Could Shaun Rogers join the Washington Redskins?

Thomas Ondrey/The Plain DealerCould Shaun Rogers take his talents to Washington?

Well it looks like former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Shaun Rogers may sign with the Washington Redskins.

Rogers was released by the Browns earlier this week, and Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com reports Washington is interested. Washington is so interested, ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that Rogers will visit the Redskins today.

ESPN's James Walker writes:

Washington is in need of a defensive tackle after dealing with the Albert Haynesworth fiasco. Haynesworth was involved in a public feud with Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and was eventually suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. Washington's immediate interest in Rogers is a sign the team is searching for a replacement.

When healthy and motivated, Rogers is one of the NFL's most dominant defensive linemen. He had his best year in 2008 with Cleveland under former head coach Romeo Crennel but had two lackluster seasons under former Browns coach Eric Mangini.

Scouting report

The website profootballfocus.com considers linebacker Chris Gocong as player moving up the ladder with the Browns. After being below average with the Eagles, Gocong became a force as a run stopper with the Browns.

The same report, however, says linebacker Marcus Benard should get more snaps next season.

Benard really thrived in 2010, and was quietly one of the league’s most productive pass rushers. He had 34 combined pressures in just 255 snaps, a rate of 1 in 7.5 rushes — almost identical to Clay Matthews’ ratio of one per 7.53 rushes. Benard could be next year’s Cameron Wake if the Browns decide to play him full time.

Videos

Here are the top rookie moments on video done by clevelandbrowns.com.

Will the losing streak end this weekend? How much trade value does Antawn Jamison have? We talk about that and more with Andrew Schnitkey and DP from WaitingForNextYear, the blog for all things Cleveland sports.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain Dealer Antawn Jamison may be the most desirable Cavaliers player in a trade, but just how desirable is he to a contender?

Will the losing streak end this weekend? How much trade value does Antawn Jamison have?

We talk about that and more with Andrew Schnitkey and DP from WaitingForNextYear, the blog for all things Cleveland sports.

Check out the podcast where Andrew and DP also answered these questions:

- Which players do you currently think are a part of the Cavaliers' future?

- What did you think of the effort the Cavaliers put forth on Wednesday against Detroit?

- How much does this losing streak actually matter?

plus a whole lot more!

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player below.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams, who has been out with a strained left hip flexor since injuring it early in a game at Denver on Jan. 15, will return to the Cavs lineup Friday night against the Clippers. Coach Byron Scott said Williams will come off the bench against the Clippers. Williams said he felt better...

Ron Shwane/APMo Williams will be back in the lineup tonight to try and help the Cleveland Cavaliers snap their record losing streak.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams, who has been out with a strained left hip flexor since injuring it early in a game at Denver on Jan. 15, will return to the Cavs lineup Friday night against the Clippers.

Coach Byron Scott said Williams will come off the bench against the Clippers.

Williams said he felt better than he has all season. He missed much of training camp with a groin injury and said he'd been playing in pain all season. He finally got a cortisone shot and took some time off.

"I feel good,'' he said after Friday's shootaround at The Q. "How much I play is up to BScott....No limitations, no discomfort at all.''

Shurmur talked about his first month on the job, changes on the roster, hiring his coaching staff, quarterback Colt McCoy and more.

Pat Shurmur

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan retires after 23 years, and former player Donyell Marshall is surprised.

Patrick Semansky / Associated PressJerry Sloan

CLEVELAND --  Jerry Sloan retired on Thursday after 23 years with the Utah Jazz. The news shocked many throughout NBA circles, including former Cleveland Cavaliers forward Donyell Marshall.

Marshall played for eight different teams over his career, including two years with the Jazz.

"I was flying to Dallas on a recruiting trip, and I saw people tweeting that he resigned," said Marshall, now an assistant coach with George Washington University. "I was suprised, especially since coach Sloan doesn't seem like the kind of person that would leave in the middle of the season."

But Sloan did, and the rumors have circulated that Sloan gave it up because he could no longer get along with guard Deron Williams.

Various articles report how their arguments started to take a toll on Sloan, now 68, but Marshall is not so sure.

"No one knows what really happened," said Marshall, who played three seasons with the Cavaliers. "It would surprise me if coach Sloan retired because of Deron. From what little I know about Deron, he doesn't seem like that kind of person. Plus, coach Sloan is not going to let a player run him out. He's going to fight."

Marshall got first-hand knowledge of Sloan's grit when he was traded to the Jazz from the Golden State Warriors. Marshall beneffited by learning the game from Sloan, and legends Karl Malone and John Stockton.

"Sloan was my favorite coach," Marshall said. "I learned the game and had some of my best years in Utah with the help from Sloan, Stockton and Malone. He's the kind of coach that will push you, and I even had arguments with him, but things like that happen in professional sports."

