The Cavs are getting set to tip off against a Nets team that is determined to erase that "soft" image held leaguewide of the team.

View full sizeScott Shaw,
The Plain DealerThe swelling in Antawn Jamison's knee has subsided to the point where the Cavs think he will be able to play tonight in New Jersey against a suddenly tough-minded Nets team.

Terrence Williams threw down the challenge Saturday when he put his shoulder into a flagrant foul on LeBron James. Monday, Brook Lopez and the rest of the Nets picked it up. After being manhandled by the Magic and embarrassed by the Heat, the Nets focused on toughness.

"It was way different. A lot more fouls today," Williams said of practice. "We've played six games now and I think guys are kind of taking offense at what other teams and players think of us around the league. Hopefully it changes and we just go from there."

Williams is not the only one who expects a more rugged Nets team Tuesday night when they host the Cavaliers in the first game of a back-to-back, home-and-home series. Monday, the practice was long and physical and William's teammates seemed to buy into the idea.

It began, however, with the Nets having to face up to their soft reputation. To do so, Avery Johnson said he played "a long horror movie," the video of their loss in Miami. And then the coach played it again.

Gee, looks like LeBron and Co. are winning friends and influencing people all OVER the league, huh?

Toe the line
One site, offshoreinsiders.com, has the Nets as 2 1/2-point favorites tonight. New Jersey is 2-4, coming off a pair of losses; the Cavs are 3-3, coming off a pair of wins. And in first place.

Hey, offshoreinsiders.com! Wanna bet?

Drinks are on Bron Bron
A Florida restaurant and bar, Whiskey Tango All-American Bar & Grill, already is out about $7,000 because of a promotion to pick up the tabs (up to $25) of all patrons who sign in with the Hollywood, Fla., bar when the Miami Heat lose. The season-opening Celtics game alone cost 'em $4,000, according to an account in the Orlando Sun-Sentinel.

It could get even better, depending on your perspective. The rematch is Thursday, and up for grabs this time is the $25 per person regular bet ... AND two tickets to the Cavs' game in Miami on Dec. 15.

Tressel said starting linebacker Ross Homan should return Saturday after missing two games with a foot injury.

Notes from Jim Tressel's news conference today:

* Tressel expects starting weakside linebacker Ross Homan to be ready after missing the last two games with a foot injury. Homan had been making good progress, but Tressel confirmed what had seemed like the plan.

"Just like the trainer said, the key will be how does he do two days in a row to see if there's any issues, but based upon after Sunday, I would say no doubt," Tressel said.

* On his 2-4 record after bye weeks, Tressel said there's no common theme he can other find other than playing good teams. The Buckeyes lost to UCLA in 2001, Wisconsin in 2003, Northwestern in 2004 and Penn State in 2005. Ohio State's only bye week in the last four years was in 2008, and the Buckeyes beat Northwestern the next week. 

"(The bye week record is) probably irrelevant if we become 3-4. It becomes a big deal if we become 2-5 like most things," Tressel said. "Probably the most impactful thing about bye weeks is who you play after the bye. And I know we played Penn State after the bye in '05 and we were going to end up with a good team in '05, we felt, we weren't great yet, we felt. And that was a September bye, which is probably not a great time for a young team to have a bye.

"We came back and we didn't beat Penn State, so that's obviously one of those four. If there was a formula as to how to do your bye week, we'd all use it, but it's according to where you are health-wise, where you are development-wise, but it's probably most impacted by who are you playing after the bye and so we're playing a pretty good team after the bye."

* After studying the Buckeyes' own offense through the first nine games during the time off, Tressel said there wasn't anything that surprised him.

"I think we affirmed some of the things we were thinking, that we were improving running the ball. The thing that we all know is that we throw the ball pretty well when we have good protection, that we're a good football team when we don't turn it over and when we can come up with takeaways, all of the things that you'd think," Tressel said. "There was nothing that really popped up and said, oh, my gosh, you know, I thought we'd be better than this at that or we've got to stop doing this, start doing more of that.

"We need to be balanced. In this day and age, balance is so critical and we've gotten to the point, I think, where we've got probably better balance right now than maybe since Troy (Smith) was a senior (in 2006). So now we've got some real challenges to find out how well we can do with that balance coming up, but nothing alarming."

* Saturday's game will match the two winningest active coaches in major college football, with Joe Paterno's 400 wins at Penn State against Tressel's 237 wins at Ohio State and Youngstown State.

"It means there's a huge disparity between one and two. That's the biggest thing it means to me," Tressel said. "Where did all those guys go in between us two, or am I that close to there? I don't know."

* Tressel and OSU staff member Bob Tucker where honored with the Patrick Henry Award from the National Guard Association of the United States for their support of the guard over the years.

"Patrick Henry said 'Give me liberty or give me death.' I say, 'Give me no turnovers or give me death,'" Tressel said after being given the award.

Maj. Gen. Gregory L. Wayt, Ohio adjutant general, handed out the awards today, and told a story about visiting Iraq soon after Tressel was there on a college football coaches tour in 2009. He said the soldiers he spoke with said Tressel was the most popular coach among the military personnel.

Maj. Gen. Wayt makes the presentation to Tucker and Tressel in this video

There's plenty to talk about in Cleveland sports today. Listen, chat and talk sports until 11 p.m. on Digital Sports Network

DSN streams live from their Tower City Center studios weekdays from 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

Join DSN's lineup of all-star hosts from now until 11 p.m. and get in on the discussion by posting in our chat room and calling into the shows.

Here's today's lineup on Digital Sports Network:

6-9 a.m.: About Last Night: Mike Cairns and Bill Boronkay

9 a.m.-noon: Locked and Loaded: Greg Kozarik, Brian Fowler and Matt Loede. Today's guests the Cleveland Gladiators cheerleaders in-studio at 11 a.m.

Noon-2 p.m.: Have a Bud with Les: Les Levine and Bud Shaw

2-6 p.m.: The Gloves Are Off: Chuck Booms and Harry Petsanis. Today's guests include  Al Iannazzone who covers the Nets for The Record as well as  Rob Oller, sports  columnist for the Columbus Dispatch

6-8 p.m.: Monday Evening Quarterback with Kendall Lewis, Daryl Ruiter and Ray Yannucci

8-11 p.m.: The Final Word: Joe Lull, Bob Karlovec and Ken Silverstein

Remember, you can watch the live video stream or listen to the audio-only stream and interact with the studio via chat room, Twitter, Facebook, phone or email.

Power forward Nik Cvetinovic may well be the key to the Zips winning their first Mid-American Conference championship in school history

Ernie Aranyosi / Special to The Plain DealerAfter averaging nearly seven points in 20 minutes of action as a sophomore last season, Akron power forward Nik Cvetinovic (13) will be counted upon as a difference-maker in 2010-11.

AKRON, Ohio -- The basketball focus for the Akron Zips this season remains on 7-0 sophomore Zeke Marshall.

But 6-8 Nik Cvetinovic may well be the key to the Zips winning their first Mid-American Conference championship in school history, and their second MAC Tournament title in three years.

The junior from Serbia is the emotional leader on a team that last season often lacked fire. At times, he was too emotional. But the affable power forward said he is now ready to harness his outbursts after a summer of self-reflection, maturation and love.

Cvetinovic met his girlfriend last year on Facebook and spent the summer with her back in Serbia. At the same time, he had an internship with the Serbian State Department pointing toward his hoped-for career as an ambassador, after playing pro ball in Europe.

"It was great motivation, because now I know what I want," the power forward said. "I want to get my school done, go back to Europe, play pro ball, get a job and make babies. A simple life, regular guy, 9-to-5."

