Are you going to bail on Browns season tickets? Take our poll.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are raising season-ticket prices for the first time in seven years, and the response from fans has not been positive. Cleveland.com's Tom Reed reported on the change yesterday:

"Season-ticket memberships for non-club level plans range from $25-$110 per home games. A year ago, the same packages went for $19-$85 when the Browns had the NFL's lowest average ticket price in that category, according to the team. They also ranked 31st out of 32 teams for average ticket price last year, according to Team Marketing Report."

Are you one of the season-ticket holders affected by the price increase? Will you keep your tickets? Were you thinking of buying season tickets and now won't because of the higher cost? Or are you going to take advantage of angry season-ticket holders bailing?

Take our poll and sound off in the comments.

Kevin Love found the Timberwolves video to be comical and looks forward to returning to Minnesota.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - Kevin Love saw the Minnesota Timberwolves' promotional video touting Saturday's game against the Cavaliers that featured the return of Mike Miller, not their former face of the organization in Love.

He took it with great humor.

"That's hilarious," Love said. "I thought it was really funny...For them to do that, it was pretty good. The T-Wolves P.R. has always been very funny unlike ours here now. I thought they did a very good job."

Love, who spent six seasons with the organization, will be returning to Minnesota for the first time since being dealt in the offseason for a package that included rookie Andrew Wiggins. The Timberwolves used that opportunity to produce a video titled "The Return" to showcase the talent Cleveland was bringing to town.

It showed LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, Shawn Marion, Timofey Mozgov, Matthew Dellavedova and then it transitioned to "And the return of Mike Miller," who only played a single season for the Timberwolves during the 2008-09 season.

That's how it ended, with a few highlights of Miller. They comically omitted Love from the video. Love was on the edge of his seat as he watched it.

"I was waiting for it, waiting for it and it turned to Mike Miller," he said followed with a laugh. "That was pretty good."

When he takes the court at Target Center, he has a pretty good idea of how he'll be received.

"Truthfully? Boo," he said. "It's probably more of that than a mix of cheers."

He later said, "I'm sure once I get there it will be a little different feeling for me. Obviously playing on the visitor's side, going in the visitor's locker room. Going to the different bench, but I haven't really given it too much thought."

Love also spoke about being left off the Eastern Conference All-Star roster. He didn't receive enough coaching votes to get in as a reserve. He knew his chances were slim being that the Cavs had a 24-20 record at the time votes were submitted, and justifying three Cavaliers making the squad would be a hard sell.

Similar to how he handled the Timberwolves' promo video, he took the snub like a professional as well. He said he would rather be in New York, but believes the rest will do his body some good.

He's battling some aches and pains and most recently, he took a knee to the thigh from Portland Trail Blazers center Chris Kaman on Wednesday.

"Yeah, he's a hack," Love said facetiously. "He's thrown in there at this point in his career to draw fouls and hit people. He just got me kneed right in the thigh and it didn't feel too great."

Overall, Love said he's fine. There still remains an outside shot he could make it to The Big Apple.

Miami's Dwyane Wade is out indefinitely with a hamstring strain and he was voted in to be a reserve. Instead of vouching for himself, Love endorsed the Atlanta Hawks getting four players into the game.

"I'll tell you what, Kyle Korver is playing exceptional right now," he said. "He's doing something that's unprecedented. He's 50-50-90 (50 percent or over from the field, 3-pointers and free throws) so I think the Hawks are an unbelievable team. I think that Kyle is one of those guys they will probably look at and say he's having a All-Star-type year."

The Cavaliers host the Sacramento Kings tonight, but Saturday's game is the much-anticipated contest the masses are looking forward to. It's about the return of Love, not Miller.

"Tomorrow will be one of those times where they'll have a chance to tell me how they really feel," Love said of the fans.

Schmidt is the first player from South Dakota to earn a football scholarship to Ohio State and he fits the body type that the Buckeyes looks for at tackle. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State football program has landed South Dakota offensive lineman Grant Schmidt, who already enrolled and will be part of its class for National Signing Day 2015 on Wednesday. Here is an in-depth look at this member of the Buckeyes' recruiting class.

Grant Schmidt

School: Roosevelt, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Position: Offensive tackle 

Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 275 pounds

247Sports rating: A three-star prospect, Schmidt is rated the No. 62 offensive tackle and the No. 2 player from South Dakota in the 2015 recruiting class. 

Other schools: Minnesota, Iowa State, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Utah, North Carolina, Washington State.

What's up? Schmidt is the first player from South Dakota to attend Ohio State on a football scholarship. He is one of four recruits already enrolled at Ohio State for this semester, and he will be part of spring football.

Schmidt camped with the Buckeyes in June, picked up his offer and committed the next day, becoming the fifth member of the Buckeyes class and first of what would become five offensive linemen in the Class of 2015. At 275 pounds, Schmidt has good quickness but needs to add some size. He projects as the typical long lean body type that the Buckeyes want at tackle.

How he fits into Ohio State's plans: Ohio State is young on the line, with five linemen in last year's class and five in this year's class. Consider the battle to be on. Two, and maybe three, seniors will start in 2015 with Taylor Decker and Jacoby Boren and then Chase Farris in the right tackle fight.

Schmidt should be a leading contender to take over for Decker at a tackle spot in 2016 if he progresses as expected.

Projections for 2015: The Buckeyes are going to need some young players to fill in the two-deep. If Ohio State stays healthy on the line, like this year, the Buckeyes can redshirt a lot of the first-year linemen, but if Schmidt hits the weight room and gets to around 300 pounds, he could also win a backup job and get on the field in his first year.

What we've written about Schmidt:

* Schmidt joins Ohio State's class

* Schmidt says Ohio State has always been a dream school

What others have written about Schmidt:

* Argus Leader: Ohio State took Schmidt recruitment to another level

Highlights:

A mountain bike with extra-wide wheels, the "fat" bike I rented recently allowed me to do something I usually can't do this time of year: ride the Towpath. While others hiked or skied, I pedaled along like it was still the middle of summer. Watch video

PENINSULA, Ohio - Nothing kills a cyclist's buzz more quickly than snow. When the white stuff flies, and ice forms, it's generally time to head indoors.

No longer. All snow means now is that it's time to change equipment. From here on out, when I want to ride trails in winter, I'll just hop on a "fat" bike.

A mountain bike with extra-wide wheels, the "fat" bike I rented recently from Century Cycles in Peninsula ($15 an hour, centurycycles.com) allowed me to do something I usually can't do this time of year: ride the Towpath. While others hiked or skied the snow-covered trail, I pedaled along like it was still the middle of summer.

