"Scott has to try something, but the last I checked they only had seven warm bodies available. After Hickson and Samuels make mistakes, maybe we will be able to see how Manny plays the post." - bfos2010

View full sizeGetty ImagesByron Scott.

In response to the story Byron Scott makes it simple for Cleveland Cavaliers: Play defense, or sit, cleveland.com reader bfos2010 doesn't think Scott will be able to bench anyone. This reader writes,

"Scott has to try something, but the last I checked they only had seven warm bodies available. After Hickson and Samuels make mistakes, maybe we will be able to see how Manny plays the post."

"Reminds me a lot of Charles Barkley. Another year of college could serve him well and, considering the possibility of a lockout, Buckeye fans may get their wish. He is obviously talented enough to be a top five pick, but just imagine how great he could be if he mastered a 15-foot jump shot." - Breezyncolumbus

View full sizeTerry Gilliam | Associated PressJared Sullinger may be undersized at the next level, but that doesn't mean he can't be successful.

In response to the story Jared Sullinger is the BMOC for Ohio State, which is exactly where he belongs (for now): Bill Livingston, cleveland.com reader Breezyncolumbus sees a little bit of Sir Charles in Sullinger. This reader writes,

"Reminds me a lot of Charles Barkley. Another year of college could serve him well and, considering the possibility of a lockout, Buckeye fans may get their wish. He is obviously talented enough to be a top five pick, but just imagine how great he could be if he mastered a 15-foot jump shot."

"Hillis will be an integral part of the West Coast Offense with his ability to catch out of the backfield and his obvious impact of running the ball. His running success should grow with the WCO as well." - preventd

View full sizeGetty ImagesPeyton Hillis' ability to catch the ball along with his running ability could lead to a big year next year as well.

In response to the story The one about paying Peyton Hillis, cleveland.com reader preventd thinks Hillis will thrive in a new offense. This reader writes,

"Hillis will be an integral part of the West Coast Offense with his ability to catch out of the backfield and his obvious impact of running the ball. His running success should grow with the WCO as well."

"It is possible that Choo took this offer in order to show a good faith type of agreement that they would continue to work on a long term signing. If Choo takes them to arbitration, yes he wins more money for this season, but it could look bad in terms of a longer contract with either the Indians or another team." - negativtrend

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerShin-Soo Choo.

In response to the story Good day for the Cleveland Indians: Tribe avoids arbitration with Shin-Soo Choo, Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, cleveland.com reader negativtrend thinks Choo took the Tribe offer with the big picture in mind. This reader writes,

"It is possible that Choo took this offer in order to show a good faith type of agreement that they would continue to work on a long term signing. If Choo takes them to arbitration, yes he wins more money for this season, but it could look bad in terms of a longer contract with either the Indians or another team."

Ex-Buckeye linebacker has enjoyed a fine season after a slow start.

Associated PressGreen Bay linebacker A.J. Hawk tackling Tennessee's Chris Johnson.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State has a rich history of standout linebackers. Count A.J. Hawk among the players who have built on that Buckeyes tradition.

Hawk, though, hasn't always been able to satisfy his critics during his five seasons with the Green Bay Packers. After being the fifth overall pick in the 2006 draft and making 155 tackles during his rookie season, Hawk averaged 112 tackles the next three years.

This season did not start well for him. Yet, despite being benched in the season opener, Hawk led the Packers during the regular season with 134 tackles, and he intercepted three passes.

Hawk's resurgence continued in Green Bay playoff wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. Sunday, Hawk and the Packers will play at Chicago against the Bears for the National Football Conference championship and a Super Bowl berth.

Jim Polzin writes about Hawk, and how Packers' coaches are now raving about his play, for the Wisconsin State Journal and madison.com:

Back in September, after Hawk didn’t play a single snap on defense in the season opener at Philadelphia, message boards and talk radio buzzed with speculation that the former first-round pick would be sent packing in a trade.

Hawk’s agent, Mike McCartney, even told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that his client, who obviously wasn’t pleased that he was forced to stand and watch against the Eagles, would be open to a trade.

Well, Hawk stayed put and played a key role on a defense that allowed the second-fewest points during the regular season. He’ll take his place in the middle of Green Bay’s defense when the Packers (12-6) play the Chicago Bears (12-5) in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field.

Hawk said Monday that he never considered the possibility that he might not end the season with the team that selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2006 draft.

“No, I never did, just because if that happened for some reason, if they wanted to get me out of here, they would. I couldn’t change it,” Hawk said. “All I can do is when I go out on the field try to make things happen. …

The Browns signed two players to reseve/future contracts for the 2011 season.

The Plain DealerThe Browns signed a receiver and linebacker today to reserve/future contracts for the 2011 season.

CLEVELAND  -- The Browns signed two players today to reserve/future contracts for the 2011 season. They are linebacker Auston English and receiver Rod Windsor.

After signing as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma, , English (6-3, 250) spent the 2010 offseason with the Browns before being waived on June 17. Windsor (6-2, 205) spent one week on the Browns' practice squad in 2010 and was then signed to the Bills practice squad. He's from Western New Mexico.

Newton, a quarterback, and Fairley, a defensive tackle, led Auburn to national title. Georgia receiver A.J. Green among players Browns might consider.

Associated PressGeorgia wide receiver A.J. Green, a player that the Cleveland Browns might consider taking with their first-round draft pick.

NEW YORK, New York – Cam Newton and Nick Fairley of national champion Auburn are among 56 non-seniors applying for April's NFL draft — a record total, but only three more players than left college early a year ago.

