Everyone likes to win but losing at this point of the season -- a couple of weeks from the start of the postseason -- isn't so bad, especially if your team was unbeaten. So Berkshire coach Dennis Lory wasn't all too alarmed after last week's 58-30 Chagrin Valley Conference crossover-game drubbing at the hands of visiting Chagrin Division leader...

Everyone likes to win but losing at this point of the season -- a couple of weeks from the start of the postseason -- isn't so bad, especially if your team was unbeaten.

So Berkshire coach Dennis Lory wasn't all too alarmed after last week's 58-30 Chagrin Valley Conference crossover-game drubbing at the hands of visiting Chagrin Division leader Kenston.

"We know we have a bull's-eye on our back," said Lory, whose team entered Thursday night's CVC crossover game against visiting Independence with a 13-1, 7-0 record. "We didn't have our point guard [Meghann Wright], but Kenston's very good and they took advantage of it."

The 5-10 Wright, who's averaging 14.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.7 steals, was resting a knee she tweaked. The same knee she tore the ACL in when she was sophomore.

"We were just glad to hear the doctor recommended that she take a week off," said Lory. "She's earned a volleyball scholarship to Siena [N.Y.] College and we have her future to think of."

And, of course, Lory wants her ready for Saturday's key Valley Division game at defending champion Kirtland, which Berkshire defeated earlier this year.

"It's tough to win at Kirtland, so we'll need all the help we can get," said Lory.

The Badgers have gotten plenty of help in the post from 6-0 junior Har ley Adler (12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds a game) and 5-11 sophomore Kayla Byler (10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds), while 5-10 junior Angela Moss (6.0 points, 4.5 rebounds) has been effective coming off the bench.

Raiders rusty: Shaker Heights (13-1, 7-0) repeated as Lake Erie League Lake Division champs but not without a couple of scares, including the 49-47 win over Cleveland Heights and a 68-65 edging of Warren Harding.

"I'm not making excuses, but we played only six games between Dec. 29 and Jan. 30," said Raiders coach Mike Coreno. "Playing once a week has not helped our offense."

It hasn't seemed to hurt senior point guard Chyress Lockhart. The Cleveland Central Catholic transfer is averaging 15 points, 6.0 assists and 4.5 steals while East Tennessee State recruit Shelby Stokes is scoring 12 points and grabbing a team-leading 4.6 rebounds a game. Junior Jordyn Peck, who made eight 3-pointers during a recent victory over Youngstown East, hit seven treys during Saturday's 53-37 win at Mentor.Peck is averaging 18 points, and has hit 45 3-pointers.

Tigers come close: Cleveland Heights fell short of pulling one of the biggest upsets of the year in the loss to Shaker Heights.

"We had numerous scoring opportunities, but I was pleased with our defense," said Tigers coach Kim Hansen. "Our offense is still in the infancy stages."

Juniors Supriya Frierson and Jasmin Harper, along with senior Ra'chel Walton, have been the offensive leaders, averaging 8.0, 15 and 12 points, respectively. The 5-10 Frierson is grabbing eight rebounds a game while the 6-0 Harper is accounting for 12 caroms a game.

Heights has previous upset wins over Mentor and Warren Harding. Panthers on the prowl: It has taken Norton almost 75 percent of the season to get healthy and since then, it has won three of five games.

"We've been either sick or injured," said Panthers coach Brian Miller, whose team thrives on transitional basketball.

Sarah Whitner and Emorie Milford missed three games because of injury, Jaclyn Fortney was sidelined a game and Alyssa Kraus and Cara Cook missed two games due to the flu.

"We're finally putting together a set lineup and it couldn't have happened at a better time," said Miller, whose team is 11-4 overall, 9-2 in the Portage Trail League Metro Division with two of its losses coming to unbeaten division leader Aurora and unbeaten nonleague foe Manchester. "Kraus and Cook are our scoring leaders as both are averaging 11 points. Kodi Costanzo is scoring 10 points a game, then we're pretty well spread out." Milestone achievement: Hudson senior/Penn recruit Jessica Monsman scored 27 points during Saturday's Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division victory over Solon, making her the all-time leading scorer in school history for boys or girls basketball. She entered the week with 1,194 points. Pastor passes record: Green senior/Bowling Green recruit Logan Pastor passed out a single-game, school-record 15 assists during last week's Suburban League victory over visiting Highland. She's averaging 9.4 assists a game. Dialing long distance: Kenston senior Julia Weilmann totaled seven 3-pointers in CVC wins over Berkshire and Chagrin while Western Reserve Academy senior Maggie Craig connected for seven treys in a single game for the second consecutive week with last week's effort coming in a victory over Linsly (W. Va.) Academy. Quite a Lady: Glenville junior Lady Walker averaged 20.5 points, 28.5 rebounds and 6.5 blocks in Senate Athletic League wins over John Adams and Rhodes. Going the extra mile: The morning of last week's Fairport Harbor fires, which damaged or destroyed eight homes after a major natural gas line into town failed, many residents were alerted through a series of phone calls.

Fairport coach Ed Reed was unaware until team captain Carissa Johnson called him, sobbing, and told him to get out of his house because it seemed like the town was in flames. Reed's house was undamaged. "She called me at quarter of 7 in the morning," remembered Reed. "She said, 'You've got to get out of your house. There's fires everywhere!' She was in tears.

"She continued, 'I'm going out of town with my mom and two dogs' and I said, 'Are you out of your mind?' It was crazy, but she warned me because she's very conscientious like that. I thanked her and later I told her, it was kinda funny because now I know you care about me. "

JOSHUA GUNTER/THE PLAIN DEALERLake Ridge Academy's Kourtni Taylor plays keep away from Hathaway Brown's Beth Brzozowski in the second half last Saturday. Lake Ridge won, 55-41. Nothing ever changes at Magnificat, except for the names, but that's not even the case this season. The Blue Streaks welcomed back nine players from last year's team, which posted a 17-7 record...

JOSHUA GUNTER/THE PLAIN DEALERLake Ridge Academy's Kourtni Taylor plays keep away from Hathaway Brown's Beth Brzozowski in the second half last Saturday. Lake Ridge won, 55-41.

Nothing ever changes at Magnificat, except for the names, but that's not even the case this season.

The Blue Streaks welcomed back nine players from last year's team, which posted a 17-7 record and lost a Division I district title game to Brecksville-Broadview Heights.

"The kids are playing with a lot of confidence," said Magnificat coach Meghann Hubach, whose team's 14-1 start is the best during her six-year stint. "They know what it takes to get to the district championship, but we obviously want to go farther this year."

