Contract between NFL and players expires March 1. Players association spokesman not impressed by commissioner's gesture.

APRoger Goodell. Ready to cut his pay by about $9,999,999 a year?

NEW YORK, New York -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will cut his salary to $1 if there is a work stoppage after the collective bargaining agreement expires in March.

Goodell, who makes about $10 million a year including bonuses, said in a memo to his staff Wednesday that chief negotiator Jeff Pash will do the same. Pash makes nearly $5 million a year.

Goodell also has asked the league's compensation committee to delay any bonus payments to him until after a deal is reached with the NFL Players Association.

"Let me emphasize that we are fully committed to doing everything possible to reach a new collective bargaining agreement without any disruption to our business," Goodell said. "The entire senior leadership team stands with me in its commitment to resolving the CBA issues with the player's union.

"While several other executives have also volunteered to make additional reductions to their compensation, I have asked them not to take that step at this time as we continue our negotiating efforts."

NFL owners opted out of the agreement in 2008.

Union chief DeMaurice Smith has predicted the owners will lock out the players after the March 4 expiration of the contract with the league.

NFLPA communications director Carl Francis was not impressed by Goodell's memo.

"I have been around long enough to know that this decision is irrelevant to the process," Francis said. "He should also guarantee there won't be a lockout."

Cleveland, Ohio - Ohio University has gotten an oral commitment from one of the more underrated defensive players in the area. Glenville's 6-2, 270-pound senior tackle Antwan Crutcher gave the Bobcats his commitment after receiving offers from Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Central Michigan, Akron, Ball State and Bowling Green.

Senior tackle Antwan Crutcher accounted for over 50 tackles with seven sacks and a fumble recovery for the Tarblooders last fall. - (Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer)

Cleveland, Ohio - Ohio University has gotten an oral commitment from one of the more underrated defensive players in the area.

Glenville's 6-2, 270-pound senior tackle Antwan Crutcher gave the Bobcats his commitment after receiving offers from Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Central Michigan, Akron, Ball State and Bowling Green.

"OU was the fourth school which contacted and once we started talking, they kept on me and kept calling and calling," said Crutcher, who hasn't declared a major. "They showed they were really interested in me and I feel I can help them."

He'll play defensive tackle at the next level.

"The coaches told me they're expecting big things out of me so I'm going to make the most of the opportunity," said Crutcher, who accounted for over 50 tackles with seven sacks and a fumble recovery last fall.

If you're fired up about the Buckeyes, ticket are available for the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, where Ohio State will likely start the tourney. Watch video

 Wrapping up Ohio State's 87-64 win over Purdue on Tuesday, plus some other notes on the Buckeyes:

* For anyone particularly fired up about Ohio State' 21-0 start and looking ahead to the NCAA Tournament, Quicken Loans Arena is a host site for the first two rounds of the event, on Friday, March 18, and Sunday, March, 20. Ohio State isn't guaranteed to be in Cleveland, but barring something unforeseen, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes starting the tournament anywhere else.

For your information, tickets are available, at a price of $237 for all six games in the eight-team session - four on Friday and two on Sunday. You can purchase them on Ticketmaster.

* Ohio State senior and Cleveland native David Lighty is one of 10 national finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes excellence on and off the court. In fan voting among the finalists that began on Wednesday, Lighty was leading the way on Wednesday afternoon, comfortably ahead of Duke's Kyle Singler. You can vote here.
 
* One of the best quotes from Purdue coach Matt Painter, who was as insightful as always, from Tuesday night that I didn't get in my story was, "It ended up 23, but we got five or six calls in the second half - kind of some mercy calls. It really should have been about 30-40 points."

* We've all talked a lot about Aaron Craft's defense, but Painter finally dropped an inevitable comparison after the game - former Purdue defensive stopper Chris Kramer, who graduated after last season. He was a little more muscular than Craft, but he made a reputation for himself by getting up on guys and staying with them all over the court.

"He's tough and I talked to our guys and explained to them how he can move laterally and how he's like Chris Kramer defensively," Painter said. "He's better offensively, but he's similar to him in terms of moving his feet and his toughness."

* I tried a couple times to see how much OSU coach Thad Matta may have enjoyed his team's effort, one of the most comprehensive performances I've seen from the Buckeyes in six years. He didn't really want to go there.

"It's exciting, but my thing is how do we get them to do that again on Saturday?" Matta said. "It's never a one-game thing. We're not even halfway through the Big Ten."

When I jokingly asked if the game prep for the rest of the season was to show his team the film from Tuesday night and say, "Do that," Matta responded, "I wish. You guys saw a lot more good things than I did. There were some things out there I didn't think we did particularly well. There was that stretch they were getting all those offensive rebounds, and our free-throw shooting, but each game is different."

* Are the Buckeyes more difficult to defend than they were last year with national player of the year Evan Turner? When they are making their 3-pointers, connecting on 11 of 19 Tuesday, they certainly are.

"We held Evan Turner to 60 points in two games," Purdue coach Matt Painter joked. "Jared Sullinger is a good player. I played with Glenn Robinson, and I saw a lot of guys throw things at him and we would just kind of laugh. I don't think there's just one way to defend a guy like that when you put shooters around him.

"Evan Turner was a tough guy to defend, Jared Sullinger is a tough guy to defend. But I think Thad has done a great job. He's had to adjust. He's had some guys leave after one year and he had to adjust."

* Then Painter made a point that Matta has talked about for years - how tough it was to unexpectedly lose Mike Conley Jr. to the NBA Draft after the 2006-07 season when the Buckeyes weren't expecting him to progress to that point so quickly. Four seasons later, the Buckeyes have a true point guard again.