The uncertainty surrounding the league's labor situation does not appear to have had a significant effect on underclassmen opting to declare for the draft. The NFL released the names on Wednesday.

Newton, a quarterback, and Fairley, a defensive tackle, are joined by three other All-American juniors heading to the draft: Kentucky receiver-returner Randall Cobb, Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson.

The draft is April 28-30, even if there is no new collective bargaining agreement to replace the one that expires in early March.

The Cleveland Browns, barring a trade, will have the sixth pick in the first round of the draft.

Websites featuring mock drafts include those on CBSSports.com; on FoxSports.com; on NFL.com.

The 56 players granted special eligibility for the 2011 NFL Draft on April 28-30 in New York:

 Darvin Adams, wr, Auburn
 Marvin Austin, dt, North Carolina
 Akeem Ayers, lb, UCLA
 Jon Baldwin, wr, Pittsburgh
 Da’Quan Bowers, de, Clemson
 DeAndre Brown, wr, Southern Miss
 Brandon Burton, db, Utah
 Jurrell Casey, dt, Southern Cal
 John Clay, rb, Wisconsin
 Nick Claytor, ot, Georgia Tech
 Randall Cobb, wr, Kentucky
 Marcell Dareus, dl, Alabama
 Tandon Doss, wr, Indiana
 Darren Evans, rb, Virginia Tech
 Nick Fairley, dt, Auburn
 Blaine Gabbert, qb, Missouri
 A.J. Green, wr, Georgia
 Tori Gurley, wr, South Carolina
 Lawrence Guy, dt, Arizona State
 Jamel Hamler, wr, Fresno State
 Jamie Harper, rb, Clemson
 Brandon Harris, cb, Miami
 Will Hill, db, Florida
 Justin Houston, lb, Georgia
 Henry Hynoski, fb, Pittsburgh
 Mark Ingram, rb, Alabama
 Julio Jones, wr, Alabama
 Thomas Keiser, lb, Stanford
 Mikel Leshoure, rb, Illinois
 Dion Lewis, rb, Pittsburgh
 Javes Lewis, db, Oregon
 Greg Little, wr, North Carolina
 Corey Liuget, dt, Illinois
 Ryan Mallett, qb, Arkansas
 Rahim Moore, db, UCLA
 Cam Newton, qb, Auburn
 Zane Parr, de, Virginia
 Patrick Peterson, db, LSU
 Robert Quinn, de, North Carolina
 Stevan Ridley, rb, LSU
 Jacquizz Rodgers, rb, Oregon State
 Kyle Rudolph, te, Notre Dame
 Robert Sands, s, West Virginia
 Tyler Sash, db, Iowa
 Sealver Siligi, dt, Utah
 Aldon Smith, de, Missouri
 Torrey Smith, wr, Maryland
 Tyron Smith, ot, Southern Cal
 Jerrard Tarrant, db, Georgia Tech
 Jordan Todman, rb, Connecticut
 Shane Vereen, rb, California
 J.J. Watt, de, Wisconsin
 Muhammad Wilkerson, dt, Temple
 Aaron Williams, db, Texas
 Ryan Williams, rb, Virginia Tech
 Martez Wilson, lb, Illinois

Cavaliers, owning the NBA's worst record at 8-32, hope to overcome injuries and other shortcomings in tonight's home game against the Phoenix Suns.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerAntawn Jamison (4) leads the Cavaliers in scoring at 16.4 points per game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will be at the halfway point of their season after tonight's game against the Phoenix Suns at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Cavaliers' struggles have been well-documented: 10 straight losses and 23 defeats in their last 24 games; a league-worst 8-32 record; an injury-decimated roster, with just seven players available during most of the team's most recent game, Saturday night's 127-99 road loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Cavaliers notes prior to tonight's game are on NBA.com.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Mary Schmitt Boyer's report that guard Daniel Gibson is expected to return from an injury and play tonight, and Jodie Valade's story that coach Byron Scott is demanding that the Cavs play better defense.

100 % effort

Nobody will question the effort of forward Antawn Jamison, 34 and playing on balky knees.

Jamison leads the Cavaliers with 16.4 points per game (playing 30.8 minutes per game). Now in his 13th season, Jamison has scored 17,725 career points.

Bob Finnan writes for the Lorain Morning Journal and News-Herald that Jamison doesn't like the losing, but:

But when you love getting up each morning and doing something you’re always dreamt of doing, it’s easy to have a positive frame of mind.

Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that you’re making $13.4 million a season.

Such is the case for Cavs forward Antawn Jamison.

“I enjoy my life,” he said. “If these are the only problems I have to deal with in life, I’ll take it.

“A lot of people are less fortunate than I am. This is my job, my passion, my love. I enjoy what I do, even though it’s tough right now. I still enjoy being sore. I still enjoy competing. I don’t enjoy the losses.”

Jump shots

Mid-season grades for the Cavaliers and the other Eastern Conference teams, on CBSSports.com.

What former Cavaliers star and current announcer Austin Carr has to say about the Cavs, on CavFanatic.com.

Suns-Cavs game preview, by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

The Cavs remain hopeful that things will improve, by Rick Noland for the Medina County Gazette and Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.

NBA power rankings, on Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Former Cavalier Shaquille O'Neal has a new girlfriend, on thehoopdoctors.com.

The search for optimism is bleak and grim in this Cavs' season. A high lottery pick and the inherent beauty of the game provide hope.