It's another Blue Streak team where defense, balanced scoring and playing a challenging schedule is emphasized.

Junior guard Stephanie Haas is scoring a team-leading 15.3 points a game while 5-10 junior post Maddie Barry is at 10 points and collecting almost eight rebounds a game. Senior guard Christine Ferry is at 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals a game, followed by junior point guard Megan Barilla and her 8.1 points, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals a game. Senior guard/forward Emily Sterba is chipping in almost seven points and a little over four rebounds a game.

When Hubach feels a little spark is needed, 5-4 junior Paige Wise is the first one off the bench because of her aggressive defense.

Magnificat's lone loss of the season, heading into Thursday's game at Lake Catholic, was a 68-61 set back to Shaker Heights four days before Christmas.

"We were ahead 90 percent of the game, and had some crucial turnovers, but I think it's the best thing that could have happened," said Hubach, whose team was outscored, 21-10, in the fourth quarter by the Raiders. "This group . . . learned a lot from that game and haven't forgotten what it feels like to lose."

Hard-luck Eagles: Just when Avon's players were getting the hang of second-year coach Meghan Banks' offensive and defensive philosophies, the Eagles have suffered some major setbacks, starting with their leading scorer, 5-10 junior Emily Julius.

Julius, who was averaging 14 points and 11.5 rebounds despite tearing her meniscus at the outset of the season, will have surgery next week.

"Emily has played with a brace all season but has gradually felt pain in the knee," said Banks. "She wants to play college ball and wants to be fully healthy for the AAU season, so she's going to have this taken care of now."

"We'll miss her, but we support her."

To add salt to the wound, Brianne Kistler, a senior guard averaging 7.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists, injured the top of her foot while driving to the basket during Saturday's West Shore Conference win over Fairview. One of the team's top defenders, Kistler's availability is a day-to-day process.

It doesn't end there because sophomore post Brianna Smith has missed two games because of the flu and her return is unknown. Smith was averaging five points and four rebounds.

"We're going to see what we're made of in the weeks ahead," said Banks, who still has senior Mackenzie Brua (7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds a game) healthy. "It's going to be tough because we're so young."

The Eagles (11-4, 8-1) will see where they stand tonight (Friday) when they play defending WSC champion Rocky River as part of a boy/girl doubleheader. She's back: Brecksville-Broadview Heights senior Beckie Famurewa has returned after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL and her 6-0 frame and athleticism will only make the Bees better.

"The more she plays, the closer she will get to being her old self," said Bees coach Joe Zenir. Coming into her own: Senior/North Carolina State recruit Therany Dunnigan is the better known post player for Midpark but 6-3 freshman Stasha King is emerging as the future standout. She averaged 19.5 points 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots in recent Southwestern Conference wins over Olmsted Falls and North Olmsted. She's averaging 12.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots.

As Browns quarterback Colt McCoy makes the rounds at Super Bowl XLV, he stays in constant touch with new coach Pat Shurmur and looks forward to playing in a new, quarterback-friendly offense.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter l Plain Dealer file photoBrowns quarterback Colt McCoy isn't a guy to phone it in, but he says he's learning a lot about Pat Shurmur's offense through phone conversations with the new head coach.

ARLINGTON, Texas — These are exciting times for Colt McCoy.

Making the rounds the past couple of days at Super Bowl XLV headquarters, a 2 1/2-hour drive east of his hometown of Tuscola, Texas, McCoy has felt the energy of the ultimate destination he hopes to some day take the Browns.

At the same time, the quarterback has begun to immerse himself in the new offense that new coach Pat Shurmur is planning. McCoy said he has had numerous telephone conversations with Shurmur and Browns President Mike Holmgren and is excited about what lies ahead for him and the team.

"My whole mentality will be so much different next year. I can't wait," McCoy said after a long day of national radio interviews and meetings with marketers and sponsors.

"I talk to the coaches regularly. I'm already learning some things over the phone. It's been a real busy month for coach Shurmur trying to hire a staff. I think with coach [Mark] Whipple on board now, things will pick up."

View full sizePDBrowns coach Pat Shurmur.

While many have cast skeptical eyes on Shurmur's plan to call his own plays in his first year as a head coach at any level, McCoy views it as "pretty cool." He does not have a strong opinion about Shurmur's non-stated decision to not name an offensive coordinator.

"I really don't know what to say about that," McCoy said. "I know coach Shurmur is very brilliant. The time we've spent together, he's told me he's expecting great things for me. He said we're going to grow together and learn together.

"He's gonna be calling the plays. That's unique. At the same time, I think it's pretty cool that the head coach is calling the plays. He's a young guy, with a lot of energy. You can just hear it in his voice. I think it'll be different than last year. Coach [Eric] Mangini was defensive-minded. He did a good job."

McCoy has gleaned the basics of Shurmur's West Coast offensive system from discussions with Shurmur and Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, McCoy's top rival in college who has become a friend and confidante. Bradford won seven games as a rookie starter with the Rams with Shurmur tutoring him as the team's coordinator.

"It's a West Coast system," McCoy said. "I think it's a system, from my experience, that we ran a little bit of in college. It's a very quarterback-friendly system. That's what coach Shurmur keeps reiterating to me. He says we're gonna learn it together and be the best together. I think it's real quick, timing, get the ball out of your hands, make good decisions, and it also takes advantage of my ability to make plays with my feet.

"Sam loves coach Shurmur. Was sad to see him go. He's real excited for me."

McCoy also has seen Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers develop into an elite quarterback in a version of the same offense run by Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

"He's been in the system five years and now he's playing awesome and they're in a Super Bowl," McCoy said. "I know there's going to be a huge learning curve. But I think the skills that God gave me fit perfect for this kind of system."

McCoy said Shurmur has laid out contingency plans for the players in the event of an owners lockout due to the unsettled labor situation. If some type of agreement isn't in place by March 4, players will be prohibited from talking with coaches and entering team facilities.

McCoy said he will return to Cleveland later this month to take a crash course in Shurmur's playbook. He expects to then lead informal workouts with Browns receivers and tight ends if and when a lockout is imposed.

As he ran the gantlet of the national radio shows stationed on broadcast row in the Super Bowl Media Center, McCoy was questioned about the shoulder injury he suffered in the BCS Championship Game in his final game with Texas following the 2009 college season. He surprised many in Cleveland by admitting the injury, which involves a damaged nerve, bothered him throughout his rookie season with the Browns.

"I want to clear this up," McCoy said. "It's not a huge deal. It's really not. Nobody really asked me about it in Cleveland. But my shoulder's still recovering. It didn't affect me the whole season. But some days are good and some days aren't so good. It's been a priority of mine to constantly work on it every day.

