BEDFORD, Ohio — Sectional wrestling begins in a week, so really, only one question matters this week. Are you ready?

St. Peter Chanel's Tyler Porter, top, defeats Walsh Jesuit's Nick Rumple at 171 pounds on Friday in Bedford. - (Lonnie Timmons III l PD)

BEDFORD, Ohio — Sectional wrestling begins in a week, so really, only one question matters this week.

Are you ready?

"If we're not, it's too late," St. Peter Chanel coach Graham Coghill said with a trace of a smile after his Firebirds beat Walsh Jesuit, 36-27, on Friday.

The dual meet at Chanel was a final tuneup for both state contenders. No. 1-ranked Chanel (14-0) is the team to beat in Division III. No team is expected to challenge St. Paris Graham in Division II, but No. 3 Walsh has enough firepower to claim the runner-up trophy.

"We want to take state and win it," Chanel senior Tyler Porter said. "I like how close we are with each other."

Both teams are banged up and the meet itself was a bit of a letdown because some of the better wrestlers didn't compete or were nursing injuries. Chanel won six of the nine matches that were wrestled.

"We're close to where we should be. We've got to get a couple guys healthy this week," Walsh interim coach Fred Daugherty said.

An anticipated showdown at 103 pounds didn't occur because Walsh Jesuit stellar freshman Anthony Tutolo has a "health issue" that Daugherty said should be resolved this week. So, Chanel's Aaron Assad, who placed third at state last year, went without a match.

Chanel-140 pounder Dan Collier, a three-time state qualifier, is still bothered by a shoulder injury that has hampered him all year. He defaulted in the third period while losing, 2-1, to Roman Bell.

Walsh's Nick Rumple is coming off an injury, and he hasn't dropped down to 160 pounds, so he wrestled at 171 and lost to Porter, 7-1. That left Chanel's Cody Walters, an Ohio University recruit, without a match at 160.

Walsh's Cory Stainbrook (112) and Johnni DiJulius (130), an Ohio State recruit, also won by forfeit.

The highlight match was Chanel 189-pounder Jonathon Schafer's 7-6 win against Anthony Melchiorre. Schafer trailed most of the match and got the winning takedown with 23 seconds left as both wrestlers dived out of bounds.

Walsh's John Novak put up a good fight against Chanel standout Danny Orrill, who won at 145 pounds, 2-1, on an escape in overtime. Chanel's Mike DeCesare (125), Joe Kiefer (152) and Dan Barrett (heavyweight) also won decisions.

Walsh's Michael Kostandaras (119) and Nate Skonieczny (135) won major decisions.

Perhaps with an eye on the weeks to come, both teams looked flat at times.

"We didn't wrestle well tonight. I think the guys are looking forward to the sectionals," Coghill said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's been a long time coming for the John Hay boys basketball team. The Hornets regrouped from a slow start to pull away from Glenville, 68-57, to win the Senate championship Friday night at John Adams. It was the first time since 1993 and the fourth title overall for John Hay in the 74 years of...

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's been a long time coming for the John Hay boys basketball team.

The Hornets regrouped from a slow start to pull away from Glenville, 68-57, to win the Senate championship Friday night at John Adams. It was the first time since 1993 and the fourth title overall for John Hay in the 74 years of city championships.

"This is the first Senate championship in any sport since the school reopened (in 2006)," John Hay coach Christopher Sanders said. "Hopefully this is the start of something."

The game did not start well for the Hornets, as Glenville jumped out to an 8-0 lead. John Hay did not score until Devin Carter hit a 3-point shot with 3:32 left in the first quarter.

"We came out with a little jitters," Carter said. "We just had to get into the flow of the game, then we started producing."

John Hay took control of the game in the second quarter thanks to senior Chaz Rollins, who scored 15 of his 25 points.

"In big-time games, big-time players show up," Sanders said. "Chaz is a top Division I player. He has the passion and desire to push himself to rise to the occasion. He felt like he had to put the team on his back and he carried us."

Carter, who led all scorers with 30 points, also started heating up late in the second quarter. He scored six of John Hay's last eight points as the Hornets took a 33-26 lead at the half.

Carter hit a foul line jump shot for a 42-31 lead late in the third quarter, but Glenville battled back. Two 3-point goals by Robbie Hyrst (11 points) and a second-shot basket by Akye Henderson gave Glenville a 45-44 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Then it was Carter's turn to take over for John Hay. Carter scored 10 of the Hornets' next 12 points, mostly on fast breaks and drives, to regain a comfortable advantage.

"I knew eventually he was going to get it going," Sanders said. "We just kept the ball in his hands and told him to keep pushing and eventually the shots would start falling for him."

John Hay improved to 12-7 and Glenville, making its seventh straight appearance in the championship, slipped to 8-6. Sean Martin led Glenville with 13 points.

"I knew it was going to be a hard-fought game," Glenville coach Michael Holt said. "I'm proud of my guys. These are the type of games that polish us up and get us ready for the second season, when records and city championships don't count."

Bob Migra is a freelance writer in Westlake.

Both different and alike, Wisconsin and Ohio State have been at the top of the Big Ten in recent years, but the Buckeyes have never been able to win in Madison.

View full sizeCharlie Neibergall l Associated PressIt's a good bet that Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor (11) and his Badgers teammates will give the Buckeyes a difficult time today in Madison.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Thad Matta had a deal for Bo Ryan.

At the Big Ten Tournament a couple of years ago, the Ohio State men's basketball coach approached the Wisconsin coach at a shootaround in the morning.

" 'Bo, we're both in the NCAA Tournament, it doesn't really matter. Let's just don't anybody play defense and see if we can't score a hundred,' " Matta said, retelling the tale on Friday afternoon. "He said, 'No thank you.' "

Matta might have been better off suggesting that the teams play on ice, or with a cantaloupe instead of a basketball.

Forgetting defense is just as foreign to Ryan. That's not his style. And that's why today is so interesting.

The No. 1 Buckeyes (24-0, 11-0 Big Ten) take their undefeated record to No. 13 Wisconsin (17-5, 7-3), with almost everyone believing this is the toughest regular-season test of their seven remaining games and many national analysts picking Wisconsin to win.

Yes, Ohio State wants to stay perfect.

But just as much, regardless of the records, the Buckeyes finally want to take care of the Badgers in their own territory, which even Mike Conley and Greg Oden couldn't do four years ago. (For the fans, though not for Matta, Wisconsin knocking off No. 1 Ohio State at Madison this season in football doesn't hurt the buildup either.)

Wisconsin beats almost everyone at home, with a 149-11 home record in Ryan's 10 seasons that's the fourth best in the nation in that time period, behind only Kansas, Duke and Utah State. So to call Ryan and his program a thorn in Matta's side would discredit the Badgers, who are Big Ten title contenders every year and NCAA Tournament regulars. They're identity isn't about playing spoiler to anyone.

It's just the way they go about their business grinds against the Buckeyes in particular in some ways. Matta wants to push the ball more than any coach in the conference and has built part of his reputation on moving NBA Draft choices in and out of the program and proudly talking about how his three Big Ten title teams had such different styles of play. Ryan has built his reputation on finding players with talent who are fits into his disciplined offensive system, focusing on limiting turnovers and playing stingy defense.

Ryan is more like a porcupine in his burrow, pricking Matta's fingers every time he reaches in and tries to pull out a win. And yeah, going 0-5 at the Kohl Center so far in his seven seasons with the Buckeyes bothers Matta a bit.

"You always remember the losses more than you remember the wins," Matta said, starting to mention tiny moments from the five losses so far. "I remember year one us not blocking out at the end of the first half and they tip one in to go down three. . . . First play of the game last year, we executed to perfection and we didn't throw it where we wanted to throw it."

Yet as much as the teams are a contrast in styles, they're similar in other ways. Yes, Wisconsin turns it over less than any team in the country, first in basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy's turnover percentage. Yet, Ohio State, at a faster pace, is seventh in the nation, nearly as careful with the ball. Matta wants to play quickly, but he'd be angry at any suggestion that the Buckeyes aren't disciplined.

"I would say we're a disciplined team," OSU senior David Lighty said. "We've had our moments where we've gotten a little out of control with the turnovers, but overall we've done a good job of playing within the system and doing what coach allows us to do."