In short, Cvetinovic grew up fast.

Now he wants to apply what he has learned on the basketball court with a team that has many veterans and some new players. He averaged 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds last season, yet often cost himself time on the court with emotional outbursts following plays that did not go his way.

"This year, it's a totally different story," he said. "I talked to my family, and my girlfriend about that. My girlfriend is an athlete [a professional handball player] and she makes sense. It's time to take responsibility. Like Michael Jackson said, start with the man in the mirror, and make a change.

"If I go berserk, and show no composure, how are all these new guys we have going to feel about it? It's time to be a leader and get things done.

"At the end of the day we want to put a banner up there that says MAC Championship. We've never won one. It's a process. I'm 22 years old, it's time to grow up. All those things, thinking folks are against me, homesick, all those things, get over it. Go forward."

Cvetinovic understands he plays what is many consider the most pivotal position in the MAC. What often splits the hair between the good teams and the champions are the power forwards who can do it all: post up, shoot from the perimeter, rebound and defend all at a high level. The Serbian matches that profile.

"One of the strongest guys in the league at that spot, one of the quickest, and he has the best footwork," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said. "When he keeps his head, he's one of the best."

Cvetinovic said one key to his maturation has been adjusting to the American game. He admittedly fit the reputation of European players.

"I know: soft," he said. "I think there is still some of the European thing in me. Coach points that out.

"But from the physical side of it, I'm much more comfortable with the American style of play than I was before. What it comes down to is, it's always on you. How much you want to work. Do you want to make it happen for yourself and for your team?"

With his future plans now charted out, Cvetinovic now wants to make them happen -- starting with winning a title with the Akron Zips.

Upon further review, Week 9: Browns coach Eric Mangini gets the biggest game ball for Sunday's masterpiece against the Patriots and Bill Belichick.

 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns' 34-14 victory over the Patriots last Sunday was just as decisive on DVR as it was live. The Browns imposed their will in all phases in winning their second straight. The Patriots had won five in a row, but it was impossible to tell.

 Here is my list of major contributors after watching the game live from the pressbox at Cleveland Browns Stadium, then from the couch at home on TV (CBS Sports telecast):

 Eric Mangini
 I typically reserve the highest game-review praise for players, not coaches, when warranted. It is easy to make an exception in this case. Days after Browns President Mike Holmgren said, among other things, "I love coaching,'' during a news conference, Mangini served up his finest three hours in 1 1/2 seasons on the Browns sideline. If this keeps up, The Big Show will need to quench his coaching thirst somewhere else.

 Mangini not only won a second consecutive game in impressive fashion against a quality opponent (Saints in New Orleans two weeks earlier), he beat his mentor, Bill Belichick. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan earned kudos in New Orleans, and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll made the highlights with his enthusiastic displays against the Patriots, but let's not forget that they take orders from The Manginius. Mangini's team is 7-5 since the 1-11 start to last season.

 The Browns were mentally, physically and emotionally ready to play two games' worth Sunday. That is a credit to Mangini, as is going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Cleveland 36 with a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.

 Mangini gets additional love for the wad in his cheek. It made him look cool.

 Brian Daboll
 Daboll, like Mangini, has taken his share of heat since assuming his role. But he had every right to be giddy during the game because he was on fire. The first play from scrimmage spoke volumes: Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy threw a 21-yard pass to Mohamed Massaquoi, advancing the ball to the New England 42. The safe call -- the call Belichick and his staff likely anticipated -- was a run to Peyton Hillis, thereby easing into things.

 Daboll, with Mangini signing off, stayed aggressive throughout and repeatedly put his players in the best positions to succeed. The gadget play that produced a Chansi Stuckey TD run in the second quarter was straight-up brilliant. How do we know? Belichick was annoyed when asked about it in his postgame presser. The fourth-down play was a riot, as well, the Browns emptying the backfield and shifting to five wide before McCoy gained the necessary yardage on a sneak.

 Peyton Hillis
 Hillis rushed 29 times for 184 yards and two TDs and caught three passes for 36 yards. With Hillis, though, the style is as important as the substance, because even when he doesn't gain many yards, he crushes people. The Patriots wanted no part of No. 40 from any angle, save for the one instance when they forced a fumble. Hillis is the face of the new Browns, who have gone old school, finally beginning to fit in with division rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh by getting physical and asking questions later. (Next step: Consistently winning games and making the playoffs.)

 Hillis's agility makes him especially dangerous. His first carry, an 18-yard gain, featured a hurdle over a Patriot. Never mind that Hillis was shaken up on the play; it looked good.

  Colt McCoy
 The kid gunslinger did not need to be spectacular in his third NFL start, but he needed to keep mistakes to a minimum and make some plays. Check and check. McCoy was 14-of-19 for 174 yards and stayed  interception- and sack-free. McCoy's best play occurred on third-and-4 from the New England 17 with 4:16 left in the second quarter. He managed to slip away from a blitzing defensive back, escaped the pocket to the right, avoided another potential tackler and threw on the run into a football-sized window. Josh Cribbs, covered well, caught the pass for a 6-yard gain. Moments later, Stuckey scored.

 McCoy, who again displayed the poise and savvy of a veteran, appears to have some of that "It'' you can't teach. He won't have the biggest arm in the league, but the Patriots' defense had few answers for his accuracy and smart decisions, especially while on the move. He also contributed in the rushing department, a 16-yard scramble and dive to the left pylon giving the Browns a 24-7 lead in the third quarter.

Josh Cribbs

 Cribbs authored his best all-around performance of the season to date. It started with a 36-yard return of the opening kickoff that gave Daboll, McCoy and Co. breathing room. Cribbs had two receptions, both courtesy of impressive grabs, and stretched the field with several deep routes. He set up Stuckey's dash to glory with a flawless deke to the opposite side. Cribbsie's signature came on McCoy's TD scramble, when he blasted safety Brandon Meriweather into Lakewood with a textbook de-cleater.

 One of these days, probably sooner than later, Cribbs will resume making the  opponent pay on special teams. Until then, pieces-parts contributions such as those offered Sunday will do.

 Eric Steinbach
 If a left guard is having a better season anywhere, I'm all ears. Another game, another superior job for the big fella. It is difficult to imagine any guard having more impact on pulls, among other things.
 
 Bill Belichick
 New England's Zen Master was not taken to school; he is too smart to get outcoached by Mangini or anyone else. The bottom line, though, is that Belichick's Patriots were not adequately prepared to face their opponent on this particular afternoon. Belichick admitted as much in his postgame news conference. The Patriots were out-executed, out-foxed and out-muscled from start to finish. Belichick was so steamed about being embarrassed by the Manginius that, 10 minutes after speaking with reporters, he was milling about the locker room, silent, staring. I've never seen a head coach do that in 17 seasons of covering visiting locker rooms.

 Tom Brady
 The Patriots' terrific quarterback was no match for McCoy. Yes, it's true: McCoy outplayed the three-time Super Bowl champion. For whatever reason, Brady did not have it Sunday, going 19-of-36 for 224 yards and two TDs. Some of his throws were split-fingered fastballs into the ground; some sailed; still others were a half-step behind. The Browns did a nice job defensively, to be sure, but Brady should have made more plays than the few he did.

 Rob Gronkowski
 One of the reasons Brady did not deliver was that one of his young tight ends struggled. Gronkowski's biggest mistake came late in the first half, when he fumbled inside the Cleveland 5. If the Patriots had scored a touchdown, they would have made it 17-14. (Browns safety Abe Elam deserves a ton of credit for the huge momentum shift, given that he held up a larger man, grabbed the ball, ripped it out and recovered at the 2.) Gronkowksi also called for a fair catch on the Browns' first kickoff, only to bail and have Sammy Morris try to corral it. The Browns recovered at the New England 19 and punched it in two plays later.