View full sizeJae C. Hong / Associated PressA depressing, loss-filled season for the Cavaliers can't spoil the appeal of basketball for true fans -- and the NBA's reliance on the draft offers renewed hope for fast improvement, says Bill Livingston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The morning when the sunlight burst like fire through a grimy gym window was like a belated Christmas present.

I was 12 years old, playing in an early-morning Christmas tournament game in elementary school, and the light poured through the high windows of the gym, swallowing up the basket in a blinding glare. Open in the corner, squared up, ready for the shot I had practiced countless times, I looked for the basket, which, after all, had not moved.

My hopeful shot went arching into the fireball. When it swished, the way I saw basketball changed forever. It was filled with radiance, it was played on golden mornings, and glory was a flick of the wrist away.

The basket was always going to be there, unshakable, unwavering.

Another time, I dumped an entire canister of Morton's salt on the driveway, attempting to melt the snow on it for a neighborhood game. (Confusion existed in my mind between common table salt and the road salt used in the snow-clogged cities of the East and Midwest.) The result was an angry mother who had no seasoning for the dinner she was preparing and a boy who had muddy splotches on his jacket and face and wet, cold hands, all of which needed a vigorous scrubbing.

When I started covering the NBA in 1974, I met and wrote about a host of colorful characters. There was Darryl Dawkins, who had his own planet, Chocolate Thunder; Dr. J, who didn't just walk on air, but busted dance moves up there; World B. Free, who could jump, I swear, with David Thompson and other flyers, inch-for-inch; and Mark Price, a choir boy, literally, who would willingly take and make the big shots others passed up.

I started writing about LeBron James when he was only 16 years old. I had no idea then that the Ping-Pong ball would bounce the Cavaliers' way in the lottery and that I would spend seven years covering him. He became the best I ever saw.

I would never have believed that it would end the way it did.

It is difficult to watch the NBA the way it has been tainted in Cleveland, especially the way James' national apologists overlook the end of the Boston series. Hardest of all was how Commissioner of Tommyrot David Stern said James acted with integrity.

But I will go back to Cavs games because I signed on as a sportswriter. Also because I am convinced the shambles the season has become is the shortest path back to competence.

The same disillusionment struck years ago with college basketball. I saw the NCAA Tournament turn into a balance of weakness, not strength, as the best players left early for the NBA. The reprehensible NBA age requirement that players must be at least 19 years old created a game of mercenaries, who were just passing by the ivory towers on the way to pro riches. At the same time, though, it made it possible, by disrupting the continuity of the elite programs, for the sport's dreamers to approach unreachable stars.

It does not take that much to be good in basketball. One superb player can make a bigger difference than in any other sport. Gonzaga almost reached a Final Four with Adam Morrison, Davidson almost did so with Steph Curry, and Butler almost won it all with Gordon Heyward.

College basketball will never be Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird again in the championship game. But if there is parity, the game thrives.

This season, after all the defections, injuries and defeats, the Cavs will almost certainly have the best chance to win the draft lottery, as they did in James' year. They will pick no lower than fourth. There will be no long wait for them to have the pick of the college crop under the one-and-done rule unless some underclassmen, but surely not all, stay out of the draft because of a possible lockout.

So the high goal is still there, although it seems as if all the losing has dimmed our sight of it. As for fans, if they have chosen the rooting life, with its raging passions, its elation and its heartbreak, there is no final separation. Their sorely tested love of the game will return, like the sunrise.

Almost everyone in this country plays basketball at one time or other. Few leave their imprint on it. Instead it leaves its ineradicable mark on us, even in the ice and snow and the defeat and desertion of this bitter winter.

Follow Bill Livingston on Facebook.

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - Kenston football coach Roger Vasey has resigned after leading his team to one of its best seasons in recent years. Vasey said it was a difficult decision, but he wanted to be able to watch his two sons play football this fall and spend time with his daughter, who is in college. One son, Tom,...

Kenston football coach Roger Vasey posted a 16-15 record in three years, including an 8-3 mark this past fall and first playoff berth since 2000. - (Helmet image courtesy of OhioHelmetProject.com.)

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - Kenston football coach Roger Vasey has resigned after leading his team to one of its best seasons in recent years.

Vasey said it was a difficult decision, but he wanted to be able to watch his two sons play football this fall and spend time with his daughter, who is in college. One son, Tom, is a junior lineman at Chagrin Falls and his other son, Charlie, is a junior defensive tackle at the University of Dayton.

"It was a family decision," he said.

Vasey is Kenston's social studies department chair and will continue to teach. He has coached football in a variety of capacities for 30 of his 32 years at Kenston. He had a 16-15 record in three years, improving each season. Last fall, Kenston (8-3, 6-1 Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division) won a share of its first league title since 1997 and earned its first playoff berth since 2000.

The job has been posted internally at Kenston.

Mo Williams says he and the team will "get it right" in healing his strained left hip flexor.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III / The Plain DealerMo Williams won't likely be seen on the court for the Cavaliers until early February as he rests his injured left hip.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mo Williams said he received a cortisone shot to alleviate the pain in his strained left hip flexor on Wednesday and will be out at least "a couple weeks."

"We'll get it right," Williams said before last night's game against Phoenix at The Q. "We're just making sure we get rid of it so it doesn't bother me."

Williams played just five minutes in Saturday's loss at Denver before leaving the floor with the injury. Including Wednesday night, he has missed eight games with assorted hip and groin injuries. The problems started in training camp, when Williams missed most of the pre-season with a groin injury and Ramon Sessions started at point guard, which he did again on Wednesday.