Statistics underscore the the importance of having Grady Sizemore on the field for the Indians.

View full sizeChuck Crow,
The Plain DealerIf you're interested in what having Grady Sizemore on the field means for the Indians, you need look no further than the past two years, when they've finished 25 and 21.5 games out of first place.

Cleveland, Ohio -- In 2009, the Tribe finished 21.5 games out of first place.

In 2010, the Indians were 25 games behind first place by the time they cleaned out their lockers.

Now let's look at 2007, when they won the AL Central, and 2008, when the Indians made a run but finished 7.5 games out of first.

What do all these things have in common?

Well, in 2007 and 2008, Grady Sizemore played in virtually every game and had All-Star years. In 2009 and 2010, he played in a combined 139 games because of injuries.

His importance to the Indians isn't lost on Anthony Castrovince, who has a piece for mlb.com that talks about Sizemore and other injured stars whose return to form is crucial to their respective teams. Here's part of what he had to say about Sizemore:

Flash back to May 2007, when the Sports Illustrated cover donning his steely-eyed and baby-faced mug touted him as "one of the greatest players of our generation."

Flash forward to the present day, and Sizemore is more likely to grace the cover of the Cleveland Clinic's medical journal.

In his first four full seasons, Sizemore averaged 160 games played, a .281 average, 27 homers, 41 doubles, eight triples, 29 stolen bases and 81 RBIs. In the two seasons since, he's played just 139 games, limited in 2009 by abdominal and left-elbow issues that required two surgical procedures and in 2010 by a left-knee injury that required a microfracture procedure in June.

Sizemore has returned to baseball activities at the Indians' Goodyear, Ariz., complex and is expected to get into Cactus League games in mid-March. That timetable puts an Opening Day return in doubt, but the Indians hope to have a healthy Sizemore making an impact at the top of the order sometime in the season's first few weeks.

Given the complexity of the surgery, in which tiny fractures are created in the bone to form new cartilage, it is difficult to predict what the Indians can expect out of Sizemore, on whom they have a club option for 2012. What is certain is that a Tribe team that lost 93 games last year desperately needs the return of that SI cover boy.

“I think this club will be vastly better than a year ago, but the bottom line is there are still going to be some growing pains,” admitted Hamilton. “I’m not going to tell you this is a ballclub that is going to play in October, but we’re going to be better than we were a year ago.”

“This is the first time we’ve had a bonafide, lights out, strike-em out closer since Jose Mesa in his heyday. He’s got the mindset. He relishes the role. I don’t think the ninth inning is going to be a question mark for some time to come.”

The former first-round draft pick spent last season at Triple-A Columbus, pitching with soreness. He spent the off-season on a physical therapy program before opting for surgery.

Team physician Dr. Mark Schickendantz performed the operation Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. Sowers said he has already started a rehab program.

Sowers remains under the Indians' control on a minor-league contract.

The sixth overall pick in 2004, Sowers went 7-4 as a rookie two years later. He went 11-26 in a three-year span before being dropped from Cleveland's 40-man roster after the 2009 season.

Since he won't be pitching anytime soon, maybe he can intersperse his rehab time with a little acting. We've already got the title for his first movie: "A Scar Is Born."

Lord, I apologize
The line is one Larry the Cable guy uses whenever he makes an inappropriate joke (which is just about every other second he's onstage). But it applies here, too, as we're about to chortle gleefully.

Why? The Yankees -- the same Yankees who apparently print their own money but couldn't get enough of it to entice ex-Indian Cliff Lee -- have instead gone after another Tribe ex: Ronnie Belliard. It's wrong and it's mean and it's just downright unsportsmanlike, but dang it, we LIKE seeing the Yankees struggle, despite having pockets so deep that if one develops a hole, it takes a long distance call to Singapore to find a seamstress to fix it.

Here's part of what the New York site sny.tv has to say:

So the big news on Thursday was that the Yankees officially signed Ronnie Belliard, also known as No. 20 in your program -- if your program happens to be a 2004 Cleveland Indians annual.

Now Belliard, who will be 36 the first week of April, is the sort of low-risk, high-reward deal that teams make in February all the time. See a guy hanging out there, offer him a Minor League deal and let him come to Spring Training to see if he's still got something left. Nobody gets hurt.

The problem is that for this year's Yankees, the feeling seems less "take a gamble" and more, "Boy, we sure hope one of these guys pans out."

Lord, I apologize. Again.

From The Plain Dealer
Paul Hoynes' sources tell him that the Indians have signed former Reds shortstop Orlando Cabrera, with an eye on inserting him at second base as a stopgap while big-time prospect Jason Kipnis finishes cooking in the minors.

