North Ridgeville, Ohio -  Lake Ridge Academy's girls basketball program soon could learn its fate following a recruiting investigation by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. "We have scheduled a hearing for Lake Ridge administrators at our office on Thursday morning," OHSAA commissioner Dan Ross said.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association is questioning the method in which Lake Ridge Academy brought in athletes for its girls basketball program.

North Ridgeville, Ohio -  Lake Ridge Academy's girls basketball program soon could learn its fate following a recruiting investigation by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

"We have scheduled a hearing for Lake Ridge administrators at our office on Thursday morning," OHSAA commissioner Dan Ross said.

The OHSAA is questioning the method in which Lake Ridge brought in student-athletes for its girls basketball program, but Ross wouldn't go into detail about what sparked the investigation at the private coed school in North Ridgeville. Nor did he hint if a decision would be made on Thursday.

"It'll depend on what kind of information we get from Lake Ridge," said Ross. "We'll see where we're at after hearing what they present, so it's not certain if a decision will be made the same day."

Lake Ridge had eight former Regina players enroll over the summer after Regina closed in June because of financial struggles at the private South Euclid school.

On Oct. 19 Lake Ridge announced it hired Regina assistant coach Keesha Allen to coach its girls basketball team. Allen's staff includes two other former Regina coaches in varsity assistant Dave Tatham and junior varsity head coach Mike Russo.

Ross wouldn't detail penalties Lake Ridge could face if the OHSAA determines it violated any of the association's bylaws.

Galarraga gained fame last season when umpire Jim Joyce acknowledged blowing a call with two outs in the ninth inning that cost him the perfect game against the Indians.

Associated PressUmpire Jim Joyce (left) with Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, holding Detroit's lineup card before the Tigers-Indians game last June 3. Galarraga was denied a perfect game the night before when Joyce missed a call at first base.

DETROIT, Michigan – The Detroit Tigers have traded right-handed pitcher Armando Galarraga to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-hander Kevin Eichhorn and left-hander Ryan Robowski.

The trade was announced Monday.

Galarraga gained fame last season when umpire Jim Joyce acknowledged blowing a call with two outs in the ninth inning that cost him a perfect game in Detroit's 3-0 win over the Cleveland Indians.

He was 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA in 24 starts and one relief appearance last season in Detroit. He's 23-26 with a 4.58 ERA over four seasons with the Tigers and Texas Rangers.

Galarraga, who has a one-year contract for $2.3 million, became expendable when the Tigers signed Brad Penny.

"I talked to Armando and he was very thankful," Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "He said he realized it was a business and he understood. It's a great opportunity for him. Arizona was real aggressive because they are looking for a starting pitcher. It's a good match for everybody involved."

Eichhorn was 5-6 in 15 minor league starts last season. Robowski was 2-4 in 35 relief games in the minors last year.

Dombrowski was satisfied with acquiring Eichhorn and Robowski in exchange for a player who wasn't going to be in Detroit's rotation.

"We look at both of the guys as sort of fringe-type prospects, not blue-chip guys, but guys we think can pitch at the big-league level," Dombrowski said.

                                       ........................................

Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes was in Detroit and wrote a game story on the Tigers' 3-0 win over the Indians on June 2.

With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Indians infielder Jason Donald slapped a groundball fielded by Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who threw to Galarraga covering first for the apparent third out and the perfect game. Respected veteran umpire Jim Joyce signaled Donald safe.

Aaron Craft, Ohio State's freshman point guard, is the rare young player who is even better without the ball than with it.

View full sizeChris Russell / Columbus DispatchAaron Craft's dedication to defense as a freshman is what has made him an indispensable cog in the undefeated Buckeyes this season, writes Bill Livingston.

• Purdue vs. Ohio State, Tuesday, 9 p.m., Value City Arena. TV: ESPN

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Basketball is full of point guards who can make hocus-pocus plays with the ball. It becomes a different game without the ball. On defense, the stardust is gone, and only the grit and the irritation defense can cause remain.

Not many can make it their role to obstruct, pester, deny, annoy, fluster, nullify and otherwise make life bothersome to stylish opposing scorers with more maturity and press notices.

Ohio State freshman Aaron Craft, all 6-2, 195 pounds of him, is one of the best defensive players, other than big men who guard the basket and swat shots away, that the Buckeyes have ever had at such a precocious age.

