Veteran first baseman Nick Johnson signs minor league deal with Indians. He's had three operations on his right wrist in the last year.

AP FileNick Johnson's best season came in 2006 with the Nationals when he hit .290 with 23 HR and 77RBI.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Indians have made it official. They've signed veteran first baseman Nick Johnson to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp.

Johnson is not a candidate for the opening day roster because he's coming off surgery on his right wrist, an injury that limited him to 24 games last year with the Yankees. Johnson, 32, underwent surgery on February at Cleveland Clinic. Noted hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham performed the operation.

It was Johnson's third operation on the wrist within a year.

He's scheduled to report to Goodyear, Ariz., for camp next week. He'll reportedly make $750,000 if he makes the big league club and he'll wear No. 25.

It's believed the Indians signed Johnson as protection should Matt LaPorta or Travis Hafner falter this year.

If the Indians put Johnson on the big league roster, they have an option on him for 2012. Johnson's best season came in 2006 with Washington when Tribe manager Manny Acta was his skipper. He hit .290 (145-for-500) with 46 doubles, 23 homers, 77 RBI, 110 walks and 100 runs.
 

The Cleveland Indians took early advantage of a windy day on the road against the Chicago White Sox.

GLENDALE, Ariz. --  The Indians chased White Sox starter Lucas Harrell with six runs and eight hits in the first two innings on a wind-blown afternoon at The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch.

Matt LaPorta brought one run home on a double play grounder in the first, then singled in center fielder Ezequiel Carrera in the second.

Anything hit in the air to left field had a chance to leave the park. Nick Weglarz and Luis Valbuena proved it with a pair of two-run homers.

The White Sox answered with two runs in the home half of the first off Indians' starter Mitch Talbot. Not surprisingly, they scored on a homer -- to left -- off the bat of center fielder Alex Rios.

Cleveland Municipal Court officials want to await outcome of New York case before determining whether it will affect Edwards' probation for aggravated disorderly conduct outside a Cleveland nightclub.

Associated PressNew York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards leaves a Manhattan criminal court on Monday.

NEW YORK, New York -- Braylon Edwards has been a star for the New York Jets, and he wants to keep it that way.

Edwards, a free agent, emphasized Monday that he wants to stay with the team, and he said he believed the interest was mutual.

"If they give me the opportunity, I definitely want to come back," Edwards said as he left a Manhattan courthouse after a brief appearance in a drunken-driving case; he denies the charges. "And, one more time, I love being a Jet."

Edwards had 53 catches for 904 yards and seven touchdowns in his first full season with the Jets after they traded for him in October 2009. He made a key catch to set up the Jets' game-winning field goal over the Indianapolis Colts in the final minute of this year's AFC wild card playoff game.

Free agents have been in limbo this offseason as the NFL and the players' union try to negotiate a new contract. Teams and players are waiting to see what a new agreement might look like.

Edwards, 28, said he'd spoken recently to Jets coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, conversations he described as just catching up.

"The interest is there on their side. The interest is there on my side," said Edwards, who came to court sporting a dark blue-gray suit with a snappy red shirt, white collar, crimson-and-white striped tie and red-and-white polka-dotted pocket square. "(We'll) see what happens."

Edwards also is waiting to see what happens in his drunken-driving case.

Police said they pulled Edwards over in Manhattan around 5 a.m. Sept. 21 because his luxury SUV's windows were too dark. Officers said his blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit.

He denies driving drunk. He's challenging the basis for stopping him, the reliability of the test and other aspects of the case. Frankel told a court Monday he planned to file more papers contesting the breath tests.

A judge didn't rule Monday on any of Edwards' arguments. He's due back in court May 16.

Prosecutors say his arrest was lawful, the test was fine and there's enough evidence to support the charges.

The most serious is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

When arrested, Edwards was on probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct in a dust-up outside a Cleveland nightclub. Cleveland Municipal Court officials have said they have to await the outcome of Edwards' New York case before determining whether it will affect his probation.

Lawsuit accuses LeBron James of planning to renege on an appearance contract at an Atlanta club.

View full sizeAssociated PressLeBron James is being sued by an Atlanta nightclub that alleges he is reneging on a contract to appear there on St. Patrick's Day and instead will appear at a rival club in the city.

Atlanta -- LeBron James is being sued by one Atlanta nightclub, accused of reneging on a contract for a St. Patrick's Day night appearance appear there and instead agreeing to appear at a rival club. That's the story posted on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution website.

Atlanta's Opera nightclub is suing the Miami Heat player and the Gold Room over an appearance James is scheduled to make later this month. A hearing on the request for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction is set for Thursday in Fulton Superior Court.

In a complaint filed Monday, Opera accuses James of reneging on a promise to appear for one hour on March 17, for which he was to be paid $25,000, or $417 a minute.

"Think about this deal. All of that money, and the guy can't even play first base once a month. If we ever make it to a World Series, the guy couldn't play three or four of the games. You don't give a guy who doesn't own a glove this kind of deal. Not to mention you gave this guy a deal in the middle of his descent. Either the Indians didn't do their homework on his shoulder or they ignored all the signs that this guy was in trouble. When this regime does spend money, they can't even do that right." - larispitler

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerTravis Hafner, at one time, might have been the best DH in baseball. That's not the case anymore.

