"Two former head coaches on the staff, and both have won NFL Coach of the Year honors. I think this staff is a huge upgrade, particularly in its level of experience." - MrFakeName

View full sizeAP Photo | Elaine ThompsonRay Rhodes.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns complete their first coaching staff under Pat Shurmur, cleveland.com reader MrFakeName likes the new staff. This reader writes,

"Two former head coaches on the staff, and both have won NFL Coach of the Year honors. I think this staff is a huge upgrade, particularly in its level of experience."

"What? Boobie Gibson hurt again? Can we please get him out of here? It's time to move on. Thanks for Game 6. It's in our history book of great Cavaliers memories. He's not needed in our rebuilding stage." - bluebengal

View full sizeAP PhotoDaniel Gibson has had trouble staying healthy this season for the Cavaliers.

In response to the story Daniel Gibson's ailing leg just another day in Cleveland Cavaliers' season of pain, cleveland.com reader bluebengal thinks it's time for Daniel Gibson to move on. This reader writes,

"What? Boobie Gibson hurt again? Can we please get him out of here? It's time to move on. Thanks for Game 6. It's in our history book of great Cavaliers memories. He's not needed in our rebuilding stage."

"It would be great to have both Sizemore and Santana ready to go at the start of the season, but Santana is more important than Sizemore. We can't have Marson hit .195 again this season and catch most of the games. Our lineup might actually be more balanced if Sizemore isn't ready, since we can put Brantley in center and start Kearns in left." - tsbuoy

View full sizeAssociated PressCarlos Santana swinging the bat would be a sight for sore eyes for the Indians.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians' Manny Acta won't rush into deciding on 2011 batting order, cleveland.com reader tsbuoy thinks Carlos Santana's health is important for the Tribe's order. This reader writes,

"It would be great to have both Sizemore and Santana ready to go at the start of the season, but Santana is more important than Sizemore. We can't have Marson hit .195 again this season and catch most of the games. Our lineup might actually be more balanced if Sizemore isn't ready, since we can put Brantley in center and start Kearns in left."

Former Indians Eduardo Perez and Jason Bere hired as special assistants to the baseball operations department.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians, who had all but eliminated the special assistant position from the front office over the last few years, have brought it back.

They announced Tuesday that Eduardo Perez and Jason Bere have been hired as special assistants to the baseball operations department. Perez, 41, played 13 seasons in the big leagues, including the first half of the 2006 season in Cleveland. He was traded him to Seattle for Asdrubal Cabrera.

Bere, 39, pitched parts of 11 seasons in the big leagues. He pitched for the Indians in 2000 and 2003. Bere held the same job with the Indians from 2006 through 2009. He was a guest instructor last year.

Perez and Bere will be in spring training working with big league and minor league players. Perez will work with the player development system during the regular season. Bere will work with Indians minor league pitchers during the regular season.

The Indians also hired Tony Mansolino to be a coach at Class A Mahoning Valley. His father, Doug, is the infield coordinator in the Phillies minor league system. Dave Wallace is the manager and Greg Hibbard the pitching coach.

Could it be that Wisconsin did the Buckeyes a favor by knocking off then-No. 1 Ohio State? Naaaaaah.

View full sizeAssociated PressJordan Taylor celebrates Wisconsin's 71-67 win over then-No. 1 Ohio State last Saturday.

Could it be that Wisconsin did the then-No. 1 Buckeyes a favor by upsetting them Saturday in Madison?

The pressure to equal Bobby Knight's Indiana team of the 1975-76 season and go undefeated all the way to a title had to be building.

That's not the sense Plain Dealer beat writer Doug Lesmerises gets, according to his comments on today's SBTV show. Doug's sentiment was - and remains - that the Buckeyes were never all that focused on going undefeated. Not that they didn't want to do so, but it wasn't the goal. The real goal remains unchanged: to be the team cutting down the net in Houston and hoisting a national championship trophy.

But the blogosphere isn't quite so sure. Nor are the writers out there convinced that the loss loosened the pressure valve. Here's part of what Chris -- who apparently needs no last name -- had to say on elevenwarriors.com, talking about the Buckeyes' game tonight against Michigan State:

I don't think Ohio State's loss to Wisconsin has done anything to alleviate the pressure. If anything, the loss makes tonight's game that much more of a must-win from a confidence standpoint and something tells me (coach Tom) Izzo's group may be getting ready to go on one of their patented late season charges. Keep an eye on how Ohio State starts the game. How they play in the first 10 minutes could dictate how the following 30 unfold.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta talks occasionally about keeping the circle around his program tight, especially when every little thing can be magnified by media coverage and fan reaction.

Outside the circle, in some sectors the sky has been falling since Saturday, when Wisconsin ended Ohio State's run as college basketball's last unbeaten team and knocked it from its perch atop the national rankings.

Inside the circle, it's business as usual.

"It's not the end of the world," guard Jon Diebler said yesterday. "We're still very confident with the guys we have in the locker room. We're still very confident in the system we're running. Obviously, it worked for 24 straight games."

"The whole week's an opportunity for us," Izzo said.

If the Spartans have Roe, they will play "completely different" against the Buckeyes, matching him largely against playmaking forward David Lighty, who troubles teams in a variety of ways.

MSU would use a rotation of centers against player-of-the-year candidate Jared Sullinger, use Draymond Green largely at small forward, play bigger on the perimeter, adjust to the only two substitutes Ohio State is likely to use, and would have "a comfort level for players and coaches."