He has great lateral movement. A great defender's feet can keep him in front of the ballhandler in basketball, like a roadblock he can't evade. Coach Thad Matta also said Craft is stronger than OSU coaches thought, which allows him to body bigger players in the low post.

"He reminds me of Dave Lighty when he was a freshman," Matta said, referring to the fifth-year senior from Villa Angela-St. Joseph. "David Lighty came here intending to play defense. Craft wants to play defense too."

A true freshman, as opposed to one who red-shirted for a season, Craft is from little (148 students) Liberty-Benton High School outside Findlay in northwest Ohio. There, he played all five positions at times and averaged 27 points per game as a senior. Matta saw him play only once in high school. Craft's quickness and smarts had already caught the eye of OSU coaches and prize freshman Jared Sullinger, a teammate in the AAU basketball ranks.

A videotape fanatic with a high basketball IQ, Craft can anticipate an opponent's tendencies. His quickness is hard to game plan against. Two of the best backcourt men in the Big Ten, Penn State's Talor Battle and Illinois' Demetri McCamey, took him on recently and left with 5-for-17 and 2-for-11 shooting marks, respectively.

McCamey, a senior who was building a strong NBA draft case after not quite living up to his high school clippings, seemed to have no strategy against Craft. Once, Craft split a double screen specifically designed to give the struggling McCamey clearance, and beat McCamey to his spot on the floor, blowing up the play and casting a pall over the Illini standout for a few possessions.

Craft is almost always in his man's face. Battle, also a senior, could not fake him off his feet on a badly missed 3-point shot at the buzzer to tie the Penn State game. Craft's hands on his steals have TSA pat down potential without the wands. He is one huge distraction to opponents.

Indiana often had players like that, in Damon Bailey, Tom Coverdale and Dane Fife. They were the mosquito buzzing in your ear, never swatted, always drawing blood.

Craft is a sub-70 percent foul shooter, but in the last two minutes, no one feels shaky about having him at the foul line. He will also take charges from anybody, regardless of his reputation. The blocking call against him in the final minutes of the Illinois game was a pure, home-cooking star call for McCamey.

Averaging almost 10 points with over five assists (he has a 97-39 assist to turnover ratio), Craft can both make the open shot and hit the open man. But offense is fun. Offense wins awards and makes SportsCenter highlights.

Tuesday night, however, when Purdue, trailing Ohio State by one game in the Big Ten race, meets the Buckeyes at Value City Arena, it is defense that will be the biggest need.

Craft will probably be harassing Purdue's hiccup in black and gold, 5-9, 165-pound junior Lewis Jackson, who is emerging as the team's third option, given Robbie Hummel's second straight season-ending injury, behind JaJuan Jackson and E'Twaun Moore.

Jackson burned Michigan State for 20 points, running what Spartans coach Tom Izzo called a "one-man break" as the usually plodding Boilermakers turned breakneck.

"Jackson is the X-factor," Matta said.

If X marks the spot, Craft might get there first.

Follow Bill Livingston on Facebook

"I have no problem with Gilbert or Scott. The players lost me in the Miami game here, when they laid down for the 'King' in his return. I don't care what they said after - hugs, handshakes, smiles, then go-through-the-motions basketball. We all witnessed that. This game should have meant as much to the Cavs players as it did the fans, and, clearly, it did not." - TwiggyMunson

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerCavaliers fans did not enjoy the warm reception LeBron James received from his teammates when he returned to Cleveland in December.

In response to the story Cavs fans: Are you still watching?, cleveland.com reader TwiggyMunson gave up on the Cavaliers on December 2nd. This reader writes,

"I have no problem with Gilbert or Scott. The players lost me in the Miami game here, when they laid down for the 'King' in his return. I don't care what they said after - hugs, handshakes, smiles, then go-through-the-motions basketball. We all witnessed that. This game should have meant as much to the Cavs players as it did the fans, and, clearly, it did not."

"If Cutler's knee was legitimately injured, it only excuses some of his actions yesterday. It was a huge game for his team and while his team's third string quarterback was playing his butt off, Cutler appeared disinterested standing on the sideline. When the Bears offense was on the sideline, did Cutler offer any tutelage to Hanie? No, because if it isn't about Cutler, Cutler doesn't care." - Powder Keg

View full sizeAP Photo | David J. PhillipJay Cutler didn't finish Chicago's NFC Championship matchup with Green Bay on Sunday.