In response to the story No longer the powerful Pronk, Travis Hafner may have to share DH duties for Cleveland Indians: Bud Shaw, cleveland.com reader larispitler still doesn't understand the Hafner extension in 2007. This reader writes,

"Think about this deal. All of that money, and the guy can't even play first base once a month. If we ever make it to a World Series, the guy couldn't play three or four of the games. You don't give a guy who doesn't own a glove this kind of deal. Not to mention you gave this guy a deal in the middle of his descent. Either the Indians didn't do their homework on his shoulder or they ignored all the signs that this guy was in trouble. When this regime does spend money, they can't even do that right."

"I'm not going to jump on board the bandwagon prematurely, but I'm kind of intrigued at what Chris Grant has managed to piece together. There could be a different kind of Cavs team to watch in a few years, and it could be a bunch of young guys peaking at different times. Sort of reminds me of the '94 through '96 Indians if Grant can pull it off." - lmballday

View full sizeAPFans are hoping that Chris Grant is laying the foundation for a strong run.

In response to the story Cleveland Cavaliers having their eyes opened by Baron Davis' high-tempo play, cleveland.com reader lmballday is hoping things come together for the Cavaliers at the right time. This reader writes,

"I'm not going to jump on board the bandwagon prematurely, but I'm kind of intrigued at what Chris Grant has managed to piece together. There could be a different kind of Cavs team to watch in a few years, and it could be a bunch of young guys peaking at different times. Sort of reminds me of the '94 through '96 Indians if Grant can pull it off."

Watch Ohio State's press conference responding to the allegations against Jim Tressel beginning live tonight at 7 p.m. courtesy of Buckeye Vision.

Watch Ohio State's press conference responding to the allegations against Jim Tressel beginning live tonight at 7 p.m. courtesy of Buckeye Vision.

Tiki Barber, who retired after the 2006 season, wants to return to the NFL.

View full sizeAP FileFormer Giants running back Tiki Barber, who retired after the 2006 season, says he wants to return to the NFL.

Tiki Barber, who turns 37 in April and hasn't played pro football since retiring from the Giants after the 2006 season, wants to play again.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Barber said his passion for the game has been rekindled by seeing how much fun his twin brother, Ronde, a defensive back for Tampa Bay, still has playing it.
 

"We filed papers for Tiki to come out of retirement" Barber's agent, Mark Lepselter, told FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer. "We filed papers with the commmissioner's office and the Giants. And there are interested parties."

Recovering from heart surgery, the veteran broadcaster insists his retirement will come after this season.

View full sizeRon Schwane / Associated PressJoe Tait was celebrated during the 2007-08 season for his 3,000th game as the voice of the Cavaliers. Tait says he still wants to do some home games to close the season after heart surgery.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Joe Tait has a message for Cavs fans.

"In my 56 years of broadcasting, about every time I left a team – they got better," said the Cavs radio broadcaster. "It goes all the way to when I did the Monmouth College Fighting Scots. So hang in there."

That's what Tait is doing these days as he recovers from Jan. 7 heart surgery. He had a valve replacement and double bypass. Tait had originally set the goal of returning to the games after the All-Star break for a Feb. 23 home game.

"I learned that this thing really takes time," he said. "When they split your chest open and move things around ... and then put you back together again and tell you to heal -- it doesn't happen overnight."

Tait now has picked March 21 for his return, when the Cavs host Orlando.

"If I had my druthers, I'd be A-OK for the next home game," said Tait. "But if March 21 were tomorrow, I couldn't do it. But I do think that I will be ready in a few weeks."

His goal is to finish the season by doing home games. Travel is too demanding, given the serious nature of his surgery.

"The doctors say everything is going well with my heart," he said. "I've lost 50 pounds, which is good. If I'd lose more, it would be better. But I'm almost 74, and at my age, everything goes slower from every part of your anatomy."

Tait laughed.

Getting stronger

I've been talking to Tait a few times a week ever since he became ill in training camp. He landed in a Houston hospital with pneumonia in October. That led to the discovery of his heart problems. An infection delayed his operation until January.

At first, his voice was weak and raspy.

He's sounding stronger. We've been joking for weeks about Samardo Samuels, a player who caught Tait's attention in limited duty early in the season. I wondered about Samuels' ability to rebound. Tait backed the undrafted free agent from Louisville, who is listed at 6-9, 260 pounds. Tait likes how the wide-body forward is "not afraid to throw around."

Now, when I mention a player, Tait says, "He may be good, but he's no Samardo Samuels."

Which is a sign that Tait is feeling better.

"I watch or listen to every game," he said. "I have never seen a team this decimated by injuries. I'm not saying we'd compete for the NBA title, but I'd love to see the team now with Antawn [Jamison], Andy [Varejao] and Boobie [Daniel Gibson] playing with these young guys."