Without Roe’s ability to guard Lighty on the perimeter, a role Adreian Payne is not suited to assume, everything changes. Izzo isn’t even sure whether that is the case, which creates another problem.

"As of right now," he said, "I don’t know if he can play 20 minutes or none."

Matta called it "nothing too major," and said he liked how Sullinger has handled what happened.

"I think he's been great," he said. "The things that people yell at you when you're walking off the court, that sort of stuff, that's just part of it. Really nothing you can do. I mean, they buy their tickets, they can yell or say or chant whatever they want to."

If anyone knows what Jason Popp is feeling, it's Akron coach Keith Dambrot.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain Dealer"Things we say, decisions we make, they all have consequences. They can stick with you the rest of your life," says Akron head coach Keith Dambrot, who understands the controversy swirling around suspended Richmond Heights boys basketball coach Jason Popp. "I also think we have to realize people can learn from their mistakes. I think we have to remember that."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The first thing Keith Dambrot said was, "I don't want to talk about that."

The University of Akron basketball coach meant the suspension of Jason Popp. The Richmond Heights boys basketball coach was suspended for the rest of the season for allegedly using racial language in front of his team.

Then Dambrot said he knew "nothing" about Popp's case, other than some news reports. He doesn't know the coach. But he does know what it's like to lose a job in similar circumstances to the charges faced by Popp.

Dambrot was fired as head coach of Central Michigan in 1993 for using a racial term in front of his team. He had even asked the players if he could use the word before he actually did.

They agreed, but he still was fired. The lessons that followed were painful.

"I used it as motivation, but it was wrong," said Dambrot. "As I talk about this, I want everyone to understand that I was wrong. I was unprofessional. You should never use that word."

Dambrot not only lost that job, but he was painted as a racist. He was 35 years old, returned home to Akron and worked in the investment business for the next six years. The former head coach at Tiffin College, Ashland University and Central Michigan was unable to find any school willing to hire him.

"I applied at my old high school, Firestone, and they rejected me," said Dambrot. "I applied for jobs all over Akron. I applied to be an assistant coach at different places. No one would touch me."

The only place Dambrot could coach was at the Akron Jewish Community Center and some summer leagues. He worked with elementary and junior high players.

"It was humbling," he said.

Look in the mirror

While stressing that he knows little about Popp's situation, Dambrot heard that Popp had been coaching and teaching in the Richmond Heights system for 16 years -- the last four as head basketball coach. Popp continues to teach health and physical education at the school, but has been suspended from coaching for the remainder of the season by Superintendent Linda Hardwick.

View full sizePD photo"I'd tell (suspended coach) Jason (Popp) to do what he must (in sensitivity training)," Dambrot says. "I'd tell him to keep working hard. Show that you can change."

Popp was accused of "inappropriate language, as well as racial and economic harassment," according to a letter signed by some of the parents of the players. Popp is supposed to receive sensitivity training, and possibly could coach again at some point.

As she announced Popp's suspension from coach, Dr. Hardwick told reporters, "I looked at Coach Popp's record, his 15 years of service to the district and all his evaluations, which have been good ..."

In an email, Popp declined to comment about this story.

"The first thing I'd suggest is for Jason to look in the mirror and ask himself some tough questions," said Dambrot. "That's what I had to do. I had to change some things about myself."

Then what?

"Assuming he has been a good and loyal teacher and coach for all those years, then some forgiveness is in order," said Dambrot. "We all make mistakes. I had to live with what I did [at Central Michigan] for all those years when I couldn't get a coaching job -- and I still live with it."

Dambrot discovered that he had to be more patient with players -- and himself.

"I'm still a coach who believes in discipline," he said. "That will never change. But I have changed how I deal with people."

Second chance?

Dambrot eventually was hired as the varsity basketball coach at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in 1998. A year later, LeBron James, Dru Joyce III, Sian Cotton and Willie McGee enrolled there. Joyce III, Cotton, McGee and James had played at the Akron Jewish Center and got to know Dambrot.

"The key was that their fathers [Lee Cotton and Dru Joyce II] accepted me," said Dambrot. "I will always be grateful to them."

It was Dambrot's second season when James and the other three players arrived. He coached the future Cavs star for two years, winning two state titles. Then he was hired as an assistant at Akron in 2002, becoming head coach in 2004. Coaching his alma mater, Dambrot has led the Zips to 20-victory seasons in each of the last five years.

Dru Joyce III and Romeo Travis (who played for Dambrot at St. Vincent-St. Mary) were recruited to Akron by Dambrot, and played four seasons for the Zips.

"Someone gave me a second chance," Dambrot said. "I'd tell Jason to do what he must [in terms of sensitivity training]. I'd tell him to keep working hard. Show that you can change."

Richmond Heights was 15-0 and ranked No. 6 in the Ohio Division IV poll. Popp recently said seven of his 10 players had made the school's merit roll, meaning they had at least a 3.0 grade point average.

In his final two games before he was suspended, Popp coached the Spartans to victories over Fairport and Hawken.

"I am talking about what happened to me because it is a warning," said Dambrot. "Things we say, decisions we make, they all have consequences. They can stick with you the rest of your life. I tell my players about it -- and that goes for drinking, for drugs, for pregnancies, or how we treat people. We have to be careful."

Dambrot paused.

"But I also think we have to realize people can learn from their mistakes," he said. "I think we have to remember that."