Well, almost. Even on a "fat" bike, riding on snow wasn't exactly easy. That's what made it such fantastic exercise. Where, in summer, I'm accustomed to logging 40 miles without a thought, the other day, I was fully spent after 10.

What's more, those miles took twice as long as usual. For the most part, I pedaled as hard as I could, and still I often felt like I was barely moving.

Not that I was in a hurry, of course. It was cold, to be sure, in the vicinity of 20 degrees, but between the sun and my hot-burning engine, I was plenty warm.

The scenery, too, was beautiful. Alone on the path in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I spied whole flocks of winter birds and admired fields hidden from view the rest of the year by leafy trees.

But the thing I really couldn't get over was what I was doing: riding over unevenly packed snow and through fresh powder several inches deep like they were nothing. Not once did I slip or even have the fear of sliding. On a mountain bike, I'm a nervous Nellie, but on a "fat" machine, I was Mr. Confident. It was exhilarating.

For that, I have only the bike itself to thank. Sporting knobby wheels 4 inches wide, a heavy frame, and tires inflated to super-low pressures, I might as well have been pedaling a motorcycle. My Salsa-brand "Mukluk" plowed through winter's worst as securely as the Hummer I hired last summer in Utah rode up and down steep, slippery rock.

Getting and keeping such a tank in motion took serious effort. On no other form of wheeled transportation can I recall ever pausing so many times to catch my breath or relieve exhaustion in my legs. Truly, those 10 miles on my "fat" bike offered a workout comparable to a high-intensity interval session.

Then again, it was only so difficult because I insisted on making it so. Had I more time at my disposal, I could have slowed my pace and enjoyed a much longer ride with less effort. Oh, well. Next time.

That, I suppose, is the point: There will be a next time. So much fun did I have, I may even ride again this winter. I'm also tempted to put those big, fat wheels to the test in summer, on rocky, crumbly or muddy surfaces. I can only imagine they will pass with flying, splattering colors.

Meet Shaw senior basketball player Fredniqua Walker, a contender to win the cleveland.com girls basketball Player of the Year award.

Meet Shaw senior basketball player Fredniqua Walker, a contender to win the cleveland.com girls basketball Player of the Year award.

Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott is the early favorite to win the Heisman Trophy based on odds released by Bovada.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Vegas is apparently hopping on the Ezekiel Elliott train.

The Ohio State running back was listed as the 6-to-1 favorite to win the 2015 Heisman Trophy by Bovada on Friday. Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott and LSU running back Leonard Fournette are both tied for second at 7-to-1.

* A '15 Heisman candidate? RB Ezekiel Elliott carried Ohio State to a national championship

And to make matters surrounding the Ohio State quarterback situation more confusing: Cardale Jones, who led Ohio State to its National Championship win, was given 14-to-1 odds. J.T. Barrett, who finished fifth in the 2014 Heisman voting, was given 16-to-1 odds. Braxton Miller, who was ninth in the 2013 voting, is listed as 18-to-1.

The Buckeyes have four of the top 12 players listed by Bovada. Think about that for a minute.

Now back to Elliott, who became a household name with his play in Ohio State's wins in the Big Ten Championship, Sugar Bowl and National Championship. Over that three-game stretch, Elliott ran for 696 yards and four touchdowns, earning offensive MVP honors in both the Sugar Bowl and the national title game.

In the process, Elliott outshined the three 2014 Heisman finalists: Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper and the winner, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Elliot finished the season with 273 carries for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns, good for third in the nation in rushing behind Gordon and Indiana's Tevin Coleman. His 6.8 yards per carry were 25th in the nation according to cfbstats.com.

In the title game win over Oregon, Elliott passed both Keith Byars and and Archie Griffin on Ohio State's single-season rushing list. His 2014 campaign is second all-time on the list, 49 yards short of Eddie George's record.

After the national championship, Elliott was asked about putting himself in contention for the 2015 Heisman.

"That's something you dream about as a kid when you're playing NCAA football and you create your own little player, and he wins the Heisman," Elliott said.

It's early, but that dream could become a reality if Elliott can mimic that success next year. He might also have some competition from a teammate.

Super Bowl Media Day has grown in size and reputation as one of the craziest days on the sports calendar. Tuesday's scene featuring the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks was no different. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - I'm no Hollywood producer, but my "Dumb and Dumber" sequel would feature a scene where Lloyd and Harry somehow gain entry to Super Bowl Media Day and start interviewing players and coaches.

Hilarity would ensue, though it would be difficult to tell fact from fiction.

Where else except Super Bowl Media Day could you find out that the last three movies Bill Belichick has seen were "Unbroken," "American Sniper" and "Home Alone"?

I know. You were thinking "Son of Flubber."

(Spoiler alert: Belichick wore a hoodie Tuesday.)

From a pure casting standpoint, if I could put Belichick in any movie it would be "Gran Torino." He could out-growl Clint Eastwood's Walt Kowalski just by clearing his throat to say "Hello" in the morning.

Where else could you find Rob Gronkowski reading from "A Gronking to Remember," an erotic e-book published by a fan.

Where else could you find Katy Perry hitting on a sportswriter.

(OK, that never happened. Totally made that up,)

Super Bowl Media Day is so out of control that it's pretty much impossible to criticize a guy like Marshawn Lynch for not wanting to subject himself to the circus on behalf of a league he believes has wrongly removed thousands and thousands of dollars from his wallet over the years.

We use Lynch's Super Bowl Media Day as the jumping off point to take a look back at memorable moments over the years; And, yes, I know I mispronounced Mark Mangino's name in this video but it's because I had Eric Mangini on my mind.

Previously, Smith earned an extra week's pay, around $18,000, for NCAA titles by athletes. He still gets bonuses for titles by the football team and basketball team.

COLUMBUS -- No more money for fencing championships.

Ohio State's board of trustees on Friday approved an adjustment to the contract of Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith that eliminates bonuses for individual championships won by Ohio State athletes.

Previously, Smith earned an extra week of pay, about $18,000, every time an Ohio State athlete won an NCAA title. So when wrestler Logan Stieber won an NCAA wrestling title last March, that bonus kicked in.

And it didn't go over very well. In a world where the discussion over paying athletes has intensified, an administrator earning money for a title won by an athlete who earned nothing was a flash point.

The bonus structure certainly wasn't unheard of. It had been in Smith's contract for year. But now it has been changed.

Smith no longer has bonuses tied to individual titles. But he still will receive a bonus for conference or NCAA titles won by the football team or men's basketball team, or a top 10 ranking by the baseball team.

Smith's bonus structure was capped before anyway. It did max out at $120,000 per year, and now will max out at $130,000.