In response to the story Jay Cutler injury shouldn't draw the ire of fans, says Dennis Manoloff (SBTV), cleveland.com reader Powder Keg took issue with Cutler's sideline actions. This reader writes,

"If Cutler's knee was legitimately injured, it only excuses some of his actions yesterday. It was a huge game for his team and while his team's third string quarterback was playing his butt off, Cutler appeared disinterested standing on the sideline. When the Bears offense was on the sideline, did Cutler offer any tutelage to Hanie? No, because if it isn't about Cutler, Cutler doesn't care."

"I'd still be a little worried about MSU in the Big Ten tournament. With all that talent, they've definitely underachieved so far. There's a reason they were picked No. 1 in the preseason." - tboneinthehizzy

View full sizePD file Tom Izzo's teams always seem ready to play in March.

In response to the story Conference title may be out of reach for struggling Spartans: Big Ten Insider, cleveland.com reader tboneinthehizzy hopes no one is counting out Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament. This reader writes,

"I'd still be a little worried about MSU in the Big Ten tournament. With all that talent, they've definitely underachieved so far. There's a reason they were picked No. 1 in the preseason."

Erstwhile Starting Blocks writer checks in from Belize.

View full sizePlain DealerI'll post something kinder and more appropriate when we get it uploaded. Lots of great shark, lionfish and reef photos to share!

Ramon Sessions felt well enough after Monday's pre-game warmup to start against the Nets.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerRamon Sessions' return to the starting lineup gives the short-handed Cavaliers some needed depth at the point guard position.

NEWARK, N.J. -- In some uncharacteristically good news on the injury front, Ramon Sessions felt well enough after Monday's pre-game warmup to start at point guard against the New Jersey Nets.

Sessions, who has been starting since Mo Williams suffered a strained left hip flexor at Denver on Jan. 15, strained his right abdominal muscle on Saturday at Chicago and played just 11 minutes in the first half.

Coach Byron Scott had listed Sessions as a game-time decision, and about an hour before tipoff, Scott got his answer.

"We wanted to make sure he felt pretty close to 100 percent," Scott said after the pre-game warmup. "This morning, he wanted to push it a little bit, but it was so cold in here, I thought that might not be a real good idea."

Sessions availability helped Scott avoid having to use rookie Manny Harris as the backup point guard to Daniel Gibson. Scott would like to keep Gibson, still recovering from a sprained left ankle, under 40 minutes a game, which might have been tough had he been the only available point guard.

Meanwhile, Anthony Parker remained in Cleveland for treatment of his sore lower back. He is expected to join the team in Boston Tuesday and will be listed as questionable for the Celtics.

Gee whiz: After being a part-time starter, Alonzo Gee did not play at all on Saturday in Chicago, where Christian Eyenga started at small forward.

"Christian right now is playing pretty good and he needs those minutes," Scott said. "I'm not really disappointed with Zo. I think he can still help us. But right now I'm just trying a little bit of everything to see if I can get some guys who can get used to being out there in this environment, get some experience, and see if they can rise to the occasion."

Super Bowl bound? Scott and the Cavs have altered their travel plans in order to get to Dallas in time for the Super Bowl on Feb. 6. The Cavs will play the Mavericks on Feb. 7, and Scott, a Steelers fan, is hoping to get a chance to see his first Super Bowl.

So how did a guy growing up in Los Angeles become a Steelers fan?

"There's no rhyme or reason," he said. "I was a little kid watching the sports channel, and I saw Terry Bradshaw running in the end zone with a big smile on his face. I was looking at him and saw that he didn't have any teeth. I thought, 'Man, that's my type of quarterback.'

"They had the Steeler emblem on [just] one side of the helmet, which I thought was very unique. They were 1-13 but I became a big fan and have been a big fan ever since."

Scott is at odds with assistant coach and Milwaukee native Jamahl Mosley, a Green Bay Packer fan.

"We haven't come to blows yet, but we've got two weeks of building up for this game," Scott said, laughing. "I don't know if he wants to be in the same room with me when we're beating them on Feb. 6."

To heck with boundaries, tradition factors and free lunches, let the individual sports determine their own true champions.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerIs Copley's Sam Wheeler (upending Coventry's Rusty Lockart earlier this month) the best 189-pound wrestler in Ohio? Eliminating divisions in individual high school sports would answer that question, says Tim Warsinskey.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While we're at it, let's revamp all high school playoffs. Let's not just think outside the box. Let's stomp all over it.