"I don't think it's a strength issue as much as a fatigue issue. When it pinched, it damaged the nerve. At the time, the doctor told me that sometimes it can take 2-3 years to clear up. I think this off-season will be the first time I'll have all my attention and focus on getting it right."

National interviewers also have made a big deal about McCoy saying he will be the Browns' starting quarterback in 2011. He said the same thing in his exit interview after the season. He said he would not be concerned if Holmgren takes a quarterback in the draft in April.

"When coach Holmgren drafted me, he said I wasn't going to play [as a rookie]," McCoy said. "He said, 'You're my guy. You're gonna be great. But a rookie quarterback doesn't play for me. This is how I want you to learn.'

"Coach Holmgren is excited, too. He's got a guy he wants in there, coach Shurmur. As far as them drafting a quarterback, I don't know what's going to happen with Jake [Delhomme] and Seneca [Wallace]. If we do draft one, that's great. I'll do everything to help him. I'm prepared [to start] and confident and really excited."

No. 1 Ohio State moves to 23-0 by staying together in second half of yet another tight Big Ten test, this one against Michigan.

View full sizePaul Vernon l Associated PressOhio State's Jared Sullinger (0) helped the Buckeyes put Michigan away in the second half, scoring 19 points overall and pulling in 15 rebounds.

The sellout crowd at Value City Arena was rocking, the undefeated No. 1 team in the nation looked to be rolling again, and OSU coach Thad Matta was pointing at Buford as Michigan brought the ball upcourt.

It turns out that Matta wasn't saying, "Way to go, Will."

"After he makes a big shot, sometimes he takes a play off on the defensive end," Matta said. "That was, 'Get down in a defensive stance.' "

Continuing to grind their way through an undefeated season, relying on their defense when other things aren't working, the Buckeyes (23-0, 10-0 Big Ten) made enough big shots and got down enough on defense to pull out another tense conference battle, overcoming a three-point halftime deficit to beat the Wolverines, 62-53. After winning six of their previous eight games by five points or fewer, this game, though the OSU lead was only two points with eight minutes to play, practically qualified as a blowout.

"I know it'll help us going into the [NCAA] Tournament," Ohio State freshman Jared Sullinger said of another tight night. "In March it's a whole different level, so with us winning now, we experience the taste of almost getting defeated."

Thanks to Sullinger, it wasn't all that close in the end. He had a game-high 19 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 7-of-10 from the field, but only 5-of-11 from the line. Buford added 13 and David Lighty and Jon Diebler each had nine.

Sullinger adjusted to the way Michigan double-teamed him from the baseline in their first matchup -- a 68-64 Ohio State win in Ann Arbor on Jan. 12 -- and sometimes passed out of pressure, sometimes dribbled away from it and other times went right over the second smaller defender coming to help. And sometimes he twisted his body to grab air-balled 3-pointers and lay them back in, as he did to extend the OSU lead to six with just over five minutes to play.

"The last time I saw that, Blake Griffin did it," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "He has incredible body control."

As a team, the Buckeyes had to fight to stay in control. Matta stomped and shouted his way through a game with a combustible undercurrent, nearly following an official into the Michigan huddle to voice his displeasure during one break. Many of the 34 foul calls in the game -- 23 on Michigan and 11 on Ohio State -- could have gone either way. Certainly, Michigan had a lot of reasons to wonder about calls, too, but whatever happened, with the officials and with opponents continuing to get more physical with the Buckeyes, Ohio State stayed on track.

"I thought our guys did a very good job of maintaining composure when things didn't go the way we thought they were going to go," Matta said. "The offense wasn't as efficient as we needed to be tonight. The defense probably saved us."

Saved for the 23rd time this season. Sunday at Minnesota, it's back in the stance.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

Junior guard Jeremy Montgomery scores 26 points as the Vikings hold the top spot in the Horizon League.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — There he was again. Cleveland State's big-game player, junior guard Jeremy Montgomery, showed up once again in the biggest game of the season to lift the Vikings to a critical 76-65 Horizon League victory over Valparaiso in men's college basketball Thursday night before a crowd of 4,472 at the Wolstein Center.

Montgomery had a game-high 26 points and was fed deftly by teammate Norris Cole, who had seven assists. The only quibbles for Montgomery were his missed free throws that kept the game close down the stretch. The triumph lifted CSU (21-3, 10-2 Horizon League) to 1 1/2 games ahead of Valparaiso (16-7, 8-3), with no other real threat behind them as league power Butler (14-9, 6-5) lost a stunner at Youngstown State.

Montgomery's 3-pointers got the Vikings off to a solid start. His 3-pointer late stopped the Crusaders after they had closed within two, 49-47, with 9:34 to play, then his array of head-fake, hip-shake drives to the hoop down the stretch closed the game out.

The Chicago native finished the night 7-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers with an 8-of-14 night from the line. Add in 25 points, 11 rebounds and the seven assists from Cole to offset five turnovers, and the cold-shooting Crusaders had no answers.

"They earned it," Valparaiso coach Homer Drew said of the Vikings. "Cole and Montgomery were sensational. Their speed was a tremendous difference in this basketball game.

"We did not earn it tonight. In this league, you earn your victories."

This was the first of three games in five days for the Vikings, but this was the most critical. Next up, noon Saturday on ESPN, is fading Butler. Then it's on the road, Monday, for a 7 p.m. game at Detroit.

By the end of the five days, CSU will be entrenched in first place in the Horizon League with two more victories, still vying for the top spot after splitting two or tenuously aiming for the coveted No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Tournament with some upset losses. The top two teams in league play are automatically seeded into the tournament semifinals.

The Vikings jumped to a 10-2 lead as Cole and Montgomery knocked down early jumpers. Valparaiso would close the gap to 10-9 before CSU finally dumped the ball into the post. Valparaiso, normally a 48.0 percent shooting team from the field, was at 30 percent shooting with less than five minutes left in the half, and lucky to still be within range, trailing, 29-18. The Vikings were relying almost exclusively on the jumper, in part because Aaron Pogue picked up a quick second foul.

Cole would follow Pogue to the bench as he, too, was called for an offensive foul. And slowly, just like the game Jan. 9 at Valparaiso, the Crusaders crept back into the contest, trailing, 31-30, at the half.

Perhaps sensing their Horizon hopes on the line, the Vikings came out in the second half with a purpose. Tim Kamczyc knocked down a 3-pointer followed by a combined three free throws from Tre Harmon and Montgomery. Then, on a CSU break, Cole dropped a nifty pass to Montgomery to push the Vikings' lead out to 39-32, leading to a Valparaiso timeout.

