The Browns' decorated All Pro tackle Joe Thomas told ESPN Cleveland Johnny Manziel must rebuild trust by proving his singular passion is playing QB in the NFL. Better if the front office doesn't fuel the perception that it's pushing for Manziel to become the starter -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So Joe Thomas says Johnny Manziel will have to regain teammates' trust after losing it last season.

That might seem obvious. But coming from one of the most respected players in the locker room it suggests just how far Manziel will have to go once he completes rehab.

 It might also be smart for the front office to take note of what Thomas said and make sure nobody in that locker room gets the impression the Browns are propping up Manziel again for another run at the starting job. 

(Ray Farmer recently pointed a finger at the play calling last year when Manziel was behind center, suggesting Kyle Shanahan did Manziel no favors. That's not a good look for a GM facing a suspension for interfering with coaches via in-game text messages.)

Thomas hardly delivered a rip job by saying what he said about Manziel. In fact, he softened the message by saying Manziel has the talent to make it in the NFL if he dedicates himself.

"I think he's going to have to prove to the team that football is important and being the man, being the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, is important, it is his goal, his single goal in his life," Thomas told Tony Grossi of ESPN CLeveland.

"I'm hoping when we comes back in April we see a new Johnny and everybody's blown away with his commitment. And I think he's got the talent, so it's just a matter of if he commits himself to it, we can have a really good quarterback on our hands."

Counting on Manziel is a determination that could set the Browns back significantly. They need a lot more information than they have now.

 If they groom him as the starter based on a winter spent in rehab and his play still doesn't suggest  "a really good quarterback" in the making they've wasted even more time.

Neither can they afford to give up on him given the alternatives.

If the Browns have "90 percent" moved on from Manziel - the recently expressed opinion of ESPN's Chris Mortensen - they must have a great Plan B. It's difficult to see what that could be.

Inquiring about Sam Bradford is evidence the Browns know it's foolish to count on Manziel.

But the only way the Browns move on from Manziel now is if Marcus Mariota slides closer to the Browns pick at No. 12 and dealing for him becomes more realistic.

What Thomas said about Manziel should be a caution light for Manziel supporters who believe that going through a rehab program will automatically make him dedicated to his craft.

Rehab can help him beat an addiction. It doesn't mean playing quarterback in the NFL suddenly becomes the driving force in his life.

And it certainly doesn't make him taller, more comfortable in the pocket and expert at reading NFL defenses.

Given that we believe the front office pushed for Manziel to get his chance even when his teammates knew he hadn't earned it, the best thing the Browns could do is name Josh McCown the starter. Period.

If Manziel has a lights-out camp, then it changes. Big deal.

Until then, the Browns can't afford to look like they're bending over backwards to pave the way for Manziel. 

They should go into camp not expecting anything from him.

No need to move on. But no need to boost his candidacy either until he proves he's not only a different quarterback but a different kind of teammate.

Wisconsin's Bo Ryan has spent three decades working to get to this point, leading the Badgers into the NCAA championship game with a shot at personal history on the line.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Wisconsin's Bo Ryan has spent three decades working to get to this point, leading the Badgers into the NCAA championship game with a shot at personal history on the line.

Duke's Mike Krzyzewski has a chance at college basketball history.

Their teams meet Monday night, with Ryan going for his first Division I championship -- and the program's first since winning its only other one in 1941 -- and Krzyzewski trying to become only the second men's coach to win five NCAA titles along with UCLA's John Wooden.

They both know success, with a combined 1,757 career wins and four national titles each to their credit -- though Ryan's were in the Division III ranks. But both veteran coaches tried to divert attention toward their players Sunday rather than focus on their own role in what will be the final game of the 2014-15 season.

"I know I'm one of the really good coaches. I know we're one of the really good programs," Krzyzewski said. "Monday night is about them. They shouldn't think of anything else. It has nothing to do with Duke historically or me."

Both the Blue Devils (34-4) and the Badgers (36-3) are No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament and have been among the favorites to get here all season. And the winner -- either the 68-year-old Krzyzewski or 67-year-old Ryan -- will become the second-oldest ever to win the title behind former Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun (68 years, 10 months, 22 days) in 2011.

Ryan, in the Final Four with the Badgers for the second straight year, would be the oldest first-time winner in Division I history.

Ryan won four national titles at Wisconsin-Platteville in the 1990s, quite a change from the weekend's spectacle at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Training table meal was hot dogs," he said of winning his first title in 1991. "The morning of the game, I had a cream doughnut and a diet pop. Now we have the best, French toast, pancakes, eggs, omelets. We have people cooking omelets. ... All the fruit you could possibly think about eating.

"I think there was a stringer, one stringer, from the Madison paper that actually showed up and covered the game. So you ask me what it was like. It wasn't like this."

While Ryan said the focus is "watching these guys grow and their experiences together," junior Sam Dekker said the players would like to reward Ryan in a career that includes 740 wins.

"To win it for him would be huge," Dekker said. "He deserves as much credit as any coach in the nation for what we've done here. And then to be a part of the team that would win it for him, potentially win it for him, would be something I would never forget."

As for Krzyzewski, he already stands as the winningest coach in men's Division I history with 1,017 wins and tied Wooden this year with a record 12 Final Fours. In his 35th season at Duke, he won titles in 1991, 1992, 2001 and 2010 -- the '91 and '10 crowns both came in Indianapolis -- and is tied with late Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp for second behind Woodmen's record total of 10 championships.

This is Krzyzewski's ninth NCAA title game, the first coming in 1986.

"It's not just the title game, it's what you learn about coaching," Krzyzewski said of lessons from those experiences. "You're constantly learning about the game. I'm a better coach now than I was in '86 or in '91 or '92. Just to be in the moment. ... I think the Final Four is a different animal like when you come in, just so you are not happy to be here, you know, that you're in this moment."

Senior Quinn Cook said part of the moment is taking advantage of the opportunity, both for the players and their Hall of Fame coach.

"We obviously know what Coach has done and what this could do for Coach," Cook said. "But Coach has stressed all year that this is about this team. ... He's made his season about us, our moment. So obviously we want to get No. 5 for him, but we want to get No. 1 for ourselves as well. That's what he wants. He wants his first one with this group."

Here's a look at some of the best photos of the women's NCAA tournament games on Sunday, March 29, 2015 plus game scores.

NOTRE DAME 66, SOUTH CAROLINA 65

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Notre Dame keeps finding ways to win. One more victory and the Irish will be national champions again.

A young team that lost three starters from last year's squad is back in the NCAA title game after fighting off a gallant comeback by Final Four newcomer South Carolina 66-65 on Sunday night.

All-American Jewell Loyd scored 22 points as the Irish (36-2) advanced to the championship game for the fourth time in five years, but it took a basket from an unlikely source to survive a scoring drought that lasted more than seven minutes down the stretch.

Madison Cable's putback for her only points of the night put the Irish in front for good.

"I was just crashing any way to try to get a rebound, and it kind of just bounced right where I was," Cable said. "I turned around and had an open shot and took it. Luckily, it went in."

Loyd said no one boxed out Cable on her game-winning basket, adding: "She's done it all year. She's the MVP."

Now, Notre Dame will face two-time defending champion Connecticut (37-1) Tuesday night in a rematch of last year's title game.

The Irish ran out to double-digit leads against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks wouldn't go away.

"We didn't rebound, missed a bunch of shots," said Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw. "Just a great basketball game. We went to Jewell. She had to do everything. Everyone contributed."

Notre Dame is looking to win it all for the first time since McGraw led them to their only national title in 2001.

