The Thunder went through its own version of The Decision, when the entire team took its talents south -- from Seattle to Oklahoma City -- after the 2007-08 season.

View full sizeMatt Slocum / Associated PressBudding superstar Kevin Durant is just one of the many good draft decisions that Oklahoma City has made in building a title contender from the ashes of the old Seattle Supersonics.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If the Cavaliers are looking for a team to emulate in their rebuilding process, Sunday's opponent, the Oklahoma City Thunder, is a perfect example of how a team can come back.

The Thunder went through its own version of The Decision, when the entire team took its talents south -- from Seattle to Oklahoma City -- after the 2007-08 season.

Although the franchise had finished first in the Northwest Division with a 52-30 record as recently as 2004-05, it had been in a freefall heading into the move -- no doubt in part because of the uncertainly surrounding the franchise.

By 2006-07, coach Bob Hill's Supersonics finished 31-51, the fifth-worst record in the league. But the team got lucky in the lottery, earning the No. 2 pick, which it used to select Texas star Kevin Durant. The team also picked up Georgetown forward Jeff Green in the trade that sent Ray Allen and the draft rights to Glen Davis to Boston for Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. Green had been the No. 5 pick in the draft.

In its final season in Seattle, the team finished 20-62 under P.J. Carlesimo, the second-worst record in the league. The team picked fourth in the lottery, which it used to add UCLA star Russell Westbrook. It also had the 24th pick in an earlier deal with Phoenix and picked up Serge Ibaka of the Congo.

Now, though, the Thunder, under 2010 coach of the year Scott Brooks, who replaced Carlesimo 13 games into the 2008-09 season, is recognized as an up-and-coming team full of potential and is often cited as a good example of how the NBA can succeed in a small market.

"They've done a real good job with the young talent they have, as far as developing it, and their draft picks have been very solid, obviously," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "Kevin Durant was a no-brainer, but Russell Westbrook really turned into a special point guard. They've got some real good pieces. They play extremely hard. They play well, a very good offensive team, very aggressive, athletic young basketball team. You've got to admire the way they've done it."

Even with all that young talent, the team didn't return to the playoffs until the 2009-10 season, three full seasons after Durant arrived. Cavs fans should keep that in mind.

"It is a process, no doubt about that," Scott said. "It's nothing that's going to happen overnight. That fantasyland, where you think it's going to happen in a year or so. It takes some time. People have to be patient. You've got to give a lot of these young guys time to develop. Sometimes it takes them a couple of years."

Now that Oklahoma City has arrived, it had to make some additional moves to challenge the elite teams. The Thunder took the Los Angeles Lakers to six games in a first-round playoff series last season, but it would like to go deeper this season.

So the Northwest Division leader sent Green and Nenad Krstic to Boston for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson at the trade deadline. Robinson is out after knee surgery. Perkins is day-to-day with a knee injury and will make a difference when he returns.

"He makes them a better defensive team," Scott said of Perkins. "He's the one guy they have who can probably guard a lot of guys one-on-one in the post so they don't have to double a lot. That makes them very tough. It really helps them defensively, and it gives them another guy who has won a championship and been on that level, so that experience will help as well."

Zips earn NCAA tourney bid as Brett McKnight hits decisive free throws and Zeke Marshall and Steve McNees block Kent shots.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerAkron's Brett McClanahan lifts teamate Steve McNees as the Zips celebrate their 66-65 overtime win over Kent State, as the Golden Flashes' Michael Porrini lays dejected on the court.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Zeke Marshall spiked Kent State out and the Akron Zips into the NCAA Tournament early Saturday evening.

The 7-foot Akron sophomore center's nine blocked shots, including one in the lane inside the final 10 seconds of overtime, lifted the Zips to a 66-65 triumph over the top-seeded Golden Flashes to win the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament in The Q.

It capped a see-saw battle before 8,926 fans spoiled by a post-game push and shove between assistant coaches and players from both teams.

Big shots were made one after the other, but the clinchers for Akron were a pair of free throws by Brett McKnight with 12.8 seconds in OT, setting the stage for Kent's last gasp. Rod Sherman first drove the lane where Marshall returned to sender.

"It was my instincts when he threw that ball up," Marshall said. "It was an adrenaline rush, no way was I going to miss my chance at getting [to the NCAA Tournament]."

The ball slammed hard against the floor and Kent guard Carlton Guyton got a final look, but Akron's Steve McNees blocked that attempt, the Zips' 15th block of the game, to send the sixth-seeded Zips dancing.

Kent State (23-11) winners of the MAC's regular-season title, get an automatic slot in the NIT. For Akron (23-12), it's a great sendoff for seniors McKnight, McNees, Bardo and Darryl Roberts.

