No, this isn't a pop-culture site. But sometimes events happen that transcend - especially when you are my age. Singer Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48. Why does this have anything to do with a sports blog? For me it was the Super Bowl in 1991, when the United States had just entered a war in the Persian Gulf. Tensions were running high - around the country and at the Super Bowl. Much like 9/11, 1991 saw Red, White and Blue everywhere. That day, Whitney Houston was selected to sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Here performance changed everything. Much like the NFL and the Super Bowl itself, everything around the big game has exploded since then - who sings the National Anthem at the Super Bowl is a big deal because of Houston's performance that day.

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A battle of MAC division leaders never materialized as the Akron Zips raced out to a 31-9 lead en route to a 77-47 win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles at the JAR in Akron Saturday night.

Akron(16-7, 8-1), which didn't trail, scored 26 points off 18 turnovers and outscored the Eagles(10-13, 5-4) 28-16 in the paint and 15-4 on second-chances, while winning the battle of the boards 46-29.

Chauncey Gilliam led the Zips with 13 points while Zeke Marshall added 11 points and 5 rebounds as Akron won for the 5th straight time, their ninth win in 10 games.

Keith Dambrot won his 178th game as Akron's coach, tying Tony Laterza (1960-68) for second place on the Zips' career wins list, while the Zips also gave Dambrot his 100th home win to just 16 losses.

Akron travels to Western Michigan on Wednesday night. The Broncos lost to Kent State 78-73(OT) on Saturday night.

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It wasn't easy, but nothing this season for the Kent State Golden Flashes has been. Down 61-56 with 2:11 to go, the Flashes(16-6, 6-3) rallied to send the game to overtime, then dominated the Western Michigan Broncos(10-13, 4-5) to pick up a hard-earned 78-73 win.

Justin Greene led the Flashes with 19 points, 13 in the second half, while Randal Holt scored 13 points. The teams traded leads in the final minutes with the Broncos losing a 5-point lead while the Flashes saw a 64-61 lead with 1:27 left erased.

In overtime, Chris Evans posted his second ESPN Top 10 worthy dunk of the night scoring through traffic for and offensive rebounds and put back dunk. With the Kent State defense keeping Western Michigan off the board Evans capitalized at the foul line scoring the game's next four points to stake the Golden Flashes to a 70-64 lead with a minute and a half to go in the extra period. Holt then pushed the margin to eight with a key block and fast break lay-up.

The Broncos managed to stay in the game just enough and drew within three points after a 3-pointer with 13 seconds to play before a key hustle play by Porrini helped seal the win. Porrini closed out his night with eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.

The Flashes face Eastern Michigan on Wednesday night.

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The Cleveland Browns may have some questions to answer later today and not all just about another AFC North loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  After quarterback Colt McCoy was lit up by James Harrison, McCoy returned to the game after one play.  Problem is, after the game, McCoy needed all the lights in the interview room turned down - at the request of the Browns.  

Sensitivity to light is one of the many signs of 'concussion-like symptoms'.  Add to that a report that McCoy didn't remember the hit and you have to wonder if McCoy underwent any kind of concussion testing on the sideline.  The NFL has made detecting concussions in-game a priority, and we've seen players in the past remain sidelined during the game as teams played it safe with apparent head injuries.

When asked if he felt the hit was dirty, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur thought so.

"Well, I mean it was penalized, right?'' said Shurmur. "I think (the officials) felt it was, so it was penalized.''

It remains to be seen if Shurmur and the Browns will have to answer for anything else.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy was impressive on the team's opening possession against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Browns were forced to settle for a field goal after an apparent touchdown run by McCoy was overturned on review.

McCoy was 4-4 for 69 yards to start the game, including long completions to tight end Evan Moore and Josh Cribbs.  It was a 3rd and goal from inside the one after the reversal, however, that left a sour taste in the Browns mouth.  McCoy handed off to running back Peyton Hillis but had no shot as the entire left side of the Browns offensive line was pushed 3 yards into the backfield.

After holding the Browns to a field goal, the Steelers wen on an impressive drive of their own, going 73 yards in five plays before Ben Roethlisberger hit Jerricho Cotchery on an 11-yard touchdown pass.  Like McCoy, Roethlisberger was perfect on his first drive, going 3-3 for 45 yards.

Albert Pujols is headed to the American League after agreeing to a 10-year, $250 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels early this morning.  Included in the deal is a full no-trade clause, meaning the Angels are essentially stuck with the 32-year old for the entire deal, one that will keep Pujols in California until his early 40's.

The Cleveland Indians were never in the bidding for Pujols, but that doesn't mean you can't check him out at Progressive Field this season.  The Angels will be making two trips to Cleveland, the first coming in a 3-game series from April 27-29.

The Angels will make their second visit the the North Coast from July 2-4, playing a game on Independence Day. The Indians will visit the Angels in Anaheim just once, from August 13-15.

