Cleveland, OH
Ohio State officially hires longtime SEC athletic director to lead Buckeye sports
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State has decided on the first new leader for its athletic department in nearly 20 years.
Texas A&M’s Ross Bjork will succeed Gene Smith, the school announced Wednesday. His identity as the frontrunner became widely reported on Tuesday.
Per a news release, Bjork will begin his duties July 1, pending approval by the OSU Board of Trustees. An introductory news conference will be held Wednesday.
Bjork, 51, is in his fifth year as A&M’s athletic director. While he has no background as an administrator in the Big Ten, he has spent the past 12 years as one in the most high profile football conference in the nation. Prior to A&M, he spent seven years at Ole Miss.
“Few athletics directors have established such an impressive and strong record of success in athletics, in the classroom and throughout the community,” Ohio State president Ted Carter said in the release. “The bar is incredibly high at Ohio State, and we have found in Ross a highly intelligent and effective leader — not to mention a fierce competitor.”
Smith announced his retirement, effective at the end of the school year, in August. Bjork’s hire became official barely two weeks after new president Carter began his duties. A 14-person search advisory committee began working last October to “nominate candidates and provide input and feedback to the search firm, Collegiate Sports Associates.”
Bjork is stepping up from an athletic program of 20 sports with more than 600 athletes to the largest in the country — boasting 36 programs and 1,000 athletes. His achievements at A&M included new school records in overall grade point average and the NCAA’s Graduate Success Rate and Academic Progress Rate. Recently he led the launch of the largest fundraising campaign in that athletic department’s history, which included redevelopment of the football complex.
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Bjork also worked with the Texas legislature to develop a name, image and likeness law in Spring 2021. He also oversaw the creation of programs which provided athletes assistance with “finance, personal branding, networking and media training.”
He then oversaw the creation of AMPLIFY and AMPLIFY Local Exchange, which equips student-athletes with education and resources related to finance, personal branding, networking and media training.
“I have been extraordinarily blessed to be a product of college athletics as a student-athlete and fortunate to work with so many outstanding student-athletes, coaches, staff and university leaders throughout my career, and Ohio State represents the culmination of these efforts,” Bjork said in the release. “To be a part of Buckeye Nation, along with its storied traditions and long history of achievement, is a tremendous honor and a welcome challenge for me and our family. I can’t wait to get started.”
While Bjork arrives with significant major conference football experience, he also comes with some baggage related to his football coaches.
Bjork defended Ole Miss football coach against a multitude of charges by the NCAA of rules violations, including failure-to-monitor by the coach and a lack of institutional control. The NCAA infractions committee accused Ole Miss of “an unconstrained culture of booster involvement in football recruiting.”
Freeze was eventually fired.
At A&M, Bjork was the AD when coach Jimbo Fisher was given a fully guaranteed contract extension in 2021. When he fired Fisher after last season, it necessitated a $76 million buyout.
Bjork’s first athletic director experience came at Western Kentucky (2010-12) after five years as senior associate athletic director at UCLA.
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CLEVELAND — Thousands of people braved the cold in downtown Cleveland for the third wave of “No Kings Day” demonstrations against the Trump administration.
This time, protestors said, the stakes are higher than ever.
Community members and activists joined at the Free Stamp in Willard Park and marched alongside Lakeside Avenue and around Cleveland Public Square on Saturday. Demonstrators said they’re rallying against the Trump administration’s escalation of federal immigration enforcement tactics and rocky global economy amid the country’s war with Iran.
Protestor Fidel Swain who served 15 years in the US Air Force. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)
U.S. Military Veteran Fidel Swain said he’s marching for the rights of all Americans.
“We’re really concerned with what’s going on in the country today as far as this current administration,” Swain said. “They all seem to not follow the principles and ideas of the working class and just most Americans, which is law, order.”
Northeast Ohio resident Charlotte Hartman also stood among the crowd of demonstrators. She said she attended the two previous No Kings Day protests in Strongsville.
Today, Hartman said, she’s standing in solidarity with all marginalized groups.
(L-R) Protestors Elaine Wheaton, Charlotte Hartman, and Michele Murphy. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)
“The way he treats people and minorities, the way he treats handicapped people … They don’t seem to be any care or concern for anybody,” Hartman said.
Hartman was joined by Elaine Wheaton, who said she hopes the demonstration will help unite Americans, despite ideological differences.
“We’re hoping that some of the people that voted for Trump before might be changing their mind,” Wheaton said. “He’s getting a little too overboard … I have no problem with Republican presidents like Reagan or Bush or whatever, but it’s not that he’s Republican. It’s just that he’s a bad human.”
The White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson sent a statement to Spectrum News dismissing Saturday’s protest. She wrote, “The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them.”
The first No Kings Day protest in June included around 5 million participants, while the second event in the fall drew in around 7 million people.