It didn't matter as the Vikings kept on rebounding Valparaiso misses and taking off. Going 2-of-9 from the field the first five minutes of the second half did not help the Crusaders' cause, which only got worse with 14:06 to play when Valpo point guard Erik Buggs picked up his fifth foul on a Montgomery layup that gave CSU a 47-36 lead.

Yet the Vikings still could not put them away, in part because Pogue picked up a senseless fourth foul that sent him to the bench with 13:10 to play. In short order, the Crusaders closed the Vikings' lead down to 49-47 with 9:34 to go, forcing CSU to call a timeout.

It was a timely call as it led to a 3-pointer from Montgomery.

"I felt it coming off smooth, then the shot went down," Montgomery said.

By the time Valparaiso scored again, the Vikings had scored eight straight and were heading toward a victory.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

James scored 23, making all nine field goal attempts, in first quarter.

APLeBron James getting to the basket against the Orlando Magic.

ORLANDO, Florida -- LeBron James had 51 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, including a 23-point first quarter, to lead the Miami Heat to a 104-100 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.

It was a season high for James, whose scoring effort tied for the fifth most points of his career.

The Heat exploited a thin Magic front line that was missing injured starting forward Brandon Bass. They led by as many as 23 points. Dwyane Wade added 15 points and Chris Bosh 13.

Jameer Nelson led Orlando with 22 points. Dwight Howard had 17 points and 16 rebounds, but only one point after halftime and was just 3 for 13 at the free throw line. Jason Richardson chipped in 16.

The victory was the Heat's fourth straight. The Magic lost for the fourth time in their last six and fell behind 2-1 in the season series with Miami.

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Stars are supposed to determine the outcome of games and the stars on the rosters of Garfield Heights and St. Edward did not disappoint Thursday. Led by its tandem of guard Trey Lewis and wing Tony Farmer, Garfield Heights came from behind and defeated visiting St. Edward, 85-82, in a matchup of the two highest-ranked...

Garfield Heights guard Trey Lewis, right, a Penn State recruit, was a force on Thursday night with 27 points. - (Tim Harrison l Special to PD)

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Stars are supposed to determine the outcome of games and the stars on the rosters of Garfield Heights and St. Edward did not disappoint Thursday.

Led by its tandem of guard Trey Lewis and wing Tony Farmer, Garfield Heights came from behind and defeated visiting St. Edward, 85-82, in a matchup of the two highest-ranked teams in The Plain Dealer Top 25.

The Bulldogs, ranked first in The Plain Dealer poll and eighth in the latest state poll of Division I teams, remained undefeated when they scored the final four points of the game over the last 75 seconds in front of a standing-room-only crowd of about 2,000.

It was the present and the future that won the game for the Bulldogs, now 15-0. The present is Penn State recruit Lewis, who took the game over in the third quarter en route to leading all scorers with 27 points. The future is 6-7 sophomore Farmer, who also got hot in the second half and finished with 18 points and nine rebounds while being eyeballed by college scouts from Southern Cal and Wisconsin, among others.

St. Edward, ranked second in The Plain Dealer and 11th in the state, nearly upset the top-ranked team for the second year in a row behind its stars of Delbert Love and Myles Hamilton. That tandem engineered last year's upset of top-ranked Mentor in the regular season and nearly did it again to Garfield Heights as Love scored 26 points -- 22 in the first half when the Eagles led by as many as 12 points -- and Hamilton scored 17 before fouling out with 1:47 remaining and Garfield Heights leading, 81-80.

The victory was the 100th against 27 losses for Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson. The loss was not a total washout for the Eagles, who fell to 12-5.

"Part of me is happy that our kids were able to compete as well as they did and another part of me is extremely disappointed that we didn't win," St. Edward head coach Eric Flannery said. "I've said from the beginning that that team is as talented as any we've seen maybe all year, even with the schedule we play. They've got size, they've got athleticism, they have a great guard and they play hard."

The guard reference was to Lewis, who scored 15 of his 27 points in the third quarter.

"My teammates did a great job of telling me to keep my head up and keep shooting," said Lewis, who recently went over the 1,000-point scoring mark. "They have tremendous faith in me and I get tremendous support from them."

The teams combined for 73 points in the first half, with the Eagles holding a 50-43 lead at the break. The 6-1 Love battled the taller Bulldogs for five rebounds in addition to his 22 first-half points.

While Lewis and Farmer were a little off target in the early going, 6-7 Mike McQueen, who signed a football national letter of intent with Ohio on Wednesday, scored 12 of his 16 points and had five rebounds.

St. Edward made 11 of 21 shots from 3-point range, made 21 of 43 field goals but just 7 of 14 free throws. The Bulldogs had 24 field goals, six 3-pointers and made 19 of 25 free throws.

The lead changed hands several times in the second half. St. Edward held a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Hamilton extended that lead to five on the first possession but the Bulldogs stormed back as Farmer scored consecutive baskets, one off a steal by Lewis and another on a putback of his own miss.

Junior Mark Murray gave the Eagles a 78-75 lead on a goaltending call but Farmer tied it with a three-point play. St. Edward took an 82-81 lead on a putback by Elijah Brown (10 points), but Lewis gave Garfield Heights the lead for good after a drive down the left side with 42 seconds to play. The teams traded turnovers before McQueen made two free throws with 14.76 seconds to go.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: trogers@plaind.com, 216-999-5169

Four things I think ... about the meeting between No. 1 and No. 2

1. Nothing like a big game to bring out the scouts, both high school and college. While high school coaches Joe Lynch (Strongsville), Barry Egan (Cleveland Heights), Sean O'Toole (St. Ignatius) and Bob Krizancic (Mentor) were there for obvious reasons, Garfield Heights sophomore Tony Farmer was the big attraction for the college representatives from Southern Cal, Wisconsin, Duquesne and George Washington. Here's guessing that by the time the 6-7 Farmer is a senior, the visits will turn into a frenzy.

2. Overlooked behind all the noted stars was point guard Terrell Byrd. The 5-9 junior has developed into a solid floor leader, with quick hands and a jump shot as soft as a plush blanket.

3. Despite the loss and the fact that St. Edward does not have much size, I am not convinced the Eagles aren't talented enough to win a regional. Coach Eric Flannery is hoping that 6-7 sophomore Zakhir Hillmon-Baker -- a mid-year transfer from Central Catholic one year ago and the nephew of Jawad Williams -- will help, but he has a long way to go.