So far this season, the Buckeyes have shown what they can do. In Madison, it's more about what the Badgers will let them do. And for this day, it's about more than being No. 1.

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

For Brown, a product of Youngstown's Ursuline High School, not playing this season has been a strain.

View full sizeLisa DeJong l The Plain DealerCleveland State's D'Aundray Brown hopes to return for 2011-12 after recovering from a finger injury.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It has not been easy for D'Aundray Brown this season.

The 6-4 senior swingman has missed every Cleveland State men's basketball game because of a freak finger injury that is only now healed enough that he can practice without pain. Rehabilitation is nothing new for Brown, who has suffered injuries his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

A ligament injury to his right knee his sophomore year kept Brown from playing in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, and that came after missing eight games during that season with a fractured left rib.

Then, a torn retina and fractured orbital bone in his eye kept him out of the Horizon League Tournament a year ago. Those injuries alone have practically made Brown a certified weatherman, with the seasonal changes signaled in his body almost from head to toe.

"I could have told you the forecast from all my other injuries before this one," Brown said.

The latest setback happened before this season when his middle finger became tangled in a teammate's jersey during practice. He tore a tendon that required surgery and seasonlong rehab that had him back at practice only recently. He plans to redshirt and return in 2011-12 for his final season as a Viking.

Brown's injury is a personal cloud in what has been a warm and fuzzy season overall for the Vikings.

CSU goes into today's 2 p.m. home game against Youngstown State at 21-5, 10-4 in the Horizon League. The Vikings are alone in second place but nestled among five HL teams within 1 1/2 games of first place.

No game can be taken for granted, including YSU (8-16, 2-12), which has played nearly every game down to the wire. The Penguins' last three games have been decided by two points, four points and in overtime.

For Brown, a product of Youngstown's Ursuline High School, not playing this season has been a strain.

"It's been rough," Brown said. "I was looking forward to my senior year. Having to watch is definitely killing me.

"At first, being bummed out about this, it was kind of, 'Why me?' That was a tough battle. I struggled a lot. Talked to coach, prayed, talked to my mom and dad. I didn't know what to do."

Clearly, Brown wanted to play.

"But I didn't want to risk it, because the possibility of injury was high and it would have been 10 times worse. But everything happens for a purpose. This gives me a different perspective on the game.

"Offensively, I've had a chance to work on things, to better my left hand. I had to do all my everyday tasks with my left hand. Eat with my left hand. Now I can even write my numbers with my left hand."

Now that he can practice, Brown said he can do even more with his left hand. Like many right-handed players who have suffered injuries with their right hand, they find the left can become lethal.

"I can dunk with my left now," Brown said. "I just found that, really. Even the guys on the team noticed it."

While Brown is looking forward to next season, his absence is starting to be felt now for the Vikings. Without him, sixth man Jeremy Montgomery has been a starter all season, not only leaving the CSU bench short a man, but short on experience and firepower.

Head coach Gary Waters knows that with Norris Cole as the only departing player after this season, Brown will return a healthier -- and more versatile -- player.

"That's something I can look forward to," Brown said.

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

Lavender is averaging 22.3 points per game, which ranks eighth in the nation and is the highest average of her career.

View full sizeTerry Gilliam l Associated PressOhio State's Jantel Lavender wants to make the school's scoring record her own, but also is hoping the team will put together some victories down the stretch.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State women's basketball all-time leading scorer Katie Smith is about to be caught. Jantel Lavender would like to make sure no future Buckeye will catch her for a while.

"I want to set the bar pretty high," the Ohio State senior center and Cleveland native said. "I want to make it really hard for someone. I'm not saying it was easy for me at all, but if someone outscores me, I want it to show that they really worked hard and were a really great player for their team."

As a Buckeye, Lavender has scored points and she has won games, her career explained in two simple, intertwined realities, which makes her senior season that much more complicated.

Lavender is now just 20 points behind Smith's record entering Sunday's game at Minnesota. She is reaching for the milestone during a season that will likely be the first in seven seasons that the Buckeyes do not finish on top of the Big Ten Conference. OSU is 14-9 and 5-6 in the Big Ten.

"It's not a good feeling," Lavender said. "Coming up on this scoring record with a losing record, it's not as fun.

"I've been trying to do everything I can to help my team. This season is a little draining, it's pulling you down a little bit. You're not used to coping with a slump or coping with a losing streak. It's unbelievable actually."

The Buckeyes were 82-20 overall and 43-11 in the Big Ten regular season in Lavender's first three years.

As a senior leader on a team that returned all five starters from a 31-5 season, Lavender isn't immune to what most agree are the biggest issues with the Buckeyes: defense and intensity. But the points haven't stopped. She's averaging 22.3 points per game, which ranks eighth in the nation and is the highest average of her career.

"She's at the point now where she's got a real opportunity to take her game to another level," OSU coach Jim Foster said.

He believes Lavender needs to become more of a finesse player when she runs into players of her size and strength. "That can be difficult for a big, strong, athletic player, because you don't encounter it much. But when you do, what's next? I think we're in that 'what's next?' moment right now."

It comes after so many moments of what she's already done. Lavender is one of six All-Americans in program history and a three-time Big Ten player of the year. The Cleveland Central Catholic graduate's place in Buckeyes history is secure even without the scoring record.

"She really kind of put Ohio State on her back a little bit while she was here," said OSU freshman Jared Sullinger, her low-post equivalent on the men's team. "Obviously she'll be a great draft pick for the WNBA, and I can't wait for her to represent Ohio State."

Out of college, it will be hard for Lavender to match Smith, an all-time great in the game who is a three-time Olympic gold medal winner, a WNBA champion and the all-time leading scorer in the history of women's professional basketball.

With all she's done, Smith said that while the points she scored at Ohio State are nice, she vividly remembers her team's Final Four run as a freshman in the 1992-93 season. The rest of her career, when the Buckeyes had a combined losing conference record her final three seasons, gets a bit lost.

"You like to have people appreciate what you've done," Smith said. "Not that you need to be remembered, because some people know who you are and some don't, that's the nature of the beast. But you just want to be appreciated, especially by the people who do the same thing you do. It feels good."

That's where Lavender is. Soon, in one way, she'll pass Smith.

But for Lavender to go out the way she wants to, the Buckeyes need to win some games in the coming weeks while their best player makes her scoring record a little more difficult to match.

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

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Members of the Richmond Heights basketball team let their words speak as loud as their actions. Freed from a week full of drama and after threatening not to play unless a coaching change was made, the undefeated Spartans took to the court Friday and ran their winning streak to 16 with a routine 70-51 victory...

Don Gross prepares to empty his bench as he gets a victory Friday in his first game as Richmond Heights' interim head coach. - (Gus Chan l PD)

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Members of the Richmond Heights basketball team let their words speak as loud as their actions.

Freed from a week full of drama and after threatening not to play unless a coaching change was made, the undefeated Spartans took to the court Friday and ran their winning streak to 16 with a routine 70-51 victory over visiting Independence.

It was the first win as a varsity coach for Don Gross, who replaced Jason Popp as head coach after Popp was relieved of his duties Thursday for allegedly using racially insensitive and vulgar language around the players.

When asked if it was an especially emotional way to make his head coaching debut, Gross said, "I can't put it into words."

This was more than just another Chagrin Valley Conference game. It was an emotional night for Gross, the players, their parents and school administrators.

"It was a hard thing for me to do tonight, to get put in this predicament, this situation" said Gross, who has been an assistant coach in the district for 15 years. "Like I've told everyone, Mr. Popp is a great friend of mine and I wish he was the guy still doing this."

It also was difficult for the players, who held their only practice of the week Thursday after threatening to abandon the season if Popp stayed on as coach.

"We would not have played if coach Popp had been here," said 6-6 junior Tommy Scales, who led the Spartans with 15 points. "It was serious because we were getting disrespected. Nobody wants to be disrespected. All we wanted was to play basketball and be respected."

Junior guard Jordan Early said he was glad the week was over.

"It was a tough week," Early said. "One practice. I think we put it behind us tonight. We came out and made a statement because we were glad just to get back to playing basketball. Give us a couple more games. Our chemistry will return. I thought everyone was a little more relaxed tonight. Everyone on the team was happy with the decision. I'm glad it's over."