Colt McCoy and his father, Brad, have signed a deal to write a book called "Rock Solid" that uses their history together to express their views on faith, competition and success.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz,
The Plain DealerBrowns quarterback Colt McCoy and his father, Brad, a former coach, have signed a deal with an Ohi-based Christian publisher for a book called "Rock Solid" that chronicles the McCoys views on faith, competition and success.

You want further proof that Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy is no dummy?

The collective bargaining agreement between the players and the NFL expires on March 3, and both sides are talking lockout. Lockout means no paychecks.

But there will be some moolah coming in for Colt. He and his dad, Brad, have signed a deal with Barbour Publishing, a Uhrichsville, Ohio, Christian publisher. "Rock Solid" will be a compendium of the McCoys' views on faith, competition and success.

A release from the company says the book "will allow readers to experience life from Colt's perspective and parenting from the father's viewpoint. This creates a story about football, coaching and faith that will be enjoyed by fans of all ages."

The book, which will be ghostwritten/co-authored by writer Mike Yorkey, is scheduled for a July 2011 release.

Yorkey is also the author of a Barbour released called "Playing With Purpose," which focuses on the top three quarterbacks in the 2010 draft -- McCoy, Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow.

"Colt had been wanting to write a book as way to share his faith and had been looking for a publisher," said Barbour's Mary Burns in response to an e-mail inquiry. Through his sports marketing agency, the younger McCoy contacted Barbour after seeing the "Playing With Purpose" book.

Burns acknowledged that the McCoys were paid in advance for the book, but would not reveal the size of the advance, as is company policy.

Its release is timed to coincide with the Browns' return to camp to prepare for the 2011 season . . . assuming there IS a 2011 season.

Browns fans know Colt McCoy's story, at least as it relates to Cleveland. Drafted in the third round at the urging of President Mike Holmgren, the youngster out of Texas has emerged as the possible franchise quarterback the team has lacked since its return to the NFL in 1999.

Brad McCoy is a veteran high school coach, having led several Texas teams to state championships. He works for the Flippen Group, a multimillion-dollar corporation that the Austin American-Statesman describes as "the creation of psychotherapist Flip Flippen that aims to improve its clients' performance and leadership abilities."

Orlando Cabrerda is expected to come to Goodyears, Ariz., on Wednesday or Thursday for his physical.

View full sizeAl Behrman / Associated PressOrlando Cabrera could be just a day or two away from joining the Indians' training camp in Arizona.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The reported one-year deal between the Indians and infielder Orlando Cabrera could be officially announced within the next couple of days.

Cabrera is scheduled to arrive at the Indians' complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Wednesday or Thursday for a physical. If he passes, the 36-year-old Cabrera will become the front runner to win the second base job.

"You guys have accurately reported things to date," said GM Chris Antonetti told reporters on Tuesday. "I should be able to comment on it in the next couple of days."

Cabrera has spent most of his 14 seasons in the big leagues playing shortstop. The Indians are convinced he can play second, a position he played in the minors. They also think he can play third.

The Indians are committed to keeping Asdrubal Cabrera, no relation, at shortstop. Last year they ran into problems when Asdrubal Cabrera broke his left forearm and Jason Donald and Luis Valbuena struggled to replace him. That will not be the case with Orlando Cabrera.

Some feel Orlando Cabrera will block the progress of second-base prospect Jason Kipnis. The Indians, however, would like to see Kipnis spend a big part of this season at Class AAA Columbus.

Cabrera hit .263 (130-for-494) with 33 doubles, four homers, 42 RBI and 64 runs in 123 games for the Reds last year. He is a .274 lifetime hitter, who has spent much of his career hitting at the top of the lineup.

A CSU victory over Wright State on Wednesday would keep the pressure on Horizon League leader Valparaiso.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerNorris Cole enters Wednesday's game against Wright State averaging 21.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game for the Vikings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The final two weeks of the regular season have arrived for the Cleveland State men's basketball team.

The Vikings are riding the emotional and national boost they received Saturday in an 86-76 win over Youngstown State, which featured guard Norris Cole's once-in-a-lifetime performance: 41 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists.

Wednesday night, the Vikings (22-5, 11-4 Horizon League) will try to keep rolling during their final Horizon League road game against Wright State (17-11, 10-6). Cole's Saturday performance also adds more marquee value to CSU's 1 p.m. BracketBuster game Sunday at Old Dominion.

But first, there is a regular-season Horizon title to contend for. A victory over the Raiders would keep the pressure on first-place Valparaiso (19-7, 11-3). Valpo plays a critical road game Wednesday against the league's wild-card team, Milwaukee (15-11, 10-5), which already owns two wins over Butler, effectively putting it in third place behind CSU.

The top two teams in the final standings receive a bye into the semifinals of the HL Tournament, which are hosted by the top seed.

After such a stellar season, the last thing CSU would want is to fail to earn a spot in the top two and be forced to play three games to reach the HL Tournament finals.

Still in play? Because first place is not yet locked, the host site is still up for grabs, and a possibility for Cleveland State.

First-round games will be at home campus sites March 1. The March 4 quarterfinals and March 5 semis are hosted by the league regular-season champion. The March 8 championship game will be at the home arena of the finalist with the higher seed.

Player of the Year candidates: With three conference games to play, the front-runners for conference Player of the Year are Cleveland State's Cole, Valparaiso's Brandon Wood and Butler's Matt Howard. Cole is averaging 21.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists, and his best game of the season is already well documented.