South Carolina (34-3) overcame a 12-point, first-half deficit and did it again in the closing minutes. The feisty Gamecocks used a 13-0 run to take their only lead on Aleighsa Welch's offensive stickback with 1:12 remaining.

"It came down to them making a play when they needed to make a play and we didn't," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said.

Brianna Turner scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds before fouling out for Notre Dame. Taya Reimer had 16 points for Notre Dame.

Freshman A'ja Wilson came off the bench to lead South Carolina with 20 points. She scored 10 straight for the Gamecocks at one point in the second half to keep her resilient team within striking distance.

Notre Dame led 64-52 with 7:51 to go. The Irish missed eight straight shots before Cable wiped out South Carolina's short-lived lead. South Carolina All-American Tiffany Mitchell's off-balance 3-point attempt bounced high off the backboard as time ran out on the best season in school history.

Mitchell fell to the court in dejection and was helped up by teammates.

"They were making it hard for me to try and find a shot. And when I tried to pass it, they deflected it," said Mitchell, who finished with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

The Gamecocks hurt themselves, going 7 for 16 from the foul line, and missing six of seven in the closing minutes while they were trying to catch up.

"That's key. We left a lot of points at the free throw-line," Staley said. "But you know, still we overcame that to put ourselves in a position to take the lead."

Notre Dame lost to Connecticut in a matchup of unbeaten teams in last year's title game. The Irish came up short against Texas A&M in 2011 and Baylor in 2012.

"It's surreal right now, can't believe that we're here," Loyd said of advancing to Tuesday night's title game. "Glad we played the early game and can get some rest."

South Carolina looked like a Final Four newcomer early, falling behind 15-3 in the first five minutes of the game. The Gamecocks settling and getting a pair of layups from Alaina Coates during a 12-4 surge that helped them get back in the game.

Staley has spent the past seven seasons transforming South Carolina from a struggling program into a national contender that spent much of this season ranked No. 1 in the country. The former Virginia star, who participated in the national semifinals three times as a player joined Kim Mulkey as the only women to play and coach in the Final Four, and she drew on personal experience to try to prepare her team for what encounter during its trip.

The Gamecocks began to solve the multiple defensive looks Notre Dame threw at them, with Coates inflicting damage inside and Mitchell and Bianca Cuevas picking up the pace of the game once Irish guard Lindsay Allen left the game with two fouls. Wilson's jumper trimmed South Carolina deficit to 25-24, but Notre Dame wouldn't crack.

The Irish found a way to advance despite not getting any points from Allen, who missed all five shots she took before fouling out. The sophomore guard scored 23 in Notre Dame victory over Baylor in the Oklahoma City Regional final.

UCONN 81, MARYLAND 58

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Geno Auriemma and his UConn Huskies now stand one win away from a third straight championship and matching another vaunted milestone.

Breanna Stewart scored 25 points and Morgan Tuck added 24 to lead UConn to an 81-58 win over Maryland on Sunday night in the Final Four.

UConn will face a familiar foe stands for the title Tuesday night, Notre Dame -- a rematch of last season's championship game.

"Every time we play Notre Dame, it's something. I just have a lot of respect for what they've been able to do," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "They've got a heck of a team and their team has gotten a lot better as the season has gone on. Jewell's a great player, obviously, but all their other players have gotten significantly better since the beginning of the season."

The Huskies are 9-0 in title games and a victory over the Irish would tie Auriemma with vaunted UCLA men's coach John Wooden for the most all-time with 10. It would also be the second three-peat for UConn, which won three straight championships from 2002-04. The last two titles of that run came against Tennessee, marking the only other time in NCAA Tournament history that the same teams met in back-to-back championship games.

Making the Final Four seems like a rite of spring lately for the Huskies (37-1). They have appeared in the last eight national semifinals.

UConn had cruised through this year's tournament, but Maryland coach Brenda Frese said her team wouldn't be intimidated by the Huskies.

"I think the biggest thing against Maryland is they can break you down with their guard play, and then they're so big inside," Auriemma said. "If you make a mistake on their guards, you've got the big guys to deal with. We needed to try and make sure that we only gave up one thing, that we didn't give up both. So we tried to concentrate on taking away their 3s, which they're really good at. And then try to create some mismatches on this end with Tuck and Stewie because I thought that's where we had the advantage."

The Terrapins took it right at them from the start, hanging with UConn for the first 10 minutes. Maryland only trailed 22-19 before UConn scored seven straight points capped by Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis' 3-pointer that made it a 10-point game. Maryland (34-3) didn't back down and pulled within 39-33 on Lexie Brown's 3-pointer with 1:52 left in the half.

Then Tuck took over.

She scored the final five points of the half to give the Huskies a double-digit advantage going into the break. Tuck started the second half with another 3 as UConn scored the first nine points to break the game open. Her layup capped the burst and gave UConn a 53-33 advantage, essentially putting the game out reach.

"Tuck was a big time X-factor for them tonight," Frese said. "The stat line of Kaleena, she hits one three but gives seven assists. goes into facilitator, get everyone else going."

The redshirt sophomore missed last season's championship run while she was recovering from microfracture surgery on her right knee that allowed her to only play in eight games. She made her presence felt on the game's biggest stage, finishing just two points short of her career high.

"It means a lot, to be out there and actually contribute and make an impact," Tuck said. "That's why I came here. To really be doing it, it's a great feeling."

The loss ended a school-record 28-game winning streak for Maryland, which hasn't won in its four meetings with the Huskies.

Brionna Jones scored 14 points and Lexie Brown added 12 to lead the Terrapins, who cruised through the Big Ten in their inaugural season in the conference going undefeated.

Brown had some extra support at the game as her father, former NBA slam dunk champion Dee Brown was in attendance. He is an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings and was able to skip their game Sunday and see his daughter play.

He was sitting near former Celtics teammate Pervis Ellison, whose daughter Aja also plays for the Terrapins. Former NFL star Donovan McNabb was also in the crowd cheering on his niece Kia Nurse, who is a freshman at UConn.

The former athletes weren't the only stars at the game. Three-time Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise was sitting in a suite, though it wasn't clear who he was rooting for.

Not that it mattered to Stewart.

"No. Where was he? Oh, my gosh," she gushed after the game. "I didn't even get to meet him."

Maybe he'll be back Tuesday night.

Cleveland State guard Trey Lewis is expected to transfer to Louisville, where the Garfield Heights High product will replace Terry Rozier, the Shaker Heights High product who has declared for the upcoming NBA draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State guard Trey Lewis seems to have found a home. The guard, who announced he would transfer from CSU to play his final season elsewhere, looks to have settled on Louisville.

Lewis, who recently turned down a visit to Ohio State, will be immediately eligible after graduating from CSU this spring. He played two seasons for CSU after transferring from Penn State.

One of his best games this season was a 24-point effort against Louisville. He recently tweeted about an impressive visit with the Cardinals program.

If Louisville is his destination, the Garfield Heights High product will replace guard Terry Rozier, a Shaker Heights High product. Rozier, a 6-1 sophomore at Lousiville, has already declared for the NBA draft.

Lewis, a 6-3 guard, averaged 16.7 points a game for the Vikings this season. He shot 44.6 percent from the field overall, and 42.3 percent on 3-pointers.

Lewis was averaging nearly 20 points a game at one point during the season, but opponents began guarding him with taller and longer players and his scoring dropped off noticeably. He only scored 20 points once over the final eight games.

Lewis becomes the second straight leading to transfer from CSU in the last two seasons. After the 2013-2014 campaign, sophomore guard Bryn Forbes, a product of Lansing, Michigan, opted to leave CSU for family reasons and became part of a Michigan State team that advanced to the 2015 NCAA Final Four.