But for Kent's lone senior, Sherman, it's a stinger.

"That's what hurting me the most," Kent junior center Justin Greene said. "We lost it for Rod. Our goal was the get to the tournament for Rod. We let him down."

Greene, the conference's Player of the Year, struggled all game, jawing during many breaks with the officials. He ultimately fouled out in OT after going 5-of-16 from the field, 3-of-7 from the line for 13 points. His missed free throw with 42 seconds left in regulation kept Kent from taking a 60-59 lead.

Kent's Guyton got the rebound off Greene's miss, but his 3-pointer hit back iron. Akron's hurried attempt at a final shot ended with a turnover, but Sherman's long off-balance flip at the buzzer was fruitless.

Combined with the late overtime misses, it was just not to be for the Golden Flashes.

"They played and looked more comfortable offensively than we did," Kent coach Geno Ford said of the Zips. "When it wasn't going well for them, they were poised. They didn't crack."

Kent took a quick 12-2 lead behind accurate 3-point shooting and a couple of rebound stickbacks from 6-11 junior Justin Manns. The Zips' lone hoop was a inside basket by power forward Nik Cvetinovic. The Flashes hit five of their first seven shots while the Zips missed five of six.

The Zips used a timeout to go to their zone, which cooled off the Flashes. By the 11:02 mark the Zips had closed within 14-9 behind a pair of McNees 3-pointers as KSU missed six of seven. The Zips kept closing until Quincy Diggs' coast-to-coast layup tied the game at 24. Making 12 of their last 16 shots, the Zips took a 33-31 lead at the break on McNees' fourth 3-pointer of the half. All of his 14 points came in the opening 20 minutes.

The score see-sawed throughout the second half, but Kent was never able to get more than a one-possession lead, primarily because it went 12-of-23 from the line.

Down the stretch it was too much Marshall. He had four of his blocks in overtime, including the clincher.

This is the fifth of a weekly series projecting the top draft prospects.

View full sizeJohn Beale / Associated PressJared Sullinger's strength when he's working around the basket keeps him at the top of The Hoop Doctors' draft assessments.

This is the fifth of a weekly series projecting the top draft prospects in the eyes of several NBA draft experts. This week's list is courtesy of Allen Moll of The Hoop Doctors and his 2011 NBA Mock Draft can be found at thehoopdoctors.com

1. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State, PF/C: Arguably the most NBA ready prospect in the lottery. Has a bevy of low post moves, can shoot out to 15-20 feet, and has the potential to be an elite rebounder. He won't block many shots but holds his own as a front-court defender.

2. Kyrie Irving, Duke, PG: With recent news that he can resume some basketball activity after missing months with a toe injury, Irving's draft stock is on the rise, though it's doubtful he will get back into a game this season. Can score at a high level, play excellent defense, and has uncanny ability to find the open man. A 5-star floor general.

3. Derrick Williams, Arizona, PF: Probable two-time Pac-10 POY has seen his stock skyrocket after helping Wildcats return to national prominence. Does his damage inside the paint either on drives to the basket, posting up, or on put-backs of offensive rebounds. Shoots for a high percentage and gets to the foul line.

4. Enes Kantner, Kentucky, PF/C: Though he was never cleared to play, he has been practicing all season in Coach Cal's pro style offense and it has to have helped him prepare for the next level. Impressed by his play in the Nike Hoop Summit (where he broke Dirk Nowitzki's scoring record), he will remain a Top 5 pick.

5. Perry Jones III, Baylor, PF/SF: The recent ruling that Jones was ineligible probably won't hurt his draft stock much, but his inconsistent play of late will. After being chosen as the probable No. 1 pick early by most mock drafts, Jones' stock is slipping. NBA scouts are still drooling over his athleticism in a near 7-foot frame.

6. Donatas Motiejunas, International, PF/SF: Arguably the most NBA-ready prospect among international players. A 7-foot big man who can shoot, he's instant offense in the Nowitzki/Bargnani mold. Has excellent range to beyond the arc but is a work in progress when it comes to rebounding and defense.

7. Terrence Jones, Kentucky, PF: Stock has slipped because of inconsistency over the latter part of the season but undoubtedly has the skill set and potential to be a star at the next level. He is the prototypical new breed of hybrid big men that are far more comfortable facing the hoop. Could be the sleeper of the draft.

8. Kemba Walker, UConn, PG: Stock slipped slightly as teams began double teaming him, but has rebounded by once again showcasing his excellent handles, passing skills, and elite level scoring prowess in the Big East Tournament. Many experts think he can be an excellent floor general. The question is, can he guard bigger PGs as a pro?