Wood is averaging 16.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 3.4 assists. His best game of the season was 35 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a non-conference game against Oakland.

Howard, who won the award as a sophomore, is averaging 16.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 1.4 assists, He has eight double-doubles on the season with a top game of 29 points, 16 rebounds and one assist. The preseason favorite for POY was Butler's Shelvin Mack.

Coach of the Year: It's a three-man race between Cleveland State's Gary Waters, Valparaiso's Homer Drew and Milwaukee's Rob Jeter.

Those teams were picked to finish third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the preseason poll, behind Butler and Detroit.

The Cavaliers believe they've changed since the last time they faced the Lakers -- and lost by 55 points.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerDefensive efforts like this play -- Ramon Sessions tying up Indiana's Darren Collison to force a jump ball -- have been few and far between for the Cavaliers this season. That has to end, says coach Byron Scott.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- For the record, there have been some significant changes since the last time the Cavaliers faced the Los Angeles Lakers.

For starters, they're are healthier. When these teams met Jan. 11, the Cavaliers were without Anthony Parker (sore back) and Daniel Gibson (sprained ankle). For Wednesday's contest at The Q, Gibson is questionable with a strained left quad, but the Cavaliers are otherwise as healthy as they've been all season.

There's also the matter of experience. Coach Byron Scott believes that his young players have learned through battle how to compete. So even if one rookie starter (Manny Harris) from the last interaction between these teams has been replaced by another (Christian Eyenga), time has provided valuable lessons for all.

Most importantly, Scott would like to retract the statement he made after the Cavaliers' effortless loss Sunday to the Washington Wizards when the coach said he was "still trying to figure them out."

"I figured them out," Scott said, after Monday's off day. "I figured the whole thing out. The answer is on the defensive end. We've got to continue to get better. So every day I'm going to work their [butts] off until they continue to do those things."

See? Things have changed since the Cavaliers were embarrassed in a 55-point shellacking by the Lakers.

That was the low point of this season that has included a record-setting 26-game losing streak. At least it was for Scott, who said he spent days replaying that loss, instead of dismissing it after one night, as he typically does.

Scott thought about Sunday's 115-100 loss to the once winless-on-the-road Wizards for a decent amount of time, too. What he realized is that the Cavaliers need to focus on defense for the remainder of this season more than ever. He made the same decree after returning from a disastrous West Coast road trip Jan. 18, swearing that any player who made a defensive mistake would sit on the bench at the next opportunity.

But he's reiterating the need for defense after a lightning-bolt moment following Sunday's loss.

"I understand what wins in this league; in every major sport," Scott said. "And it's on that end of the floor. We have to be committed on that end of the floor every single day. And we're going to work on it every single day until we are."

The Cavaliers currently allow 105.89 points per game (26th out of 30 teams), and opponents shoot 47.8 percent (27th). They have the league's worst 3-point defense (42.6 percent). Scott isn't simplifying the defense further, as he did a month ago. He is hammering its importance in the film room and on the practice court in hopes that it sinks in.

"We break down at times," point guard Mo Williams said. "At times we have mental lapses. It's the same with the top teams, but they have [fewer] mental lapses."

In that 112-57 loss a month ago, the Cavaliers never recovered from early mistakes. The Lakers hit 53.5 percent of their field goals, 50 percent from 3-point range. Every Laker but one [Joe Smith] scored.

"I don't think it was rock bottom," Williams said. "It was a sledgehammer to a rock. It definitely hurt. We've had some tough times here. That was a part of it, a branch on a tree. A big branch."

A sledgehammer, a branch, whatever you want to call it, it was the kind of loss that still haunts the Cavaliers more than a month later.

Still, "it didn't break us," Williams contended. "I'll tell you that."

Wednesday will show if he's right.

Still shooting? Even though Daniel Gibson is questionable for the Lakers, Scott said he anticipates the shooting guard will participate in the 3-point contest during All-Star weekend. Gibson practiced Tuesday and Scott said he "looked pretty good." The competition takes place Saturday. Gibson was not available to reporters Tuesday.

"I think he should do it," Scott said. "I think that'll be great for him. He shot it pretty good today. Unless he gets hurt tomorrow -- if he plays -- there's a good chance Saturday he'll be OK."

After missing most of last season with a serious injury to his left knee, Grady Sizemore is trying to get ready for the season opener on April 1. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- For the first two months following surgery on his left knee, Grady Sizemore spent eight hours a day strapped to a Continuous Passive Motion machine that bent his knee at a 30-degree angle.

He spent the rest of the day rehabbing at Progressive Field or walking on crutches with his leg in a brace. He could deal with the crutches, brace and rehab. The CPM machine? It might as well been a first cousin to the Iron Maiden.

"It was torture," said Sizemore.

Not so much the pain, but the monotony. Sizemore is a Gold Glove center fielder. A 30-30 man. Being tied to a machine for eight hours a day was like locking a cheetah in a closet.

When he awoke from the surgery on June 4, the CPM machine was wheeled into his room. Dr. Richard Steadman, who performed the surgery, said, "We want you to spend eight hours a day on this." Sizemore, still groggy from the anesthetic, said "whatever" and went back to sleep.

When he returned to Cleveland, the machine was waiting. It nearly beat him. He couldn't sleep in it. He couldn't eat in it. It made his back hurt.

After the first two weeks, Sizemore ran out of TV shows to watch while the machine did its work. A video game saved him.

