The Cavaliers guard said he hasn't yet run since suffering a hyperextended left knee Tuesday in Philadelphia.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Dion Waiters feared the worst when he landed after a monstrous, breakway dunk Tuesday against Philadelphia.

He didn't hear or feel a pop, but he felt an excruciating pain that came from hyperextending his left knee as he landed. Waiters missed his third consecutive game Sunday, and said he expects to miss "a couple more" games, at least, while he recovers.

By his own account, however, even a couple games might be wishful thinking.

"I haven't ran yet," Waiters said. "I haven't ran since it happened. When I start running, it'll be good."

Waiters said he simply was relieved that he didn't do more serious damage to his knee.

"I was just scared, more than anything," Waiters said. "You never know. But I didn't hear any popping, I just knew I stressed it pretty good.

 My right leg, I think, saved it. If I'd just came down on my left leg, it'd have been over. But I came down on my right leg, and caught myself with my left."

As for the other injured Cavaliers players – Anderson Varejao (sore back) and C.J. Miles (left ankle sprain) – coach Mike Brown said he's hopeful they're close to returning.

Andre Miller back: Strange sight: Andre Miller and Randy Wittman, back together in Cleveland – but sitting on the visitor's bench.

"I'm older, he's grayer," Miller joked. "We both came a long way, and both learned a lot."

The former Cavaliers coach and former Cleveland first-round draft pick were reunited this week when the Wizards traded for the 37-year-old Miller. He was brought primarily to mentor the young Washington backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, and he played 16 minutes in his Wizards debut, scoring five points and dishing three assists.

It was to be expected, according to Cavaliers coach Brown.

"I never coached him, but coaching against him all these years, he's one of the highest IQ basketball players I've ever coached against or seen play," Brown said. "The scary part about it is, he might be able to play another 10 years because he never relied on his quickness or his athleticism to get him where he is. Everything is about angles, intelligence, his ability to pass and his ability to read whatever's in front of him. He can help anybody and everybody, so he'll definitely help Washington."

The characteristics Wittman saw in Miller as a rookie in 1999 have proven valuable throughout his 15-seasons in the NBA.

"You could tell he was going to be a very heady player," Wittman said. "He picked things up quick, he was going to orchestrate things on the floor, and that's what good point guards have to do. He's done that his whole career. That's why he's been in the league as long as he has. He's not a guy from an athletic standpoint you're going to sit there and be wowed about. But guys like him stay in the league for as long as they do because they know what their limitations are and how they have to play, and they don't deviate from that. He's done that his whole career."

Onuaku back: The Cavaliers' 10-day contract player, Arinze Onuaku, was recalled from the Canton Charge on Sunday, and the 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward-center said he's ready to contribute physical play whenever the Cavaliers need it.

"Just a physical big who can rebound the ball, separate screens, finish around the rim," Onuaku said. "Things that every team needs to get over the hump."

No Syracuse talk: Asked about Syracuse's loss to Duke one day earlier, Waiters shook his head. "I don't wanna talk about it," the Syracuse product said.

He already heard plenty from Duke products Kyrie Irving and Luol Deng.

Mid-American Conference teams fighting hard to be one of the top four seeds in the upcoming tournament as format limits the bottom eight teams from making a championship run.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It has become a tooth and nail battle in the Mid-American Conference to land one of the four top seeds for the upcoming MAC Tournament, and somebody is definitely going to get hurt. Right now it could very well be the Akron Zips.

Why? The MAC changed its tournament format in 2012 so the top two seeds go directly to the semifinals, and the next two seeds go directly to the quarterfinals.

The MAC also added a 'second round' for the bottom eight seeds. At most, one of the top four seeds only has to win three games in three days. Perhaps just two games in two days. Meanwhile, the remaining eight teams have to win five games in six days to win the tournament.

Before 2012, the format had the top four seeds getting byes to the quarterfinals. The bottom eight seeds played first round games, with the winners paired against the top four seeds in the quarterfinals. Now, the bottom eight play an opening round on campus sites. The four winners advance to Cleveland and play each other. Those winners advance to the quarterfinals vs. the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.

For the majority of mid-major conferences, where it is rare to have more than a team or two annually compete for a league title, such a format protects the yearly elite. This season the Horizon League, which many compare to the MAC, has Green Bay (22-5, 12-2) clearly the best in the league, and two games ahead of the pack in the HL standings.

Injuries were a key to the Phoenix losing their two league games, but still, nobody else in the HL could touch them. Green Bay deserves to be rewarded for winning the conference, and protected as the best possible HL representative to the NCAA Tournament.

This is normal for the Horizon League, where only once in the last six years has more than two teams finished within two games of the conference champion. But the MAC is different.

This year is tracking to be the third time in the last six seasons, (2009, 2011) that four or more teams will finish within two games of winning a MAC title. In 2009 there were five teams. It could easily be five again this season.

And that would not just be a recent occurrence. In 2005 there were nine teams within two games of the leader and in 2001 there were six.

Under the old tournament format, Akron won the 2009 tournament as a No. 5 seed, winning four games in four days when all were held at The Q. In 2011 the Zips won as a No. 6 seed, first winning a tournament game in Rhodes Arena, then three at The Q.

On top of that, Ohio University won the 2010 MAC Tournament as a nine seed, then went on to post the MAC's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2003. Clearly, the quality and depth of MAC basketball traditionally runs deep.

Yet under the new format, with that extra game, it is very doubtful a MAC team seeded No. 5 or lower has a reasonable chance at winning the MAC Tournament. That leaves teams fighting tooth and nail for a chance to be one of the top four.

This season, Cleveland State (19-10, 10-4) is that No. 2 team in the Horizon League, but has two games remaining, including Tuesday night vs. Youngstown State in the Wolstein Center, to lock down that No. 2 seed for the conference tournament.

The Penguins (15-14, 6-8) defeated the Vikings, 67-66, earlier this season. CSU then travels to play at Valparaiso (17-12, 9-5) which also has hopes of landing the No. 2 spot, but needs to win out, at Wright State then vs. CSU, for that to happen. Green Bay is set to host the HL Tournament, but should the Phoenix be upset, the title game, March 11, will be played on the home court of the highest seed.

Food for thought: What do Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Miami, Bowling Green, Kent State, Ball State and Central Michigan have in common? (That's the No. 1 team in the MAC, WMU, and the six bottom feeders). They have the fewest number of transfers among their top seven players than any of the other top five teams in the league. Toledo has four, Akron, Buffalo and Ohio University all have three.

Local women's hoops: The Akron Zips (7-8, 11-3) can't be stopped. Since losing three straight MAC games early in January, center Rachel Tecca (23.4 points per game) and her teammates have reeled off 10 straight victories. Doubtful they will be tested much this week vs. Miami or Kent State.

The Golden Flashes (6-19, 3-11), however, are at least now showing some spark as they have won two of their last three and three of their last six games overall. The challenge will be steep for Kent this week vs. MAC front runners Bowling Green and Akron.

Cleveland State (13-13, 8-5) lost two tough games last week and now looks to stay above .500 with its final two games this week at Oakland and home, Saturday vs. Illinois Chicago.

D3 tournaments open: The Ohio Athletic Conference and North Coast Athletic Conference tournaments begin this week for men and women.