4. If there is a better off-guard in the area than Garfield Heights' Trey Lewis, I'd like to see him.

-- Tim Rogers

The Vikings only force Valparaiso into five turnovers, but they have seven blocked shots as they hold the Crusaders to 37.7 percent shooting.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz l The Plain DealerCleveland State's bench erupts as a timeout is called just after a Vikings' 3-pointer and a blocked shot by Charlie Woods late in the second half Thursday at the Wolstein Center.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It wasn't the press that allowed Cleveland State to earn a big men's basketball victory over Valparaiso on Thursday night. It was a block party instead.

The Vikings only forced Valparaiso into five turnovers for the game, but they had seven blocked shots as they held the Crusaders to 37.7 percent shooting, well under their 48.0 percent average.

Key were five blocked shots from 6-7 sophomore Charlie Woods.

"We had point-blank layups they erased very quickly," Valparaiso coach Homer Drew said.

Woods finished with five points and six rebounds, with his lone hoop being a game-sealing dunk of a missed Norris Cole jumper. Woods flew in off the wing and threw it back through the hoop as the ball bounced off the iron.

"They weren't too good at boxing out," Woods said. "I just went in and do what I do."

View full sizePDCleveland State forward Charlie Woods, left, and teammate Luda Ndaye battle Valaparaiso forward Cory Johnson for a rebound.

Black out: For Saturday's noon game with Butler on ESPN, Cleveland State officials want fans to wear black. While "whiteouts" have been popular in recent years as a promotional ploy for college basketball games, this "blackout" is a twist on that idea. CSU officials say, while the lower bowl is almost sold out (5,200 presale), there are still plenty of good seats available.

Merle the Pearl: Popular former Cleveland State SID Merle Levin, who passed away June 14, 2009, will be honored after Saturday's game with Butler. There will be a dedication of a bench for Levin outside of the arena on the east end closest to the new RTA station. The bench was donated in Levin's honor by members of the Varsity "C" Club and friends of Levin.

Too sweet: Many members of the 1985-86 Cleveland State NCAA Tournament team will be on hand Saturday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of that Sweet 16 tournament run. However, former CSU coach Kevin Mackey, who had prior obligations, will not be able to attend. Mackey currently works with the NBA's Indiana Pacers.

On the road: For all of Cleveland State's success this season, the Vikings have not posted a quality road win over a top-100 team this season. Early on, it looked like Sam Houston State and especially Akron would hold up as top-100 road wins, yet both have fallen in the computer rankings to the point neither is likely to rise back into the top 100 without extensive season-ending winning streaks.

That is why CSU's Feb. 20 BracketBuster game at Old Dominion is as critical as any Horizon League game in terms of building an NCAA Tournament at-large resume, if one is needed.

CSU's best road win to date is over Milwaukee (RPI 118), and that is a league team. If Wright State (RPI 96) holds up, CSU's road game at the Raiders, Feb. 16, will be telling. But the big nonconference road game is at ODU (RPI 32). Win that one, and it will be hard to keep the Vikings out of the NCAA Tournament field.

Haden doesn't expect the transition to a four-man front defensive system to affect himself much at cornerback and isn't worried about the change in schemes. But he was taken aback by the firing of head coach Eric Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

View full sizeMark Humphrey l Associated PressSteelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he thinks the Mid-American Conference should be considered among the better football conferences in the nation because of its strong representation in the Super Bowl ... 15 players with MAC ties will play in Sunday's game.

DALLAS — Like most of his teammates, Browns cornerback Joe Haden viewed the team's coaching changes from the outside looking in. There hasn't been a lot of communication from the club as new coach Pat Shurmur has hunkered down to assemble his coaching staff.

"I don't honestly know the whole thing that's going on right now," Haden said along broadcast row in the Super Bowl Media Center. "The only coach I've talked to was [secondary] coach [Jerome] Henderson. He just said, 'I'm still here.' As long as we have my boy Henderson, we're going to be good."

Henderson is the only defensive coach Shurmur is known to have retained. Dick Jauron replaced Rob Ryan as coordinator, Dwaine Board replaced Bryan Cox as defensive line coach and Billy Davis replaced linebackers coach Matt Eberflus.

Haden doesn't expect the transition to a four-man front defensive system to affect himself much at cornerback and isn't worried about the change in schemes. But he was taken aback by the firing of head coach Eric Mangini and Ryan.

View full sizePDBrowns cornerback Joe Haden.

"It's crazy. That's what it is, definitely a business," Haden said. "It's your job now.

"We're not going backwards. We have too many talented players to go backwards. The way we ended the season, with that feeling of getting smashed [41-9 by Pittsburgh], we want to come back. I know the team's hungry. I was with [Josh] Cribbs yesterday. He's hungry to start again, hungry to get wins. We're too talented to lose. The thing is, we need to start having that . . . if it's close at the end . . . the feeling that we're going to win."

Haden said team President Mike Holmgren delivered a message during a team meeting the day Mangini was fired that left everyone encouraged.

"I know coach Holmgren, he would never do anything . . . all he wants to do is win," Haden said. "He had a meeting with us before we left. And he said, 'We're going to start winning around here. I didn't take over this program for us to lose. Everywhere I go, I always win.' Everybody was behind him."

Haden made the rounds Thursday as one of the five finalists for the 2010 Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award. The winner was Detroit defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh.

Haden said he anticipated taking about six weeks off after his rookie season before returning to Cleveland. He said he's been working out with family members in Maryland.

Ben on the offense: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger addressed a TMZ.com report that he was out drinking and singing with teammates at a Fort Worth, Texas, piano bar Tuesday night. Quoting sources inside the bar, the website reported Roethlisberger "sang his face off from 11 p.m. until 1:15 a.m."

Roethlisberger said he followed a Steelers Super Bowl tradition by taking his offensive linemen to a restaurant, and finished the night in the piano bar. He said he did not violate the team's 1 a.m. curfew.

"I heard that the crack TMZ staff that they are, they know their facts that I was out past then, but really we were home way before curfew," Roethlisberger said. "It's kind of an ironic thing there."

Roethlisberger's reputation was tarnished in the off-season when he was accused of sexual assault inside a Georgia club. He served a four-game NFL suspension and has been on best behavior since.

Trojans bonding: Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu and Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews III are kindred spirits. They're linked by their fiercely aggressive style on the field, their long hair, and their 1-2 placing in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They're also both from the University of Southern California.

View full sizeAPPackers linebacker Clay Matthews.

"He's an amazing linebacker," Polamalu said of Matthews. "He's one of the best in the NFL, without a doubt. He comes from the greatest university known to man. I played with his older brother [Kyle] at USC. I know his father [Clay Jr.]. They're just an awesome, amazing family. He's got a great success story, similar to that of James Harrison, being a walk-on at USC."