Let's eliminate divisions in individual sports.

The recently proposed sweeping playoff changes will affect, if passed in May, football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. But not cross country, wrestling, swimming, track, golf and tennis, which are the individual sports with more than one division. Not yet, anyway. That probably is coming next.

Those sports are different animals entirely.

While youth and high school sports trend toward the "trophies for everyone" mentality, I'm headed down a different path. I want to see the best compete against the best.

I want to tramp all over Ohio State's Scarlet Course and follow this dream threesome at state golf: Gilmour Division III two-time state champ Alex Andrews, St. Ignatius Division I runner-up Beau Titsworth and University School Division II champ Scott Smith.

I want Division II state champ Michael Brajdic of Bay to trade elbows with Division I champ Zach Wills of Mason as they race toward the 15-minute barrier in front of 10,000 cross country maniacs at Scioto Downs.

I don't want to watch the state wrestling finals on three mats and wonder if Division I Copley's Sam Wheeler would win the 189-pound title if he was wrestling Division III CVCA's Alex Utley. I want to feel Value City Arena rock while they determine who is the baddest, strongest and toughest wrestler in Ohio.

I want to be awed by the speed and grace of Midpark's Kaila Barber and Lake Catholic's JeRica Sanders as the divisions I and II state champs fly side-by-side over the hurdles in Jesse Owens Stadium.

Because when it comes to individual matches and races, it doesn't matter if your parents are paying tuition, or if you live outside the district, or how many classmates get free lunches. That has nothing to do with how an individual champion should be determined.

What about team aspects of these sports? If the Ohio High School Athletic Association wants to divide schools into whatever divisions with whatever calculus, so be it. At the respective district and state meets, score the team points separately according to their athletes' overall advancement and finish.

But individually, the competition should be without boundaries and without formulas. Everyone competes in one giant bracket. Heck, expand All-Ohio and give medals to the top 16 or top 24 if you're still worried about not enough kids getting medals.

May the best shot putter, diver and golfer win.

Mack follows Frank Gatski, Art Hunter, John Morrow, Fred Hoaglin and Tom DeLeone.

Associated PressCenter Alex Mack ready to snap the football to quarterback Jake Delhomme at a Browns practice.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas is 4-of-4 getting to the Pro Bowl in his NFL careeer.

Browns center Alex Mack, although getting there as an alternate, is 1-of-2, and can improve on that number in the future.

Matt Florjancic writes about Mack and his invitation to the Pro Bowl for the Cleveland Browns website:

Mack is a first-time Pro Bowl participant and enjoyed hearing the news of his selection.

“I’m really excited to be able to go out there for the Pro Bowl,” Mack said via telephone Monday morning. “It’s something you definitely aim for your whole career and so, to make it early on is just fantastic.

“I got an email actually. I jumped up and down and ran around the room a couple times,” he added. “I texted just about everyone that I knew. I called [my parents] this morning. They were really excited. They were fired up and I know my mom’s going to try to get a plane ticket out.”

With Monday’s announcement, Mack became the sixth Browns center to earn a trip to the Pro Bowl. Tom DeLeone (1980-81), Hall of Famer Frank “Gunner” Gatski (1957), Fred Hoaglin (1970), Art Hunter (1960) and John Morrow (1962, 1964) are the only other centers in team history to make it to the Pro Bowl.

In 2010, Mack cleared the way for first-year Browns running back Peyton Hillis to run for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. For the second straight year, Mack made every offensive snap next to Thomas and left guard Eric Steinbach.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns and NFL coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot's report on awards recognition for Thomas -- who is also first-team All-Pro -- and Mack; and Tony Grossi's AFC Championship Insider. 

Goal-line stands

About Tom Heckert, Dick Jauron and a new offensive coordinator, by Fred Greetham for the Orange and Brown Report on Scout.com.

Defensive lineman Robaire Smith is working toward the 2011 season, by Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

Observations about players at the Senior Bowl, which will feature players the Browns and the other NFL teams will be interested in drafting. By Wes Bunting for the National Football Post.

Two CBSSports.com mock drafts. The Browns, barring a trade, will have the sixth pick in the first round.