BTW, Orlando Cabrera isn't related to Tribe shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. Nor is he related to Miguel Cabrera, Detroit's hard-hitting first baseman. Wouldn't it be fun, though, if the Tribe had all three Cabreras on the roster? We could hear Tom Hamilton calling the play now:

"Ground ball to Cabrera, quick toss to Cabrera covering second, then over to Cabrera at first. DOUBLE PLAY! And the Tribe is out of the inning."

As you may have read here -- but only a few million times -- the Indians open Spring Training when pitchers and catchers report on Tuesday. If you're headed to Goodyear, Ariz. (and given the weather here, who WOULDN'T want to be headed to Goodyear?), you'll need the Fan Guide to Spring Training. Click here to see it.

Ohio State puts its unbeaten record on the line in a visit to Wisconsin on Saturday.

View full sizeCraig Schreiner,
Wisconsin State Journal / APWisconsin's Jon Leuer likely will be the sternest test the unbeaten Buckeyes will face when they travel to Wisconsin for a key Big Ten matchup on Saturday.

There's a HUGE basketball game this weekend. No, not the Wizards at Cavs, which features one team that can't win on the road against a team that could find a way to lose an intrasquad game.

No, we're talking Ohio State at Wisconsin, Saturday afternoon at 2.

Aaron Torres of slamonline.com put it in James Cameron/Avatar/3D perspective in a piece about this weekend's lineup of college hoops:

Speaking of home-court advantages, there might not be a better one in all of college basketball than the Kohl Center in Madison, WI. Coincidentally, that just so happens to be where the No. 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will play Saturday against the (No. 14) Wisconsin Badgers.

What makes this game extra interesting though, is the added effect that if Ohio State wins, we will start talking about them finishing the regular season undefeated. With a win on Saturday, the Buckeyes would be 25-0 with six games to play, four of which are at home. The toughest of those games would be Michigan State and Illinois, two teams that are a match and a drop of lighter fluid away from self imploding. Beyond that, the Buckeyes would still have to travel to Purdue, but given that the Boilermakers had to hold on at home against an Indiana the other night, you’d have to like Ohio State, right? From there, they’d close out with a trip to Penn State, and a home date with these Badgers on Senior Day.

So in the end, it could all be up to Wisconsin, to save us from the potentially obnoxious “Will Ohio State go undefeated?” plotline of the next five weeks.

The Badgers (18-5, 8-3 Big Ten) host the Buckeyes (24-0, 11-0), the nation's last unbeaten team, Saturday (2 p.m. ET, ESPN) at the Kohl Center, where Wisconsin has won 16 in a row, 34 of 35 and has beaten its last nine ranked opponents.

Coach Bo Ryan's team arrived back in Madison around 2 a.m. Thursday, hours after a 62-59 overtime win at Iowa. In the game, the Badgers trailed 23-18 at halftime after missing 27 of their first 33 field goal attempts. But there's no time to dwell on the good and bad from that game. Senior forward Jon Leuer and his teammates know an immediate focus on the task at hand will be necessary.

"I think we can do it," Leuer said Thursday afternoon. "It was obviously a tough, grind-it-out type of game. We played a lot of minutes, but we have to move on to the next opponent, which has been our motto all year anyway."

Wisconsin’s Big Ten Conference showdown with No. 1 Ohio State has caught the attention of media members who don’t routinely cover the league.

According to UW officials, 198 media credentials have been issued for UW’s game against the Buckeyes, set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Kohl Center.

That number includes 118 single-game credentials. By contrast, 68 single-game credentials were issued for UW’s home game against Michigan State last Sunday.

The record for credentials for a UW home game (men's basketball) is 217. That was for UW’s game against then-No. 1 Illinois on Jan. 25, 2005. Illinois prevailed, 75-65.

Leuer is so special because he can get his own shot off on anyone from almost anywhere on the court. His outside shooting prowess really opens up the lane for him and he has become better off the dribble this season. When Leuer is decisive, his go-to moves down low are a thing of beauty. However, Leuer still lacks lower body strength so he can be bullied off the block pretty easily. It’s frustrating to see how far from the basket Leuer actually catches entry passes and I wish he would battle for position a little more. The Ohio State big men should have an advantage in that area, while Leuer has an edge being able to lure them out to the perimeter. If he’s hitting 3-pointers, look out.

"Calling your own plays is one thing, being the offensive coordinator is another. Andy Reid calls his own plays but has Marty Mornhinweg as the O-coordinator running the offense during the week and gameplanning. To do both as a rookie head coach seems crazy." - nanook3

View full sizePat Shurmur.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur confirms he'll go without an offensive coordinator , cleveland.com reader nanook3 doesn't think Shurmur as offensive coordinator is the way to go. This reader writes,

"Calling your own plays is one thing, being the offensive coordinator is another. Andy Reid calls his own plays but has Marty Mornhinweg as the O-coordinator running the offense during the week and gameplanning. To do both as a rookie head coach seems crazy."