In the OAC women's tournament, Baldwin Wallace (15-3) earned the No. 1 seed and John Carroll (15-3) is No. 2. Both receive a bye to the semifinal round and both will host games on Thursday at 7:30. The tournament opens with two games Monday and two more on Tuesday.

In the men's tournament, JCU and BW both open at home on Monday. John Carroll (9-9), the No. 5 seed, faces No. 8 Otterbein at 7:30. BW (9-9), seeded sixth, plays No. 7 Capital at 7:30. Mount Union (15-3) is the No. 1 seed and will host a semifinal game on Thursday.

Wooster is the No. 1 seed in the NCAC men's tournament and will host Oberlin on Monday. DePauw is top seed in the women's tournament and will face Wooster on Monday, while No. 7 Oberlin travels to No. 2 Ohio Wesleyan.  

This week's schedule:

Monday -- Men: Otterbein at No. 5 John Carroll, 7:30; Capital at Baldwin Wallace, 7:30. Women: Muskingum at Mount Union, 7:30; Heidelberg at Wilmington, 7:30.

Tuesday -- Men: Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State, 7 p.m., WHK-AM, 1420; Baldwin Wallace/Capital winner at Wilmington, 7:30; John Carroll/Otterbein winner at Ohio Northern, 8; Oberlin at Wooster, TBA; Wabash at DePauw, TBA; Denison at Wittenberg, TBA; Kenyon at Ohio Wesleyan, TBA. Women: Wooster at DePauw, TBA; Mount Union/Muskingum winner at Ohio Northern, 6; Heidelberg/Wilmington winner at Capital, 7:30; Oberlin at Ohio Wesleyan, TBA; Allegheny at Denison, TBA; Wittenberg at Kenyon, TBA.

Wednesday -- Men: Akron at Miami, 7, WARF AM/1350; Kent State at Bowling Green, 7, WHLO AM/640. Women: Akron vs. Miami, 7.

Thursday -- Men: OAC semifinal at Marietta, 7:30; OAC semifinal at Mount Union, 7:30. Women: Kent State at Bowling Green, 7; Cleveland State at Oakland, 7; OAC semifinal at John Carroll, 7:30; OAC semifinal at Baldwin Wallace, 7:30.

Friday -- Men: NCAC semifinals, TBD. Women: NCAC semifinals, TBD.

Saturday -- Men: Cleveland State at Valparaiso, 2:30, WHK AM/1420; Kent State at Ohio University, 2, WHLO AM/640; Akron vs. Bowling Green, 7, WARF AM/1350; OAC Championship at highest remaining seed, 7:30; NCAC Championship at highest remaining seed, TBD. Women: Cleveland State vs. Illinois, Chicago, 2; OAC Championship at highest remaining seed, 7:30; NCAC Championship at highest remaining seed, TBD.

Sunday -- Women: Akron at Kent State, 2.

Sunday was by far the busiest day of the combine. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers all took their turn on the stage – not all of them though. Some such as Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel and Derek Carr decided to stay on the sidelines for some events.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Sunday was by far the busiest day at the combine. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers took their turn on the stage – not all of them though. Some such as Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel and Derek Carr decided to stay on the sidelines for some events.

There were head-turning performances, both good and bad, and after watching the on-field workouts, these were my Day 4 observations.

Get ready for lots of receivers in the first round: It's not hyperbole. This year's receiver class in the one of the deepest in recent memory, and it could rival 2009's when it comes to the number of pass-catchers that hear there name called in the first round. That year, there were six (Darrius Heyward-Bey, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks and Kenny Britt) taken in round one.

This year, with so many teams needing to address the position, six could be topped. It starts with Sammy Watkins. Although smaller than some teams would like in the Top 10, he's the best in the class. His blazing speed, explosiveness, run-after-catch ability and hands separate him. He's instant offense wherever he lines up, a true difference maker and future No. 1 wideout. But there's plenty of talent and depth behind him. 

Texas A&M's Mike Evans might've jumped into the Top 15 after the show he put on in Indy. Everyone knew about his size, catch radius and ability to go up and get jump balls over defenders, but he showed off his speed on the track, running in the low 4.5's during the 40-yard dash.

Then there's the next wave of guys.

Oregon State's Brandin Cooks is a silky-smooth and explosive receiver that catches everything thrown his way. He was the fastest receiver in Indy. Fresno State's Davante Adams has drawn comparisons to Michael Crabtree and was Derek Carr's go-to target. Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin is built like a cyborg. A wide receiver in a defensive ends' body, Benjamin had to overcome some drops and other issues that prevented him from realizing his immense potential until this past season. He caught the ball well in the drills and ran faster than expected, clocking 4.62 in the 40-yard dash. 

Then there's LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., Vanderbilt's Jordan Matthews – the relative of Jerry Rice – and USC's game breaker Marqise Lee. This is the right year to be looking for a receiver. There are at least 15 of them that look talented enough to make an impact at the next level.

Carlos Hyde loses shot at a big opportunity: Now, it wasn't his fault that he pulled his hamstring running his first 40-yard dash. It was an unfortunate result this afternoon. 

But the running back class is wide open, without a clear-cut best option. Some consider Hyde, myself excluded, to be the top back in the class, and he had a chance on the same stage with his peers to prove it. He talked about wanting to run in the 4.4 range. After that kind of talk, it would have been nice to see him back it up. He didn't. He clocked at 4.66 before sitting out the rest of the drills. It also would've been nice to see his footwork, hands and hips in the running back drills. He was the back that a lot of people had their eye on and his loss put the spotlight on some others.

Auburn's Tre Mason, Baylor's Lache Seastrunk – my top back – Washington's Bishop Sankey and LSU's Jeremy Hill left the biggest impression. Those four players have something in common: They can all catch the ball.

In today's NFL, it's important to have a back that can not only run, but catch the ball and pass protect as well. Being a three-down back is what helped Eddie Lacy, Le'Veon Bell, Gio Bernard and Zac Stacy in their rookie seasons. Like last year's class, there isn't a back worthy of first-round consideration.

Teddy Bridgewater stayed in sweats: Bridgewater made the decision late not to throw. He's not the first quarterback to make that choice, and he won't be the last. Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill and Matt Ryan are just a few names that have made a similar decision in the past.

I wanted Bridgewater to throw. Heck, I wanted him to do something. It was clear that the NFL Network guys – Daniel Jeremiah, Brian Billick, Charles Davis and Mike Mayock – did as well, saying they wanted all players to show a competitive drive. But Bridgewater didn't, choosing to put all the pressure on his Pro Day March 17th. It's a risky decision. As Gil Brandt of the NFL Network said today, "Louisville doesn't have an indoor facility so what happens if it rains? Does he not run?" It's an excellent point.

Not throwing is fine. Quarterbacks like to run their throwing sessions with receivers they know and are comfortable with. Not being on the same page can lead to inaccuracies. But not running was a strange decision to me. Perhaps he wasn't ready, focusing more on bulking up and alleviating size concerns. I don't know his or his agents' reasoning. I won't pretend to. It's not going to do anything to his standing on my board. He's the best quarterback in the draft. He does the day-to-day quarterback stuff better than anyone else in the class. But now questions hover above him, which is never the way a prospect wants to leave Indy.

More unnecessary criticism of Jadeveon Clowney: Apparently this is going to be a running story. Clowney is going to participate in something and it will be met with criticism. It's gotten to a point where he can almost do no good in the eyes of some. 