"Call of Duty on Playstation," he said of the World War II video game. "I'm pretty good at it now. That will kill some time. I got familiar with that game."

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain Dealer"I've never not appreciated the game," Grady Sizemore said Tuesday, "but I never missed it like I did last season."

Sizemore injured his knee in a spring training game last year against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. While sliding into a base, his right leg went over the bag and his left knee banged into it, separating cartilage from the knee joint.

He called it a freak thing.

"You could make that slide 1,000 times and do what I did maybe once," said Sizemore.

The injury set off a series of events, all of them bad, that led to Sizemore spending eight hours a day locked into a motorized knee brace. He played through April before re-injuring the knee sliding back into first on May 16 against Baltimore. He has not played a game since.

The Indians talked to doctors around the world to get an opinion on how to treat Sizemore's knee injury. Finally, he put his trust in Steadman, who invented microfracture surgery.

Steadman told Sizemore that three or four outcomes were likely, but he wouldn't know for sure until he started operating.

"He was the only doctor who talked to me like that," said Sizemore.

What Steadman found was the worst scenario. Microfracture surgery, where holes are drilled into the femur to allow a scab to form to replace the missing cartilage, had to be performed. Eight months later, Sizemore's knee still hurts. He says it doesn't feel like a normal knee yet. But the CPM machine is long gone.

"I think I burned it," he said with a laugh.

Sizemore has been throwing and taking batting practice in Goodyear. At the plate last year, he was unable to shift his weight to his left knee. He's been able to do that so far this spring.

Running is another matter. He's been doing straight-line running, but hasn't cut, run the bases and done agility drills. Manager Manny Acta said they'll try to accelerate his running program in early March. The plan is to have Sizemore play in some Cactus League games by the second week of March so he can open the season with the Indians on April 1 against Chicago.

Until then, there is much work to do.

"Opening day is the goal," said Sizemore. "We did the surgery early enough to have time to get ready for the season.

"It's going to be challenging because I haven't done anything for seven or eight months. I not only have to get healthy, but I have to get into shape by playing games. Even if I'm ready in early March, I'm not going to be ready to go out and play every day. You have to build up to it."

Sizemore played an average of 160 games a season from 2005-08. He'd be ready for the season opener on March 1. The wait will be longer this year, but Sizemore is content just being on the field again.

"I've never not appreciated the game," he said, "but I never missed it like I did last season. I can't even explain how hard it is to sit there on the couch, watching the guys, when you're all beat up.

"I missed every aspect. Going out there and having fun taking BP. You take that for granted, I guess. But I'll never do that again."

Craft's 3-point play and Buford's 23 points offset an off night for Jared Sullinger.

View full sizeChris Russell / Columbus DispatchOhio State's Dallas Lauderdale elevates above Michigan State's Garrick Sherman for this first-half shot in the Buckeyes' 71-61 victory Wednesday at Value City Arena.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- They were both the No. 2 team in the country, Ohio State right now and Michigan State in the preseason. Tuesday night, the game they played was that tight.

In a game like that, one or two plays can mean everything. Like the play that Spartans coach Tom Izzo, out of frustration, and Ohio State players Jon Diebler and William Buford, out of respect, were shaking their heads about after the Buckeyes' 71-61 win.

With the Buckeyes up by five late in the second half, Michigan State's Draymond Green was looking for a teammate near the basket, as he'd done successfully on so many other possessions. But this time, OSU freshman Jared Sullinger, having his most difficult game of the season, knocked away Green's feed inside for a cutting Garrick Sherman, and as Sherman was falling out of bounds to save the tipped pass, he fired it back into play.

While the ball bounced toward the other end line, OSU freshman point guard Aaron Craft tracked it down like a greyhound chasing a rabbit. He grabbed it and laid in a reverse layup as he was fouled, drawing the sold-out crowd of 18,809 at Value City Arena to its feet. His free throw extended the Ohio State to lead eight with just under six minutes to play.

"To me," Craft said "that's how basketball should be played by everyone."

Though none of it was easy, that moment was the kind of play the Buckeyes will remember from their 10-point victory over the Spartans, when the new No. 2 proved it could handle the old No. 2, which showed it still has some fight left.

"He's like a sparkplug for this team," OSU coach Thad Matta said of Craft, "and when he does that, I think guys say if he's going to give that, then I'm going to give that, no question about it."

The Buckeyes (25-1, 12-1 Big Ten) won it behind a game-high 23 points from Buford, while David Lighty and Diebler each had 12 and Craft had seven points, four assists and four steals as they bounced back from their first loss of the season at Wisconsin on Saturday.

"One loss doesn't make or break the season," Sullinger said.

They did it without a huge night from the one player who seemed poised for it. After losing for the first time as a collegian, which concluded with Ohio State saying Sullinger was spit on as he walked to the locker room, it made sense that the freshman player of the year candidate would come out with something to prove.

Instead, he sat, with foul trouble sending him to the bench for nine minutes of the first half.

"At that point, you're a cheerleader," Sullinger said. "I've been saying since the beginning of the year, on any given night, someone can be the leading scorer or rebounder. And that's how special this team is."

With 11 points (his lowest in Big Ten play) and two rebounds (his lowest of the season), it wasn't the game he wanted.

"I can't believe I'm saying this about a freshman, but I don't worry about Jared in that regard," Matta said.

But Sullinger got the result he wanted.