"It's good to get Mo back. Hopefully Byron Scott will use him primarily as a 2. We can't afford to impede the progress that Sessions has made. He can actually become a very dependable point guard." - boozeexpress

View full sizeThe Plain DealerMo Williams will likely be back in the lineup for the Cavaliers against the Clippers.

In response to the story Mo Williams to return to Cavs lineup tonight against Clippers, cleveland.com reader boozeexpress hopes Mo Williams doesn't stunt the growth of Ramon Sessions. This reader writes,

"It's good to get Mo back. Hopefully Byron Scott will use him primarily as a 2. We can't afford to impede the progress that Sessions has made. He can actually become a very dependable point guard."

"This is a guy with a sure glove who is also a veteran. If Orlando is the second baseman and Asdrubal stays at short, it will give the Indians a very good defensive middle infield. Very good solution to the second base problem." - jasonjackson1975

View full sizeAP Photo | Al BehrmanOrlando Cabrera will likely compete for the second base job this season.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians sign Orlando Cabrera; he'll compete for spot at second base, cleveland.com reader jasonjackson1975 likes adding Cabrera. This reader writes,

"This is a guy with a sure glove who is also a veteran. If Orlando is the second baseman and Asdrubal stays at short, it will give the Indians a very good defensive middle infield. Very good solution to the second base problem."

MEDINA, Ohio - Larry Laird has resigned as Medina's football coach after one season. "It's our economic climate," said Laird. "With the financial problems the school district is faced with, there was a very good chance I wouldn't have been able to get a teaching position for the 2011-12 school year."

Larry Laird led Medina to a 9-3 record this past fall after the Bees went 4-6 in 2009. - (Special to The Plain Dealer)

MEDINA, Ohio - Larry Laird has resigned as Medina's football coach after one season.

"It's our economic climate," said Laird. "With the financial problems the school district is faced with, there was a very good chance I wouldn't have been able to get a teaching position for the 2011-12 school year."

Laird is an occupational work experience teacher at Avon Lake and will return to the Shoremen's football staff as offensive coordinator.

"Of course, I'm not happy about not being able to come back but my family comes first," said Laird, an Avon Lake resident who will turn 42 on Monday. "I took a gamble this year taking the job at Medina coaching in hopes the levy would pass but it didn't."

Laird led Medina to a remarkable turnaround this fall, including the program's second playoff appearance. After taking over a Bees program that went 4-6 in 2009, he led the team to a 9-3 record. The Bees upset top-seeded Canton McKinley in the first round of the playoffs. It was the program's first postseason victory.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Jerry Sloan resigning as coach of the Utah Jazz is the latest example of the reactions around the NBA to what happened when LeBron James and Chris Bosh bolted to Miami.  Teams with stars heading to free agency are terrified that they will become the Cavs or Toronto of this season -- two teams lamely limping...

Cleveland, Ohio -- Jerry Sloan resigning as coach of the Utah Jazz is the latest example of the reactions around the NBA to what happened when LeBron James and Chris Bosh bolted to Miami. 

Teams with stars heading to free agency are terrified that they will become the Cavs or Toronto of this season -- two teams lamely limping along to the end of the season with the only hope being collecting pingpong balls for the lottery. 

In Utah, Sloan argued with star point guard Deron Williams, who will be a free agent in 2012. The speculation is that he'll bolt Salt Lake City for a team in a larger market. 

After 23 seasons coaching the Jazz, Sloan resigned Thursday. He seemed emotionally drained, physically tired. But he also had been battling with Williams. The Jazz were 31-23 when Sloan resigned. But they were struggling after a 15-5 start as verbal duels between Williams and Sloan increased. 

Sloan knows how important Williams is to the Jazz. He doesn't want to hurt their chances of keeping him. The coach told Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune: "It was time for me to get out. I didn't want to be a hindrance to the team or anyone." 

This is not to say everything about Sloan was perfect, or that Williams is a team-wrecker. Sloan can be stubborn and likes verbal confrontations. Williams generally has a good reputation among other players and coaches. 

But Sloan decided it was best to leave now, not even waiting until the end of the season. He also made this retirement decision only three days after he had agreed to a contract to coach next season. At 68, he's had enough. 

But the real story is free-agent fever. 

Williams is not a free agent until the summer of 2012. Nor is Orlando's Dwight Howard. But there is constant speculation both will leave. Same with Chris Paul in New Orleans. 

The countdown now starts <em>two</em> years before they can leave. 