Today's issue was with his bench press numbers. Clowney tossed up 21 reps at 225 pounds, but that wasn't enough for some despite having incredibly long, 34-inch arms, making it more difficult to lift the bar. His "low" total was three less than Julius Peppers and one less than Robert Quinn. Both of those guys have done very well for themselves in the NFL. 

Clowney is one of the most impressive physical freaks that has ever worn football pads, and his bench press results don't change it. He terrorized SEC opponents for three years. Yet people are caught up in his bench press numbers which makes no sense to me.

Day 4 Risers and Fallers: When it comes to the workouts, you don't want to go overboard. You also don't want to downplay performances. The combine is one part of the process, but it carries some importance.

Day 4 risers:

AJ McCarron, quarterback, Alabama – I'd say rising is a relative term here. I'm still not a big fan of McCarron. I think his deep ball floats too much, leaving his receivers to slow down. He struggles with pressure. And fails to transfer his lower body weight when throwing, sometimes looking as if he's jumping when releasing the ball. But I thought he was the best-looking passer during the on-field drills. I give him credit for throwing after skipping the Senior Bowl. Kudos for him for taking advantage of an opportunity.

Dri Archer, running back, Kent State – I have no idea what position he will play, but he will play it fast. He nearly broke the all-time 40-yard dash record held by Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson (4.24). When you play for a team like Kent State, you have to turn heads, and he did. Someone will find a place for him because he is electric with the ball in his hands, making the defense hold their breath with every touch.

Lache Seastrunk, running back, Baylor – Seastrunk has a track background so it was a bit surprising that his 40-yard dash wasn't better than 4.51. However, he showed incredible explosiveness with an 11'2 broad jump and vertical of 41.5. He also showed that the only reason he didn't have a high catch total was because of Baylor's offense as opposed to a flaw in his own game.

Mike Evans, wide receiver, Texas A&M – I'm not sure how much he can really rise, but he solidified himself as the second-best receiver. His hands in the gauntlet drill and his speed were the two things that stood out to me. He's already pretty good so it's impressive that Evans is still learning despite starting as a basketball player.

Brandin Cooks, wide receiver, Oregon State – Finishing with the top 40 time among receivers will help him get into the first round. He was also very smooth and explosive in the pass-catching drills.

Odell Beckham Jr., wide receiver, LSU – There were some people wondering if he or Jarvis Landry was the better wideout from the Bayou. Beckham made a strong case. Burning the turf with a 4.43 40-yard dash, he showed off good explosion and natural pass-catching skills in the on-field workouts.

Day 4 fallers:

Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback, Eastern Illinois – Besides looking really tan, there was nothing the small-school prospect did that I took away. Throwing drills are hit and miss at the combine, but Garoppolo's arm strength leaves a lot to be desired. His footwork is sound and he has a quick release, but when asked to push the ball down field today, his ball wobbled or hung up in the air too long.

Ka'Deem Carey, running back, Arizona – Interviews were probably the most important part of the weekend for the productive back with a checkered past, and how those went will likely determine his draft position. But on the field, he didn't do enough to separate himself. At 5'9, he needed to show off speed. Clocking 4.70 in the 40 put him 29^th out of 33 backs tested. That was just the start. He also had a few drops in some of the drills.

Andre Williams, running back, Boston College – Remember that whole thing I mentioned about having a versatile running back, one that can catch the ball? Well, we all found out why Williams didn't catch a pass this season for Boston College. When he wasn't catching the ball with his neck or body, he was dropping it entirely. I feel good about not having the nation's leading rusher in my Top 5 backs.

Jarvis Landry, wide receiver, LSU – His injury ended his chances of running a second 40-yard dash. After his slow 4.77 the first time, I'm sure he would've liked to have another crack. To his credit he showed toughness, trying to get through catching drills. And with good reason. Landry has some of the best hands in the class and is unafraid to go over the middle. He's the kind of guy that I'd like to have on my team, but even I must admit Sunday was disappointing.

Allen Robinson, wide receiver, Penn State – He dropped far too many passes in the drills and clocked 4.60 in the 40-yard dash. He waved goodbye to the first round and might get lost in a deep receiver class.

Justin Masterson on negotiating with the Indians in the wake of Homer Bailey's contract; "We'll work through it until spring training is over and then see what happens." Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – All Justin Masterson said about Homer Bailey’s six-year $105 million contract is that it’s now a matter of public record.

He gave little insight on how it would influence future talks with the Indians on a multiyear contract.

“It’s out there,” said Masterson, when asked about Bailey’s deal. “I’m sure there are probably some other comparables to look at, things to go through to see what’s fair and to see what we actually want to do.”

Masterson signed a one-year deal worth $9,726,500 with the Indians on Tuesday to avoid arbitration. Two days later, Bailey agreed to his big deal with the Reds. Like Masterson, he had an arbitration hearing on Thursday and was for free agency at the end of the 2014 season.

Bailey isn’t going anywhere, but Masterson is still eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

The Indians and Masterson said they would talk again about a multiyear deal before the end of spring training. So far there has been no conversation.

“The dust is still settling,” said Masterson.

As for Bailey’s deal setting a bottom line for Masterson’s next contract, he said, “Just because something else happens, it doesn’t mean you have to do it, but you can. You can use it. There are starting points and base points to work from. We’ll work through it until spring training is over and then see what happens.”

Opening day starter: Trevor Bauer will start Wednesday’s Cactus League opener against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.

 He’ll pitch one inning. Aaron Harang will follow him to the mound.

“It’s been a long offseason, with a lot of hard work, I’m looking forward to getting out there and see what I’ve got,” said Bauer.

Bauer spent last season and part of the offseason realigning his delivery to help him throw more strikes and avoid injury. Over the last three days, he’s thrown two batting practice sessions to his teammates.

“My mechanics felt bad the first time, but I looked at the video and it looked good,” said Bauer. “That’s a positive thing for me that even when I don’t feel like they’re very good, they still look like I want them to.

“That’s a good sign. We’ll see what happens when a hitter steps and there’s a defense behind me and everything starts.”

On Sunday, Bauer threw again, but struggled.

“The first time out we were encouraged because his delivery was good,” said manager Terry Francona. “He had a rough day today. I think he was kind of frustrated. That’s going to happen. It’s early in camp.”

Bauer did not enjoy last season. He went 6-7 with a 4.15 ERA in 22 starts at Class AAA Columbus. In four starts with the Tribe, he was 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA. Over

In 138 1/3 combined innings, Bauer walked 89 and struck out 117.

“I’m just trying to pitch to a level I can be satisfied with,” said Bauer. “I did not pitch up to my personal standards last year by any means. It was frustrating for me going out there knowing I could be so much better than I was showing.

“My goal is to come in and pitch like I know I can pitch and we’ll see where I am after that. Mostly I just want to enjoy playing baseball and last year wasn’t any fun.”

As for the Indians being patient with him last year as he retooled his delivery, Bauer said, “It’s nice to be working with people that are on the same page with what I am trying to do.

“I don’t look at anything as final. If I have a good outing, it doesn’t mean I’m good. It just means it was a good outing. If I have a bad outing, it doesn’t mean I’m not terrible. It was just a bad outing. It’s nice to have people look at things the same way.”

Pitch change: Zach McAllister has replaced his cut fastball with a slider.

“I think it will help him ton,” said Francona.