When Eric Mangini traded Braylon Edwards, he told the Browns that they'd play football his way -- even if it meant losing some games in the short term.

View full sizeJulian H. Gonzalez / Detroit Free PressThe sight of Braylon Edwards returning to Cleveland in a green-and-white jersey on Sunday shouldn't prompt any regrets in Browns fans, writes Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In pure football terms, it was not an equal trade.

Nonetheless, the Browns did the right thing when they shipped Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets for Chansi Stuckey, Jason Trusnik, a third-round pick (Shawn Lauvao) and a fifth rounder (Larry Asante).

This story is not meant as a rehash of Edwards' Cleveland career. Browns fans know about his dramatic catches and his embarrassing pass drops. They know about his off-field problems, and his insistence that Cleveland fans would never like him because he played at Michigan -- that ignores the recent history of former Wolverines Leroy Hoard and Steve Everitt, who were accepted by Browns fans.

Here are some numbers.

Edwards has caught 25 of 50 passes thrown in his direction this season. That 50 percent mark is under the NFL average of 57 percent for receivers. But he has been credited with only two drops.

Stuckey has caught 23 of 34 passes (70 percent). Nineteen of Edwards' catches have been for first down, compared to 14 for Stuckey.

Edwards is a big-play guy, seven catches for at least 20 yards. Five for touchdowns.

Stuckey has one catch for more than 20 yards. His only touchdown was on a tricky running play last week against New England. He is a possession receiver (only one drop) who has been solid for the Browns.

Trusnik is a backup linebacker, playing only seven percent of the snaps. He is active on special teams. At the end of training camp, Lauvao was close to starting when he suffered a high-ankle sprain. He's now a backup right guard. Asante is on the practice squad.

You can argue that Browns coach Eric Mangini should have received more in the deal.

It came after Edwards was arrested following a fight outside a night club. It also came after he had been fined $1,700 for not paying for a bottle of water at a hotel -- but that was his 12th violation of team rules. It came after he was not buying into the discipline that Mangini correctly believed the team desperately needed.

More than a year later, the 3-5 Browns face Edwards and the Jets. Fans know the Browns are gaining respect following back-to-back victories over New England and New Orleans. Hard to imagine that after the 1-11 start in 2009.

"A lot of things happened the first half of last year," said Mangini. "[The players were] getting to know me and the system and what we're trying to achieve. ... There's a lot of stuff that goes into a new environment, and there's a lot of growing pains. It's not always fun."

Trading Edwards wasn't fun, because Mangini knew it would make the team worse in the short run.

Then Edwards and the Jets (Mangini's former team) went to the AFC title game. They had the same 9-7 record as Mangini in 2008. But Mangini missed the playoffs and was fired.

Edwards was just so-so in New York, 35 catches (4 TDs) in 12 games in 2009.

But Mangini knew Edwards wanted out of Cleveland. He knew the physically gifted receiver would probably continue to have discipline problems on and off the field. Edwards was arrested on a DWI charge on Sept. 21. He also has been flagged for five penalties, more than any Browns player this season.

The Jets are 6-2. They had close escapes against Detroit and Denver, two struggling teams. Nonetheless, they won those games.

The Browns may be the best 3-5 team in the NFL, but they are still 3-5.

But Mangini correctly sees the team moving in the right direction.

"[We want to make sure] that win or lose, whoever you're playing understands that they were in a fight," he said. "There are bruises on all sides that are the launching point for us. ... I want to see more of it. I want to see, every play, where you're imposing your will on your opponent."

There's more.

"It also goes into not being intimidated by anybody," he said. "You can't go out on Sunday and stick your toe in the water and see how it feels before you jump in. You have got to attack and attack early and often and consistently throughout the course of the game. We have got a lot of guys that aren't intimidated by the opponent. Sometimes you can lose a game before you even play it just based on not being certain whether or not you should be in that game."

A year ago, that was the case for the Browns. But not now. Part of the reason for that is trading players such as Edwards, who rebelled against the demands that Mangini and his coaches have brought.

"I feel the best for the guys collectively and the coaches collectively because they work hard," Mangini said. "It hurts when we lose. Playing in Cleveland means something. The city means something, being in front of our fans means something. ... You want to reward the fans for their loyalty. You want to be able to give those groups what they deserve. That's important."

To Edwards, playing in Cleveland never meant anything beyond the disappointment of not being drafted by Miami. Regardless of how well Edwards may play for the Jets, keep in mind that it was not going to happen for him here.

Notes and observations from the Cavs game against the New Jersey Nets.

View full sizeLisa DeJong / The Plain DealerByron Scott told Nets reporters Tuesday in New Jersey that he now identifies with his new home city, Cleveland.

NEWARK, N.J. -- Notes and observations from the Cavs game against the New Jersey Nets:

Cavs starters: F Jamario Moon, F J.J. Hickson, C Anderson Varejao, G Anthony Parker, G Mo Williams

Nets starters: F Travis Outlaw, F Troy Murphy, C Brook Lopez, G Anthony Morrow, G Devin Harris

Injuries: None for Cavs. Terrence Williams (lower abdominal strain) is questionable.

Inactives: Christian Eyenga, Manny Harris and Samardo Samuels for Cavs. Williams, Ben Uzoh and Joe Smith for Nets.

Officials: Marc Davis, Derek Richardson, Leon Wood

Three things to watch

1. Will the three-guard rotation of Williams, Parker and Daniel Gibson be as effective as it was in victories at Philadelphia and Washington last weekend?

2. How will Antawn Jamison look in his first game back after missing three with a sore left knee?

3. Will Anderson Varejao try to shoot against a good center like Lopez?

Cavaliers coach Byron Scott arrived back in the city where he started his NBA coaching career in 2000 and told more than a dozen reporters who showed up for shootaround before tonight's game against the Nets that he identified with his new coaching home.

"I fit in pretty well with that,'' he said. "The city’s had a lot of bad breaks, let’s put it that way. A lot of bad breaks over the years. Now that I’m in Cleveland I’m getting a history lesson. I think the city feels a little disrespected at times. I kind of fit in well with that _ somebody who has always been kind of the underdog. Obviously, getting a chance to play in Los Angeles and win some championships affected that a little bit _ but someone who’s also been knocked down a few times and got back up.

Scott was asked what he remembers most about his four years in New Jersey.

"You always think about going the two straight years to The Finals, beating boston in the Eastern Conference Finals, beating Detroit. Those were great moments for this franchise. I have a lot of positive feelings about New Jersey, and the Nets organization, because obviously they gave me my first opportunity to coach. And secondly we had great success. I have fond memories.''

Daniel Gibson, who missed practice yesterday for personal reasons, was with the team on Tuesday and will play tonight. Antawn Jamison, who has missed three games with a sore left knee, is expected to play, but he is still listed as questionable.

Who will play in the Rose Bowl? Most likely a Big Ten team and a big ol' question mark.

View full size

Michigan State (9-1, 5-1)
Remaining schedule: Off, Purdue, at Penn State.
Book your flight: If the Spartans beat Purdue and hold off the surging JoePas, they will root for Iowa against Ohio State on Nov. 20. Why? Because if Michigan State, Wisconsin and Iowa are all 7-1, Iowa gets eliminated from the tiebreaker because of overall record (its nonconference loss to Arizona) and the Spartans get the nod over Wisconsin because of their 34-24 victory.
Make sure it's refundable: Penn State has gone from demoralized (33-13 home loss to Illinois) to dangerous in a span of four weeks. As Ohio State's Jim Tressel said: "Every year you see (the Nittany Lions) get better. Their kids learn and grow. They have an excellent football IQ." History buffs will note that Michigan State is 0-8 in State College since Penn State joined the Big Ten.