Coach Byron Scott said he was not sure how long Williams would be out. "I know they're talking about they have to do some rest and rehab," Scott said before Wednesday's game. "So there's no timetable on when he will be back."

In a season rocked by injuries, Scott is currently without three starters. In addition to Williams, Anthony Parker is out with a bad back, and Anderson Varejao is out for the season with a torn tendon in his right foot. At one time or another, every starter has been injured, although Daniel Gibson did return from his sprained left ankle.

"Obviously, it's a big loss," Scott said of Williams. "Mo is one of our leaders, one of our best scorers. He's been doing a real good job of directing the team. But I feel good about Sess being in there. He's very capable of running our team, so even though it's a big loss, it gives Sess a chance to develop even more so."

Scott said this rash of sidelined players is unique.

"I've been in situations where we had injuries before, but not five or six guys being out at one time," he said. "This is new to me. It's probably new to a bunch of guys in that locker room. But the one thing I'll say is those guys have kept working. They continue to come out, hold their heads up high and keep fighting. That's all you can ask for."

Scott admitted he barely knows what to say. "Am I numb as far as all the injuries are concerned?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm not ready to take the medical exam to be an official doctor, but I'm getting close."

Young at heart: Gibson watched the Cavs during their recent 0-5 road trip and learned something about his teammates.

"We're really young," said Gibson, who is all of 23.

"I'm starting to be old here," he said, laughing. "No, I consider myself still young but I've been through a lot of wars and a lot of games to where I have an understanding of how to play and those guys will, too. It's a process we all go through."

He thinks Scott's decision to simplify the defense will help the young players.

"I think coach simplifying the philosophy of our defense will help them not to think so much out there on the floor and just be able to go out there and play and react," Gibson said. "Sometimes they get lost in playing hard. So I'll try to be more vocal as far as trying to help guys know where to be defensively when we're out there on the floor."

The Vikings will either lay the groundwork for remaining in the Horizon League race or fall out of it this week.

View full sizeThomas Quinn / The (Valparaiso) TimesNorris Cole (30) and the Vikings must take care of business this week against Detroit and Wright State if Cleveland State's rematches against Valparaiso and Butler later in the season are to have meaning on the Horizon League race.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week could determine Cleveland State's championship course as the Vikings either lay the groundwork for remaining in the Horizon League race or fall out of it.

After seven games, the HL has a surprising team at the top, Valparaiso, and five others clustered right behind, including CSU and two teams it hosts this week: Detroit (Wednesday) and Wright State (Saturday).

Win both games, and the Vikings remain in the thick of the race, as Valpo and Butler must still play at the Wolstein Center. But lose even one, and CSU's odds dramatically drop. A team with three or four HL losses could win the league, and the Vikings (16-3, 5-2) already have two. Valparaiso is 14-5, 6-1. Butler is 13-6, 5-2.

Detroit (10-9, 4-3) and Wright State (12-7, 5-2) are in the same position as CSU.

"We can't sit back and rest," CSU coach Gary Waters said as he prepared for this week's games. "This is a tough go-round. Our backs are against the wall a little bit."

Check that date: While much of the focus is on Cleveland State's Feb. 5 home game against Butler, it will mean little if Valparaiso wins at the Wolstein Center two days earlier.

"They're an offensive juggernaut," Waters said of the Crusaders. "Understand, they have won four games on the road already, out of five. Think about it. Butler hasn't done that this year.

"Their worst-case scenario, they lose four games. Their best-case scenario, they lose two. That's what we're dealing with."

Ticket talk: Wednesday is a doubleheader day as the CSU women host Detroit at 5 p.m. and the men follow against the Titans. One ticket is good for both games.

Saturday is also a doubleheader, the men's game is at 2 p.m. and the women play at 4 p.m., both against Wright State.

Single-game tickets for CSU's Feb. 5 game against Butler go on sale Monday, but fans who attend Saturday's game against Wright State can purchase Butler tickets at the Wolstein ticket windows.

Cavaliers' fourth-quarter push falls short as Phoenix hands Cleveland its 14th straight loss.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerSamardo Samuels waits for a chance to shoot around Phoenix's Marcin Gortat during the first half of Wednesday's game against the Suns at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes and observations from the Cavs game against Phoenix Suns Wednesday night at The Q:

Final: Suns 106, Cavs 98. The Cavaliers actually did improve on the defensive end, but not until the fourth quarter, which was too late to beat the Suns.

Antawn Jamison had 23 points, Ramon Sessions, starting for the injured Mo Williams, had 19 points and eight  assists, and J.J. Hickson had 15 points and 15 rebounds, but Cleveland lost its 14th straight and its 24th in the last 25 games to fall to 8-33.

Grant Hill had 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Steve Nash had 15 points and 15 assists as Phoenix improved to 19-21.

Phoenix made just five of 16 shots in the fourth quarter and had five turnovers, but Cleveland could not come up with enough offense at the right time to make up the difference.

As the Suns missed their first eight shots of the final quarter, Cleveland closed to 93-90 on a 3-pointer by Daniel Gibson. But Phoenix put together a 7-2 run and took a 100-92 lead on a 3-pointer by Vince Carter with 2:35 left. It was his only basket of the night, and it gave the Suns just enough room to hold off the Cavs.

Third quarter update: Suns 90, Cavs 77. The ageless Grant Hill had 11 points in the third quarter, while Cavs are content to try and catch up by shooting 3-pointers.

They took 7 in the third, making four, two each by Manny Harris and Daniel Gibson.