The Buckeyes led, 35-34, at the half, but they quickly gave up that lead, with Michigan State leading by two before Lighty's baseline 3-point play gave the Buckeyes the lead they'd never relinquish, at 45-44 with just under 15 minutes to play. But after struggling for most of the season, and with senior leader Kalin Lucas (14 points) finally returning to close to full health, the Spartans weren't going to make it simple.

So Craft had to help run them off the floor.

This was the only regular-season matchup between the two best Big Ten teams of the last several years and a chance for Michigan State to win a much-needed game for its NCAA Tournament resume. The Spartans made a point. But the Buckeyes got back to what they've been doing.

"We got beat by a good team," Izzo said. "I hope they do well nationally, for the league and for themselves. But we ain't dead yet."

Ohio State just didn't let Michigan State come back all the way back to life in this one.

WFNY takes a look at the future of the Tribe infield

Jordan Megenhardt/MLB.comAfter making quick work of the minor leagues, Jason Kipnis could be the Indians' starting second baseman for the long haul

A wise man once said that the only thing constant is change. One thing that’s been consistent for the Cleveland Indians since 2001—the days of Robbie Alomar and Travis Fryman—is that spring training will start with some pretty big holes within the infield at second and third base.

The (potential?) signing of Orlando Cabrera mitigates this a bit, at least for this season. One assumes the Tribe will go All-Cabrera (with Asdrubal at short) up the middle on defense in 2011 and assuming Orlando Cabrera moves on in 2012, the questions at second base will remain.

The answer may lie with two guys that should both be in Columbus to start the year.

Cord Phelps, 24, was a 3rd round pick in 2008 and has seen his star rise quickly over his two and a half seasons in the minors. He spent all of 2009 at high-A Kinston, and then made the jump to AA Akron to start 2010. And, after hitting .296 in just 53 games with the Aeros, the organization decided he was ready to move on to Columbus. A leveling off, or even a regression, would not have been unexpected. Instead, the switch-hitting Phelps played even better with the Clippers. Over 66 games, Phelps hit .317 with a .386 on-base percentage from the coveted third spot in the lineup, amassed 20 doubles with a .506 slugging percentage. Phelps is no slouch with the glove, either. In 254 minor league games, he has made just 25 errors and has a .979 fielding percentage.

Jason Kipnis, who turns 24 in April, was drafted in the fourth round in 2008 by San Diego, but did not sign. This was a bonus for the Tribe, who drafted Kipnis the following summer in the second round and let him finish the year in Mahoning Valley. He spent 2009 between high-A Kinston (54 games) and AA Akron (79 games). He was a playoffs call-up in to Columbus in 2010, playing in their second round playoff series against Durham and in the AAA National Championship. Kipnis has played 162 regular season minor league games, and is a .307 hitter with a .386 on-base percentage. He has 17 home runs and 93 RBI over that span, showing that he can do a little bit of everything from second base. His defense isn’t quite where Phelps’ is, as in 121 games at second he’s made 23 errors with a .962 fielding percentage. One can live with those numbers if the former Sun Devil continues to hit.

It’s safe to say that one of these two men is going to emerge as the favorite to move into the Tribe’s second base slot by 2012. But what about the hot corner?

The Tribe has tried—be it Casey Blake, Andy Marte, or Jhonny Peralta—to find their “next” third baseman for many years. I’ve taken a look at the charred landscape of the Tribe’s third base history since Fryman retired, and it isn’t pretty. But, there is some hope from a late-bloomer to a blue-chip first round prospect.

Jared Goedert, 26, was a 9th round pick in 2006. He hasn’t consistently hit for average, with a career .261 average across all levels. But, his 2010 was significant, in that he started off the year in Akron hitting .325 in 44 games. His OPS of .922 was enough to earn a promotion to Columbus. His average lagged as the season wore on, but Goedert’s 20 home runs and 51 RBI in 81 games were a big reason behind the Clippers’ championship run. The biggest question marks for Goedert are his power consistency, and his defense. His 20 home runs in 81 AAA games were quite an improvement compared to his career power numbers (just 65 home runs in 487 career games). Defensively, he’s played 364 games at third base in the minors, and has .929 fielding percentage and 72 errors. Both of those numbers are high, but if he hits for power and some semblance of average it softens the blow.

Lonnie Chisenhall, 22, was the Tribe’s 1st round pick in 2008. He’s hit for a slightly better average than Goedert at third base, and his 44 home runs in 308 games are what have most people excited. 17 of those homers came in 2010 in Akron, to go with 84 RBI in 117 games. One thing he does have in common with Goedert is his defense, which is as bad—or worse—than Goedert’s over at third. As a third baseman, Chisenhall has a .922 fielding percentage with 39 errors in 196 games. The Tribe is going to want Chisenhall to play every day this year, which may give Goedert a last-man-standing shot at third base in the big leagues with a solid spring. But, if all goes according to plan, Chisenhall is the future of the position.

Which brings us to the outlook: 2012 is the year. Most likely 2012 will see both of these positions being filled by two of the four men discussed above. So, while it may not be that exciting getting ready for 2011 to think that this year is all about the future, it is certainly exciting to know that there may be some options on the horizon.
 

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Daniel Gibson's availabililty for tonight's home game against the Los Angeles Lakers has yet to be determined, Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said after his team's morning shootaround at the Cleveland Clinic Courts. The team shot around at its practice facility because the Monsters had a game at The Q. Gibson, who left Sunday's loss to Washington...