Wisconsin (8-1, 4-1)
Remaining schedule: Indiana, at Michigan, Northwestern.
Book your flight: At No. 7, the Badgers are the Big Ten's highest-ranked BCS team. And if Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State end up in a tiebreaker, the top dog from BCS standings will go to Pasadena. Why is that? Because Ohio State didn't play Michigan State and Wisconsin beat one (Ohio State) but not the other (Michigan State).
Make sure it's refundable: Wisconsin likely will need the Buckeyes to beat the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Far from impossible, but the Buckeyes have left Ohio Stadium just three times this season and played impressively only once. And that came against barely breathing Minnesota.

Ohio State (8-1, 4-1)
Remaining schedule: Penn State, at Iowa, Michigan.
Book your flight: Ohio State needs to win out and either pray for a Wisconsin loss or jump the Badgers in the polls. Ohio State trails Wisconsin in both popularity contests (the USA Today coaches and Harris polls) — and is five spots lower in the computer ratings. So if the Badgers keep winning, the Buckeyes could vault Wisconsin only by thrashing their opponents.
Make sure it's refundable: Tressel is not the thrashing type. But at least Ohio State (No. 9) is ahead of Michigan State (No. 11) in the BCS standings.

Penn State senior running back Evan Royster didn't pretend he and his teammates didn't notice that's the margin by which Ohio State is favored Saturday.

"It was actually brought up yesterday," Royster said in a conference call yesterday. "It's kind of insulting."

... "I think we've proven that we can put points on the board and we can win games," said Royster, who became the school's all-time leading rusher in the Michigan game. "I think a lot of people will take offense to (the point spread), and I think it'll make us work even harder."

"In this day and age, balance is so critical and we've gotten to the point, I think, where we've got probably better balance right now than maybe since Troy was a senior," Tressel said, referencing the undefeated regular season of 2006.

It's unlikely the Buckeyes will throw that away unless they encounter impossible weather, which is always more of possibility in November than in September. But it's not likely to be the plan.

"I think we'll have a pretty balanced attack this year, and I don't see us changing a whole lot," said H-back and tailback Brandon Saine.

"I try to avoid putting the cart ahead of the horse - but for the first time in a long time I am not dreading an elite team coming to play against my Brownies. If they somehow pull of the trifecta, this city will be going bonkers." - Joe1970KnowsFootball

View full sizeTracy Boulian | The Plain DealerBrowns fans would go crazy over a third straight win on Sunday.

In response to the story Tony Grossi's Scouting Report: New York Jets, cleveland.com reader Joe1970KnowsFootball is actually excited about a good team coming to play the Browns. This reader writes,

"I try to avoid putting the cart ahead of the horse - but for the first time in a long time I am not dreading an elite team coming to play against my Brownies. If they somehow pull of the trifecta, this city will be going bonkers."

PD columnist also predicts a 13-10 Browns win over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Colt McCoy throws a ball that receivers find easy to catch, says PD columnist Bill Livingston.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough.

The Browns have no player who ranks in the top five of any statistical category. Who would you pick as the NFL's Most Valuable Players on offense and defense at this point of the season? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, says he doesn't have an answer for the MVP question right now, as the NFL is seeing a season of parity and a lack of players who have performed at an MVP level.

Livy also talks about his Monday column that compared Colt McCoy's ability to throw accurate and "catchable" passes to that of Cowboys Hall of Famer Troy Aikman. Livy also answers questions about whether the Browns need trick plays to win; whether the Browns' 2009 trade of Braylon Edwards was a good deal; and predicts the score for Sunday's game against the New York Jets.

SBTV will be back Thursday. In the meantime, forget to play our You-Pick-the-Winners Contest where you can outpick Branson and Chuck each week and earn an appearance on SBTV, a $25 gas card and a chance at a $250 gift card.

"I can not believe that a comment was made that if you were born and raised in Ohio, you automatically have a deep affection for OSU. How can anyone possibly believe that? Do not let your love and passion for OSU interfere with rational thinking. Cleveland should support their professional and local teams first. I am a die hard Cleveland fan in all sports, from pros to high school. If we don't put our teams first, then who will?" - Dale Kirsch

View full sizeAP FileNot all Ohioans bleed scarlet and gray.

In response to the story Ohio is Buckeyes country - Ohio State Comment of the Day, cleveland.com reader Dale Kirsch couldn't disagree more with the previous comment. This reader writes,

"I can not believe that a comment was made that if you were born and raised in Ohio, you automatically have a deep affection for OSU. How can anyone possibly believe that? Do not let your love and passion for OSU interfere with rational thinking. Cleveland should support their professional and local teams first. I am a die hard Cleveland fan in all sports, from pros to high school. If we don't put our teams first, then who will?"

Join DSN's lineup of all-star hosts with live streaming audio and video now until 11 p.m. and get in on the discussion by posting in our chat room and calling into the shows. Today's guests include Mary Schmitt Boyer and Sam Amico to talk Cavs.

DSN streams live from their Tower City Center studios weekdays from 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

There's plenty to talk about in Cleveland sports today. Another Cavaliers win, tonight's rematch with the Nets, Braylon Edwards returning to town on Sunday, Rob Ryan vs. Rex Ryan and even the Heat's meltdown last night in Miami.

You'll bet they'll be talking about those topics and more on Digital Sports Network, cleveland.com's new online sports station featuring live streaming video and audio.

Join DSN's lineup of all-star hosts from now until 11 p.m. and get in on the discussion by posting in our chat room and calling into the shows.

Here's today's lineup on Digital Sports Network:

6-9 a.m.: About Last Night: Mike Cairns and Bill Boronkay: Today's guest include CBS NFL announcer Gus Johnson. Former OSU quarterback Greg Frey will be on at 7:30 a.m.

9 a.m.-noon: Locked and Loaded: Greg Kozarik, Brian Fowler and Matt Loede: Today's guests include WKYC sports anchor and Browns play-by-play man Jim Donovan and  former NFL quarterback Sean Salisbury.

Noon-2 p.m.: Have a Bud with Les: Les Levine and Bud Shaw

2-6 p.m.: The Gloves Are Off: Chuck Booms and Harry Petsanis:

6-8 p.m.: Gametime with Kendall Lewis and Daryl Ruiter

8-11 p.m.: The Final Word: Joe Lull, Bob Karlovec and Ken Silverstein:

The guys preview this weekend's high school football playoff action this weekend with the following area coaches:

Mark Iammarino of Chagrin Falls, Jim Ryan of Olmsted Falls, Ben Malbassa of Elyria Catholic, Mike Bell of Lake Catholic, Todd Filtz of Maple Heights, Tony Shuman of Padua, Mark Solis of Twinsburg, Jim McQuaide of Solon, Ted Ginn of Glenville, Rick Finotti of St. Edward and Larry Laird of Medina

Remember, you can watch the live video stream or listen to the audio-only stream and interact with the studio via chat room, Twitter, Facebook, phone or email.

Be sure to check out DSN's sports blog, including Tony Mazur's story on the Indians.

Ben Walter had two goals and one assist as the Monsters defeated Hamilton during rare morning "school day" promotion.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerLake Erie's Luke Walker (right) appears to the have the upper hand on Hamilton's Olivier Fortier in this second-period fight during Wednesday morning's game at The Q. Walker also had a goal in the Monsters' 5-1 victory.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At a "school day" game Wednesday, the Monsters taught the Hamilton Bulldogs a hard lesson in the value of a forecheck.