Tait has been extremely impressed by Byron Scott, "who has maintained his equilibrium and found a way not to go nuts this season. I know that he has screamed at the guys behind closed doors, and he's been smart to keep it there."

40 years is enough

Tait took over as the radio voice of the Cavs eight games into their first season in 1970. He has called more than 3,300 of their games, but left town during the ownership of Ted Stepien. Tait broadcast the New Jersey Nets in 1981-82, the Chicago Bulls in 1982-83.

When Gordon Gund bought the team in 1983 and hired Harry Weltman as general manager, one of Weltman's first moves was to bring Tait back.

Actually, the team got better when he returned -- not when he left.

"That's true," said Tait. "But not long after I left the Bulls, they drafted Michael Jordan."

Tait said he hasn't watched any Miami Heat games with LeBron James this season.

"But I have seen those late-game highlights on ESPN," he said, referring to how the Heat have recently misfired in the final seconds.

His reaction?

"You can say that I have enjoyed them immensely," he said. "[For James], it's a case of be careful what you wish for because you may get it."

Tait said the NBA "has serious problems." He mentioned how the league "is excited by playing games in London, but they can't fill the seats here." He warned that if the stars continue to gravitate to a few cities, "some of these franchises will go belly up."

He said that he could say more, but then declined to do so.

Tait was given the 2010 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Cavs have given Tait the option to return next season.

"I'm done," he said. "I've had it. This is the last season. I don't want to hang on and be a cartoon character. I've seen that happen with other guys. I've done this for 40 years. That's enough for me."

It's the second straight year a Kent player was named the top sixth man, and the fifth defensive award since 2002.

View full sizeKSU photoMAC defensive player of the year Michael Porrini

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference coaches named Kent State's Mike Porrini as Defensive Player of the Year and Kent State's Carlton Guyton as Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday.

The final individual award voted on by the media went to Buffalo's Javon McCrea as Freshman of the Year. McCrea was named on 10 ballots while Central Michigan's Tre Zeigler was named on nine with Western Michigan's Matt Stainbrook getting one vote.

The coaches did not release their final tallies.

It marked the second straight year a Kent player was named the top sixth man. The 6-4 Guyton, a Chicago native, averaged 12.4 points in conference action. He also shot 40.5 percent (49-of-121) on 3-pointers.

Guyton saved his best for KSU's stretch run to a second straight regular-season title. In the last seven games, he averaged 15.4 points and shot over 50 percent from the field and 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from three.

The defensive award has become a Kent State staple. Porrini is the fifth KSU player since 2002 honored, following Demetric Shaw (2001, 2002), John Edwards (2004) and Haminn Quaintance (2008).

The 6-2 junior from Massillon guarded any one of four positions, from point guard to power forward. He helped cornerstone a defense that led the league in field-goal percentage (.416) and three-point field goal percentage (.317).

Porrini also was second on the team with 4.3 rebounds per game, including 3.0 on the defensive end, for a team that was second in the league in rebounding (37.0). He had 12 games with three or more steals and ranked fifth in the MAC with 1.7 steals per game.

McCrea became the first Buffalo player to win freshman honors. In a deep class around the league, McCrea stood out. The 6-6 forward averaged 11.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists. His 330 points scored is the third-highest single-season total by a freshman in school history.

McCrea leads the MAC and ranks third in the nation in field goal percentage (.648). He ranks fourth in the conference in blocked shots with 50 -- the second most ever by a UB freshman. His 38 steals are second on the team.

Tressel will miss home games against Akron on Sept. 3 and Toledo on Sept. 10

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerJim Tressel is under the microscope after a Yahoo! Sports report Monday claiming he knew about OSU players selling merchandise but did not report it.

Ohio State tonight suspended football coach Jim Tressel for two games and fined him $250,000 for failing to act appropriately when notified last April that some of his players broke NCAA rules by selling memorabilia.

News of those NCAA violations by the OSU players did not surface until a federal investigation in December.

Tressel was part of a 7 p.m. press conference tonight, where he was joined by Ohio State president Dr. E. Gordon Gee and athletic director Gene Smith. The press conference was called after Yahoo! Sports reported Monday night, quoting a source, that Tressel knew of the violations in April, months before they came to light, and did not bring them to the attention of the OSU compliance department.

Smith said tonight that OSU has known for weeks that Tressel had prior knowledge of the players' violations, and that OSU had self-reported that fact to the NCAA. Smith said that OSU has been working with the NCAA both on Tressel's violation of NCAA Bylaw 10.1 and an appeal of the players' suspensions.

Smith added that tonight's press conference was called in response to the Yahoo! report and rampant media speculation, and that he had planned to let the process play out with the NCAA before going public with the news. "We had a leak," Smith said.

Tressel will miss home games against Akron on Sept. 3 and Toledo on Sept. 10, Smith said.

The NCAA will consider OSU's self-imposed sanctions and either accept them or modify them, Smith said. Under OSU's penalties, Tressel also will be required to attend a compliance seminar on NCAA rules.

An OSU administration official said today that the school has been in frequent contact with the NCAA about the suspensions of the six players for selling memorabilia, because the school is appealing those suspensions, and that the discussion of Tressel's allegation was folded into those conversations.