* Football title worth nearly $2 million in bonuses for OSU staff

His bonus for the Buckeyes national championship in football was six weeks of base pay, or more than $108,000. So he's close to his maximum just off that.

Smith will continue to get bonuses for academic thresholds reached by athletes. And starting in the spring of 2016, he'll have bonuses tied to how many former athletes are employed in jobs requiring a degree, are in the military or are in post-graduate education after their Ohio State careers.

The other compensation and length of Smith's contract did not change. He received an extension through 2020 a year ago and still is guaranteed $1.14 million per year, with the chance to make nearly $1.5 million per year if he hits all his bonuses.

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talks with Dan Labbe about Josh Gordon's letter, Kyrie Irving's 55-point game against Portland and the Super Bowl.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Is Kyrie's 55-point outburst the next step in his maturation as a player? Does Josh Gordon's later change the perception of him?

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff tackled those questions and more in his weekly podcast on Friday.

Among the other topics discussed:

- How concerned should we be about Kevin Love?

- Did you buy Gordon's letter?

- Who will win the Super Bowl?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.

For this installment of the HS Roundtable, reporters Nate Cline and Tim Bielik share their thoughts on which local coach's locker room, in any sport, they would want to be in for a pregame speech.

For this installment of the HS Roundtable, reporters Nate Cline and Tim Bielik share their thoughts on which local coach's locker room, in any sport, they would want to be in for a pregame speech.

Chances are that LeBron James won't play tonight against Sacramento, but he was "engaged" at shootaround today, so, who knows?

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James remains doubtful for tonight's home game against the Sacramento Kings because of a sprained right wrist, a Cavaliers spokesman said.

If James does not play tonight, it will be his career-high 11th game missed due to injury this season.

James was a spectator Wednesday night for Cleveland's 99-94 win over Portland -- highlighted by Kyrie Irving's 55-point explosion -- after injuring his wrist in a fall late in the third quarter of Tuesday's win in Detroit.

James returned to the game against the Pistons and scored 10 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, but an MRI and X-ray prior to the Blazers game (after James complained of soreness) revealed a sprained right wrist.

A Cavs spokesman said James continues to receive treatment and was present for the team's shootaround this morning at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Actually, James was "engaged" during shootaround, team spokesman Tad Carper said.

It's not entirely clear what that means, but it sounds like James was on the floor at times, listening to and interacting with coach David Blatt, and probably at one point or another had a basketball in his hands.

Thus, a shred of possibility remains that James and his 26.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game suits up and plays tonight.

Carper said James' status for Saturday night's game in Minnesota is unknown. James didn't speak to reporters this morning.

Cleveland's next three games are against three of the worst teams in the NBA, a notion that could lend itself to allowing James plenty of time to heal.

But on Jan. 11, the Kings (now 16-28) beat the Cavs without James 103-84. And on Jan. 5, the Philadelphia 76ers (currently 9-37) defeated Cleveland 95-92.

The Cavs were without James and Irving that night and also traded Dion Waiters before the game.

After scoring three goals in the first period, the Lake Erie Monsters fall to Oklahoma City in overtime, 4-3.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma --The Lake Erie Monsters let a three-goal lead get away here Friday, falling to the Oklahoma City Barons, 4-3, in overtime at the Cox Convention Center.

The Barons tied the game in the final minute of regulation, then won it at 5:00 of the overtime on a goal by Jordan Oesterle.

The Monsters earn a point in the standings and are now 18-16-4-3. Oklahoma City is 29-10-2-3.

The Barons' Matthew Ford forced the overtime when he scored on Calvin Pickard with just 55 second remaining in regulation. Pickard, just back from an assignment with the Colorado Avalanche, stopped 29 of 33 shots.

The Monsters jumped ahead 3-0 in the first period as Joey Hishon, Paul Carey and Andrew Agozzino each scored his 11th goal of the season.

Hishon got it started at 7:15, scoring off assists by Tomas Vincour and Agozzino. Carey then scored at 11:44, assisted by Ben Street and Colin Smith. Agozzino scored on a power play at 18:57, with assists from Hishon and Vincour.

Agozzino has scored a goal in four straight games.

Greger Hanson got Oklahoma City on the board midway through the second period, then Brad Hunt made it 3-2 at 10:05 of the third period.

Richard Bachman finished with 25 saves for the Barons.

The Monsters and Barons play again Saturday at 7, then the Monsters finish the road swing Tuesday in Milwaukee.

Notes: The Monsters are 5-4 in games decided in overtime this season, and are 0-2-1-0 against the Barons on the campaign... The Monsters are 4-1-2-0 over their last seven games... The Monsters are 8-9-4-1 on the road this season... Agozzino's four-game goal scoring streak is the longest such streak for a Monster this season... Joey Hishon has six goals and 11 points over his last 10 games for the Monsters... The Monsters were 1-4 on the power play and 4-4 on the penalty kill.

Kent State's six-game winning streak crumbled on the road into a humbling loss to the Buffalo Bulls, who closed within a game of the first place Golden Flashes in the Mid-American Conference.

BUFFALO, New York -- Kent State found out what it was like to run into a home court  blitz as the Buffalo Bulls rolled to a huge halftime lead then coasted to an 80-55 victory late Friday night in Alumni Arena, which has often been a house of horrors for the Golden Flashes.

Many of KSU's past teams suffered double-digit Buffalo losses by margins of 25, 16, 15 and several by 11 points, and several of those setbacks were in Kent's MAC Championship seasons.

The Bulls (14-6, 5-3) entered the game two down to first-place KSU (15-6, 6-2), but undefeated on its home court and embraced by the computers that had UB as high as 47 in the daily RPI rankings.

The Bulls showed it was no fluke. They were led by forward Xavier Ford with 25 points, including three 3-pointers, and nine rebounds. Jimmy Hall was Kent's lone double-figure scorer with 16.

When the Bulls weren't flying to the hoop for dunks, the 3-pointers were falling like rain for a 45-25 halftime lead. Adding fuel to the fire, Kent turnovers led to 25 points in the game.

The 3-pointers were particularly telling. In six straight wins, four of them at home, Kent's defense had allowed no more than four treys in any contest.

The Bulls had five at the break, three shy of the eight allowed in KSU's last setback to open MAC play against Bowling Green. Prior to that, UB had made 0, 7, 4, and 2 behind the arc in their previous four games.

For Kent, this marked the first in a string of six on the road over the next eight games overall, and was not a good omen for the future.