Picture perfect: Packers coach Mike McCarthy had the team's meeting room here decorated with large photos of past Green Bay championships.

"I gave Mike that idea in the off-season," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "He might not tell you that, but a good friend of mine who is also a professional athlete, talked about how his coach motivated them in that way. I thought that would be a cool thing for us to see every day in the meeting room because we start the day off in that room."

MAC shout out: Roethlisberger is the biggest name, of course, among 15 former players from the Mid-American Conference in the Super Bowl. Green Bay has nine and Pittsburgh has six. Only the mighty Southeastern Conference, with 18, has more players in the game.

"It's a dominant conference, that's what it says," said Roethlisberger of Miami (Ohio). "That's awesome. That just shows that the MAC, and Miami University, the RedHawks, are becoming a dominant conference and should be considered in the BCS talk."

Dreaded high ankle report: Today's the big day for Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, who hasn't practiced since suffering a high ankle sprain and possible fracture in the AFC Championship Game. He said Thursday there's a 75 percent chance he can play if he practices today. He's not in a walking boot, but he's walking gingerly. Wouldn't bet on him playing.

Coaching news: The Associated Press reported the following coaching news:

The Falcons signed head coach Mike Smith to a three-year contract extension after he led the team to the NFC South title. The deal locks up Smith through 2014.

The Bears hired Mike Phair as their defensive line coach. Phair spent the past six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, the past three on the coaching staff after working for them as an area scout. . . . The Chiefs named offensive line coach Bill Muir as offensive coordinator to replace Charlie Weis. . . . The Panthers will hire University of Georgia linebackers coach Warren Belin to coach their linebackers, a UGA spokesman confirmed. . . . The Bengals hired Arena Football League veteran Jay Gruden as their offensive coordinator. The 43-year-old Gruden is the younger brother of former NFL coach Jon Gruden. He was an assistant for seven years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including for his brother's 2002 season Super Bowl champions.

Who will win Super Bowl XLV?

Elaine Thompson / Associated PressGreen Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

Although the Green Bay Packers entered the postseason as a sixth-seed, they are still a slight favorite to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

Maybe it's because Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been hot in the playoffs (with the exception of the NFC Championship game where he threw two interceptions). Or maybe it's the Packers' defense that is averaging 3.5 sacks over the course of the three playoff games.

Or maybe the bookies are just a bunch of cheese heads. So who do you have?

"We want everybody to have a good time and just dance, party," band frontman will.i.am said about the performance that's expected to include R&B star Usher and former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash.

Associated PressThe Black Eyed Peas Taboo, left to right, Fergie, Will.i.am and Apl.de.ap pose for a picture during a news conference at the NFL football Super Bowl XLV Media Center Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, in Dallas. The Black Eyed Peas are scheduled to perform at halftime of Super Bowl XLV.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

JAMIE STENGLE, Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) — Even the Black Eyed Peas are protecting their Super Bowl playbook.

"We're not allowed to give away the set list, but it will be packed with energy — what the Black Eyed Peas bring," said band member Fergie at a news conference Thursday.

The band said they are excited and honored to give the halftime performance during Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers

"We want everybody to have a good time and just dance, party," will.i.am said about the performance that's expected to include R&B star Usher and former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash.

A person familiar with the plans for Sunday's halftime show told The Associated Press that both musicians were slated to make surprise appearances. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday, because the musicians' performances were not going to be announced.

"Hopefully we will bring the heat because it's cold as hell here in Dallas," said Black Eyed Peas band member Taboo.

The band spoke at a news conference in downtown Dallas on the third consecutive day of subfreezing temperatures during a rare cold spell that greeted the first Super Bowl week in North Texas.

Taboo said the opportunity to provide entertainment for the NFL's ultimate game is "a dream come true for us as football lovers."

Fellow band member, Fergie, said it was a "huge honor" to be picked as halftime performer.

"Sunday football is a serious day in our homes," said Fergie, who is a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins. "Super Bowl Sunday is the day that I can go all out — cheat — eat the seven-layer dip, all the Italian food and scream at everybody."

The six-time Grammy award-winning Black Eyed Peas have sold more than 28 million albums worldwide and are known for songs such as "Boom Boom Pow," ''I Gotta Feeling" and "Imma Be."

"Some people write songs for radio. Some people write songs for clubs. We like to write songs for life," will.i.am said, adding that he is proud that many of their energetic songs are featured at sporting events.

At the news conference, band member apl.de.ap showed off his nod to his band playing at the Super Bowl: He had the band's initials — BEP — and XLV — for the 45th Super Bowl — shaved into the back of his head.

The band also will bring some technology to the show as will.i.am will be tweeting during the performance.

Keith Urban and Maroon 5 will be performing during the pre-game festivities on Sunday. Christina Aguilera is set to sing the national anthem and Lea Michele of "Glee" will sing "America the Beautiful."

The Knicks are fined for illegal workouts, just like the Cavaliers nine years ago.

APNow the New York Knicks has something in common with former Cavaliers coach John Lucas.

Maybe they should call it the John Lucas rule, or even the LeBron James rule, but right now the only thing the New York Knicks and scout Rodney Heard can call are their banks.

The NBA fined the Knicks $200,000 and Heard, who scouts for the Knicks, $20,000 for conducting workouts of college prospects that violated league rules, writes Jonathan Abrams and Howard Beck of The New York Times.

The Knicks were notified of the punishment Wednesday, and the fines were announced Thursday. The punishments stem from workouts conducted by Heard in Atlanta in May 2007 and May 2010. The league retained outside counsel to conduct the investigation.  

The Heard case stems from N.B.A. rules that prohibit teams and their employees from having contact with draft-eligible players before the league’s annual predraft camp, which is held every spring after the regular season ends, writes The Times.

The league determined that Heard conducted secret workouts before the camp, presumably to give the Knicks an edge in determining whether a prospect was worth drafting.

In the summer of 2002, then Cavaliers coach John Lucas conducted a pickup game on the practice court at the Gund Arena with several Cleveland State, Cavaliers players and high school rising junior LeBron James.

The Cavaliers were fined $150,000 dollars. Lucas was fined and was suspended for the first two games of the 2002-03 season.

Ice anglers are having a difficult time getting on lakes because of crusty snow. Local steelhead streams are locked with thick ice.

Marvin Fong/The Plain DealerIce fishermen look to catch rainbow trout at frozen Wallace Lake in Berea back in January.