You can watch the press conference live here and follow our live tweets @PDBuckeyes.

Women's tournament gets started with four games beginning at noon Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Wednesday, The Q

Game 1

No. 2 Bowling Green vs. No. 11 Ohio

Tipoff: Noon.

What to watch: BG (25-4), the marquee women's program of the MAC, took a small step back this year toward nearby rival Toledo. But the Falcons still finished first in the MAC East behind a defense that held teams to 57 ppg, and senior forward Lauren Prochaska (18.1 ppg), a game-winner with a 91.8 percent free throw stroke. The Bobcats (9-21) struggled this season under coach Semeka Randall. However, look for OU to give its best effort for the former Trinity High School star and Tennessee All-American.

Game 2

No. 3 Central Michigan vs. No 6 Buffalo

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m.

What to watch: The Chippewas (19-9) are the most lethal team in the field as they averaged a stunning 81.2 points a game this season, with Kaihla Szunko (15.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg) being one of the key ingredients. Buffalo (16-14) will counter with MAC MVP and defensive Player of the Year Kourtney Brown (22.1 ppg, 11.7 rpg). The senior Solon native likely will wrap up her career on what has to be considered her home court. Buffalo's 38.8 percent FG shooting defense will be put to the test in this one.

Game 3

No. 1 Toledo vs. No. 8 Akron

Tipoff: 5 p.m.

What to watch: The Rockets (22-7) arguably have the best playmaker in the league in Naama Shafir (14.4 ppg, 5.1 apg) and a team defense that holds the opposition to 58.7 points per game. The Zips (14-15) made strides in a transition year and have an anchor in sophomore C Rachel Tecca (16.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg). Akron does not score a lot of points (66.3 ppg) but if the Zips can keep it close at the end, UT's Achilles' heel is being the MAC's worst FT shooting team at 65.7 percent from the line.

Game 4

No. 4 Kent State vs. No. 5 Eastern Michigan

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch: Clearly the game of the day, as not much separates Kent (20-8) and Eastern Michigan (20-11) on the court. Individually, the matchup between EMU's Cassie Schrock (14.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Kent's Taisja Jones (16.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) offers much intrigue. As a team, Kent averaged 67.3 ppg to EMU's 68.7; Kent held teams to 60.6 ppg with a 38.8 percent FG defense to EMU's 60.2 ppg and 36.4 percent defense. EMU won the lone matchup this season, 75-66, at Kent.

-- Elton Alexander

Diamondbacks rattle Fausto Carmona for six runs on seven hits in three innings.

View full sizeChris Carlson / Associated PressIndians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is late with the tag as Arizona's Gerardo Parra steals second during the second inning of Tuesday's game in Goodyear, Ariz.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Diamondbacks took batting practice today against Fausto Carmona and the rest of the Indians' pitching staff,  rocketing to a 16-5 Cactus League victory at Goodyear Ballpark.

Arizona's big inning against Carmona came in the second when Chris Young and Stephen Drew hit consecutive homers with two out for a 6-0 lead. Young hit a line-drive two-run homer to left center on a 2-1 pitch. Drew hit a high drive over the right field wall on the first pitch.

Carmona struck out Brandon Allen to start the second, but Henry Blanco singled. Gerardo hit into a force play, stole second and scored on Kelly Johnson's single.

"They came out and just never stopped hitting," said manager Manny Acta. "Carmona was strong, but his pitches were up in the zone."

Third-base prospect Lonnie Chisenhall supplied one of the few Indians highlight as he went 4-for-5. Chisenhall, hitting .550 (11-for-20),  had four straight hits before grounding out in the ninth inning.

The Diamondbacks took a 2-0 lead in the first. Johnson hit a leadoff double and came around to score on a ground ball and Xavier Nady's single. Drew walked, took third on Nady's single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Russell Branyan.

The Indians made it 6-1 in the third on Shin-Soo Choo's RBI single off Daniel Hudson. Choo, slowed early in camp by a sore left elbow, ended the fourth by throwing out Branyan as he tried to stretch a single into a double. 

Arizona kept right on scoring once Carmona left the game.

They scored four runs against Corey Kluber in the fourth for a 10-1 lead. Young's two-run double was the big hit of the inning and gave him four RBI.

After Josh Judy relieved Kluber to end the fourth, Alex White started the fifth by giving up three runs on five straight hits. Henry Blanco's two-run double highlighted the inning and made him 3-for-3.

White came out for the sixth and allowed only one run as Branyan walked and came around to score on singles by Ryan Roberts and Brandon Allen for a 14-2 lead.  White struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

The Indians' second run came in the fifth on Choo's two-out single. 

Arizona out-hit the Indians, 22-14. In the last two games, the Indians pitchers have allowed 32 runs on 41 hits.

Chisenhall singled in his first two at-bats. He doubled and scored on Shelley Duncan's bloop single in the sixth and added another single in the eighth.

The Indians completed the scoring with two runs in the ninth.