"I think he finally got caught up to Mike Conley leaving, and he has that now in Aaron Craft," Painter said. "Evan was a guy who was going for his, and rightfully so. He was breaking people down, but I think they have a great mix of guys, though they had a great mix last year. But with Sullinger and his unselfishness, that is tough to defend."

There's a bit of a debate starting comparing Craft to Conley, and for how good Craft has been, you have to give that edge to Conley. Craft is a better on-the-ball defender, but Conley was great gambling and making steals in passing lanes. And Conley's quickness and ability to penetrate almost at will was the key to the OSU offense that season. Craft is a great facilitator, and he had some great drives Tuesday, but overall he's not at that level when it comes to attacking a defense.

* William Buford twisted his ankle against Illinois and sat out much of the second half, and late Monday night, Matta sent Buford a text to see how he was doing after practice.

"He said, 'I'm a little sore, dot, dot, dot," Matta said. "I said, 'You don't dot, dot, dot me.' So we had a long conversation."

So Matta was worried Tuesday morning that Buford would be in doubt for the game, but he was find at shootaround and responded with a team-high 19 points.

* Purdue was the only visiting team to win in Value City Arena last season, and that mattered to the Buckeyes.

"In the back of our minds, we knew they beat us last year," Buford said, "so we wanted to get back at them."

Colon went 75-45 with the Indians until they traded him in June, 2002, for Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens.

Chuck Crow, Plain DealerBartolo Colon with the Indians in 2002.

NEW YORK, New York — Former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon, out of the major leagues since 2009, has agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.

The 37-year-old right-hander was released by the Chicago White Sox in September 2009 after going 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA in 12 starts.

He went 21-8 for the Angels in 2005 and won the AL Cy Young, but is 14-21 since.

Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes reported on Dec. 19 that the Indians were scouting Colon, who has been pitching in the Dominican Republic.

The Indians signed Colon as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1993. He went 75-45 with a 3.92 ERA, and 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA in six postseason starts, with the Indians from 1997 until June 27, 2002, when they traded him and pitcher Tim Drew to the Montreal Expos for pitcher Cliff Lee, center fielder Grady Sizemore, infielder Brandon Phillips and first baseman-outfielder Lee Stevens.

Solon, Ohio - Solon senior shot put and discus athlete A.J. Hicks said he always has been a Tar Heels fan. Visiting North Carolina's campus recently confirmed his feeling. "I also liked the full-ride offer. That made my decision a lot easier," he said.

Solon's A.J. Hicks will compete in the discus and hammer throw for the Tar Heels. - (Courtesy of the University of North Carolina)

Solon, Ohio - Solon senior shot put and discus athlete A.J. Hicks said he always has been a Tar Heels fan. Visiting North Carolina's campus recently confirmed his feeling.

"I also liked the full-ride offer. That made my decision a lot easier," he said.

Hicks has committed to UNC, spurning a variety of other track and football offers. He'll compete in the discus and hammer throw for the Tar Heels.

"It was hard to let go of football," said Hicks, a two-year starter at linebacker. "It was something I wanted to do, but the schools for track were better education-wise compared to football, and I went with the sport I was better at."

Hicks (6-1, 225) said he received a full track scholarship offer from Texas State and partial offers from Miami (Fla.), Michigan and Akron. Ball State and Youngstown State offered football scholarships and Air Force expressed interest.

Hicks owns three prestigious school records in the indoor shot put (60-1), outdoor shot put (58-8 3/4) and discus (180-1). The outdoor marks he broke were set by Jim Mandich (57-2 shot put; 167-10 discus) in 1966. Mandich went on to a College Football Hall of Fame career at Michigan and played on the Miami Dolphins' 1972 undefeated team.

He said his goal is to graduate from Solon with an honors diploma and study pre-med at UNC.

Lakewood, Ohio - Senior tackle Brandon Jackson (6-4, 305) is the fourth member of St. Edward's dominating offensive line to make a college commitment after choosing West Virginia. Senior guard Geoff Mogus (Northwestern), senior center Trent Rivera (Penn) and junior tackle Kyle Kalis (Ohio State) also have committed. The other two linemen, junior guard Tyler Orlosky and junior tight...

St. Edward tackle Brandon Jackson earlier made an oral commitment to Ohio University, but changed his mind when the WVU offer came in. - (Courtesy of St. Edward)

Lakewood, Ohio - Senior tackle Brandon Jackson (6-4, 305) is the fourth member of St. Edward's dominating offensive line to make a college commitment after choosing West Virginia.

Senior guard Geoff Mogus (Northwestern), senior center Trent Rivera (Penn) and junior tackle Kyle Kalis (Ohio State) also have committed. The other two linemen, junior guard Tyler Orlosky and junior tight end Sam Grant, already have numerous offers from Big Ten and Big East schools and probably won't decide until the summer, coach Rick Finotti said.

Jackson earlier made an oral commitment to Ohio University, but changed his mind when the WVU offer came in.

"I was fascinated by West Virginia," he said. "I think it's a great campus and has great people around it. I have a good relationship with [offensive line] coach [Bill] Bedenbaugh. They want to move me to guard and would like to redshirt me next year, but I plan to have the mindset not to redshirt."

Jackson plans to study sports journalism.

Backup center says it unintentionally happened while he engaged in friendly banter with a cameraman.

Associated PressScot Pollard (right) as a Cavalier, tussling with Miami's Alonzo Mourning.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scot Pollard was a solid backup center during much of his 11 seasons in the NBA.

His value to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the one season he played for them -- the 2006-07 season when they got to the NBA Finals -- was limited, to say the least.