The Lake County Captains and Lynchburg Hillcats Class A teams are loaded with young prospects from the Cleveland Indians organization.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland Indians left-handed pitcher Justus Sheffield, catcher Francisco Mejia and infielder Yu-Cheng Chang are the top minior-league prospects assigned to the Lake County Captains for the 2015 season. The roster was released Monday.

Class A Lake County opens at Lansing (Mich.) on Friday and its home opener is 4 p.m. Sunday against Bowling Green.

According to his MLB.com scouting profile, Sheffield has a "solid three-pitch mix. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has been clocked up to 96 mph. At 5-10, Sheffield is slightly undersized but still has all the tools necessary to develop into a solid starting pitcher.''

The web site rates Sheffield's curveball as the best in the Indians' farm system.

• Click here for the Class A Lake County Captains roster.

• Click here for the Class A Lynchburg Hillcats roster.

Sheffield was drafted 31^st overall with a compensation pick for losing Ubaldo Jimenez to free agency, and he received a $1.6 million signing bonus, spurning a scholarship offer from Vanderbilt. He was 3-1 with a 4.79 ERA in eight games for the Arizona Rookie League Indians. During the offseason, he pleaded guilty to a criminal trespass charge in Tullahoma, Tenn., paid court costs and could have his record expunged if he stays out of trouble for one year.

Sheffield is the Indians' ranked eighth in MLB.com's list of the Indians top 30 prospects. Mejia is No. 7 and Chang is No. 15.

Mejia, 19, is a switch-hitting catcher from the Dominican Republic with a big arm and plays beyond his years behind the dish. He was a New York Penn League All-Star for short-season Mahoning Valley, batting .282 with 23 extra-base hits. He threw out 32 percent of would-be base stealers (19 of 40).

Chang is a 19-year-old, switch-hitting shortstop from Taiwan who hit .346 (55-for-159) with six homers and 56 RBI last year for the Arizona Rookie League Indians. He signed in 2013 for $500,000 as an international free agent. He also played some third base in Arizona.

Several familiar names return to Lake County from last year's team, which reached the playoffs with a late-season surge. The Catpains won two playoffs series and advanced to the Midwest League championship series. They were swept by Kane County, 3-0.

Dorssys Paulino is back for the third year in Lake County, which usually isn't a good sign. But he's 20 and learning a new position after converting to the outfield in the middle of last season. He had been a highly regarded infielder since signing in 2011 as a 16-year-old shortstop out of the Dominican Republic, but was a mess defensively.

Right-handed starters Jordan Milbrath and Dace Kime return, and right-hander Nick Pasquale is back after missing last year with an injury. Infielders Grant Fink and Claudio Bautista also return after each hit 13 home runs last year.

Another player to watch is first baseman Bobby Bradley, a third-round pick last year who put up monster numbers in Arizona: .361, 50 RBI, 39 runs and 25 extra-base hits (eight homers) in 39 games.

Pitchers to watch could be left-hander Sean Brady and right-handers Jordan Carter and Julian Merryweather.

One of the best names in baseball also returns to Lake County, catcher Sicnarf Loopstock, a native of Altus, Aruba. His first name is Francis spelled backward and is pronounced SICK-narf. He seeks to become just the sixth Arubian in the majors.

Shaun Larkin was promoted from hitting coach to manager of the Captains. Former Indians pitcher Steve Karsay is the pitching coach and Larry Day will coach the hitters.

Class A Lynchburg

The Hillcats are in and the Mudcats are out.

The Indians moved their high-A affiliate from Zebulon, N.C. (Carolina Mudcats), to Lynchburg, Va. Cleveland signed a four-year player development deal with the Lynchburg Hillcats in September.

Lynchburg features a $6.65 million outfield and three of the Indians top nine prospects -- No. 2-ranked Clint Frazier, No. 3 Bradley Zimmer and No. 9 Mike Papi. All were high draft picks in 2013 and 2014 whose signing bonuses combined for $6.65 million.

The pitching staff includes four hurlers ranked between 12^th and 19^th in the organization: right-handers Dylan Baker, Mitch Brown and Adam Plutko, and lefty Luis Lugo. Two relievers to watch include right-handers Justin Brantley, an undrafted free agent who turned heads last year in Lake County with a 1.31 ERA, and closer Ben Heller, who has a 2.69 career ERA in two seasons. Brantley is the cousin of Indians left fielder Michael Brantley.

First baseman Nellie Rodriguez (22 home runs in Lake County) and catcher Eric Haase (17 homers) will provide power in addition to the three outfielders, who also have plenty of pop.

Mark Budzinski, who managed Lake County last year, will lead the Hillcats.

Get lives updates and analysis as Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston brings you the latest on the NCAA Tournament Championship game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to The Plain Dealer's NCAA Championship Game live chat. We'll really kick it into gear when the Wisconsin Badgers (36-3) and Duke Blue Devils (34-4) tip off at 9:18 p.m. tonight, but comments are welcome before then.

Get live updates and analysis and share your thoughts in the comments section throughout the game. Doug Lesmerises and Ari Wasserman, Ohio State beat reporters for Northeast Ohio Media Group, will also join in the chat. Frequently refresh this page to get the latest updates.

The quality of the game might depend on Wisconsin's ability to ratchet its motivation up to the same heights as on Saturday night, when the Badgers defeated previously unbeaten Kentucky, 71-64, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

At the same stage, the national semifinals, Duke coach Mike Kryzewski's team gave Nevada-Las Vegas its only defeat in 1991. The last unbeaten Division I NCAA men's basketball team is still Indiana in 1975-76.

Wisconsin was both the Big Ten regular season and conference tournament champion.

Duke finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference to Virginia and lost to Notre Dame in the conference tournament semifinals.

A victory would give Duke's "Coach K," now known as "Coach 1K" after winning his 1,000th game earlier this season, his fifth NCAA championship in his 12th Final Four appearance. That would break a tie for second place all-time with Kentucky's Adolph Rupp.

Krzyzewski is tied with John Wooden of UCLA for most Final Four appearances with 12 each, but Wooden, helped immeasurably by a smaller field and a strictly geographical arrangement of regional play, won a record 10 national championships.

Bo Ryan of Wisconsin is making his second Final Four appearance, after avenging last year's semifinals loss to Kentucky. The Big Ten has won only one NCAA title since 1989, but five schools have combined to finish second seven times (three of them by the Michigan Wolverines) since then.

Duke defeated Wisconsin in Madison early in the season, 80-70. Sam Dekker scored only five points in the game while hobbled with a sprained ankle.

Players to watch begin with Duke's three star freshmen -- Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow -- and Wisconsin's upperclassmen, Dekker and national player of the year Frank Kaminsky.

Starting lineups

Duke

• G Quinn Cook, 6-2, Sr., 15.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg
• G Tyus Jones, 6-1, Fr., 11.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.7 apg
• F Justise Winslow, 6-6, Fr., 12.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg
• F Amile Jefferson, 6-9, Jr., 6.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg
• C Jahlil Okafor, 6-11, Fr., 17.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg

Wisconsin

• G Bronson Koenig, 6-2, So., 8.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.4 apg
• G Josh Gasser, 6-3, Sr., 6.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg
• F Sam Dekker, 6-9, Jr., 13.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
• F Nigel Hayes, 6-7, So., 12.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg
• C Frank Kaminsky, 7-0, Sr., 18.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.7 apg

Rosters

Click here for Wisconsin's roster

Click here for Duke's roster.