Helping hand: Jason Giambi doesn’t just help his fellow position players; he helps his pitchers as well. During batting practice sessions the last three days, he told Harang that he wasn’t keeping his lead arm tucked and Josh Outman that he was tipping his pitches.

“G is always taking me down in the tunnel and saying, “You’re flying open, you’re flying open,’” said Masterson. “I told him, “G, I know. I’m trying to stop it.’ He can say that because everyone respects him.’”

Finally: Last year lefty Giovanni Soto started the Cactus League opener for the Tribe. They were trying to get him stretched out so he could start for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Soto, acquired from the Tigers for Jhonny Peralta, made nine appearances for Columbus last year before going on the disabled list with a season-ending back injury.

The Cavaliers lost for the second consecutive game -- after surviving more than two weeks with a six-game winning streak.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Depleted but still determined, the Cavaliers couldn't figure out a way to overcome the one obstacle they haven't seen in two and a half weeks: playing after a loss.

After losing for the first time in seven games two nights earlier, the Cavaliers stumbled again Sunday in a 96-83 loss to the Washington Wizards at The Q. The Cavaliers were without key players Dion Waiters, C.J. Miles and Anderson Varejao, all sitting with injuries, all apparently not close to a return.

Off-the-mark Cavaliers shooting throughout, stingy Wizards defense in the fourth quarter that held Cleveland to 11 points that stanza, and the Washington backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal combined to produce the Cavaliers second loss in a row – and the start of a new losing streak.

The Cavaliers had last lost two in a row Feb. 3-5, at the end of a six-game streak that culminated in the dismissal of general manager Chris Grant.

They then rattled off six straight wins before their most recent stumbling.

This time, Wall (21 points, 8-for-17 shooting) and Beal (17 points, 8-for-15 shooting) did the most damage for the Wizards, but the Washington defense actually held the Cavaliers down most.

The Cavaliers made just 4-of-19 attempts in the fourth quarter.

Newcomer Spencer Hawes led the Cavaliers with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Running back Dri Archer helped himself with a blistering performance in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- Dri Archer came up razor-thin short on his bold prediction of setting a record in the 40-yard dash at NFL Combine 2014 on Sunday.

Archer finished with one of the best times in combine history but his time of 4.26 in his first attempt fell just short of the 4.24 set by Chris Johnson in 2008.

Johnson tweeted how Archer had him nervous.

Georgia Southern running back Jerick McKinnon's 4.41 was the day's second best time.

How fast can Archer move?

"It's a feeling like climbing up a mountain with the wind blowing across your face," said Archer over the weekend. "It feels especially good when people are trying to catch you."

Archer's blur of a time in the 40 does not guarantee he will become an early draft pick, but NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock liked what he saw.

“He ran fast, almost as fast as Chris Johnson," Mayock said. "He helped himself. The fact that he can return helps him. Whenever you get those guys that 170-plus pounds, the question is how do you use them? Where do you line them up? That’s where the value situation is."

Archer was especially valuable for Kent State during his junior year when he helped Kent State advance to its first Bowl appearance in 40 years. Archer became one of the most dynamic all-purpose players in the country. He averaged an incredible 9 yards per carry, 1,429 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 14.4 yards per catch and four receiving touchdowns. Archer also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns that season.

Archer remained in school for his senior year and it may have cost him because injuries limited his season.

His size of 5-8 could also mean he will become a mid- to late-round pick. Where and how much Archer gets paid depends on how teams project his contribution.

"And the more you think you can get him (touches), then the more money you can pay him and the higher you can draft him," Mayock said. "The less you think you can get him touches, then his value starts to drop. So you look at a kid like that and you go, ‘Is he a fourth-round guy where he’s going to be a situation guy, slot, motion, hand him the ball?’ So most of those guys typically go around plus or minus the fourth round and him running the way he did really helped.”

The Browns were interested in sending draft picks to San Francisco in exchange for Harbaugh's services.

INDIANAPOLIS - Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam confirmed Sunday that the team tried to trade with the San Francisco 49ers for head coach Jim Harbaugh.

"There was an opportunity there, and it didn't materialize," Haslam told USA Today Sports.

Haslam declined to elaborate on the nature of the discussions.

San Francisco CEO Jed York denied the initial report by profootballtalk.com of a possible deal, tweeting Friday night "the report isn't true."

Harbaugh also decried the report as "ridiculous" to CSN Bay Area. Profootballtalk.com said a deal was in place that would've sent multiple picks to San Francisco for Harbaugh, but that Harbaugh ultimately balked at leaving the 49ers.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said a first-round pick was not involved.

Browns spokesman Zak Gilbert said Friday in a statement released to the media: "The team conducted an extensive coaching search, and explored several options. That search produced an outstanding head coach in Mike Pettine and we're excited about his future with the club.''

The Browns tried to trade for San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh (pictured), Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has confirmed.AP 

Pettine, speaking at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday, said that the news of the proposed trade had no effect on him.

Former Browns general manager Mike Lombardi, who was fired Feb. 11, is extremely close with Harbaugh, who hired Lombardi's son, Mick, as his personal assistant last year.

Harbaugh was involved in contract extension talks with the 49ers last summer, but talks grew contentious and broke off. Harbaugh has reportedly had a strained relationship with 49ers GM Trent Baalke for the past several months. PFT.com reported later Friday evening that Harbaugh's relationship with the team is uncertain.

Harbaugh, who has led the 49ers to three straight NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl in the past three seasons, just finished the third year of a five-year contract that pays him $5 million a year.

Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com reported that a deal was in place with the Browns that would've sent multiple picks to the 49ers for Harbaugh, but that Harbaugh ultimately decided not to leave the 49ers.

It would have been the first trade for a coach since the Raiders traded the rights to Jon Gruden to the Bucs in 2002 for first-round picks in 2002 and 2003 and second-round picks in 2002 and 2004.

Lombardi helped both of the Harbaugh brothers get their first jobs in the NFL: Jim in Oakland and John, the current Ravens coach, in Philadelphia.

Florio said on 95.7 The Game in the Bay area Friday that Harbaugh was seriously considering the move, but that his family, specifically Sarah, didn't want to move to Cleveland.

Harbaugh was born in Toledo, Ohio, and his grandparents live in Bainbridge. If he coached the Browns, he would have faced his brother John twice a year.

Is Michigan State's recent slide going to make a big impact on NCAA Tournament seeding? And did Jim Boeheim really need that meltdown against Duke.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On Jim Boeheim's meltdown and how Michigan State's woes will impact the NCAA Tournament seedings ... Or inside the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.

A lot of attention has been paid to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's meltdown at Duke, possibly costing his team a chance at victory in a 66-60 defeat. From this corner -- based on how games have been officiated this season with the new rules -- that would be called a block 80 percent of the time.

This falls under the heading of what coaches call, "the tough whistle" that comes most often at the end of games on 50-50 calls that may or may not go their way. The problem here is Boeheim gets two technicals for his tirade, then later says he would do it again.

That's very selfish, and self-serving in my opinion and points directly to the fact every year the regular season and conference play mean less and less to these coaches. It's all about March. But for the players, no matter what level, to say they went into Cameron Indoor Stadium and walked out with a victory would have been the last word in a lot of trash talking.

Syracuse and Duke (hey, do you think Coach K would not have erupted if the call went the other way) are NCAA Tournament locks. There is an ACC Tournament upcoming for revenge. Short of bragging rights, this game did not mean much. Except to the players.