The Spartans, ranked sixth in this week's Division IV state poll, have four games remaining before the postseason. They showed balanced scoring Friday, with junior Ishaam Smith and sophomore Rico Jones backing Scales with 13 points each and sophomore Arthur Christian finishing with 10.

Scales agreed it was time for the team to look forward, to put the off-the-court issues behind them.

"We're glad just to be back on the court," he said. "This will be a journey and it will be difficult. But, it's possible."

Gross said he was anxious before game and didn't feel at ease until after tipoff.

"Let's say I lost a little weight this week," he lightheartedly said. "I've been an assistant for so many years, so to come out and get that first win, I feel pretty good about that. The kids were emotionally high for the game right off the start. They came out ready to play, they came prepared. And, they showed it."

Richmond Heights resumes its march toward an undefeated season Tuesday when it hosts Beachwood.

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

Cavaliers' win over Clippers on Friday night snapped 26-game losing streak and made sure Sunday's game wouldn't be the matchup some NBA "fans" wanted.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerFinally, after 26 straight losses, the Cavaliers get into the win column.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Too bad for NBA "fans" who were looking forward to one of those "something's gotta give" games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards on Sunday night.

And, for former Cav and current Miami Heat forward LeBron James.

The Cavaliers snapped their NBA record 26-game losing streak on Friday night, topping the Los Angeles Clippers, 126-119 in overtime, at Quicken Loans Arena.

Washington (14-37), which hosts the powerful San Antonio Spurs tonight, will visit the Cavaliers (9-45) on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Michael Lee of the Washington Post went to his twitter account on Wednesday to relay what James said about the possibility, then, of Cleveland and Washington beginning their game with their respective losing streaks intact:

“I think that should be a nationally televised game right there, honestly.” 

Too bad. 

ESPN.com's TrueHoop Blog updates the Cavaliers after Friday night's win:

• The Cavaliers matched, but didn’t better, the longest losing streak in any of the four major sports. Their mark matched that of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1977 and baseball’s 1889 Louisville Colonels.

• The Cavaliers still have a few losing streaks alive. They’ve dropped 26 consecutive road games, 16 straight games to teams with winning records and 13 straight games to Eastern Conference opponents.

• During the Cavaliers' losing streak, the Spurs won 21 games, most in the NBA, two more than the Chicago Bulls. Kevin Durant led the NBA with 733 points, Dwight Howard pulled down 438 rebounds, most in the league, and Steve Nash had an NBA-best 298 assists.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Mary Schmitt Boyer's Cavaliers-Clippers game story and her Cavaliers Insider.

Post-ups

It was appropriate for the Cavs to end their streak against the Clippers, Kurt Helin writes for Pro Basketball Talk.

A Cavaliers team report on USAToday.com.

About the Cavs' win over the Clippers, by Sam Amico for FOX Sports Ohio.

Cavaliers-Clippers game stories by Rick Noland for the Medina County Gazette and Elyria Chronicle-Telegram; by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal; by Jason Lloyd for the Akron Beacon Journal.

Buckeyes, ranked first in the nation, were the lone undefeated Division I team. They surrendered a 47-32 lead.

APOhio State's Jared Sullinger (0) tries to shoot over Wisconsin's Jon Leuer.

Ohio State's Buckeyes, the nation's No. 1-ranked team, lost today at Wisconsin, 71-67, their first loss of the season after 24 wins.

Jordan Taylor scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to rally the No. 13 Badgers from a 15-point deficit. Wisconsin (19-5, 9-3 Big Ten) beat a No. 1 opponent for the first time since 1962, when it was also Ohio State. The Badgers joined Florida as the only programs to knock off the same No. 1 school in both football and men’s basketball in the same academic year.

Fans at the Kohl Center stormed the court, just like when they rushed the field at Camp Randall Stadium following the Badgers’ 31-18 win over then-No. 1 Ohio State on Oct. 16.

William Buford scored 21 points for Ohio State (24-1, 11-1). Freshman Jared Sullinger made an easy layup to push the Buckeyes’ lead to 47-32 with 13:21 left, setting the stage for the comeback.

Cole put his league Player of the Year resume on the table with a dominating performance.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III / The Plain DealerYoungtown State's Dan Boudler has little success in slowing down the Vikings' Norris Cole during Saturday's game at the Wolstein Center. Cole finished with 41 points to lead CSU past the Penguins.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Send out the tape. Mail the box score. Word of mouth won't do this justice.

Senior guard Norris Cole played pack mule Saturday afternoon carrying Cleveland State to a tough 86-76 victory over stubborn Youngstown State before 3,875 fans in the Wolstein Center. Cole scored 21 of his career-high 41 points in the opening half to keep CSU from getting blown off its own court.

He didn't cool after intermission -- Cole had a double-double in both halves -- seemingly making every big play in a refuse-to-lose effort that put the Vikings at 22-5, 11-4, still in second but in the fight for the Horizon League title going into Wednesday's critical game at Wright State.

Cole, who played all 40 minutes, put his league Player of the Year resume on the table, and potential All-American credentials as well. He finished just shy of the first triple-double in school history adding 20 rebounds and nine assists.

"The basket feels big, the game slows down," Cole said. "That's what you want in a groove like that."

Behind the strength of 3-point shooting, the Penguins took a 22-16 lead midway through the first half. About all that was keeping the Vikings afloat was the relentless drive of Cole, who epitomized his will to win with a defensive rebound and coast-to-coast streak for a layup that cut YSU's lead to 24-20. The Penguins (8-17, 2-13), however, were holding the Vikings off with their sharp shooting (10-of-23) behind the arc.

Cole did not slow down. "I had to lead the challenge," he said.

YSU coach Jerry Slocum acknowledged Cole was the difference.

"We have a very hard time guarding that guy," he said. "When we did guard him, he went to the foul line (11 of 13). He obviously was the difference in the game."

The Penguins pushed their lead to 31-20, but Cole answered with a 3-pointer, then another defensive rebound and blitz downcourt for an assist to Jeremy Montgomery for a layup. Moments later, Cole was at the line for a pair of free throws to trim the deficit to 31-27.

A 15-foot jumper, a 3-pointer and two more free throws from Cole got the Vikings within 36-34 at the half.

The second half began much like the first as YSU pushed its lead out once again, 42-34, before Cole warmed up with another coast-to-coast trip to the hoop for a basket and foul, then an assist to Tim Kamczyc followed by a Tre Harmon 3-pointer to force a YSU timeout with the game tied at 42.

The Penguins got nothing out of their possession, then CSU got two free throws from Aaron Pogue to take their first lead, 44-42, since early in the first half.

Back in sync, CSU patiently went for the victory from there with Cole perhaps putting the clamps on the Player of the Year award.

"If it's not, then they can't see," Waters said of the award voters.

A mock draft suggests the Browns use their first pick to select a cornerback for the second straight year.

AP/The Oklahoman/Nate BillingsAlabama's Patrick Peterson after being named the winner of the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in college football.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have won 14 games and lost 34 in the last three seasons.

A simple deduction is that the Browns need to fill numerous needs via April's draft.

Speculation abounds that Cleveland will select a defensive lineman with its first pick, slated to be the NFL's No. 6 overall pick. Logic, some say, dictates that the Browns need to add someone who can help control the line of scrimmage and/or rush the quarterback as the team switches from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3.

The need for defensive linemen became even more urgent when the Browns announced this week that they terminated the contracts of six veterans. The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot reported on the dismissal of the players, and the PD's Tony Grossi later cited some reasons they were let go.

Most observers believe the Browns also need to somehow acquire a go-to wide receiver, and some say that's the route to take with the team's first-rounder.

Or, do you remember Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield, the Browns' brilliant cornerback duo during Cleveland's five straight playoff seasons in the 1980s?

Would it make sense to develop a couple corners in hopes of emulating that duo?

For CBSSports.com, Pete Prisco's mock draft includes:

6. Cleveland Browns -- Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU: He will team with Joe Haden, last year's first-round pick, to give the Browns a nice cover duo. If the playoffs taught us anything, it's how important cover players are in the NFL.

Or, maybe...

Analysis of another potential Browns first-round pick -- Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones. On the Dawgs By Nature blog.