The winter storm was not friendly to fishermen. Ice anglers are having a difficult time getting on lakes because of crusty snow. Local steelhead streams are locked with thick ice. Trout fishing has been fair to good throughout the Cleveland Metroparks, although Shadow Lake rainbow trout fishing has collapsed because of low oxygen levels. Cleveland Metroparks officials are investigating the problem.

Rivers and streams

Steelhead trout are being caught around Lake Erie power plants, with little steelhead trout action on rivers and streams because of ice cover.

Inland lakes, reservoirs

Cleveland Metroparks are investigating a low oxygen problem on small Shadow Lake in the South Chagrin Reservation in Solon. Fishing for stocked rainbow trout at the lake has been poor.

Rainbow trout fishing at Wallace and Ledge lakes has been good. The top technique this week has been to suspend salmon eggs or spawn bags about 4 to 6 feet below the ice. Colder water temperatures have slowed jigging spoon action.

Now that the big winter storm has plowed through Ohio, ice anglers are beginning to get out again on bigger lakes, including Mosquito and Pymatuning where walleye and crappie fishing had been fair to good.

Western Lake Erie

The snowstorm and big winds knocked out Western Lake Erie ice fishing. Most ice guides off South Bass Island pulled their shanties off the ice, said guide Bud Gehring, who began setting up his shanty village again Thursday. Snowdrifts and cracks in the ice have become a problem, especially along the Ohio mainland.

Fishing tips

Cleveland Harbor is one of the top fishing locations around Northeast Ohio, and anglers can get some insight from two professional fishermen on how to find fishing success. Mike Iaconelli, host of the “City Limits” fishing show on Versus, enlisted local bass tournament expert Frank Scalish to catch largemouth bass along Cleveland’s shoreline. The show airs at 9 tonight.

Would you rather watch college basketball or NBA?

APMemphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins does not like watching college basketball.

Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins is not a big fan of college basketball. He can barely watch. Hollins won't even watch his son Austin, who plays for Minnesota.

Patrick Reusse of StarTribune.com writes:

Hollins was asked if he was hoping to find a TV to catch some of his son's game.

"I'm not," he said. "I don't watch him play."

Because? "I don't like college basketball," he said.

Hollins paused for a second, and you wondered if he was getting ready to couch that remark. Not really.

"He was my son in high school and I didn't watch him then, either," Hollins said. "When I was out of basketball, I went to every game. I hated it. But I had to do it."

Lionel mentioned that he coached Austin a couple of times in youth basketball, so it wasn't like he ignored his son as a player. As for those thoughts on the college game, well ...

Hollins said he doesn't watch because the college game is boring. He said the NBA is more exciting with its 24-second clock.

"In college, especially in the Big Ten ... I watched Wisconsin and Minnesota play down the stretch and I couldn't take it. They just hold the ball and hold the ball, and try to get a shot with 10 seconds on the clock.

"That's the whole game -- not just the fourth quarter."

OK, college basketball doesn't have a fourth quarter, but we know what Hollins means.

Byron Scott needs more rebounding.

Associated PressByron Scott can only smile about his three rings with the Lakers.

If Cleveland Cavaliers falls tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies, and ties the NBA record with 23 straight losses, at least coach Byron Scott will be able to hang his hat on something positive.

For the players? Not so much.

News-Herald reporter Bob Finnan writes how Scott has three NBA championship rings to negate any of the losing he's had to endure this season with the Cavaliers.

"Three championship rings takes care of that," he said.

If the Cavs (8-41) fail to get the job done at 8 tonight at FedExForum in Memphis, his name will forever be linked to one of the worst teams in NBA history.

"I don't think about that," Scott said. "I always think about the future. I think about where we are going to be in the future."

Well presently,  The Cavs have also lost 32 of their last 33 games. The Cavs have lost  24 in a row on the road.

Need for rebounds

Ohio.com reporter Jason Lloyd writes how coach Byron Scott blamed the Cavaliers' latest loss on the lack of rebounding and aggressiveness.

The Cavs are getting outrebounded by an average of four per game, and a big reason for that lately is the loss of Anderson Varejao. The Pacers, a long and athletic team, grabbed 16 offensive boards and outrebounded the Cavs 49-32.

It won't be any easier against the Grizzlies, who have Zach Randolph, averaging 13.2 rebounds per game, and 7-foot-1 Marc Gasol, averaging better than seven.

So now Scott is calling for all hands on deck to rebound, from the guards to Antawn Jamison and J.J. Hickson.

''We have to go down there and outrebound this team because they are physical,'' Scott said. ''Gasol and Randolph go to the boards every time. We have to bring a physical brand of basketball, and we'll see if we have that in us.''

Mind games

If the Cavaliers went to see a shrink, here's some advise as told to Cleveland.com's Jodie Valade.

Ask him a Super Bowl question for this afternoon's show.

Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi is in Dallas for the Super Bowl, and as he is doing interviews this morning and early afternoon, his appearance on today's Starting Blocks TV will be pushed back to around 2:30 p.m. today.

Tony will answer Browns questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature; as well as some questions on the Super Bowl.

Have a Super Bowl question you'd like Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright to ask Tony during today's show? Post it in the comments below.

Things you should know about the Super Bowl XLV contenders ... and wish you didn't.

View full sizeAssociated PressBen Roethlisberger told reporters he so did NOT violate curfew in taking his linemen to dinner, then a piano bar Wednesday night. He was there, the QB said, but got back to the hotel well before the 1 a.m. curfew, despite a tmz.com report that he was singing his head off till 1:15 a.m.

Most obvious is its famous Mitsubishi HD Screen that spans from 20 yard line to 20 yard line and gives anyone facing it a fabulous view of any replay or the special programming it displays.

Around the stadium there are 3,500 46-inch HD screens, all Internet connected, so that if you are in any of the 100+ skyboxes or walking around the stadium, you don't miss any of the action on the field. Since they are IP connected, depending on where these screens are located, the management can send special messages or even targeted advertising to any one of them at any time, as well.

According to Peter Walsh, the CIO of the Cowboys stadium, this facility was built to not only take advantage of high-tech advances, but to make them available to all who come to the stadium for any event. For example, they have 1,000 Wi-Fi access points that are designed to cover the wireless needs of over 100,000 people doing simultaneous transactions.

Everything could rest on the right strategy. Will Green Bay look to spread the field, as they did the last time these two teams met, taking advantage of their deep receiving corps and forcing the Steelers to lean on fringe defensive backs like Anthony Madison (especially with Bryant McFadden less than 100% after an abdominal injury) to pick up the extra men? Will Pittsburgh be able to establish a running game early on and in doing so limit Clay Matthews's opportunities to rush Roethlisberger?