Pollard played 109 minutes in 24 regular-season games, and three minutes in three playoff games.

Considering that the Cavaliers played 82 regular-season games and 20 postseason contests, Pollard averaged one minute and nearly six seconds of play in Cleveland's 102 games.

Still, Pollard often drew attention, usually because of his constant change from one bizarre hairstyle to another.

Unfortunately, Pollard's biggest splash as a Cav was made on March 11, 2007, when he was caught on camera during a game saying, "Hey kids, do drugs." 

Now, Pollard explains what happened in a column on "Lost Lettermen," a college sports online magazine. A seven-second video accompanies the column, catching Pollard on the bench -- inactive that game and wearing a suit -- saying the ill-advised words. 

Pollard says the gaffe occurred while he was engaged in friendly, teasing banter with a cameraman; that he didn't mean the words; and that when he noticed that the camera was on, he "immediately realized the mistake I had just made."

Part of what Pollard also says (first, referring to the cameraman):

Do I blame him? No way. Like I said at the start, it’s every NBA player's job to treat the media as a friend, even though at times they are the enemy. I should have paid better attention. I should have told a joke like that in person, not to a camera.

I have three children of my own. I don’t use drugs. I thought it was an incredibly ironic, funny statement for a father of three that has never even had a DUI to say, “Hey kids, do drugs.” I grew up Mormon. My entire family is Mormon. I don’t do drugs, nor do I want kids to do drugs. I know a lot of NBA players that got busted for having, using and selling drugs.

Yet a guy with a squeaky-clean track record in legal terms says the wrong thing at the wrong time and I’m immediately labeled a media pariah. I still think it’s funny. I always will. Irony is one of my favorite forms of comedy. Like when people call me “Tiny.” I smile. That’s funny.

There was, of course, immediate reaction to what Pollard said.

Plain Dealer reporter Mark Gillispie wrote about the incident and its aftermath that March 15.

Gillispie's story:

Nobody has ever confused Cavaliers center Scot Pollard with Nancy Reagan.

And the former first lady, famous for her anti- drug message, would not have been amused had she seen Pollard look into the camera during Sunday’s telecast of the Cavs’ game against the Indiana Pacers and say, “Hey kids, do drugs.”

Rich Harsar of Lorain certainly doesn’t find it funny. He was at home watching the game with his 11-year-old son, Mason, when the camera panned to Pollard, who was sitting on the bench in street clothes, during a 20-second timeout.

Harsar said Pollard initially made a few funny faces and then made the comment, which was audible. Harsar said his son turned to him and asked if Pollard had actually said that.

“I was dumbfounded,” Harsar said. “This is six in the evening on a Sunday. This is family time.”

The Cavaliers on Wednesday issued a statement by Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry.

“We have spoken with Scot and certainly do not condone his actions,” the statement said. “He regrets his mistake, using inappropriate humor, particularly when he has always been very involved in the community, projecting positive messages to our youth. We will handle the issue internally.”

A spokesman for FSN Ohio, which aired the game, said the company had received no complaints about Pollard’s comments.

“We’re not on a delay and occasionally things like this make the air,” the spokesman said. “We regret when this happens and apologize to our viewers.”

Harsar said he understands people say and do “dumb things,” but thinks it’s especially reckless for someone like Pollard, who is in the spotlight and serves as a role model for youth.

“If it’s LeBron James, what happens?” Harsar asked. “He would lose endorsements, and it would be a front-page story across the nation.”

Reached for comment after the Cavs’ game Wednesday night, Pollard said: “It was a bad joke. That’s all it boils down to. There are a number of things people could say about it, but it just turned out it was a bad joke. Obviously, I don’t believe that.”

"Don't lose your focus, Bucks. After that Purdue drubbing, everyone will have a giant bullseye on you. Beating No.1 could make someone's season." - jabbyjo

View full sizeChris Russell | Columbus Dispatch |MCTAaron Craft and the Buckeyes will have a big target on their back now that they've established themselves as the clear cut No. 1.

"Don't lose your focus, Bucks. After that Purdue drubbing, everyone will have a giant bullseye on you. Beating No.1 could make someone's season."

"What this team is going through is not a reflection of Scott's coaching. The organization is in shambles right now, whether they admit it or not. When you put all your eggs in one basket and then the basket drops, you lose. Byron stepped into a bad situation and it only got worse. As a coach, he'll be okay; if not here, somewhere else. I can't think of any coach that would have this team winning games right now. To his credit, they are competing, and I believe he's getting out of them all they have to give." - ITSU

View full sizeAP Photo | Tony DejakByron Scott's career winning percentage has taken a hit this season on the Cavaliers' sideline.

In response to the story Sympathetic friends appreciated, but not necessary, says Byron Scott: Cavaliers Insider, cleveland.com reader ITSU thinks Byron Scott is doing the best job he can. This reader writes,

"What this team is going through is not a reflection of Scott's coaching. The organization is in shambles right now, whether they admit it or not. When you put all your eggs in one basket and then the basket drops, you lose. Byron stepped into a bad situation and it only got worse. As a coach, he'll be okay; if not here, somewhere else. I can't think of any coach that would have this team winning games right now. To his credit, they are competing, and I believe he's getting out of them all they have to give."