In fact, Howard is under contract until 2013, but he can opt out in 2012. He is sick of the speculation, telling reporters: "I can't sign a contract this year. I can't sign anywhere this summer, so why keep bringing it up? Why are people talking about me going any other place right now? Right now is about this season. It's not about L.A., New York or whatever. I'm really tired of it. I don't wanna be talking about where I'm gonna be playing basketball next or people in Orlando asking me 'Are you going to leave us?' " 

But the new mind-set among many players, their agents and friends is that you need to go somewhere else to win, forgetting how hard it is to do so. The media and fans spend much of the season wondering who will come or go. 

During a recent Knicks game, the New York crowd was chanting for Carmelo Anthony -- wanting the Knicks to trade for the Denver star who will be a free agent this summer. Denver has been trying to make a deal for him for six months. His wish to play in New York has led to stalemate as the Knicks are offering little in return. 

Orlando made a very risky trade for Gilbert Arenas and others, chewing up cap space for years to come in an effort to win now and keep Howard. It's the same kind of short-sighted deals made by the Cavs to appease James. 

"I never said anything about me not being happy or 'pulling a LeBron' like people said," Howard told reporters. 

But after years where most free agents re-signed with the current teams because the labor agreement meant they'd receive the most money -- James and Bosh changed the game with their moves. 

Rather than be stuck with nothing, Toronto and the Cavs made "sign-and-trade deals" allowing Bosh and James to be paid close to what they would have made had they not switched teams. In exchange, the Cavs and Raptors received future draft picks. 

Free-agency fever is not making the NBA a better place for the fans or the teams. It's why Commissioner David Stern must find a way to add a "franchise player" tag to the new labor agreement, allowing teams to hang on to players a little longer -- or forcing players to take shorter contracts and more risk. 

Because right now, there is a feeling among many fans that the league is rigged, the players will conspire to play in the larger markets with little regard for their current teams. Certainly, that's not true of every free agent, but it's a perception that the league must find a way to address. 
 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes and observations from the Cavs game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at The Q: Halftime update: Clippers 53, Cavs 52. Will they never learn? The Cavs were on their way to a 52-48 lead at halftime. First they gave up a 3-pointer to Baron Davis with 2.5 seconds left. Then J.J. Hickson...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes and observations from the Cavs game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at The Q:

Halftime update: Clippers 53, Cavs 52. Will they never learn? The Cavs were on their way to a 52-48 lead at halftime. First they gave up a 3-pointer to Baron Davis with 2.5 seconds left. Then J.J. Hickson took the inbounds, traveled while trying to launch a halfcourt shot and gave the ball back to the Clippers with .5 seconds left. Davis lobbed a halfcourt pass to Blake Griffin at the rim, and Griffin's layup at the buzzer erased the Cavs lead. Griffin has 18 points and 9 rebounds, while Hickson had 17 points and 9 rebounds in the first half. Antawn Jamison has 16 points.

First quarter update: Clippers 33, Cavs 29. Mo Williams earned a nice reception from the crowd when he returned to the Cavs lineup for the first time since Jan. 15, when he suffered a strained left hip flexor. It only took him a minute to get his first basket, and he lobbed an alley-oop to Antawn Jamison for a slam that got the Cavs within 30-29 with 13 seconds left. But rookie sensation Blake Griffin hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to push the Clippers lead back to four. Griffin had 13 points and 6 rebounds in the first quarter, but the best dunk belonged to DeAndre Jordan on an alley-oop from Randy Foye. J.J. Hickson had 11 points and Antawn Jamison had 10 for the Cavs, who look a lot better than they did at any time in last Wednesday lifeless home loss to Detroit.

Cavs starters: F Christian Eyenga, F Antawn Jamison, C J.J. Hickson, G Anthony Parker, G Ramon Sessions.

Clippers starters: F Blake Griffin, F Ryan Gomes, C DeAndre Jordan, G Baron Davis, G Randy Foye.

Injuries: Leon Powe (right knee surgery) and Anderson Varejao (torn tendon, right foot) are out for Cavs. Eric Gordon (fractured right wrist), Chris Kaman (bone bruise, left ankle) and Craig Smith (herniated disc) are out for the Clippers.

Inactives: Alonzo Gee, Powe and Varejao for Cavs. Kamen, Smith, Willie Warren for Clippers.

Officials: Zach Zarba, Olandis Poole, Haywoode Workman.

Three things to watch:

1. Will the Cavs show up for this one, or was Wednesday's debacle the new normal?

2. How much will Mo Williams be able to give the Cavs in his return from a left hip flexor strain?

3. Will any of Blake Griffin's dunks make SportsCenter?

Cleveland, Ohio -- Age was the number one factor -- but not the only one -- in terminating the contracts of six veteran players this week, said Browns General Manager Tom Heckert.  On Wednesday, the Browns cut defensive linemen Shaun Rogers (31) and Kenyon Coleman (31), linebackers Eric Barton (33) and David Bowens (33), tight end Robert Royal (31)...

