caught 61 passes for 919 yards.

He also took back kicks and punts for the Aggies, and he could be used that way by the Browns as well next season.

So, the Browns’ first day at the draft was considered a success. Let’s see what the team does in round two and three beginning on Friday night followed by rounds 4-7 on Saturday..

The post Browns score a touchdown with their 1st Round picks appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.