As for Michigan State losing to Michigan, and now falling to 22-6, 11-4 on the season, this not only moves the Spartans down to second in the Big Ten, it is starting to make what once looked like a lock NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, a tenuous No. 2 and possibly a No. 3. To the Big Boys, that means a lot.

A No. 1 and a No. 2 in the same bracket can make it to the Final Four. A No. 2 and a No. 3 seed in the same bracket can't. One more loss for the Spartans, particularly in the regular season, could drop them down to that third line.

Not much to cry over between No. 2 and No. 3? Look at some of the mock brackets out there, and you will see the subtle difference could be as big as playing UMass or New Mexico as a No. 2 seed in the second round; Texas or Ohio State as a No. 3 seed. Big difference.

The No. 3 seed could have the likes of UConn, Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio State. There is a lot more Final Four pedigree there.

Here is my vote in this week's Top 25:
1. Florida
2. Wichita State
3. Arizona
4. Duke
5. Syracuse
6. Kansas
7. Villanova
8. St. Louis
9. Cincinnati
10. Creighton
11. Louisville
12. San Diego State
13. Virginia
14. Wisconsin
15. Iowa State
16. Kentucky
17. Michigan
18. Michigan State
19. Iowa
20. Memphis
21. North Carolina
22. SMU
23. UConn
24. Ohio State
25. Green Bay

My Top Five in the state:
1. Cincinnati (24-4)
2. Ohio State (22-6)
3. Xavier (18-9)
4. Toledo (23-4)
5. Ohio University (19-8)
Waiting in line: Cleveland State, Akron.

The Buckeyes are starting to show some renewed life, but the Bearcats remain at the top for now. At Xavier, the Musketeers slip is showing a bit, losing two of their last three, albeit on the road. Toledo still wins with firepower while the Bobcats are winning with grit. A strong week by CSU could easily get the Vikings up the ladder.

Talk Browns with Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe at 2 p.m.

Talk Browns with Mary Kay Cabot at 2 p.m. 

Get your Browns questions ready and join Mary Kay Cabot today at 2 p.m. as she talks Browns football.

Mary Kay will talk with cleveland.com's Dan Labbe about the NFL Combine and who the Browns might take in the NFL Draft.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Mary Kay's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

Mary Kay Cabot recaps the NFL Combine in her latest podcast.

Who stood out at the NFL Combine? How close were the Browns to trading for Jim Harbaugh?

Cleveland.com's Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot answered those questions and more during today's podcast with cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe.

Among other topics discussed:

• Could the Browns take Sammy Watkins or Jadeveon Clowney at No. 4?

• Would they consider trading the 4th pick, either up or down?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player to the right.

One current starting quarterback in the NFL tells cleveland.com that "if you want to win, you draft Blake Bortles, not Johnny Manziel".

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ask people around the NFL -- from executives to coaches to media members -- about who the top quarterback in the upcoming draft is, and three names are mentioned: Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater and UCF's Blake Bortles.

Victims of bad timing, the Cavaliers have 25 games left for a final playoff push -- but have injuries to three key players to overcome at the same time.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – More than anything – more than streaky shooting or a disjointed defense, even more than prolonged lulls of a lack of cohesion during games – the Cavaliers are victims of bad timing.

They began to play with "a sense of urgency" about 10 games ago, according to Luol Deng – on the edge of a little too late for a confident playoff push.

More than two-thirds of their remaining schedule is against teams currently slated to appear in the playoffs – making their quest more difficult.

And they suddenly have been struck by injuries to key players – Anderson Varejao (sore back), Dion Waiters (hyperextended left knee) and C.J. Miles (left ankle sprain) – at the time when they need the full roster to for the final 25 games of the season.

"They got hurt at the wrong time of the year," conceded Deng.

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown reiterated that there is "no timetable" on the expected return of the injured players, though Waiters was shooting after practice Monday with Kyrie Irving, and Varejao was running on a treadmill. Miles returned crutches Sunday, now able to walk without them.

Yet the Cavaliers remain steadfast in their singular goal for this season, even sitting at 22-35 after two straight losses, five games behind the last playoff spot.

Playoffs are still a possibility, they contend.

"Everybody's on the same page that that's the goal," Deng said. "The amount of games we have left, we want to push ourselves and try to get in there."

Not helping the cause are the aforementioned injuries, the fact that only nine of the final 25 games are against teams not currently slated for the playoffs, and shaky shooting from key players of late.

Deng is shooting just 35 percent in his last eight games. Guard Jarrett Jack is hitting only 30.2 percent in his last eight games. And even Kyrie Irving has slipped to 37.2 percent shooting in four games since the All-Star break.

Trying to explain his struggles of late – which included a 4-for-13 performance against Washington – Deng tried to crack a joke.

"I'm just a terrible player," he deadpanned.

He did admit that he has been hampered by a sore Achilles, which has improved slightly since resting it during the All-Star break. Still, he's not back to being the player he wants to be.

"My whole game is playing without the ball," he said. "That's what I want to get back to. My game in the past is just running the whole game, just moving, not standing still. That's what I'm good at, and that's what I've got to get back to doing."

He vows to begin that now, which might or might not be too late for the Cavaliers to reach their goal.

"I'm not trying to be funny, but every game we lose it's slipping (away) a little more," Brown said. "Do I still think we have a chance? Yeah. But every time we lose, we're slipping a little more. Hopefully we can string some games together to keep fighting for that spot and keep trying to gain ground as opposed to going the other way."

Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

Time: 7 p.m. Sunday at The Q.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio/WTAM AM/1100.

Notable: Anderson Varejao (back), Dion Waiters (hyperextended left knee) and C.J. Miles (sprained left ankle) are all to be determined. ...The Raptors have won their last two games. ... Toronto leads the season series 1-0, topping Cleveland 98-91 last week.

Borland earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors

INDIANAPOLIS – Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland isn’t going to impress many NFL types with his measurables.

He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 245 pounds. There are coat racks with longer arms than the ones he uses to wrap up ball carriers.

None of Borland’s workouts Monday at the NFL Scouting Combine had media members racing to their Twitter accounts. But turn on the game films and watch the level of interest in the Kettering, Ohio native change.

“Every tape I put in I was, ‘wow,’’’ NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. “. . . If there are 10 players in the draft I love, he’s one of them.”

“If he’s two inches taller and is an inch longer in the arms we’re talking about him as a mid first rounder,” ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said. “He’s the best tackler in this class.”

Insider linebacker is a position of need for the Browns and if Borland is still available in the third round (the club has two picks) the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year might be an option. He is stout against the run – just ask Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde – and plays with great instincts that help compensate for his physical limitations.

Borland said Sunday he’s had informal talks with the Browns, who might consider upgrading from Craig Robertson after a difficult second season. The organization must also make a decision on 30-year-old defensive captain D’Qwell Jackson, who’s due a $4.1 million roster bonus in March and will carry a $9.43 million cap hit.

Alabama’s C.J. Mosely is considered the top prospect at inside linebacker, but Borland has plenty of backers. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer can’t believe a player of his caliber and character wasn’t recruited by the Buckeyes and other major programs.

Borland registered 16 tackles in OSU’s 31-24 win over the Badgers and none was more memorable than stuffing Hyde on a second-and-goal from the 1. The linebacker met the 5-foot-11, 230-pounder in the hole and drove him backward.