Injuries have hit the Cavaliers again as newcomers Luke Harangody and Semih Erden will sit this week to recover from nagging ailments.

View full sizeMary Altaffer / Associated Press"I'm not the same player with what I've been dealing with," forward Luke Harangody said about being sidelined with a hip pointer. "I hate not being in uniform. I want to play."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Someday, perhaps, Byron Scott will have everyone on the Cavaliers roster healthy and fit and ready to play.

It hasn't happened all season, and it won't happen this week, either. Both Luke Harangody and Semih Erden sat for Tuesday's game against Golden State, and will miss at least Wednesday's game in Milwaukee in an attempt to recover from nagging injuries.

Harangody played the last three games after he suffered a hip pointer against San Antonio. Despite the injury, Harangody scored a career-high 18 points against the Knicks on Friday.

The 6-8 forward was hit on the hip, again, in Sunday's game against New Orleans.

"His hip finally caught up to him," Scott said. "He finally got to a point where he can't really move."

Although Harangody doesn't want to miss time, he grudgingly admitted that resting for about a week might be the best move. "I'm not the same player with what I've been dealing with," Harangody said. "I hate not being in uniform. I want to play."

Erden, meanwhile, played 10 minutes against the Hornets, logging five rebounds and a blocked shot, but still has not recovered from a right abductor strain he has battled since arriving in Cleveland in a trade deadline deal.

Although Scott liked the 7-footer's solid screening abilities, he's yet to see Erden's full capabilities.

"I just want to see him play more," Scott said. "The more I can see him play, the better I can understand what he can do for us. I liked what I saw from him, I just want to see more."

The Cavaliers have lost 134 man-games to injury or illness this season.

"I have no idea what to do when everyone is healthy," Scott joked. "It's going to be fun."

Helping out the kids: Friday was the start of Hoops for St. Jude Week, a week in which NBA players served as ambassadors to raise awareness for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and its fight against childhood cancer.

Warriors center David Lee is one of seven NBA players serving as an ambassador, which means he's donated a minimum of $20,000 to the hospital and is helping to draw attention to the cause. Other ambassadors include Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Kevin Love, Rudy Gay, Steve Blake and Denver coach George Karl.

St. Jude is located in Memphis, Tenn., and helps primarily children with various forms of cancer and other serious illnesses. The daily operating cost of St. Jude is $1.6 million, and the hospital does not deny treatment to children of families with no medical insurance.

Lee was partnered with a third-grader named Sydney in the Bay Area, spending time with the girl who has a brain tumor and has received treatment at St. Jude.

"It puts things in perspective when you deal with a kid like that," Lee said. "We worry about our problems in our daily life, and they're small things that don't even matter. She seems to have such a positive attitude and the things she's going through are so much more serious. So it's very good to put it in perspective."

Fans can support the campaign with donations or by bidding on autographed memorabilia by going to hoopsforstjude.org.

Cavaliers can't muster much offense in falling at home to Golden State.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerThe Cavaliers' Alonzo Gee battles with Golden State's Ekpe Udoh for a rebound during the first quarter of Tuesday night's game at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In-game updates from Quicken Loans Arena as the Cavaliers face Golden State.

Final: Warriors 95, Cavs 85

On the bright side, the Cavaliers avoided a season-ending injury to J.J. Hickson. The starting center sprinted off the court with 7:18 left after his left pinky bent at an abnormal angle. It turned out to be a dislocation, and he returned for the final minute of play.

However, the Warriors' backcourt continued its onslaught, as Monta Ellis finished with 24 points, Stephen Curry had 23 points.

The Cavaliers' starting backcourt, incidentally, (Anthony Parker and Ramon Sessions) had a combined 14 points. Baron Davis led the Cavaliers with 19 points.

Third quarter update: Warriors 76, Cavs 65

Warriors coach Keith Smart must have reminded Monta Ellis that he's Golden State's leading scorer when they were on halftime break.

Ellis hit five 3-pointers in the third quarter, scored 17 of his game-high 21 points, and helped the Warriors keep their cushion. Stephen Curry added eight points in the quarter, he now has 19 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Baron Davis ignited a mini-spark when he hit a 3, a driving layup and another 3 ... but it's going to take more of that kind of play to slice into the Warriors' lead.

Halftime update: Warriors 47, Cavs 46

And just like that, the Cavaliers' 12-point lead was gone. It just took five turnovers and allowing Stephen Curry to break free for 10 points in the quarter. The Cavaliers' shooting is down to 35.4 percent, and the easy lobs and open shots for big men have seemingly disappeared.

Samuels leads the Cavs with 11 points, Al Thornton has nine for the Warriors.

First quarter update: Cavs 30, Warriors 18

Byron Scott wanted unselfish play from his team after a disjointed showing against New Orleans on Sunday, and he's getting it. Unselfishness is coming in the form of plenty of layups and dunks for big men, as J.J. Hickson has eight points on 3-for-6 shooting, Samardo Samuels has seven points on 3-for-6 shooting, and six of the nine players who played in the first quarter have assists.