9. Tristian Thompson, Texas, PF: The fabulous freshman has adapted to the collegiate game well after finishing as a top-10 HS prospect last season. Has used his freakish athletic ability to become a beast down low, seemingly dunking on every possession, while becoming an ever improving rebounder and above average shot-blocker.

10. Jimmer Fredette, BYU, SG: The nation's most prolific offensive player is capable of dropping 40 points any night. Although undersized as a two guard, he has dominated the competition behind a jump shot that's within range anywhere inside the gym. Because of his outstanding shooting prowess and ability to control the game, many have compared him to a slightly bigger Mark Price.

Four things I think about the Big Ten Tournament.

View full sizeKiichiro Sato / Associated PressDavid Lighty (left) and William Buford left the floor at the Conseco Fieldhouse happy to be in the Big Ten title game, but there were some lessons the Buckeyes could take from their semifinal victory over Michigan.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Four things I think about the Big Ten Tournament:

1. The Big Ten could be looking at seven NCAA Tournament bids -- Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois and Penn State -- for just the second time in the last 20 years, matching the bids from 2009. The conference is lucky the NCAA expanded from 65 to 68 teams this season, because there's a lot of Big Ten presence around the bubble.

In ESPN's latest Bracketology on Saturday night, Penn State was one of the last four teams in and was ticketed to play in the extra first-round games in Dayton, but in some ways it's hard to see why the Nittany Lions would be closer to the edge than say, Illinois, which lost in the quarterfinals of the tournament to Michigan.

Michigan State appears safe after beating Purdue on Friday, but after playing so well in that game, the Spartans' effort in Saturday's loss to Penn State showed why a patented March run isn't on tap for this season. The Spartans can't put it together for multiple games.

"I think we have it there at times," MSU junior and St. Edward graduate Delvon Roe said after Saturday's loss. "[Against Purdue] we had it on all cylinders, and we have to have that consistently. We can't have it one game and one game we don't have it. We've been doing that a lot this year and that's why we're in the position we're in."

2. Ohio State was in an NCAA Tournament simulator on Saturday, and someone flipped the switch for "Your two best defenders are in foul trouble, now what do you do?" Aaron Craft played just three minutes in the first half because of foul trouble and David Lighty played just 10, the two combining for no points in the first 20 minutes. Eighth man Jordan Sibert, who played a total of 41 minutes in 18 regular-season Big Ten games, came in for extended duty and played well in 11 minutes, as did seventh man Deshaun Thomas in 21 minutes.

Sibert had reason to be proud of his contribution, but don't get too excited about the Buckeyes extending their bench. In a Sweet 16 game, against one of the 20 best teams in the country, they still would have major issues if any of their top five get in serious foul trouble. It helped undo them against Tennessee last year, when Lighty was forced to take a seat in the first half of their eventual season-ending loss, and the same still holds true.

It's just the way the roster's built, and it's worked so far. Sibert filled his role against Michigan, but against elite talent, the Buckeyes can't have him on the floor too much. My over-under for meaningful minutes for Sibert in a potential six-game NCAA Tournament run is 10.

3. The antics of the officials in the first half of the Ohio State-Michigan game were embarrassing, but this story isn't new. No officials are perfect, most do a very good job and complaining about the refs is a quick way to take the fun out of college basketball. But it was the attitude that officials Ted Valentine and Ed Hightower showed that was so off-putting.

Television analyst and former Indiana coach Dan Dakich wrote on Twitter that some day a player may take a swing at an official if they continue to treat them with such disrespect.

They strutted around, attempting to exercise authority that wasn't needed, practically taunting players with some calls. At one point, Hightower extended his finger and pointed at Ohio State's David Lighty for about three seconds, like a statue, his finger not far from Lighty's face, while calling a foul. Over the top. Valentine and Hightower have reputations that precede them, but Saturday was still hard to watch.

4. Ohio State turned an 18-point lead with 4:49 remaining into a four-point margin  with 23 seconds to play, a scenario that couldn't have pleased coach Thad Matta. He was forced to remove freshmen Sibert and Thomas and send his starters back in after Thomas fouled a Michigan 3-point shooter with 1:15 left. Down five with 17 seconds left, Michigan could have cut it to a one-possession game before running some terrible offense that led to an awkward 3-point miss.

For an OSU team that has given up some big leads this season, it wasn't a great way to end a win.

"It's definitely a lesson," said point guard Aaron Craft, who was part of the reason the Buckeyes missed five straight free throws in the final two minutes. "They started making shots, we missed some free throws, I missed two free throws, and it's a lesson that no matter how much time is left, we have to finish until the end."