The report includes:

Jones has had some real inconsistencies with his hands. He can also lose focus when he "hears footsteps" which can be cause for some of the drops. His route running ability is still fairly raw too, but it’s been improving. He also lacks that DeSean Jackson type of speed and acceleration, but as I said before, he also has 45 pounds and 6 inches on Jackson. Julio Jones is still a very legitimate deep threat.

Post patterns

The biggest offseason question for every AFC team, including the Browns, by Don Banks for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

A story on longtime Browns place-kicker Phil Dawson, by Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

About the release of nose tackle Shaun Rogers, on NFL.com.

The top 25 draft prospects, in order, according to Bucky Brooks for NFL.com.

What teams look for as they scout tight ends and receivers for the draft, by Greg Gabriel for the National Football Post.

Cleveland State's Norris Cole doesn't have just a great game -- it's an outrageous, improbable, historic with 41 points and 20 rebounds next to his name in the box score.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III / The Plain DealerWith his breathtaking performance on Saturday, Cleveland State's Norris Cole placed himself squarely in the Cleveland State record books and elevated his NBA prospects, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I keep staring at the box score.

Not the final score: Cleveland State 86, Youngstown State 76 in front of 3,875 fans at Wolstein Center.

I'm talking about the numbers next to the name of Norris Cole. Hard to know what is more astounding, the 41 points or the 20 rebounds?

Remember, Cole is a 6-foot-1 senior guard. So maybe, the 20 rebounds edges out the 41 points.

As Cleveland State coach Gary Waters said, "I've never had a guard get 20 rebounds before."

But how about those 41 points on only 22 field goal attempts? What looks better? The 5-of-10 on 3-pointers, or 14-of-17 at the foul line?

The 41 points is a career-high for Cole, who scored 38 against Florida A&M last season. But 41?

"Maybe I did it when I was a little kid," said Cole, shaking his head in amazement.

The school record is 49 by Franklin Edwards against Xavier in 1981. Damon Stringer blistered Wisconsin-Milwaukee for 47 in 2000. Next comes Cole with 41, along with two other players.

But 20 rebounds in a game...from a guard? Hard to know if that's a school record, but it could be. His 18 defensive rebounds are a CSU record. The 20 rebounds are the most by any Viking in 22 years.

The last collegian with 40 points and 20 rebounds in the same game was Oklahoma's Blake Griffin in 2009. He's a power forward and destined to be the NBA's 2011 Rookie of the Year.

Running the risk of being an obnoxious info-commercial for Cole, but there's more than the points and rebounds. How about nine assists? The senior came as close as anyone in CSU history of a triple-double.

"Norris could have had 50 points," said Waters. "I asked him to get the other guys involved."

That's nine assists compared to only two turnovers. As USA Today wrote: "It just might be the best single performance of the season. Heck, it might be the best performance in several years."

Chip in three steals and that he was on the court for every second of the game. Does that sound like an NBA prospect, especially when you consider that Cole is averaging 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists while shooting 45 percent from the field, 85 percent at the foul line?

I presented that question to an assistant NBA general manager last week.

"Absolutely," said the man, who is his team's draft expert. "Norris has gotten exponentially better each season. He is the kind of kid that will come to camp and make a coach fall in love with him because he's disciplined, he'll defend and he has great character. He doesn't do anything great, but he does a lot well."

ESPN.com rates Cole as the No. 7 point guard in the country, the No. 55 player. That puts him at the bottom of the second round, which is where ESPN projects him to be picked. The last CSU player drafted was Clinton Smith in 1986. He went in the fourth round. Now, the NBA is only two rounds. Darren Tillis (1982) and Franklin Edwards (1981) were the only first-rounders in school history. The most recent CSU player in the NBA is Cedric Jackson, who appeared briefly with the Cavs last season.

"I want to play at the next level," said Cole. "It's something every player dreams of."

Cole said his immediate goal was a Horizon title for the 22-5 Vikings. Next is that he expects to graduate in the spring with a degree in health science. Then, the NBA.

"He's got the potential because he's got that killer instinct out there," said Waters. "He knows how to control the tempo. He can run past you. He can shoot the threes. He's a special kid, and it doesn't faze him. I never worry about him getting a big head."

Browns General Manager Tom Heckert unraveled (sort of) four of the franchise's unanswered questions from the past season.

Gus Chan / The Plain DealerWhile Browns GM Tom Heckert admitted the front office may have overestimated Eric Wright's level of performance entering the 2010 season, he said head coach Eric Mangini was the main reason for several other personnel moves questioned by fans and media during the season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In our review of the Browns' 2010 season published in the Jan. 9 Plain Dealer, we listed 10 Great Mysteries of the season.

They were mysteries because there were no answers from coaches, players or executives to explain them. Sometimes it takes a while.

We caught up with Browns General Manager Tom Heckert and he unraveled (sort of) four of the mysteries.

1. Why did the team go so long with only three cornerbacks on the roster?

Heckert: "I think it was a combination of things. There weren't a whole lot of choices in the matter. Once the draft was over, there was just a limited amount of (cornerbacks available). We tried to sign some guys. Realistically, it was going to be tough to get a legit guy.

"We thought we had three really good corners. Eric Wright, whatever happened to him I have no idea. If Eric Wright would have played like he played the year before, we probably would have had one of top (groups of) three guys around. But Eric Wright didn't play very well."

Heckert said as the season progressed, the team couldn't find a cornerback better than Mike Adams, who was a combination safety/cornerback already on the roster.

2. Did the trade of Jerome Harrison really need to happen?

Jim Prisching / Associated PressGM Heckert said Jerome Harrison's attitude led to his trade to the Eagles during the season, but said he had no particular answer for why Mangini didn't insist on more running backs on the roster.

Harrison grumbled about playing time after Peyton Hillis emerged as the team's feature back. Heckert said former coach Eric Mangini lobbied to trade Harrison. He was traded for Philadelphia running back Mike Bell on Oct. 14.

Heckert: "I'm not saying we shouldn't have [traded him] because Jerome ... he wasn't begging to get out of here, but he was acting like he wanted to get out of here. It wasn't going to do us a whole lot of good to keep him here. Jerome was kind of going through the motions. I think he thought he should have been playing more."

3. How can an NFL team that only runs the ball on offense configure its roster to have two running backs and seven wide receivers?

Heckert: "I don't know how to answer that one. I think [the RB depth] was good for a while. When we had Peyton, Jerome and a couple of other guys here, we were OK. But once Eric wanted us to get rid of Jerome, that's when it started [going bad]. Once you get rid of that guy then it's just tough to find guys."

The Browns finished the season with only Hillis and Bell at running back and seven receivers after adding Demetrius Williams, Jordan Norwood and rookie Carlton Mitchell to their active roster.

"The guys we loaded up on are guys we kind of liked and those guys are still going to be here," Heckert said. "Why we didn't use them? That question I can't answer."

4. Exactly why did the team trade for Jayme Mitchell, who never played in a 3-4 defense at any level and doesn't have a body that would ever fit in that scheme?

Heckert described this one as "bizarre."

The Browns acquired Mitchell from Minnesota on Oct. 6. The price was a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft. Mitchell never played a down while on the active roster the rest of the season.

"He was by far our best pass rusher and never got on the field, so I can't answer that one," Heckert said. "Eric watched him [on tape prior to the trade] and Eric liked him. So I don't know what happened after that. He's a nickel pass rusher on third down. We thought he could really rush the passer."

Heckert said that Mitchell could still fill that role for the Browns in their new scheme. But, guess what? Mitchell's contract is up and he can be a free agent.

Moving into murky waters: If NFL management and players union do not resolve their differences by the end of the current labor agreement on March 3, all business will shut down on March 4. That means no trades, no player signings. Nothing except the draft on April 28-30. And then, draft picks can't be signed until a new agreement is in place.

But from now until March 3, teams can re-sign their potential free agents or sign players that have been released since the regular season ended. Heckert said the Browns have no plans to talk new deals with any of their free agents.

"You don't know if there's a salary cap and what it's going to be, and there's this infamous 30 percent rule, so it's tough to do," Heckert said.

"The infamous 30 percent rule," which came as a result of the elimination of the salary cap in 2010, limits the base salary of any contract extension to no more than 30 percent higher than the previous year on the existing contract. Teams can get around the rule by loading up a new contract with bonus money. But since that form of payment is guaranteed cash, no teams want to invest that way without knowing if there will, in fact, be a full season in 2011.