"If A.J. Green is still available, the Browns would be stupid to pass him up. However, Green will probably be gone by the time the Browns pick. My next favorite is Bowers from Clemson. He is an absolute beast at DE and would fit in perfectly in the new 4-3." - 703Buckeye

View full sizeGus Chan | The Plain DealerTom Heckert may have an opportunity to draft a potential big playmaker in A.J. Green in this year's NFL Draft.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns should take WR A.J. Green or DE Robert Quinn with sixth overall pick -- Mel Kiper Jr., cleveland.com reader 703Buckeye thinks the Browns can't pass on Green - if he's there. This reader writes,

"If A.J. Green is still available, the Browns would be stupid to pass him up. However, Green will probably be gone by the time the Browns pick. My next favorite is Bowers from Clemson. He is an absolute beast at DE and would fit in perfectly in the new 4-3."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shin-Soo Choo is part of a group of Indians scheduled to sign  autographs at The Q on Saturday night before the Monsters play host to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Right fielder Choo, outfielder Michael Brantley, first baseman Matt LaPorta, lefty Tony Sipp and manager Manny Acta will hold a free autograph session from 6:45 p.m. to  7:15 p.m. on the main concourse. The...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shin-Soo Choo is part of a group of Indians scheduled to sign  autographs at The Q on Saturday night before the Monsters play host to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Right fielder Choo, outfielder Michael Brantley, first baseman Matt LaPorta, lefty Tony Sipp and manager Manny Acta will hold a free autograph session from 6:45 p.m. to  7:15 p.m. on the main concourse. The Monsters-Bulldogs faceoff is 7:30 p.m.
 
The players will be joined by Indians mascot Slider and the Ketchup, Mustard and Onion Hot Dog mascots.

The evening also features a free postgame concert with country artist James Otto, who recently released his third studio album, "Shake What God Gave Ya.'' Otto is best known for his 2008 hit, “Just Got Started Loving You.” He recently completed a tour with country superstars Toby Keith and Trace Adkins.

A ticket to Saturday night’s game will allow fans admittance to the Indians autograph session and Otto’s postgame concert.

About Jay Cutler, Holmgren says: "Anybody that took cheap shots at him should be ashamed of themselves."

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Mike Holmgren brings an experienced perspective to the debate about injured Bears QB Jay Cutler missing most of the second half of Sunday's NFC title game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren did a radio interview on Tuesday, the first few questions directed to him were not about coach Pat Shurmur or quarterback Colt McCoy.

That's because the interview was conducted by ESPN Radio Chicago.

The Chicago Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers, 21-14, in the National Football Conference championship game on Sunday.

Even more than the game's outcome, the biggest postgame topic of conversation has been Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler's departure from the game early in the thinrd quarter, with the Bears trailing, 14-0.

Cutler didn't return, and on Monday it was announced that he had suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Before the diagnosis, and as soon as it became apparent that Cutler wouldn't return to the game, NFL players, media and fans went to their Twitter accounts to ridicule Cutler for his absence.

ESPN Radio Chicago asked former Green Bay and Seattle coach Holmgren about the communication between coaches, players and medical staff on the sidelines when a player is injured.

Holmgren, who has mentored some of the sport's all-time great quarterbacks as a position coach, offensive coordinator and head coach, was also asked if "it was surprising to see and read some of the vitriol that Cutler faced this weekend."

Holmgren's answer (referring to Bears coach Lovie Smith), as included via transcript on the Sports Radio Interviews blog:

 

“It really was. And from what I read today, I thought Lovie handled his press conference pretty well considering everything because look it, you’re not playing in this league…there’s no way you’re a starting quarterback in the league and you’re not tough. There’s no way. And there’s no way that you’re not going to play in that ballgame unless you absolutely cannot play. And that goes without saying. Anybody that took cheap shots at him should be ashamed of themselves. Because that’s simply not part of the deal. And the people that know him know that.”

ESPN Radio Chicago asked Holmgren about the Browns' coaching search that led to the hiring of Shurmur and defensive coordinator Dick Jauron.

Part of what Holmgren said about the hiring of Shurmur:

And I went and interviewed formally actually three guys. You know, I talked to Bill Cowher, I talked to Gruden, and I talked to my friends in the league and so on. It really boiled down to three guys and we hired Pat. And all three guys were tremendous.  Mike Mularkey, and Perry Fewell who was the defensive coordinator with the Giants, they were great. But I hired Pat because I think we have a good young quarterback and I wanted an offensive-minded head coach. It pretty much boiled down to that. And I wanted one that was familiar with the system I was familiar with.

 

 

There is no clear-cut No. 1 pick, and any of a number of players could move into the top five.

Associated PressIf Jared Sullinger (0) leaves Ohio State for the NBA after this season, he will likely be among the first few picks in the NBA draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers, with an 8-37 record and little indication that a flurry of wins are on the horizon, are destined to own one of the first, if not the No. 1, pick in the draft this June.

Lucas Shapiro of Dime Magazine isn't confident that trades or the signing of free agents will solve the Cavaliers' talent deficiencies. Thus, maybe the best way for the Cavs to re-build is to accumulate draft picks and use them wisely.

Shapiro, assuming that the Cavaliers will finish with the worst record in the NBA and then win the draft lottery, and that some marquee freshmen will leave college, writes about potential No. 1 picks, including:

At this point, if all goes as planned, the Cavaliers should get the first pick in the draft. If that is the case, it looks like Baylor freshman Perry Jones could be their best option. At 6-11, few frontcourt players are as skilled as Jones. When he wants to, he can be an unstoppable force. So far this season, he has shown improved consistency, but it will be interesting to see if that continues into February. He has put up decent numbers (13.9 points, 7.1 rebounds per game) but there are concerns about him projecting as more of a face-up power forward.

Obviously, Shapiro, despite his high regard for Perry Jones, isn't completely sold on his abilities.

Among the 10 other players mentioned by Shapiro is the likely near-local favorite, Jared Sullinger of Ohio State.