The Monsters used speed and muscle to disrupt Bulldogs possessions repeatedly, paving the way for a 5-1 victory at The Q.

"The forecheck really gave us a chance tonight," Monsters coach David Quinn said. "Every team has its identity, and our forecheck is something we pride ourselves in. If we're going to have success as a team, we need to have success on the forecheck."

Quinn used "tonight" several times in his postgame remarks. He and his club are programmed for night-time faceoffs on weekdays, but this one happened at 10:54 a.m. as part of the school-day promotion -- one of two the franchise will host this season.

The majority of the 3,394 in attendance was young students from the area.

"Even though we practice every day at 11, it's obviously a lot different when you're playing a game," Quinn said. "Our guys responded, so maybe we should play more 10:45 games."

Perhaps sleep-deprived, players from both teams brought an edge to the ice. Three fights drew penalties as part of 19 total infractions for 56 minutes.

Center Ben Walter had one goal and two assists for Lake Erie, which rebounded nicely from a weekend that had left a sour taste. Last Friday, the Monsters lost to Chicago, 6-5, in overtime. On Sunday, they lost to Grand Rapids, 4-3, in a shootout.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerHamilton's Aaron Palushaj goes heels over head in a tumble over the goal while Lake Erie's Jason Bacashihua seems undisturbed in the second period Wednesday.

"We were coming off a couple of games we probably should have won, so we wanted to prove to ourselves we can be a good team," Walter said. "We need to show we know how to win."

The Monsters improved to 6-5-1-2 by kicking aside an opponent that had been on a roll. Hamilton (7-2-1-2) lost for the first time in six games.

"They give you a great challenge because they play hard, they've got a lot of skill, and they're very thorough," Quinn said. "We matched their speed and quickness. An effort like that against a club like that should give us some confidence."

Hamilton opened the scoring at 5:56 of the second period. Less than 90 seconds later, Monsters defenseman Ray Macias beat goalie Robert Mayer.

Lake Erie took the lead for good at 10:45 of the second, right winger Greg Mauldin using several slick moves from the right edge of the crease.

The period ended with two Bulldogs in the penalty box. Lake Erie, which has struggled on the power play this season, capitalized. Walter scored at 43 seconds of the third, moments before the 5-on-3 would have ended.

"To me, that was the game," Quinn said. "We needed to take advantage there."

Right winger Luke Walker notched his first pro goal at 10:10 of the period. Walter's second of the game and fifth of the season came 31 seconds later.

Monsters goalie Jason Bacashihua made 27 saves. He benefited from relentless skaters who prevented Hamilton from getting into a rhythm and creating many legitimate chances.

"We're a fast team that likes to play physical," Walker said. "We want to get on their d-men quickly and make them feel uncomfortable. That way, we'll get turnovers and puck possession time in their zone and score goals off that."

The Monsters' fifth of an eight-game homestand is Friday night against Milwaukee.

What makes you a Browns fan? Before Terry Pluto's new book "Things I’ve Learned from Watching the Browns" hits the shelves and excerpts appear on cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer, we want you to upload your videos telling us why you love the Browns.

For his new book, Things I’ve Learned from Watching the Browns, Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto wondered why, despite  forty  years of teasing and heartbreak capped by a decade of utter futility, Browns fans continue to stick with their team. So he asked them: What is it  about the Browns that makes you love them, hate them, and keep coming back for more?

Their email responses, many from cleveland.com readers like you, combined with Terry’s own research and analysis, prove that like any intense relationship, this one’s a bit complicated.

Exclusive excerpts from the book will begin appearing on cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer on Sunday.

But first, we want to hear about your Browns memories and what keeps you a Browns fan through thick and thin.

We want you to upload your videos. Just answer this simple question:

What is it about the Browns that makes you love them and keep coming back for more?

Video: Browns Fans Confessionals - What makes you a Browns fan?

See more Browns Fans Confessional videos here. Continue reading for instructions on how to upload your own video.

UPLOAD YOUR VIDEO

Step 1: Start the video upload process by signing in here. Once you sign in, here's how to use the online upload form:

Step 2: Select your Primary Category: Please pick the Browns category

Step 3: Give us the details about your movie.

Title: Give your video a title.

Descriptions: Briefly tell everyone what your video is about.

Tags: List the location, cast, crew, theme, and other things relevant to your video. Separate tags with commas (browns fan confessional, cleveland browns). BE SURE TO TAG YOUR VIDEO BROWNS FAN CONFESSIONAL.

New File: Choose video you want to upload off your computer.

Your screen will look like the image below

4. Click on upload video button and show the world your Browns spirit for all to see!

5. Watch your video and others here and share it by email, Facebook, Twitter!

Jets coach has some fun with his brother and the Browns, but advocates Rex for a head coaching job and shows respect for Colt McCoy.

View full sizeRich Schultz / Associated PressAsked if there were other Browns that he would target this week other than his brother, Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, Jets head coach Rex Ryan said, "Would I have placed a bounty on Mangini? I would have, but he's so small right now it would be hard to hit that kind of target."

BEREA, Ohio -- Jets coach Rex Ryan took the Ryan Bowl to a whole new level Wednesday, changing into a Rob Ryan get-up in front of the New York media and putting a bounty on his twin brother's head.

Rex stopped a few minutes into the press conference in New Jersey and came back wearing a long blonde curly wig, a Browns baseball cap and Browns pullover with a pillow stuffed inside to simulate Rob's ample belly.

"There's a rumor floating around that there's been a bounty placed on his head by me," said Rex. "Let's be honest, there is a bounty on his head, there's no question. But I'm a little concerned about our guys bouncing off of his belly. If they run into [Eric] Mangini, that'd be fine. Would I have placed a bounty on Mangini? I would have, but he's so small right now it would be hard to hit that kind of target. Without question, there's a bounty placed on my brother."

Rex then proceed to answer questions as though he were Rob.

What do you think of your brother?

"I think Rex is a great coach and I think he's a great person. There's no question about that. He's very handsome."

What happened to your gray hair?

"Well, I'm trying to get a head coaching job, so I'm dying it a little bit, to keep looking young and all that kind of stuff."

Your feeling on Mark Sanchez?

"I think Mark Sanchez is great. I think he's well-coached. I think my brother's done a great job with Mark Sanchez."

Then, after he took off his disguise and pulled the pillow out, he said he needed the extra padding because "truly, [Rob's] looking bad. He did not have the lap-band surgery when I did and that's clearly a mistake for him. I've always been the big twin. Now I'm just the smart, good-looking one."

Rex also confirmed that he has a picture of Rob, Mangini and Colt McCoy up at the Jets' facility. "We have a little Nerf gun we shoot at it and yes, they are targeted, all three of those guys," he said.

In all seriousness, he thinks Rob should get a head-coaching job by next season and that his own success will help his brother.

"I know he'll be a head coach one day and he'll be a great one," said Rex. "Whether it's this coming up season or not, I'm not sure. With all the coaches in the league, you're not going to get a guy who has more dedication or more passion for the game than my brother.

"If you want to see what kind of coach he is, just watch the way they play. Those guys lay it on the line for him. They've done it for him when he was with Oakland, when he was with New England and that's what this game's all about."

Not going for the fake: Ryan also had a little fun with Mangini trying to act like there's any possibility McCoy won't start. Seneca Wallace returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday, taking about a quarter of the reps.

"I think there's a good chance that Frank Ryan might be coming back this week," Ryan joked. "Of course Frank Ryan was the guy who led them to their last championship in 1964 ... but either way, Frank Ryan or Colt McCoy, they're both from Texas, both have leadership skills and they both run."