Brownie points: Despite the clampdown this week on players over 30, Heckert said there are no plans at present to terminate the contract of quarterback Jake Delhomme, 36, who has a year to go at $5.4 million. ... The Browns have seven draft picks in each of the next two drafts. They are without their seventh-rounder this season (Seneca Wallace trade) and in 2012 (Mitchell trade). But they added the sixth-round pick of Denver in each draft (Brady Quinn trade). ... If there is a lockout, trades can still happen on the three days of this year's draft, but they can only include draft picks.

Point guard Mo Williams returned after missing 13 games to log 14 assists and provide leadership that helped the Cavaliers win for the first time in 55 days.

View full sizeTony Dejak / Associated Press"He gave us that leadership," Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson said of Mo Williams (2, with Antawn Jamison) in Friday's victory over the Clippers. "Throughout the game he kept saying, 'We're not going to lose this game.' And we believed him."

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- While Mo Williams sat, he watched. And studied. And learned.

The Cavaliers point guard used his 13-game injury sentence to not only rest his left hip flexor strain, but to learn all that he could from observing his team as it skidded through loss after loss. What he found was that his team missed him because he can provide things that no one else on this squad can.

When Williams returned Friday, when he came off the bench to play 31 minutes, scoring 17 points and dishing a season-high 14 assists in a rare victory, he showed exactly how he can challenge the opponent's defense by pushing the an up-tempo offense and by being a persistent threat to score from outside as well as driving to the basket.

"What I bring, we were just missing," Williams said Saturday. "I'm a veteran on the floor. I've seen a lot of things, and I can see plays before they happen. Or, if they're playing us a certain way, I can read it real quick in the middle of the game and Coach [Byron Scott] trusts me enough to make decisions on the floor."

Although Williams came off the bench Friday, he is expected to assume his starting position Sunday. His performance in the victory over the Clippers was the first time a reserve had logged that many assists since Terrell Brandon had 14 on Dec. 21, 1993.

All were a result of Williams' play-making abilities that the Cavaliers so sorely missed. His aggressive style of play means the Cavaliers are more likely to run in transition. His outside shooting mean that opponents cannot cheat defensively and crowd the lane -- which often happens with back-up point guard Ramon Sessions, who has attempted just five 3-pointers this season.

"Mo has unlimited range, so it makes defenses a little bit leery to go under on pick and rolls," Scott said. "So it kind of opens up the floor a little bit more when he's out there."

Which is to say nothing of Williams' leadership abilities. As he constantly repeated to teammates during the Clippers game that they were finally going to log a win after 26 losses, they began to believe it.

"He definitely gave us a shot in the arm," guard Daniel Gibson said. "Just seeing him out there, playing hard, making plays, making passes. He gave everybody energy and a boost that I think we needed. Probably with us being close, it put us over the top. He gave us that leadership. Throughout the game he kept saying, 'We're not going to lose this game.' And we believed him."

That was part of what Williams learned while sitting and watching.

"When you watch you see how well guys are playing, you see situations in the sets we run where you can get guys in spots," he said. "I'm a student of the game, and when you watch it, you see a lot. I was just really anxious to get back on the floor."

He might have even learned what the Cavaliers need to do to begin their first winning streak since they logged three wins in a row Nov. 5-9.

"That's the plan," Williams said. "That's the plan."

Varejao's surgery complete: Anderson Varejao had surgery to repair his ruptured right peroneal longus tendon Saturday. The procedure was performed at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte, N.C., by Robert Anderson. Varejao's rehabilitation from the ankle injury is expected to take 3-4 months.

Dribbles: Antawn Jamison recorded his 18,000th career point Friday. He is the ninth active player to have 18,000 points, and one of three players in NBA history to have at least 18,000 points, 7,000 rebounds and 900 3-pointers made (Scottie Pippen and Dirk Nowitzki are the others). ... Leon Powe is a game-time decision against the Wizards after sitting out since Jan. 7 while recovering from right knee surgery. ... The Wizards are 0-25 on the road this season.

Since missing first two months of 2008 season while recovering from elbow surgery, the right fielder has been a productive hitter, superb base-runner and excellent fielder.

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer Left-handed hitting right fielder Shin-Soo Choo has become the Indians' most reliable player.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians are loaded with question marks as spring training approaches.

The player the Indians can most count on to deliver, based on recent seasons, is right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

Choo has been named the Indians' Man of the Year the last two seasons.

Since missing the first two months of the 2008 season while recovering from elbow surgery, Choo has hit .302, finishing that campaign at .309 and batting .300 each of the last two seasons.

In 1,450 at bats, Choo has slugged 97 doubles, 11 triples and 56 home runs, while driving in 242 runs and scoring 236. He's stolen 47 bases in 59 attempts and established himself as one of baseball's best defensive right fielders.

FOXSports.com features a photo gallery of what it designates as the single best players on each team. For the Indians, that player is Choo.

With Choo's photo, FOXSports.com comments:

Until Grady Sizemore proves he can get and stay healthy and return to his 2008 levels of performance, this honor falls to Choo, who combines Gold Glove-caliber skills in right with speed, on-base chops and power. Choo has been uniformly excellent since becoming a regular at the highest level. The right fielder is the most underrated player in the game today.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes' report that left-handed pitcher Jeremy Sowers will be sidelined for nine to 12 months after having surgery to repair a tear in his left rotator cuff.

Hoynes will arrive in Goodyear, Arizona on Monday to cover the Indians spring training. Pitchers and catchers will report to camp on Thursday, with the full squad scheduled to be in Goodyear on Sunday.

Could be good

Former National League executive Jim Bowden ranks baseball's top 50 prospects going into the 2011 season.

From the Cleveland organization, second baseman Jason Kipnis makes the list at No. 39; right-handed pitcher Alex White at No. 46; third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall at No. 50.

Bowden writes about Kipnis:

39. Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians — Another Arizona State hitter is expected to be the long-term solution for the Indians at 2B. He was the Pac-10 Player of the year in 2009 as an outfielder, but the Indians quickly moved him to 2B during instructional league. He made great progress defensively this past year and there is no doubt he should be a .300 15 HR 70 RBI type offensive 2B in the future.

Tribe talk

Five questions about the Indians heading into spring training, by Jim Ingraham for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

The 2011 season should provide an idea about the Indians' future, by Jordan Bastian for MLB.com.

Indians Prospect Insider continues its countdown of the Indians' top 50 prospects. Tony Lastoria writes about No. 32, right-handed pitcher Austin Adams, and about No. 33, left-handed pitcher Giovanni Soto.

Analysis of the Indians' designated hitter position and bench players, by Jordan Bastian for MLB.com.

The Indians have some fantasy league "sleepers," by Eric Mack for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

The Indians have a lot more than 10 questions staring them in the face for the 2011 season. With spring training starting Tuesday in Goodyear, Ariz., these 10 will have to do.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerThe degree to which a healthy Grady Sizemore can contribute to the Indians' offense will go a long way toward making the lineup far more formidable in 2011.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians and Yankees don't have much in common besides playing in the American League. Still, there are ties that bind.

They're not perfect. The Indians lost 93 games last season and if the Yankees had it all figured out, Bartolo Colon wouldn't be going to camp with a chance to win a job in their starting rotation.

What we have here are two teams, just like their 28 partners, who have questions about what lies ahead. Spring training begins this week. The 162-game regular season follows.

The Yankees' payroll, pushing $200 million, will provide the answers to most questions. The Indians' payroll of between $45 million and $50 million is hardly enough to solve the concerns facing manager Manny Acta and first-year GM Chris Antonetti.

Just in case they've forgotten, here are 10 of the biggest questions facing the Tribe in 2011.

1. How much can a healthy Grady Sizemore improve an offense that finished 26th in the big leagues with 646 runs?

Best case scenario: Sizemore's left knee is sound and he returns to his old form when he averaged 116 runs and played 160 games per season from 2005-08.

Worst case scenario: Sizemore's knee isn't fully healed and the Indians' second-highest paid player at $7.5 million is idle for much of the year.

What will probably happen: As a precaution Sizemore doesn't join the Indians until mid-April, but regains his skills. The Indians trade him to a contender before the July 31 or Aug. 31 trading deadlines rather than exercising his 2012 club option for $9 million.