Halftime update: Suns 62, Cavs 49. Antawn Jamison had 11 points for the Cavs, and Channing Frye had 10 for the Suns in the period.

The defense was marginally better as Phoenix shot 47.8 percent (11 of 23). Now if the Cavs could just crank up their offense, it might be a game.

First quarter update: Suns 36, Cavs 28. Although coach Byron Scott threatened to yank guys for making defensive mistakes, clearly the long, long list of injuries is preventing him from doing so.

How else to explain the Suns' 56.6 percent shooting in the first quarter? They did take only four 3-pointers, making two, but not sure perimeter defense was the cause of that.

Grant Hill had 14 points in the first quarter, while Ramon Sessions had 10.

Cavs starters: F Alonzo Gee, F Antawn Jamison, C J.J. Hickson, G Manny Harris, G Ramon Sessions.

Suns starters: F Grant Hill, F Channing Frye, C Robin Lopez, G Vince Carter, G Steve Nash.

Injuries: Christian Eyenga (right ankle sprain), Joey Graham (right quad strain), Anthony Parker (low back strain), Leon Powe (right knee surgery) and Anderson Varejao (torn tendon, right foot) are out for Cavs. Gani Lawal (partially torn right MCL) for Suns

Inactives: Parker, Powe, Varejao for Cavs. Gani Lawal for Suns.

Officials: Ken Mauer, Mark Ayote, Brent Barnaky

Three things to watch

1. Will Byron Scott's simplified defense actually help?

2. Will he follow through on his threat to have anyone who makes a mistake defensively join him on the bench?

3. Will J.J. Hickson continue his strong play at center?

Indians prospects such as Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall and Alex White could make it to the big leagues sometime this year.

View full sizePeggy Turbett / The Plain Dealer "I thought this could be my ticket up," Indians minor-leaguer Jason Kipnis said about his move from center field to second base. "I took it and ran with it."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Never has a ballclub needed a future more than the Indians. They displayed part of it Wednesday afternoon in the visitor's locker room at Progressive Field.

Fourteen players answered questions from reporters as part of the team's annual winter development program. In a matter of months, a few of them could be answering the same questions in the Indians' locker room just down the concourse as big leaguers.

The Indians ended last season as the youngest team in the majors. They aren't expected to get much older and they have holes to fill. There has rarely been a better time to be a minor leaguer in the organization.

Second baseman Jason Kipnis, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and right-hander Alex White could be wearing Indians uniforms before September. There are more behind them, but for now they'll do.

The Indians open spring training on Feb. 15 in Goodyear, Ariz. They'll do so with second and third base unclaimed.

Kipnis, 23, played at three levels last year, including a postseason run at Class AAA Columbus to help the Clippers win the International League championship and the overall Triple-A championship. The Indians fast-tracked him, throwing 622 at-bats at the converted center fielder starting at Class A Kinston and ending in the Arizona Fall League. He hit at every stop, which gives him a chance, no matter how slim, to win the second-base job in spring training.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerLonnie Chisenhall is almost certain to start the 2011 season at Columbus after hitting .278 with the Akron Aeros last season.

Jason Donald, Luis Valbuena, Jayson Nix and Cord Phelps, another prospect, will compete with Kipnis, a second-round pick in 2009 from Arizona State. He has no idea what awaits him in the Arizona desert, but he'll settle for causing manager Manny Acta and GM Chris Antonetti sleepless nights in late March when the roster has to be cut to 25 players.

"There's a shot," said Ross Atkins, director of player development, "but that's more a question for Chris and Manny."

Realistically, Kipnis will probably open the season at Columbus.

"If I get caught up thinking about it, it would only hurt me," said Kipnis, who hit a combined .307 (158-for-518) at Kinston and Class AA Akron. "That's a decision for the guys up top to make. My job is to force their hand a little bit; to put me in the best possible position."

The Indians moved Kipnis from center to second at the end of the 2009 season. Atkins said he never thought Kipnis would make the move so quickly. MLB.com rated him the No. 4 second-base prospect in the big leagues.

The move perplexed Kipnis at first. Then he saw the light. "I thought this could be my ticket up," he said. "I took it and ran with it."

It's all but guaranteed that Chisenhall, the Indians' No.1 pick in 2008, will open the year at Columbus. His next Triple-A at-bat will be his first. But unless Nix conquers the hot corner this spring or the Indians are blown away by Donald or Jack Hannahan, there's not much stopping Chisenhall from arriving later in the season.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerAlex White was a combined 10-10 with a 2.45 ERA in 2010 pitching at Kinston and Akron, and will start in Columbus this season, with a shot at getting some time in the big leagues.

"No question, he certainly could," said Atkins.

Until then there is work to do. Chisenhall, ranked as the second-best third-base prospect by MLB.com, has to prove he's over a strained right shoulder that cut into his playing time last year. The converted shortstop needs work on his defense as well.

"Third base is a challenging position," said Chisenhall, 22. "You need good hands, but you use your legs a lot. You're basically a catcher playing third. You have to knock the ball down."

Last year Chisenhall hit .278 (128-for-460) with 22 doubles, three triples, 17 homers and 84 RBI at Akron.

The Indians drafted White No.1 in 2009. He went 2-3 with a 2.86 ERA at Kinston and 8-7 with a 2.28 ERA in 18 games, including 17 starts, at Akron. He pitched a total of 150 2/3 innings, the most by a Tribe minor leaguer. White, 22, wasn't promoted to Columbus for the postseason because he'd reached his innings limit.