Shapiro writes:

Some say the easy pick would be Jared Sullinger, but in this case, it’s not so simple. On one hand, the Ohio State freshman and Columbus, Ohio, native is the best player on the No. 1 college team in the country with an NBA body (6-9, 280 lbs.) and skill set (17.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg), and he’s instant marketing/ticket money for the Cavs with his local ties. On the other hand, the Cavs have been down this road before, and nobody seems to like how the LeBron situation turned out.

And according to some scouts, Sullinger isn’t a surefire superstar. He is considered a bit short for a power forward, and since he’s not an elite athlete, his game suggests something closer to Zach Randolph than the Blake Griffin prototype every NBA team will want at the four from here on out. But then Z-Bo has been a 20-and-10 producer for years, so that’s not the worst comparison.

One reason the Vikings are back atop the league is they have yet to be upset by a Horizon opponent.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerHaving regained a share of first place in the Horizon League, a road trip to Illinois-Chicago and Loyola isn't something Norris Cole (center) and the rest of the Vikings can take lightly.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's off to Chicago this weekend for the Cleveland State men's basketball team.

The Vikings (18-3, 7-2) sit atop the Horizon League standings beside Valparaiso (15-6, 7-2). One reason the Vikings are there is that they have yet to be upset in league play.

Their league losses, at Butler and at Valparaiso, were not upsets. The other leaders have all lost a game they were supposed to win -- Valparaiso to Green Bay; Butler to Milwaukee twice; and Wright State to Detroit.

"I promote that within our team," CSU coach Gary Waters said. "You've got to win the games you're supposed to win, and try to get some of the games that you are not supposed to win. I'm a firm believer in that. When you start losing games you are supposed to win, watch out. Things are going to get pretty shaky."

That is what the Vikings want to avoid starting Thursday in road rematches against Illinois-Chicago (5-15, 0-8); and Saturday at Loyola (12-8, 3-6). Earlier this season, CSU defeated UIC, 83-59; and Loyola, 73-55.

Aches and pains: The league's top game this week is Butler (14-7, 6-3) at Valparaiso on Saturday.

But while it is a home game for the Crusaders, they will be limping into it. Starting guard Brandon Wood (16.1 ppg) is questionable (hamstring); starting forward Ryan Broekhoff (9.9 ppg) is probable (hip); and backup guard Jay Harris (5.4 ppg) is doubtful (sprained ankle).

All three players average between 18 and 26 minutes per game.

Home sweet home: The Vikings' Jeremy Montgomery has made return trips to his hometown of Chicago special ones, particularly when he plays at Illinois-Chicago. Waters looks for more of the same on this road trip.

"I think you really love playing in front of your people," Waters said. "I think Jeremy, this enlightens him every time he goes there. The first time it happened was as a freshman, he had (21 points); and his sophomore year he had (13). He really played well there. I'm saying, 'Jeremy, feel this again, partner.'"

Ticket sales: There are limited seats left in the lower bowl for Cleveland State's noon Feb. 5 ESPN matchup against Butler at the Wolstein Center. But there still plenty of seats available in the upper bowl, according to CSU sports information director Brian McCann.

Tickets are available for what could loom as just as big a game on Thursday, Feb. 3, against Valparaiso.

The Monsters (22-21-3-4) snapped a two-game skid. They wrapped a five-game homestand at 3-2-0-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Monsters winger Greg Mauldin simply had too much game for the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday night.

Mauldin's body of work included a goal and two assists that helped push Lake Erie past the Marlboros, 4-2, at The Q. Center Ben Walter had two goals and goalie John Grahame made 17 saves as the Monsters (22-21-3-4) snapped a two-game skid. They wrapped a five-game homestand at 3-2-0-0.

Lake Erie moved into a tie with Toronto (22-19-0-7) for third place in the Western Conference North Division.

In the previous meeting between the clubs, Dec. 11 at The Q, the Marlies prevailed, 7-4. But they did not have to deal with the speedy and savvy Mauldin, who was playing for the Monsters' parent, the Colorado Avalanche.

Mauldin, 28, signed as a free agent in July. He was with the Avalanche from mid-November until mid-January.

"Greg is an NHL player," Monsters coach David Quinn said. "He certainly proved that in the time he was up in Colorado. He's going to get another chance sooner or later."

The Marlies took a 1-0 lead at 17:32 of the first period. They gave the goal back when a defenseman's clearing attempt hit Walter's leg and bounced into the net at 19:00.

Late in the second period, Mauldin created a 2-1 cushion for Lake Erie with a workmanlike goal. He dug the puck out of the midsection of sprawling Toronto defenseman Matt Lashoff and stuffed it past goalie Jussi Rynnas.

When Mauldin was not scoring, he was creating opportunities. He constantly stayed a half-step ahead of the Marlies and finished plus-4.

"We pushed the pace on them a little bit," Mauldin said. "Once they started backing off, it gave us more room to make plays out of our defensive zone."

The Monsters made it 3-1 at 6:37 of the third, Mauldin earning one of the assists on Walter's second goal.

Toronto pulled within one with a 5-on-3 tally at 13:33, but the Monsters answered soon thereafter, Mark Olver lighting the lamp. Mauldin and Jonas Holos had the assists.

"As the game went on, we really finished our checks and won the one-on-one battles," Quinn said. "We were consistent with our physical play and created space for ourselves."

Tribe time: Shin-Soo Choo is part of a group of Indians scheduled to sign autographs at The Q on Saturday night before the Monsters host Hamilton.

Right fielder Choo, outfielder Michael Brantley, first baseman Matt LaPorta, lefty Tony Sipp and manager Manny Acta will hold a free autograph session from 6:45-7:15 in the main concourse. The Monsters-Bulldogs faceoff is 7:30 p.m.