Many had thought Pujuols would be returning to the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals after talks with the Miami Marlins broke down, but St. Louis had little desire to match the Angels in years or dollars.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will play a two-game preseason in preparation for the 2011-12 season. The Cavs will play their Central Division rivals, the Detroit Pistons, in both games. The first game will take place at Detroit on Friday, Dec. 16^th at 7:30 p.m. with the rematch taking place four days later at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 20^th at 7:00 p.m.  On-sale dates and information for the home preseason game and the full regular season schedule will be announced next week (the week of December 12^th).  

In addition to the home preseason game, the Cavaliers will host a special edition of the annual Wine & Gold Scrimmage game, free at The Q on Sunday, December 18 at 1:00 p.m. Admission will be free for all fans and details regarding this special intra-squad scrimmage game will also be announced next week. 

Fans can receive special advance individual game ticket purchase opportunities before tickets go on sale to the general public by visiting cavs.com and signing up to receive Cavaliers Insider-the team's free e-newsletter. Cavs Insiders receive  exclusive Cavs news, updates and offers delivered straight to  their in-box.  Fans can also follow @cavs on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cavs and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cavs. Fans can call the team direct at  1-800-820-CAVS.    

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While Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter said the National Basketball Players Association - which is now officially disbanded - was unified in its' rejection of the latest proposal by the NBA owners, at least one Cleveland Cavaliers player admits he would have voted to accept the proposal.

Cavs forward Samardo Samuels - the perfect example of a player that will be financially impacted by the paychecks that are now being missed by players - told the Akron-Beacon Journal on Monday that while the NBA proposal wasn't perfect he would have voted to accept the deal.  The only problem?  Samardo and the rest of the rank-and-file NBA players never got the chance to accept David Stern's deal.

"A lot of people in the league are panicking," Samuels said. "You’re talking about missing paychecks. Those paychecks you’re missing are going to add up and guys have families and responsibilities and bills to pay. I’m just a guy that’s coming out of college. I’m 22 years old, I don’t have much responsibility."

Samuels goes on to talk about big-name veterans in the NBA that have financial flexibility that many players likely do not have.  Paul Pierce, for example.

It's easy for Paul Pierce to say that. You've been in the league how long?" Samuels said. "You've got a decent amount of money saved up, but what about the guys just coming into the league who don't have [anything] saved up?"

That's when this will really get interesting.  Do the voices of players like Samuels start to get louder as more and more money is lost?

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While not at all a surprise, Justin Verlander has officially won the American League Cy Young Award for 2011.  Verlander has been the favorite since the All-Star break and helped lead the Detroit Tigers to an AL Central Division title and a playoff series win over the New York Yankees.

Verlander was 24-5 in 2011 with a 2.40 ERA.  Verlander threw 251 innings and tallied 250 strikeouts.  His wins, strikeouts and innings pitched led all of baseball this season.  Verlander was 3-0 in his three starts against the Indians this season, including a 2-hit shutout against the Tribe on June 14th.

Verlander may have his sights set on another award this season as well.  Many think Verlander should receive plenty of consideration for the 2011 American League MVP award, though pitchers have long been considered longshots for the award.

Verlander becomes the third Detroit Tigers pitcher to win the award.  In an ironic twist, both Tigers to win the award previously - Denny McLain in 1968 and Guillermo Hernandez in 1984 - went on to win the MVP Award that same season.

We already looked at the SB Nation NFL Power Rankings for Week 11.  Now we take a peak at ESPN's rankings which have the Browns dropping closer and closer to Indianapolis Colts country.

The Browns dropped three places - from No. 25 to No. 28 - after their 13-12 loss to the Rams.  Perhaps even more of an indictment against the Browns is the comment left by AFC East blogger James Walker:

"It looks as though the game is moving way too fast for rookie coach Pat Shurmur."

While painful, it isn't necessarily inaccurate.  Starting all the way back in Week 1, when a complete mental breakdown by the Browns defense cost them a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns have appeared to be ill-prepared, especially in key moments - late in the first half and at the end of the game.

Couple in the fact that the Browns are the only team in the NFL not to have scored a touchdown in the 1st and 3rd quarter and you cans see why Shurmur is getting so much criticism.

The rest of the AFC North sees the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 4, the Baltimore Ravens at No. 6 and the Bengals at No. 11.

Only the Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colt are behind the Browns on ESPN's list.

The Akron Zips mens soccer team will begin defense of it's 2011 NCAA National Championship on Thursday night when they host Big Ten Champions Northwestern at 7:30 p.m.

The Zips(13-3-4) and Wildcats(11-4-5) winner will then have to travel to face No. 6 seed SMU in the second round on Sunday night.

All UA season ticket holders who purchased the postseason package will be able to use their Nov. 20 game ticket for Thursday’s contest. All other fans may purchase tickets starting today at 10 a.m., by calling 1-888-992-5766 or visiting the ticket office at InfoCision Stadium.