"He'll go into our Triple-A rotation this year and try to make an impact [in the big leagues] at some point in 2011," said Atkins. "It's not etched in stone, but it's the most realistic situation at this point."

In Berea, It's always been difficult to distinguish between change for the better and change for the sake of it, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerAdding talented young players such as Joe Haden (deflecting a pass to Miami's Marlon Moore last month) would seem to be more essential in improving the Browns' defense than shifting from the 3-4 to the 4-3, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There is change for the better and change for the sake of it. In Berea it's always been hard to tell them apart...

What we're seeing in Berea is not a start-over. The Browns have a structure in place (just empty rooms where assistant coaches should be sitting).

The change from whatever it was the Browns were running a year ago to the Mike Holmgren West Coast Offense leased to new head coach Pat Shurmur is one thing. It's the expected switch from the 3-4 to the 4-3 that promises to be a an episode of "Extreme Makeover."

It's hard to argue against a more sophisticated passing offense as the right approach to winning in the NFL in 2011. Colt McCoy looked more and more suited to the shorter, ball-control West Coast offense as the cold and wind arrived to the lakefront.

There's heavier lifting to be done in switching systems defensively. So much talk about the West Coast Offense. So little about why the 4-3 -- and the personnel adjustments -- that come with it is even necessary.

Proponents of the 3-4 believe it's better suited to dealing with the multiple receiver sets prevalent around the league these days. It's designed to pressure the quarterback and more easily disguise the pass rush. Greater flexibility is the idea.

So how'd that work for the Browns? Right. But look around the league, or just the division where Pittsburgh's 3-4 seems to work well enough. Rob Ryan and the 3-4 wasn't the problem last season.

GM Tom Heckert says age would've forced roster changes anyway. But the 4-3 will require a more dynamic pass rush from the defensive line at a time when the linebacker spot needs an overhaul, a time when the future at cornerback amounts to not much more than Joe Haden (unless you're counting on Eric Wright).

Changing defensive coordinators and switching to the 4-3 is a such a major undertaking the payoff doesn't seem worth it.

SPINOFFS

View full sizeGail Burton / Associated PressIt turns out that Mike Tomlin (and almost all football coaches) is shocked -- shocked! -- that a reporter might ... actually ... report (in the mildest way possible) on the Steelers' game-day plans during the playoffs. Somehow, national security was not compromised.

The NFL is selling $200 tickets to the Super Bowl in Dallas. Fans will have to sit on the grass on the east side of the stadium and watch on huge TV screens. Would a league that can sell $200 tickets to not watch the Super Bowl live really be dumb enough to blow itself up in a labor dispute?

Oh, and the seats must be purchased in blocks of four. While a parking pass is included, no word on whether you have to pay for the dunce cap...

ESPN's Bob Holtzman reported Saturday two Steelers told him they had a trick play ready for Baltimore. This was more than four hours before the game and -- according to USA Today -- angered head coach Mike Tomlin. So when Holtzman asked Tomlin Wednesday how much time he'd need to prepare for the Jets' defense, the wind chill took a sharp downturn. Said Tomlin, "It depends on whether or not you give him my plays"...

Byron Scott is threatening to bench players who fail to carry out their more simplified defensive assignments. Given the NBDL outposts where some of these guys toiled, can a bench in the NBA really feel like Siberia and act as a deterrent? ...

Miami head coach Tony Sparano hired former Browns' offensive coordinator Brian Daboll because he didn't believe Daboll got a fair shot in 2010 due to injured quarterbacks, a general lack of talent, and other constraints (Eric Mangini). He also liked the game plan the Browns used to beat the Dolphins this season.

This seems like a good time to say that the criticism of coordinator Dan Henning in Miami centered around playing for field goals and abandoning the Wildcat too easily. So ... good luck with the new man...

ESPN would not comment on when Daboll's one-hour special will air...

Good guy Mike Hargrove is joining the Indians. As with good guys Sandy Alomar and Charlie Nagy joining in previous seasons, big crowds are expected at Progressive Field.

As long as it's Fireworks Night...

The University of Texas announced a 20-year, $300 million deal with ESPN for a round-the-clock TV network broadcasting Longhorn sports, including minor, non-revenue sports. How long before the field hockey players see the money they're bringing in and sell their skorts for tattoos? ...

Bill Belichick benched receiver Wes Welker after Welker's comments indirectly poking fun at Jets head coach Rex Ryan's foot fetish videos. Welker missed only one offensive series. Why bother? Only Jim Tressel would consider that harsh...

HE SAID IT

View full sizeHillary Jones-Mixon / Oakland TribuneCome to think about it, some mutant powers might be necessary to help these two guys with the Oakland Raiders.

"The fire in [him] will set a flame that will burn for a long time in the hearts and minds of the Raider football team and the Raider Nation." -- owner Al Davis on the long-ago hiring of John Madden ... wait, no... Jon Gruden ...hold on, I'm being told that's not correct either ... Hue Jackson?

Just checking, but Davis doesn't think he just hired Wolverine from X-Men, does he?

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Dave Wannstedt and Doc Severinsen -- Steve Miller

Herman Edwards and Seinfeld character Jackie Childs. They even talk alike. -- Gary, Brecksville

DaJuan Wagner and Mo Williams. (Same number as well) -- Bob

WKYC's Chris Tye and Family Guy's Quagmire? -- Mark Dahler

YOU SAID IT

(The Winning-Never-Ends Midweek Edition)

Hey Bud:

"Shurmur Time

"And the Winning is easy.

"Colt is passin,

"and Robiskie jumps high.

"Our Randy's rich

"and Holmgren is cookin'.