The contrast in styles between a young guy inside and an older guy outside may decide the matchup of the Big Ten's two best teams.

View full sizeMichael Conroy / Associated PressThe efficient outside game of Purdue's JaJuan Johnson makes the Boilermakers' big man a tough cover for any defender. But that will likely be Ohio State freshman Jared Sullinger's assignment for much of Tuesday night's game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jared Sullinger can face the basket and shoot from 17 feet and beyond; it's just that the Ohio State freshman big man hasn't needed to show that part of his game much this season.

"I think next year you'll see a lot more of him out handling and shooting farther from the basket and taking his game to another level," OSU coach Thad Matta said Monday with a wry grin, as aware as anyone that Sullinger's breakout freshman season means there very well may not be a next year at Ohio State for him.

"He can do that, but at the same time, he's pretty intelligent in saying 'this is where I'm good,'" Matta said. "He's got a feel."

Tuesday night, Sullinger and No. 1 Ohio State will see that other kind of big man against No. 12 Purdue. Boilermakers' senior JaJuan Johnson is both an example of a center who can take apart a defense on the perimeter and an even better example of how far a big man can come through four years in college.

The contrast in styles between a young guy inside and an older guy outside -- Michigan coach John Beilein said Johnson can get his own shot from 15 feet, Sullinger can get his from four feet -- may decide the matchup of the Big Ten's two best teams. As dominant as Sullinger has been for the Buckeyes, Johnson has done the same thing in his way for the Boilermakers.

"He's having a national player of the year kind of year with some of the shots he's made," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said Monday, and he was talking about Johnson, not Sullinger, though he praised Sullinger's strength and talents on the block. While scoring at least 20 points in four straight games, Johnson has raised his game to the point that Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said he's almost playing like NBA star Kevin Durant, "becoming an incredibly dominant player."

Johnson leads the Big Ten in scoring at 20.5 points per game and is fifth with 7.9 rebounds. Sullinger is sixth in points at 17.9 and second in rebounds at 10.2. They're the only two Big Ten players averaging at least 17 and 7.

Johnson bulked up this year to more than 220 pounds, but still gives up a lot of heft and strength to Sullinger, who can't match Johnson's length and shot-blocking ability. Ohio State may try to use Dallas Lauderdale on Johnson a bit more, because the defensive matchups for both stars won't be easy.

"Sulliger is a more powerful guy inside, and he'll try to turn through you and score the ball. He's going to try to drop step and overpower you," said Penn State coach Ed DeChellis, who faced both Ohio State and Purdue in the last 10 days, losing by three to the Buckeyes and one to the Boilermakers.

"I think Johnson is much different. He can trail in transition and he can shoot the 18-foot jump shot and now has a turnaround jump shot. He's going to turn away and try to shoot the jump shot, which sometimes is harder to guard because he's such a long guy."

So Sullinger should try to bang Johnson around, clear space as he usually does in the lane and get to the foul line. Johnson will try to take Sullinger away from the basket to limit his rebounding and then shoot over him. Johnson has done it before against Ohio State, scoring 30 points against the Buckeyes as a sophomore and 24 points as a junior. But OSU has also controlled him at times, limiting him to four points last January when he wasn't such a focal part of the offense.

View full sizeRobin Scholz / Associated Press"Jared Sulliger is a load, but he also has great feet," says Purdue coach Matt Painter. "He can hurt you in a lot of different ways."

Now, with defensive stopper David Lighty taking E'Twaun Moore, Purdue's other leading scorer, Johnson should provide Sullinger with his toughest defensive test of his college career. Matta says Johnson is a combination of the big men Sullinger had faced from Florida, Florida State and Illinois.

"I think Jared has really grown defensively, and a lot of it has to do with bending his knees," Matta said. "Early in the season, he would stand straight up and take a play off here or there."

Now he's past that, and the question is whether Johnson has grown enough to handle Sullinger.

"Jared Sulliger is a load, but he also has great feet," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "He can hurt you in a lot of different ways."

"It's amazing when you're young, but with his body and his mind, he was ahead. You could tell that he was definitely ready for this level," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said of Sullinger. "And Johnson has developed into one of the best players on this level."

In different ways and on different schedules, they both reached this point. May the best big man win.

After leading for most of the game, the Cavaliers let victory slip away on Lopez basket with 1.4 seconds.