“He stood up Carlos Hyde two or three times in (that game) and nobody else did that,” McShay said.

Borland, who played multiple positions in college, has been likened to former Dolphins standout Zach Thomas and a sawed-off Luke Kuechly from the Carolina Panthers.

“Yeah, there's a lot of guys that have gotten it done at a high level being under six feet,” said Borland, who had 14 career forced fumbles and 50 tackles for loss. “. . . London Fletcher (is) a guy I watched. Zack Thomas, Chris Spielman is about six feet. A lot of guys have played very well at that size and they kind of paved the way for guys like me.

“Football's extremely important to me, it's my passion. I put everything into it, and I think that's more valuable than a half inch or an inch (of height).”

Borland is one of seven kids in his family. Two brothers are Army captains who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Growing up in suburban Dayton everything was a competition in Borland household including fighting for leftovers.

He didn’t start playing football until his freshman year in high school and has battled the stigma of being too small from the first time he buckled a chinstrap. Borland has endured multiple shoulder surgeries and his durability is a question mark.

He doesn’t possess great straight-line speed, running a 4.83 in the 40-yard dash Monday, and his short arms (29-1/4 inches) are a concern in pass coverage. 

But Borland puts more credence in video tape than measuring tape. His ability to read and anticipate plays often earns him a critical split second in pursuing a ball carrier or tight end. He’s a tackling technician similar to Spielman, who starred with the Buckeyes and Detroit Lions.

“I met him my freshman year at Wisconsin (and he’s) called a few of our games,” Borland said of the ESPN college analyst. “. . . I got a chance to talk to him a number of times. Just have so much respect for him, even growing up obviously in Ohio you understand what kind of guy he is and how great a player he was.”

Borland probably is eager to get the combine and draft behind him. The linebacker is confident his play will answer any questions raised by his measurables.

“I don't know that there are a lot of players that are a better all around athlete,” Borland said. “I don't get maybe a lot of credit for that . . . As far as what it takes to play football, I've got all it requires.”

State and local officials visited 1,700 acres of corn and soybean fields farmed by Hall Growers Inc. here on Monday that is considered a pathway for Asian carp swimming from the Ohio River to Lake Erie.

LODI, Ohio – State and local officials visited 1,700 acres of corn and soybean fields farmed by Hall Growers Inc. here on Monday. The unique patch of farm fields, streams and dikes has been pinpointed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as one of four Ohio pathways for Asian carp to invade Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.

None of the pathways are a likely conduit for the invasive carp, but Director James Zehringer of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said his department is not taking any chances. Dewey Hall’s acreage is on the sub-continental divide, connecting the Ohio River to Lake Erie.

Its watershed drains both north and south. Heading south, its waters flow into Little Killbuck Creek and eventually to the Walhonding and Muskingum rivers and on to the Ohio River. The northerly flow heads to the Black River, a direct path to central Lake Erie.

“It is an unlikely pathway, but we’re taking all of them seriously,” said Zehringer. “Monitoring Asian carp is our main tool right now, including telemetry studies of Asian carp in the Ohio River.”

Asian carp continue to move up the Ohio River. They are now in the Greenup Pool in the Portsmouth, Ohio, area. The carp are also swimming up Ohio River tributaries, including the Little Miami River in the Cincinnati area.

Generally, the waters of the sub-continental divide don’t mix on Hall’s farm in southern Medina County. Many years ago, his family constructed a 5- to 6-foot dike to prevent it.

“It’s worked,” said Hall. “At least since the dike broke in 1969.”

Whether a larger or more permanent dike is needed was a reason Zehringer and other state officials toured his farm, examining irrigation ditches and the long dirt dikes covered with vegetation.

“A new barrier might be needed,” said Zehringer. “If so, we’ll work with Dewey Hall to build it.”

The other pathways, and just as unlikely, are Grand Lake St. Marys in western Ohio; the Ohio-Erie Canal at Long Lake in the Akron area; and Mosquito Creek Reservoir in the northeast corner of the state.

The most likely way Asian carp will invade the Great Lakes is through the Chicago Waterway System. USACE recently released eight plans to prevent it. The most preferred way voiced at public hearings in Cleveland and other Great Lakes cities, was to permanently shut down the connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River in the Chicago area. Those plans will cost $15 to $16 billion, according to a USACE report.

High on the list pathways that also has an Ohio connection is Eagle Marsh in Indiana. In flood stage, Eagle Marsh allows the waters of St. Marys River in Indiana to mix with the upper Maumee River. Its headwaters in Indiana, the Maumee River flows into Ohio and on to Lake Erie at Toledo. Indiana constructed a 1,400-foot chain link fence in 2010 to prevent adult Asian carp from entering the Maumee River.

Corey Kluber's 2013 was a remarkable turnaround for a once struggling pitcher -- and few people noticed.

GOODYEAR, Arizona -- You're Corey Kluber and Tribe fans don't talk about you that much.

Nor does the media, which is in spring training looking for stories.

You are the quiet man behind the beard.

On the mound, you don't smile. You don't scowl.

You stare. You stare real hard.

And you tell yourself not to listen to that whisper, the one that has been the voice of doubt for years.

It's the one that tells you that your fastball averages close to 94 mph. You have lit up the radar gun at 97 mph.

But that voice tells you, "That's not good enough."

Now, you call that voice a liar.

Instead, you listen to what Mickey Callaway told you about your fastball, about the magic of a first-pitch strike.

"You don't have to be perfect," Callaway told you -- over and over.

Don't worry about painting the corners, aim for the middle of the plate, keep the ball low and "trust your stuff."

That's what happened last season, when you were 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA.

The diaper

Last spring, you didn't talk about it much.

The knee. It wasn't right.

You had surgery on November 3, 2012, to repair a torn meniscus.

How did you hurt it?

Bending over to change your eight-month old daughter's diaper. She was on the floor. You reached down, and something happened to your knee.

Big trouble.

At this time a year ago, you were in camp saying everything was OK.

"But it wasn't," said Manager Terry Francona, adding that you never said a word about it.

Later, Francona asked you why you kept silent? You could have opened the season on the Major League disabled list, instead of at Class AAA Columbus.

"I just couldn't do that," said Kluber.

You are a no-excuse, fight-your-way-through-it guy. Francona loves that about you.

The discovery

When you came up to the Tribe on April 17, you were in the bullpen. Brett Myers was in the rotation.

It turned out that Myers' elbow was like a chewed sausage. You were given a shot to start. You had two decent outings, and then were drilled for eight runs by Detroit.

At this point, you were 27. You had a 44-50 record with a 4.42 ERA in the minors. You had been up and down -- mostly down -- between Class AAA and the Tribe for three years.

Francona told you that you must use your fastball inside -- yes, even to Miguel Cabrera.

Callaway was preaching the gospel of "use your fastball, throw strikes."

In the words the of the pitching coach, he was trying to "drill that into you."

But you had to ignore that whisper that insisted when you needed a big strike, throw a breaking ball.

Callaway and minor league pitching coach Ruben Niebla had convinced you to switch from throwing a four-seam fastball to throwing it with two seams, creating a pitch still in the middle 90s, only it sunk a bit and slid away from right-handed batters.

And suddenly by doing that, you not only began to win -- you threw strike after strike after strike.

By the end of the season, you were walking only 2.0 batters per nine innings -- and striking out 83.