AP PhotoDaniel Gibson is questionable for tonight's game against the Lakers.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Daniel Gibson's availabililty for tonight's home game against the Los Angeles Lakers has yet to be determined, Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said after his team's morning shootaround at the Cleveland Clinic Courts. The team shot around at its practice facility because the Monsters had a game at The Q.

Gibson, who left Sunday's loss to Washington after the first half with what was described as a strained left quad, will work out before the game and see how he feels, Scott said.

"At shootaround, we really didn't get up and down,'' Scott said. "We just did a bunch of shooting and went over the Lakers stuff, went over some things defensively. When he comes out before games, he gets a pretty good lather, so we'll see how he feels after that.''

Gibson did not play in the first Lakers game this season, when the Cavs suffered the worst loss in team history, 112-57, on Jan. 11 in Los Angeles. It also was the franchise record for fewest points in a game.

Gibson was out with a sprained left ankle sprain, one of many Cavs to miss the game with injuries, including Joey Graham (right quad strain), Anthony Parker (low back strain), Leon Powe (right knee surgery) and Anderson Varejao (torn tendon, right foot.)

Spring training is underway and Cleveland's sports bloggers are ready with their takes on the Indians' infield, pitching staff, offense and manager.

View full sizeManny Acta is responsible for trying to develop the Tribe's latest round of prospects.

Still WFNY: "A wise man once said that the only thing constant is change. One thing that's been constant for the Cleveland Indians since 2001 — the days of Robbie Alomar and Travis Fryman — is that spring training will start with some pretty big holes within the infield at second and third base." » Read more

90ft and Running: "I know that I'm not the only fan who seriously bemoaned the Acta hire in Cleveland. When the Indians brought Acta aboard, his career managerial record was 158-252 after 2 1/2 maligned years in as the skipper for the Washington Nationals. I wasn't alone in complaining about the Indians bringing in the manager that was just fired by the worst team in baseball to turn around my beloved Tribe. But, like many others, I never looked at those Washington teams from any point of view other than frustrated Indians fan. Let's take a look at what Manny had to work with in Washington." » Read more

The DiaTribe: "Given that there's been some well-documented friction between the Indians and Huff, if I'm the Indians, I give Huff the fifth spot on Opening Day with the idea that he'll have two months to either assert himself into the teams' future plans or to simply fade away into Sowersia. Essentially, here's your rope - either save yourself or make your own noose." » Read more

WaitingForNextYear: "The Cleveland Indians put up a .248/.322/.378 line in 2010. Their .700 OPS ranked next to last in the American League, besting only the historically awful Seattle Mariners (.637). That's not breaking news, I don't think. The Indians offense was hurt by injuries and poor performance across the board. We scored only 646 runs last season, third worst in the AL, for an average of fewer than four runs per game. Not historically bad, but pretty bad nonetheless. But did you know that against left-handed pitching, our numbers were even worse?" » Read more

Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV is being delayed because of technical issues. The guest is Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, who talked Cavaliers basketball with hosts Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright. The show will post as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can vote in today's Starting Blocks poll, which asks, 'Which player is the NBA's MVP...

Today's edition of Starting Blocks TV is being delayed because of technical issues. The guest is Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, who talked Cavaliers basketball with hosts Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

The show will post as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can vote in today's Starting Blocks poll, which asks, 'Which player is the NBA's MVP heading into the All-Star Break?"

Are the Buckeyes as good as their record of 25-1?

APOhio State coach Thad Matta.

After watching Ohio State defeat Michigan State on Tuesday night, Rob Oller of The Columbus Dispatch wonders if the Buckeyes are as good as their 25-1 record indicates and if the Spartans are as bad as their 14-11 record.

Ohio State seems worthy of its No.2 ranking, writes Oller, but there is some uncertainty because of the other teams out their like Kansas and Texas.

Those unknowns serve as sketches of the coming portrait that is March Madness. Only then will Ohio State's true identity be revealed. Is it the team that blew out Purdue on Jan.25 or that blew a 15-point lead against Wisconsin on Saturday?

One thing is certain: The team that defeated Michigan State 71-61 in Value City Arena last night showed it can win without Jared Sullinger contributing much to the cause, at least against an improving Big Ten team. The freshman scored 11 points and grabbed just two rebounds. But four other Buckeyes scored in double figures, led by William Buford with 23.

"I've been saying this since the beginning of the year: Anyone can be a leading scorer and rebounder on this team," Sullinger said.

The Spartans' issues are myriad, Oller writes, and the Spartans won't be bad like this again for awhile. So meanwhile, the best team in the Big Ten is Ohio State.

Game stories

Cleveland.com: The Buckeyes hustle against Michigan State.

Columbus Dispatch: Tough enough.

Lansing State Journal: Spartans fall to OSU.

Freep.com: Turnovers ruin Michigan State's chances.

Cleveland Heights native and Baseball for All founder Justine Siegal will make history, pitching BP to Tribe minor leaguers, and maybe to the regular team this week.

View full sizeCourtesy of Justine SiegalJustine Siegal, who spent part of 2009 coaching under Bill Buckner in the Independent League Brockton Rox, will pitch BP to Tribe farmhands -- and maybe the big leaguers -- next week.

Time to wax a little philosophical on you:

Baseball is the most romantic of sports. Yeah, there are football dreams, where a kid can fantasize about taking the hand-off and running 100 yards for a Super Bowl-winning touchdown, and basketball ones where a poor kid from Akron can parlay his talents into a home in South Beach.