A 6-0 run by Kent to start the game was answered by an 10-0 run from Buffalo, including a pair of 3-pointers. But the show was on the sidelines as much as on the court as UB head coach Bobby Hurley was working the officials hard, screaming, flailing his arms, and at the first media break in the face of the first striped shirt he could find.

As the game wore on he was playing to the crowd as much as the players,
It certainly ruled the Bulls, who used their hot shooting to extend their run to 17-2 before a Kris Brewer 3-pointer got KSU into double figures, trailing 17-11. But just after a backdoor layup for Kent closed the gap down to 19-15, a flurry of KSU turnovers led to easy Buffalo layups forcing Kent to call a timeout, now trailing 25-15.

Buffalo kept coming, going 20-5 to the end of the half aided by seven KSU turnovers and 3-of-8 from the line. The Buffalo 3-pointers continued to start the second half, ending with eight for the game, putting any hope Kent had at a comeback out the door.

Kent's defense, so strong at home, was MIA in Buffalo. Kent's defense had not allowed any MAC team more than 66 points this season. The Bulls were over that mark with eight minutes still to play.

The Cavaliers said LeBron James was a "game-time decision" Wednesday and "doubtful" on Friday. If James is telling the truth, neither was true.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - At 11:46 of the opening quarter last night, LeBron James stepped in front of a pass thrown by Sacramento's Jason Thompson.

James tipped it to himself, raced down the floor and dunked it with two hands - so as not to put any extra stress on his sprained right wrist.

There were some warts for James in the Cavaliers' 101-90 win over the Kings, on a night when he returned after missing a game because of that bad wrist.

But James' steal and dunk erased any doubt as to whether he was well enough to play, and he finished with 19 points and seven assists in 33 minutes of Cleveland's ninth-consecutive win.

Doubt. It's the root of "doubtful," which was the status the Cavaliers assigned to James for the Kings game all the way up until about 45 minutes before tip-off.

Whereas the game James actually missed, Wednesday night's win over Portland, the Cavs listed him as a "game-time decision," declining to announce he was out until the players had already hit the floor for warmups.

Doubtful. Game-time decision. To hear James tell it, the Cavs had it all mixed up.

Try to follow along below with the competing versions of what happened regarding James and his injury the past few days.

"No, uh, Wednesday, there's no way I could've played on Wednesday," James said, when asked if he felt he was a "game-time decision" to play or not against the Blazers.

"My wrist was too stiff, too tight, I couldn't get much weight on it," later clarifying that was how he felt when he awoke Wednesday.

And how about his status leading up to last night's win?

"When I got up to come to shootaround, I felt better and I said if I can do some things at shootaround and be able to take my pregame nap and wake up like I did, feeling like this morning, you know hopefully I could give it ago," he said.

Doubtful?

"I felt pretty good when I got up and when I came here and got some more treatment, and talking with the docs, they said it was my call, and obviously you guys know what my call is," he said.

For a brief recap, James injured his wrist when he fell late in the third quarter in Tuesday night's win in Detroit. He returned and scored 10 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter.

On Wednesday, about 105 minutes before the Portland game, Cavs coach David Blatt twice said there were no plans to rest James. A third time, when he was asked specifically about James' wrist, Blatt admitted it was sore and then disclosed James was a "game-time decision."

Following Cleveland's 99-94 win over the Blazers, on the night Kyrie Irving scored 55 points, Blatt explained the timing of James' announcement by saying the team waited on an MRI and X-ray taken in the afternoon that revealed the sprained wrist.

And yesterday, both at shootaround and then during Blatt's pregame news conference, the team held firm on James' status as "doubtful," instead of "questionable" or "probable" or even "game-time decision."

In fairness to them, both Blatt and a team spokesman did let on that James had done something in the form of basketball at shootaround and left open the possibility that "doubtful" could change.

James shot 7-of-16, but he missed jumper after jumper until a step-back shot and a three-pointer fell for him in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter. He also committed six turnovers and looked a little uncomfortable at times dribbling the ball, but contributed four steals and two blocks.

After all of that, Blatt was asked how much of James playing last night was due to the player deciding he wanted to play?

But the coach interrupted the question and said "you're always thinking that he's determining everything.

"He's the best player in the game, and when he's hurt we're going to talk to him about it and ask him how he's feeling and make a joint decision on what's the best thing to do with him is as we did today," Blatt said.

And then Blatt added: "We needed him tonight for that game."

It is true, the Kings walloped Cleveland 103-84 back on Jan. 11 when James didn't play. (For reference, that was the night Blatt objected to a reference to Kevin Love being a "max" player.)

It is also arguably true, as Blatt said, that James is "the best player in the world," and who wouldn't need a guy like him on the floor if he's available?

But over and over during this nine-game winning streak, including after the Portland win, Blatt has said his team is entirely different than the one that lost to Sacramento.

He said after the win Wednesday night that his new team - with Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert - is better because it had the chance to play together with James, so the players were prepared in case of emergency.

So why, then, was James not necessary to beat Portland, one of the NBA's best, but was "needed" against a 16-win Sacramento club?

"You know what our advantage against Portland was the other night? Was that they're such a good team and the guys were really, really fired up to play and knew that they had to really step up without LeBron playing," Blatt said. "That we would have to step a little bit outside of ourselves at this stage of the season to be able to beat Portland.

"Before the game (against Sacramento) I was a little bit worried about some ... just a little bit lack of sharpness."

It was a revealing statement, one that came dangerously close to declaring the Cavs play up or down to the level of their competition. That's bad.

Of course, Blatt is right in that the Cavs are a different team since making trades to add the three new players and getting James back healthy after his two-week break on Jan. 13.

They really don't play down to the level of their competition, either, winning games by an average of 12.6 points during this streak. They dominated Chicago, handled Utah and annihilated the Hornets, and were the better team all day last Sunday against Oklahoma City.

Cleveland has evolved under Blatt - with help from general manager David Griffin by shaking up the roster - but there remains at least one area where nothing has changed.

James and Blatt almost never agree on anything when they're asked the same questions separately. Winning speaks far louder than words, so now is not the time to accuse them of chemistry issues, but this week has offered another bizarre example of a failure for the two of them to tell the same, simple truth.

Consider their takes on the latest streak.

Blatt, asked about his team's nine consecutive wins against the Atlanta Hawks' current 18-game winning streak, said: "Right now (the Hawks) are the standard in the Eastern Conference, if not the entire NBA, but the day is long and we'll see what happens going forward."

And James?

"Streaks, they come and go," he said. "Obviously you want to play basketball throughout that whole time, but it's more about the process than anything."

One is ready to take down the standard bearer. The other is talking about the process.

It's about as different as "doubtful" and "game-time decision."

