On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Indians have watched their AL Central foes trade Chris Sale, Adam Eaton and Wade Davis. While the rest of the division is retooling, the Indians are sitting pretty.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - For the third time in two days an important player has left the AL Central. If the Indians aren't cheering out loud, they're quietly rubbing their hands together in delight.

On Tuesday, the White Sox traded left-hander Chris Sale to Boston. On Wednesday, Kansas City sent closer Wade Davis to the Cubs and the White Sox sent center fielder Adam Eaton to the Nationals.

All of this is good news for the Indians. The trade of Sale, and the words that GM Rich Hahn said afterward, left no doubt that the White Sox are rebuilding. Veterans Todd Frazier, Jose Quintana, Melky Cabrera, Jose Abreu and closer David Robertson better stay attached to their cellphones because they could be gone next.

Kansas City GM Dayton Moore sent Davis to the Cubs for outfielder Jorge Soler with a slightly different message. Moore said the Royals, who have played in two of the last three World Series, will try to win and rebuild at the same time. A lot of GMs have said the same thing and found it hard to do.

The problem is that every season has a tipping point. When that tipping point comes, the difference between 78 and 85 wins fades. The future, instead of the present, becomes more important.

The Royals have several players eligible for free agency after the 2017 season. The list includes shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson, first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and left-hander Danny Duffy. That is the core of the team that won two AL pennants and a World Series championship in 2014 and 2015.

If the Royals are playing lukewarm baseball come the July 31 trading deadline, it will be difficult not to start sending those players to the far-flung corners of MLB.

"That is the challenge," said Moore. "We think it's important to try and accomplish both (winning and retooling). We expect to win in 2017 and put a competitive team on the field and compete within our division."

Let the rebuilding begin for Chicago White Sox

In Detroit, Al Avila, executive vice president of baseball operations, said a while ago that he wants the Tigers to get younger and leaner. It sounded like changes were coming, and they still might be, but as manager Brad Ausmus said Tuesday it's going to be difficult.

Players such as Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, Victor Martinez, Jordan Zimmerman, Anibal Sanchez and Ian Kinsler have big deals. No matter how talented a player is, it's hard to move contracts like that, especially if no-trade clauses are involved.

"Going from the end of 2016 to the start of spring training 2017, I don't think there's going to be a ton of change," said Ausmus. "But it's so much easier to talk about trading people and a lot harder to actually trade them; especially when you're talking about guys that have some sizable contracts."

Then the manager in Ausmus came out.

"Quite frankly, even talking about being more responsible fiscally, we don't want to trade," he said. "We like them, especially some of the names mentioned earlier in the season, Miguel, Justin, I don't want those guys traded. Are you kidding me? That's the last thing I want. I just think it's easy to talk about and harder to do."

The Indians went 14-4 against the Tigers last season. Along with a franchise record 14-game winning streak, that was the big reason they won their first division title in nine years.

In talking about the Central, Ausmus said, "It's still the Indians on top. They have a very good team, the vast majority is coming back. Right now they are the cream of the Central Division, and it's up to us to catch them."

If the Indians are going to feel a push from below, it will probably come from the Royals and Tigers. So where does that leave the Twins?

Minnesota finished last this year in the Central, losing 103 games. Derek Falvey, former assistant general manager of the Indians, took over their baseball operations at the end of the World Series.

They have a lot of work to do, especially on the pitching end of things. The Twins had the highest ERA in the AL at 5.08 and their starting pitchers lost 71 games.

The Indians do not operate in a vacuum. They have taken notice of the goings and comings in the Central. And as usual, they are staying in their own lane.

"Our focus in the off-season is entirely putting the best team together that we can," said GM Mike Chernoff. "You see what is happening with the other teams, but it's not like we can control it. We try not to focus on that and concentrate on improving our team the most."

The Indians went 94-67 last season. Over 50 percent of those wins were earned in the division. So the Indians are probably wise to speak softly. There is no reason to raise their voice.

Hue Jackson promised the Browns will never trade future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas on his watch. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Hue Jackson promised Wednesday that he'll protect Joe Thomas and that the nine-time Pro Bowler won't ever be traded on his watch.

"That's not happening or I'm going with him, okay?'' Jackson said. "I guarantee you that. I'm going with him. No, Joe Thomas means too much to this organization and to this football team. As I said to everybody, I want us to do right by him. Right by that is let's go get this man some wins. He deserves that.

"He deserves to be on a winning football team and have a chance to chase playoffs and championships. That's why you're here. ... We have to get this thing right for those guys because it's truly what it is about - our fans, our organization - but those players, they give a lot and we have to give it back to them."

Jackson said he would've put his foot down if the Browns had tried to trade Thomas at the deadline in November. Last year, they came close with Denver on a deal that included a first-round pick.

"Let me say this, there was never any talk about Joe Thomas leaving here (this year),'' Jackson said. "Joe Thomas means a lot to me personally and a lot to this organization and this team and this city. He's done too much, and we need to keep him here."

Jackson has become close to Thomas, who was named by the Browns as their Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for his excellence on and off the field.  

"I knew how good of a football player he was, but I didn't know how good of a person he is, as a pro and leader he is in the locker room,'' he said. "I think it's important to him. There's not another person in this organization that wants to make this right more than Joe Thomas.

"I'm disappointed for him in the records that he's had. I'm a part of that with him. Trust me, I'm going to do everything I can to change that. This guy deserves an opportunity to win. ... He is one of the best I've ever been around."

Thomas, when informed that Jackson would leave if he did, joked, "Oh, that's nice of him. Where we going, the Bahamas? I'm in."

In all seriousness, the respect is mutual. Thomas wants to stay here as much as Jackson wants him to.

"From the moment that Hue got here, him and I have had a close relationship and it's built on trust and honesty and we both like how the other person operates and how they do their business,'' Thomas said. "I've been an admirer of Hue since his days in Oakland even and then when we'd play them twice a year with Cincinnati, I always really respected him as a coach and I enjoyed talking with him after games.

"Since he's been here I have really even had another level of respect for the way he has handled this difficult season and kind of the difficult cards that he's been dealt. I don't think there's many coaches in the NFL -- in all of NFL history -- that would have been able to handle this situation as well as he has. ... He means so much to this team and to these players right now and I think we all feel very fortunate that he's our head coach.''