Stats

Click here for Wisconsin stats

Click here for Duke stats

Trey Lewis wil transfer to Louisville from Cleveland State for the final year of his college career. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Louisville will be replacing one Northeast Ohio native with another, as former Cleveland State guard and Garfield Heights graduate Trey Lewis announced on Tuesday he is transferring to the Cardinals.

"I'll be playing for a legendary coach in Rick Pitino and in front of the greatest fans in the nation," Lewis said.

The addition of Lewis comes just about a week after Shaker Heights graduate Terry Rozier announced he would be leaving Louisville to enter the NBA draft.

Before making the decision, Lewis spoke to Rozier about what it's like to play for Louisville.

"He was able to tell me about how it is to play under Rick Pitino," Lewis said. "He told me he's going to push you and expect you every day to be great. That's the type of coach I would want to play for."

There appears to be a chance for Lewis to make an immediate impact with Louisville. The Cardinals do not return a player who averaged more than 4.1 points per game last season, and Lewis should be asked to help manage the offensive load.

"What it came down to was the need and the want from Louisville was the perfect situation for me and what I'm looking for going into this last year," Lewis said.

Lewis was also considering Ohio State and Xavier among others, but he felt that joining Louisville was just the right fit for him.

As a fifth-year graduate student, Lewis can play immediately for Louisville rather than have to sit out a year. This isn't the first time he's relocated, as he transferred from to Cleveland State after one year at Penn State.

It's official! Headed south to be an angry bird #CardNation stand up!

-- Trey Lewis (@Treylew3) April 7, 2015

Lewis was grateful for the time he was able to spend with the Vikings.

"I want to start off by thanking Coach Waters, the Cleveland State program and his coaching staff for everything they've done for me," Lewis said. "That program means a lot to me and has developed me to this point in my life."

A 6-3 guard, Lewis averaged 16.7 points per game for the Vikings this past season. He excelled from deep, as he hit 42.3 percent of his 3-point attempts.

In the Vikings' fifth game this season, they played against Louisville, and Lewis finished with 24 points in a 45-33 loss.

"I remember going in there with the mindset that this was the type of stage I want to play on," Lewis said. "This is where I want to be."

This is the second season in a row that Cleveland State loses a key player to transfer to a major conference. Bryn Forbes went from the Vikings to Michigan State this past offseason due to family reasons and was a part of the Spartans' 2015 Final Four team.

Plain Dealer columnist talks about the Indians, the renovations at Progressive Field, the Cavaliers playoff chances and the Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How many games will the Indians win? What were Terry's thoughts on Ray Farmer's punishment?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in our weekly podcast. Among other topics discussed:

* How will the Indians' pitching hold up?

* Should we put any stock in the Cavaliers' performance against Philadelphia on Sunday?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Follow @dan_labbe

NEOMG Indians reporter Zack Meisel has a new book out this month, "100 Things Indians Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die." Starting today and running through the home opener Friday, we'll publish an excerpt from the book. Today: Albert Belle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - With the Indians opening the 2015 season Monday night in Houston, and the home opener scheduled for Friday at Progressive Field, it seems like a perfect time to look back at some of the great moments in Tribe history.

Northeast Ohio Media Group Indians reporter Zack Meisel has a book out this month, "100 Things Indians Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die"  from Triumph Books. The foreword is written by Indians radio play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton.

Starting today and running through the home opener Friday, we'll publish an excerpt from the book.

Today: Storied Tribe slugger Albert Belle.

Triumph Books 

* * * 

The man with the muscle, the stout frame, and the surly scowl had plenty of nicknames. Some, he embraced. Others, no one said to his face.

Albert Belle, ever the explosive personality, has cultivated a tumultuous relationship with the Indians organization ever since he first donned a Tribe uniform in 1989. He was Joey. He was Albert. He was Mr. Freeze. He was Snapper.

And through it all-- through the corked bats, the bulging bicep, the spats with reporters, the run-ins and chase-downs with trick-or-treaters, the fits of rage in the clubhouse--he remained the same driven individual who simply wanted to be the best.

He also wanted to be paid like the best.

"They put a thoroughbred in the gates to run the Kentucky Derby and they have the blinders on [him]," said Bob DiBiasio, Indians senior vice president of public affairs. "When he put his tunnel vision on, his blinders, to get ready to compete at a high level and you tried to penetrate those blinders on Albert, he bit your head off. You had to learn when you could connect with him."

Nearly two decades after Belle played his final game for the Indians, DiBiasio gave the former slugger a call. The two had maintained contact off and on since he departed the organization that drafted him in the second round out of LSU in 1987. DiBiasio asked Belle if he would grant his approval on the team creating a bobblehead in his likeness.

"It's about time!" Belle responded. Before DiBiasio could utter another word, Belle requested that the ceramic model pose in the stance the once-chiseled outfielder made infamous.

In Game 1 of the 1995 American League Division Series, after Belle's 11th-inning home run off of Red Sox reliever Rick Aguilera, Boston skipper Kevin Kennedy asked umpires to check the outfielder's bat for a cork filling.

Though untimely, it wasn't the most far-fetched request. Belle had been caught redhanded a year earlier and slapped with a suspension. This time, though, it was all in the muscle. Belle stood on the edge of the dugout, demanded attention from the Red Sox bench and pointed to his flexed right bicep, which was bulging out from under his uniform sleeve, a patch of white cotton that appeared to be hanging on for dear life.

"Bobbleheads are no good unless they tell a real story," DiBiasio said.

Belle's story has many layers, many unforgettable incidents, and many learning experiences. While at Triple A Colorado Springs in 1990, he destroyed a clubhouse sink during a fit of rage, which earned him a five-game suspension.

Later that summer, he checked into counseling to cope with his alcohol dependency. After two months of help at the Cleveland Clinic, Belle issued a statement that declared he had received the necessary help and that he was now to be referred to by his first name, Albert.

He had previously gone by the nickname Joey, short for Jojuan, his middle name. No matter the moniker, the fiery personality remained the same. He was kicked out of the Puerto Rican winter league in 1990 for his typical temper tantrums. In May 1991, he pegged a heckling fan in the chest with a baseball.

That merited him a six-game ban. A year later, he charged the mound after Kansas City hurler Neal Heaton heaved a pair of pitches that he deemed too close for comfort. Both players were ejected, as the benches cleared and players spilled out onto the field. Belle received a three-game suspension.

In May 1993, Belle brawled with Royals pitcher Hipolito Pichardo after the right-hander plunked him in the shoulder. As a result, he was hit with another three-game ban. In July 1994, White Sox manager Gene Lamont accused Belle of employing a corked bat. The lumber was confiscated and stored in the umpires' locker room to be examined.

After the game, the umpires discovered the bat had been switched, so the Indians were required to hand over another one, which contained cork. Belle contended that the White Sox swiped his bat and corked it. Nonetheless, he was slapped with a seven-game suspension. Reporters learned to stay out of Belle's way.

He was known to gripe or yell if a member of the media looked at him in a certain manner or even said hello to him.

Prior to Game 3 of the 1995 World Series, he shouted obscenities at reporters in the Indians dugout as they prepared to conduct interviews. Belle was later fined $50,000 for his actions. His temper warranted him the nickname "Snapper" from some of his teammates. He could erupt, without warning, at any moment. He earned the nickname "Mr. Freeze" after he grumbled about the temperature in the clubhouse, turned down the thermostat and then shattered it with a bat.

He once executed the same treatment on Kenny Lofton's boom box. On Halloween in 1995, a group of teenagers tossed eggs at his house after he refused to supply them with candy. So, Belle chased after them in his SUV. He was convicted of reckless operation of a motor vehicle and fined for the incident.