"If he works as hard as he can and really develops over the next three or four years, we'll see where the ceiling is," Ohio State WR coach Zach Smith said of Dixon. "You know the ceiling is up there, which is why we feel really good about having him." Watch video

COLUMBUS -- Projecting the Ohio State depth chart at wide receiver for the 2015 season.

* Returning starters: WR Michael Thomas (Jr.), H-Back Jalin Marshall.

* Departing starters: WR Evan Spencer, WR Devin Smith.

* Jobs up for grabs: Though it's clear that Thomas is going to be Ohio State's top returning receiver and Marshall will be an integral part of the offensive plan, the Buckeyes have a lot to replace between Spencer's versatility and Smith's unparalleled deep threat. Sophomore Johnnie Dixon is expected to step in this spring and become the next big thing in Ohio State's offense, but injuries to both of his knees is something he's still trying to overcome. 

* Other wide receivers in the mix: Dontre Wilson (Jr.), Corey Smith (Sr.), Noah Brown (So.), James Clark (So.), Parris Campbell (RFr.), Jeff Greene (Sr.), Terry McLaurin (RFr.). 

* Incoming freshmen: Four-star WR Alex Stump of St. Edward, WR/TE A.J. Alexander of Burke (Va.) Lake Braddock 

* Breakdown: Ohio State only has three proven playmakers at wide receiver and two of them are H-Backs. Thomas, Marshall and Wilson, however, can't get it done alone. There's a lot of opportunity for new production from the wide receiver spots in the vacated spots left by Smith and Spencer. 

Corey Smith could have the inside track for one of those spots as his role in the offense increased as the year went on because of his playmaking ability on special teams. Campbell turned heads as a scout team player and Brown's name got brought up as a potential solution when Wilson broke his ankle. 

The bottom line in Ohio State's wide receivers room early next season - a lot of talent, not a lot of experience. 

View full sizeOhio State's Johnnie Dixon running around on the first day of last year's spring practice drills. He was lost for his freshman season with injuries to both knees. Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

* Next man up: Johnnie Dixon

When Ohio State played Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal, the Crimson Tide had something the Buckeyes didn't - a complete receiver like Amari Cooper. 

You know, one that could as easily beat the Buckeyes over the top as he could take a screen 60 yards for a touchdown. 

Ohio State had very talented receivers last season, which was evident in its national title run, but who is the Buckeyes' Cooper? 

His name is Johnnie Dixon. 

"I think I could have that type of upside," Dixon told cleveland.com. "Anything's possible." 

A former four-star prospect from South Florida - just like Cooper - Dixon enrolled early last spring and was good enough to see the field early in his freshman year. But then he was lost for the season with arthritis in his right knee and tendonitis in the other. 

Ohio State's coaching staff opted to shut Dixon down and repair the problem, one he said he's been dealing with since his sophomore year of high school. 

"There were days I couldn't even run," Dixon said. "I'm really happy that we could take care of it now, and we're very hopeful about the future." 

Dixon's right knee is almost 100 percent and the left one is still coming along, but he expects to be full go by the time Ohio State begins spring practice at the end of March. And when that happens, the Buckeyes could immediately find their next big playmaker at wide receiver. 

Maybe the next Cooper?

"It's about where he develops," Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith told cleveland.com. "Coming out of high school they had very similar ability levels and skillsets.

"Amari has obviously done a great job and worked really hard to get where he is now, and if Johnnie puts in work like I would hope he does and we're going to demand, I would hope he would get to a level around that or near that." 

What's his ceiling?

"If he works as hard as he can and really develops over the next three or four years, we'll see where the ceiling is," Smith said. "You know the ceiling is up there, which is why we feel really good about having him." 

Ohio State 2015

* Projecting the depth chart

* Offensive line: Jamarco Jones

* Defensive tackle: Michael Hill

* Linebacker: Raekwon McMillan 

The Ohio State football program is expected to land Ohio defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton on Wednesday as part of its class for National Signing Day 2015. Here is an in-depth look at this member of the Buckeyes' recruiting class.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State football program is expected to land Ohio defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton on Wednesday as part of its class for National Signing Day 2015. Here is an in-depth look at this member of the Buckeyes' recruiting class.

DaVon Hamilton 

School: Pickerington (Ohio) Central 

Position: Defensive tackle 

Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 285 pounds

247Sports Rating: A three-star prospect rated as the No. 42 defensive tackle and the No. 30 player in Ohio in the 2015 recruiting class. 

Other schools: Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Ohio, Toledo 

What's the deal? Ohio State is still recruiting five-star defensive lineman Terry Beckner of East St. Louis, Ill., but it was late enough in the process for the Buckeyes to take the opportunity to fill a need on the defensive line. So it offered Hamilton, a Kentucky commit and Columbus-area prospect, and shortly after pledged to the Buckeyes. 

That Hamilton flipped wasn't that big of surprise. Sure, his home is located about 20 minutes from Ohio State's campus, but Hamilton was committed to three other programs during the process - Ohio, Pitt and Kentucky. Given National Signing Day was about a week away when he committed, it's safe to assume the Buckeyes will be his final landing spot. 

How he fits into Ohio State's plans: Ohio State had a deep pull of defensive linemen in the 2015 class, recruiting class which means the competition is going to be heavy. Hamilton's improvement during high school was illustrated in his progression of scholarship offers, but his lack of attention could be an indication that he's a raw prospect. 

Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson loves to rotate guys in, so depth is crucial at the position. Hamilton will provide that depth in practice immediately. 

Projections for 2015: Ohio State's defensive line is crowded and the Buckeyes have returning players on the interior line like Tommy Schutt who will help replace Michael Bennett. Hamilton is likely a redshirt. 

What we've written about Hamilton: 

* Ohio State flips three-star Pickerington DT DaVon Hamilton from Kentucky

Highlights: 

Other snapshots: 

* Torrance Gibson 

* Joey Burrow 

* Mike Weber 

* Justin Hilliard 

* Jerome Baker 

* Jashon Cornell 

* Robert Landers 

* Grant Schmidt

* Rashod Berry 

It's Nick Vannett's time to step in Jeff Heuerman, but can Marcus Baugh take over that No. 2 spot Ohio State next season. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Projecting the Ohio State depth chart at tight end for the 2015 season.

* Returning starters: Nick Vannett (Sr.).

* Departing starters: Jeff Heuerman.

* Jobs up for grabs: It isn't really up for grabs, because Nick Vannett was essentially 1A to Jeff Heuerman last season. In fact, Vannett finished with better numbers than Heuerman, who was hindered early by complications with his surgically repaired foot.

* Other tight ends in the mix: Sophomore Marcus Baugh.

* Incoming freshman: Four-star TE/WR A.J. Alexander.

* Breakdown: Can Marcus Baugh be the No. 2 option Ohio State needs at tight end? Are Baugh's previous transgressions that have led to multiple suspensions finally behind him? Those are the biggest questions surrounding the Buckeyes tight end position, because they know what they have in Vannett.

Ohio State didn't skip a beat with Vannett at tight end last year, and there's no reason to think he can't pick up where he left off. But if the Buckeyes want to roll two tight ends, which they did to great effect in 2014, Baugh will have to step up and fill that secondary role. If Baugh's hiccups continue, Ohio State could be in a tough position with only incoming freshman Alexander as another option.

View full sizeOhio State tight end Nick Vannett looks at the National Championship trophy after the Buckeyes 42-20 victory over Oregon.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

* Next man up: Nick Vannett

In a sense, Vannett was being groomed for this.

He was always going to play second fiddle to Heuerman from a leadership standpoint, even if the playing time was considerably equal. Heuerman earned that much in his four years at Ohio State.

"It's gonna be tough losing a guy like Jeff," Vannett told cleveland.com at media day for the College Football Playoff National Championship. "It's my job to step up. I'm gonna be the leader of the group. We have Marcus Baugh coming up and he's gonna do a good job. We just gotta keep the culture going. We have to keep things moving, we can't skip a beat, and it's gonna be my job to do that."

That's the hurdle for Vannett, as it is with most players taking on a new role for the Buckeyes in 2015. Can he fill that leadership void?

"He needs more," tight ends coach Tim Hinton told cleveland.com. "To be honest, it probably wasn't his time yet."

That shouldn't be too hard, because Vannett earned a voice in the locker room with his play in 2014. He expected to see the field more this past season, but early injury issues for Heuerman sped things up a bit for Vannett.

Vannett took the opportunity and ran with it.

He finished the season with 19 catches for 220 yards and five touchdowns, including two catches and a score in the Buckeyes' national championship win over Oregon. Vannett, who made some athletic catches and showed good hands in 2014, also had two touchdowns against Rutgers -- both, it turned out, at the expense of a tired Heuerman.

With all of the weapons Ohio State has returning on offense, and a treasure trove of quarterbacks at its disposal, Vannett should be able to mimic those numbers in 2015. Perhaps more vital for the Buckeyes is Vannett bringing along Baugh.

"He's probably the most athletic guy in our room," Vannett said. "He can really stretch the field, he's got a lot of speed. He's a great receiver, a great blocker as well. He's not as big and strong as me and Jeff are, but there's a lot of things he can do in the pass game that he can help us out with."

Having two tight ends was so vital for the Buckeyes last year that they'll need Baugh to get on the field and stay there.

Vannett at least ensures half of that tandem is set.

Ohio State 2015

* Projecting the depth chart

* Offensive line: Jamarco Jones

* Defensive tackle: Michael Hill

* Linebacker: Raekwon McMillan

* Receiver: Johnnie Dixon

Because the Browns know they won't have an elite quarterback in 2015, they are staying with their plan from 2014.

The Browns want to find another offensive lineman so they won't be in so much trouble as they were last season when Alex Mack was injured. Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In their postseason meetings, the Browns talked a lot about how they reached that 6-3 record. Then things fell apart and the team ended up 7-9 after a 20-10 defeat at Baltimore to conclude the season on a five-game losing streak.

As you read this, remember that I'm telling you how the Browns view things right now. This is not an opinion story, it's informational.

The Browns believe the following:

1. The offense was built on a rugged running game, solid quarterback play and receivers who caught the ball and ran the right patterns. It has to stay that way. They'd love to have an elite quarterback, but that doesn't seem possible. In the AFC North, with cold weather and physical teams, it makes sense for the Browns to keep the run first/defend well philosophy in place.

2. The defense started slowly and was improving. It began to force turnovers and was effective against the passing game. Run defense was a weakness all season.

3. The Browns opened the season with the plan of developing an offense built on the run and play-action passing. And they were going to rely on their defense to make big plays.

That basic plan remains in place. The Browns believe the defense can really improve because they will have Coach Mike Pettine's system in place for a second season. They also believe that defending the pass takes priority over stopping the run because most teams rely on the pass.

Here are some key defensive stats from last season:

1. They ranked No. 9 in points allowed -- 19.6. In 2013, it was 25.4, ranking 23rd.

2. The Browns ranked No. 5 in red zone defense. It was No. 30 in 2013.

3. The Browns ranked No. 12 in third down defense. It was 31st in 2013.

4. The Browns ranked No. 2 in interceptions. It was No. 20 in 2013.

5. The Browns ranked first in opposing passer percentage (.571). It was 16th in 2013.

6. They dropped to No. 27 in sacks after being No. 16 in 2013.

7. Rushing defense was a disaster, ranking dead last at No. 32. It was No. 18 in 2013.

8. But overall, the key stat was the Browns allowing nearly six fewer points than a year ago. They were at 19.6, and holding an opponent under 20 points should give a team a chance to win most games. Improving the defense in the red zone and on third downs were a big part of the cutting the point total.

The Browns know they have to address the run defense, and that starts with the defensive line. But overall, they believe they are building a defense that can compete in the AFC North.

The offense remains a problem. I was not able to get a sense of what they plan to do about the quarterback -- other than they have do something. Maybe they aren't clear themselves because the options are so limited. That's part of the reason they have re-opened communications with Brian Hoyer's agent.

Here are some other things I'm hearing:

1. They want to add another good offensive lineman, either in the draft or free agency. They want to avoid another huge drop-off as happened when Pro Bowl center Alex Mack broke his leg and the Browns went through three other players unable to find a decent replacement.

2. I doubt they will use a first-round pick on a receiver. They may return to free agency for this season's version of Andrew Hawkins, their free agent pick from 2014.  If he's healthy, Miles Austin (lacerated kidney) is likely to be offered a chance to return.

3. They like their young running backs: Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell and Glenn Winston. They believe Winston can be a good back, which is why they kept him on the roster all season. But they may sign a veteran running back.

General Manager Ray Farmer believes there are only three basic ways to assemble a team:

1. Buying: Investing heavily in free agents. You make a relatively long term commitment to them.

2. Borrowing: Signing a lot of veterans to short contracts, often players at the end of their careers. You hope to squeeze a year out of them.

3. Building: The draft, finding undrafted free agents and claiming young players off waivers from other teams. This is where the Browns want to find the majority of their players.

ABOUT BUYING PLAYERS

But you can BUY WISELY: The Browns believe they have done so in the last two years with free agents Paul Kruger, Desmond Bryant, Donte Whitner, Andrew Hawkins and Karlos Dansby. They all were expensive, but they also have produced.

Paul Kruger revived his career with 11 sacks in 2014.Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer 

1. Kruger rebounded from a disappointing 2013 season (4.5 sacks) to lead the Browns with 11 sacks. He also was solid against the run.

2. Bryant had a minor heart problem in 2013 and missed the final four games. He had surgery to fix an irregular heartbeat on December 6, 2013. Bryant suffered a wrist injury in training camp, and missed the first game of 2014. But he played the next 15 and was the Browns best defensive lineman. He had 5.0 sacks.

3. Danbsy had an excellent season. He missed four games with a knee injury that appeared to end his season. But Dansby came back and played the final two games, even though the Browns were out of playoff contention. He had 20 tackles in those two games. Profootballfocus rated him the No. 8 inside linebacker in the league.

4. Whitner was solid as a safety, made the Pro Bowl as an alternate selection. He has missed only one game in the last five years.

5. Hawkins led the Browns with 63 catches. He played 15 games, the most in his career. He stayed away from injuries that have plagued him in the past. He played only eight games the previous season with the Bengals. The coaches loved the professionalism that he brought to the team.

So what does this mean for the Browns in 2015?

I expect them to make two significant free agent acquisitions. It's possible that's where the Browns will try to add a receiver. They have to do something for a quarterback. Tight end also is an issue, even if they re-sign Jordan Cameron. His concussion history is scary.

While the Browns will keep talking about building through the draft, they also know they have to shop for a few more good veterans. I'd like to see them look hard at receiver Cecil Shorts, the Cleveland native and Mount Union graduate who is now a free agent after having played in Jacksonville.

ABOUT BORROWING PLAYERS

These are free agents, such as Miles Austin, Ben Tate, Nate Burleson, Jim Dray, Isaiah Trufant, Paul McQuistan, Gary Barnidge and John Greco.

Greco came to the Browns in 2011 from the Rams in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick. He proved to be so valuable on the offensive line, he signed a long-term deal and is now a core player.

Once a productive player with Detroit, Burleson was cut late in training camp. Austin came back from hamstring injuries to catch 47 passes and become the Browns best target on third down for Brian Hoyer.

Tate was a relatively big name who signed for a very modest contract ($2.5 million guaranteed). He was cut during the season.

McQuistan was given a chance to start at guard, but couldn't produce. Dray became a useful tight end in blocking situations. A defensive back and special teams player, Trufant could not stay healthy.

The Browns will keep looking in the bargain bins to see if they can borrow a player who becomes another Greco and Austin.

As for the draft, you know how that works. They just have to get it right.

ABOUT THE NEW COACHES

Head coach Mike Pettine nearly hired John DeFilippo as his offensive coordinator last season. He was the runner-up to Kyle Shanahan, who was given the job because of his experience. DeFilippo had only called plays at San Jose State in 2011.

From what I can tell, DeFilippo quietly was the leader when the search began after Shanahan left. Mike Pettine had a sense a year ago that the Oakland quarterback coach was ready for the job.

But the Browns coaching staff was so inexperienced. Pettine was a rookie head coach. Jim O'Neil a rookie defensive coordinator. The offense was going to be built around the run, and they knew Shanahan and his zone blocking scheme would be good for the Browns.

They have added Joker Phillips, who is 51 and has a career that began as an NFL receiver in Washington. He spent most of his coaching career working with receivers at the college level, and was Kentucky's head coach from 2010-12.

The Browns wanted to add an experienced receivers coach to help DeFilippo. The two men have known each other for decades, as DeFilippo's father (Gene) worked in the athletic department when Phillips was at Kentucky. They also were on the same coaching staff at Notre Dame.

• Terry's Talkin' Cavs.
• Terry's Talkin' Indians.

During their recent nine-game winning streak, the Cavs defense has been the second best in the NBA in terms of opponent's field-goal percentage.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You can become overwhelmed by numbers in the NBA as the stat geeks try to find a way to measure what a player means to his team.

If you look at the basics, Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov is averaging 9.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and shooting .532 from the field since he joined the team. That was 12 games ago. The Cavs lost their first three with Mozgov, then won the next nine.

Last week, I wrote about how LeBron James loves playing with the 7-foot-1 Russian. The stats show it.

The NBA breaks down things like out-scoring the opposition per 100 possessions. OK, I'll get to the point: In this category, when James and Mozgov play together -- the Cavs are plus-24 points. That's the No. 5 most productive duo in the NBA.

The second best duo on the Cavs? It's Mozgov and Kyrie Irving: 20.1 points.

Here are the next two: Kevin Love and James (17.9) followed by J.R. Smith and Mozgov (16.8).

So Mozgov appears in three of the top four combinations.

As one NBA executive told me, "When Mozgov sets a screen, he sets a screen. That's why the Cavs love it when he comes out and puts a body on someone -- then rolls to the basket."

Perhaps there's some stat about screen-setting, but just watch him play. Mozgov finds a way to spring his teammates open for shots.

Or how about this? Before the recent nine-game winning streak, opponents were shooting .471 vs. the Cavs. That was the second-worst defense in the NBA.

In the last nine games, it's dropped to .424 -- second best in the NBA.

Mozgov is a huge part of this. That's also true for J.R. Smith who has brought some defense to shooting guard. You also can see how Iman Shumpert will help defending guards. He is still coming off a shoulder injury and playing limited minutes.

The Cavs were one of the NBA's worst defensive teams before the trades for Mozgov, Shumpert and Smith. Now, they are among the best. We'll see if it continues, but the change has been stunning.

In the meantime, they are scoring 110 points a game in the nine-game winning streak.

ABOUT KYRIE IRVING

Kyrie Irving received a lot of attention for his 55-point game, but it's defense that has really been outstanding. Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer 

Someone probably has missed his first seven shots in a game and ended up with 50 points, but I have no clue who did until it happened to Kyrie Irving. He threw in 55 points as the Cavs beat Portland  (99-94) on Wednesday while James rested his sprained wrist.

Irving's defense has been superb lately. In the last nine games, opposing point guards have averaged only 12 points and shot 30 percent when defended by Irving.

That includes some stars. Consider this list and how they shot when defended by Irving:

• Chris Paul, 4-of-15 shooting.
• Derrick Rose, 5-of-14 shooting.
• Russell Westbrook, 7-of-26 shooting.
• Damian Lillard, 4-of-16 shooting.

In that same nine-game span, Irving is averaging 27 points and shooting 53 percent.

So he is outscoring his man by 15 points a game!