Cleveland, Ohio -- Age was the number one factor -- but not the only one -- in terminating the contracts of six veteran players this week, said Browns General Manager Tom Heckert. 

On Wednesday, the Browns cut defensive linemen Shaun Rogers (31) and Kenyon Coleman (31), linebackers Eric Barton (33) and David Bowens (33), tight end Robert Royal (31) and offensive tackle John St. Clair (33). 

"It's a combination of a lot of things, but age is the main thing," Heckert said. "One of our goals is to get younger." 

Other factors included money, of course. The six players were scheduled to make about $17 million in salary and bonuses in 2011. Also, most of them didn't fit the new systems the Browns are planning on offense and defense. 

Five of the six players were acquired in 2009 by former coach Eric Mangini to fit his schemes. 

Heckert joined the Browns before Mangini's second season when Mike Holmgren took over all operations as club president. Heckert said he knew the price of bringing back Mangini for 2010 would have to be paid if Mangini didn't keep his job beyond one season. 

"Once we decided Eric was going to be the guy [and return], we knew that was going to be the case," Heckert said. "And we were fine with that. We were trying to do everything we could to win and help Eric. And Eric wanted these guys, and that's fine. We understood that. So there's no sour grapes. 

"If Eric was going to be the coach [in 2010], we weren't going to say, 'You're the coach and we're getting rid of these five guys.' That's not a good thing, either." 

Rogers was the only player terminated who was not acquired by Mangini. He played his first seven seasons in a 4-3 defensive scheme in Detroit and would fit in the Browns' shift to that base alignment. 

But Heckert indicated the team was weary of Rogers' attitude and unwillingness to practice. Rogers routinely did not practice until Friday, a light preparation day. He was always listed on the injury report with ankle and hip injuries, yet somehow was active for 15 of the 16 games. 

Because of the club's inability to get Rogers on the practice field during the week, in addition to other injuries on the defensive line, coaches had to devise schemes that used as few linemen as possible because that's how they practiced during the week. 

Rogers became a part-time player making a team-high base salary of $6.9 million in 2010. 

"Shaun's a different cat," Heckert said. "Shaun's whole thing -- and he's stated a million times -- is that he's never been on a team that's any good. Every team he's ever been on has been bad. Right or wrong, I think it's taken a toll on him." 

In 10 years in the NFL -- seven with Detroit and three with the Browns -- Rogers' teams had nine seasons of double-digit losses. The best record of a team Rogers played for was 7-9 -- his last season in Detroit. Overall, Rogers' career record is 45-115 (.281). 

"I think if he went to a good team, things might change. I don't know," Heckert said. 

Heckert said the Browns couldn't move Rogers last year -- release or trade him -- because his $6.9 million salary was guaranteed once he made the final roster of the opening week of the season. That's true of any vested veteran (four years or more experience). 

Rogers was disciplined by Commissioner Roger Goodell at the beginning of the season for violating the league's personal conduct policy in April, when he was arrested for carrying a gun in baggage while trying to board a plane. 

Goodell did not suspend Rogers but fined him one game check -- which amounted to $405,882 in his case. 

"Whose fault was that?" Heckert asked. 

Rogers played 15 games in 2010 and was 18th on defense with 17 tackles. He had two sacks and one blocked field goal. 

Cavs guard Mo Williams was saddened by Thursday's announcement that legendary Jerry Sloan was stepping down as coach of the Utah Jazz. The impression that a feud with Utah point guard Deron Williams was what caused Sloan to resign compounded Williams' sadness. "Both of those guys are great people, outside of being a great player and a great coach,"...

Cavs guard Mo Williams was saddened by Thursday's announcement that legendary Jerry Sloan was stepping down as coach of the Utah Jazz. The impression that a feud with Utah point guard Deron Williams was what caused Sloan to resign compounded Williams' sadness.

Lonnie TImmons III / The Plain DealerCavaliers guard Mo Williams was a second-round draft choice of the Utah Jazz in 2003.

"Both of those guys are great people, outside of being a great player and a great coach," said Williams, who was a second-round draft pick of the Jazz in 2003. "I think Jerry should get all the credit he deserves for all the things he's done, all the players who came through, including myself. I have nothing but great things to say. I have nothing but great memories of that organization, especially Jerry Sloan. I wish him the best. I know he'll be out on his ranch in Illinois, on his John Deere tractors, enjoying himself."

Sloan, as tough as they come on and off the court, teared up during Thursday's news conference announcing his departure.

"I'm not surprised," Williams said. "When you hear him talk, he's straightforward, he's tough. He wills that on his players. But I don't care. You go get the baddest person in the world, I guarantee you, if you open them up, they've got a heart. He's been there for almost three decades. If he doesn't have any feelings with that situation, he wouldn't have a heart. He's done a lot for the organization, that city, the state, the surrounding areas."