In 1996, Belle struck a photographer with a baseball and he knocked Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Fernando Vina to the ground with a sturdy forearm because Vina was standing in his path in the baseline as he tried to turn a double play. Belle served a two-game suspension for his bullying of Vina.

"He wasn't easy," DiBiasio said.

For years, the Indians put up with his antics because of what he provided on the field. He recorded the first 50/50 season in major league history when he tallied 50 home runs and 52 doubles in only 143 games in 1995. He was named to four consecutive All-Star teams while with the Tribe. He led the American League in RBIs on three occasions. He finished in the top three in the balloting for the Most Valuable Player award each season from 1994-1996.

During those years, he logged a .325 batting average, .414 on-base percentage, and .671 slugging percentage, averaging 42 doubles, 45 home runs, and 125 RBIs. All six of the walk-off home runs he swatted in his career came during that stretch. Two of them were grand slams.

"When I think of Albert," said team president Mark Shapiro, "I think of an intense competitor, a driven person, a meticulous work ethic. Mean. Just a tough guy. He was a reliable guy. He came to play every single day and then he was driven to put up and produce every day. You knew what you were going to get from Albert. This guy was going to be fueled to help us succeed and achieve his personal success. He was an incredibly productive and intimidating offensive performer."

Belle's peak production coincided with the team's ascent from a bottom-feeder to a perennial World Series contender. The team reached the Fall Classic in 1995 and qualified for the postseason in '96.

And yet, it wasn't enough. The ego was always there, though not in a self-absorbed, pompous fashion. Belle simply presented an unfiltered, steadfast belief in his ability.

He was dead set in his ways, unwavering in his conviction that his on-field exploits deserved proper compensation and acknowledgement. His personal goals received precedence. He strived to be the highest-paid player in the league, an aim that triggered the deterioration of his relationship with the Indians organization. He hit the free-agent market and the White Sox--Cleveland's AL Central adversary and the team that uncorked the secret behind his booming bats--scooped him up with a five-year, $55 million pact.

Tribe fans were upset by how the situation unfolded, how a player who served as part of a blossoming team could abandon everything for a self-fulfilling cause. That Belle acted in such a manner, however, surprised no one. Perhaps the vanquishing of his baggage and his inevitable tirades and tantrums and riots would cleanse the clubhouse.

The team certainly had the lineup pieces to cope with his departure, especially since general manager John Hart swung a trade for powerful third baseman Matt Williams. Belle proceeded to bat .274 with 30 home runs in his first season on the South Side. When he made his first appearance at Jacobs Field as the enemy on June 3, 1997, fans showered him with debris in left field. He resumed his offensive onslaught in 1998, when he compiled a .328 batting average, .399 on-base percentage, and .655 slugging percentage, with 49 home runs, 152 RBIs, and 48 doubles.

After the '98 campaign, he invoked a clause in his contract that required he remain one of the three highest-paid players in the league. Chicago refused to meet his contract demands, so he became a free agent and signed a five-year, $65 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles.

Belle hit 60 home runs over two years for the O's before a degenerative hip condition forced him into retirement. More than a decade passed. Belle and his wife started a family and he became a stay-at-home father to his four daughters.

In late February 2012, Belle visited Indians spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. He reconnected with former teammates Lofton, Carlos Baerga and Sandy Alomar Jr., and his old manager Mike Hargrove. They reminisced and joked and laughed. Belle conversed with a handful of the active players. Fences were mended. Relationships were reconciled.

A year later, a reminder of the old Belle greeted fans at Progressive Field in the form of a bobblehead. "Time has a way of calming things down," DiBiasio said.

The Patriots had just one win in 2014-15.

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Valley Forge boys basketball coach John Ugan has resigned after eight seasons at the helm of the program. The Patriots are coming off a one-win season in 2014-15.

Ugan felt it was time to walk away after not seeing the level of success he had hoped for in the program. At this point, he does not seem himself as a head coach again, but he wants to stay involved.

"I think I still have a pretty good grasp of what is going on," Ugan said. "I think I have something to offer. I would love to be involved in an assistant coach somewhere."

Valley Forge earned its lone win this season against Fairview. The Patriots were bounced from the postseason by Olmsted Falls with an 88-54 sectional semifinal loss on March 4.

The position was posted online on Tuesday, and athletic director Chris Medaglia said the school will take its time to find the right candidate.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Everyone has a different perspective about Opening Day and yet, each one includes the same underlying tone.

HOUSTON -- The first two notes dropped and Jonathan Papelbon's eyes flashed on the Fenway Park scoreboard, beneath the John Hancock sign.

His entrance song, the Dropkick Murphys' "Shipping Up To Boston," blared throughout the ballpark and created a stir. From the Red Sox bullpen, 34-year-old reliever Scott Atchison watched as Boston fans were sent into a frenzy.

"The place just went nuts," Atchison said.

Papelbon shut the door on the New York Yankees on that nationally televised Sunday night game in 2010 and Atchison's first Opening Day with a big-league club was complete.

"I remember everything about it," he said.

Everyone has a different perspective about Opening Day and yet, each one includes the same underlying tone. The luster doesn't wear off, whether a player has broken camp with a club 10 times or only once. The differences, of course, stem from what a player endured in the days and weeks and months leading up to the sport's annual grand opening.

"There's something special about Opening Day every year," Atchison said. "The starting new, from that aspect, getting your name announced, going and standing on the line and doing the anthem, the pageantry that comes with it, it's a special feeling every year. I think each one has its special moments with it, whether it's your first or your last. Each one brings something different. You're always looking forward to that day."

For some players, that first regular-season tilt signifies a fresh start after a miserable past. Jason Kipnis had his eyes set on April 6 since last October. The second baseman battled nagging injuries and bad habits at the plate en route to posting a .640 OPS in 2014.

"You just want it to mean something," Kipnis said. "Everybody misses getting up for a real game. I was definitely ready to turn the page on last year and get this year started."

Brandon Moss belted two home runs in Oakland's Wild Card Game loss to Kansas City last October. Then, he underwent hip surgery, was traded to Cleveland and worked his way back into game shape. He was more than ready for some at-bats that mattered.

"It's like a postseason game," Moss said. "There's adrenaline and excitement and anticipation. Usually after a few days of that at the start of the season, that wears off and it's just baseball as usual. There always is something about Opening Day. It's the first time that it counts and it actually matters and there's that extra level of focus."

For a few days, Austin Adams was stuck in purgatory. He knew he was in consideration for a roster spot coming out of spring training, but he didn't know whether the club would opt to carry an eighth reliever on Opening Day.

"When you're in the clubhouse, you're always looking over your shoulder wondering if they're coming to get you or what's going on," Adams said. "You're always uneasy, worried. But at the same time, you have to go out there and try to do the best you can. That's all you can do."

Ultimately, the Indians granted him a roster spot and for the first time in his career, he spent Opening Day at the big-league level.

"It's incredible. It's Opening Day," Adams said. "It's self-explanatory. Everybody is excited. You're anxious, nervous. It's a great day."

Adams was one of seven players who enjoyed the Opening Day festivities for the first time. T.J. House, Trevor Bauer, Nick Hagadone, Roberto Perez, Kyle Crockett and Jose Ramirez are the others. For the guys who had no anxiety about making the team, the final couple of weeks of spring training can be a drag.

"You hit that spell -- for me it was around that off-day we had -- and I'm like, 'OK, I need to start hunkering down and let's get going,'" Atchison said. "Then those last four or five days, you're like, 'Let's go.' You feel good and strong. You're bouncing back from your outings. Things are ready to go. It's like, 'OK, let's get the season started. We've been in Arizona long enough.' It gets to be a little bit of a grind there, but Opening Day is a nice way to get you out of that grind."