The evening also features a free postgame concert with country artist James Otto. A ticket to Saturday night's game will allow fans admittance to the Indians autograph session and Otto's postgame concert.

With a true point guard once again, Ohio State may be tougher to defend than it was a year ago with Evan Turner.

View full sizeChris Russell / Columbus DispatchAaron Craft scored 11 points with six rebounds and six assists against JaJuan Johnson and the Boilermakers on Tuesday. "I think (OSU coach Thad Matta) finally got caught up to Mike Conley leaving, and he has that now in Aaron Craft," said an admiring Purdue head coach Matt Painter.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In light of No. 1 Ohio State's 87-64 win over Purdue on Tuesday night, are the 21-0 Buckeyes really that much more difficult to defend than they were last year with national player of the year Evan Turner? With a true point guard, they might be.

Coach Thad Matta has said many times that point guard Mike Conley's departure for the NBA after one season, following the Final Four run of 2007, surprised the coaching staff and threw off their recruiting plans at the position. Turner was dangerous as a point guard last season, but he was a scorer first, and Purdue coach Matt Painter understood what Matta was saying.

"I think he finally got caught up to Mike Conley leaving, and he has that now in Aaron Craft," Painter said after Ohio State's win.

Throw in the passing ability of freshman big man Jared Sullinger, and Painter became the latest in a line of coaches unsure how to defend the Buckeyes.

"Evan was a guy who was going for his, and rightfully so. He was breaking people down, but I think they have a great mix of guys, though they had a great mix last year. But with Sullinger and his unselfishness, that is tough to defend," Painter said. "Jared Sullinger is a good player. I played with Glenn Robinson, and I saw a lot of guys throw things at him and we would just kind of laugh. I don't think there's just one way to defend a guy like that when you put shooters around him.

"Evan Turner was a tough guy to defend, Jared Sullinger is a tough guy to defend. But I think Thad has done a great job. He's had to adjust. He's had some guys leave after one year and he had to adjust."

Bound for Cleveland? For anyone particularly fired up and looking ahead to the NCAA Tournament, Quicken Loans Arena is a host site for the first two rounds of the tourney, March 18 and 20. Ohio State isn't guaranteed to be in Cleveland, but barring something unforeseen, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes starting the tournament anywhere else.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at a price of $237 for all six games in the eight-team session -- four on Friday and two on Sunday.

Class of the Bucks: Ohio State senior and Cleveland native David Lighty is one of 10 national finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes excellence on and off the court. In fan voting among the finalists that began on Wednesday, Lighty was leading the way, comfortably ahead of Duke's Kyle Singler. You can vote online at Seniorclassaward.com/vote.

Boilermaker tribute: Craft's defense has, justifiably, drawn a lot of praise recently, and Painter finally dropped an inevitable comparison after the game to former Purdue defensive stopper Chris Kramer, a two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year in 2008 and 2010.

"He's tough and I talked to our guys and explained to them how he can move laterally and how he's like Chris Kramer defensively," Painter said. "He's better offensively, but he's similar to him in terms of moving his feet and his toughness."

Cavaliers head trainer Max Benton is used to having a full house in his training room.

View full size

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Quiz time: Who said the following?

"It's like a soap opera on this team. You've got to be ready on this team. You never know who's going to go down. Our biggest thing right now is injuries and we're trying to weather that storm so you just have to be ready when your number is called."

You're thinking Cavs General Manager Chris Grant or coach Byron Scott? Or maybe Antawn Jamison?

You're wrong. That quote came from Boston's Kevin Garnett.

If you think the Cavs have had injury problems -- and they have -- the Celtics have had it much worse.

Going into Tuesday's matchup in Boston, Celtics players had lost 135 games to injury and illness, including Kendrick Perkins, who returned Tuesday after missing the first 43 games recovering from knee surgery. He injured his right knee during the NBA Finals last June.

Even Boston-based Hall of Fame writer/author Jackie MacMullan was wearing a walking boot on Tuesday after a stress fracture was discovered in her right foot.

By contrast, the Cavs have lost 78 games to injury. Joey Graham is the individual leader in the clubhouse, with a total of 18 games missed with a stomach virus (1) and a strained right quad (17), although he will be overtaken by Anderson Varejao, who is out for the season with a torn tendon in his right foot.

As bad as it seems right now, it's not close to the 2001-02 season, when 14 players missed 283 games, including 50 by Tyrone Hill (back spasms) and 47 by Jeff Trepagnier (right knee tendinitis).

That was Max Benton's first season as the team's head athletic trainer, so he's used to having a full house in his training room.

"Our full health care and training team has been very busy this season," said Benton, who hasn't taken to wearing garlic around his neck -- yet. "At the same time, we're seeing science and technology improve, which has allowed us to recognize injuries faster and provide better treatment.

"There are no short cuts to take in this area, though. As a result, our relationship with Cleveland Clinic Sports Health has never been more valuable. The resources we've had available to us there and at Cleveland Clinic Courts have been remarkable."

Correction: The Cavs own the record for most consecutive losses in the NBA -- 24, which includes the last 19 games of the 1981-82 season and the first five of the 1982-83 season. Denver and Vancouver are tied for second with 23. It was incorrectly reported Wednesday that Cleveland and Denver shared the record.

Value plummets: After losing LeBron James, the value of the Cleveland franchise dropped a league-high 26 percent to $355 million, according to Forbes magazine's annual evaluation. Forbes said the Heat had the biggest percentage increase -- 17 percent -- to $425 million, good for seventh in the league. The New York Knicks ($655 million) have overtaken the Los Angeles Lakers ($643 million) as the NBA's most valuable franchise, and 17 of the 30 teams are estimated to have lost money last season, according to Forbes.