Turning to the modern-day Browns, Ryan said, "Colt McCoy's done a great job. Look at three games he's played and now just put the Jets right there in the mix, we're four of the toughest teams in this league and he's making a pretty good account of himself.

"It's unusual to have that kind of poise. He's not making mistakes with the football and he's throwing. The other thing he does is he tucks and runs with it. If he doesn't like what he sees, he just runs with it. He's a smart, competitive kid."

Hillis honored: Peyton Hillis was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 184 yards rushing and two touchdowns in Sunday's 34-14 victory over the Patriots. He's the first Browns running back to achieve the honor since Eric Metcalf in 1992.

"It means a lot," said Hillis. "I'm excited that I could accomplish something that great. But we have a new game, a new challenge ahead of us, so you can't dwell on that achievement very long."

Hillis will face the Jets' fourth-ranked run defense. "It's a huge matchup," he said. "It all starts up front. I have full faith in our linemen."

Said the Jets' Ryan: "He's a great receiver out of the backfield, he runs you over, he's a straight-ahead, no-player-dodging guy even though he hurtles some DBs when he gets to the second level. Let's face it, he ran for 184 yards last week, what did he do against Baltimore? 140? Something like that. That's impressive, without question."

McCoy's impressions: McCoy said the Jets are the toughest defense the Browns have faced so far. They're third in points allowed with 16.3.

"Not to take anything from the defenses I've played so far, but when you look at the Jets, their scheme is just incredible," he said. "They know how to put pressure on quarterbacks and there really aren't any quarterbacks that have played well against them so far.

"They're just really good. We understand that and are just really trying to get our game plan down to a T and be ready to go out there and try to execute."

Haden on Newton: Browns cornerback Joe Haden lived with Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton for 11/2 years when both were Gators. He said Wednesday that Newton isn't letting the current cheating allegations get him down. They talked on the phone Tuesday night.

"He doesn't let stuff get to him too much," said Haden. "He says, 'Joe, I've got a plan. And everything will work out for the best.' He's not that worried at all. When people get on top, you just want to find a reason, find something to say. If he wasn't doing what he's doing right now, then nothing would have come out.

"I don't know nothing about the charges. I just know he's a really good dude and one of my best friends."

Recognition for the offensive line: Pro Football Hall of Fame coach John Madden selected the Browns' offensive line for this week's Madden's Top Protectors Award for enabling Hillis to rush for 184 yards vs. the Patriots. The line is now a candidate for an end-of-season award presented during Super Bowl week.

Injuries: Three Browns were idle: Mike Adams (head), Jake Delhomme (ankle) and Shaun Rogers (ankle).

"The more I read about Byron, the more I like him. He's a no excuses coach in a town where fans don't accept them. He's definitely a good fit in Cleveland so far." - unc09

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerCavaliers head coach Byron Scott.

In response to the story Byron Scott feeling right at home with his 'disrespected' city: Cavaliers Insider, cleveland.com reader unc09 is impressed with Byron Scott. This reader writes,

"The more I read about Byron, the more I like him. He's a no excuses coach in a town where fans don't accept them. He's definitely a good fit in Cleveland so far."

Many have given their lives, many have been wounded and many have served courageously in the United States military. Recognizing Veterans Day, we mention some of the professional athletes who have served.

The Plain Dealer Cleveland Indians pitching great Bob Feller served heroically in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

By Mike Peticca, Plain Dealer Reporter

Cleveland, Ohio -- Veterans Day, the national holiday when the United States celebrates its military veterans, is annually observed on Nov. 11.

Veterans are being lauded at various events around the country today and tomorrow, Veterans Day.

Regardless of a man or woman's other professions, military personnel are greatly appreciated for their service. Here, we mention some of the professional athletes who have served our nation on the frontlines during war.

By no means is the list complete. Make a comment on this post to mention others.

Some individuals who did not engage in combat get special mention. For instance, heavyweight champion Joe Louis, regarded by some as the greatest boxer ever, enlisted in the Army in 1942, during World War II. The U.S. military was then racially segregated and Louis, an African-American, was assigned to a cavalry unit at Fort Riley, Kansas.

The Army soon realized the positive impact Louis's personality made on the troops, and felt the best way he could serve was to visit troops around the globe. Louis fought exhibition matches and also proved to be a master recruiter.

Even prior to the war, Louis had inspired the nation by defeating former world heavyweight champion Max Schmeling of Germany in 1938, nearly two years after Louis had lost to Schmeling.

Schmeling had been portrayed as an example of "Aryan superiority" by Adolf Hitler's evil Nazi regime. To his credit, Schmeling courageously denied Nazi claims of racial superiority. He also had a Jewish manager, even as the Nazis were beginning their murderous ways against the Jewish people.

Louis and Schmeling began a lifelong friendship after the war ended.

We begin our list of professional athletes who served the nation during wartime with Cleveland Indians pitching legend Bob Feller.

Bob Feller: He was the first major leaguer to volunteer for active duty, enlisting in the Navy on Dec. 9, 1941, two days after Pearl Harbor.

Feller, now 92 and a Gates Mills resident, had turned 23 on Nov. 3, 1941, 36 days before he enlisted. He had already won 107 games, and had led the American League in wins the previous three seasons, and in strikeouts the previous four years.

Feller was involved in some of the most violent, and important, sea battles of the war, especially in the Pacific. He was awarded eight battle stars and five campaign ribbons.

After missing all of three seasons and most of a fourth, Feller returned to the Indians and finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts -- which, at the time, trailed only Walter Johnson and Cy Young on the all-time list. Johnson and Young had both pitched several more years than Feller.

Grover Cleveland Alexander: During the middle of his 373-win (tied third all-time) pitching career, Alexander was an Army sergeant fighting in France for about a year duing World War I. He suffered shell shock, partial hearing loss, seizures that grew increasingly worse and other illnesses that were either caused or aggravated during his service.

Yogi Berra: A Navy gunner's mate, his boat reached the shores of Normandy a few days after D-Day. Two years later, the catcher made his debut with the New York Yankees. He went on to win three MVP awards and make the Hall of Fame.

Rocky Bleier: As his 1968 rookie season was about to end with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bleier was drafted into the Army. He volunteered for duty in Vietnam and arrived there in May, 1969. That Aug. 20, Bleier was hit by rifle fire in his left leg and moments later, was hot by shrapnel fro a grenade in his right leg.

Doctors told Bleier he would not play football again, but he returned to the Steelers in 1971. Paired in the backfield with Franco Harris, Bleier was an integral part of the Steelers' four Super Bowl championship teams of the 70s.

Al Blozis: A national shot put champion at Georgetown University, Blozis played offensive tackle for the New York Giants in 1942-43 and for three games in 1944 when he was on furlough from the Army.

Blozis was leading a platoon in the Vosges Mountains in France, when he left alone to search for two of his men who hadn't returned from scouting for enemy troops. He didn't return and was originally listed as missing, but the Army confirmed his death months later.

Al Bumbry: Fewer than 10 major leaguers served in Vietnam. Bumbry earned a Bronze Star there during his service as a platoon leader. Soon after getting back to the United States, Bumbry began his 1973 American League Rookie of the Year season as a Baltimore Orioles outfielder. He played 14 major league seasons. 

Elmer Gedeon: Played with the Washington Senators in 1939. Gedeon is believed to have been one of two major leaguers killed in action during World War II.

Gedeon died during his 13th bombing mission, when his plane was flying over France and was hit by anti-aircraft fire. 