NEWARK, N.J. -- As the final buzzer sounded and his 3-point attempt hit the back of the rim and fell away, Daniel Gibson collapsed along the sideline and sat with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands for a couple of minutes.

Teammates approached to make sure he was all right, then stood back, not knowing what to say.

Monday night was the Cavaliers' best shot at a victory in weeks, and they let it slip through their hands, tying a team mark for futility.

The 103-101 loss to the New Jersey Nets was the Cavs' 17th straight, their 27th in 28 games overall and the 21st straight on the road, tying the team mark set from Jan. 13-April 14, 2003. The odds are high that they'll set a new mark Tuesday night in Boston.

This was the site of their last road win -- a 93-91 decision on Nov. 9 -- and they know what lies ahead: home game against Denver, road games at Orlando and Miami to close out the month. So for all the brave talk of trying to get better and taking one game at a time, the players knew exactly what was at stake and what might happen if they didn't take advantage of this opportunity.

"That shot carried a lot of weight," Gibson admitted as his team fell to a league-worst 8-36. "I thought it was good."

Asked what his thoughts were as he sat on the court at the end of the game, he forced a little smile and said, "If that shot goes, a lot of things are different. My teammates might have a smile on their face. The fans back home can put a smile on their faces."

It was their most complete game in weeks, even if it came against the 13-32 Nets. Coming on the heels of Saturday's loss at Chicago, where the Cavs cut a 20-point deficit to two before fading, it shows progress.

But, just as against the Bulls, the offense folded down the stretch, in spite of 26 points from Antawn Jamison and 19 from Gibson. They had been in control almost from the start, building a 12-point lead in the first half and leading by as many as nine in the third quarter.

In spite of a decided size disadvantage, they held their own in the paint and rebounded well. They didn't panic when the Nets packed the middle on defense and forced the ball inside on offense to build a five-point lead in fourth quarter.

After a 3-pointer by Gibson and a driving dunk by Ramon Sessions, the Cavs held a 98-97 lead with 1:08 left. But Kris Humphries got free for a dunk and Anthony Morrow hit a 13-foot bank shot with 13.2 seconds left for a 101-98 lead. Joey Graham, who was 4-of-18 beyond the arc coming in, nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing to tie the score with 7.1 seconds left.

With a foul to give, Ryan Hollins hacked at Brook Lopez, but the referees either didn't see it or chose to ignore it and Lopez, who led the Nets with 28 points and seven rebounds, hit a 6-footer in the lane for the game winner with 1.4 seconds left.

"I kept slapping him in the back and they didn't call a foul," Hollins said. "I guess lesson learned. You've got to wrap him up or maybe alert the officials beforehand. We lost in the playoffs [as a Dallas Maverick] like that. ... Definitely a tough loss and lesson learned. I guess they didn't notice I was trying to foul him."

Scott could only shake his head. "I'm still trying to figure out what he was doing," the coach said of Hollins.

But he was 100 percent behind Gibson's shot at the buzzer.

"I would love to have him take that shot nine times out of 10," Scott said. "I know he's going to make it more than 50 percent of the time. Tonight's one of those nights he didn't make it. It was right there at the back of the rim, right on line, it was just a little hard.

"I would love to have him in that situation many more nights because I know he's going to knock it down most of the time."

Are the Cavaliers the worst team in franchise history?

APCleveland Cavaliers point guard Daniel Gibson, bottom, is comforted by the hand of teammate Ramon Sessions, top, after Gibson missed a 3-point shot at the end of the Cavaliers' 103-101 loss to the New Jersey Nets.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost 17 straight and they are 8-36 overall. It isn't likely the Cavaliers will finish with the worst record in NBA history (Philadelphia went 9-73 for the 1972-73 season) but there is another record the Cavs could reach, writes Reid Cherner of USA Today.

However, they are also dancing with their own franchise's futility which two different versions (1981-82 and 1970-71) going 15-67. That is definitely in reach.

"We have to keep playing hard and applying all the things we talked about at both ends of the floor," said Cavs coach Byron Scott. "We have to know it's going to work out for us, we're going to have a breakout game. Right now we're losing some of these battles but in the long run we'll hopefully win the war."

The Cavs finish the month at Boston, against Denver, at Orlando and at Miami.

Been there

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has been where Byron Scott is right now with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before the title with the Celtics, Rivers experienced losing including an 18-game losing streak during the 2007 season.