When Josh Beckett dabbled with danger early in the game on that balmy Sunday night in Boston in 2010, Atchison began warming up. He had spent the two previous years pitching in Japan. He had never played at Fenway Park. His adrenaline was surging.

Beckett ultimately escaped harm and Atchison retreated to the bullpen bench. When Beckett was pulled in the fifth inning, the Red Sox turned elsewhere for relief. Atchison didn't pitch, but he can vividly recall every detail about that evening.

"For me, it was a very special one," Atchison said. "Obviously, it took me a long time to get to my first one, so I tried to take it in even more than you might. But each one since then has been special in its own way and that one definitely stands out."

Despite some spring health issues, the Buckeyes are feeling bullish about their 2015 receiving corps. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Dontre Wilson said confidently before Ohio State's national championship that he was going to play. Technically he was right -- receivers coach Zach Smith threw him in for a few plays at the end. 

"I felt he deserved to go out onto the field in that game," Smith said Tuesday. "He helped get us there."

Wilson's confidence before the game made it seem as if he was so close to 100 percent that he was going to be a game-changer in the biggest game of his life, one played in the city he's from against the team for which he almost played. That didn't happen. 

Now we're in spring football, and Wilson, who broke his ankle in November at Michigan State, is still limited. How did he go from being so close to potentially playing in Ohio State's 42-20 win over the Ducks to still being injured three months later? 

"He was able to go (vs. Oregon), but he was one play away from re-breaking it," Smith said. "So we were very tentative in putting him in the game." 

Ohio State is taking it slow with Wilson, but coaches aren't worried about the recovery. 

"We kind of knew going down the stretch toward the end that Dontre was probably going to need another surgery," Smith said. "It didn't heal great. ... He was able to do anything, but he just wasn't comfortable on his foot yet, probably because he needed another surgery.

"I feel great about it now because he got the surgery, it looks great, it's healing great and we're sticking to the plan so he can be healthy by the fall." 

Michael Thomas could develop into one of the best wide receivers in the country next season.AP 

* Michael Thomas is out recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia, but Ohio State expects him to take a large step forward this year. Perhaps this is a better way to put that: Take a big leap. 

Because Thomas made some freakish plays on his way to 54 receptions, 799 yards and nine touchdowns. With Devin Smith and Evan Spencer gone, Thomas has major opportunity to potentially emerge as one of the best in college football next year. 

Seems like a big statement, right? 

Kerry Coombs, who is usually eccentric, took it even a step further when he was asked about the most dominant receivers on the team. The way he brought up Thomas makes you think Ohio State expects him to be one of the best. 

"I'm going to tell you this, Michael Thomas is a superior player," Coombs said. "He is a superior player. He has had a great spring, prior to the injury. Strong, tough and a ball catcher." 

Ohio State H-Back Jalin Marshall has been working outside with the receivers this spring. There's a chance he could stay there when fall rolls around. Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com 

* Because Ohio State wanted to get Curtis Samuel some looks at H-Back, this spring has made for the perfect opportunity to move Jalin Marshall outside. Marshall is working in Thomas' spot, and Smith said that a spring filled with being jammed by cornerbacks will be beneficial. 

It kind of makes the most sense to think Marshall will stay outside. A world with Thomas, Marshall, Samuel and running back Ezekiel Elliott all on the field at the same time is a scary one for Ohio State's opponents. 

But Smith wasn't ready to commit to any plans about permanent position switches. 

"Jalin can play outside and he's going to have a full spring of doing that," Smith said. "If we need to or want to, we can. But we are going to get the best six or seven wideouts in the rotation, so where he fits in that is really where we best see him fitting. 

"He left the year as the starting H and the best H we had. I am not going to put him outside just because we can if he's the best one in the slot.

"But maybe we come out in fall camp and say he's one of the best three (wide receivers) and maybe there's another guy in the slot, sure, that could happen. The flexibility is what I am training for. The ability to get him outside if that's what our offense needs." 

Catcher Tony Wolters and pitcher Cody Anderson will be keys to a successful season for the Akron RubberDucks.

AKRON, Ohio -- For Akron RubberDucks manager David Wallace, the subtle change to the start of this season over 2014 is a big one. Thursday's Class AA Eastern League season opener at home against Binghamton is much more welcome than immediately getting on a bus for a road game.

"This is very good,'' Wallace said as he settled into his Canal Park office space while the players unloaded their gear in the nearby locker room. "Last year we opened on the road, after the exhibition game here, and that was a little hectic.''

The Ducks had their Tuesday exhibition game with the Lake County Captains cancelled due to weather.

The Ducks finished fourth overall in 2014, second in the Western Division, going 73-69. The other plus for Wallace is he has a familiar roster, considering 17 of the 25 players played all or part of last season in the Rubber City.

"Very comfortable,'' Wallace said. "The veterans have a chance to let the younger guys know the ins and outs of being here; where to eat, places to go, and places to avoid. I want this to be a players' clubhouse, and to be a players' team."

There are several individuals for fans to focus on. Shortstop Erik Gonzalez, 23, is probably a level below his ability, with wunderkind Francisco Lindor playing in Columbus. But catcher Tony Wolters and pitcher Cody Anderson are playing this season to prove they are tracking for the big leagues as well.

Wolters, the 22-year-old converted infielder, split much of last season at backstop with Alex Lavisky, 23, from Lakewood, Ohio. But going into this season the position clearly belongs to the third-round pick from the 2010 draft. He hit .249 last season with one homer and 15 double, producing 34 RBI.

"Tony Wolters will get the majority of the time behind the plate,'' Wallace said. "We are just real excited about his development as a catcher. Right now, the more experience, the more time he can get back there is really better for him. That's not to say we won't see Alex or one of the other guys back there, we will, but we may have to get more creative with finding them spots in the lineup. Because right now Tony will get the majority of the time. And Tony will also see a little bit of time on the infield, as he did last year as well."

Like Gonzalez and Wolters, pitcher Cody Anderson is on the Indians' 40-man roster. But after a 2014 campaign that ended 4-11 with a 5.44 ERA, this is a big season. Wallace said the 6-4, 235-pound right-hander should be improved.

"Like with any of our guys, the player holds the most responsibility for his improvement,'' Wallace said. "But for Cody that's a great thing, because he is someone who is going to work as hard as he needs to to get the job done. He's one of those guys you have to pull back. If anything, he will overwork, which is a great problem to have.

"We identified some mobility issues with him at the end of last season that were keeping him from getting into some of the mechanical positions he needs to have more success, and maximize his ability as a pitcher. He did a great job of attacking those limitations this off-season. He's in a much better place right now as far as his mechanics and his strength."

Corey Kluber isn't the only Tribe starting pitcher with a shiny new contract. The Indians officially announced a four-year contract extension for Carlos Carrasco on Tuesday.

HOUSTON -- Corey Kluber isn't the only Tribe starting pitcher with a shiny new contract. The Indians officially announced a four-year contract extension for Carlos Carrasco on Tuesday.

The deal includes club options for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The base of the contract is reportedly worth $22 million.

After a tumultuous first four outings with the Indians last season, Carrasco was banished to the bullpen. He thrived in the reliever role and after he returned to the rotation in August, he posted a 1.30 ERA in 10 starts. In those 10 outings, he allowed only 45 hits in 69 innings, with 78 strikeouts and only 11 walks.