"So Hush Little Browns Fan

"don't you cry." -- Pat.

Pat? Pat Shurmur, is that you?

"Bud:

"Trying the new South Beach Diet ... read about LeBron James ... throw up ... repeat ad nauseum." -- Bob Futey, Cortland, Ohio

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"After hiring Pat Shurmur, Mike Holmgren said, 'This is the first head coach that I've hired, and I trust it will be my last.' Where's Holmgren going?" -- Chas K, Cleveland Heights

Repeat winners receive a walking boot autographed by Holmgren.

"Bud:

"Don't you think it's fortunate Austin Kearns didn't play well enough that the Indians couldn't afford to re-sign him?" -- Jim O, Chardon

Repeat winners also receive a day on the 40-man roster.

"Bud:

"I can't seem to shed the image of our owner 'across the pond' the day his hand-picked coach is led to slaughter against our hated rivals. I get that soccer is his true passion. And maybe I'm just the red-headed stepchild searching for approval, but aren't we kind of like a soccer team? We rarely score and drunken fisticuffs are a post-game ritual. So why doesn't he love us? Why?" -- Steve Miller, Cleveland

And a bicycle kick in the stomach.

Great defense led Ohio State past Iowa on Wednesday and now at 19-0, the Buckeyes' toughest tests are just ahead of them.

View full sizeChris Russell / Columbus DispatchAaron Craft does all he can to disrupt this first-half possession by Iowa in Ohio State's 70-48 victory Wednesday night at Value City Arena.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thad Matta will talk defense 24 hours a day. But this time, Ohio State's coach said the desire to defend better started with his players.

So the Buckeyes' practice this week, as described by freshman Jared Sullinger, was back to the basics, with drills and fundamentals and an hour-long focus on the defensive end that reminded Sullinger of what the Buckeyes were doing months ago.

"We've been missing that," Sullinger said.

Before the No. 1-ranked and Big Ten-leading Buckeyes played last-place Iowa on Wednesday night, Matta reminded his players of what they wanted.

"You're the ones that said it. You have to go back it up," Matta said. "And I thought they did that on defense."

Ohio State's 70-48 win was its first victory in five games by more than five points, that stretch including a close call at Iowa on Jan. 4. The Hawkeyes (7-11, 0-6) scored a season low, though it was the seventh time the Buckeyes (19-0, 6-0) held a team in the 40s.

Unlike the football team, the basketball Buckeyes won their first game after moving to the No. 1 spot in the polls.

Ohio State is right where most everyone thought the Buckeyes would be after beating Florida State on Nov. 30 to move to 6-0. With a soft start to the Big Ten schedule, there certainly didn't look to be a loss among the next 13 games, and there wasn't, though the Hawkeyes, Minnesota, Michigan and Penn State each provided a scare.

Wednesday, instead of letting an opponent back in the game, the Buckeyes led by 17 at the half and never allowed the lead to shrink in the second half.

"I wish it was always like that," Matta said.

David Lighty scored a game-high 18 points, William Buford had 15 and Jared Sullinger added 13 points and nine rebounds.

Now it gets tough. Starting Saturday at Illinois, seven of the Buckeyes' next nine games are against teams ranked in the top 25, with four games on the road. In their first 19 games, Ohio State played only one game against an opponent currently ranked in the top 25 -- the 3-point home win over Minnesota on Jan. 9.

"You can only play one team at a time," Lighty said. "Whoever's next, that's what we've got to worry about. We've got to have our minds right."

And stay out of their own way. Though the defensive effort forced 23 turnovers, including a freshman-record seven steals by Aaron Craft, the Buckeyes also turned the ball over a season-high 20 times, just the second time they had more turnovers than assists in a game.

"Twenty turnovers is way too many. We weren't as sharp as we needed to be taking care of the basketball," Matta said. "Our guys know that. But it hasn't been a problem all year. I think we've done a great job."

Now they'll need to be great at everything at the same time, as dedicated defensively as they were Wednesday and as efficient offensively as they've been on so many other nights.

Illinois has five losses, but is coming off one of its better games, a 71-62 victory over Michigan State on Monday night. The Buckeyes are coming off three months of perfect basketball, knowing they're about to find out how good they really are.

Grant Hill (27 points) and Steve Nash (15 points, 15 assists) keep Phoenix in charge.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerSamardo Samuels (left) and Jamario Moon knock the ball away from the Suns' Marcin Gortat, but the Cavaliers' hustle in the fourth quarter fell short in a 106-98 loss to Phoenix.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If it was defense Byron Scott was looking for from his Cavaliers, he got it on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Suns -- especially in the fourth quarter. But some untimely errors on offense down the stretch cost the Cavs in their 106-98 loss at The Q.

In spite of many empty seats, the game was announced as a sellout.

"We've just got to figure out a way, in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line like that, that we don't get tensed up and we don't panic," Scott said as his team lost its 14th straight game and its 24th in the last 25 to fall to 8-33 at the halfway point of the season.

"That's the next step -- learning how to finish games as a unit," Daniel Gibson said.

The Suns, led by ageless Grant Hill's 27 points and 12 rebounds, built a 17-point lead in the third quarter and were still ahead, 90-77, heading into the fourth. That's when the Cavs actually put forth the sort of defensive effort Scott has been seeking.

Phoenix missed its first eight shots and turned the ball over twice as the Cavs clawed back to within 93-90 after a 3-pointer by Jamario Moon with 6:25 left.