JJ is OK with B.Scott

Ohio.com reporter Jason Lloyd writes how the issues between coach Byron Scott and JJ Hickson was over before he started. Scott has had issues with players before in the past, and that experience helped Scott with Hickson.

Hickson also deserves credit for that, much like he deserves credit for turning his season around lately.

Hickson had a career-high 20 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards, in Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. He entered Monday's game against the Nets averaging 11.6 rebounds in eight games since replacing Anderson Varejao as the starting center, and he is finally capitalizing on all the talent Scott saw in him early.

''We say we were butting heads, but it really wasn't us. It was really him butting his head against the wall trying to do it his way,'' Scott said. ''I think he's finally come to the realization that he can't win that fight between me and him. I told him early in the season, 'I control the minutes. That's the one thing I do. The only way you get on that floor is by pleasing me and doing the things I ask you to do.' I think he understands that now.''
 

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports. Hear Terry's thoughts on the Browns' new defensive coordinator, the Cavaliers struggles and the Indians as spring training approaches.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports.

Hear Terry's thoughts on the Browns' new defensive coordinator, the Cavaliers struggles and the Indians as spring training approaches.

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

Judy Battista of the New York Times writes how Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is on the opposite sides of some of managements issues when it comes to the NFL and labor issues. Rooney has long resisted an extended regular season, and in an interview with a small group of reporters Friday, he said he had not changed...

APJeanie Buss says the NBA should consider contraction.

Judy Battista of the New York Times writes how Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is on the opposite sides of some of managements issues when it comes to the NFL and labor issues.

Rooney has long resisted an extended regular season, and in an interview with a small group of reporters Friday, he said he had not changed his mind.

“No, I have not,” said Rooney, the United States ambassador to Ireland. He added: “We play enough games. You have a system that works. Why add them?”

In the article, Rooney agreed with owners that the existing labor deal had tilted too much toward the players, who now receive nearly 60 percent of revenue. He said the owners were united in believing that the deal must be changed.

Rooney has played a critical role in previous labor negotiations. But he said he would not get involved in these talks. His son, Art Rooney II, is a member of the league’s labor committee.

“I work for Hillary,” Rooney said of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “She manages things that are a lot tougher than this.”   

The NBA also faces its own labor issues, and the daughter of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss, agrees with the idea of cutting some teams.

Buss, executive vice president for business affairs with the Lakers, says in this Wall Street Journal article:

 “I would hate to see us lose teams, but I think contraction is something we have to consider,” Ms. Buss said. “We may be in some markets we shouldn’t be in.”

What should the NFL do about the Pro Bowl Game?

D'Arcy Egan / The Plain DealerLeft tackle Joe Thomas is a four-time Pro Bowler.

Congratulations to Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack and left tackle Joe Thomas for making the AFC Pro Bowl roster.

The two players are rewarded for having good individual seasons. Not only do they get to play in one more game, but they get to play the game in Hawaii.

The Pro Bowl, however, has been through a few changes in recent years. This year the game is played a week before the Super Bowl, so that means players from the Steelers and Packers who made the Pro Bowl team won't play.

They have something more important to do.

The Pro Bowl traditionally was played a week after the Super Bowl. Should the NFL go back to playing the game a week after the Super Bowl, or continue to play the game the week of?

Or should the NFL just do away with the game all together?

Cleveland sports bloggers talk about the Cavaliers' struggles, Ryan Hollins' basketball IQ and what Browns-Steelers means in the 'new Browns' era.

View full sizeLisa DeJong | The Plain DealerThe current edition of the Cavaliers isn't exactly what Byron Scott signed up for back in June.

Cavaliers

Two One Six Sports: "Are there really people out there giving Byron Scott a free pass? I'm certainly not willing to. However, it seems like we would be oversimplifying the topic if we didn't try and look at the bigger picture here. There are definitely real reasons as to why this team is as bad as it is, and they go much deeper than the coaching." » Read more

Cavs: the blog: "The Nets go to Brook Lopez for their final possession. In what may be the single most hilariously incompetent play in a hilariously incompetent season, Hollins starts slapping Lopez's back like he's playing the bongo drums in an attempt to give the Cavs' remaining foul. I couldn't see the foul before the replay, and when I was looking for it, it looked like Hollins had seen a spider on Brook's jersey. Hollins probably should have wrapped Lopez up, but then again Hollins has the basketball IQ of a hot pretzel with cinnamon sugar glaze." » Read more