Carrasco, 28, had signed a one-year deal worth $2.3 million over the winter. He was not eligible to become a free agent until after the 2017 season.

Financial details:

2015: $2.34M

2016: $4.5M

2017: $6.5M

2018: $8.0M

2019: $9M option

2020: $9.5M option

$662,500 buyout

More to come on cleveland.com

Coach K has won with so any different teams, but it still was a surprise that he won with a different style and such a thin team this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- He won with Grant Hill, who could've been great in the NBA except for injuries; and he won with Bobby Hurley, who was so pale and scrawny that he didn't look as though he even belonged on the court.

He won with Christian Laettner, who hit some of the most dramatic shots ever; and he won with Mike Dunleavy, who is still swishing them in the NBA, as he did in 2001 against Arizona.

He won against giants such as UNLV; he won against giant-killers such as Butler; and he won against the future as it was embodied by the instant gratification of the Fab Five of Michigan.

He won against Michigan State in this year's NCAA Tournament semifinals; and he won against Wisconsin in the final, producing a similar effect on Big Ten  basketball to that of the SEC in the past in football.

He won this year with one-and-done players, the same as Kentucky, without the  shaming John Calipari receives.

It was Kentucky's year until Wisconsin caught and passed the Wildcats in the final minutes Saturday night, and then it was Wisconsin's year until Duke caught and passed the Badgers in the final minutes Monday night.

There is always the chance that it can be another season in the sun for Mike Krzyzewski. His best coaching job came this season because Krzyzewski won the 2015 NCAA Tournament without anywhere near the best talent he has ever had at Duke.

Still, three freshmen who could be lottery picks, including the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four, Tyus Jones, make up for a lot.

In the hard-fought championship game, Krzyzewski coached better than Wisconsin's Bo Ryan, despite a short bench and foul trouble to Duke's best player, Jahlil Okafor. To coin a phrase: "I know Wisconsin lost the game. Deal with it."

Krzyzewski has almost always played a ferocious man-to-man defense, which he learned at the knee of a young Bob Knight at West Point. One year after one of his most stunning losses, a first-game exit at the hands of Mercer, Krzyzewski won it all by not being stubborn about dancing with the one who brung him. That was because the one who brung him had lost its groove and wasn't getting it back.

He switched to a 2-3 zone out of necessity after two straight lopsided defeats during the Atlantic Coast Conference's regular season. He used the zone as the situation demanded after that. It was a lesson about his willingness to admit he was failing in a coach's responsibility to put his players in the best position to succeed.

Under Coach K's direction, Duke basketball has not been tarnished by academic scandals, as happened at Syracuse and Connecticut under iconic coaches Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun. The fake classes for jocks were at North Carolina, not Duke.

For his part, Krzyzewski observed Knight's best principles in academic integrity and rules compliance and discarded his mentor's personal baggage.

Given the sweeping changes that have occurred in Krzyzewski's 35 years at Duke and the parity in the modern college game, he stands unchallenged as the greatest coach of his era and as the greatest clean coach of any era, and all in the face of widespread animosity because of his program's success.

When Krzyzewski won his fifth NCAA championship Monday night, it put him second on the all-time list behind UCLA's John Wooden, who won 10 in 12 Final Four appearances.

In Krzyzewski's dozen Final Fours, the coach has been nothing less than a basketball equivalent of Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 golf majors and was second 19 more times. Twenty-four years separated Nicklaus' first and last major in golf, the same span as between Krzyzewski's first and fifth NCAA championship.

The Blue Devils were denied by "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison of Louisville in 1986; by the three-ball of Arkansas' Scotty Thurman in 1994; by the defense of UConn's Ricky Moore on Trajan Langdon in the last minutes in 1999; and by the late charge, led by Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon for UConn, in 2004.

As for Wooden's 10 titles, the fields were smaller then; it took only four victories to win each NCAA Tournament, not six; regional brackets were dictated by geography and not competitively balanced; and Krzyzewski did not have, nor did he want, all of the resources of the Wooden-Sam Gilbert era.

"I saw enough of him before he had surgery to know that this guy can play," OSU cornerback coach Kerry Coombs said Tuesday. "I think he's hungry. I think he's tired of sitting around."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The competition is underway, and more competitors are on the way. Next week, Ohio State hopes redshirt freshman cornerback Marshon Lattimore gets to make his case.

On the football roster right now, young options abound. A guy like Lattimore, ranked as the No. 52 overall prospect in the Class of 2014 by 247sports.com, wants to make sure he remains one of the options at cornerback.

Cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said Tuesday the Buckeyes hope Lattimore can return to full practice next week for the first time since he had season-ending hamstring surgery late last August, before his first year of college football could even begin.

"I saw enough of him before he had surgery to know that this guy can play," Coombs said after the ninth practice of spring football. "I think he's hungry. I think he's tired of sitting around. I think those are dangerous guys. I can't wait to see him play. He's a big strong corner that in my opinion is going to be a dynamic football player."

The question is when. Glenville High School teammate and OSU sophomore safety Erick Smith said last week he thought Lattimore was close to 85 or 90 percent. Smith said he knows Lattimore is ready to do more. Coombs, who said Lattimore took part in six of the lighter practice periods on Tuesday, sees the same thing.

"I think it stinks," Coombs said of Lattimore's time away with the injury. "When you're an elite athlete, the last thing you want to do is sit on the bench and not do anything."

So Coombs said Lattimore has been engaged in every meeting, and working on the side during practice, sometimes with student coach Armani Reeves, the Buckeyes' nickelback last season who ended his playing career because of concussions.

While returning starter Eli Apple is locked in at one corner spot, Lattimore is among the bevy of young possibilities for the other side of the field.

Redshirt sophomore Gareon Conley is leading the fight to win the starting corner job held by Doran Grant last year. Then comes sophomore Damon Webb, the No. 35 overall recruit in 2014. On the way in the Class of 2015 are possibilities like Eric Glover-Williams, Denzel Ward, Joshua Norwood, Damon Arnett and Jamel Dean (who is enrolled for spring), as the Buckeyes signed five defensive backs in their latest class.

Lattimore was as highly regarded as any. While fellow class of 2014 members Smith and Webb earned playing time and gained experience on special teams last season, Lattimore's injury kept him on the sideline.

Not for much longer.

"We've been building toward that. Everything is going well," Coombs said of Lattimore's return to full speed. "I think the next two weeks are important for him, and then the summer is going to be critical, but I expect him to play."

When Lattimore is healthy, he'll finally be able to fully join the fight to determine just how much he might play.

David Blatt said the Cavaliers "had to finish second" in the East back on March 16. LeBron James shrugged it off at the time, but it's about to happen.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cavaliers are on the verge of more than just locking down the second seed in the East and clinching their first Central Division championship since 2010.

They're about to respond to their coach.

If the Cavs win one of their next five or the Chicago Bulls lose one, Cleveland will tie up the No. 2 position for the playoffs and, by proxy, the Central Division title.

Back on March 16, following a 106-92 loss to the Heat in Miami, coach David Blatt told reporters in no uncertain terms "we've got to finish in second place." Told of Blatt's declaration, LeBron James shrugged it off and said "that's for the coaching staff, that's what they want. ... I never play for seeding."

James' actions haven't matched his rhetoric. He played banged up and sick and has led the Cavs to a 7-1 record since that night. Cleveland defeated the Nets, Pacers, Bucks, Grizzlies, Heat and Bulls during that time span -- all teams either in or vying for the playoffs.

"I thought I challenged them and myself and I thought we responded very well to that, and that's a good thing," Blatt said Tuesday after practice. The Cavs play in Milwaukee Wednesday.