Even Ryan Hollins has five points. One of the prettiest passes ended the quarter -- a Baron Davis lob to Hickson that looked eerily similar to what Davis used to throw to LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin before arriving in Cleveland via trade.

Cavs starters: F Alonzo Gee, F Samardo Samuels, C J.J. Hickson, G Anthony Parker, G Ramon Sessions.

Warriors starters: F Dorell Wright, F Ekpe Udoh, C David Lee, G Monta Ellis, G Stephen Curry.

Injuries: Semih Erden (strained right abductor), Luke Harangody (hip pointer), Antawn Jamison (fractured left little finger) and Anderson Varejao (torn tendon, right foot) are out for Cavs.

Inactives: Jamison, Erden, Varejao for Cavs. Charlie Bell and Jeff Adrien for Warriors.

Officials: Mike Callahan, Eric Dalen, Leon Wood.

Three things to watch

1. Golden State allows the second-most points per game in the NBA (106.2). Will this be a chance for the Cavaliers' offense to ignite?

2. How will Baron Davis direct the offense in his third game? Is he more comfortable with Byron Scott's Princeton offense?

3. Can the Cavaliers cut down on turnovers to prevent Golden State's fast-paced offense from erupting?

Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting .550 this spring, but the chances are still slim that he'll be the Indians' third baseman when the season opens.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerLonnie Chisenhall has gotten off to a quick start at the plate during spring training.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Lonnie Chisenhall is doing it the right way. He's making it hard for manager Manny Acta and GM Chris Antonetti to tell him he's not good enough to be their third baseman when the season opens.

It still doesn't mean he'll get the job come April 1, but the story might be different when the calendar turns to July or August 1.

In an ugly 16-5 loss to Arizona on Tuesday, Chisenhall went 4-for-5. He hit safely in his first four at-bats before grounding out to second in his fifth. The Indians' No.1 pick in 2008 is hitting .550 (11-for-20) with two homers and four RBI in eight Cactus League games.

Acta has made it clear that Chisenhall and other prospects are in camp to get experience, not to make the big-league club. Jason Donald, who hasn't played since Saturday because of a bruised left hand, is still the favorite to win the job.

Acta, however, doesn't like to rob players of hope.

"Donnie Webb and Wes Hodges were our most valuable players last year in spring training," said Acta, referring to two minor-leaguers who didn't get a sniff of the big leagues last year. "Lonnie hasn't changed my mind. My mind is not bad about him. We like him. We love him. He's going to be part of our team at some point."

Chisenhall told reporters early in camp that the only thing he could control was forcing Acta and Antonetti to lose a couple of night's sleep before telling him he has to start the season in the minors.

"We wouldn't want it any other way," said Acta. "That's the way everybody should show up to camp."

Donald still isn't ready to play. His left hand is still wrapped, but he did field ground balls and hit some off the batting tee.

"If this was April or May, I'd be pushing the trainers a little harder," said Donald.

Killer Bs: Chad Durbin worked a scoreless inning in Tuesday's 7-6 victory over Cincinnati in a B game. It was Durbin's first game action since he signed with the Indians. He should make his first Cactus League appearance Friday.

"I felt good," said Durbin. "I was doing a lot of this stuff at home waiting to sign. The only thing I couldn't get used to was standing on my feet for four hours in spikes. My wife frowned on me walking around the house in spikes. That's tough on the hardwood floors."

Rafael Perez was hardly as sharp. He gave up four runs on four hits in the eighth and the inning had to be stopped when he exceeded his pitch count. The four runs were unearned because of two errors.

Perez missed several days of camp when he returned to New York to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter, Emily. He also had to take care of some legal business regarding his green card.

"Raffie is rusty," said Acta. "He lost a lot of time when he went to New York."

He's expected to pitch in a Cactus League game in a couple of days.

Josh Tomlin kept his bid for the fifth spot in the rotation intact. He started the B game and pitched three scoreless innings.

Miracle man: Doug Mathis pitched two scoreless innings in high winds and glaring sunlight Monday in a 16-16 tie with the White Sox. Acta said it was a miracle that Mathis didn't allow a run.

"Manny is probably right," said Mathis. "Based on the conditions, it was probably a combination of me being lucky and making a few good pitches."

Mathis is in camp as a spring training invitee. He made 13 relief appearances with Texas last year and spent the rest of the time at Class AAA Oklahoma, where he went 5-7 with a 5.66 ERA in 18 games, including 15 starts.

"We wanted a flexible guy, who could start and give us multiple innings out of the pen," said Acta. "That made us go after him."

Testing, testing: Trevor Crowe (right rotator cuff) took some swings in the cage Tuesday after getting a strength test Monday. He could start playing catch in the next several days.

"All the tests were positive," said Crowe. "Now it just depends on how it functions once I get on the field."

Crowe said playing with a sore right shoulder last year led to him needing off-season surgery on his right elbow.

Finally: A mouse ran loose in the Indians' clubhouse Tuesday, but it did not make good on his escape. ... Austin Kearns fouled a ball off his foot Tuesday, but Acta said he's fine. ... Indians President Mark Shapiro arrived in Goodyear on Monday. ... STO showed its first game of spring training Tuesday. It marked the debut of Mike Hargrove in the booth with Rick Manning and Matt Underwood. Hargrove will do 10 games for STO during the regular season.