But baseball is all about what COULD be.

That's why Starting Blocks is so hyped for Cleveland Heights native Justine Siegal. On Monday, she will fulfill a lifelong dream and become a member of the Cleveland Indians.

Sort of, anyway.

Siegal, the first woman to coach at the professional level -- she coached first base for the Independent League Brockton Rox, managed by former Red Sox great Bill Buckner in 2009 -- is the founder of Baseball For All.

She is scheduled to pitch batting practice to the Indians minor leaguers Monday morning, and if all goes well, to some of the big league players later. She's also going to pitch to the Oakland A's.

Bart Swain, one of the Tribe's media relations specialists, told Starting Blocks Siegal approached GM Chris Antonetti at the winter meetings to set all this up.

Siegal has been playing baseball since she was 5, and played in men's leagues till she was 22. The married mom of an 13-year-old daughter is chronicling her journey through the majors -- and her dream to become a college coach -- in a blog you can follow by clicking here.

Here's how Siegal, who also founded the Girls International Baseball Academy, is preparing for the gig, according to a press release from Baseball For All attached to the blog:

To prepare to throw to the A's and the Indians, Siegal has been throwing to various colleges, including Northeastern University, UMASS Amherst, American International College, and Springfield College. Siegal has also been strengthening her arm with personal trainer Mike Zolkiewicz, former Braves intern and current Highland Games world record holder. Siegal would like to continue throwing BP to other MLB teams. Off the field, Siegal is a Ph.D. Candidate in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Springfield College (MA) and the mother of Jasmine, her 13-year old daughter.

From The Plain Dealer
Writer Paul Hoynes and photographer/videographer Chuck Crow are in Goodyear, Ariz., to cover spring training for the Indians. Hoynsie's installment in today's paper covers Grady Sizemore and his eight-hour-a-day love-hate-affair with a knee-rehabbing device called a Continuous Passive Motion machine.

"It was torture," said Sizemore.

Not so much the pain, but the monotony. Sizemore is a Gold Glove center fielder. A 30-30 man. Being tied to a machine for eight hours a day was like locking a cheetah in a closet.

How'd he survive? Let's just say you don't want to challenge him to a Call to Duty game on Playstation.

In other news, the Tribe may be trying to recapture mid-'90s lightning in a bottle. First, by bringing in first former manager Mike Hargrove as a special assistant. Now, former center fielder Kenny Lofton will be joining the team as an advisor and on-field baserunning coach.

Since fantasy is a large part of today's Indians links, here's one for Starting Blocks: Kenny shows he's still got it and GM Chris Antonetti decides to sign him to a one-year deal and activate him.

We'd pay regular price to see that.

Hoynsie's Indians Insider column deals with the Lofton news; and with free-agent infielder Orlando Cabrera. The 14-year veteran is being viewed as a "super utility player" for the Tribe, and should become part of the team as soon as he takes (and passes) his physical.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Yes, the Manitoba Moose had five games in hand on the Monsters as of today. But the standings showed the Monsters and Moose each with 64 points, which was best in the Western Conference North Division. So the Monsters are a first-place club -- for a few hours, at least. Matthew Ford scored two goals and finished with three points...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Yes, the Manitoba Moose had five games in hand on the Monsters as of today.

But the standings showed the Monsters and Moose each with 64 points, which was best in the Western Conference North Division.

So the Monsters are a first-place club -- for a few hours, at least.

Matthew Ford scored two goals and finished with three points as Lake Erie kicked aside the Texas Stars, 4-2, at The Q.

The "School Day'' game featured several thousand enthusiastic youngsters. Faceoff was just past 10:45 a.m.

The Monsters (28-22-3-5) have won four in a row. They are 18-8-2-3 at home.

Manitoba will carry a 29-18-1-5 record into a Wednesday night home game against Toronto.

The Monsters visit Manitoba on Friday and Saturday.

Ford gave the Monsters a 1-0 lead with a terrific play at 11:34 of the first. Ford fought threw traffic to score during a delayed penalty.

Early in the second, David van der Gulik notched his eighth -- or did he? Credit for the power-play goal later was given to Ryan Stoa.

The Monsters' public-relations staff tweeted that Stoa became the franchise's career leader in goals with 40, having broken a tie with T.J. Hensick. But less than a half-hour later, van der Gulik got the goal back.

Texas answered quickly to make it 2-1.

Less than two minutes into the third, Ford scored. Joel Chouinard pushed the advantage to 4-1 at 7:22.

Monsters goalie Jason Bacashihua won his third straight start.

It turned out to be a lost three days in Cleveland for the Stars, who lost to Lake Erie on Monday night. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Tait will join Cavaliers Live Pregame Show on FOX Sports Ohio over the phone tonight. The show, hosted by Jeff Phelps and Campy Russell, begins at 7 p.m. It will be the first time this season Cavs fans have heard directly from Tait, who underwent successful double bypass heart surgery...

PD fileThe voice of the Cavaliers, Joe Tait

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Tait will join Cavaliers Live Pregame Show on FOX Sports Ohio over the phone tonight. The show, hosted by Jeff Phelps and Campy Russell, begins at 7 p.m.

It will be the first time this season Cavs fans have heard directly from Tait, who underwent successful double bypass heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic early January and is now doing rehabilitation at home.

Tait has been the Cavs' radio play-by-play announcer for nearly 40 years and is set to retire following the 2010-11 season. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last summer.