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If you missed Bob Costas and Jerry Sandusky from Monday night on NBC's "Rock Center", look no further.  Below is the entire awkward conversation between Costas and the man that has been charged with 40 counts of sexual molestation involving young boys on the campus of Penn State University:

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Below is the transcript of the Jerry Sandusky interview with Bob Costas on NBC's "Rock Center" on Monday night:

Costas: "Mr. Sandusky, there's a 40-count indictment. The Grand Jury report contains specific detail. There are multiple accusers, multiple eyewitnesses to various aspects of the abuse. A reasonable person says, ‘Where there's this much smoke, there must be plenty of fire.' What do you say?"

Sandusky: "I say that I am innocent of those charges."

Costas: "Innocent? Completely innocent and falsely accused in every aspect?"

Sandusky: "Well I could say that, you know, I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their leg without intent of sexual contact. So if you look at it that way, there are things that would be accurate."

Costas: "Are you denying that you had any inappropriate sexual contact with any of these underage boys?"

Sandusky: "Yes I am."

Costas: "Never touched their genitals? Never engaged in oral sex?"

Sandusky: "Right."

Costas: "What about Mike McQueary, the grad assistant, who in 2002 walked into the shower where he says in specific detail that you were forcibly raping a boy who appeared to be 10- or 11-years old? That his hands were up against the shower wall and he heard rhythmic slap, slap, slapping sounds and he described that as a rape?"

Sandusky: "I would say that that's false."

Costas: "What would be his motive to lie?"

Sandusky: "You'd have to ask him that."

Costas: "What did happen in the shower the night that Mike McQueary happened upon you and the young boy?"

Sandusky: "OK, we were showering and horsing around. And he actually turned all the showers on and was actually sliding across the floor and we were, as I recall, possibly like snapping a towel and horseplay."

Costas: "In 1998, a mother confronts you about taking a shower with her son and inappropriately touching him. Two detectives eavesdrop on her conversations with you and you admit that maybe your private parts touched her son. What happened there?"

Sandusky: "I can't exactly recall what was said there. In terms of what I did say was that if he felt that way then I was wrong."

Costas: "During one of those conversations, you said, ‘I understand. I was wrong. I wish I could get forgiveness (speaking now with the mother). I know I won't get it from you. I wish I were dead.' A guy falsely accused or a guy's actions who have been misinterpreted doesn't respond that way."

Sandusky: "I don't know. I didn't say to my recollection that 'I wish I were dead.' I was hopeful that we could reconcile things."

Costas: "Shortly after that in 2000, a janitor said that he saw you performing oral sex on a young boy in the showers in the Penn State locker facility. Did that happen?"

Sandusky: "No."

Costas: "How could somebody think they saw something as extreme as shocking as that when it hadn't occurred and what would possibly be their motivation to fabricate it?"

Sandusky: "You'd have to ask them."

Costas: "It seems that, if all of these accusations are false, you are the unluckiest and most persecuted man that any of us has ever heard about?"

Sandusky: "I don't know what you want me to say. I don't think that these have been the best days of my life."

Costas: "To your knowledge, did Joe Paterno have any information regarding objectionable activites on your part prior to that report in 2002?"

Sandusky: "I can't totally answer that question. My answer would be no."

Costas: "Did Joe Paterno at any time ever speak to you directly about your behavior?"

Sandusky: "No."

Costas: "Never?"

Sandusky: "No."

Costas: "He never asked you about what you might have done. He never asked you if you needed help, if you need counseling."

Sandusky: "No. No. No."

Costas: "Never expressed disapproval of any kind?"

Sandusky: "No."

Costas: "How do you feel about what has happened to Penn State and to Joe Paterno and to the Penn State football program and your part in it?"

Sandusky: "How would you think that I would feel about a university that I attended, about people that I worked with, about people that I care so much about. How do you think I would feel about it? I feel horrible."

Costas: "You feel horrible. Do you feel culpabale?"

Sandusky: "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

Costas: "Do you feel guilty? Do you feel as if it's your fault?"

Sandusky: "No I don't think it's my fault. I've obviously played a part in this."

Costas: "How would you define the part you played? What are you willing to concede that you've done that was wrong and you wish you had not done it?"

Sandusky: "In retrospect, I shouldn't have showered with those kids."

Costas: "That's it?"

Sandusky: "That's what hits me the most."

Costas: "Are you a pedophile?"

Sandusky: "No."

Costas: "Are you sexually attracted to young boys, to underage boys?"

Sandusky: "Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted, you know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."

Costas: "Obviously, you're entitled to a presumption of innocence and you'll receive a vigorous defense. On the other hand, there is a tremendous amount of information out there and fair-minded, common sense people have concluded that you are guilty of monstrous acts. And they are particularly unforgiving with the type of crimes that have been alleged here.

And so, millions of Americans who didn't know Jerry Sandusky's name until a week ago, now regard you not only as a criminal, but I say this I think in a considered way, but as some sort of monster. How do you respond to them?"

Sandusky: "I don't know what I can say or what I could say that would make anybody feel any different now. I would just say that if somehow people could hang on until my attorney has a chance to fight for my innocence. That's about all I could ask right now. And obviously it's a huge challenge."