If we have learned anything about Ohio State football, it is that the play, preferably a big one, is the thing. Not the rules.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerNeither Jim Tressel or OSU President E. Gordon Gee came away from Tuesday's press conference with a better reputation than when they went in, says Bill Livingston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While Jim Tressel never denied wrongdoing and never lied to investigators about what he knew in the scandal of the Sugar Bowl Five, he was never proactive about it, either.

He never consulted Ohio State's legal department. He never went to athletic director Gene Smith with the information. He kept silent because, as he said at one point in his mea culpa news conference Tuesday night, "They are guys who can play."

And if we have learned anything about Ohio State football, it is that the play, preferably a big one, is the thing.

Asked if he considered firing Tressel, OSU president E. Gordon Gee revealed more than he wanted to when he lamely joked, "No, are you kidding? Let me be very clear. I'm just hoping the coach doesn't dismiss me."

Loyalty to five players who clearly violated rules against profiting from their position as athletes, because they could play, has cost Tressel much of his persistent reputation for spotless integrity. Actually, failure to monitor or mentor players like Maurice Clarett and Troy Smith had already stained him in some eyes, but the "can't be everywhere" theory saved him with the true believers.

But this time, Tressel knew what was going on.

OSU fans will try to say this is much ado about nothing. They should think about how they would react if the story was about Michigan's Brady Hoke, however.

Tressel also knew without his returning quarterback (Terrelle Pryor), top returning receiver (DeVier Posey), top running back (Boom Herron) and stud offensive lineman (Mike Adams) he didn't have much of a football team. We should never forget that what he is paid to do is win games.

The rest, such as using the confidentiality of a federal investigation of some of his players as justification to conceal known rules violations, was simply a way to facilitate his mission.

Tressel's two-game suspension conveniently falls in the first two patsy games against Akron and Toledo. Ohio State's remaining players can fall out of a tattoo parlor the morning of a game against a MAC team and still win those games.

His $250,000 fine is big, but he is scheduled to make $3.5 million next season.

Attending a compliance seminar sounds like a drag, but it is not exactly picking up trash by the side of the road in an orange jumpsuit.

A stronger stand from the start, given how offended many fans were by the players' sale of such prized possessions as game jersey and gold pants trinkets, might have earned him more fans than his inaction has lost.

Ohio State is the flagship athletic program of the Big Ten, and Tressel is, beyond any reasonable doubt, the face of the league in its most popular sport. It is some solace that Tressel didn't alibi and blame anyone else.

But while he said he didn't think any less of himself after this, a lot of people will.

Follow Bill Livingston on Facebook and on Twitter @LivyPD

Emotions often run high in sports. But is it really that different for the pros?

View full sizeAndrew Brownbill / Associated PressTennis great Roger Federer couldn't hold back his emotions after losing to Rafael Nadal in the 2009 Australian Open in Melbourne. "Crying is OK," says Browns defensive back Abe Elam. "We're all human."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Darryl Talley takes exception with a legendary movie quote.

"That quote about no crying in baseball is bull [bleep]," said Talley, who lost four Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills. "I cried. I cried in at least two of those Super Bowl losses. I understand [football] is a masculine game and men aren't supposed to cry, but if you play the game with your heart on your sleeve, you should be able to express how you feel."

So when it comes to professional athletes crying, as two Miami Heat players did following a recent tough loss, according to their coach Erik Spoelstra, Talley would understand, to a degree.

"I'm not saying to be a crybaby," said Talley, who grew up in East Cleveland and went on to become one of the toughest linebackers ever in the NFL.

Emotions often run high in sports, and that passion can lead to tears, which is often more accepted when it's on display by high school or college athletes. But is it really that different for the pros? Just because they make millions, does that change their perspective?

Not really, says Cleveland Browns safety Abe Elam.

"No matter what level you play on, there's a lot of emotion because guys are giving their all," Elam said. "Crying is OK; we're all human. Some people cry out of frustration. Some cry out of disappointment or fear, and some cry because they're happy. I know I got emotional when I played in my first NFL game because of everything I had been through to get here."

The weeping in the Heat locker room certainly wasn't tears of joy. Miami has struggled in close games against the NBA's top teams. Miami is 1-9 against the league's top five teams, shooting a miserable 1-for-19 in crunch time.

But for some athletes that's still not enough for tears because crying is never associated with sports, especially on the professional level.

"Maybe I cried after a game when I was 5 years old and somebody took my snack after a game," said Indians closer Chris Perez. "But I never cried as a professional. Not that I don't care. I'm more enraged after a loss than upset."

The association of crying and caring is something former Cavaliers guard Ron Harper doesn't understand. For Harper, at least, crying after a loss doesn't mean a player cared any more than a player who doesn't cry. He had every reason to bawl following "The Shot" against the Cavs in Game 5 of the 1989 NBA playoffs.