RG3: 'When you see a coach break down ... it makes you want to win for him'

Jackson is coaching Thomas in what will likely be his 10th straight Pro Bowl season. The first NFL offensive lineman to be named to the game in his first nine seasons has played every offensive snap of his career, all 9,684 of them. It's the longest active streak in the league. But he's gone 47-109 in his career.  

"I think our young players probably do not truly understand how fortunate they are to be around a player like Joe," said Jackson. "You're talking about a guy that has never missed a down, never missed a game, finds a way to be out there when I know maybe there are times he should not be. But it is that important to him to be out there with his teammates.''

Thomas named Browns Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee

Jackson, who's struggled with this 0-12 season, has taken solace in friendships with guys like Thomas.

"If there's a silver lining in this, it's the time and conversations that I've had with him. Because he's taught me a lot about what being a pro truly is ... walking out on Sunday and competing the way he does.''

The Ohio State Buckeyes who have won individual national awards in the football program's history.

Kevin Love's long outlet passes to LeBron James are becoming a nice habit for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kevin Love's long outlet "touchdown" passes to LeBron James are becoming a regular occurrence for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Love connected with James on another two-handed overhead pass that traveled the length of the court and ended with a LeBron dunk in front of New York's Kristaps Porzingis.

Earlier in the half, Love found James streaking up the right sideline with a long pass that resulted in James drawing a foul against Porzingis.

James finished the first quarter with eight points and three assists while Love has 16 points on 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range. He also has a pair of assists.

From bucket to bucket. T O U C H D O W N !!#DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/dHqZtBFDmF

-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 8, 2016

Cleveland State won back-to-back games for the first time this season after taking down Western Michigan on Wednesday night

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State used hot hands from Bobby Word, Rob Edwards, plus center Demonte Flannigan to easily handle Western Michigan, 85-62, Wednesday night in Quicken Loans Arena.

Edwards scored 13 of his 15 points in the opening half, then Flannigan (20 points) and Word (25) delivered the bulk of their scoring after intermission. Word was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers. Guard Thomas Wilder led WMU with 12 points.

• Game summary

Western Michigan (2-6) had the size, but Cleveland State (3-5) had the feet and hands. With 11:01 to play, the Vikings had a 59-39 lead and turnovers were key as the Broncos were already in the books with 14 and the Vikings had 13 fast-break points.

CSU started to get some breathing room at the end of the first half, taking a 37-31 lead. Then a 22-8 run to start the second half put the game away.

Turning its pressure and trapping defense on and off in spurts, the Vikings were able to keep the Broncos out of sync enough to force nine turnovers in the opening half, leading to a 37-31 halftime lead.

The Broncos made four of their first five 3-pointers in the game, and 4-of-8 by the half. But along with the turnovers, Cleveland State was able to stay even on the boards at the half, 14-14, and the Vikings were also shooting a very good 51.7 percent from the field, led by 13 points from Edwards.

Cleveland State shot 58.6 percent for the game and out-rebounded the Broncos, 32-25, along with forcing 16 turnovers for the game.

Did you know: CSU's Edwards scored a career-high 28 points at Kentucky. ... The Vikings next game is at Purdue on Saturday at noon. ... Flannigan played his fourth straight game for CSU after missing the first four games of the season with medical issues.

LeBron James thundered home a Statue of Liberty dunk in Madison Square Garden vs. the Knicks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James closed out the second quarter Wednesday against the New York Knicks with a flurry, scoring on a majestic one-handed dunk and finishing at the rim on a spinning layup.

With less than two minutes left in the second quarter, James took a feed from Kyrie Irving in transition and thundered down the lane for a dunk in front of Justin Holiday.

James closed the half with 19 points, five assists and two rebounds. Kevin Love added 16 for Cleveland.

LeBron has ARRIVED at MSG. @ESPNNBA #NBARapidReplay pic.twitter.com/dZD4sE6V8q

-- NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2016

The dunk so nice, he slammed it twice. #CavsKnicks pic.twitter.com/cJMC9HCiea

-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 8, 2016

Cleveland received 74 points combined from Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love in a blowout win over the New York Knicks.

NEW YORK -- Cavs coach Tyronn Lue kind of ripped his team Wednesday night, saying its identity 20 games into the season was "offensive minded."

And then the Cavs went out and played one of their more complete games of the season, routing the New York Knicks 126-94.

Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 28 points and added six assists. LeBron James contributed 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds in three quarters, and Kevin Love scored 21 points. Tristan Thompson posted a season-high 20 rebounds, one shy of his career high.

Cleveland set a season high with 22 3-pointers.

The Cavs have won eight straight over the Knicks, who had won their last four games. At 15-5, Cleveland is two games ahead of where it was at this point last season.

Signs of a possible blowout were everywhere, among them Derrick Rose's absence because of a sore back and this being the Knicks' third game in four nights. The Cavs' best players also have a history of dominance against New York, especially at Madison Square Garden. We'll get to that later.

Before these two teams took the court, Lue chided the Cavs as being "offensive minded" because "it comes easy for those guys and when it comes easy we tend to get caught up in the just back and forth instead of getting stops and taking on that tough grind-it-out game.

"I mean, when you got guys like Kyrie, Bron and Kevin who can score so easy, sometimes that just (becomes), 'Oh, you scored, but we know we can score the basketball.' So now we got to get back to playing Cavaliers basketball on the defensive end."

The Cavs' recent three-game losing streak was marked by poor defense, especially in the paint.

The Knicks scored just 28 in the lane Wednesday night, and shot 40.2 percent (35-of-87) from the field while committing 16 turnovers that led to 17 Cavaliers points. Cleveland outscored the Knicks on the fastbreak, 23-8.

It was a far cry from Friday night, when the Bulls shoved their way to 78 points in the paint against the same Cavs.

Brandon Jennings started for Rose and scored 16 points. Carmelo Anthony had just eight points in 24 minutes. The Knicks managed 65 points through three quarters. Lue went deep into his bench in the fourth.

Irving has now gone over 20 points in a career-high 11 consecutive games. Love scored 16 points in first quarter.

It was the sixth time this season James, Irving, and Love all scored at least 20 points in a game. The Cavs improved to 14-2 since the start of the 2014-15 season when their Big 3 each contributes 20 or more.

