Rumblings xtra: Items that didn't make print edition

Urban Meyer explained on the "Bull and Fox Show" on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland why
he has “That Team Up North” in place of Michigan on the 2012 schedule in the team meeting
room.

"We don't use their name," the new Ohio State coach said. "I'm a huge Woody Hayes guy. . . ”

So that means that Michigan coach Brady Hoke won’t say “Ohio State,” instead using the word “
Ohio,” and Meyer won’t use Michigan’s name at all.

When Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon was asked about that at the Winter Classic press
conference yesterday, he brought Michigan State into the mix.

“I think it's really unfortunate the slam that they're taking at Michigan State,” Brandon
said, “because MSU, really, is the team that's the furthest north. I don't know how to read all
that. I don’t if they thought that through completely. And frankly, I don't care a whole lot to how
they refer to us.”

That spectacular, over-the-shoulder catch that Giants receiver Mario Manningham made on the
winning drive in the Super Bowl made for a tantalizing tidbit for Browns fans, who would like to
see the Warren, Ohio, native and soon-to-be free agent in Cleveland duds next season.

But Manningham grew up as a Steelers fan, and he didn’t have a season to match that catch; he
caught 39 passes for 523 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season. The Browns need a
go-to guy and not a No. 2 receiver, so the former Michigan star might not be a fit.

The Reds and Ryan Ludwick finally got that contract signed this week. From the sounds of his
quotes in the Cincinnati Enquirer, he seemed almost giddy about it.

“People might find it hard to believe,” he said. “But this the most excited I’ve been in my
career. . . It’s a dream come true.”

A dream come true? OK, let’s backtrack a little: His father’s family is from Georgetown, Ohio
and Ludwick grew up as both a Reds and Bengals fan. He said he always played either first base or
centerfield in Little League, and when he was in center, he was a big Eric Davis fan.

He is also thrilled to have a chance to play half of his games in Great American Ball Park,
which he says “has one of the fairest right-centers in baseball” and “fits my swing perfectly.”

Quite a few NBA players tweeted and commented about the Blake Griffin’s recent monster slam
over Oklahoma City’s Kendrick Perkins dunk, but the only one that seemed to irk Perkins was one by
the Heat’s LeBron James.

Given the low esteem that the former Cavalier’ star is held in these parts since he snubbed
his home state and signed with Miami, we report James’ tweet -- “Dunk of the Year! @blakegriffin
just dunked on Kendrick Perkins so hard!!! Wow! I guess I’m No. 2 now. Move over #6.” – and Perkins
response as a, uh, public service:

“You don’t see Kobe (Bryant) tweeting,” Perkins told Yahoo.com. “You don’t see Michael Jordan
tweeting. If you’re an elite player, plays like that don’t excite you. At the end of the day, the
guys who are playing for the right reasons who are trying to win championships are not worrying
about one play.

“They also are not tweeting about themselves talking about going down to No. 2. I just feel
(James) is always looking for attention and he wants the world to like him.”

Longtime Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco made it to the Super Bowl this year with the New
England Patriots, but his season wasn’t super and it will be interesting to see where he goes from
here. Ochocinco who made only 15 catches during the regular season (and one in the Super Bowl)
after snaring 67 in 2010 for Cincinnati, is scheduled to make $3 million in 2012 and will likely be
cut.