View full sizeMark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal-SentinelOf course, retirement speeches often bring out the need for tissues. At least Brett Favre has had plenty of experience with such events, whether he was leaving the Packers, Jets or Vikings.

"We had three or five guys crying," Harper said. "I told them if you did everything you were suppose to do, and you played hard, there's no reason for tears. I never cried because it's not the end of the world. There's always another game."

Harper was especially surprised the Heat players cried following Sunday's regular season loss to the Chicago Bulls. So was Indians infielder Orlando Cabrera.

"If you lose, there's always another game," Cabrera said. "I mean did they lose the conference championship? I don't know. Maybe they need therapy."

Regular season weeping is also new to Indians pitcher Jensen Lewis. He said he never cried after a regular season game. He wasn't alone in an emotional clubhouse after the Indians lost Game 7 of the ALCS in 2007.

"That's warranted," Lewis said. "We hadn't been that close to a World Series in 10 years. You never know when you're going to get that opportunity again. That's a time when emotions are going to pour over."

Plain Dealer reporter Paul Hoynes contributed to this report.

The Zips advance to Thursday's MAC quarterfinals in The Q against Miami at 2:30 p.m.

View full sizePhil Masturzo / Akron Beacon-JournalAkron's Zeke Marshall (right) grabs one of his nine rebounds Tuesday night away from Eastern Michigan's Jemell Harris in the Zips' MAC first-round tournament victory over the Eagles.

AKRON, Ohio -- Little things often separate the good teams from the struggling and that was evident Tuesday night in a opening-round game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament between Akron and Eastern Michigan.

Solid shooting from the free-throw line and behind the 3-point arc lifted the Zips over the Eagles, 67-53. In comparison, the Eagles could make only 11-of-23 from the line and missed 21 of their 25 3-point attempts.

Eastern kept the game close as senior Brandon Bowdry and freshman J.R. Sims delivered 14 and 12 points each. But most of Bowdry's work was done in the second half, and his 4-of-8 from the line reflected his teammates' struggles.

Add in 13 turnovers, several when EMU cut a 12-point Akron lead down to six, and that had the Eagles heading for the bus.

"When you get on a string making them, it's contagious," EMU coach Charles Ramsey said. "When you get on a string missing them, it's contagious too.

"Our best 3-point shooter [Derek Thompson] was 1-for-8. We got within five and we promptly turned it over. That's been our season in a nutshell. That's why we're going home."

The sixth-seeded Zips (20-12) advance to Thursday's MAC quarterfinals in The Q against No. 3 Miami at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Michigan ends its season at 9-22.

Akron had four players in double figures -- Nik Cvetinovic with 13, Brett McKnight with 11 and 10 each for Darryl Roberts and Steve McNees. Roberts, McNees and McKnight have been on Akron teams that have reached three of the last four MAC Tournament title games.

But a loss along the way will end their collegiate careers.

"It's definitely in your head, but we believe come postseason," McNees said.

Trailing 9-4 in the opening minutes, the Zips showed their experience in patiently working the ball around for comfortable shots and got a 10-0 run out of it. Following a pair of EMU free throws, the Zips ripped off another nine straight, including a McNees 3-pointer. Akron led, 31-22, at halftime.

Several times in the second half Eastern cut into Akron's advantage, but Brett McClanahan's 3-pointer with five minutes left ended the final threat.

Next up is the RedHawks, a team Akron split with during the regular season.

"We got to worry about what we do," coach Keith Dambrot said. "We know what they're going to do, and they know what we're going to do. Nikola has got to play better than [Julian] Mavunga."

NFL releases details of contract proposal

After 16 days of mediated talks, the NFL and the players' union could not reach agreement on a new labor deal. The NFL released what it described as a summary of its proposal to the union:

1. We more than split the economic difference between us, increasing our proposed cap for 2011 significantly and accepting the union's proposed cap number for 2014 ($161 million per club).

2. An entry-level compensation system based on the union's "rookie cap" proposal, rather than the wage scale proposed by the clubs. Under the NFL proposal, players drafted in rounds 2-7 would be paid the same or more than they are paid today. Savings from the first round would be reallocated to veteran players and benefits.

3. A guarantee of up to $1 million of a player's salary for the contract year after his injury the first time that the clubs have offered a standard multiyear injury guarantee.

4. Immediate implementation of changes to promote player health and safety by: reducing the offseason program by five weeks, reducing OTAs (organized team activities) from 14 to 10 and limiting on-field practice time and contact; limiting full-contact practices in the preseason and regular season; and increasing number of days off for players.

5. Commit that any change to an 18-game season will be made only by agreement and that the 2011 and 2012 seasons will be played under the current 16-game format.

6. Owner funding of $82 million in 2011-12 to support additional benefits to former players, which would increase retirement benefits for more than 2,000 former players by nearly 60 percent.

7. Offer current players the opportunity to remain in the player medical plan for life.

8. Third-party arbitration for appeals in the drug and steroid programs.

9. Improvements in the Mackey plan (designed for players suffering from dementia and other brain-related problems), disability plan and degree-completion bonus program.

10. A per-club cash minimum spend of 90 percent of the salary cap over three seasons.