Entering play Monday, James was averaging 28.5 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 22 regular-season games at Madison Square Garden. Irving was averaging 28.4 points in five games here, his highest scoring average in any arena. Love had posted double-doubles in 12 of his last 14 games against the Knicks.

"The greats want to play great in the Garden," Lue said. "It's historic when you play here, and most guys want to play great in the Garden."

DeAndre Liggins made his second career start Wednesday and scored six points in 21 minutes. Liggins started in place of J.R. Smith, who is day-to-day with a hyper-extended left knee.

Iman Shumpert scored 14 points and grabbed six boards off the bench.

NEXT: The Cavs return to The Q for a three-game homestand beginning with Friday's game against Miami at 7:30 p.m.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving spent Wednesday's fourth quarter taking part in the water bottle flip challenge.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With the Cleveland Cavaliers comfortably ahead of the New York Knicks late Wednesday, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving were on the bench and searching for a new challenge.

They found it in the form of a plastic water bottle.

James and Irving were seen taking part in the water bottle flip challenge, a popular game mostly played by bored middle schoolers, that involves flipping a half-filled water bottle in the air and trying to get it to land standing up.

Landing a bottle on its cap end, or "capping" it, is considered extra special.

Kyrie was on fire tonight [?] https://t.co/GpzEVZjQ2C

-- Sports Nation Ohio (@SN_Ohio) December 8, 2016

Video from the sidelines shows Irving succeeding at landing a bottle standing up, while James failed spectacularly at the challenge, with his toss landing too far out on the court while the ball was in play.

James had to scramble forward to collect the bottle before an official caught sight of it.

Cavs' dominance of Knicks continues

That was about all the challenge James and Irving had on Wednesday, as the Cavaliers hit 22 shots from 3-point range and won going away, 126-94.

When you're playing the Knicks and up 29, you play flip the water bottle. Lol, the Cavs pic.twitter.com/eWnne023Mt

-- Renato Mazariegos (@RPMSports18) December 8, 2016

Kyrie post-game:

"If you land it you're like a legend...I was trying to put my mark on the Water Bottle Challenge." [?] https://t.co/nULjVHY8k0

-- NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 8, 2016

See who won and lost around the OHSAA on Wednesday in girls basketball.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here are Wednesday's girls basketball scores from around the state, courtesy of The Associated Press:

Akr. Coventry 41, Mogadore Field 37

Akr. Hoban 76, Youngs. Ursuline 69

Alliance Marlington 54, Akr. Manchester 42

Amherst Steele 59, Lakewood 51

Aurora 32, Barberton 30

Austintown Fitch 65, Struthers 55

Beachwood 62, Wickliffe 39

Berea-Midpark 57, Westlake 48

Berlin Hiland 100, Newcomerstown 10

Brookfield 73, Youngs. Valley Christian 69

Brooklyn 53, Cle. John Marshall 30

Can. McKinley 82, Akr. SVSM 60

Chesterland W. Geauga 53, Geneva 11

Chillicothe 44, Greenfield McClain 38

Cin. Deer Park 40, Cin. Finneytown 29

Cin. Mariemont 41, Cin. Indian Hill 29

Cin. N. College Hill 44, Hamilton New Miami 27

Cin. Sycamore 43, Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 41

Cin. Turpin 56, Cin. Glen Este 48

Cin. Walnut Hills 54, Cin. Withrow 46

Cin. Winton Woods 55, Cin. Hughes 47

Clarksville Clinton-Massie 47, Hillsboro 32

Cle. St. Joseph 59, Rocky River Magnificat 55

Cortland Lakeview 58, Jefferson Area 39

Cuyahoga Hts. 27, Fairport Harbor Harding 13

Day. Carroll 48, Bellbrook 40

Dresden Tri-Valley 49, Crooksville 38

Eastlake N. 51, Chagrin Falls Kenston 46

Elyria Cath. 65, Cle. Cent. Cath. 46

Fairfield 56, Cin. Princeton 50

Fayetteville-Perry 67, Batavia Clermont NE 42

Garrettsville Garfield 77, Hartville Lake Center Christian 28

Gates Mills Hawken 54, Middlefield Cardinal 36

Green 49, Copley 33

Independence 61, Richmond Hts. 14

Kirtland 39, Burton Berkshire 13

Lebanon 74, Clayton Northmont 60

Lisbon Beaver 48, Girard 35

Lorain Clearview 54, Cle. MLK 32

Louisville 57, Canfield 30

Loveland 56, Milford 52

Lyndhurst Brush 69, Willoughby S. 32

Magnolia Sandy Valley 55, Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 30

Malvern 50, W. Lafayette Ridgewood 44

Maple Hts. 67, Garfield Hts. 16

Mason 49, Cin. Oak Hills 41

Massillon Jackson 52, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 32

Massillon Perry 62, E. Cle. Shaw 31

Medina 45, Elyria 35

Middletown 65, Cin. Colerain 59

Mogadore 73, Mantua Crestwood 67

N. Olmsted 56, Avon Lake 53

N. Ridgeville 72, Grafton Midview 31

N. Royalton 46, Hudson 39

New Albany 62, Cols. DeSales 53

New Philadelphia 73, Cambridge 36

Newton Falls 41, Leavittsburg LaBrae 36

Norton 69, Lodi Cloverleaf 52

Oak Glen, W.Va. 59, E. Liverpool 52

Painesville Riverside 55, Madison 41

Parma Hts. Valley Forge 40, Fairview 34

Parma Padua 64, Bedford 55

Patriot Preparatory Academy 55, Cols. Independence 29

Ravenna 56, Akr. Springfield 37

Ravenna SE 70, Atwater Waterloo 35

Reedsville Eastern 61, Stewart Federal Hocking 36

Shaker Hts. Laurel 41, Mentor Lake Cath. 28

Solon 71, Euclid 63

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place 40, Cin. Seven Hills 26

Steubenville 57, Weir, W.Va. 35

Stow-Munroe Falls 51, Macedonia Nordonia 37

Streetsboro 52, Peninsula Woodridge 25

Strongsville 61, Brunswick 44

Sugarcreek Garaway 56, E. Can. 36

Tallmadge 59, Kent Roosevelt 34

Trenton Edgewood 26, Middletown Fenwick 14

Trotwood-Madison 48, Fairborn 41

W. Chester Lakota W. 75, Hamilton 40

Wadsworth 46, Cuyahoga Falls 29

Warren Howland 67, Ashtabula Lakeside 26

Washington C.H. 55, Lees Creek E. Clinton 51

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 52, Wilmington 37

Windham 46, Rootstown 30

Youngs. East 46, Hubbard 28

Zanesville 56, Uhrichsville Claymont 26

Zanesville Maysville 53, Philo 22

Zanesville Rosecrans 62, Byesville Meadowbrook 41

Zanesville W. Muskingum 63, New Lexington 34

Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 72, Strasburg-Franklin 6

Leesburg Fairfield vs. Bainbridge Paint Valley, ppd.

See who won and lost on Wednesday around the OHSAA in boys basketball.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here are Wednesday's boys basketball scores from around the state, courtesy of The Associated Press.

Baltimore Liberty Union 55, Millersport 52

Cle. Hts. Lutheran E. 89, Cle. Whitney Young 36

Cols. East 60, Cols. Horizon Science 53

Lima Perry 72, Cory-Rawson 35

Linsly, W.Va. 74, Bellaire St. John 55

Logan 77, Pataskala Licking Hts. 45

Sardinia Eastern Brown 55, Piketon 45

Tol. Rogers 59, Tol. Woodward 51

Tol. Start 55, Tol. Scott 43

The Knicks had won four straight and were feeling good about themselves. And that's what Wednesday turned into, another reminder of the gap between the Cavaliers and the rest of the Eastern Conference when the champs are fully engaged.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With about a minute remaining, and the game already decided, the Cleveland Cavaliers' mainstays sat on the bench playing their own game, the Water Bottle Challenge.

Kyrie & LeBron attempted the water bottle challenge during the @cavs blowout win in MSG...[?] pic.twitter.com/ac6cVjP7px

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 8, 2016

It was more entertaining and competitive than what transpired inside Madison Square Garden Wednesday night.

Kyrie Irving took a turn before LeBron James tried, even diving on the floor to grab a failed attempt -- one of the few things Cleveland couldn't get right during a rout against the New York Knicks.

Then it happened.

Before leaving the arena -- at one time filled with luminaries -- Irving finally got the bottle to land upright, capping the Cavs' magnificent night.

The Knicks had won four straight and were feeling good about themselves. But they couldn't hang with the champs, couldn't even keep it respectable. Wednesday's lopsided contest was yet another reminder of the gap between the Cavaliers and the rest of the Eastern Conference when fully engaged.

Here are five observations:

LeBron sets the tone - James looked primed to put on a show. Being inside The Mecca and playing against his buddy Carmelo Anthony had him energized from the opening tip.

Prior to the game, ESPN Analysts opined about James' point total. But scoring isn't always how James dazzles, which is the true beauty of the four-time MVP's game.

On Wednesday, his defensive effort against Anthony stood out most. James crowded Anthony on the perimeter and rarely gave him any space to fire off his patented jumpers. James chased Anthony around screens and even bodied him in the post, forcing Anthony to fade from the hoop in the rare instances the Knicks star was able to even get a shot attempt.

Defense -> Offense #NBARapidReplay pic.twitter.com/cdxTOkXsVJ

-- NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2016

Anthony finished with eight points on 4-of-9 from the field in 24 minutes. It's not only his lowest point total this season, but his lowest since January 2011 against the Hornets.

On a night the Cavaliers reached the 100-point mark early in the fourth quarter, the other end of the floor impressed head coach Tyronn Lue even more.

"I thought we did a great job of flying around, sticking to the game plan, doing it the right way," Lue told reporters after the game. "We made a few mistakes, but that's going to happen in a basketball game of 48 minutes. For the most part the guys stuck with the game plan."

The recent slippage on defense was bothersome. It led to a tough, but necessary, film session to straighten things out. Since that get-together, the Cavs have been more locked in on that end, holding the Knicks to 94 points on 35-of-87 (40.2 percent) from the field.

DeAndre Liggins' impact - Take the one-on-one challenge. It's something often uttered by Lue prior to games and during timeouts. Liggins did that.

Making his first start of the season -- and second in his career -- Liggins was asked to defend Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings, starting for injured Derrick Rose.

This season, Irving has been tasked with that and, as per usual, it's come with mixed results. With Courtney Lee as the starting shooting guard, Lue figured he could get away with Irving on Lee. He wanted Liggins, who Lue has called some version of a junkyard dog, hounding Jennings.

The decision paid off.

"DeAndre Liggins coming in and pressuring Brandon Jennings and relieving some of our pressure on the defensive end, he did an incredible job tonight to fill in for Swish," Irving said during his postgame interview.

Liggins' length, athleticism and tenacity were apparent early, as the Knicks' offense couldn't get get into a rhythm.

Jennings, who had a hard time creating any dribble penetration, scored just two points in the first quarter while being guarded by Liggins. Jennings finished with 16 points, but it took him 14 shots to reach that mark. He also dished out just three assists to go with three turnovers.

"He's hawking guys," Irving said of Liggins. "I have the luxury of playing against him in practice and he's picking me up 94 feet. He's just an agitator and he's going to play hard, he's going to play his role and he's going to do it to the best of his ability, which we need from him."

Perhaps using Liggins as the primary defender against opposing point guards will help the recent defensive issues. The Cavs entered the night second-worst in the league, allowing 25.2 points per game on 46 percent shooting to players at that position.

Tristan Thompson cleans the glass - Great defense isn't possible without finishing the possession. That's where Thompson comes in.

With his see-ball-get-ball mentality, Thompson snagged a season-high 20 rebounds, including 14 on the defensive end.

"I know tonight he was all over the place, all over the glass," Lue said. "When teams try to go small against us and we stay big, that's going to happen, so he's always been a great rebounder and tonight getting 20 rebounds was big for him."

Playing fast - The Cavs are at their best in transition, when they are pushing the pace to get easy baskets. Just like so many other aspects, that starts with getting stops and rebounds.

The Cavs turned great defense into offense all night, outscoring the Knicks, 23-8, in fast break points.

Kevin Love hit James on a few outlet passes.

From bucket to bucket. T O U C H D O W N !!#DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/dHqZtBFDmF

-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 8, 2016

Irving tossed alley-oops to James.

New half, same results on ESPN. #NBARapidReplay #DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/PsU7Q1FSrV

-- NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2016

And James found shooters before the defense could get set, helping the Cavs hit a season-high 22 triples while finishing with a team-high seven assists.

Love in the air early at MSG! #NBARapidReplay #DefendtheLand pic.twitter.com/3IsB6wQQKq

-- NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2016

Early offense - Every game the Cavs start with a set designed to get Love a touch. Sometimes it ends with him taking a shot. Other times it could be someone else. But the intention is to get Love involved early, hoping he can get into rhythm.

"When he gets off to good starts our team gets off to good starts," Lue told ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters following the first quarter.

The Cavs outscored New York, 36-26, in the first 12 minutes, with Love being the offensive spark plug.

Kevin Love is on fire on ESPN. 16p in Q1 and the Cavs lead 36-26. pic.twitter.com/VBbOmim3YU

-- NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2016

He scored 16 points -- second-most in any quarter this season -- on 5-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. On Monday, he scored 13 points in the first quarter, helping the Cavs top the Toronto Raptors in a conference finals rematch.

Love has risen to the top of the first-quarter-scoring list, averaging 9.3 points and leaping over league-scoring leader Anthony Davis, who goes for 9.2 in the first period.

Love's early-game outbursts have also helped the Cavs get off to good starts consistently. They are the third-highest scoring team in the first quarter, averaging 30.5 points. The Cavs trail just Houston and Golden State in that category.

The Indians, with the winter meetings ending Thursday, are still taking to versatile free agent outfielder Rajai Davis.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Five quick hits from Wednesday at the winter meetings at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.

No.1: Has anyone seen Rajai?

There has been plenty of written about the pursuit of Mike Napoli, Edwin Encarnacion and several other free agent hitters, but not much has been said about Rajai Davis.

Davis supplied one of the biggest moments of the Indians' season with his game-tying two-run homer in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the World Series. Now he is a free agent, just like Napoli, but there has been little mention of his name outside of Cleveland.

"Rajai was a big part of our team last year and that remains a need for us," said GM Mike Chernoff. "When you take him and Napoli off the team we have two holes in those spots. We continue to target the guys in those spots and much like Nap, giving what he gave us last year, Rajai is obviously a guy we have stayed in touch with."

The Indians went into the winter meetings looking for an outfielder with Davis' skills - speed and the ability to play all three outfield spots. Davis led the AL with 43 steals, while making 66 starts in center, 40 in left and one in right.

The state of the Tribe's outfield in 2017 will depend greatly on how often and how well left fielder Michael Brantley can play. If Brantley is fine, the need for Davis decreases. If he isn't, then Davis could fill as big a role as he did last year.

One way or the other, the Indians are going to need a versatile outfielder like Davis.

Brantley scheduled to start swinging bat in late December

No.2: Can the Indians sing "Time is on my side' as well as Mick Jagger?

The Indians have the waiting game down. They've done it for years in their search for free agent bargains.

They're trying to see if it works again this winter with a glut of much more attractive hitters than they're used to dealing with. They landed Mike Napoli last year with patience and communication. It took until January, but look what Napoli delivered - 34 homers and 101 RBI.

They're talking to him again along with Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Mark Trumbo, Chris Carter and others.

"Patience is the right word, but I don't think you sit back and let it come to you," said Chernoff. "We're focused on the best players that we can and we certainly go after our targets.

Perfect match for Tribe: Encarnacion or Napoli?

"At the same time we know who we have to be in free agency. We're never going to be the team building an entire roster through free agency. Especially for a smaller-market team like us, we have to be at least be patient and try to find good deals with players who fit for us."

No. 3. How would the Indians accept Jose Bautista as a teammate?

Bautista didn't endear himself to the Indians during the ALCS. Not only did he cite "circumstances' after the Blue Jays' power-hitting offense was dominated by the Tribe's pitchers, but he took a shot at rookie left-hander Ryan Merritt, who was forced to start Game 5 because the Indians ran out of pitchers.

The Indians won to clinch the pennant and a trip to the World Series.

"I bet he's shaking in his boots more than we are," Bautista told reporters before the game.

Merritt threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings as the Indians won, 3-0, to clinch the pennant. To add to the plot, the Jays were eliminated on Bautista's birthday. Trevor Bauer Tweeted a picture of a cowboy boot with an empty champagne bottle stuck in it. He wished Bautista a happy birthday, while reminding him that the Indians were going to the World Series.

Happy birthday! Headed to the World Series!! #LetsGoTribe !!!! pic.twitter.com/wIf35qt2zK

-- Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) October 20, 2016

Chernoff, while not speaking directly about Bautista, said, "We do a ton of work on every player on how they would fit on our team. There our a lot of factors that go into that, but our guys do a tremendous job of digging into the makeup of players and trying to figure out if they're a good fit for our team."

No. 4: Rule 5 Draft possibilities

The Rule 5 Draft is Thursday at 9 a.m. The Tribe's 40-man roster is at 38 players. So there's a possibility they could draft a player. There's also a possibility they could lose a player or two.

The Indians have the 27^th pick in the first round, but you can trade up in the Rule 5 Draft.

"I'm not sure if we'll do anything, but it's a possibility," said Chernoff. "There are players that are intriguing to us.

"The Rule 5 is a hard thing. The type of players that don't get protected, there are often highly variable opinions on them and the fit on a team. So sometimes the best players in the Rule 5 go much later in the draft."

If the Indians draft a player, they'd have to keep them on their 25-man roster.

No. 5: Did Edwin Encarnacion say no at the wrong time?

Encarnacion reportedly turned down a four-year, $80 million contract from the Blue Jays before becoming a free agent. Now, with his market dwindling, you have to wonder if he regrets turning that down.

The Indians are still talking with Encarnacion. He's been rumored to be talking to the Blue Jays as well, but they've already signed professional hitters Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce.

GM Ross Atkins told Toronto reporters Wednesday, "If there's a way (to sign Encarnacion) I don't see it - but that doesn't mean we've stopped trying."

Barrett is the 19th Ohio State player to win the Silver Football, which was shared for the first time since 2009.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We knew there would be two winners of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, given to the Big Ten's best player. They told as much when the finalists were announced last week.

What we didn't know was if both winners would be Ohio State Buckeyes. They're not.

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley were named the Silver Football winners on Wednesday. The other finalists were Buckeyes H-back Curtis Samuel and Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers.

Barrett and Barkley are the first players to share the award since 2009, when Penn State's Darryl Clark and Michigan's Brandon Graham tied in the voting.

Barkley has rushed for 1,302 yards in leading Penn State to a Big Ten Championship win over Wisconsin, though the voting was closed before the conference title game was played. He also leads the conference with 16 rushing touchdowns. Barrett, the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, has accounted for 3,275 yards and 33 touchdowns this season.

Our QB. Our Captain. Our @bigten MVP!

Congrats J.T. on winning the Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award!

[?] https://t.co/2VNgRcuOQk pic.twitter.com/xIfjGoSP1s

-- Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 8, 2016

The Silver Football is voted on by all 14 Big Ten head coaches, who submit first and second-place votes, but can't vote for their own players.

Barrett and Barkley each received four first-place votes and two second-place votes. Samuel finished fourth in the voting, but had the second-most first-place votes with three. Ohio State safety Malik Hooker received one second-place vote.

Peppers received two first-place votes, while Northwestern receiver Austin Carr was the only other player to receive a first-place vote.

Barrett is the 19th Ohio State player to win the Silver Football, which has been awarded since 1924. Barkley is the fourth Penn State player to win. Ohio State's 19 winners are the most from any Big Ten program.

Past Ohio State Silver Football winners:

2015: Ezekiel Elliott, RB

2013: Braxton Miller, QB

2012: Braxton Miller, QB

2006: Troy Smith, QB

1998: Joe Germain, QB

1996: Orlando Pace, OL

1995: Eddie George, RB

1984: Keith Byars, RB

1981: Art Schlichter, QB

1975: Cornelius Greene, QB

1974: Archie Griffin, RB

1973: Archie Griffin, RB

1955: Howard Cassady, HB

1950: Vic Janowicz, HB

1945: Ollie Cline, FB

1944: Les Horvath, HB

1941: Jack Graf, FB

1930: Wes Fesler, End/FB

Several regional ski resorts in New York and Pennsylvania will be open for cold-weather fun this weekend, including Holiday Valley and Seven Springs. Resorts in Greater Cleveland, meanwhile, have started their snow-making machines and are hoping for an opening date next week, perhaps Dec. 16.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Several regional ski resorts in New York and Pennsylvania will be open for cold-weather fun this weekend, including Holiday Valley and Seven Springs.

Resorts in Greater Cleveland, meanwhile, have started their snow-making machines and are hoping for an opening date next week, perhaps Dec. 16.

Holiday Valley, in Ellicottville, New York, and Seven Springs, in Champion, Pennsylvania, were both open during Thanksgiving weekend, but have been closed in recent days thanks to above-average temperatures.

Mother Nature is cooperating now - with plummeting temperatures and lake-effect snow forecasts into the foreseeable future. "It looks like Santa will be good to us this year!" says the snow report on Holiday Valley's website.

The resort, about three hours from Cleveland, is a popular destination for Northeast Ohio skiers. It plans to open four lifts and five slopes on Saturday, operating 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Ticket prices are $34 to $75.

Seven Springs, about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh, will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, with a reduced ticket rate of $58.

Western New York's Peek'n Peak, meanwhile, plans an opening day of Friday, Dec. 16. Opening day will include the operation of at least 13 trails, four lifts and the resort's seven-lane tubing park.

In Northeast Ohio, sister resorts Brandywine, Boston Mills and Alpine Valley started making snow Thursday. Spokesman Thomas Conti said no official opening date has been set, but next week is likely - perhaps Friday, Dec. 16, "if Mother Nature holds up her end of the bargain."

If you can't wait that long: Snow Trails resort near Mansfield is hoping to open this weekend, on Sunday. The resort will make a firm decision by noon Friday. For updates: snowtrails.com.

Which Ohio State players have landed on All-America lists?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It's awards season, and there are too many college football All-America teams to keep track of. So we're doing it for you.

This will be your Ohio State football All-America tracker for 2016, your one-stop shop to be updated any time a Buckeye lands on an All-American list.

Landing on any "reputable" first-team All-America lists gets a player a tree planted in Buckeye Grove.

The NCAA recognizes five lists for consideration as either a consensus or unanimous All-American: The Sporting News, the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Consensus All-Americans appear on at least three lists, while unanimous appear on all five.

OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ALL-AMERICA TRACKER 2016

* Sporting News All-America team (See the full team here)

First-team: Pat Elflein, Curtis Samuel, Malik Hooker

Second-team: Billy Price, Raekwon McMillan

Elflein, Samuel, Hooker to Buckeye Grove

* Walter Camp Football Foundation (See the full team here)

First-team: Pat Elflein, Malik Hooker

Second-team: Billy Price, Raekwon  McMillan, Cameron Johnston

* USA Today All-America team (See the full team here)

First-team: Pat Elflein, Malik Hooker

Second-team: Raekwon McMillan, Cameron Johnston

* Sports Illustrated All-America team (See the full team here)

First-team: Pat Elflein, Malik Hooker

Second-team: Billy Price, Raekwon McMillan

The Howard Marsh Metropark is becoming a welcome center for visiting wildlife and a recreational gem for outdoors enthusiasts.

JERUSALEM TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The iconic Howard Farm on the Lake Erie shoreline is returning to its wetlands heritage, becoming a Toledo Metroparks welcome center for visiting wildlife and a recreational gem for birders, hikers, paddlers and sport hunters.

The $14 million project included $6 million to acquire the farm and $8.6 million to transform the 987-acre property, a part of the fabled Black Swamp until early settlers drained and farmed the fertile land.

"It is critical to turn back time and recover these wetlands," said Steve Madewell, the recently retired director of the Toledo Metroparks. "Natural wetlands, which disappeared at an alarming rate over the last century, are critical to the ecology of Ohio, especially Northwest Ohio."

Touring the massive project recently with Madewell and Natural Resources Supervisor Denis Franklin, bulldozers and other heavy machinery had already sculpted large swaths of land. Much is yet to be done to meet the completion date of December 2017.

While recreational users will have to wait to enjoy the Howard Marsh Metropark, the wilder visitors are already showing their appreciation. As we walked the dikes, a flock of whooping and hollering sandhill cranes arrived. The lanky birds joined burgeoning flocks of Canada geese and a smattering of waterfowl.

It will take about a year for the Toledo Metroparks to complete its new Howard Marsh Metropark on the Lake Erie shoreline, but wildlife has already begun to visit. A rare flock of sandhill cranes swooped in to enjoy the reclaimed wetlands at the park. D'Arcy Egan 

"It's gratifying to see wildlife using the area, but it wasn't a surprise," said Franklin. "We knew if we built it, they would come. This should be a wonderful birding area all year."

Howard Marsh Metropark is adjacent to Metzger Marsh State Wildlife Area and a stone's throw from the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Maumee Bay State Park and Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area, where Franklin was area manager before retiring from the Ohio Division of Wildlife. The area has been lauded as one of the top birding sites in America and labeled "Warbler Capital of the World." The Black Swamp Bird Observatory at Magee Marsh hosts the popular "The Biggest Week in American Birding" during the annual spring migration in early May.

Some of the oldest waterfowl hunting clubs in the country are sprinkled around Sandusky Bay and throughout the region.

With 90 percent of the wetlands that made up the sprawling Black Swamp now gone, removing drain tiles, sculpting the landscape and returning the Howard Farm to marsh habitat was the driving force behind the new park. The Toledo Metroparks, which has seen park visitors more than double to more than 5 million since Madewell arrived almost five years ago, also wanted to increase recreational opportunities.

"We're building paths and boardwalks along the marshland dikes for hikers and birders," said Franklin. "There will be fishing and boat launch ramps, a large parking lot and restrooms. The 92 acres of pocket waters will be terrific for those who enjoy paddling canoes and kayaks. We're working to develop controlled waterfowl hunts, as well."

Howard Marsh, which is bordered on the east by Wards Canal, will boast 80 acres of forest land, large nesting islands and patches of prairie meadow. There is also room for expansion. The park system owns 235 additional acres on the west side of the 750-acre project, where three houses will soon be removed.

"The Howard Marsh project has been many years in the making," said Tim Schetter, director of natural resources for the Toledo Metroparks. "It really began when Lucas County voters approved a levy for land acquisition in 2002."

Madewell said Schetter was instrumental in developing partnerships with agencies and groups. Working with the park district on the design and planning of Howard Marsh have been the experts from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ducks Unlimited.

The Howard Farm was purchased for $6 million in 2008 with $1.2 million from the park's land acquisition fund and funding from the Ohio Division of Wildlife ($3 million); Clean Ohio Fund ($1.8 million); and Ducks Unlimited ($10,000). The $8.6 million construction project is funded by the park district ($2.7 million); Ohio Division of Wildlife ($4.5 million); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ($4.5 million) and Ohio's Nature Works program ($82,500).

"It was a team effort, from the planning and funding to challenges in the design process and an ability to climb over a wide variety of hurdles," said Schetter. "The only surprise to me was quickly the time seemed to go by as everyone worked together to make it happen." 

D'Arcy Egan, the long-time Plain Dealer outdoors writer who retired in 2015, will occasionally write columns to appear in The Plain Dealer and on cleveland.com. He can be reached at darcyegan@roadrunner.com

John Carroll will play at Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 1 p.m. Saturday in Division III football semifinal action on ESPN3. The Blue Streaks suffered their only loss to Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the season opener.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Before John Carroll became a top-three defense, upset a historical championship team, and won 11 straight games, there was a season-opening loss to Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

The Blue Streaks were dominated on that September day. The Titans led by 27 before the Blue Streaks scored at the end of the third quarter. The Titans outgained John Carroll 474-284 yards and forced two turnovers.

Fast forward to the present.

John Carroll will get a chance to avenge its only loss at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Blue Streaks return to Wisconsin-Oshkosh for semifinal action in the Division III Football Playoffs.

The winner will advance to the Stagg Bowl on Dec.16 in Salem, Va. and will face the Mary Hardin-Baylor/Mount Union winner.

Saturday's game is more than revenge for John Carroll, not only because a trip to the national championship is on the line, but because of the Blue Streaks growth since that loss.

"That game has driven us all year long to get better every day, to get where we need to be, to get what we want, " said John Carroll freshman quarterback Anthony Moeglin.

The game back in September was the debut for Moeglin, who threw two interceptions against Wiscons-Oshkosh. By season's end, Moeglin matured enough to lead his team to a conference title and a victory over Mount Union that ended the Purple Raiders 112-game winning streak.

"Since then I've grown up," said Moeglin, about his maturity since the first game of the season. "As a team, we have so much more chemistry now. We're playing such good football on both sides of the ball. You can see the difference."

Since the loss to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the Blue Streaks have emerged as one of the better defenses in D3. The Blue Streaks are No. 3 in total defense, allowing a mere 218.3 total yards per game. The stingy defense is 10th in the country in allowing 74.1 yards per game on the ground. That defense is led by junior Mason McKenrick, who was selected as the D3football.com North Region Defensive Player of the Year.  McKenrick led the Blue Streaks with 67 tackles during the regular season.

"We're very different since [that loss]," said John Carroll coach Tom Arth, who was named D3football.com North Region Coach of the Year. "We've made so many improvements. We learned a lot about ourselves in that opening game."

Titans coach Pat Cerroni does not expect to see the same John Carroll team on Saturday that he saw in September.

"We're not dumb," Cerroni said. "We're not going around here saying we're going to beat them because we beat them before. They're playing extremely well and so are we. It's fitting that it has come to this. Both teams are senior laden with real hungry players. It's going to be one heck of a football game."

Arth is excited that his team has put itself in this position.

"When we played them in week one, we knew they were going to be in the playoffs," Arth said. "We're excited about the opportunity. It's a great challenge against a well coached team. Our players will embrace the moment."

NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

Semifinal round
Who: John Carroll Blue Streaks (12-1) vs. Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans (12-1)
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Where: J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh, Wisc.
On John Carroll: The Blue Streaks advanced to this stage of the playoffs with wins at home over Olivet (37-12) and Wesley (20-17 in 2 OT) before taking to the road to defeat Wisconsin-Whitewater, 31-14, in the quarterfinal round. John Carroll not only ended UW-Whitewater's string of 32 consecutive home wins, but also its stretch of 33 consecutive postseason home victories ... The Blue Streaks return to the field of their only loss this season. The Blue Streaks fell to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 33-14, on Sept. 3 and have not lost since ... John Carroll has the No. 3 defense in the country giving up only 218.3 yards per game.
On Wisconsin-Oshkosh: UW-Oshkosh is 8-2 in its three NCAA playoff appearances. Started off this year's playoffs with home wins over Washington (49-13) and Saint John's (31-14). Like John Carroll, the Titans were the road team in the quarterfinal round and pulled off a 34-31 win over St. Thomas. UW-Oshkosh caused eight turnovers and never trailed in handing the Tommies just their fourth loss in their past 61 home games, and snapping a string of 13 consecutive NCAA postseason home victories ... Former Cleveland Browns defensive end Darryl Sims is the Wisconsin-Oshkosh athletic director.
Broadcast: ESPN3, Live Statistics, WJCU 88.7 FM

Tickets: $10 for Adults, $8 for Senior Citizens and $6 for students (K-12, college students). Tickets can be purchased over the phone now with a credit card by calling Susie Gustke at 920-424-1383. Fans can purchase tickets in person at Kolf Sports Center until Friday at 4 p.m.

Cleveland Central Catholic will sit its entire varsity team for two games, while St. Vincent-St. Mary awaits a decision from the OHSAA following a fight between the boys basketball teams on Saturda...

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Saturday’s skirmish that resulted in the premature ending of a boys basketball game between Central Catholic and St. Vincent-St. Mary will result in players from both teams serving suspensions.

STVM athletic director Willie McGee and Central Catholic coach Jordan Duke confirmed the discipline measures Thursday.

For STVM, McGee said the school is still awaiting word from the OHSAA on how many players will be suspended. Duke said his school has suspended its entire varsity roster for the next two games, starting with Friday’s home matchup against Benedictine.

Central Catholic’s JV team will play the varsity game. The freshman squad will suit up for the JV game.

“We’ve accepted responsibility for our actions,” Duke said. “This is the punishment that we put on ourselves.”

STVM was awarded a 70-51 win after the game stopped midway through the fourth quarter, when a physical confrontation led to players leaving their benches and spectators charging to the floor from the stands.

Duke characterized the game as a “chippy” one and said players were quickly restrained after punches flew. He added that arguments continued to escalate following the on-court incident.

“A lot of people came onto the floor, which made it look 10 times as worse,” he said. “Parents came onto the floor to try and stop stuff.”

McGee said any players who left the bench will be suspended. Neither team has played since the season opener on Saturday. STVM (1-0), ranked No. 2 in the cleveland.com Top 25, travels Friday to Youngstown Ursuline.

“At this time, we accept our role that we played in the incident,” McGee said. “Moving forward, we want to work with CCC to put this behind us and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

McGee and Duke said the schools are discussing a potential service project for the teams to participate in together within the next month.

That also could include a breakfast between the teams, McGee said, plus volunteer work. He added the administrators will decide what the teams do.

“We do plan on doing a volunteer service, whether it be here in Akron or Cleveland,” McGee said. “This isn’t who we are and who we want to be portrayed as.”

These teams have routinely met in the regular season and played two years ago in a Division II regional final.

McGee said his school has not decided whether or not it will renew a yearly contract with Central Catholic, but noted the possibility stands that both teams can meet again in regionals.

“We can reconnect on a better note,” Duke said. “I want people to know we’re taking responsibility and this is the discipline they’ve put forth to their kids.”

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Browns guard John Greco revealed he might have to undergo the same kind of Lisfranc midfoot surgery that Joel Bitonio did in October.

BEREA, Ohio - You know it's a star-crossed season for the Browns when one of their starting guards gets a scooter as a hand-me-down from the other.

Guard John Greco, who wheeled through the locker room Thursday on his scooter and with his right foot in a boot, revealed that he likely suffered the same kind of Lisfranc mid foot injury that knocked Joel Bitonio out for the season. He might have to undergo the same surgery Bitonio did in October, which involves about a year-long rehab.

"I know (fluky),'' said Greco. "Two in one year if that's what it is. I would think it is (Lisfranc).''

Greco will visit foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson next week in Charlotte, and like Bitonio, will likely stay if surgery is necessary. Both are eager to make a full recovery for next season.

"It sucks, especially this time of year,'' said Greco, who started 10 games at guard and two at center. "I would've liked to finish out the season with these guys, but it is what it is."

Greco said the passing of the scooter from Bitonio to him was surreal.

"It was weird. I was in the training room," he said. "He rolled in, and they were like, 'Hey, give that to John.' It was crazy how it worked out. It's hard for me to understand. It's such a long recovery. But you're out of the boot and you're able to walk. But it's like why does it take such a long time [to recover]?"

A Lisfranc injury involves the bones and cartilage on the top of the midfoot and varies in severity depending on how many of each are involved. But the prognosis after surgery is good.  

"I guess they say if they correct it with surgery you're able to come back 100 percent," he said. "It's just kind of a lengthy recovery. It's hard for me to understand it because when they explain to you about the possibilities, it's like you'll be a cast for a while. I think he was in a cast for four weeks. Then he was in [a walking boot].''

Greco, who stepped in whenever Cam Erving wasn't able to start or finish the game at center, will be replaced in the lineup by former Arizona first-round pick Jonathan Cooper.

"It's so hard when the team doesn't have success to do that and when you're in a season like that, you tell yourself you just have to play your game as best as you can so when whoever's evaluating they say moving forward we can win with this guy,'' said Greco. "That's what I just tried to do all year. I'll bounce back from whatever this is and be good to go for the future."

RG3 named Browns starter vs. Bengals

Although the present seems bleak for the line, Greco believes it can get turned around in a hurry. The Browns lead the league with 45 sacks allowed, but should have Bitonio, Greco and Austin Reiter (torn ACL) all back at some point next year.

"What a good story it would be if going through such a dark time and being able to kind of learn from it,'' said Greco. "Things can only go up, so to be able to kind of enjoy that and look back to see what we went through to taste success eventually."

Cleveland sports fans wonder if next season will bring relief in Berea and if there's a twist on the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats" campaign?