Roy Gleason: Played eight games for the 1963 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Gleason was wounded in Vietnam in 1968 and evacuated by helicopter. All of the possessions he had brought with him to Vietnam were lost, including his World Series ring. He threw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game in 2003, and the Dogers players came on to the field to give him a replica of the World Series ring.

Eddie Grant: Grant, an infielder, began his 10-year big league career by playing two games with the Cleveland Naps in 1905.

He enlisted almost immediately after the United States entered World War I in April, 1917. An Army captain, Grant was killed during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France on Oct. 5, 1918, as he was leading a unit in which all of his superior officers had been killed or wounded.

APDetroit Tigers slugger and future Indians general manager Hank Greenberg served in World War II.

Hank Greenberg: When Greenberg was drafted in 1940, he was classified as 4F, being listed as unfit for duty because of flat feet. Being Jewish, he had a special interest in the war, though, and he volunteered for the Air Force, where he served in China, Burma and India, scouting locations for air bases, sometimes doing so in the middle or conflict.

Serving in the prime of his career, Greenberg, a first baseman, finished his Hall of Fame career with 331 home runs in just 5,193 at bats. He was an Indians farm director and then general manager in the 1950s.

Tim James: Miami Heat first-round draft pick in 1999 has been serving in Iraq, often readying aircraft for action. The forward played two NBA seasons.

Charlie Johnson: After serving in Vietnam as a military policeman, Johnson played eight seasons as a defensive tackle with the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. He made the Pro Bowl three times.

Bob Kalsu: Started at guard for the Buffalo Bills and was named the team's Rookie of the Year in 1968.

After the season ended, Kalsu enlisted in the Army to meet his Reserve Officers Training Corps commitment. He was sent to Vietnam in Nov., 1969. He was killed on July 21, 1970, when his unit came under heavy enemy fire.

Eddie LeBaron: The Marine Corps lieutenant was wounded twice during the Korean War, and was awarded a Bronze Star.

The 5-7 LeBaron went on to play 11 seasons at quarterback with the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys, making the Pro Bowl four times. 

Willie Miller: The wide receiver began his eight-year NFL career as a 28-year-old rookie with the Browns in 1975. He had served two tours of duty and earned a Silver Star while serving with the Army Special Forces in Vietnam.

Christy Mathewson: Two years after his retirement as a 373-game winner (tied third all-time) for the New York Giants, Mathewson was training in France with the United States Chemical Warfare Service division.

He was exposed to mustard gas during a training drill and was often ill until his death at age 45 of tuberculosis, in 1925. 

Robert Neighbors: Played in the major leagues for the St. Louis Browns in 1939.

Neighbors and the two other crewmen were flying a mission during the Korean War when their plane was hit on Aug. 8, 1952. The men were listed as missing in action, but their bodies were never found.

Neighbors' brother, Paul, was killed when the Navy destroyer he was on was sunk by a German U-boat on April 24, 1945, 13 days before Germany's surrender in World War II.

Harry O'Neill: O'Neill played one game with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1939. He was killed during the fighting in Iwo Jima on March 6, 1945.

APPitching great Warren Spahn fought at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

O'Neill had been hit by shrapnel and wounded during fighting at Saipan in July, 1944. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Warren Spahn: He was awarded the Purple Heart and a Brozne Star for his duty as a combat engineeer in World War II. Spahn was at the brutal Battle of the Bulge, the desperate, failed offensive by Germany late in the war.

Spahn had made a brief appearance with the Boston Braves in 1942, just before entering the service. He earned the firdst eight of his 363 career wins (sixth all-time) in 1946, getting all but seven of them with the Boston/Milwaukee Braves.

Spahn was the Indians pitching coach in 1972-73. 

Roger Staubach: The 1963 Heisman Trophy winner as the quarterback of the U.S. Naval Academy team, Staubach could have requested a military assignment in the U.S. after his graduation. Instead, he volunteered to go to Vietnam, where he served as a supply officer.

Staubach began his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys at age 27 in 1969. He retired in 1979 as one of the game's most successful and exciting QBs, and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Don Steinbrunner: Played offensive tackle with the Browns in 1953, but was forced to retire because of a knee injury.

Steinbrunner soon joined the U.S. Air Force. He went to Vietnam in 1966, and on July 20, 1967, his plane was shot down in South Vietnam, killing all five crew members.

Steinbrunner was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and a Purple Heart.

Pat Tillman: An Army Ranger, he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Tillman had played safety for four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, making Sports Illustated's first-tea all-pro team in 2000. He finished the 2001 season and decided to enlist in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Hoyt Wilhelm: Like Warren Spahn, Wilhelm fought at the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Mountains in Belgium. He was wounded and awarded a Purple Heart.

Wilhelm was 29 when he made his major league debut with the New York Giants in 1952, going 15-3. He retired 20 years later, and was the first player elected to the Hall of Fame as, mostly, a relief pitcher.

Wilhelm pitched parts of the 1957-58 with the Indians. Cleveland waived him during the summer of 1958. Wilhelm went on to pitch in 679 more games.

Ted Williams: Considered by some as baseball's greatest hitter ever, Williams served a total of nearly five years in World War I and the Korean War -- both stints during the prime of a playing career that ended with a .344 batting average and 521 home runs.

Williams served in the Marine Corps and Navy. Much of his World War II duty was as a flight instructor. He flew 39 combat missions in Korea. He was awarded an Air Medal for a mission during which the hydraulics and electrical systems on his plane were hit by flak and ruined, and yet he managed to fly the crippled plane back to its base. 

------

The following Major League Baseball players also died in World War I:

Alex Burr; Larry Chappel; Harry Glenn; Newt Halliday; Ralph Sherman; Bun Troy.  

Both major league baseball and the NFL were represented by hundreds of men serving during WW II. From the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a list of 21 players, a head coach and a team executive who died in World War II:

Cpl. Mike Basca (halfback, Philadelphia, 1941) – Killed in France in 1944

Lt. Charlie Behan (end, Detroit, 1942) – Killed on Okinawa in 1945

Maj. Keith Birlem (end, Cardinals-Washington, 1939) – Killed trying to land combat damaged bomber in England in 1943

Lt. Al Blozis (tackle, Giants, 1942-1944) – Killed in France, 1945

Lt. Chuck Braidwood (end, Portsmouth-Cleveland-Cardinals-Cincinnati, 1930-1933) – Member of Red Cross. Killed in South Pacific, winter 1944-1945

Lt. Young Bussey (quarterback, Bears, 1940-1941) – Killed in Philippines landing assault in 1944

Lt. Jack Chevigny (head coach, Cardinals, 1932) – Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945

Capt. Ed Doyle (end, Frankford-Pottsville, 1924-1925) – Killed during North Africa invasion in 1942

Lt. Col. Grassy Hinton (back, Staten Island, 1932) – Killed in plane crash in East Indies in 1944

Capt. Smiley Johnson (guard, Green Bay, 1940-1941) – Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945

Lt. Eddie Kahn (guard, Boston/Washington, 1935-1937) – Died from wounds suffered during Leyte invasion in 1945

Sgt. Alex Ketzko (tackle, Detroit, 1943) – Killed in France in 1944

Capt. Lee Kizzire (fullback, Detroit, 1937) – Shot down near New Guinea in 1943

Lt. Jack Lummus (end, Giants, 1941) – Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945

Bob Mackert (tackle, Rochester Jeffersons, 1925)

Frank Maher (back, Pittsburgh-Cleveland Rams, 1941)

Pvt. Jim Mooney (end-guard-fullback, Newark-Brooklyn-Cincinnati-St. Louis-Cardinals, 1930-1937) – Killed by sniper in France in 1944

Lt. John O’Keefe (front office, Philadelphia) – Killed flying a patrol mission in Panama Canal Zone

Chief Spec. Gus Sonnenberg (back, Buffalo-Columbus-Detroit-Providence, 1923-1928, 1930) – Died of illness at Bethesda Naval Hospital in 1944

Lt. Len Supulski (end, Philadelphia, 1942) – Killed in plane crash in Nebraska in 1944

Lt. Don Wemple (end, Brooklyn, 1941) – Killed in plane crash in India in 1944

Lt. Chet Wetterlund (halfback, Cardinals-Detroit, 1942) – Killed in plane crash off New Jersey coast in 1944

Capt. Waddy Young (end, Brooklyn, 1939-1940) – Killed in plane crash following first B-29 raid on Tokyo in 1945

The former Browns receiver knows what's awaiting him in his first visit to Cleveland since being traded to the Jets. Boos, boos and more boos.