Irving has been working hard on his defense all season. He was perhaps the first player to strongly buy into new coach David Blatt. This is Irving's third coach and he's only been in the NBA for four seasons.

Someone who knows Irving told me that the 22-year-old Irving really didn't want to endure another coaching change. He was quick to gain a comfort level with Blatt and assistant coach Tyronn Lue.

The person also said that when Irving signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension on July 1, he was making a commitment to the Cavs. He wanted it to work. He hoped that LeBron James would sign with the team, but there were no guarantees. Blatt and Lue were part of the Cavs contingent to recruit Irving.

It was Owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager David Griffin who did most of the work selling Irving on a different future for the Cavs. Obviously, the maximum contract was a huge chip -- the Cavs could pay him $20 million or more than any other team.

But more than once, a player has signed a maximum contract -- and then still been an attitude problem because he didn't really want to stay with the team.

Irving has been upbeat from the moment he signed the deal, and then played for the USA National Team. It was in the summer where he began to concentrate on defense -- and take some pleasure from it.

And it has continued with the Cavs.

Irving has been willing to allow James to handle the ball, not an easy sacrifice for most point guards who have made an All-Star team. Irving has worked hard on moving without the ball to get open and catch passes from James for jump shots.

In other words, Irving often plays like a shooting guard -- a new role for him. It also was a role that Dion Waiters could never do. Waiters needed the have the ball -- a lot.

Irving has been named to his third All-Star team. He's averaging 22.6 points, shooting .467 (.413 on 3-pointers). Those are All-Star numbers. But his improved defense and willingness to learn a new role on offense has made this his best season of all.

ABOUT THE CAVS

1. Mozgov has a $4.9 million team option for the 2015-16 season. So the center can't be a free agent until the summer of 2016. You can be sure the Cavs will pick up that option.

2. J.R. Smith has a $6.3 million player option for 2015-16. It's not clear if he will pick up his own option, or if he will decide to become an unrestricted free agent.

3. Iman Shumpert can be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Cavs can match any offer that he receives.

4. Andrew Wiggins is playing very well in Minnesota, averaging 15.1 points. In the month of January, it's 19.2 points and .465 rebounds. That has led some Cavs fans to wonder if it was wise to trade Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and 2015 first-rounder to Minnesota for Kevin Love. The real answer will come in the playoffs -- how does Love perform in the postseason?

5. Love is averaging 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds. Pretty numbers, but not for him. He is shooting only .424 from the field. But the Cavs have benefited from his 10 rebounds a night. Without the 6-foot-10 Love, they would be a very small team.

6. Bennett continues to struggle in his second pro season. He is averaging 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds and shooting .423 from the field in 16 minutes a game for Minnesota. He also has had some minor injuries. The Wolves are a bad team and there are minutes and shots available. Wiggins has grabbed them and produced. Bennett has not.

7. Part of the reason Denver traded Mozgov is because they have a young center named Jusuf Nurkic. The Bosnian is 6-11, 280 pounds. He moved into the lineup after Mozgov departed, and is averaging 6.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in 23 minutes a game, shooting 40 percent. He's only 20 and very raw. but the Nuggets believe he'll mature into a good pivot man. They also wanted the two future first-rounders that the Cavs sent their way.

• Terry's Talkin' Browns.
• Terry's Talkin' Indians.

The Indians have a lot of fans watching and listening, but will the attendance improve?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians had their best Tribe Fest ever in terms of attendance. About 8,000 fans came to the ballpark last Saturday or Sunday to tour the clubhouse, get some autographs, take part in some fun stuff for kids.

It's only the third year for the event, but it's obvious that it's growing.

Tribe broadcaster Tom Hamilton and I did a segment on Sunday about our book Glory Days In Tribe Town. (I know, it's an absolutely shameless plug.). But Hamilton and I were wondering how it would draw.

That part of the ballpark was packed. Fans wanted to talk Tribe of the 1990s, and yes, Tribe today. Hundreds lined up to meet Hamilton. The book was -- by far -- the bestseller at Barnes & Noble bookstores in Northeast Ohio in the months of November and December.

What's the point?

The Tribe also had the fifth-highest television ratings in all of Major League Baseball for their games in 2014. That's about 90,000 households per game watching on SportsTime Ohio.

That No. 5 rating is not overall viewing.

Here are a few other facts:

1. The television ratings were up 12 percent from 2013. Remember that the Tribe was 92-70 in 2013 and was a wild-card playoff team. They dropped to 85-77 in 2014, but more fans watched.

2. Radio listenership was up 21 percent in 2014 from 2013.

3. Afternoon games on the radio had an average rating of 6.8, compared to 4.1 at night. Are people listening at work?

4. The age group of 18-34 had an increase of 21 percent in television ratings from 2013, and females in that television audience were up 28 percent.

5. From April-August, the Tribe had an average 6.84 television rating (101,500 households). In second place was CBS at 4.04.

6. At Cleveland.com, I don't have the exact numbers, but I know the amount of hits on my Tribe stories were up at least 20 percent from 2013 to 2014.

Here's the list of the top five teams in television rating, along with where they ranked in attendance:

1. Detroit, 8.58 rating; No. 7 attendance (36.014).
2. Pittsburgh, 8.49; No. 15 attendance (30,155).
3. St. Louis, 8.23; No. 2 attendance (43,711).
4. Kansas City, 7.50; No. 25 attendance (24,154).
5. Indians, 6.68; No. 29 attendance (18,428).

Something to keep in mind about television ratings -- it's a PERCENTAGE of the market. For example, the Yankees have a 2.99 rating -- but the New York market is so huge that more people were watching the games than any of the teams in the top five.

Nonetheless, there is interest in the Tribe. The ratings show it. My emails and internet hits indicate it. The fact is for all the grousing about the Dolan ownership or the front office, the fans are watching and listening to the games.

I heard that season ticket renewals have been strong -- more than 90 percent. But I don't know if they are adding new season ticket holders. They had about 8,000 last season.

The Tribe is investing in ballpark upgrades. The team has had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2000-01. There should be a sense that with slightly above average talent, Manager Terry Francona can keep them in contention.

Will any of this help attendance? Hard to know. It has been been going down in the last four years:

• 2011: 1.84 million.
• 2012: 1.60 million.
• 2013: 1.57 million.
• 2014:  1.43 million.

Despite that, more fans are paying attention -- even if they aren't paying for tickets. We'll see if that will change in 2014.

The Indians think fans will be intrigued by upgrades at Progressive Field. And the pitching staff has the potential to be excellent.

• Terry's Talkin' Browns.
• Terry's Talkin' Cavs.