I don't have the answers to these questions, just as I don't know whether the Steelers' All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey will overcome his ankle injury in time to play on Sunday. If not, then Pittsburgh will have to hope that his replacement, Doug Legursky, has at least resolved the snapping issues he experienced against the New York Jets.

All I have is a hunch – that (Aaron) Rodgers' quick release will allow him to unpick the Steelers defence, and that for once this season the Packers will win a close game instead of losing it.

The former Arizona Cardinal told 620 KTAR in Phoenix that if Roethlisberger wins Super Bowl 45, he still isn't sure if "that classifies him as one of the best to ever play the game."

"I mean, he won a Super Bowl and he was 8-23. But he won the Super Bowl and he gets that on his resume. But he was still 8-23," Warner said, referring to Roethlisberger's performance in Super Bowl 40 against the Seattle Seahawks. In that game, he went 9-for-21, threw for 123 yards and two interceptions.

"I talk to the coaches regularly. I'm already learning some things over the phone. It's been a real busy month for coach Shurmur trying to hire a staff. I think with coach [Mark] Whipple on board now, things will pick up."

... "I know coach Shurmur is very brilliant. The time we've spent together, he's told me he's expecting great things for me. He said we're going to grow together and learn together.

..."It's a West Coast system," McCoy said. "I think it's a system, from my experience, that we ran a little bit of in college. It's a very quarterback-friendly system. That's what coach Shurmur keeps reiterating to me. He says we're gonna learn it together and be the best together. I think it's real quick, timing, get the ball out of your hands, make good decisions, and it also takes advantage of my ability to make plays with my feet."

The third installment of Still WFNY's series makes the case that the Browns are the team closest to contention in Cleveland.

Amy Sancetta/APCan Mike Holmgren get the Browns back into the postseason?

The Cleveland Browns appear to be pretty far away from being a playoff contender after posting their second consecutive 5-11 season.  Changing coaching staffs yet again has Browns fans more uneasy and distraught than they have been in quite some time.  Well, not really - Browns fans have been consistently uneasy and distraught since 1999.  So why should this time be any different?

For starters, the Browns play in the professional league with the most parity.  That fact in and of itself has kept many of our attitudes up over the last 10-plus seasons.  So-called parity hasn't yielded a whole heck of a lot in Cleveland, and it is tough to be optimistic in the NFL's toughest division year-in and year-out.  That being said, the Browns will always be one year away as other teams seemingly turn it around in a single season.  Why?

The NFL hinges on the NFL draft first and foremost.  All of the Browns' major problems - including coaching issues - invariably come back to missed opportunities in the draft.  Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren, William Green, Jeff Faine, and even Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards were all failures in one form or another.  Sure, maybe the coaches were all bad hires along the way, but I could argue that no coach could survive that many misses in high-profile drafting situations. 

When we all sit and think that "nothing" has gone right for the Browns since 1999, all focus invariably goes back to the draft.  Talent can help overshadow many kinds of scheming deficiencies, only occasionally can a scheme overshadow a lack of talent on the roster.

Some people like to say "In Holmgren we trust!" but soon, I am hoping we say "In Heckert we trust!"  The single-season return on Tom Heckert's draft is astonishing compared to the recent past.  Joe Haden and T.J. Ward guarantee that all by themselves;  the prospects for Colt McCoy (and hopefully Montario Hardesty) add that much more. 

This was only Year One.  As these drafts start to compound, the Browns may finally be in a position to compete year-in and year-out and potentially even make the playoffs in the toughest division in football.  The AFC North is very prominently featured in the wildcard round of the NFL postseason, so the Browns need to just be one of the two best - out of four - teams and get a little luck outside of the division to make it happen.

The optimistic case for the Browns isn't impossible to make. These Browns have more legitimate pieces and prospects than any team since Romeo Crennel took over.  In the NFL you only ever seem to be 3-5 players away from the playoffs after establishing competence.  Despite the 5-11 records over the last two years, I would claim the Browns have established competence even as they lack consistency.  So, in my mind they could be 3-5 players away right now.  If they do everything right in the draft and free agency, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that they could be fighting for a wildcard or the division as Pittsburgh and the Ravens nurse their playoff/Super Bowl hangovers. 

I know you all want to believe me.  It is in our nature as Browns fans.  Could it really be true that the Browns are the closest of our three professional teams to making the playoffs?  I say yes.

Is it time for Cavaliers fans to hear from Dan Gilbert? Will this team make a move before the trading deadline? We talk about that and more with Scott Sargent and Rick Grayshock from WaitingForNextYear, the blog for all things Cleveland sports.

View full sizeChris Russell | Columbus Dispatch | MCTIs Jared Sullinger a legitimate option for the Cavaliers if they get the No. 1 pick?

Is it time for Cavaliers fans to hear from Dan Gilbert? Will this team make a move before the trading deadline?

We talk about that and more with Scott Sargent and Rick Grayshock from WaitingForNextYear, the blog for all things Cleveland sports.

Check out the podcast where Rick and Scott also answered these questions:

- Can this team end their losing streak this weekend, or is their best shot going to be against Detroit next week?

- Is Jared Sullinger a legitimate option at No. 1 for this team if they win the lottery?

- What do you think has emerged as the biggest need for this team right now?

plus a whole lot more!

Click on play to listen to the chat or download the MP3 version to listen on-the-go!

Another year and another Super Bowl that does not include the Cleveland Browns but as Clevelanders we are used to it. The hosts here at DSN have all came up with there own predictions for Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers.

AP Photo

Another year and another Super Bowl that does not include the Cleveland Browns but as Clevelanders we are used to it. The hosts here at DSN have all came up with there own predictions for Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here is our predictions along with who we each believe will be the choice for MVP:

Host:                                   Winner:                  Score:                    MVP:

Brian Fowler                      Green Bay                   21-17           Aaron Rodgers, GB   

Bob Karlovec                     Green Bay                   31-24           Aaron Rodgers, GB

Greg Kozarik                     Pittsburgh                    21-17          James Harrison, Pitt

Joe Lull                              Green Bay                   26-24          Tremon Williams, GB

Glenn Moore                      Green Bay                   28-24          Aaron Rodgers, GB

Daryl Ruiter                       Green Bay                   27-20          Aaron Rodgers, GB

Bud Shaw                          Green Bay                   23-16          Aaron Rodgers, GB

Ken Silverstein                  Pittsburgh                    24-20         Mike Wallace, Pitt

Ray Yannucci                     Pittsburgh                    23-17         Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt