Lake Erie (26-22-3-5) moved four games above .500 for the first time in the four-season history of the franchise.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Monsters' "Cavs Night" promotion happened to take place one day after the basketball team touched off celebrations all over the North Coast with a victory that snapped a 26-game losing streak.

The winning vibe from the hardwood carried over to the ice.

Goalie Jason Bacashihua made a combined 29 saves in regulation and overtime and was sensational in the shootout as the Monsters prevailed, 2-1, over Grand Rapids Saturday night at The Q. A crowd of 8,876 watched as Lake Erie (26-22-3-5) moved four games above .500 for the first time in the four-season history of the franchise.

Monsters center Mike Carman beat Griffins goalie Jordan Pearce in round six of the shootout. The regulation phase of the shootout lasts five rounds; it ended with each club being successful once.

Moments after Carman found the back of the net, Bacashihua denied Griffins winger Francis Pare to secure the outcome.

The Monsters felt as if they "stole" two points because they were lethargic in the first two periods.

"Other than Jason Bacashihua, there wasn't a lot of good going on out there for 40 minutes," Lake Erie coach David Quinn said. "This was probably the first time all year where we won two points and didn't really deserve it. But we'll take it."

Grand Rapids took a 1-0 lead at 5:48 of the first. Logan Pyett's shot was stopped by Bacashihua, who sprawled to the ice as the puck trickled free. The trailer, winger Jamie Tardif, cleaned up the mess for his 17th.

Grand Rapids held a 9-3 advantage in shots in the period.

Lake Erie tied the score at 12:01 of the second when forward Patrick Rissmiller beat Pearce. The play started when Rissmiller fed Ryan Stoa, whose shot from the slot caromed to a hustling Rissmiller's tape.

The Monsters continued to struggle with their outlet passes. Through two periods, they were out-shot, 19-7.

"We just weren't moving," Quinn said.

Quinn's skaters performed much better in the third. When they faltered, Bacashihua provided the bailout. At 5:48, Grand Rapids winger Chris Minard thought he had the go-ahead goal, only to be rejected by Bacashihua for a second time in two seconds.

"I read the play well," Bacashihua said. "I made the first save and was able to get a glove on the rebound."

Bacashihua became the Monsters' starter when John Grahame was recalled by the parent Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Grahame, AHL goalie of the month for January, won Lake Erie's previous game. He made 26 saves in a 3-2 victory over Abbotsford last Sunday at The Q.

"Jason had a great week of practice, and I was as confident about this start as I have been about any of his," Quinn said. "He's an elite goalie, and I couldn't be happier for him."

In the final seconds of overtime, rookie center Mark Olver broke free at center ice and darted into the slot. With two Grand Rapids skaters swatting at him, Olver uncorked a shot that was stopped by Pearce. The play drew a penalty at 4:57, but the Monsters wondered if it should have resulted in a penalty shot.

The Avalanche also recalled defenseman Jonas Holos on Thursday and defenseman Cameron Gaunce earlier Saturday.

On Friday, the Monsters signed forward Chad Costello, goalie Tyler Sims and forward Curtis Fraser to professional-tryout contracts.

What labor strife? When it comes to football, there's never an off-season on opinions from readers -- and Tony Grossi.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerPeyton Hillis could be the Browns' long "difference maker" right now, while the Steelers and Ravens have several such players, says Tony Grossi.

Hey, Tony: The offense-defense debate over the draft pick is irrelevant. The Browns simply need difference-making players who can change a game. Do you think we have any right now? How many more do we need to be remotely worrisome to the Ravens and Steelers? -- David King, Joelton, Tenn.

Hey, David: By the strictest definition, I don't think the Browns really have a difference-making player. If you stretch the definition somewhat, I might put Peyton Hillis in that category. Potentially, Joe Haden and T.J. Ward might get there, but they not right now. I think the difference-makers on the Ravens are Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Ray Rice and, yes, Joe Flacco. The Steelers have Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Troy Polamalu, Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall.

Hey, Tony: One or the reasons the Browns are bad every year is poor drafts. What draft do you think was the worst and set the Browns back the most? -- Robby Whitmyer, Louisville, Ohio

Hey, Robby: The 2009 draft. Because it was the most recent bad draft. Of course, the first two in 1999 and 2000 probably did the Browns the most damage because they squandered 14 extra picks given to them in their expansion deal. So sad.

Hey, Tony: I hope you and Mary Kay are getting some rest, as you have had a very busy "off-season." It is a shame that we let Billy Cundiff go. He is a tremendous kicker, both in touch-backs and field goals. I know things are all up in the air with the CBA, but any chance the Browns would be interested in resigning him? I think he is a free agent. -- Nancy, Baltimore

Hey, Nancy: Cundiff was re-signed by the Ravens. He had a monstrous season in 2010. The difference in his numbers were extraordinary. Very strange. But I would take Phil Dawson any day over him for his consistency and ability to kick in bad weather.

Hey, Tony: Many years ago the Browns were in a scouting cooperative in order to save money and cover more prospects. Are there any such cooperatives today and if so, are the Browns in one? P.S. Aren't you tired of strength-of-arm questions? -- Ted Belak, Sierra Madre, Calif.

Hey, Ted: Many years ago the Browns were a member of a scouting service called CEPO that eventually changed its name to National. They now are one of about eight NFL teams not affiliated with either National or BLESTO, the other scouting service. P.S. The answer is yes.

Hey, Tony: Colt McCoy has been out making the rounds at the Super Bowl. He has been quoted saying that he is working with Pat Shurmur on the offense. He said that he will start working with the WR's in the offseason if there is a lockout. I have not heard an official word that Colt has been named the starter. I think it shows initiative. What is your thought? -- Chuck Claypool, Dallas

Hey, Chuck: In a story I wrote in December, President Mike Holmgren said, "At the very least, Colt has earned the right to compete for the starting job." So I think that's where things stand. I couldn't even name who's competing against him at this point because Jake Delhomme might not be back and Seneca Wallace is unsigned.

Morry Gash / Associated PressSorry, but Aaron Rodgers won't be playing because it's his designated "off week" when the NFL goes to an 18-game schedule ... yeah, that's going to go over well with Green Bay season-ticket buyers.

Hey, Tony: It seems to me that there's a very simple solution to this whole 18-game schedule mess. The NFL would just have to make a rule that each player can only be active for 16 games. That way the players don't technically play any more games, and they get two weeks off. Second stringers will get more playing time and a chance to shine too. Plus, the record books wouldn't be made obsolete. It would be a win-win situation for both the players and owners. -- Brad Grzyb, Cleveland

Hey, Brad: I applaud you for suggesting something I have not seen or read before. Outstanding. There are a number of problems with your idea, however. What happens if you have injuries at, say, quarterback, and your starter already has played his 16 games? Another is how do you "sell" two games in New England that Tom Brady doesn't play? Or two in Green Bay that Aaron Rodgers doesn't play? I don't think GMs and coaches -- and probably not even players -- would go for it.

Hey, Tony: I was wondering what other head coaches in the league call their own plays? I mean can't we just hire a coach and an offensive coordinator like most teams? Don't get me wrong, I'm optimistic, but it seems like it's always something with the Browns, you know? -- Jason Smith, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Hey, Jason: Start with Green Bay's Mike McCarthy, the Super Bowl-winning coach. Other head coaches who called their own plays last year include: Houston's Gary Kubiak, San Diego's Norv Turner, Buffalo's Chan Gailey, Philadelphia's Andy Reid, Dallas' Jason Garrett, New Orleans' Sean Payton, Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt. Also, before they were fired, Denver's Josh McDaniels and Minnesota's Brad Childress. So that's nine of 32. Not that unusual.

Hey, Tony: I'm probably late to this realization but it just hit me that the biggest thing that the Browns lost from not existing from '96-'98 was the loss of a continuity of culture. When Ozzie Newsome left for Baltimore everything about the Cleveland Browns left with him. Recreating the 49ers, the Cowboys, and the '91-'95 Browns/Belichick Patriots was like trying to transplant a non-matching kidney into someone. Of course if I owned the team from a way back, Marty Schottenheimer would be going into his 27th year with the team. Any thoughts? -- Walter Schonhardt, Hawthorne, Calif.

Hey, Walter: You're right. When the Browns restarted in 1999, they tried to transplant the 49ers culture in Cleveland. That created a wobbly foundation from which the franchise has never recovered. I think Schottenheimer was great for his time, but I wouldn't have brought him back. The organization needs to create a new winning atmosphere, not try to replicate an old one.

Hey, Tony: I know in the past there was some debate about Gary Collins getting into the HOF. Collins' numbers are similar to Lynn Swann's. Do you ever see a time that the Seniors Committee would consider Collins? Also, from a journalistic point of view, why do so many local newspapers and television stations from around the country send people to cover the Super Bowl. I can see reporters from the cities of the teams playing, but from everywhere else? It would seem like it would be a lot cheaper to use wire services or network feeds. Is it really necessary? -- Joe Bailey, Newark, N.Y.

Hey, Joe: Collins was a great receiver and punter from an era totally different from what we're seeing now. His numbers are dwarfed by the stats put up by the receivers of the 2000s. Since so many receivers with significantly higher statistics are now routinely denied -- or delayed -- induction into the Hall of Fame, I fear Collins' candidacy might never receive another thorough review. The Seniors Committee is buried in a backlog of some 75 overlooked yet deserving players and most of them are defensive players because the hall has such an offensive slant. On your second question -- a very fair one -- I would answer that it's important for the top newspapers to send their beat writer to cover the Super Bowl. For a few reasons -- to pursue stories of particular interest to the writer's team and market, to cultivate league sources that typically congregate at the Super Bowl, and to establish its newspaper as a player in league issues that affect its team and market.

Hey, Tony: You keep claiming the Rooneys are the reason for the Steelers' success. If you did your homework you would see the Rooneys ran a laughingstock team for 40 years in Pittsburgh before they hired Noll. It is Noll who turned things around and changed the culture. The Browns had a ton of success before they started changing coaches like shirts, in fact all of our titles came under two coaches that covered nearly 30 years. Now we change every few years and kill ourselves. Noll had one win in 1969, but no one ran him and it took off. Before you tell me "times have changed" Jimmy Johnson had one win 20 years later in '89 and he did well. -- Michael Spitale, Galena, Ohio

Hey, Michael: Noll had a ton of help from his personnel director, who authored some of the greatest drafts in the history of the NFL. His name: Art Rooney Jr. I don't know what your point is about Noll and Johnson winning one game in one season. Changing coaches is not the problem for the Browns. Choosing wrong coaches is the problem. I once asked Dan Rooney his philosophy on choosing coaches. He answered, "Find the right coach and keep him."

Hey, Tony: The NFL is often described as a copycat league, having said that, why don't other teams copy what Pittsburgh does? -- Mike B, Dover, Ohio

Hey, Mike: Green Bay has, to an extent. So has Arizona. One of the biggest oversights the Browns have made is trying to copy Baltimore instead of Pittsburgh. Why have Ohio natives Dick LeBeau and Dom Capers never worked for the Browns? Yet the Browns anoint Ozzie Newsome rejects like Phil Savage and George Kokinis and hire every Bill Belichick assistant coach that leaves New England? Mind boggling.

Hey, Tony: I see that your expectations are for the Browns to improve next year with at least one more win. Don't you think that is unrealistic? This current team is old and lacking talent, playing in a tough division, having to retool the entire defense, and add significant players in a new system to the offense. Do you think Holmgren realized this and that is why he did not return to the sideline? After two more years of losing, but an upgrade in talent, would Holmgren then come in and coach? If a miracle happens and the Browns have a winning record, Shurmur stays. But if we continue our losing ways, but improve the team, Holmgren takes over as coach. It's a win-win for him. Your thoughts? -- Bill Reinke, Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Hey, Bill: Six wins unrealistic? Teams have gone from one win to division champion overnight. Yes, they're in a tough division, but Cincinnati unseated Baltimore and Pittsburgh just two years ago. So it can be done. Holmgren has decided that he doesn't have the energy to be a head coach any longer. I don't see his energy level increasing in two years.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerHas Eric Wright played his last game with the Browns? Tony Grossi thinks it's a possibility.

Hey, Tony: Eric Wright has never been a strong cornerback for the Browns. He was burned countless times and even benched last season. How many years are left on his contract? Is he still a viable starter for the Browns in 2011? -- Dustin S., Washington, D.C.

Hey, Dustin: His contract is up and I believe he will leave in free agency.

Hey, Tony: I know Mike Holmgren is president and everyone wants to make an issue of Bob LaMonte's influence, but it seems to me the one person with a connection to all new hires is Tom Heckert. Is this accurate or just my imagination? -- Chris Crandall, Estero, Fla.

Hey, Chris: Heckert, also a LaMonte client, clearly has had a major influence in the reshaping of the football operations. He worked with Shurmur in Philadelphia and reshaped the personnel department with several new hires. New defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, however, is clearly a Holmgren hire, as Jauron was on Holmgren's coaching staff in Green Bay and did not join the Eagles till Heckert already was in Cleveland.

Hey, Tony: Can you recommend a good book about the AFL-NFL merger? Do you know of any good books about the USFL? -- Kevin Zerbey, Rocky River

Hey, Kevin: The best and most authoritative book I've seen on the old AFL is "The Birth of the New NFL," by Larry Felser, long-time columnist of the Buffalo News. On the USFL, the only book I've seen is "The $1 League: Rise and Fall of the United States Football League" by Jim Byrne.

Hey, Tony: I want to know plain and simple what it would be like if the Browns made it to the Super Bowl? Would it be the same as if the Cubs were in the World Series? We would have to be the underdogs everybody around the nation would be rooting for, right? -- Justin Sacco, Phoenix

Hey, Justin: Remember what it was like when the Indians reached the World Series in 1995 and 1997? Multiply it by 10. That's would it be like.

Hey, Tony: I can understand somewhat why the Dallas Cowboys hired Rob Ryan, but what did the Miami Dolphins see in Brian Daboll? -- Mark Di Vincenzo, Newport News, Va.

Hey, Mark: He speaks the language of coach Tony Sparano. Also, I'm sure he was recommended highly by Bill Parcells through Eric Mangini. Despite the Miami owner's gesture of giving Sparano a multi-year contract extension, the truth is Sparano and his staff are on a one-year trial. If the Dolphins don't make a big splash in 2012, they all will be gone, I believe.

Hey, Tony: At the time of the hiring of Dick Jauron, it was suggested Cleveland knew where to get the players to change from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense. If/when the collective bargaining situation is resolved, won't there be many more free agents available than in previous years, due to the lead up to a potential labor conflict this year? Could that be what Holmgren, Heckert and Schurmur mean? Though free agency has not been any gold mine in the past, would the larger number of potential free agents make this a better year to find quality players? -- Wayne Hopewell, Colorado City, Colo.

Hey, Wayne: Everyone knows the April draft is strong in defensive linemen. They can pick up two linemen in the draft, one in free agency and perhaps another in trade. Free agency is the least desirable method because it's the most expensive and it's proven to not be a panacea. Very, very few are the free agents who go on to help their team to the Super Bowl. Reggie White and Charles Woodson come to mind, but there have been few in 18 years of NFL free agency.

Hey, Tony: The Super Bowl showed you can beat the Steelers and Ravens with the West Coast Offense. Now it's up to the front office to get the right players. What do you think is the top 3 positions to fill and who would you like to see us get? -- Joe Maloney, Saramento, Calif.

Hey, Joe: The obvious needs on offense are wide receiver (two) and running back. Think touchdowns. I can't give you names because it's not yet known if free agency will take place this year and which players would qualify.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerCris Carter has a Cavaliers jersey while being honored during the team's Black Heritaage Celebration, but he's yet to get a yellow blazer from Canton.

Hey, Tony: As a member on the Hall of Fame committee, can you explain why Cris Carter is not a HOF member yet? This just absolutely baffles me. -- Pete North, North Olmsted

Hey, Pete: He is deserving. But so were the seven members elected on Feb. 5. The problem most people don't consider is the bylaws of the Hall of Fame call for a minimum of four new members and a maximum of seven. When there are clearly more than seven deserving candidates, some will be shut out for another year. That's what's happened to Carter for two years now. What also hurt Carter was the logjam at receiver involving him, Andre Reed and Tim Brown. They seemed to divide votes among the 44 selectors. In the last meeting, there was a tad more support for Reed than for Carter. It's not all about the numbers, but Carter's are hard to ignore.

Hey, Tony: Would you agree that the success of the Green Bay franchise is a strong argument in favor of localized, public ownership, as opposed to the tradition of self-indulgent, absentee private ownership of sports teams? -- Steve Gaylo, Thompson

Hey, Steve: The Green Bay situation is unique. One reason is it's legislated to be unique. No other team in the NFL is allowed to have community/public ownership. But think about the concept and ask why doesn't the NFL allow it -- no single owner, accountability to shareholders, with all profits funneled back into team operations. Seems to me the way to go.

Hey, Tony: Presumably the Browns are switching to a 4-3 but I don't think anything has been formally announced. Is it possible that a reason might be that the staff is evaluating the talent on the roster and what's available via the draft before making this determination? -- Ken Knapp, Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Hey, Ken: No, I think the lack of any formal announcement has to do with the organization's continuing inability to recognize the importance of delivering its message and plan to its fan base. The head coach should have been making the media rounds by now. The assistant coaches should have been formally introduced by now. These easy steps would serve the team's fan base better than to have endless speculation about the new coach's plans. They are intending to field a 4-3 defense and a West Coast offense.

Hey, Tony: Do you see the Browns drafting a wideout as the first pick? -- Johnny D'ambrosia, Garfield Heights

Hey, Johnny: I see the Browns drafting a defensive lineman, though I reserve the right to change my mind.

Hey, Tony: Don't you think the fix was in with Shurmur signing? You said Holmgren wanted a young offensive lackey to mentor, so why a selection committee? Why Fewell? Holmgren had said he has know Shurmur for years and they spoke last season about QBs. Don't you think if Mangini had been let go last year that Shurmur would have been the lackey appointed then? What about the contract, did the lackey get more $$ than Mangini? -- Redd Schmitt, Erie, Pa.

Hey, Redd: Maybe Holmgren wanted Shurmur to get a second year of experience with the Rams as an offensive coordinator. Terms of Shurmur's contract have been kept under wraps so far. The going rate for a first-time head coach is about $9 million over four years. That would be less than what Mangini got.

Hey, Tony: Please don't predict that the Steelers are in decline again next season. I can't stand to see them in another Super Bowl! -- Walt Goodfield, Mentor

Hey, Walt: One of my all-time brain camps, I suppose.

Hey, Tony: I know that a lot of fans want the Browns to go with a WR in the first round, but I couldn't help to notice that no receivers from Green Bay were drafted any higher than the second round. Our receivers are second rounders for a reason. So I would have to think that talent-wise, they cant be much less or much more talented than Green Bay's receivers. Do you think our guys have the talent? Perhaps a change in offensive philosophy will show their true skills? -- David Johnson, Lorain

Hey, David: Yes, I believe the new offense being implemented will benefit the receivers and expose their true talent level. I think they're better than shown in the past offense. I'm not sure how much better, however.

Hey, Tony: The middle linebacker spot is one the most important cogs in any defensive scheme. In our current transition we lack not only depth, but players who could log significant playing time. Is this a more important need than people think? Tom Heckert seems to favor larger players at the position like Stewart Bradley, which makes players like Casey Matthews less likely. Any ideas what direction they are heading? -- Chris Zanon, Canton

Hey, Chris: You're right in saying the MLB spot -- or lack thereof -- is an important need under the radar. I think Heckert is totally aware of it and probably would fill that position with a veteran acquired in trade, free agency or release from another team. I agree that Casey Matthews is not a good fit in a 4-3.

Hey, Tony: Between articles and comments I see a lot of people say draft a QB. I want Colt to get his shot. With the Browns he has a ton of upside. Have you heard much about Tyrod Taylor of Virginia Tech? I think he would be a good fit in the West Coast. I'm not a Jake Locker fan; he lacks a lot of intangibles. -- Chris Cheney, Elyria

Hey, Chris: He's an interesting player -- extremely mobile, not quite as accurate as you'd like, and shorter than McCoy. A late-round prospect. Probably not the answer.

Hey, Tony: Any character issues with A.J. Green? By character issues I mean is he considered a diva like Braylon Edwards was coming out of college? I am aware that he missed several games for selling merchandise, but that doesn't really bother me as I see that as the player's personal property. It's the "I'm bigger than the team" attitude that truly worries me. -- Mike P, Mayfield Village

Hey, Mike: I will get a good read of Green from my personal observations at the NFL combine in Indianapolis later this month.

Hey, Tony: I'm not smart enough to know how strong a QB's arm needs to be, but watching Aaron Rodgers in the Super Bowl certainly raised arm strength questions. I'm wondering if Colt McCoy has the ability to zip short passes into tight spaces with enough speed to get the ball past an outstretched defender. It seems to me that with the coverage talent in our division, that's where arm strength is important (rather than deep routes). -- Stan Himes, West Des Moines, Iowa

Hey, Stan: You're right on point. Rodgers had Troy Polamalu spinning around this way and that way, one step late all game. I'm anxious to see McCoy perform in the new offense and hopeful it will maximize what he does well and limit what he doesn't or can't.

Hey, Tony: Once again I am sitting here after another Super Bowl watching someone elses team win and feeling super depressed. So I decided recently to put myself on a five-year plan where all the things I would like to see and have happen in my life kind of line up where I would like them to be -- this includes the Browns getting to the Super Bowl and (hopefully) winning it. If you were to make any kind of prediction on where you think the Browns might be as a team in five years, what do you see, and what are your expectations? -- Eric Myers, Victoria, Minn.

Hey, Eric: Good lord, I can't even correctly predict what they'll do in a given game, let alone five years down the road. I will say this: For Browns fans to see their team in a Super Bowl in five years, Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert are going to have to bat around .800 on every personnel decision they make. They also have to get lucky on a few players nobody expects to be big contributors. Like a future Josh Cribbs or Peyton Hillis.

Hey, Tony: You said Rodgers makes throws that McCoy may only dream about making. What throws were they? There is no doubt that Rodgers is an amazingly talented quarterback. But, the most impressive thing was his accuracy and hitting his receivers in stride. I believe McCoy has that ability and it should only get better as he gets more experience. McCoy is an accurate passer and can make the throws necessary to run the style of offense that Green Bay used to beat the Steelers. What am I missing? Is it strictly the lack of "arm strength" he supposedly doesn't have? -- Matthew Yoder, Newark, Del.

Hey, Matthew: Did you see Rodgers laser the ball through the small windows of Pittsburgh defenders? The 21-yard TD to Greg Jennings at the goal line? The 31-yard play to Jennings in the middle of the field on third-and-10 in the fourth quarter? None of Rodgers' passes hung and gave Pittsburgh defenders time to make plays on them. That's what I'm talking about.

Hey, Tony: What are the odds that the Browns go after any big name free agent? There are a ton of young, great players available on both sides of the ball. Stephen Tulloch or Tamba Hali could be cornerstones in the new defense. Then there's obviously WRs like Sidney Rice or Vincent Jackson. Come on Tony, give me some hope! -- Stan I, Solon

Hey, Stan: They would serve the team better by producing a great draft. Anything in free agency would be gravy, but I wouldn't occupy resources with veteran players in free agency. There's obviously a need for bodies at certain positions, but don't count on free agents to lift the team out of its abyss. Needs to happen through the draft.

Hey, Tony: I think the Browns should go with a corner with the #6 pick. Both Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara are rated even higher than Joe Haden was last year. I understand the pressing need on our D-line, but picking a corner could upgrade two, possibly three positions in one pick. Sheldon Brown is getting a bit slow to run with fast receivers. So the new corner takes over his starting job, Brown moves to safety in place of Abe Elam, and hopefully Eric Wright has a bounce back year playing nickel behind possibly the best young corner tandem in the league. Would I make a good GM? -- Dan I, Mayfield

Hey, Dan: I think cornerback is second on the list of urgent needs on defense behind defensive line. Wouldn't surprise me if they took one of the two CBs first if he is rated ahead of the DLs on their board.

Hey, Tony: Regarding the labor issue, what I feel isn't being talked about is the fact the salary cap may not be included in a new deal. I love the parity. Without it, I'm afraid we'll see the Redskins and Cowboys with $160 million salaries and the Bills and Bengals carrying only $35 million in salaries. Welcome to MLB. What are you hearing about the salary cap and what does the future of the NFL look like without it? -- John Benson, Brecksville

Hey, John: I'm assuming any new deal will reinstitute the salary cap. The future of the NFL does not look healthy without it.

Hey, Tony: Obviously the Browns need to keep building on quality drafts. Is there any chance the Browns go after free agents Woodley or Ngata? -- Mark Lasher, Bangor, Pa.

Hey, Mark: Any question about free agency is impossible to answer at this time. If this were a regular off-season, I would say, no, there's no chance either player will be available.

Hey, Tony: How do teams decide on signing a player off an opposing team's practice squad? Do scouts attend other teams practices? Word of mouth? Hunch? Old film? During a season you see a lot of turnover. -- Dave Martin, West Harrison, Ind.

Hey, Dave: Just about every player on every team's practice squad has been scouted in the pre-draft process by every other team. So everybody has a scouting report. Scouts do not attend other team's practices, but they may have old film of them from college or in training camp.

Hey, Tony: To help you muzzle all of the holdover Mangini fans, you should not only remind them of his awful record during his tenure, but also of his utter incompetence during the 2009 draft. Recall that he sent our No. 5 pick (Mark Sanchez) to the Jets for their No. 17 (Alex Mack), 52 (David Veikune) and scrap-heap Jets Elam, Ratliff and Coleman. Just two years and several roster cuts later and only Mack remains of that not-so genius trade. While I really like Mack, we could have had our QB of the future in Freeman or Sanchez. Heck we could have anchored our defense with studs BJ Raji and Clay Matthews Jr. Do my fellow fans have that low of a Football IQ that they don't realize that he was just a marginal head coach at best? -- Hoa, Los Angeles

Hey, Hoa: Amen, brother.

Hey, Tony: Why are you so in love with big arms? Didn't we just have a guy whose passes could cut through the gusty winds of Lake Erie but couldn't spell his name in D.A.? Isn't there more to playing the position than arm strength? -- Devin Hernan, Concord Township

Hey, Devin: Every Super Bowl, I come away with the same observation: The Browns don't have a guy that can make that throw. Do you want to reach the Super Bowl or merely be competitive? That's the question you have to answer at the quarterback position.

-- Tony

The Browns' move to a 4-3 defense is forcing several decisions on a roster that is destined for overhaul, says Terry Pluto.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerAs the Browns consider Ahtyba Rubin as their only certain starter on the defensive line in 2011, it made it easier for the front office to begin the housecleaning of the line during the past week, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The football season is over and no one knows whether there will be a 2011 campaign, but that doesn't mean that Terry isn't talkin' ...

About the Browns...

1. It appears the Browns were determined not only to switch to the West Coast offense, but team president Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert also wanted to bring in a 4-3 defense. Heckert's nine seasons with Andy Reid in Philadelphia were spent finding players for the 4-3, as opposed to the 3-4 played by former coaches Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini.

2. The Browns were very concerned about the condition and age of the defensive line. No matter what defense was played, the need for more and younger linemen is critical. That made it easy to change defenses. At the moment, the only certain starter on the line is Ahtyba Rubin, who will play one of the tackle spots. The front office and new coaches love his tenacity as much as Mangini did. They do think Brian Schaefering and Jayme Mitchell can help on the line.

3. When the Browns cut nose tackle Shaun Rogers, they saw a soon-to-be 32-year-old who was breaking down physically and under contract for $5.5 million (not guaranteed) in 2011. The high price made him untradeable. He played only 39 percent of the snaps last season. Defensive coordinator Dick Jauron had Rogers in Detroit, and those were not great times for "Big Baby." While Rogers did have some productive games, the Browns considered him too expensive and too injury prone.

4. Also cut were linebackers David Bowens (33) and Eric Barton (33). Age, price, physical condition and the fact that they aren't the ideal 4-3 linebackers led to them being cut. The Browns believe Chris Gocong can play middle linebacker -- he did so for Heckert in Philadelphia. They like Scott Fujita as a strongside linebacker, which he played in New Orleans. Marcus Benard may stick around as a pass rusher, either at linebacker or defensive end.

5. The Browns will need plenty of linemen and linebackers. Matt Roth was effective as a run-stopping outside linebacker in the 3-4. He'd have to play defensive end in the 4-3. Roth is now a free agent, and the Browns will have to decide if it makes sense to sign Roth and change his position -- or go find a true defensive end.

6. The Browns want the two defensive ends to be pass rushers. That's why they cut Kenyon Coleman (31). He is good against the run in the 3-4, but he projects as a defensive end in the 4-3 -- and the Browns don't like him as a pass rusher.

7. The Browns believe the offensive line needs one more veteran to play right tackle (replacing John St. Clair). They are pleased with Joe Thomas (LT), Eric Steinbach (LG) and Alex Mack (C). They think Shawn Lauvao is ready to take over at right guard. They do have Tony Pashos for right tackle and like him, but the but the 30-year-old Pashos has played only 11 games over the last two seasons because of injuries. Look for them to draft a young lineman, and sign a veteran.

8. While Steinbach will be 30 and is under a hefty contract at $6 million, the Browns (at least as of now) believe he is worth keeping. They also think there is real value in having Thomas, Steinbach and Mack all play together for a third consecutive season on the left side.

9. In case you were wondering, St. Clair led the Browns with eight penalties. Then came Rogers (7), Roth (6) and Mohammed Massaquoi (5).

10. Despite all the talk about the West Coast offense, the real story of the switch to the 4-3 is it's the defense that will have more new faces. The only certain starters are Sheldon Brown, Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, Fujita, Gocong and Rubin. Starting safety Abe Elam is a free agent, and he is viewed ideally as a backup by most teams. Heckert's experience has been finding players for a 4-3, and believes it's a little easier to do so than for the 3-4.

About the coaching staff...

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerNew Browns head coach Pat Shurmur (center) was hired by Mike Holmgren (left) and Tom Heckert with the understanding that Shurmur would be calling the offensive plays in 2011.

1. Part of the reason Pat Shurmur was hired is they wanted him to call the plays on offense. Holmgren did it in Green Bay and Seattle. Heckert worked for Andy Reid, who called the plays in Philadelphia. The Browns point out that in the last two Super Bowls, the winning head coaches called their own plays -- Sean Peyton with New Orleans and Mike McCarthy of Green Bay. They believe Shurmur as a play caller will make the Browns better. This is the approach of this front office to offense.

2. No matter who has the title, the guy calling the plays is the offensive coordinator. Rather than pretend otherwise, the Browns decided just make Mark Whipple the quarterback coach. He will work closely with Colt McCoy, and he will help formulate game plans with Shurmur.

3. Not much has been said about new receivers coach Mike Wilson, but the Browns believe he is a key hire. Wilson was a receiver for 10 years with the San Francisco 49ers. He had been a receivers coach at USC, Oakland and the Arizona Cardinals. His last stop was Las Vegas of the UFL. While he has not been in the NFL lately, the Browns believe his experience as a pro receiver and coach can make an impact on a weak area. Keep in mind that I am giving you the Browns' view of how they assembled their coaches.

4. The Browns kept offensive line coach George Warhop, who is highly regarded. To help with the adjustment to the 4-3, they brought in 20-year veteran defensive line coach Dwaine Board. His last stop was Oakland, but he was with Holmgren in Seattle before that.

About the Tribe...

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerIt is apparent that the Indians are entering spring training with the hope that Jason Donald will win the third-base job in 2011, allowing the franchise's infield prospects a few more months of seasoning in the minors.

1. I hear the Indians are talking to Kenny Lofton about coming to spring training to tutor Michael Brantley and some of the other outfielders. He also will work on base running. He will join his former manager Mike Hargrove, who will be around all season as a special assistant to team president Mark Shapiro.

2. When I heard about the Indians signing Orlando Cabrera to play second, it seemed like a poor move. Between Jayson Nix, Jason Donald, Jason Kipnis and Cord Phelps ... the only second base candidate not named Jason ... it seemed the Indians were set at second. But the Indians also view Cabrera as a super utility infielder.

3. The Tribe thinks Donald could open at third. He has worked at the position for much of the winter with Steve Smith, the team's infield coach. Smith has been pleased with how Donald has performed, but the real test is game conditions -- because so many plays at third are so quick, it's hard to recreate them in drills.

4. Even though he hasn't played third, the Indians believe Cabrera can handle the position in a pinch. It's the same thinking about converting Donald -- that a shortstop can move to second or third because those are less-demanding positions.

5. If I had to pick someone to be a utility man between Luis Valbuena, Nix and Orlando Cabrera, I'll go with Cabrera because he has won two Gold Gloves and can catch a ground ball. I wish I could close my eyes and wake up to see Lonnie Chisenhall at third, with either Kipnis or Phelps at second. That's when the Indians are getting somewhere in putting together an infield for the next few years.

6. Some fans are wondering why the Indians don't open with Orlando Cabrera at short (where he's rated above average) and Asdrubal Cabrera at second, his best position. That's because they believe Phelps or Kipnis will be at second as soon as July, and then they'd have to move Asdrubal Cabrera back to short. There is enough shifting around the infield without adding Asdrubal Cabrera to the game of musical chairs.

7. The Indians are talking about the merits of opening the season with Lou Marson at Class AAA, where he can be a regular. They were surprised at how his offense disappeared last season -- batting only .195 (.560 OPS). At Columbus, he batted only .202 in 125 plate appearances. Marson is a career .269 hitter (.750 OPS) in the minors. At 24, they don't want to have him be a backup, playing only once or twice a week. He did lead all AL catchers in throwing out 34 percent of steal attempts.

8. If the Indians do farm out Marson, they will go with Luke Carlin or Paul Phillips as a backup. Carlin is 30, a career .252 hitter in the minors. He was 5-of-14 for the Tribe last season. The other option is Phillips, who will be 34 in April. He has 221 career big league at-bats scattered over seven seasons.

About the Cavaliers...

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerThis fourth-quarter block of the Clippers' sensational Blake Griffin may have been the defining play of the Cavaliers' first win in 27 games -- and of J.J. Hickson's young career.

1. Remember when J.J. Hickson was feuding with Byron Scott, and how it hit bottom when the coach benched his young big man for skipping a practice on Jan. 5? Remember when Hickson thought Scott didn't like him, while Scott was talking about administering tough love so that Hickson would rebound and defend? Can we agree that if nothing else has come out of this 26-game losing streak, Hickson has developed toughness and suddenly looks like an impact player?

2. It began in January, when Hickson took over for the injured Anderson Varejao at center. He averaged 13.3 points and -- more impressive --10.9 rebounds. In February, it's 20.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 54 percent shooting. Yes, his playing time increased from 20 minutes in December to 29 minutes in January to 37 minutes this month. But Scott's point was that he wanted Hickson to earn it.

3. It's worth mentioning that Hickson is only 22, that he would be a senior at N.C. State had he remained in school. Like other Cavs, he developed an excessive sense of entitlement playing with LeBron James in the last two seasons, when both the winning and the baskets (from James' passes) came easy. Now, everything is harder -- and Hickson is maturing. At 6-9 and 242 pounds, he usually defends a taller, heavier player each night. He is now doing it well.

4. ESPN's Ric Bucher wrote: "Likeliest [to get traded is] Antawn Jamison. Cavs will try to deal him, but if it doesn't happen I would expect a buyout. The team likeliest to sign him after that is New Orleans right now. They need a stretch 4 and he would be perfect."

5. Can Jamison be traded? Certainly. But the Cavs have no intention of taking back a player on a longer contract just to move Jamison. He is paid $14 million this season, and $15 million next year. They have no intention of buying him out to become a free agent paying him not to play for them. They like Jamison as a person and think he can still help as a player. Some nights when Mo Williams was hurt, the only guys scoring were Jamison and Ramon Sessions.

6. In December, Jamison played 33 minutes a game (17.7 points., 5.3 rebounds, 44 percent). In January, it was 36 minutes (21.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 42 percent). In February, its nearly 40 minutes (22.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 41 percent). Its obvious that Scott is playing the power forward more to win a game, but 40 minutes is too much for a 35-year-old veteran with a cranky knee. His defense also slips when he is tired.

7. Part of the reason Jamison plays so much is the lack of big men. The starting center is Hickson, who really is a power forward. Jamison starts at power forward. It would be nice if Ryan Hollins could be productive, but the 7-footer just doesn't rebound. He is averaging 2.3 rebounds in 13 minutes. For his six-year career, its 2.2 for 12.1 minutes. Per minute, he is one of the worst-rebounding centers. He ranked 63rd of 66 centers last season, and is right in that area again.

The trade deadline is nearing, and fans want to know if the Cavaliers might pull off a deal.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerIt's understandable that fans were thrilled by the Cavaliers finally breaking the 26-game losing streak, but one fan's optimism might be a little over the top.

Hey, Mary: In watching the past several games, I feel like there might be hope for this team after all. I've watched J.J. Hickson play more consistently, by not only scoring but rebounding as well.

Manny Harris seems to be getting more comfortable in the offense and is showing he can become an effective scorer in this league.

Ramon Sessions has displayed more leadership and toughness while doing a better job of scoring and getting his teammates involved.

Christian Eyenga seems like he could become a defensive specialist with his length and athleticism.

Do you get the feeling that management is seeing the same thing? If so, do we try to build around this core group of young players? -- Eric Sulzer, Columbus

Hey, Eric: Except for Hickson, I see these youngsters as possible role players more than the core to build around. They've all gotten way more playing time than expected because of all the injuries, and they've all had their ups and downs. But they do have upside and likely will be a part of the team going forward. I see Hickson, Anderson Varejao and Daniel Gibson, plus a future No. 1 draft choice or two, as the core of the team.

Hey, Mary: Going into this basketball season, I was really excited about UNC freshman Harrison Barnes. So was the [Associated Press], since they put him on the Preseason All-America First Team before he ever played a college game. The 6-8 swingman seemed a tantalizing replacement for "he who shall not be named." Barnes had a rough start to his college career but now looks a lot like the player the world thought he was before the season. Can Barnes play his way back onto the Cavs' radar -- even if they pick first? -- Jack Bacevice, Cleveland

Hey, Jack: Everybody's in play at this point. The Cavs are researching any and all options.

View full sizeBill Kostroun / Associated PressWith the Knicks supposedly needing a third party to help in a Carmelo Anthony trade, could the Cavaliers get involved and end up with a player like Wilson Chandler?

Hey, Mary: I get the fact that the Cavs don't want to trade just for trading and every NBA expert analyst keeps saying the Cavs will build through the draft, but don't you think there are players out there now that they can acquire and use as part of the rebuilding process? Would it make sense for them to get into the Carmelo Anthony to New York trade? They have three small forwards (Danilo Galinari, Wilson Chandler and Anthony Randolph) that are better than any small forward on the Cavs and probably better than any small forward in the draft. -- Howard Boles, Peyton, Colo.

Hey, Howard: I don't think the Cavs have the sort of assets right now that are going to net much help. That's why they're not in the discussions about Carmelo Anthony.

Hey, Mary: While it's bad, I'm glad we are not panicking and making dumb moves just to make them, like trading away some pieces that may get small return now but will kill us in the end.

That said, with O.J. Mayo looking like he's at rock-bottom low prices, I think the Cavs should make a move here -- Anthony Parker, Daniel Gibson and the Heat's first-round and/or Cavs' second-round pick. Then use the top-four pick on a point guard (Duke's Kyrie Irving), which you know coach Byron Scott wants. You would then have a solid starting team of Irving, Mo Williams and/or Mayo, J.J. Hickson and Anderson Varejao, with Ramon Sessions, Mo (if not starting), Manny Harris, Christian Eyenga, Leon Powe, Ryan Hollins and maybe some trades or free agents coming off the bench.

Then we still have the option to trade Antawn Jamison and/or Mo for further help, maybe a short-term small forward until Eyenga is ready for his big chance. I think this would help us now, and this core group could have the Cavs in the eighth position next year and contending for the future. -- Chris Hudson, Columbus

Hey, Chris: The short answer is I don't see the Cavs trying to get O.J. Mayo.

Hey, Mary: I'm getting tired of the media continually stating the Cavs' poor record is the sole result of LeBron James leaving. He left, but they didn't re-sign Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Shaquille O'Neal, so the Cavs began the season without any inside presence. Then they have had numerous injuries, missing Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao for most of the games.

What team can lose five out of its top eight players, one being a superstar, and compete? I believe that the loss of LeBron hurt, but with those other four players the Cavs would at least be a 30-win team. Am I right or wrong? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: I wrote a story last week about the media underestimating the loss of Shaq and Z. I don't know how many more victories the Cavs would have with them, but things would be a lot different, that's for sure.

Hey, Mary: People seem to think lately that coach Byron Scott is going to get fired after this season. I don't agree. This season has not been all his fault. They are trying their hardest. I am a huge fan, and I know they will win again! I think coach Scott has been great for the Cavaliers during this time when they need someone like him to be supportive and he has some great ideas for this team and believes in them. Do you think there are any plans to fire coach Scott? -- Danielle, North Canton

Hey, Danielle: Byron Scott will not be fired after the season. The Cavs are firmly behind him.

Hey, Mary: First of all, when the local news shows highlights of the Cavs at their practice court, they typically just show them shooting free throws. Do they actually practice running plays? We're really not witnessing much of a planned offense come game time, let alone a Princeton offense.

Secondly, a successful defense is based primarily on effort, yet many of the players who are just trying to stay in the league show an amazing lack of effort. Do guys like Ryan Hollins and Samardo Samuels understand that? How many easy layups from the opposing team slashing to the rim before someone makes a hard foul and demonstrates they're willing to defend the paint? -- Joe Jirgal, Westlake

Hey, Joe: Well, Joe, you've hit the nail on the head. I don't get to see any more of practice than the cameramen are showing, but I will assume they run plays. Sometimes it is hard to tell what they're trying to do offensively or defensively. Clearly, they are not giving a maximum effort on either end of the court, and hard fouls apparently are a thing of the past. I miss them, too.

Hey, Mary: Can you settle an office bet for me? What would the Cavs' record be this season through 50 games if the team was exactly the same as it is now (injuries, rookies playing, and new coach/system) with LeBron James on the team? This would give them a starting five of Ramon Sessions, Manny Harris, James, Antawn Jamison and J.J. Hickson with the current cast of castoffs coming off the bench. -- Mike Conway, Shaker Heights

Hey, Mike: Geez, Mike, I hope you didn't bet the house. There's no way to come up with an actual answer to that. I've spent hours trying to research stuff like win scores and win shares, but I just can't calculate it. All I know is they'd have more than eight victories.

-- Mary

By Jason Reid, The Washington Post We know one of them has to win. Even the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers can't lose again tonight -- because they face each other. But it's now must-win time for Washington. It's the first game of the John Wall era the Wizards cannot afford to lose. A potential defining moment of an...

By Jason Reid, The Washington Post

We know one of them has to win. Even the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers can't lose again tonight -- because they face each other.

But it's now must-win time for Washington. It's the first game of the John Wall era the Wizards cannot afford to lose.

View full sizeHarry E. Walker / MCTOutstanding rookie point guard John Wall leads the Washington Wizards -- 0-25 on the road this season -- into The Q tonight to take on the Cavs.

A potential defining moment of an otherwise wasted season is within the Wizards' grasp at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. After 26 straight losses away from Verizon Center -- including 25 this season -- Washington still hasn't established a floor on the road as it continues the long process of rebuilding.

Sometimes, simply being better than the next guy is enough. If Cleveland is your upcoming opponent, being better than the next guy is a must.

"It's sad to say, but it's one of those games you can't lose," Wizards guard Nick Young said.

The Wizards haven't had any in that category for some time. Even their recent victory over Milwaukee at Verizon Center doesn't qualify. The Wizards ended a losing streak at eight games, but their futility on the road could present long-term problems. And today's game might be Washington's best opportunity for a road win this season.

The Wizards' road losing streak is the NBA's third longest of all time (Sacramento tops this list with 43 straight). If the Wizards can display progress on the road, starting with a victory over Cleveland, and Wall's psyche isn't damaged from all the losses in his rookie season, team President Ernie Grunfeld and coach Flip Saunders should view the season as a success.

Winning on the road separates the good teams from the bad in the NBA, and "I do think once we win one road game, we're gonna settle down," Saunders said. "We'll play with a lot more confidence and be able to win some others on the road."

Today's game should be the one. It could provide the spark.

Effort and execution generally are a formula for success on a team's home court in the NBA. Not so on the road. Winning on the road in this league is all about star power. Finishers make the difference. Those are the guys who can score late in games, when defenses tighten with outcomes undecided, or get favorable calls from referees when they can't.

The elite teams have two or more proven finishers. Good teams have at least one. The Wizards have none.

Wall is a future star point guard who should eventually receive preferential treatment from referees, possibly as early as next season, but he's still learning he doesn't always have to show he's the fastest person on the court with the ball in his hands. Referees generally won't reward rookies while they're still refining things, and the immensely talented Wall is a work in progress.

The opponents' home-court advantage today won't be as tilted as usual against the Wizards because the Cavaliers are, well, the Cavaliers. Cleveland has the league's worst record only a season after having its best.

But the Cavaliers haven't given up. They proved as much in ending their losing streak in overtime against the Clippers on Friday night. Now, the Cavaliers don't want the Wizards' road streak to end on their floor. The Wizards have to expect a fight. And they need to show they're ready for one.

"A lot of our young guys have not been in pressure, playoff-type situations," Saunders said. "This is as close to a playoff game because of the pressure from both teams. You're gonna see how guys would react."

Washington is a long way from the playoffs, but the point is understood. It's time the Wizards accomplished something on the road.

Since misery loves company, it's only fair the Cavs tied but didn't break the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' record for futility, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

View full sizeAP file photoThe legacy of John McKay's one-liners about futility won't be left to the historical scrap heap now that the Buccaneers' 26-game losing streak remains tied with the Cavaliers for sports ineptitude, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Unfortunately, the Bucs legacy stopped here...

Since misery loves company, it's only appropriate the Cavaliers tied but didn't break the Tampa Bay Buccaneers record of 26 consecutive losses.

A longer losing streak subjecting the Cavaliers to stand-alone historical ineptitude would've been patently unfair to the team and its fans. And not nearly as entertaining as the 1976 and 1977 seasons were in Tampa thanks to head coach John McKay.

Everyone remembers McKay's line when asked what he thought of his team's execution after one of many ridiculously bad losses. Said McKay, "I'm in favor of it."

Not only didn't we have McKay around for comic relief, the fact the Cavs' free-fall followed seasons of 66 and 61 wins, respectively, made it far more cruel and unusual punishment than anything suffered in Tampa during the first couple seasons of expansion.

In fact, if the Cavaliers have designs on starting another streak in which they become an irresistible farce either Sunday against Washington or Wednesday against the Lakers, they need to make a change.

Don't fire Byron Scott. Just bring in whoever is headlining at Hilarities to handle the post-game press conference.

The Bucs and McKay will be tough to match in that regard, too, but we deserve the honest attempt:

• When McKay heard kicker Pete Rajecki say he was nervous about McKay watching him in the 1976 preseason, the coach said, "That's unfortunate, as I plan on attending all the games."

• McKay once told the media, "You guys don't know the difference between a football and a bunch of bananas." After a media member delivered a case of bananas to McKay, the following week McKay said, "You guys don't know the difference between a football and a Mercedes-Benz."

• After coaching in a 51-0 loss in college, McKay walked into the locker room and said, "Those who need showers, take them" -- a line that would've been perfect for Scott on Dec. 2.

In McKay's fourth season, Tampa played for the conference championship. So there you go.

Cavs-Heat in the conference finals in four years and everything is forgiven.

Only Rex Ryan and Dana Carvey's Church Lady would call Mark Sanchez "special" in this context...

Not surprisingly, Jets' coach Ryan thinks Sanchez can handle the spotlight after a Deadspin.com report about the Jets' quarterback's alleged relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Ryan made his own non-sports-related headlines -- if you remember the video of a woman who looked like his wife showing off her feet and a man who sounded like Ryan showing his admiration for them.

"Not everybody can play quarterback in this town," Ryan told the New York Post when asked about Sanchez. "It takes a special person."

Ryan apparently forgot to add, "And I hope he has a special night at the senior prom."

View full sizeJohn Bazemore / Associated PressIt's not true that the NCAA has rule Wake Forest's Kevin Jordan ineligible for receiving an "improper benefit" when coach Tom Walter (left) donated a kidney to the ailing baseball player last week. It only seems logical that the NCAA would intercede in some bureaucratic way.

Look, kid, I can't promise you a spot in the order if you come here but I can offer you an internal organ

Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter donated a kidney to a freshman player. But not before Todd Hairston, the school's associate athletic director for compliance, made sure that didn't qualify as an "extra benefit."

Tell me again, why do people think the NCAA rule book is expanding faster than the universe?

SPINOFFS

A down year for Josh Cribbs somehow didn't stop him from winning the Professional Athlete of the Year at the Cleveland Sports Awards. In unrelated news, Black Eyed Peas was voted Best 2011 Super Bowl Halftime Performance...

Undeterred by the Albert Haynesworth Experience, the Redskins have shown interest in former Browns' stationary bike rider Shaun Rogers...

The Detroit Pistons will retire the eccentric Dennis Rodman's No. 10 during a halftime ceremony. On his 30th birthday in 1991, Rodman invited me out to the parking lot to see his birthday present. In the back of a pickup truck decked out to resemble a lunar rover sat a new pair of roller blades.

Rodman did not say if he'd be spending the rest of the day at Chucky Cheese or just part of it...

HE (ALMOST) SAID IT

"That's part of the roster shaping. I think that will become obvious soon." -- Browns coach Pat Shurmur on whether the team will officially switch from the 3-4 to the 4-3.

HE (SORT OF) SAID IT

"It would be the logical assumption." -- Shurmur on whether Colt McCoy would be the Browns starting QB in 2011.

If the Browns show half the creativity Shurmur does in finding ways not to say yes, this could be a big year offensively.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

(The Face-off)

Thad Matta and Karl Malden -- Tim Corbett

Lloyd Carr and Malden -- Jack Chase

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"Blame it on early morning grogginess, but looking at Saturday's PD front page, why are the Egyptians so ecstatic that the Cavs won Friday's game?" -- Jeffrey Rosati

Lamb Chalupas?

"Bud:

"If there is a lockout, will Aaron Rodgers replace Brett Favre on Dancing With The Stars?" -- Michael Sarro

Not sure. I just know when Favre tells Rodgers to "break a leg," he means it.

"Hey Bud:

"After turning the Cavs into a contender, does LeBron only need one more miracle to become a saint?" -- Mike Hlatky

Not in his mind.

"Bud:

"Shaun Rogers, $23M for three seasons, snubbed by his coach, then dumped. What a tragedy! As grossly underpaid as he was, how could the poor guy be expected to "buy into" their program. I hope the PD doesn't treat you in the same despicable manner." -- Dale, Medina.

Like Eric Mangini about missing Rogers at the Cleveland Sports Awards, the editor of the PD once claimed not to see me at a company picnic. And we were in a three-legged race together.

"Hey Bud:

"I heard the Boxing Hall of Fame is inducting Rocky Balboa? What's next, Jackie Moon of the Tropics being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame?" -- Lance (END ITAL)According to Vegas odds, Jackie has a significantly better chance than Jamario Moon.

"Bud:

"When both of Washington's basketball franchises square off Sunday, who are you going to root for: The Wizards or the Generals?" -- Jeff Bing, Westlake

A quick game.

"Bud:

"What seed will the Cavs be in this year's NCAA tournament? And how many on the Cavs' current roster will declare for the upcoming NBA draft?" -- Dave M, Brunswick

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

"Voice of Reason:

"I see where concerning All-Star weekend, LeBron says he understands there is an important game to be played, but it's more important for him to take care of business. Isn't that the same approach he used in Game 5?" -- Dan Okress

Repeat winners receive an elbow wrap.

A quick look at the AL Central as spring training gets started.

View full sizeAlex Brandon / Associated PressJake Peavy is not a sure thing to start the season with the White Sox following off-season surgery, but if healthy would be a big boost to the Chicago rotation.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A quick look at the AL Central as spring training gets started.

1. Chicago White Sox

2010 record: 88-74, second place.

Key additions: 1B/DH Adam Dunn, 1B/DH Paul Konerko, C A.J Pierzynski, RHP Jesse Crain, LHP Will Ohman.

Key departures: RHP Bobby Jenks, RHP J.J. Putz, RHP Scott Linebrink, OF Andruw Jones, DH Manny Ramirez, RHP Freddy Garcia, 1B/OF Mark Kotsay.

The skinny: If Jake Peavy is 100 percent, the Twins won't be able to overtake the White Sox this year.

Favorite stat: Chicago lefty Mark Buehrle and Tampa Bay right-hander James Shields allowed the most hits in the AL with 246 each.

Leaders: Paul Konerko led Chicago in batting average (.312), homers (39), RBI (111) and on-base percentage (.393). John Danks led in wins (15), ERA (3.72) and strikeouts (162).

2. Minnesota Twins

2010 record: 94-68, first place.

Key additions: RHP Carl Pavano, DH Jim Thome, INF Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Key departures: RHP Jesse Crain, RHP Matt Guerrier, 2B Orlando Hudson, SS J.J. Hardy, LHP Brian Fuentes, RHP Jon Rauch, INF Nick Punto, LHP Ron Mahay.

The skinny: The Twins need healthy seasons from Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn.

Favorite stat: Carl Pavano and Cliff Lee tied for the AL lead with seven complete games.

Leaders: Delmon Young led the Twins in hits (170) and RBI (112). Francisco Liriano led in ERA (3.62) and strikeouts (201).

View full sizeMichael Dwyer / Associated PressVictor Martinez may fit Detroit's DH role more than as a catcher, but the Tigers know that the former Indian is good for at least 20 homers and 80 RBI.

3. Detroit Tigers

2010 record: 81-81, third place.

Key additions: RF Magglio Ordonez, SS Jhonny Peralta, 3B Brandon Inge, C/1B/DH Victor Martinez, RHP Joaquin Benoit, RHP Brad Penny.

Key departures: C Gerald Laird, RHP Zach Miner, LF Johnny Damon.

The skinny: Manager Jim Leyland says his job is on the line this season because of the money owner Mike Ilitch invested in the club this off-season.

Favorite stat: Armando Galarraga, traded to Arizona, faced the Indians three times last year. They hit .114 (8-for-70) against him with 11 strikeouts and four walks.

Leaders: Miguel Cabrera led the Tigers in batting average (.328), runs (111), doubles (45), homers (38), RBI (126) and on-base percentage (.420). Justin Verlander led in wins (18), strikeouts (219), ERA (3.37) and innings pitched (224 1/3).

4. Cleveland Indians

2010 record: 69-93, fourth place.

Key additions: OF Austin Kearns, INF Orlando Cabrera, SS Adam Everett, OF Travis Buck, RHP Doug Mathis.

Key departures: 1B/3B Andy Marte.

The skinny: For the last three years the Indians have been rebuilding by trading their established veterans for prospects. With few veterans left, it's time to see if the prospects such as Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Carlos Carrasco and Jason Donald can play.

Favorite stat: The Indians had identical 9-9 records against Chicago and Detroit.

Leaders: Shin-Soo Choo led the Indians in batting average (.300), homers (22), RBI (90), on-base percentage (.401) and hits (165). Fausto Carmona led in wins (13) and ERA (3.77).

5. Kansas City Royals

2010 record: 67-95, fifth place.

Key additions: SS Alcides Escobar, CF Lorenzo Cain, RF Jeff Francoeur, RHP Vin Mazzaro, OF Melky Cabrera, LHP Jeff Francis, 3B Pedro Feliz, LHP Bruce Chen.

Key departures: RHP Zack Greinke, SS Yuniesky Betancourt, OF David DeJesus, RHP Bryan Bullington, RHP Philip Humber, 3B Josh Fields, RHP Brian Bannister, RHP Gil Meche.

The skinny: The Royals seem content to wait for a wave of prospects led by third baseman Mike Moustakas to lead them to the promised land. After finishing last in the AL Central for five of the last seven years, they could use the help.

Favorite stat: Joakim Soria had 25 saves and a 2.31 ERA before the All-Star break and 18 saves and a 1.17 ERA afterward.

Leaders: Billy Butler led the Royals in batting average (.318), on-base percentage (.388) and hits (189). Soria led in saves (43).

Things didn't get any easier this off-season for the Indians in the AL Central. The Twins, White Sox and Tigers spent big money to improve. The Indians, following 93 losses last year, are counting on improvement from the players they already have.

View full sizeM. Spencer Green / Associated PressThe White Sox wanted to add punch to their lineup, and Adam Dunn brings 116 homers over the last three seasons to the south side of Chicago.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Things change. Gas could be $4 a gallon by summer. Hough Bakeries closed, marking the disappearance of the greatest chocolate cake in history.

And the AL Central is no longer an example of parity.

The Twins, White Sox and Tigers will each open the 2011 season with payrolls over $100 million. Blinded by the roostertail of cash spewing from the engines of those teams, the Indians and Royals have lost contact with the rest of the field.

The Indians are expected to have a payroll of between $45 million and $50 million. The Royals could pay their players between $35-$40 million after trading former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and the retirement of Gil Meche, who refused the $12.5 million still owed him for this season.

"There is no division in baseball that has complete payroll parity," said Indians GM Chris Antonetti. "Based on what we've seen, it is cyclical in nature.

"That being said, I think the AL Central remains one of the most competitive divisions in the game based on the number of different division champions there have been in the last 10 years."

From 2001 through 2010, three of the Central's five teams have won all 10 division titles. The Twins have won six, the Indians two and Chicago two. In 2008 and 2009 there was a two-way tie for first place at the end of the regular season. Each year an extra game was played with Chicago beating the Twins in 2008 and the Twins beating Detroit in 2009.

"Payroll has never assured anybody a division title or a World Series," said manager Manny Acta. "Baseball has shown that over the last 10 years.

View full sizeJim Mone / Associated Press"We feel we'll be significantly improved by returning two of the best players at their positions in Grady Sizemore and Carlos Santana (above)," says new Indians GM Chris Antonetti.

"Does it help? Yes. Does it guarantee it? No. In our division, the Twins have shown that even before Target Field opened."

The Twins didn't approach a $100 million payroll until they moved into their new ballpark, Target Field, in 2010.

Still, as Acta said, money has its advantages. The White Sox spent over $115 million this winter in re-signing Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski and adding free agents Adam Dunn, Jesse Crain and Will Ohman. Dunn signed a four-year, $56 million deal. Konerko returned for three years and $37.5 million.

Detroit spent almost $100 million for Victor Martinez, Joaquin Benoit, Jhonny Peralta, Brandon Inge and Magglio Ordonez. Peralta, Inge and Ordonez were re-signed by the Tigers. Martinez, like Peralta a former Indian, was the big catch. He signed a four-year, $50 million deal.

The defending champion Twins retained free agents Carl Pavano (two years, $16.5 million) and Jim Thome (one year, $3 million), while signing Japanese infielder Tsuhoshi Nishioka to a three-year, $9 million deal. They did lose several members of their bullpen to free agency.

Kansas City's big move was trading Greinke to Milwaukee for prospects because he wanted out and the Royals knew they couldn't keep him long enough to coincide with their emerging minor-league talent. They did sign free-agent outfielders Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera and re-signed Bruce Chen, their winningest pitcher from last year.

The Indians spent their second straight winter ignoring free agency. They signed outfielder Austin Kearns and infielder Orlando Cabrera to one-year deals. Like the Royals, they are counting on internal help.

"There are a number of good teams in this division that significantly improved over the winter," said Antonetti. "We feel we'll be significantly improved by returning two of the best players at their positions in Grady Sizemore and Carlos Santana. They're not external additions, but we didn't have them for much of last year because of injuries."

Sizemore played 33 games last year before undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. Santana, a catcher who started at Class AAA Columbus, had his rookie season stopped after 46 games when he injured his left knee in a collision at the plate in August.

"We feel similarly about Asdrubal Cabrera," said Antonetti of his starting shortstop, who fractured his left forearms and played 97 games in 2010. "We are confident that this team, the youngest in baseball at the end of last season, is collectively going to step forward."

Good health vs. millions in cold, hard cash. Hey, at least it's a plan.

"We need to stay healthy, we can't afford to lose any of our key guys," said Acta. "Our depth can't compare to the days when Brian Giles and Richie Sexson were sitting on the bench. ... At least not yet.

"We need contributions from everybody in our lineup, especially our younger guys."

The Indians must pitch as well. The staff had a good second half last year, but there are two halves to a season.

"Our goal and expectations are to win championships. We're working toward that," said Antonetti.

Needing 21 points to eclipse Smith, Lavender was 12-of-22 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line in a victory over Minnesota.

View full sizeTerry Gilliam / Associated PressOhio State's Jantel Lavender became the Buckeyes' all-time top scorer in women's basketball with a 29-point effort in OSU's victory Sunday over Minnesota.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State senior Jantel Lavender passed Katie Smith as Ohio State's all-time leading scorer Sunday, putting up 29 points in the Buckeyes' 83-76 win at Minnesota.

Needing 21 points to eclipse Smith, Lavender was 12-of-22 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line, giving her 2,587 career points, second in the Big Ten behind the 2,919 of Penn State's Kelly Mazzante.

The Cleveland Central Catholic grad was already the all-time Big Ten leader in rebounds, and she had nine more against the Golden Gophers.

Talking about the scoring record last week, Lavender said she first became aware of Smith's points total last season.

"By that time I had about 2,100 points," Lavender said, "and I thought, 'I can get that.'"

Now she has it. The win was the second straight for the Buckeyes, who are playing better after their win Thursday broke a three-game losing streak. They are now 15-9 overall and 6-6 in the Big Ten, in seventh place in the conference.

The Mike Holmgren-Tom Heckert Era is off to an unneccesarily slow and curious start and now there's a lockout looming, writes sports columnist Bud Shaw.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerMike Holmgren may well have gotten the right coach in Pat Shurmur, but Bud Shaw wonders if an extra year spent on the bad fit between Holmgren and Eric Mangini was worth it to the franchise.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The more you hear Tom Heckert and Mike Holmgren talk, the more you wonder how far behind the curve the Browns really are with a lockout looming.

The more you wonder if keeping Eric Mangini for a season was a complete waste of time or just a big one.

OK, that's old ground. But as the first major decision of the Holmgren-Heckert regime, it's fair to launch the discussion there and ask what they've done since -- except for their first draft -- that inspires the kind of confidence that soared the day Holmgren joined the organization.

The doom and gloom on the labor front adds to the consternation. Instead of one season treading water, we could have a second one where the owners order everybody out of the pool and no one learns to swim The Holmgren Way.

But who didn't see a lockout coming?

For the sake of financially and spiritually over-invested Browns' fans, the transition from the old coach everyone knew was a philosophical misfit to the new coach nobody heard of does offer some positives.

With Holmgren, Heckert and now Pat Shurmur, the coach and front office being on the same page is no longer a concern. Browns' fans hope they're also speed readers.

An owners' lockout of players helps nobody. But it's difficult to imagine a lockout hurting a team more than the Browns as they attempt to introduce a new head coach, coaching staff, offensive system, defensive system ... am I missing anything else?

To be fair, some redeeming elements littered the 2010 season. Few, though, were specific to having Mangini as head coach instead of Holmgren's and Heckert's hand-picked successor.

Heckert proved the good drafts in Philadelphia during his tenure had as much to do with him as they did Eagles' head coach Andy Reid. Holmgren stepped forward in the third round to throw his support behind Colt McCoy, who should go into training camp (if there is one) as the starting quarterback.

But there was not nearly enough common ground between a head coach and front office with philosophical differences great and small to expect any real organizational development.

How much would Mangini need to win to become the creative, West Coast kind of guy of Holmgren's dreams? Answer: short of going to the playoffs -- which Holmgren and Heckert had to know was next to impossible -- his firing was inevitable.

Heckert addressed several issues in Sunday's PD, including the trade of running back Jerome Harrison. The GM said the running back depth was "good for a while" but that "once Eric wanted us to get rid of Jerome, that's when it started [going bad]."

So why did they do it? To support their coach? A coach they didn't believe was the right guy?

The Browns stockpiled receivers they didn't use. The passing game languished as Holmgren and Heckert had to suspect it might.

They acquired Jayme Mitchell from Minnesota as a nickel pass rusher in October. The seventh-round pick they traded isn't the main issue. Despite spending the season on the active roster, Mitchell never playing a down is the point. Even Heckert called that one "bizarre."

What an untenable situation all around.

Now comes a new season. Or no season.

They are betting on harmony trumping Mangini's head coaching experience. And Shurmur's head coaching inexperience. They are betting on the wealth of shared knowledge in the West Coast offense being greater than the sum of Shurmur's two years of play calling.

Can it happen? The reputations of Holmgren and Heckert say it can.

But the 2010 season is hardly proof of that.

With an unbeaten season off the table, Ohio State's focus is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which is well within reach.

View full sizeOrlin Wagner / Associated PressKansas fans knew that Ohio State's Saturday loss to Wisconsin could elevate the Jayhawks to No. 1 when the new rankings come out this week.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When the new Top 25 rankings are released Monday, Ohio State should land no lower than No. 4 and could remain as high as No. 2, behind the presumptive new top team, 24-1 Kansas.

Actually, the Buckeyes still make a pretty good case for No. 1, with six wins in seven games against top 50 RPI teams, including four on the road.

After the Buckeyes' loss at Wisconsin Saturday, new RPI ratings on Sunday on CBSSports.com still had them at No. 3, behind the Jayhawks and two-loss BYU, and the Buckeyes, Jayhawks and San Diego State are the only one-loss teams in the country.

Not that it matters. As Purdue coach Matt Painter said when talking about Ohio State after losing to the Buckeyes three weeks ago, "I don't think rankings are that important. But seeds are."

Now that the fun of the unbeaten chase is over, what matters to Ohio State is a Big Ten title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Earn either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed, and the Buckeyes should almost certainly start the NCAA Tournament with two games at Quicken Loans Arena, with The Q quite possible getting two No. 1 seeds at the site with the Buckeyes and Pitt, two nearby teams near the top of the rankings.

With regional final sites in Newark, New Orleans, San Antonio and Anaheim, there isn't a nearby Sweet 16 starting point -- like Indianapolis, Detroit or Chicago -- that would allow loads of Buckeyes' fans to hop in the car and follow the team.

So getting a higher No. 1 seed to earn a closer proximity for a regional final isn't that big of a deal.

Bottom line -- being any of the top four teams with the selection committee would put the Buckeyes where they want to be to start a potential title run. They could probably do that with one more loss, maybe even two more.

"The goal of this basketball team when we set out was not to go undefeated," coach Thad Matta said after the loss.

It's clear what the goal is now.

Spitting complaint issued: An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed Sunday that the school did speak with Wisconsin about Jared Sullinger alleging that he was spit on by fans Saturday, which Sullinger wrote about on Twitter as the Buckeyes were leaving Madison.

A Wisconsin spokesperson told Madison.com that Wisconsin was looking into it after hearing about it Saturday night.

Sullinger gained some notoriety for his friendly exchange with a Minnesota fan on Twitter last week, which ended with that fan sending the sign he made mocking Sullinger to the OSU star. According to Sullinger, this wasn't so friendly.

Speaking generally about the Badgers' crowd after the game, Sullinger said, "It was a great atmosphere. Wisconsin fans are very loud and they're all about their Badgers. So it was a great game."

The Cavaliers never seriously threaten, giving Washington its first road win of the season.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerJ.J. Hickson and Antawn Jamison see a rebound bounce away as Washington's Trevor Booker crashes the boards in the second quarter of Sunday's game at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In-game updates from The Q.

Final: Wizards 115, Cavaliers 110

So the Cavaliers now have ended two streaks this weekend -- their own 26-game losing streak, and the Wizards' 25-game road losing streak.

The Wizards can thank them for playing zero defense and sloppy ball-handling that resulted in 17 turnovers.

The Cavs did cut it to 10 points midway through the quarter with a bunch of 3s to catch up -- they were 11-for-23 from long-distance -- but it was never really that close to being a comeback.

Nick Young finishes with 31 points, John Wall has 19 points, 14 assists.

Antawn Jamison leads the Cavs with 21 points, J.J. Hickson has 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Third quarter update: Wizards 95, Cavaliers 79

This isn't getting any better. It looks like the Wizards are headed toward breaking their 0-for-the-road streak.

Washington still is shooting 57.7 percent. Nick Young added another 11 points this quarter, for a three-quarter total of 29. John Wall had just four assists, making his total 13 to go along with 19 points.

Daniel Gibson also aggravated his strained left quad warming up at halftime, retreated to the locker room and did not return.

At this point, Gibson probably should just sit out the rest of the week to rest up for the 3-point contest All-Star weekend.

On the bright side, Antawn Jamison has hit four of six 3-pointers, and has 19 points.

Halftime update: Wizards 68, Cavaliers 46

This is becoming a comedy of errors. Sloppy play has resulted in 11 turnovers -- which the Wizards have used to score 16 points. Poor touch has resulted in 35-percent shooting. Sorry defense has allowed the Wizards to shoot 60 percent through two quarters.

It certainly looks like the Cavs are on their way to starting another losing streak.

The best moment came when they didn't do a thing. Rookie point guard John Wall had a wide-open breakaway dunk ... that he clanged off the rim. No matter, though, because Wall had another breakaway dunk two plays later -- and made sure to two-hand slam that one down.

Wall has 15 points and nine assists, Nick Young has 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Antawn Jamison has 13 points and nine rebounds, J.J. Hickson has nine points and 10 rebounds.

First quarter update: Wizards 35, Cavaliers 23

So much for carrying over that energy from Friday's win. The Cavaliers began with pretty sloppy play that resulted in six turnovers in the first six minutes -- and led to the Wizards shooting about 85 percent at one point in the quarter.

These are the same Wizards who have not won a road game in 25 tries this season, by the way.

Cavaliers might want to start playing some defense on guard Nick Young, who has 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting. He averages 17.3 points per game. Antawn Jamison and J.J. Hickson both have eight points for the Cavs.

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

Wizards starters: F Josh Howard, F Andray Blatche, C JaVale McGee, G Nick Young, G John Wall

Injuries: Anderson Varejao (right ankle/foot injury) is out for the Cavaliers. Rashard Lewis (sore right knee) is out for the Wizards.

Inactives: Varejao, Joey Graham and Alonzo Gee for Cavs. Lewis, Mustafa Shakur and Hamady N'Diaye for the Wizards.

Officials: Ron Garretson, Eric Dalen and Sean Wright.

Three things to watch

1. How will the Cavaliers come out after grabbing their first win in 27 games? Will they be complacent, or show the same urgency they did in their victory over the L.A. Clippers?

2. Washington is desperate for a road win, having lost 25 straight. Will this be the one?

3. Talented rookie John Wall against Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams will be a matchup to watch.

J.J. Hickson says he's finally playing hard enough that he's exhausted after games.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerJ.J. Hickson posted another double double on Sunday night with 16 points and 13 rebounds, but the Cavaliers never came close to creating a two-game winning streak in their loss to Washington.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- J.J. Hickson used to think he was playing hard. All players think that, Cavaliers coach Byron Scott believes.

Usually when Scott shows film showing how they're not exerting full effort, they disagree. Rarely, they'll concede they can play harder. Hickson was a rare case of a player admitting he was loafing earlier this season. He thinks he now understands how he should be playing.

"When you come off the court you should have no energy," Hickson said. "In my mind I did [play that way before], but now I'm really starting to know what it feels like to not have any energy when you come off the court."

Hickson showed that in Friday's victory over the LA Clippers when he logged 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks -- with 10 points coming in the decisive fourth quarter that the Cavaliers needed to force overtime.

Hickson has displayed a noticeably improved effort since moving back to the starting lineup, taking over the center position when Anderson Varejao was lost for the season with a ruptured right ankle tendon. He has eight double doubles in his last 12 games, and is averaging 16.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in that span.

There wasn't much to enjoy in Sunday's thorough 115-100 trouncing by the Wizards -- Washington's first road win of the season. But Hickson did post another double double with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes. But what has been a contentious relationship between Hickson and Scott since the start of the season now seems to be one of mutual respect.

"He's gotten so much better, plays so much harder on both ends of the floor, takes responsibility when he messes up, he doesn't point fingers," Scott said. "To me that shows a sign of maturity. He's gotten better, we're getting healthier, we've been playing a little bit better as of late. I think there's a little bit of a correlation between all those factors."

Though Scott is happy to see Hickson's effort and energy improve, any player's lack of effort is something he has never understood.

"To me it's a stupid question that we even talk about guys that are getting paid because it's a skill now that you play hard," Scott said. "It's no damn skill. That's what you're supposed to do. I don't understand it."

Flip's home: Even though Washington arrived Sunday winless in 25 road games, Wizards coach Flip Saunders was happy to come to Cleveland. The trip back home gave Saunders, a Cuyahoga Heights native, an opportunity to spend time with his ailing mother.

The 90-year-old Debbie Saunders is in intensive care, and Saunders missed a game in late December and practice in mid-January to spend time with her.

"She's in intensive care and struggling," Saunders said. "So it was good to get a chance to see her."

The Wizards are remaining in town Sunday night so Saunders will have an opportunity to visit with his mother again before the team leaves Monday for Wednesday's game in New Orleans.

Getting healthier: With Leon Powe activated for Sunday's game, the Cavaliers are at the healthiest they will be for the remainder of the season. Only Varejao, who had surgery Saturday to repair his ruptured tendon, remains out with injury.

That means Scott now will be forced to balance playing his veterans and young players, making decisions on whether to try to win now or build for the future by continuing to play the inexperienced Christian Eyenga, Manny Harris, Samardo Samuels and Alonzo Gee.

"That's going to be hard," he said. "I've got a pretty good idea of all four of those guys and what they can do, and what they can do beyond this season."

Third graders at Harvard Avenue Community School, an Imagine School charter school in Cleveland, wrote valentines to the Cleveland Cavaliers to show that they still care about the team even though they broke the NBA record for consecutive losses. Watch video

Cavaliers are never competitive in handing Washington its first road win of the season.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain Dealer"The bottom line is we played like you-know-what," a frustrated Byron Scott said after Sunday's loss to the Wizards. "We've got to play better and it's got to be a committed effort every single night."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After 55 games and only nine victories, after a record-setting losing streak and endless soul-searching, Byron Scott admitted Sunday that he's at a loss to explain his Cavaliers.

The Cleveland coach doesn't understand how a team can come out so flat, time after time. He can't explain the lack of heart or the lack of focus.

And he certainly doesn't understand how a team that finally secured a win to end a 26-game losing streak displayed so little effort in falling to the formerly winless-on-the-road Washington Wizards, 115-100, at The Q.

"I'm still trying to figure them out," Scott fumed afterward. "Because to me, that was ridiculous."

Two days after shrugging a monstrous monkey off their backs when they defeated the L.A. Clippers to stop their losing streak, the Cavaliers fell to an opponent that had not won a road game in 25 tries. They did it with 17 turnovers, with a defense that allowed Washington to shoot 54 percent, and with a flat start that included a 13-2 run by the Wizards in the first quarter and left Scott shaking his head in bewilderment.

"I don't think there's any way in the world we should have been in that locker room thinking after we got a win against the Clippers that we've arrived or we're better than anybody else," Scott said. "We have to come out with that sense of urgency, and I just didn't see that tonight from the start. It's disappointing."

In the locker room down the hall, however, the Wizards were elated to finally win away from the comforts of home. Five players scored in double digits, led by guard Nick Young's 31 points. Rookie point guard John Wall had 19 points and 14 assists, and tried to explain his feelings after his first NBA road win.

"It felt like Christmas," Wall said.

It was practically a gift from the Cavaliers. So bad was their defense that the Wizards led by 25 in the second quarter as they raced to a 68-46 halftime lead. When Wall's attempt at a one-on-none breakaway dunk clanged off the rim, the Cavaliers rewarded him with an identical opportunity one play later -- that Wall made sure to slam down with both hands.

The Cavaliers did manage to cut the Wizards' lead to 11 points in the fourth quarter after a 10-3 spurt, but as in so many losses before, it was too little, too late.

"We're not a team that can come out flat and win it all in the fourth quarter," center J.J. Hickson said.

Scott concurred, and was dismayed most by the lack of overall effort. If he can't figure out what makes his team tick, he's at least noticed a pattern -- whenever the Cavaliers seem to click in one game, they follow with a lackadaisical effort. They won the season opener over Boston, Scott reminded, then fell to Toronto in spectacular fashion the next game. After nearly pulling off a victory in Dallas, they fell with a similar lack of effort to Detroit.

And now, this. Scott wasn't sure how his Cavaliers would explain this loss.

"I hope they don't have any excuses," he said. "Just tell the truth. The bottom line is we played like you-know-what. We've got to play better and it's got to be a committed effort every single night.

"Playing hard should not be a skill. It shouldn't. That's your job: Come out and play hard. Hard as you can for 48 minutes. Tonight, we did that for maybe 24 minutes. And we're not good enough to do that for 24 minutes."

When asked if he knows what makes his teammates tick, Hickson paused for a moment.

"Nah," he admitted, shrugging.

The Bruins should return to the NCAA Tournament either by winning the Pac-10 Tournament or as an at-large selection.

View full sizeLuis Sinco / Los Angeles TimesUCLA's Brendan Lane (21) scores over Oregon State's Calvin Haynes in the Bruins' 69-61 victory Saturday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The ashes are starting to blow away. Something is rising. Another phoenix? No sir.

The Bruins, the UCLA Bruins, are showing signs of basketball life again.

The onetime royalty of the sport has not been the same since three 30-win seasons and three straight Final Four appearances in from 2006-08. Early entries to the NBA, injuries, and a couple of recruiting misses effectively dropped UCLA off the map starting with a 26-9 season in 08-09, then a bottom-dropping 14-18 season a year ago.

But look at them now.

The Bruins (18-7, 9-10) are second in an admittedly mild Pac-10, one game behind Arizona with a homecourt date against the Wildcats coming up on Feb. 23. In UCLA's first season without the legend, John Wooden, on the sidelines or in the stands since 1948, the resurgence at least keeps his memory alive.

Short of a late-season swoon, the Bruins should return to the NCAA Tournament either by winning the Pac-10 Tournament or as an at-large selection, especially if they can pick up some road wins down the stretch. UCLA already has a pair of quality wins over two Cinderella teams, BYU and St. John's, albeit both at home.

Ohio players: Ohio State is not the only team within these borders that looks like an NCAA Tournament team. Cincinnati (19-6, 6-6) is building a decent resume in the Big East, although getting home wins on Wednesday against Louisville and/or Feb. 27 vs. Villanova will likely be needed to offset a very weak non-conference slate and Sunday's home loss to fast-rising St. John's. The Bearcats are a team built on defense, as no player averages more than 11 points and only two are in double figures.

Also looking good is Xavier. Following Sunday's 71-63 victory over Duquesne in a first-place showdown, the Musketeers are winners of 10 of their last 11. While Xavier has no real signature wins, finishing the regular season wearing the A-10 crown probably earns an at-large pass into the tournament field of 68. They took a big step in that direction with Sunday's road win.

On the Horizon: Cleveland State (22-5, 11-4) controls its own fate in getting one of the coveted top two seeds into the Horizon League Tournament. The Vikings are alone in second place, a half-game behind Valparaiso (19-7, 11-3) one game ahead of surprising Milwaukee (15-11, 10-5) and Butler (18-9, 10-5).

The Vikings play their last league road game at Wright State (17-11, 10-6) Wednesday night. A victory there goes a long way toward making that bye a reality as the final two league games will be in the Wolstein Center against Green Bay (12-14, 6-8) and Milwaukee.

CSU's at-large NCAA hopes appear very slim, considering two losses this season to third-place Butler and a road upset at Detroit. This Sunday's 1 p.m. BracketBuster game at Old Dominion will be the Vikings' last national TV appearance (ESPN2) prior to the league tournament.

The Monarchs (20-6, 11-4) are third in the Colonial Athletic Association with their only losses in the last 10 games coming against George Mason and VCU, the two Colonial leaders. A CSU loss to ODU would not only snuff out any hope of an at-large bid, but also doom the Horizon League to just one bid.

A win, however, anchored by another strong performance from Norris Cole (41 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists vs. Youngstown State) could keep the Vikings on the bubble until the end.

MAC attack: How bad is it in the Mid-American Conference? Before cross-division play began, Kent State had a decent RPI of 67. Now five victories later -- and six overall -- Kent's RPI rests at 90 according to RPIratings.com.

Four of the five West Division teams KSU defeated had RPIs between 297 and 324. There is still one West team to play (Western Michigan).

Kent (17-7, 8-2), in the midst of a four-game road swing covering 3,000 miles and four states in 10 days, is at Miami (13-12, 8-3) Wednesday for a first-place showdown with the RedHawks (RPI 102), which is a definite step up in class. Miami has lost just once since falling at Kent, 78-57, on Jan. 23 without the services of leading scorer Julian Mavunga (14.1 ppg) and point guard Quinten Rollins. Mavunga has played every game since as Miami has won twice on last-second shots, including his layup with two seconds to play Saturday at Toledo.

On the Bubble

Temple

Conference: Atlantic 10

RPIratings.com: 33

Who they beat: Georgetown, Maryland, Georgia

Bad losses: Cal

Still to play: Duke

The end game: Sitting third in the Atlantic 10, the Owls are done with the two league front-runners, Xavier and Duquesne. Temple lost to both on the road, but has won six straight since. The Owls do get a Feb. 23 road opportunity at Duke, where a win would raise their profile significantly. A loss, however, likely means Temple has to avenge one of its setbacks to Xavier and Duquesne in the A-10 Tournament to feel safe as an at-large team.

Eighteen kids, who for once may sport Cavs gear instead of the usual school fare of khaki or black pants or skirts and white shirts or gold Harvard School shirts, show the Cavs they care by creating special valentines full of encouragement (and in a few cases, a bit of advice) to the team. Watch video

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerDestinee Tate reads over the valentine she made for the Cavaliers. "Take a deep breath," she tells them.

To win at Westminster, you have to be mentally fit, physically fit and, of course, be careful where you step.

AP Photo/Tina FinebergLily Pads, left, and her cousin Penny Lane, both Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, wait to take part in the Pre-Westminster Fashion Show Friday Feb. 11, 2011 at the Hotel Pennyslvania in New York.

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is America’s second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the over-ballyhooed Kentucky Derby (which — let’s be honest — is nothing more than a two-minute horse race watched by 150,000 horses’ behinds). To win at Westminster, you have to be mentally fit, physically fit and, of course, be careful where you step. Once again, intrepid Siberian husky Chuchi’s Yuki kept an exclusive journal for Couch Slouch on his four-legged week in New York:

Wednesday: Incredible media coverage this year: I saw the Afghan hound giving an exclusive interview to al-Jazeera. . . . Here’s why I love Cesar Millan — divorced his wife, kept his dogs . . . You trying to tell me they can’t take this collar off while we’re sleeping? . . . I’m so happy Congress repealed “Don’t Bark, Don’t Howl.” . . . This event has ESPN2 written all over it, but I can’t get anybody in Bristol to return my calls. . . .

What dog show wouldn’t be enhanced by Dick Vitale?

Thursday: Why don’t they just be done with it and let the Lhasa apsos wear nail polish and a skirt? . . . I’m no political expert, but a win for the Pharaoh hound might be just what they need in Egypt. . . . I told them I wanted a biscuit, not Bisquick. Dang. . . . This year’s Westminster sure is different: Six sporting dogs were voted out in favor of Republicans. . . . Nothing worse than an itch behind your ear when you’re in the middle of the ring. . . .

Ah, Madison Square Garden. Can’t believe LeBron James turned this down.

Friday: So suddenly humans are all fussing about “death panels”? Uh, you people ever hear of “the pound”? . . . Went to a dog groomer once — couldn’t stand the New Age music. . . . Hey, Apple, would it kill you to come up with a Hydrant Locator app for my iPhone? . . . I think the Irish setter has a little something besides water in that bowl. . . . My favorite artists: Velazquez, Manet and the guy who does the “Dogs Playing Poker” series. . . .

If they let me, I would just chase cats all day.

Saturday: Labradoodles are all the rage. Please. Their poop smells just like the rest of ours. . . . “Spider-Man” on Broadway? Next thing you know, we’ll be holding Westminster at the Meadowlands. . . . I’m starting to worry that Dalmatians are getting too inbred. I saw one last week at a Tea Party rally. . . . Wanna make the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog start laughing? Just go up to him and say, “Wiki Leaks.” . . . If Mayor Bloomberg is so smart, how come he doesn’t have Pooch Port-a- Pottys throughout the city? . . .

Privately, I think the world of mutts.

Sunday: This beagle claims to have 3,000 Facebook friends, but trust me, he hasn’t sniffed more than 50 of them. . . . When I was 6, maybe 8 months old, I fell head over paws for a springer spaniel, but, alas, it was just puppy love. . . Hotel costs here are crazy. Do you have any idea what the mark-up is on a Milk Bone out of the minibar? And room-service Purina? Fugeddaboutit . . . My White House sources tell me the president’s dog gets brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. . . .

Never mind the Kardashians, try keeping up with the Komondors.

Monday: Bad scene in the early judging: A borzoi running up the side of the ring got tripped by a Jets assistant coach . . . My owner always asks me, “You want to go for a walk?” “No, I want to stay home and watch ‘Parker Spitzer.’ ” . . . If you go No. 2 on the red carpet, you might as well get on the first bus to Palookaville. . . . I dare you to look at the Old English Sheepdog’s hair and not think of Justin Bieber. . . . Hope that cute Coco got my box of Valentine Snausages. . . .

The scoring system around here makes the BCS look legit.

Tuesday: I don’t want to say the fix is in, but tell me a terrier doesn’t win this baby every other year. . . . This is sad and embarrassing — 25 percent of canines believe the American foxhound is a Muslim. . . . If they offered me Listerine, sure, I’d use it. . . . Extra heavy security at the Garden tonight: There are rumors of potential ring-crashing by the Salahis’ dogs. . . . I’m a working dog, but you couldn’t tell by the number of naps I take every day. . . .

If I win, I’m dumping a cooler of toilet bowl water on my handler.

Norman Chad is a freelance writer in Los Angeles.

Talk all day on Digital Sports Network, cleveland.com's online sports station featuring live streaming video and audio.

AP PhotoSo much for all those warm and fuzzy feelings brought on by the end to the Cavs' losing streak.

Today's lineup on Digital Sports Network:

Morning Sports Page: Daryl Ruiter, 7-9 a.m.

Locked and Loaded: Greg Kozarik and Brian Fowler, 9 a.m.-noon: Today's guest is NFL agent Andy Simms from PlayerRep Sports to talk about the NFL labor situation and players that he represents in this year's draft.

In the Trenches: Joe Lull, 2-5 p.m.

News, Notes & Rumors: Will Smith, 8-10 p.m. 

Buckeyes and Cavs fall in a downer weekend, but which loss was the biggest surprise?

View full sizePhil Masturzano,
Akron Beacon-JournalWashington's Kirk Hinrich blocks J.J. Hickson's shot, just as the Wizards blocked the Cavs' bid to win two in a row. Cleveland fell to Washington 115-100 Sunday night at The Q.

Mother Nature gave us a nice Valentines Day, at least in terms of temperature. But if you're wondering where all the cold went, the answer is easy: right straight to the shooting hands of the Cavs and Buckeyes.

The Cavaliers, fresh off a resounding victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, fell to the lowly Wizards, who sit on the bottom of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference with a 15-38 record and hadn't won on the road all year. Rats, there went the Cavs' chances at tying their season-long record of three wins in a row; ya gotta win two before you can win three, after all.

In the meantime, the Buckeyes fell to Wisconsin in Madison, 71-67, on Saturday night. The loss put the kibosh on Ohio State's bid for an undefeated season and makes you wonder if the Badgers are taking over from Michigan as the Buckeyes' biggest Big Ten rival. Nobody from either side is letting anyone forget that it was the Badgers who derailed Ohio State's hopes for a national title in football.

Unlike the football season, the lone defeat shouldn't end the Buckeyes' ride to Houston and a chance to win that national crown. So they've got THAT going for 'em.

But we digress. You might've hoped that the Cavs would be building a little momentum after their win over the Clippers, who are 20-34 in the Western Conference's Pacific Division, 171/2 games behind the first-place Lakers. And you would expect the No. 1 Buckeyes (24-1)  to beat No. 13 Wisconsin (19-5). So which is more surprising, the Cavs failure to follow up with a win over the Wizards or the Buckeyes' loss to the Badgers?