WaitingForNextYear: "I really wish the Cavaliers would have employed Earl [Boykins] for the entirety of his career. There is still no doubt in my mind that he would have made each and every one of the Cavs 'LeBron James era' teams better, and he'd certainly give people a reason to tune in now. Throughout his career, teams have not made the long-term financial committment to Earl as their starting - or key reserve - guard that his numbers have warranted. It's a tough sell to owners I guess, who only understand that 'this guy is shorter than me, what are you talking about a long-term contract?'" » Read more

Browns

Cleveland Frowns: "And if it had to be the Steelers or the Jets playing the Packers, we're not alone among Browns fans in being glad the team from Pittsburgh is the one that advanced. Even despite that the officials are bought and paid for by the Rooney family in every Steelers game; Despite the alarming mass-deludedness of Steelers fans, and further notwithstanding the franchise's flagrant disregard for humanity and civil society with its continued deployment of escaped lab-experiments gone wrong like James Harrison, Hines Ward, Joey Porter and the like, it's one of the dumbest strains of Browns fandom that there is: The strain of Browns fandom that pretends that hating the Steelers is anything close to the same thing it was before Cleveland's Browns became Baltimore's Ravens." » Read more

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio -- Walsh Jesuit punter Drew Kaser will sign a national letter of intent Wednesday with Texas A&M. After making an official visit last week, Kaser (6-3, 215) made an oral commitment to the school late Monday, Walsh Jesuit coach Gerry Rardin said.

Walsh Jesuit punter Drew Kaser made an oral commitment to Texas A&M on Monday night. - (Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer)

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio -- Walsh Jesuit punter Drew Kaser will sign a national letter of intent Wednesday with Texas A&M.

After making an official visit last week, Kaser (6-3, 215) made an oral commitment to the school late Monday, Walsh Jesuit coach Gerry Rardin said.

"He just fell in love with the place during his visit," Rardin said. "He liked everything about it."

Kaser, a Plain Dealer All-Star, averaged 44.3 yards on 26 punts last fall, with a long punt of 56 yards. He was unavailable for comment.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's happening in Cleveland sports, is being delayed by our video server, which is having trouble processing the video. Today's guest is Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot, who talked about the Pro Bowl, the Browns' search for an offensive coordinator; and what Browns...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's happening in Cleveland sports, is being delayed by our video server, which is having trouble processing the video.

Today's guest is Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot, who talked about the Pro Bowl, the Browns' search for an offensive coordinator; and what Browns players deserved Pro Bowl consideration besides offensive linemen Alex Mack and Joe Thomas.

We'll post the show as soon as we can. Thanks.

Morning after Chicago Bears' rivals beat them to advance to Super Bowl, a car salesman with two children is fired for refusing to remove the Packers-branded tie.

Chicago Sun-Times/APJohn Stone of Chicago wears the Green Bay Packers tie on Monday, shortly after he was fired from his job for refusing to remove it.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It might have been better for John Stone if his favorite team had lost on Sunday.

Unless some Packer Backer from neighboring Wisconsin gives him a lucrative job.

Stone grew up in Chicago and worked there -- until Monday. He's a Packers fan, which in Chicago these days, is akin to poking a polar bear cub. You're asking for it.

Monday, he really tempted fate, wearing a Packers tie to his job as a car salesman. And though Webb Chevrolet general manager Jerry Roberts admits no customers complained about Stone's tie, Roberts fired Stone anyway when he refused to follow orders and remove it.

Kim Janssen writes about how Roberts was fit to be tied about Stone's fashion choice, a day after the Packers beat the Bears to advance to the Super Bowl:

The facts aren’t in dispute, only the appropriateness of the novelty neckwear.

“He said, ‘You have two options,’ ” a furious Stone said later Monday. “Remove the tie, or you’re fired.”

“When I didn’t, he said, ‘You can leave, you’re fired.’ Does that sound fair to you?”

Stone, a father of two who had worked at Webb Chevrolet for a month-and-a-half, grew up in Chicago’s Roseland community but said he’s supported the Packers since he first saw former running back Ahman Green play.

“I liked the way he played, and I liked Brett Favre before he left, and I love Aaron Rodgers, the coaching staff — the whole organization,” he said.