The trade turns Sizemore's option for 2012 into a player's option. He can become a free agent or accept the option. It could make him harder to trade unless he's playing well and a team really needs him.

Stat attack: If Sizemore was healthy last year and contributed his average number of runs over the course of a full season -- minus the 15 he did score last year -- the Indians would have gone from 26th to 13th in runs scored in the big leagues.

2. Who is going to play second and third base?

View full sizeAl Behrman / Associated PressAt 36, Orlando Cabrera will either be a steady contributor at second base for a team looking to give prospects some more seasoning, or a utility infielder.

Best case scenario: Orlando Cabrera wins the second base job midway through spring training. Jason Donald emerges from the pack to take third in a close competition with Jayson Nix, Luis Valbuena and Jack Hannahan.

It works out well because the Indians can let Lonnie Chisenhall, Jason Kipnis, Cord Phelps and Jared Goedert get more experience in the minors. In September, Chisenhall, Kipnis, Phelps and Goedert get a taste of the big leagues in preparation for 2012.

Worst case scenario: Cabrera turns into Shawon Dunston and can't make the transition from shortstop to second base. Dunston, a great shortstop with the Cubs, couldn't play second for the Tribe in the spring of 1998 and became a utility player.

Donald has trouble at third once the regular season starts. Nix struggles as well and the Indians are forced to bring Chisenhall to Cleveland before he's ready.

What will probably happen: Second baseman Orlando Cabrera and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera give the Indians a skilled, but tongue-twisting keystone combination. Donald, with help from Nix and others, keeps the hot corner cool until Chisenhall is ready.

Stat attack: Indians third basemen made 27 errors last year. Only four teams made more.

3. How do the Indians get the fans back to Progressive Field after finishing last in attendance in the big leagues in 2010?

Best case scenario: For the first time since 2007, the Indians have a good April and it carries into May and June.

Worst case scenario: The season-opening home series against Chicago gets snowed out. Grady Sizemore tweaks his left knee in center field on a rut that was caused by the re-sodding of the outfield because of Snow Days. Typical Indians stuff.

What will probably happen: Indians draw about 1.8 million as young players such as Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Carlos Santana and Carlos Carrasco give fans a reason to hope.

Stat attack: The biggest attendance spike in franchise history was 1,098,649 from 1947 to 1948. The Indians won their last World Series in 1948.

So all the 2011 Indians have to do is get to the World Series. No problem.

4. How much is Carlos Santana going to play this year?

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerCarlos Santana will be participating fully in workouts when training camp begins, and the second-year catcher will carry much of the Indians' aspirations this season.

Best case scenario: Santana proves his left knee is sound early in spring training and plays about 140 games during the regular season -- 115 behind the plate and 25 at first base.

Sandy Alomar Jr. shows him how to block the plate without having an ambulance idling in the ballpark concourse.

Worst case scenario: Santana's knee is fine, but the slump he was in just before he got hurt in August last season continues. He's optioned to Class AAA Columbus leaving Lou Marson to catch.

What will probably happen: Santana goes through his ups and downs offensively and defensively, but he hits and drives in runs from the middle of the lineup.

Stat attack: Santana averaged .59 runs per game last year (23 runs in 39 games). At that pace this year, he'd score 83 runs in 140 games. That would have led the Indians last year.

5. Can Fausto Carmona put together two consecutive good seasons as the No. 1 starter?

Best case scenario: Carmona continues to refine his delivery and focus this season. He makes his second straight trip to the All-Star game and even pitches this time.

Worst case scenario: Carmona regresses to his 2008 performance. The Indians can't send him back to rookie ball as they did in 2008 because he's out of options, so they trade him to the Yankees.

What will probably happen: Carmona pitches well, so well that the Indians exercise his $9 million club option for 2011 at the end of the season.

Stat attack: Carmona's won-loss record as an Indian: 1-10 in 2006; 19-8 in 2007; 8-7 in 2008; 5-12 in 2009 and 13-14 in 2010.

6. Would the Indians release Travis Hafner this year if he's not productive?

View full sizeTed S. Warren / Associated PressTravis Hafner may never truly return to his "Pronk" glory days, but the Indians are still hoping for 20 homers and 80 RBI from their DH this summer.

Best case scenario: Hafner is able to play 130 games for the first time since playing 152 in 2007. His old power gone, Hafner more and more resembles the hitter who batted .329 (51-for-155) with 15 doubles, five homers and 21 RBI in 44 games last year after the All-Star break.

Worst case scenario: Hafner spends much of the season on the disabled list because of his right shoulder. The Indians release him after the year.

What will probably happen: Hafner plays between 110 and 120 games. He hits 15 to 20 home runs, drives in 50 to 60 runs and has an OPS over .800. In the off-season, ownership must decide if they're willing to live with that kind of production for one more year or cut its losses.

Stat attack: After hitting 141 homers from 2003-07, Hafner has 34 in 2009-10.

7. Can the starting rotation produce enough double-digit winners to compete in the AL Central this year?

Best case scenario: Last year, the Twins won the AL Central with six pitchers winning 10 or more games. That's not going to happen with the Indians, but Fausto Carmona, Mitch Talbot and Justin Masterson could make it three this year.

Worst case scenario: The Indians don't produce a double-digit winner for the first time since 1987 when Scott Bailes, Phil Niekro and Tom Candiotti led the club with seven wins each.

What will probably happen: If Carmona and Masterson -- another trade possibility -- stay with the team all year, they should each win 10 plus. If Talbot can stay healthy, he has a chance. If not, perhaps Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin can surprise.

Stat attack: The last time the Indians had three starters with double-digit victories, they won 96 games in 2007. CC Sabathia (19-7), Carmona (19-8) and Paul Byrd (15-8) hit the trifecta.

8. What does the offense have to do to be a contender?

Best case scenario: The four AL playoff teams from 2010 averaged 807 runs each. The Indians would need to score 161 more runs from last year to reach 807. Full seasons from Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera, Santana, Shin-Soo Choo, Hafner, LaPorta and Brantley could make that happen.

Worst case scenario: Scoring 800 runs doesn't guarantee anything. The Indians scored 805 runs in 2008 and the best they could do was 81-81. Still, that would be an improvement over last year's 69-93 record.

What will probably happen: If the top hitters have good health, they will top last year's 646 runs.

Stat attack: The 646 runs the Indians scored last year were their fewest since 1991 when they scored 576. They lost a franchise record 105 games that year.

9. Can the pitching staff strike out more batters, while issuing fewer walks?

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerJustin Masterson has the ability to be the Indians' best strikeout pitcher, or the starter with the least control over his stuff. Which will it be in 2011?

Best case scenario: Indians pitchers had the fewest strikeouts (967) in the big leagues last year. Only four teams walked more batters than the Tribe's total of 572. There's nowhere to go but up.

Worst case scenario: Masterson, the Indians' top strikeout pitcher last season, gets traded back to Boston. Or Masterson, who issued more walks than any Indians pitcher last year, doesn't get traded back to Boston. It depends.

What will probably happen: The young pitchers learn from last year's experience and throw more strikes. But that doesn't necessarily lead to more strikeouts.

Stat attack: The World Series-champion Giants led all pitching staffs with 1,331 strikeouts last year. The AL Central-champion Twins led the big leagues with the fewest walks with 383.

10. Can Shin-Soo Choo do it again?

Best case scenario: Over the last 21/2 seasons, Choo is hitting .307 (412-for-1343) with 89 doubles, 10 triples, 53 homers, 224 RBI and 45 steals. Most of that was done minus a great threat hitting in front or behind him. There is no reason to think that won't continue.

Worst case scenario: Last year Choo dodged a season-ending thumb injury trying to make a diving catch in the outfield. Perhaps he is not so lucky this year.

What will probably happen: Choo, who helped South Korea win a gold medal in the Asian Games to earn a military exemption, turns in another quality season.

Stat attack: Last season Choo's WAR (Wins Above Replacement) rating was 7.3 compared to AL MVP Josh Hamilton's 6.0 and runner-up Miguel Cabrera's 6.9. WAR is a number that calculates the number of team wins a player is worth above whoever would replace him.

First of a weekly series profiling top players who could be available to the Cavs in this year's NBA draft on June 23.