Hill hit a long jump shot to keep Phoenix in front, 95-90, and the Cavs missed their next four shots, including a 3-pointer by Moon and a driving layup by Ramon Sessions, who started for the injured Mo Williams and finished with 19 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals.

Steve Nash, who had 15 points and 15 assists, hit a 17-foot running jumper to make it 97-90 with 3:43 left, and after two free throws by J.J. Hickson, who finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, Vince Carter hit his only basket of the evening -- a 3-pointer that gave the Suns a 100-92 lead and control of the game.

"I thought we did a heck of a job coming back from 17 down and getting it to three, but on the offensive end we took a couple of ill-advised shots, a couple of quick shots trying to get it all back in a hurry instead of just relaxing and running our stuff," Scott said. "[I saw] a lot of good things, but it's like coming in second place. It really doesn't matter."

It will matter if the team can play defense like this again when Milwaukee visits on Friday. The coach simplified his defense this week in an effort to get better results, and he couldn't argue with his team's performance in the final 24 minutes on Wednesday.

The Cavs held the Suns to 41 percent shooting in the second half, just 31.3 percent in the fourth quarter. They forced 17 turnovers, had 11 steals and nine blocked shots, five by Moon.

"You saw some of the progress that we talked about the last three days on the defensive end, especially in the second half," Scott said. "Come Friday, if we can play defense like we played in the second half for 48 minutes, then we give ourselves an opportunity to win.

"We gave ourselves an opportunity tonight, too."

What will happen first? A Cleveland Cavaliers win, or an Ohio State Buckeyes loss?

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerOhio State men’s basketball coach Thad Matta.

The Cleveland Cavaliers losing streak reached 14 on Wednesday, and the Cavaliers lost for the 24th time in their last 25 games.

The Ohio State Buckeyes, the number one team in college basketball, remains undefeated at 19-0. The Buckeyes have won by an average of 22.7 points, the largest  margin in the country.

The schedule for the Buckeyes doesn't get any easier. The Buckeyes have 12 games left in the Big Ten, and seven of them are against ranked opponents. It begins on Saturday against No. 23 Illinois in Champaign.

The Cavaliers, who still have 41 games left in their season, have Milwaukee here in Cleveland on Friday, at Chicago on Saturday, followed by games at New Jersey, at Boston, here against Denver, at Orlando and at Miami.

What will happen first? A Cavaliers victory, or an Ohio State loss?

Can the Cavaliers build off their effort against Phoenix last night? What does Mo Williams' injury mean to the Cavaliers as far as trade options go? Mary Schmitt Boyer will answer those questions and more in a live chat today at noon.

View full sizeAP Photo | Marcio Jose SanchezThe Cavaliers will be without point guard Mo Williams for a while.

Can the Cavaliers build off their effort against Phoenix last night? What does Mo Williams' injury mean to the Cavaliers as far as trade options go?

Mary Schmitt Boyer will answer those questions and more in a live chat today at noon.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Mary's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

Remember, you can also send her questions to Hey, Mary! Those answers will appear in the newspaper and online every Sunday.

Who will become the Browns offensive coordinator?

Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerCleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur.

The Cleveland Browns are still without an offensive coordinator, and the task of hiring one is a challenge because the new coordinator will not call the plays, writes News-Herald reporter Jeff Schudel.

The Browns missed out on Bill Musgrave, who decided to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. Musgrave will call offensive plays for the Vikings.

So where will the Browns turn?

They could still go after Baltimore quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn, but so far have not asked the Ravens for permission to talk to him, according to reports.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Mark Whipple, recently fired as the offensive coordinator of the Miami Hurricanes, is also a candidate for the Browns' offensive coordinator post. Whipple was the Steelers' quarterbacks coach when Ben Roethlisberger was a rookie in 2004. He was let go when Mike Tomlin was named head coach in 2007.

Hillis wonders why

CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk writes about Peyton Hillis' interview on the Dan Patrick radio show. Hillis tells Patrick that he doesn't know why the Denver Broncos, his previous team, didn't play him more.

Hillis has a breakout year this past season with the Browns.

“I really didn’t care to know,” Hillis said. “I think there was a lot of turmoil there anyway. I really didn’t try to get into it.”

Hillis was a surprising rookie seventh-round pick in Denver in 2008, when he had a 129-yard running game against Eric Mangini’s Jets. His role shrank after Josh McDaniels replaced Mike Shanahan as head coach in 2009.

Patrick asked Hillis about the novelty of being a white running back in the NFL, writes Doerschuk. Hillis said the topic is thrown in his face directly and indirectly, regularly.

Hillis said his complexion always came up on the field.

“Every team did it,” he said. “They’ll say, ‘You white boy, you ain’t gonna run on us today. This is ridiculous. Why are you giving offensive linemen the ball?’

“All kinds of stuff like that you hear on the field, but I use that to my advantage. I kind of soaked it in, ate it up a little bit, because I enjoyed it.”

Ryan in Dallas

Former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is now the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

Ryan will continue to run the 3-4 scheme the Cowboys have employed since 2005, writes ESPN.com.

The Browns had the 22nd-ranked defense in 2010, allowing 350.1 yards, which was an improvement of nine spots from 2009, and 20.8 points per game. The Browns tied for eighth in the NFL with 19 interceptions with six players having more than two interceptions. The Browns allowed only seven rushing touchdowns, which tied for the fourth-fewest in the league. In 2009, the Browns had 40 sacks, which tied for eighth in the NFL.

Ryan takes over a defense in Dallas that allowed 436 points, which is a franchise record, and 351.8 yards per game.