All made up: Clippers point guard Baron Davis and Cavs coach Byron Scott had difficult moments as coach and player in New Orleans, but Davis said Scott was instrumental in his career and thanked him a couple years ago.

"I told him how much respect I had for him as a coach and how much I grew up," Davis said before Friday's game against Scott and the Cavs. "I was a young player, young star in this league. I probably wasn't handling the responsibility the way I should. He stuck to his guns. I probably needed that discipline. A couple of years later, I actually thanked him for being who he was. That ultimately was the lesson I learned.

"A lot of times it takes you awhile to grow, especially in this league, because year to year is different. But sometimes you look back and say, 'Oh, OK. I understand that now,' and it helps you understand a little bit more about yourself."

Davis is sure Scott will succeed in Cleveland.

"Similar to New Orleans, he's going to weather the storm," Davis said. "He has thick skin. He's very confident. He's always proven himself. Getting a good year under his belt here, his influence and his overall confidence that he instills in the players and in the game . . . it will eventually work out."

All-star host: For the second straight year, Cavs game night host Ahmaad Crump has been invited to emcee a variety of special events during All-Star Weekend, Feb. 17-20 in Los Angeles.

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Jeremy Sowers, the Indians' No.1 pick in 2004, will be unable to pitch for nine to 12 months after having surgery Monday to repair a tear in his left rotator cuff. Sowers, 27, was dropped from the Indians' 40-man roster after the 2009 season, but is signed to a minor-league contract. He was scheduled to report to minor-league camp...

Jeremy Sowers, the Indians' No.1 pick in 2004, will be unable to pitch for nine to 12 months after having surgery Monday to repair a tear in his left rotator cuff.

Sowers, 27, was dropped from the Indians' 40-man roster after the 2009 season, but is signed to a minor-league contract. He was scheduled to report to minor-league camp in March before Dr. Mark Schickendantz performed the surgery at Cleveland Clinic.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerJeremy Sowers will be unable to pitch for nine to 12 months after having surgery on his left rotator cuff.

Last spring training Sowers struggled with shoulder problems. He went 2-6 with a 5.85 ERA in 27 appearances, including four starts, at Class AAA Columbus.

He's 18-30 with a 5.18 ERA in 72 games in the big leagues. He made his big-league debut with the Indians in 2006 and went 7-4. He was 6-11 for the Indians in 2009.

"I was hoping for A.J. Green, but with the release of pretty much our whole defensive line, there's no doubt where our No. 6 pick will be spent. Besides, this year's draft is deep with WR talent. For once I actually believe we have a legitimate front office making the right moves." - jskzes

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain DealerWith the release of Shaun Rogers and other aging defensive linemen, the Browns may target someone for their front seven with their first round pick.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns fans, get ready for the Colt McCoy era, Tony Grossi says (SBTV), cleveland.com reader jskzes is thinking D-line all the way with the Browns' top pick. This reader writes,

"I was hoping for A.J. Green, but with the release of pretty much our whole defensive line, there's no doubt where our No. 6 pick will be spent. Besides, this year's draft is deep with WR talent. For once I actually believe we have a legitimate front office making the right moves."

Erin Hollinger has 21 points and Erica Iafelice 17 for Case.

Men

NYU 73, CWRU 63 The host Violets (13-8, 2-8 UAA) went on an 11-0 second-half run and defeated Case Western Reserve (8-12, 4-6) in men's basketball.

WARREN, Ohio — Warren Harding's 22-point fourth quarter was the difference in its 66-61 win over visiting Cleveland Heights in a Lake Erie League Lake Division game Friday. The Tigers, ranked fourth in The Plain Dealer's Top 25, were on the verge of pulling away after a 10-point run in the third quarter gave them a 43-33 lead. The...

WARREN, Ohio — Warren Harding's 22-point fourth quarter was the difference in its 66-61 win over visiting Cleveland Heights in a Lake Erie League Lake Division game Friday.

The Tigers, ranked fourth in The Plain Dealer's Top 25, were on the verge of pulling away after a 10-point run in the third quarter gave them a 43-33 lead. The Raiders began chipping away after a timeout, cutting the Tigers' lead to 47-44 entering the fourth quarter.

The Raiders took a 54-52 lead on Jesse Hardin's basket. The Tigers tied the score on two Aaron Ashley free throws, but the Raiders took the lead for good Shaheed Davis' basket.

Harding held a 62-54 lead late in the game but baskets by Sean Dominick and Tyree Gaiter pulled the Tigers to within four, 62-58. Harding's Davis sealed the verdict with a tip-in hoop.

Ashley scored 17 points for the Tigers (13-4, 2-4). Gaiter scored 13 points, and Cody Martin had 12.