View full sizePaul Battaglia / Associated PressOhio State's Jared Sullinger would be a mildly undersized power forward in the NBA, but has talents that will assure him a spot in the lottery either this spring or in future seasons.

Editor's note: This is the first of a weekly series profiling top players who could be available to the Cavs in this year's NBA draft on June 23. The draft lottery to determine the exact order is May 17.

Name: Jared Sullinger

College: Ohio State

Position: Power forward

Ht/Wt: 6-9, 270 pounds

Born: March 4, 1992, Columbus

Hometown: Columbus

Scouting report: Sullinger's game starts in the low post, with an ability to go over either shoulder with either hand that makes him difficult to guard one-on-one and sends him to the foul line frequently. He leads the Big Ten averaging more than seven free throws per game. He does have a faceup game from 18 feet, but hasn't used it much. He has great balance, footwork and body control, with Michigan coach John Beilein saying after Sullinger twisted himself to grab a teammate's airball and lay it in that he hadn't seen body control like that since Blake Griffin.

He's also an instinctual and relentless rebounder who knows how to read angles and use his body to get to the ball. Some wonder about his overall athleticism, but there's a lot of untapped potential.

Sullinger dropped from 290 pounds to under 270 during summer conditioning and has added a few pounds during the season. His vertical jump is 32 inches from a standstill and 36 inches when taking a step, not bad for a guy his size. OSU conditioning coach Dave Richardson believes that whenever he reaches the NBA and plays power forward, not center, Sullinger will be best at between 260 to 265 pounds.

As the son of a coach with two older brothers who played the game, Sullinger's basketball IQ is very high, which reveals itself most often in his passing ability out of double teams, and before double teams can reach him.

Cleveland connection: A lifelong Ohioan, Sullinger doesn't have much of direct connection to Cleveland and isn't a Cavs fan. His only time watching them in person was their exhibition games against Milwaukee in Columbus this season.

"I'm not a team fan, I'm a player fan," Sullinger said, mentioning Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade among his favorites. "I don't focus on one team in the NBA. I just watch and try to get better."

Projection: Top 5, if he comes out, with real consideration for No. 1. There's certainly a feeling by some around Sullinger that coming back for his sophomore season is a possibility, especially with the NBA labor uncertainty.

Fast breaks: All-time favorite player is Michael Jordan, without a doubt. "He did everything," Sullinger said. ... He's gotten some positive feedback from fans around the country who appreciated his good humor in asking a Minnesota fan to give him the sign he'd made mocking Sullinger. "It's no hard feelings," Sullinger said. ... OSU coach Thad Matta has most often compared him to former All-American and NBA All-Star David West, whom Matta coached at Xavier.

Would the NBA follow the lead of the NFL and create a franchise tag in an effort to keep stars from leaving their teams in the lurch?

View full sizeAP photoAlthough nothing has been proposed officially, it seems reasonable that NBA owners will at least suggest a "franchise player" designation in the next labor agreement that would make it easier for teams such as Denver to keep stars such as Carmelo Anthony.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Football players hate it, and basketball players would, too.

But is there any chance the NBA would follow the lead of the NFL and create a franchise tag in an effort to keep stars from leaving their teams in the lurch, like LeBron James did and Carmelo Anthony could?

Right now, the notion is strictly a media creation.

"We haven't heard it from David Stern or the owners yet," said Anthony Parker, the Cavaliers' players association representative. "So we don't even know if that's in the plans.

"Obviously, giving the players more freedom to test markets and things like that is in the players' favor."

Yeah, they'd hate it -- even though it guarantees a big payday.

As constituted in the NFL collective bargaining agreement -- which is being renegotiated -- there are two types of franchise tags that can be applied to an unrestricted free agent. An exclusive tag prevents the player from negotiating with any other team, but guarantees a one-year contract at a salary of the average of the top five salaried players at his position or at a salary at least 120 percent of his previous year's salary, whichever is higher.

A non-exclusive tag allows the player to negotiate with other teams, but gives his original team a chance to match any offer or receive compensation if the player leaves.

"The franchise tag is going to be something I'm sure some of the owners will bring up," NBA TV/TNT analyst Kevin McHale said during a recent conference call. "They're going to have to try to get the players association to buy into that. That is an interesting concept. There is something to that. It would give the team that drafted the guy, developed the guy more of an opportunity to hold onto the player."

TNT analyst Reggie Miller also was on the call. He spent his entire career with the Indiana Pacers, passing up chances to go elsewhere. He admitted that he often tried to recruit players to join him.

"I always feel that it's almost like the [movie] "Field of Dreams" -- if you build it, they will come," Miller said. "If you win, it doesn't matter if you're in a big market or small market. If you're competing at a high level and you're able to play with the New Yorks, the Chicagos or the L.A.s, I think you can get talent. ... I always believed if you're competing at a high level and you're winning it doesn't matter where you are, players want to come play."

But that wasn't the case in Cleveland, and it may not be the case in Denver. Nobody won more than the Cavaliers the past two seasons but it wasn't enough to keep James close to home. According to the expiring collective bargaining agreement, James was free to go and there was nothing the Cavs could do about it.

That's the reason the Nuggets are entertaining trade offers from Anthony now. They know he can leave as a free agent, and they'll be in the same position the Cavs were last summer.

"I think what's made it interesting in the league is that you've got guys like Deron Williams, like LeBron and like Carmelo, who have signed that first max contract and shortened it by not going the full five years," TNT analyst and former Phoenix GM Steve Kerr said during the call. "As a result ... they've already made huge money and now they have an opportunity to go wherever they want without really having to lock in on a long-term deal to make sure they're taking care of their future because they've already got that.

"In the past, it was too difficult for guys to pass up a chance at a huge contract so they'd usually lock up with their hometown team. Now you're seeing this trend where guys already have a bunch of money in the bank and now they're saying, "Hey I get to go wherever I want."

McHale, Miller and Kerr said keeping superstars in small markets was good for the league. Miller cited the fact that the Super Bowl between small markets Green Bay and Pittsburgh was the most-watched of all time.

"I hope these guys take a good long hard look in the mirror and understand. ... I hope it's not the death of these small-market teams because we need superstars in these small markets to survive," Miller said.

But when asked if adopting the franchise tag would be the only way to keep players with original teams, Miller admitted, "That's going to be tough to place. It's tough to do that."

The first loss of the season will undoubtedly be a teaching moment for Ohio State coach Thad Matta.

View full sizeMorry Gash / Associated PressThere was no stopping Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor on Saturday, although Jon Diebler and the Buckeyes tried nearly everything, says Doug Lesmerises.

MADISON, Wis. -- After the Buckeyes' first loss of the season, 71-67 to the Badgers, four key observations:

1. Wisconsin got hot in the final 13 minutes, making three straight 3-pointers and seven of 11 3-pointers to wipe out a 15-point Ohio State lead. Junior point guard Jordan Taylor was just ridiculous at times, finishing with a game-high 27 points, including four of five 3-pointers in the second half, but there were some moments when it felt like the Buckeyes could have been doing more to take away what was dooming them.

Taylor can penetrate as well, so guarding him too closely can create driving lanes, but sometimes the Buckeyes just sagged off too much or asked defenders to cover too much ground after helping elsewhere, leaving shooters wide open. That's what happened on John Gasser's 3-pointer to tie the game at 47, capping that 15-0 Wisconsin run.

"You have some [players with] size shooting them, I don't know exactly what we would have done a whole lot different," coach Thad Matta said. "We tried everything we have, switching rotations, switching matchups, taking guys out of their help positions and rotating them, and they were going in."

The final 3-pointer that did in the Buckeyes was the one by Mike Bruesewitz with 29 seconds left to stretch the lead to five. If he missed it, Ohio State would have had the ball with a chance to tie or win. He came in making just three of 17 3-pointers in Big Ten play. So leaving him open made sense. He was 2-of-2 Saturday.

"That was the guy we were saying, of the five, let him be the guy that beats us, and he did that," Matta said.

2. Once again, the defense of freshman point guard Aaron Craft can't be overstated. Taylor had five early points and Wisconsin had a 10-6 lead before Craft came off the bench six minutes in and changed the game.

