Puskas: Manziel, Pelini among those being remembered at Christmas

Santa Claus took care of Youngstown State’s football program a couple of weeks early.

Bo Pelini was the present almost nobody thought the Penguins would get, but it happened.

Santa must have felt YSU athletic director Ron Strollo and president Jim Tressel were more nice than naughty in 2014 and who are we to disagree?

After all, it was Eric Wolford who kept Joe Scalzo out of Penguins football practices this fall. The other guy who wears red — St. Nick, not Pete the Penguin — must have noticed.

But what does the naughty vs. nice theory say about the Cleveland Browns and their fans?

At one point this season, the Browns were 6-3 and it sure looked like a playoff berth — their first since 2002 — would be under the tree in Berea.

Maybe next year.

That might depend on the behavior of little (pun intended) Johnny Manziel, who says he’ll be good and will study the playbook and watch film like it’s his job if the Browns will just let him stay up late, er, be their quarterback next season.

That’s a novel concept ... considering that it became his job when the Browns drafted him in May.

Manziel needs a thoughtful Christmas gift — one that could be helpful as he tries to prove he belongs in the NFL.

But Johnny Football isn’t alone on our list. So let’s get started with the gifts:

Johnny Manziel: A babysitter. The Browns’ young QB needs a shadow to follow him around and make sure he makes the right decisions and devotes himself to workouts, practice and film study. In short (pun intended), he needs a babysitter who will frighten him into good behavior. I nominate Ida (Cloris Leachman), the intimidating grandmother from “Malcolm in the Middle.”

Ron Strollo: A break. Sure, he’s already got Pelini. But the fact that the YSU AD was able to pull that off means he’s earned the benefit of the doubt — for a good, long while — from Penguins fans, who’ve been pining for the 1990s from the moment they ended.

Anderson Varejao: A full recovery from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. The Cavaliers’ big man went down with another season-ending injury on Tuesday night. I know. Varejao hurt? It’s unthinkable. Varejao is basketball’s version of Grady Sizemore, a guy who plays so hard he’s an injury waiting to happen.

Cleveland Cavaliers: A serviceable big man who can defend. Unfortunately, there may not be much on the NBA scrap heap, so it may take trading a player like Dion Waiters, who seems to have just started to embrace his role, to get a big body.

Bo Pelini: A 10-second delay and a fresh start. OK, the first part is just a joke and Bo already has the second part. He seems happy to be out of Nebraska, where a fan base pining for the 1980s is about to find out again (remember Bill Callahan?) that it’s not so easy to win nine or 10 games every year.

Eric Wolford: A new job of his choosing. I enjoyed his candor and sense of humor. I wish things had worked out better for him at YSU. Wouldn’t it be something if he ends up on Pat Narduzzi’s staff at Pittsburgh? They’re both Ursuline guys and Narduzzi is expected to be introduced as the Panthers’ new coach on Friday. Pittsburgh will host Pelini and YSU in the 2015 opener for both teams.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Write Vindicator Sports Editor Ed Puskas at epuskas@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @EdPuskas_Vindy.