While speaking about the No Kings Day protests in October, Trump told Fox business that he’s “not a king.”
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Protests against President Donald Trump’s administration are scheduled across the country Saturday, including in Northeast Ohio.
Events are happening around the region, with the largest turnout expected in downtown Cleveland.
Cindy Demsey, a co-organizer of the event, emphasized the rally’s purpose: “No Kings rallies in Cleveland and around the country demonstrate that We The People support an immediate end to foreign wars, ICE’s terror tactics, the administration’s unconstitutional power grab, covering up evidence of crimes against children and government for billionaires.”
The rally is set to begin at 1:00 PM at the Free Stamp next to City Hall on Lakeside Avenue and East 9th Street.
Back in October, thousands gathered downtown, and the events featured musical performances and various speakers before a march.
When a demonstration took place this past summer, Cleveland police estimated about 5,000 people were in attendance.
That event was mostly peaceful, with one person arrested for disorderly conduct.
Here is a list of the events taking place this Saturday, March 28.
Cleveland
When: 1 to 3 p.m.
Where: Free Stamp, Willard Park
Akron
When: 1 to 3 p.m.
Where: John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse
Lakewood
When: 10:30 to noon
Where: Lakewood City Hall
Parma
When: 10 to 1 p.m.
Where: Ridgewood Lake Park
North Ridgeville
When: 10 to noon
Where: LCCC University Partnership Ridge Campus
Mansfield
When: 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Richland County Administration & Courthouse
Parma
When: 10 to 1 p.m.
Where: 7620 W Ridgewood Dr
Chardon
When: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: 100 Short Ct St
Cuyahoga Falls
When: 11 to 1 p.m.
Where: Cuyahoga Falls Downtown Amphitheater
New Philadelphia
When: 11:30 to 1 p.m.
Where: Tuscarawas County Courthouse
Ashtabula
When: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Smith Field Dog Park
Port Clinton
When: Noon to 2 p.m.
Where: Erie Dearie Park, a corner of Waterworks Park
Vermilion
When: Noon to 2 p.m.
Where: Exchange Park
Wooster
When: Noon to 2 p.m.
Where: Public Square
Strongsville
When: Noon to 2 p.m.
Where: Pearl Road & Ohio 82
Hudson
When: 1 to 3 p.m.
Where: Gazebo Green
Sandusky
When: 1 to 4 p.m.
Where: Sandusky Mall Entrance
Kent
When: 2 to 4 p.m.
Where: Gazebo, intersection of Franklin Ave and West Main Street
Warren
When: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Trumbull County Courthouse Square
Canton
When: 3 to 5 p.m.
Where: Central Plaza North
Medina
When: 4 to 6 p.m.
Where: Medina Public Square Historic District
Find more here.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Miami Heat on Friday night, in the second game of a back-to-back between these Eastern Conference rivals.
The Miami Heat go for their 40th win of the season and the series victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road on Friday. This is the second game of a back-to-back for these teams, fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference standings. Both of these games will be played in Cleveland, with the Heat pulling off the upset in Game 1 on Wednesday, winning 120-103. The win ended Miami’s five-game losing streak, and the loss ended the Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak. The win gave the Heat a 2-1 series lead, with Friday’s game serving as the finale. Miami is back in the eighth seed, but is only a half-game above the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic. Cleveland is sitting comfortably in fourth place, but is three games back of the New York Knicks for third. The biggest name sitting out of this rematch is Jarrett Allen, who is dealing with a knee injury but is expected to return on Friday. The Cavaliers should be the favorite at home to tie this season series at two games apiece in this rematch.
How to Watch Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Today:
Game Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV Channel: NBATV, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio 1 (Cleveland feed)
Location: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH
Live stream the Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers on Fubo: Start watching now!
Miami started off hot in the first half on Wednesday, but Cleveland came back in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat by 17. But Miami quickly returned the favor in the fourth, outscoring the Cavaliers by the same total in the final quarter. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 28, but the Heat were more balanced with Norman Powell leading the charge with 19 points, and Tyler Herro added 18. James Harden and Sam Merrill both scored 18 points apiece for the Cavs. Miami shot 52 percent from the field as a team and an impressive 40 percent from three. The Heat led by as much as 17 in the third but nearly squandered the sure win before the strong fourth quarter. Miami had eight players score in double figures in what turned out to be a comfortable victory. Expect a closer game tonight in the finale rematch.
What time is the Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game On?
The Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers game will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tune in and catch some great NBA action.
What Channel Is the Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game On?
Looking to watch this game? Fans can tune in to the NBATV, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio 1 (Cleveland feed) to see the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup, as well as numerous other sports leagues.
Live stream Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers on Fubo: Start watching now!
Regional restrictions may apply.
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