The sniping at Jay Cutler by his NFL peers looked like a casting call for the next Mean Girls movie, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeTracy Boulian / The Plain DealerJust a few days ago, it seemed that Jay Cutler's biggest worries came from blitzing linebackers and an inconsistent offensive line in Chicago. But now it seems it's open season with off-the-field verbal sacks of the Bears quarterback coming from throughout the NFL fraternity, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- NFL players answer a casting call for the next edition of "Mean Girls" ...

In the right hands, social media is a great benefit to professional athletes. Twitter, for instance, allows athletes to misspell words and assault the rules of grammar while pretending they meant to do so.

"Cmon cutler, u have to come back," Arizona safety Kerry Rhodes tweeted during Sunday's Bears-Packers game. "This is the NFC championship if u didn't know."

In the wrong hands, social media's unfiltered nature allows players who always complained the media made uninformed assumptions about them to make their own uninformed assumptions about each other.

"All I'm saying is that he can finish the game on a hurt knee ... I played the whole season on one," tweeted Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who missed his team's last two games because of injury.

Let's be fair. Ninety-nine percent of NFL players didn't join the attack on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Of the small percentage who did, there are no available stats on how many took into account that Cutler got sacked 53 times this season, has missed one game in five years and played the 2007 season (and lost 33 pounds) with undiagnosed diabetes.

I'm guessing that percentage was small, though.

Basically what we learned from this is not that Twitter is dangerous. What we learned is that Cutler isn't a popular guy among his peers. The band "Bowling For Soup" wrote the song, "High School Never Ends" and it was proven true in this case.

Maybe Donovan McNabb or Peyton Manning doesn't come off the field in the same situation. But if he does, bet big money that Deion Sanders isn't rushing to the pile to say -- as he said of Cutler – "in the playoffs u must drag me off the field."

Interestingly, a team of wild horses couldn't drag Sanders to the line of scrimmage for run support during his playing days. Running plays were his cue to pretend he was looking for his contact lens deep in pass coverage.

There is a lesson in the Cutler story for all players.

For ex-players: We know, we know, you were great. Crank up "Glory Days" on your headphones and keep quiet about it.

For players watching at home: YOU'RE WATCHING AT HOME! Examine yourself.

View full sizeDavid J. Phillip / Associated PressPsst ... Jay. You might try hanging out with your teammates if you're not able to take snaps on the field.

For players who get hurt and can't go back in the game: Do your best to look the part. Use a crutch even if you're just using it as a crutch. Strap on an ice pack. As a rule, if you sit out you should look more beset by the rigors of the NFL than the punter does.

Instead, Cutler didn't use a crutch, didn't ice his knee, didn't even limp. The cameras kept finding him on the bench looking as if at any moment he might start working the Sunday Tribune crossword.

I don't think we learned anything about the toughness of Cutler Sunday. I think we found out something about his leadership as an injured player. It's lacking. He either fell down on the job in that category or he honestly did not know who Caleb Hanie was and quietly waited for someone to introduce him.

What we learned most of all is what a roughing-the-passer penalty looks and sounds like when the quarterback is so defenseless he's on the bench.

United they snipe, divided they snipe more?...

Not surprisingly, Bears GM Jerry Angelo came to Cutler's defense. Surprisingly, he took a shot at the player union's "solidarity."

That's apples and oranges. Sniping at one of their own doesn't suggest players will fracture and fall apart in difficult contract negotiations with ownership.

Having million dollar mortgages and non-guaranteed contracts does.

Then again, maybe Angelo has a point...

Linebacker Zack Follett of Detroit called Lions quarterback Matt Stafford "a china doll," citing Stafford's injury history.

Follett retreated from that remark the next day, saying, "I'm glad we have Matt Stafford instead of the Bears' quarterback because Stafford goes out there and plays with a separated shoulder and wins games."

Follett didn't back up and run over Stafford again. He kept driving and ran over Cutler, who had nothing to do with what he said about Stafford.

See, nobody can say Follett's a bad teammate, just that he has no conscience about backtracking over an innocent bystander.

HE SAID IT

View full sizeAP photoSeparated a birth ... a dynamic Packers quarterback, and ...

"I just think it's inappropriate. It's fair to criticize guys when they don't play well, but it's 100 percent unfair to criticize guys ... if a guy says he's hurt, you have to respect that." -- Charles Barkley, on NFL players' criticism of Cutler.

Even if they shoot free throws with their left hand after draining threes with their right?

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Former Browns punter Derrick Frost and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. -- Bob M

TV weatherman Jason Nicolas and Florida head coach Urban Meyer. -- J.J.B., Parma

View full sizeAP photoA former Browns punter, who kicked 85 times in 2004.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded-by-Lukewarm-Demand Midweek Edition)

"Bud:

"You said the Browns' coordinator search was beginning to look like your high school dating record. Did the girls find you had a defensive approach or purely offensive?" -- Bob H, Medina

I never got close enough to ask. My status fluctuated between "inactive" and "practice squad."

"Bud:

"What is former Olympian Bruce Jenner doing for a living these days?" -- Tom Hoffner, Broadview Heights

Recovering from what appears to be plastic surgery two-a-days.

"Bud:

"We all know [LeBron James] quit in Game 5 vs. Boston. When exactly did this year's Cavs team quit?" -- Doug, Westlake

Since Dec. 2 there has been no quit in this team. Unfortunately, there's also been no start, either.

"Bud:

"Any truth to the rumor Mike Holmgren is buying a vineyard in California?" -- Joe S.