James stood by his original comments Tuesday, reiterating that the second seed was Blatt's goal and playoff positioning is not something he pursues. Nevertheless, James and his teammates are ready to make good on Blatt's edict, rather than losing focus or asking to rest with a playoff spot already secured.

James is averaging 22.5 points, 7.8 rebounds (his season average is 6.0) and 7.1 assists, as he's gone to the post more to ready himself for the playoffs.

The Cavs led the Toronto Raptors by just two games on the morning of March 17, and were 2.5 ahead of the Bulls. A slip here or there in focus, especially against teams that obviously had something to play for, and the Cavs might easily have ended up in fourth.

Instead, only Kevin Love has missed time since March 16, and it was Blatt's decision to sit him against the Heat on April 2 because of a back injury suffered March 29 against Philadelphia.

On Tuesday James said he would rest before the season is over, but would consult with Blatt and the trainers to figure out the right time.

"I've kind of went out and just played as hard as I can, tried to lead my guys and (if) we're fortunate enough to be one, two, three, whatever the case may be, then we've put ourselves in position, if we follow the process, to win in the postseason," James said.

The win over Central Division-rival Chicago on Easter gave the Cavs 50 wins for just the eighth time in franchise history. One more victory would clinch the franchise's fourth Central title -- following those won in 1976, 2009 and 2010.

In reality, seeding can have a greater impact on a team than a division championship. For instance, the Raptors have already won the Atlantic Division but may wind up behind both the Cavs and Bulls in the playoffs -- which affects who they play in the first and second rounds.

"I mean, banners matter," James said with more than a hint of irony. "I think a lot of people take it for granted. ... Those things will last forever in the record books. Any time you're able to put yourself in the record books, they last forever."

Question: When are the Cleveland Indians going to start hitting? Answer: Maybe in the second game of the season? -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You Said It is based on the premise that the only thing Cleveland sports fans need more than a championship is a sense of humor...

YOU SAID IT

(The Regular Tuesday Edition)

Hey Bud: I see after one game Corey Kluber is in mid-season form. Unfortunately, so is the rest of the team -- Ted, Concord

I did not expect this kind of snark aimed at the Indians until at least the second home game of the season.

Bud: Is Tiger Woods now part of "the field?" -- Peg, Parma Hts

Tiger's odds of winning the Masters dipped to 40-1, approximately the same odds given You Said It contributors in their "job searches."

Bud: That was classic video of Eric Gregg on-line. Do you think Gregg had early dinner reservations? -- O. Bill Stone

I'll use it again here so people know what you're talking about. Dinner reservations? I was thinking more along the lines of astigmatism or a bet on the game.

Bud: An 'Arnold Palmer' is a refreshing mix of iced tea and lemonade. What would a 'Bud Shaw' be? -- Tom Hoffner, Broadview Hts

Just your basic career on the rocks.

Bud: For the upcoming NFL draft, Mel Kiper Jr. says Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory, after a failed drug test for marijuana, could fall to the Browns at No. 12. Great, another toker! Will the new Browns uniforms offer an optional smoking jacket? -- Randy Verner, Chagrin Falls

First-time You Said It winners are hungry for recognition.

Bud: Browns are going to name the pedestrian bridge to the stadium: Bridge over the River Cry -- Bill Litzler

Repeat winners are left high and dry. 

One writer believes the Browns will regret not getting Sam Bradford.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Readers of these links (and of our Browns section in general) have seen plenty about Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford. This is what happens when a football team doesn't have a quarterback and said team had (or still has?) a shot to land a maybe-good-when-healthy, still young player at the game's most important position.

This is what happens when a team's quarterbacks are Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis.

Here's the other thing about Bradford: What you or I or anyone thinks about the guy doesn't matter, because the Browns seem to like him. Jeff Fisher indicated as much. While you may have breathed a giant sigh of relief when Bradford ended up in Philadelphia, the Browns didn't, and it sent them back to the start in their hunt for a quarterback.

That's the angle Bleacher Report's Andrea Hangst takes when she breaks down the moves the Browns might most regret not making this off-season. Hangst had previously recommended staying away from Bradford. So why does Bradford now make her list of moves the Browns will regret not making? 

"Bradford, with his injury history, may not be a good fit for the Browns anyway. But given that they made such an aggressive play for him, it's clearly one of their off-season regrets."

The Browns targeted Bradford -- to the point where they reportedly offered a first-round pick for him -- missed and now are stuck back where they began. More from Hangst:

"For better or worse, the Cleveland Browns spent a good chunk of their off-season coveting then-St. Louis Rams quarterback Bradford. Ultimately, Bradford and the Rams opted to accept a trade to the Philadelphia Eagles, with the Eagles shipping quarterback Nick Foles to St. Louis as part of the agreement.

"Though the Browns were offering at least a first-round pick in either 2015 or 2016 -- MMQB's Peter King isn't sure which year -- Bradford was less open to signing a contract extension in Cleveland than he was in Philadelphia."

Regrets everywhere. Hangst has four others in her post. Check them out here.

More Browns links

ABCs of the Cleveland Browns off-season (ClevelandBrowns.com)

Mike Pettine elaborates on Browns' move to Josh McCown (ESPN.com)

NFL links

McCoy on Buffalo: It feels more like NFL than Philly (NFL.com)

Re-grading the 2012 NFL Draft: The time I gave Russell Wilson a C+ (CBSsports.com)

Rhythm could become a problem for Cavaliers when LeBron James and others take a much-needed break.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- He's not sure of the day, but LeBron James reiterated on Tuesday that he will sit out a few Cavaliers games before the playoffs begin on April 18.

"I've always taken a couple games off before the postseason, over my career. I don't know when. That's something me and the coaching staff and the training staff will sit down and go over, what will benefit me, benefit the team," James said after Tuesday's practice before they hit the road for Milwaukee.

"I've always been the same way. I don't change too much. I've always been the same. How I get at this time has always been the same over my 10 years of being in the postseason, so it won't change."

Considering his pending absence, James was asked what's an ideal way for the team to finish out the season.

"With rhythm," he responded. "Win, lose or draw. You want to try to have some type of rhythm."

That could become a complicated matter being that James is surely not the only major Cavaliers contributor expected to take a night off soon.

Cleveland (50-27) has five games remaining in the regular season. Milwaukee, Boston back-to-back, Detroit and Washington are all on deck with something to play for, with the exception of the Pistons.

A win against the Bucks on Wednesday would lock up the No. 2 seed and the Central Division. If that scenario plays out, coach David Blatt will be faced with the difficult task of finding rest for his players, and in the process, try not to lose momentum.

"We're getting awfully close to playoff time and it's important that we maintain a level of game-conditioning and game-readiness together and balanced with the physical state of the players," Blatt said. "Unfortunately we're still not quite there yet so it's a little hard to think exactly how we want to handle that. We're just not there yet."

Point guard Kyrie Irving and power forward Kevin Love -- players who have been banged up all year -- will almost certainly be told to dress to impress during one of the upcoming games. Center Timofey Mozgov could also catch a breather.

Regardless of who takes the floor, James believes the team will be in good shape as long as they continue to adhere to the team's principles.

"Even if we've got guys resting or not, you still play your game," James said. "Obviously you can kind of take an account of who's in and who's out, but you play your type of basketball. The one thing you can control no matter who's in the lineup is how hard you play and how together you play, no matter who's out there."

James made it clear that he isn't fatigued. His approach is solely geared towards ensuring he's in near tip-top health before he embarks on attempting to claim his third NBA title.

He may be in street clothes soon, but he hasn't crashed.

"You get rest when you retire," he said.