About 77 percent of your pitches were fastballs or "cutters," that two-seamer that sliced across home plate.

And yes, you were "busting hitters inside," breaking some bats, taking command of the plate.

"You have to get that pitch in there (inside) or they'll hit it 500 feet," said Francona. "But when you do, it opens up so much."

You became the Tribe's stopper. When you took the mound after a Tribe loss, you were 5-1 with a 2.59 ERA.

Figuring it out

Last season, you threw only one wild pitch. You walked two for every nine innings.

But in 2011, you were 7-11 with a 5.56 ERA at Columbus. You heaved 12 wild pitches. You were walking nearly five batters every nine innings.

You were 25 and going nowhere.

Even last spring, no one was writing you into the rotation. Late in 2012, you pitched in 12 games for the Tribe -- and had a 5.14 ERA.

"That's why I take nothing for granted," you say. "I know it's harder to stay up here (the Majors) than just get here."

But you also know something else.

"Hitting is hard," you say. "Some hitters make it look easy, but it's hard to get hits."

That realization gave you the confidence to throw strikes, to use that fastball and cutter.

"We got Corey up to 60 percent on first-pitch strikes," Callaway said. "That's our target. He was at 66 percent on 1-and-1 (counts) being strikes. That's another of our targets. Now, he's out there with poise. He's calm. He knows how he wants to pitch. He knows he can be a guy who can throw a lot of innings and win 15 games."

You are glad to hear that, but you don't want to spend too much time thinking about it. Last season, you overcame the off-season knee injury -- and then came back after missing a month with a finger problem to win your final four starts.

That's why on the mound, you don't smile much. And don't say much.

You stare. You think. And you pitch.

And you do it like man who has matured as a pitcher -- one who might be even better this season than a year ago.

New rule will still allow for contact between catchers and baserunners at the plate, but baserunners can't intentionally target catchers and catchers can't block the plate without the ball. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – The home plate collision is not a thing of the past, like scheduled doubleheaders on Sunday or players leaving their gloves on the field between innings.

It’s just been civilized under MLB’s one-year experimental Rule 7.13 that was announced Monday.

Catchers haven’t been put on the endangered species list like NFL quarterbacks. But the powers that be are trying to make things safer for the men behind the plate and the runners who seek them out in an attempt to score a run.

“You weren’t supposed to block the plate before (this rule),” said Indians manager Terry Francona, who has been against the new rule since its proposal. “Now they’ll enforce it and when the catcher does have the ball, you have to slide. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.”

Well, that’s the big picture view. It is a little more complicated than that.

Here are the two main points of the new rule:

-A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out even if the player covering home plate drops the ball.

The ball will be declared dead and all other baserunners must return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.

 -Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the catcher, without possession of the ball, blocks the pathway of the runner, the umpire shall call or signal the runner safe.

Here are some other elements of the rule:

-To determine whether a runner intentionally changed course to take out a catcher, an umpire will have to consider if the runner made an effort to touch the plate, and whether he lowered his shoulder or pushed through with his hands, elbows or arms while veering toward the catcher.

If a runner fails to make an effort to touch the plate, while lowering his shoulder or tries to push through the catcher with his hands, elbows or arms, he will be called out.

Umpires will consider appropriate slides, legs or head first, this way: A player who slides feet first must hit the ground with his rear end and legs first before coming into contact with the catcher. On a head first slide, a runner’s body must hit the ground first before coming into contact with the catcher.

-It’s not mandatory for a runner to slide into home plate or a catcher never to block the plate. However, runners who slide, and catchers who provide a runner with a lane to the plate, will never be found in violation of the rule.

-The crew chief can use instant replay in order to make the correct call.

-Under the new rule, the only time a catcher without possession of the ball will be allowed to block the runner’s path to the plate will be if he’s trying to field a throw and the umpire determines that the catcher had no other way to field the ball and that contact with the runners was unavoidable.

“To me, it’s kind of the same way I’ve been as a catcher,” said Yan Gomes, Indians starrting catcher. “I haven’t been a guy who blocks the plate. I don’t think it’s going to change much on how we’re supposed to make a play at home plate.

“It’s pretty much the way it was in college. If a play took us somewhere and there was contact, it happened.”

Gomes attended the University of Tennessee before transferring to Barry University in Miami. 

"I'm just glad guys can't go out of their way to hit us," said Gomes "We're at a standstill position. No matter how big or small anybody is, the guy that's coming is going to win the battle."

In 2010, Carlos Santana suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee in a violent home plate collision with Boston’s Ryan Kalish. Santana hung onto the ball in the collision, and Kalish was called out. Under the new rule, Kalish would have been called safe because Santana was clearly block plate without the ball.

“I’m happy about this decision,” said Santana, trying to make the Indians as a third baseman. “When I fight to block the plate now, I make sure I have the ball. In my accident, I was trying to block the plate without the ball.”

Francona doesn’t think catchers will be affected much by the new rule.

“I think the adjustment will come on the baserunners’ part,” he said.

Said center fielder Michael Bourn, “I think it will work good for player’s safety both ways . . .Hopefully it won’t stop any runner’s aggression or anything like that.”

MLB said all teams will be required to retrain their baserunners on the correct sliding techniques, while instructing their catchers to provide a lane to the plate for baserunners.

The new rule will be discussed in meetings for managers before the end of spring training. Training materials will also be distributed by MLB.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio — Missing its top scorer in Zavier Powers, Lake Catholic's boys basketball team got a big 29-point night from junior Justin Robinson as it beat Beachwood, 63-58, in overtime on Monday. Kareem Haddix added 19 points, 10 of which came in overtime, to help the Cougars, ranked No. 17 in the cleveland.com Top 25 poll, overcome the...

BEACHWOOD, Ohio — Missing its top scorer in Zavier Powers, Lake Catholic's boys basketball team got a big 29-point night from junior Justin Robinson as it beat Beachwood, 63-58, in overtime on Monday.

Kareem Haddix added 19 points, 10 of which came in overtime, to help the Cougars, ranked No. 17 in the cleveland.com Top 25 poll, overcome the absence of its top scorer to get the road win.

John Davis led Beachwood with 28 points, but did not come up with enough clutch baskets down the stretch.

The Bison led, 50-47, with less than a minute to go before Robinson hit a deep three with 20.8 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Haddix sealed the win with two free throws with 3.1 seconds left in overtime.

This story will be updated later with further detail and reaction.

KENT, Ohio -- The University School hockey team earned a trip to the Kent District Final with a 4-1 win against Gilmour on Monday at the Kent State Univeristy Ice Arena.  The Preppers will face the winner of Tuesday's semifinal matchup between No. 2-seed Walsh Jesuit and No. 3 Lake Catholic. 

KENT, Ohio -- The University School hockey team earned a trip to the Kent District Final with a 4-1 win against Gilmour on Monday at the Kent State Univeristy Ice Arena. 

The Preppers will face the winner of Tuesday's semifinal matchup between No. 2-seed Walsh Jesuit and No. 3 Lake Catholic. 

University School is the No. 1 seed in the Kent District and Gilmour is No. 4. 

Ryan Gorbett stripped the puck away from Gilmour and found Evan Krueger who scored about five minutes into the first period. 

Clarke Jones scored the Preppers' second goal, unassisted, with only about a minute to play in the opening frame. 