Tre Brown led the Raiders (12-4, 4-3) with 18 points. Craig McFerrin added 14 points, and Davis finished with 12.

It was a big game in terms of Sunday's drawing for the Division I district tournament at Solon. Garfield Heights is expected to get the top seed. Harding now seems a good bet to get the second seed instead of Cleveland Heights.

"We talked about it last Saturday after the Mansfield game that this is for the second seed," Harding coach Steve Arnold said. "We needed to win this game. I told the kids to come out with some passion and play hard.

"Martin's six points in the first quarter helped the Tigers to a 12-11 lead. Ashley scored nine points in the second quarter to lead the Tigers to a 31-29 lead at the break.

The score was tied at 33 in the third quarter when the Tigers went on a run to take a 10-point lead.

UPDATED with gallery: Mo Williams returns from injury and has 17 points and 14 assists, and Antawn Jamison has 35 points and nine rebounds as the Cavs win, 126-119, their first victory since Dec. 18.

Guard Mo Williams, returning for the first time since he suffered a strained left hip flexor Jan. 15 in Denver, had 17 points and 14 assists to help the Cavs to a 126-119 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at The Q, snapping their losing streak at 26 games and saving them from setting an all-time professional sports record for consecutive losses.

As it is, they remained tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But for the first time since Dec. 18, the Cavs, 9-45, did not walk off the court as losers.

"It felt great," Williams said. "I can watch ESPN tonight."

Added guard Daniel Gibson, "I can smile again. It feels pretty good. Winning is a precious feeling."

Like their previous victory -- against the New York Knicks -- the Cavs needed overtime, but they fought as if their lives depended on it, and the Clippers fought just as hard not to be the team that ended Cleveland's frustration. It made for thrilling theater and terrific basketball.

"It's kind of bittersweet," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "I'm glad that it's over with. But with about a minute left in the game, I looked up and said, 'If we'd have played this hard the last game, we would have won.' It's great that we finally got the monkey off our backs, but I expect our guys to play this hard every single night. If we do that, then we'll be OK."

They were more than OK on Friday night, as the raucous crowd covered in confetti could attest. Cavs forward Antawn Jamison finished with 35 points and nine rebounds, and forward J.J. Hickson had 27 points and 14 rebounds while battling rookie sensation Blake Griffin one-on-one down the stretch.

Griffin finished with 32 points and 13 rebounds, and also took out a few chairs in the front row early in the third quarter. But he had to work for everything he got.

"I thought he did an unbelievable job," Scott said of Hickson's defense. "He took the challenge."

Said Hickson, "I was motivated to get a win. They could have been high school players out there and I still would have been movitated."

Baron Davis had 26 points, and Randy Foye added 23 as the Clippers slipped to 20-33.

Like punch-drunk heavyweights, the teams traded big plays down the stretch and into the overtime.

With about three-and-a-half minutes left in the game, Hickson blocked Griffin and Williams hit a 3-pointer on the other end to give the Cavs a 104-98 lead.

The Clippers regrouped and tied the score at 104-104 on two free throws by Ryan Gomes with 2:15 left. But a jumper by Cavs guard Anthony Parker and then two free throws by Jamison restored the Cavs' lead to 108-104 with 1:42 left.

A dunk by Griffin and a little jumper in the lane by Davis tied it, 108-108, with 57.5 seconds left.

After a scoreboard video of famous pep talks, Jamison missed inside, and Williams was called for a foul against Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe. His two free throws with 20.2 seconds left put the Clippers up, 110-108, but Williams hit a 17-foot shot with 6.3 seconds left to tie the score. Hickson swatted away the potential game-winner by Davis, sending it to overtime.

Cavs guard Daniel Gibson hit a 3-pointer and made two free throws with 2:25 left to give the Cavs a 116-112 lead, and Jamison's layup made it 118-112 with 1:54 left. The Cavs pushed that to 120-114, but a driving layup by Davis and a 3-pointer by Foye got the Clippers within 120-119 with 44 seconds left.

Williams missed a reverse layup, but the ball went out of bounds off the Clippers and the Cavs got it back with 24.4 seconds left. Jamison hit a 3-pointer with 22.1 seconds left, then Foye missed a 3-pointer. Hickson grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Gibson, who was fouled by Bledsoe with 13.0 seconds left.

Davis received a technical foul and was ejected, saying later he didn't want to watch the Cavs' victory celebration. Williams hit that free throw to put the Cavs up, 124-119. Then Gibson made two more to account for the final score.

Scott credited Williams with helping turn things as soon as he entered the game late in the first quarter.

"He gave us a big spark," the coach said. "I thought in the first quarter when he came in his energy was fantastic. He was getting everybody involved. Obviously, his return was great. It was good to see him out there playing as hard as he was playing, getting everybody involved and showing that leadership that we have been missing."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668