View full sizeDavid Pokress / Newsday"For the people that don't like me, I share the same feeling," Braylon Edwards told the media Wednesday when asked about playing the Browns and facing the Cleveland fans. "I don't like them as well. I could give you a B.S. answer, but the short and skinny of it is that I'm going back there to handle business."

BEREA, Ohio -- The man who knows all the wrong buttons to push with Browns fans has done it again.

As the practice week intensified in advance of his first visit to Cleveland in a New York Jets uniform, Braylon Edwards stirred up the embers again.

First there was this message he Tweeted on the flight home Sunday following the Jets' 23-20 overtime victory in Detroit: "And before I take off and forget, all you Cleveland Browns fans, 17 is coming back and you better bring ya damn popcorn."

Two days later, Edwards expounded on returning to play in the city that he always felt held it against him for being from Michigan. He was traded on Oct. 7, 2009 -- two days after punching a friend of LeBron James outside a downtown nightclub.

"I remember the comments," Edwards said to Bob Glauber of Newsday. "I remember the writers, I remember the fans, I remember the coaches, I remember the people in the organization. I remember everything and everybody there that had something to say when 17 exited the doors.

"For the people that don't like me, I share the same feeling. I don't like them as well. I could give you a B.S. answer, but the short and skinny of it is that I'm going back there to handle business.

"I left there with a bitter taste in my mouth, and I'm going back there for some satisfaction. They can see it for how they want it. They can read it for how they want it. Just know that 17's coming to work when we play next week."

On Wednesday, Edwards spoke to New York media first after Jets practice. He termed his return "a personal war," and said when he learned he was traded to the Jets, "I couldn't get out of Berea fast enough. I couldn't show how excited I was at the time. I thought it would be unprofessional to do a dance."

In his chat with Cleveland media via conference call, Edwards softened his words. He said that he never publicly stated a desire to leave and that his reaction was based on the fact the Browns didn't want him anymore.

"If that was the feeling, then my feeling was I didn't want to be there either," he said.

Edwards caught 238 passes in 62 games for the Browns and scored 28 touchdowns. In 2007, he produced the greatest statistical season ever for a Browns receiver -- 80 catches for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was voted to the AFC Pro Bowl team.

That was as good as it got for the No. 3 overall pick of the 2005 draft.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerTo the suggestion from former teammate Mike Adams (chest-bumping Edwards after a practice TD in 2009) that Edwards lost focus after his 2007 Pro Bowl season, Edwards responded "Mike Adams and I have never been close. I don't know Mike Adams outside of football. He doesn't know me. I don't think that's a fair assessment. I can't control his opinion, but I don't agree with him."

Edwards ruined most of his 2008 training camp when his foot was gashed in a horseplay incident with teammate Donte Stallworth. The season descended into a horror flick for everyone on the team. There were injuries to him and the quarterbacks and there were plenty of dropped passes.

In 2009 came the culture change to Eric Mangini -- perhaps Edwards' first coach to hold him accountable -- more drops, and finally his unceremonious exit. He did not catch a pass in his last game for the Browns.

"I just thought he lost focus at a certain point," said Browns safety Mike Adams. "Once he came off the Pro Bowl year, he was everywhere and his focus on football wasn't complete. That's him. I used to talk to him here, say, 'PB, PB, Pro Bowl. Get back to that Pro Bowl year.' I used to encourage him.

"I know a lot of people were down on him, whatever, but he'd do a lot of great things in the community and I honestly thought he was a good person, once he started focusing."

Edwards disagreed with Adams' assessment and cited the numerous injuries and quarterback troubles for things going south in 2008.

"Mike Adams and I have never been close," he said. "I don't know Mike Adams outside of football. He doesn't know me. I don't think that's a fair assessment. I can't control his opinion, but I don't agree with him."

On the conference call, Edwards wouldn't back down from comments he made in September dissing Cleveland or his time-worn lament that he never had a chance to be accepted in Ohio State country because he came from Michigan.

He doesn't care if he has stirred up the city for a hostile reception when he returns on Sunday.

"I expected that anyway," he said. "I don't know if I'm setting myself up. If I am, then I am. I played in Cleveland. I know how it is when the opposition comes to town. Cleveland Browns fans do a good job of being loud and heckling the other team. So I expected that anyway."

Adams made a prediction.

"I expect him to refocus, and I expect him to come in here and want the ball 10, 11 times," he said. "I expect him to try to go deep every chance he gets, and to use double moves. Soon as he makes his first catch, I expect him to get booed.

"After he gets booed, he's going to get up and he's going to start jawing. I predict that. He's going to start talking smack."

Minnesota woman accused of swiping racy photos of Grady Sizemore that made the Internet rounds last year.

View full sizeChuck Crow,
Plain Dealer fileA 19-year-old Minnesota woman has been charged with hacking into the accounts of Grady Sizemore's girlfriend and stealing, then posting, the racy photos of the Indians centerfielder that made the Internet rounds last year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Charges were filed Wednesday against a 19-year-old Minnesota woman for stealing racy pictures of Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore from his girlfriend's computer.

Leah M. Ayers, from Apple Valley, Minn., was charged with two counts of unauthorized computer access, a gross misdemeanor.

Sizemore took the pictures of himself with a cell-phone camera and e-mailed them to his girlfriend, Brittany Binger, a former Playboy centerfold from Ohio. They were released on the Internet after last season, causing Sizemore to seek legal action to get them removed.

Indians GM Chris Antonetti had no comment on the story saying "it's a legal matter."

MLB's investigative unit helped track the hacker, but has no part in the current legal action.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that a complaint filed in Dakota County District Court says Ayers' laptop was used to view Binger's Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts. It added that personal information on those sites could have been used to change Binger's password and access her account in August 2009.

The Star-Tribune reported that Binger told police that she does not know Ayers and that the photos could only have come from Binger's e-mail account or the cell phone that was used to send them to her.

The investigation reportedly began when Binger contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. It led to Ayers' parents in Apple Valley.

"How is it that Mangini is still even considering starting Seneca Wallace at this point? His rookie quarterback is 2-1. I believe that Colt gives the Browns the best chance to win. Yes, he's a rookie and will make mistakes, but he has shown a good head on his shoulders, makes smart decisions and has the offense believing in him. It should be a no-brainer." - City of Dillusion

View full sizeColt McCoy is 2-1 as the Browns starter so far in 2010.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy will get bulk of reps, likely to start vs. Jets, cleveland.com reader City of Dillusion thinks it's obvious who should start on Sunday. This reader writes,

"How is it that Mangini is still even considering starting Seneca Wallace at this point? His rookie quarterback is 2-1. I believe that Colt gives the Browns the best chance to win. Yes, he's a rookie and will make mistakes, but he has shown a good head on his shoulders, makes smart decisions and has the offense believing in him. It should be a no-brainer."