Both teams showed a lot of energy and awareness on defense early on, which continued well into the second period. 

US kept the pressure on Gilmour's defense taking 20 shots on goal compared to nine by the Lancers, according to scoring officials. 

Only 17 seconds into the third period, Kyle Keane netted one from in close to give the Preppers a three-goal advantage. Krueger provided the assist. 

Jones scored during a 4-on-4 to extend the lead to 4-0 for US off of assists by Keane and Krueger. 

The Lancers' offense continued to struggle to find an answer for the Preppers in the third. 

With less than eight minutes left in regulation, the Preppers racked up a couple of penalties to go shorthanded. Gilmour was unable to capitalize, however. 

Alex Wakefield broke up the shutout with only 20 seconds left in the game, scoring with the help of assists by Brendan Coyne and Michael Mallak. The Lancers were a man down at the time due to a penalty. 

This post will be updated with quotes and a video. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Listed below is all of the high school sports coverage that will be posted on cleveland.com throughout the day.  Look for these Morning Announcement posts Monday-Saturday. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Listed below is all of the high school sports coverage that will be posted on cleveland.com throughout the day. 

Look for these Morning Announcement posts Monday-Saturday. 

Boys basketball

Tune in for The Fastbreak boys basketball game of the week live audio webcast, hosted by reporters Dan Labbe and Chris Fedor. 

Readers will have the opportunity to take part in a live video chat tonight at 7 p.m. about the final clevelend.com boys basketball poll and the playoffs with reporters David Cassilo and Tim Bielik. 

Be sure to leave questions in the comments section for the weekly boys basketball Full Court Press Podcast, hosted by reporter Bill Landis. 

There will also be posts previewing the upcoming Division I and II sectional matchups. 

Girls basketball

Leave your questions in the comments for the weekly girls basketball Pick-and-Roll podcast, hosted by reporters Mark Kern and Stephanie Kuzydym.

Wrestling

Reporter Nate Cline will host the weekly wrestling spotlight video. This week's guest is Austin Assad of Brecksville-Broadview Heights. 

Hockey

Walsh Jesuit, the No. 2-seed in the Kent District will take on No. 3 Lake Catholic at 7:30 p.m. to decide which team will face No. 1 University School in the district final. Reporter Robert Rozboril will provide live coverage. 

Reporter Bill Landis will cover the Brooklyn district semifinal between No. 1 St. Ignatius and No. 4 Rocky River at 7 p.m. 

General

Look for the High School Sports Question of the Day, posted by reporter Nubyjas Wilborn, and leave your answer in the comments. 

Look for box scores and highlights from local teams in several sports as well as boys and girls basketball scores from all around the state. 

Monday's coverage:

Scouting all area Division III boys basketball sectional/district tournaments 2014 (video, polls)

Scouting all area Division IV boys basketball sectional/district

OHSAA wrestling state pairings, schedule for 2014

Final top high school swimming times for boys and girls for the 2013-14 season

University School hockey defeats Gilmour to advance to Kent District final (video)

No. 17 Lake Catholic boys basketball holds off No. 9 Beachwood in overtime, 63-58

No.11 Stow-Munroe Falls girls basketball defeats Uniontown Lake in district semifinal

No. 4 St. Vincent-St. Mary girls basketball beats Beaumont in district semifinal

A Half-Century of Heartbreak, Day 2: For members of that '64 Browns team, recollections of the 27-0 title-game trouncing of the Baltimore Colts remain intact, but memories of the celebration and aftermath of Cleveland's most recent championship have faded.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bob Gain can't get around like he used to. He doesn't head down to First Energy Stadium as often anymore.

Gain uses a walker, an aide with which he doesn't want to combat crowds. Sometimes, he said, when people are on the phone and aren't paying attention to where they are walking, he'll bump into them "just for the hell of it."

"They'd bounce off of me," Gain said, "and I'd say, 'Why don't you watch where you're walking?' "

Fifty years ago, Gain also had trouble moving around. At that time, though, he had a broken leg, suffered early in the 1964 season. However, as a defensive lineman for the NFL Championship-winning Cleveland Browns, he couldn't nudge a random fan without being recognized and saluted.

For members of that '64 Browns team, recollections of the 27-0 title-game trouncing of the Baltimore Colts remain intact, but memories of the celebration and aftermath of Cleveland's most recent championship have faded. Yet, because of a drought entering its 50th year, those hazy flashbacks remain the only way for the city to clutch onto a time when one of its teams stood above the rest.

"I'm not sure you ever come off of cloud nine," said guard John Wooten. "It just resonates inside of you. When you are a champion of a whole league, when you realize that day you are the best -- simply the best -- it's something that stays inside of you."

The team held a celebratory banquet in the ballroom at the Hotel Sheraton Cleveland on the corner of Public Square hours after the victory. Bands tooted their horns and players signed autographs and were introduced on a stage with their families.

"Everybody there was hooting and hollering and having a good time," Wooten said. "The city just went crazy."

"It was quite an affair," Gain said. "It was a hell of a feeling to win the championship."

Upon the final whistle, fans and media swarmed the players on the field and created a buzz about the city. That whir followed the team into the locker room and down the street to the hotel party.

Jim Brown and Frank Ryan embrace after the 1964 NFL Championship Game.Plain Dealer file photo

"The aura of happiness was constant in the clubhouse after the game when we were changing clothes and whatnot," said quarterback Frank Ryan, who threw three touchdown passes. "Everybody was very happy, very pleased. There was a lot of fun and joking. I think people realized this was a great success and they reveled in it."

Ryan said he still receives a few fan mails each week that reference the '64 title game. The recognition and association have declined over time, but Gain can recall an era during which he could sit down at a bar and the owner would buy him a drink.

"It was a nice feeling," Gain said. "The whole city was happy. We did it. We won it. It's amazing the trend that sports put on the fans in Cleveland."

Two years after the '64 championship, the merger agreement between the NFL and AFL spawned the creation of the Super Bowl. The Browns are one of four NFL franchises never to have played in the game.

"Going back to 1964, those guys are still held in great esteem," said former Cavs forward Campy Russell. "If that ever happens here, it's going to cement that team, those individual players deeply into the fabric of this community."

Reggie Rucker played for the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V, a contest clinched by the Colts with a field goal in the waning seconds. Rucker never made it back to the grandest stage. He and the Browns reached the playoffs in 1980 as the "Kardiac Kids," but exited in the divisional round.

The Cowboys held a parade through downtown Dallas after the Super Bowl V defeat. To learn about the dynamics of a victory celebration, Rucker said he frequently picks the brain of running back Jim Brown, who rushed for 114 yards in Cleveland's 1964 conquest.

"The thing he talks about most is how the Cleveland community reacted to the championship," Rucker said.

Gain is reminded of the Browns' triumph each time he looks at his wife, Kitty, and the medallion hanging from her neck. On the back, the diamond-encrusted necklace displays the 27-0 final score.

It's not as though the members of that team pop champagne each year when the Browns are eliminated from championship contention. Linebacker Vince Costello appreciates his part in history, but he lives in Kansas City now, five decades and one time zone removed from the greatest exultation of his career.

"I hope somebody else wins in Cleveland," Costello said. "I can't say that I want to keep mine and not have them win it. I'm not happy about them not winning. I'd like it for them to have something. I know the players would enjoy it, and Cleveland would enjoy it and I would enjoy it."