"I think he's one of the best defenders in the Big Ten, if not the best defender in the Big Ten," Taylor said of Craft. "He plays his role probably better than anybody in the Big Ten or in the country."

In the second half, the Badgers did a better job of using screens to give Taylor more space. To his credit, unlike other players that Craft guarded this season, Taylor didn't allow the defense to frustrate him or get in his head, and he found a way to eventually make plays.

3. Did the Buckeyes let up with their 15-point lead? I'll say no.

Other than some tighter defense on the 3-point line, there wasn't anything that looked like a letdown, though William Buford said he thought the Buckeyes "let our guard down."

"It was more like we were in attack mode and they locked down on defense and we didn't hit the shots and they were hitting shots and the momentum just shifted, especially with a crowd like this," freshman Jared Sullinger said. "When we got up 15 points, we tried to tell everybody to keep your foot down, because we knew they were going to make a comeback. Wisconsin is a great team."

4. The Ohio State-Wisconsin rivalry is heating up, and that's a good thing. Several Ohio State football players wrote on Twitter after the game how much this basketball loss fired them up for Oct. 29, when the teams will meet in Ohio Stadium. First, there's a basketball rematch in Columbus on March 6.

Obviously, football already had reason to want another run at the Badgers after losing to them while ranked No. 1 last year. According to Wisconsin, this was the eighth time that one school has beaten the No. 1 team in football and basketball in the same season. But this was only the second time that one school had beaten two No. 1 teams from the same school -- the other was when Florida did it to the Buckeyes in 2006-07.

Pitchers and catchers are about to report ... but the fans are in mid-season form in this week's mailbag.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerThere may not be pennant fever in Cleveland, but there's always enthusiasm for some sunny photos of Goodyear, Ariz., and the opening of Manny Acta's second spring training with the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: I see the groundhog didn't see his shadow. Is it too early to pre-order my postseason tickets? -- Joe Cepec, Dublin

Hey, Joe: Let's try to get through spring training first.

Hey, Hoynsie: Now that manager Manny Acta is on Twitter, do you think we can expect some pretty good stuff from him? On that topic, if Eric Wedge used Twitter while in Cleveland, would he have just "grinded" out his tweets and been as boring as his press conferences or was there a side of Wedge that people missed? -- Kevin Koval, Youngstown

Hey, Kevin: I think Acta will have fun with Twitter, but I'm not expecting any Ozzie Guillen-type drama. Acta knows how useful social media can be to the Indians, an organization working hard to win back its fans. He also knows how unforgiving it can be.

Interesting that you brought up Wedge and Twitter. I've been following Brandon Phillips' Tweets. Wedge and Phillips, as everyone knows, clashed when they were with the Indians, but in his Tweets leading up to spring training, Phillips said that once camp opens, it's time to start "grinding."

I got a chuckle out of that.

Hey, Hoynsie: I am disappointed that the Tribe did not improve its roster. Might we pull off a major trade to get some quality talent before spring training? -- Mary Beth Ferrar, Hinckley

Hey, Mary Beth: The Indians are exploring trades, but I doubt a major or minor one will take place before camp opens Tuesday. They have added, as I'm sure you know, infielder Orlando Cabrera as a free agent. Providing, of course, that he passes his physical.

Hey, Hoynsie: Are you aware of any major changes as to how the new front office conducts their business? Might we see better decision making? -- Kenny Bowers, Euclid

Hey, Kenny: That's like asking a doctor how the operation is going to come out before he operates. Let's see them in action before making an opinion.

Hey, Hoynsie: I'm glad the Tribe is going to sign Casey Kotchman, it will eliminate at least one defensive liability in the infield. -- Jason Burk, Cuyahoga Heights

Hey, Jason: Why do I feel you're yanking my chain?

Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians have Grover (Mike Hargrove) back and I like that move a lot. I'm down with the Tribe. You gotta believe. -- Johnny D'ambrosia, Garfield Heights

Hey, Johnny: Keep the faith. The Indians need all the help they can get.

Hey, Hoynsie: We've heard all about the top prospects and the names in play for 2B, 3B and the rotation, but who is your dark-horse candidate in the bullpen? Do you see Bryce Stowell, Josh Judy, Rob Bryson, Vinnie Pestano or Adam Miller making the team? -- Steve Alex, Gainesville, Fla.

Hey, Steve: As a reporter, you always pull for the best story. It would be great to see Miller work his way into the big-league pen, but that's the longest of long shots. My money is on Vinnie Pestano. He showed plenty of moxie in his September call-up last year.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why do the Indians seem to wait until the last possible minute to promote their best prospects? Even the best teams give good young players a chance in the big show to see what they can do, but with a few exceptions, the Indians never do. Lonnie Chisenhall may be another Lou Gehrig -- who knows if he's never given the chance? -- Neal Hall, Max Meadows, Va.

Hey, Neal: All teams wait until they feel their prospects are ready before promoting them to the big leagues. First, they want to make sure they've done everything possible so that they're not overmatched. Secondly, they don't want to start their arbitration clock too early so they can control their salary for at least their first three years in the big leagues.

Chisenhall will get his chance. Here's hoping he's another Gehrig, but Gehrig played first and Chisenhall is a third baseman.

Hey, Hoynsie: How does Carlos Santana's midseason injury last year affect his arbitration clock? -- David Bruno, Chagrin Falls

Hey, David: Santana's arbitration clock (big-league service time) started running when the Indians promoted him and kept running even when he was injured. He was hurt while in the big leagues, which means his time on the disabled list still counts as service time.

That's why Santana's stats show he played only 46 games with the Indians last year, but received credit for 115 days of big-league service.

Hey, Hoynsie: I heard the Cardinals and Albert Pujols are pretty far apart on a new contract. Any chance the Indians make a play for him? As I write this I'm laughing hysterically, but also crying a little bit as well. You gotta laugh Hoynsie, you gotta laugh. -- Mark Cesarik, Chicago

Hey, Mark: If you're an Indians fan and you don't laugh, it hurts too much.

-- Hoynsie

The Zips took full advantage of a two-game home stand with a pair of victories and stand at 15-10, 6-5 in the Mid-American Conference's East Division.

AKRON, Ohio -- Few teams go from good to bad as fast as the Akron Zips, but in the end Saturday night it was all good as the Zips earned a 75-60 victory over Ball State in Rhodes Arena.

The Zips took full advantage of a two-game home stand with a pair of victories and stand at 15-10, 6-5 in the Mid-American Conference's East Division. With Ohio suffering a road loss, Akron is out of the division cellar and within a game of third place.

It was a well-rounded effort for the Zips, with five players in double figures. But there were some hair-pulling moments for Akron coach Keith Dambrot, whose team built comfortable leads only to repeatedly fritter them away.

The most critical came early in the second half when the Cardinals closed to within 37-35 as 6-9 Jarrod Jones (19 points) was operating smoothly inside. Dambrot called a timeout, but saw his offense turn the ball over.

"A little more focus," Steve McNees said. "And that entails us playing a little harder."

With a chance to tie the Cardinals turned it right back over to Akron, and the Zips found their rhythm. By the time BSU coach Billy Taylor called a timeout, the Zips were in the midst of a 14-0 run for a 51-35 advantage.

"That's kind of how we've been," Dambrot said. "But we're getting more good than bad."

The Zips forced four turnovers and got a blocked shot from center Zeke Marshall during the surge, while McNees delivered five of his team-high 16 points to put the game away.

"We're starting to make more hustle plays, which is key," Dambrot said.

Upsets were sprinkled around the league on Saturday, but the Zips started strongly. As has been the case lately, forward Nik Cvetinovic (13 points, eight rebounds) was the catalyst as he scored eight points early by taking the ball inside.

A Quincy Diggs layup late in the half put Akron up, 29-19, and the Zips led by eight at the break, 33-25. The good news was a defensive effort that held Ball State to 38.5 percent shooting in the opening half, plus a 19-18 lead on the boards.

Akron's defense would wilt a bit in the second half as the Cardinals shot 57.1 percent after the break and 46.8 percent for the game. But for the third straight game the Zips kept the opposition from getting hot on the perimeter and have held teams to 6-of-35 (17 percent) behind the arc the last three games.

"As long as we're not getting shot out at the 3-line, we're in good shape," Dambrot said. "We're going to win if we hold teams to 60 most nights."