Holmgren hoped to corner the market on a wine bottle that doesn't pack much of a wallop but somebody already had the patent.

"Bud:

"Is it true that the Cavaliers' 2010-2011 highlight film will be sped up to triple speed and the background music will be 'The Benny Hill Show' theme?" -- Mike Klauss, Wickliffe

I'm afraid they would take great offense to that association. Not sure how the Cavs would feel.

"Bud:

"Was it intentional or a coincidence that an advertisement was placed, and fit perfectly, at the end of an article about the Cavaliers losing streak on page C3, Sunday that read: 'Depression? Fear? Anxiety? Call Recovery International, self-help mental health group.'" -- Amy, University Heights.

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

"Bud:

"I thought the toughness remarks about Jay Cutler were a bit insensitive until I learned he hurried out of the locker room to have dinner with Mike Phipps, Robbie Alomar and LeBron." -- Jim, Shaker Heights

Repeat winners receive a MCL sprain.

Major league baseball requires that every team be represented at the All-Star Game by at least one player. The NBA has no such requirement, but what if it did?

Joshua Gunter, Plain DealerAntawn Jamison played in two all-star games while with Washington.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's not necessary to document why the Cleveland Cavaliers won't have a player on the Eastern Conference all-star team.

The Cavaliers are 8-37, and though some individual performances have been better than the team's collectively, none have been of all-star caliber.

The NBA doesn't require that each of its 30 teams have at least one player on the Eastern or Western Conference all-star rosters.

But, what if it did, like Major League Baseball does? Remember how pitcher Fausto Carmona was picked to represent the Indians at last season's All-Star Game?

For one thing, the NBA all-star rosters would be quite unwieldy for the poor coaches. And, a Cavalier would suit up for the All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Feb. 20.

Many observers believe center Anderson Varejao is the Cavs' best player, but he's expected to miss the rest of the season with a torn ankle tendon, and thus is not included in our poll. No matter how well he would have played, though, the combination of modest individual statistics and the team's struggles would have nullified Varejao's chances.

Guard Mo Williams is out indefinitely with a hip injury, but since he made the East all-stars as a Cavalier two years ago, we'll include him in our poll.

Forward Antawn Jamison, now 34, is the other Cavalier who has been an all-star. He played in the 2005 and 2008 games while a member of the Washington Wizards.

Thistledown and Northfield Park are making management changes this winter. Thistledown General Manager Brent Reitz is heading south on Northfield Road to the harness track and Caesars Entertainment is bringing in Lee Dillard, the vice president of Harrah's Louisiana Downs, to get the thoroughbred season rolling at Thistledown.

View full sizeBrent Reitz

Thistledown General Manager Brent Reitz is heading south on Northfield Road to the harness track. Caesars Entertainment is bringing in Lee Dillard, vice president of Harrah's Louisiana Downs, to get the thoroughbred season rolling at Thistledown.

"I'm fortunate to be able to continue working in the horse-racing industry and not have to move from my hometown," said Reitz.

The graduate of Bowling Green State University worked for the Cleveland Cavaliers for eight years before his 20-year stint with Thistledown.

"There is a sadness in leaving Thistledown," said Reitz. "I've been supported by great employ ees and horsemen. I'll miss them all."

The Harrah's Entertainment that bought Thistledown for $43 million last year has gone away. While Harrah's is still a prime casino brand, the corporation is now Caesars Entertainment Corp.

Chief Executive Officer Gary Loveman said the name was changed in November to take advantage of Caesars being known as the company's luxury brand. The company owns Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and it operates Caesars-branded casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., and Windsor, Ontario.

Harrah's acquired Caesars Entertainment Inc. in 2005 in a $9 billion buyout. The company is now the world's largest casino operator with 53 properties in six countries.

Thistledown could be re-branded, like many of the casino's properties, although Thistledown isn't considered a prime thoroughbred racing facility.

Dillard is expected to arrive at Thistledown on Monday. Reitz begins his new job Feb. 7 at Northfield Park.

Northfield Park races year round, with nightly live racing on Monday through Wednesday and Friday and Saturday through February. Thistledown begins its 2011 season on April 23.

Veteran at 18: Tyler Smith is hardly a rookie harness racing driver, even though he made his first pari-mutuel start Monday at Northfield Park.

The Washington Courthouse youngster had to wait until after his 18th birthday Sunday to be able to race at a pari-mutuel track, but he has had lots of time on Ohio's harness tracks and in the winner's circle.

In 2010, he focused on Buckeye State county fair action and won 79 of 293 starts with a solid Universal Driver Rating System score of .424. Smith's horses won $165,831. His top victory was a hometown win in the $15,000 Fayette County Classic, an upset driving Total Revenge.

Smith won this year's Peter Haughton Award from the Ohio Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association as the best young driver.

His first pari-mutuel effort on Monday was a sixth-place finish with trotter Mickey Deez for trainer Clair Umholtz.

Smith once had dreams of becoming a track announcer, and he was behind the microphone at county fairs when he was only 12 and 13 years old.

Grand Circuit dates: The Delaware County Fair is introducing the new Delaware Open Series during Grand Circuit Week, to be held Sept. 18-22.

It is an early-closing series open to 2- and 3-year-old trotters and pacers, both colts and fillies. The races, with $8,000 purses, are designed to give more horsemen the chance to race at the Delaware Fairgrounds during Grand Circuit Week. Nominations are due Feb. 15.

The big Grand Circuit Week races are the $325,000 Jugette on Sept. 21 and the $650,000 Little Brown Jug on Sept. 22.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: degan@plaind.com, 216-999-5158