Winning became even more important after winning one national title and losing two national title games? More links, too.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerJim Tressel has a 106-22 record in 10 seasons as Ohio State's football coach.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some time before the 2011 college football season begins, the NCAA will decide whether it will expand the penalties that Ohio State University has levied against its football coach, Jim Tressel.

The school has fined Tressel $250,000 and suspended him for Ohio State's first two games next season, against Akron and Toledo. Tressel was told last April that some of his players were selling Ohio State football memorabilia, but he didn't inform the school or the NCAA.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage, which also features the Buckeyes' nationally No. 1-ranked basketball team, includes Doug Lesmerises' report that Tressel had learned via an e-mail last April that, specifically, quarterback Terrelle Pryor and wide receiver Devier Posey were involved in the memorabilia sales.

Eventually, six Ohio State players were linked to the violation.

Different approach

Tressel and Ohio State won the 2002 season national championship, defeating Miami (Fla.), then were convincingly defeated in the national title games following the 2006 and 2007 seasons by Florida and Louisiana State, respectively.

Matt Hayes writes for SportingNews.com that the need to chase championships changed Tressel's priorities:

The same guy who had his players sing Carmen Ohio after every game long before it became vogue for teams to sing fight songs after games, surely wasn’t going to sit around and not try to make it right. It became the most important thing.

More important than the right thing.

It’s no coincidence that a month after losing to LSU in the BCS National Championship Game, Tressel agreed to sit and wait for the talented – and most certainly enigmatic – Pryor to extend his recruitment well beyond National Signing Day. This is the same coach who won a national title in the 2002 season with caretaker quarterback Craig Krenzel; who once suspended his senior quarterback (Steve Bellisari) prior to Senior Day because his actions were detrimental to the team.

Hey, Gene

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith was interviewed on CBS today as the network televised the Big Ten men's basketball tournament semifinal games.

Smith is the chairman this year of the men's basketball NCAA Tournament selection committee.

CBS asked Smith two questions about Tressel and Ohio State football, as WBNS-10TV in central Ohio reports.

Smith's response to one of the questions:

Smith was asked why the university did not plan to suspend Tressel for any Big Ten games.

"We have an ongoing case," Smith said.  "We're not going to get into a debate on our case until the NCAA has ruled on it."

Watch it

It's becoming more difficult for coaches and players and anyone else involved in big-time college football to get away with any rules violations.

Thus, more individuals are being held accountable, though it often seems that the penalties handed out by the NCAA are not consistent in their severity.

Darren Everson writes for the Wall Street Journal about the increased spotlight on rules violations in college football: 

It's not just the number of athletes involved, or their prominence on campus. These athletes also must qualify academically and can't accept any money or favors—factors that create infinitely more opportunities for the schools to get in trouble. And many of these infractions are things that wouldn't have registered in the past. "Jim Tressel's situation, that's jaywalking to me," said former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer. "These things don't surprise me. This stuff has gone on forever."

Another difference today is that there are hundreds of new ways for schools and players to get caught breaking the rules. Never mind the growing number of national media outlets that pursue stories about wrongdoing in college football (this week's Tressel story was first reported by Yahoo Sports). Today's information providers include everything from TMZ.com and Twitter to the enormous network of fan forums and scouting sites that have popped up to serve the insatiable appetite for minutiae.

What will NCAA say?

The Tressel/Ohio State case is a public test of how the the NCAA responds to rules violations, writes Ivan Maisel for ESPN.com.

Tressel, Maisel feels, deserves more of a penalty than the $250,000 fine and two-game suspension that Ohio State assessed to him.

Maisel writes: 

The NCAA doesn't like it when players or coaches don't tell the whole truth. If history is any guide, Tressel will pay for his lack of candor. The NCAA, like most prosecutors, enjoys beating up on big-name defendants. Ask USC what it thinks of Tressel's chances.

It's hard to see the logic in the NCAA sitting the Ohio State players five games for their actions and giving their coach only two games for not being truthful about the case. At the very least, the NCAA has got to move the suspensions to conference games.

Disputes over pay in Europe are commonplace. There's even a link on the FIBA.com Web site listing the claims of players against their teams.

View full sizeIbrahim Usta / Associated PressAllen Iverson has spent this winter playing in small arenas in the Turkish basketball league, just another example of an American heading overseas but receiving an uneven reception on and off the court.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Chet Mason has some advice for all those NBA players who think they're going to head over to Europe in case of a lockout this summer:

Not so fast.

"They don't understand what's going on over there," he said.

Mason, the former Cleveland South and Miami star, has had a successful career overseas since being cut by the Cavaliers in training camp in 2007. Last season, he helped Siroki Eronet win the Bosnian Cup national championship on May 30 and was named the most valuable player of the finals.

But Mason is back in Cleveland this winter in a salary dispute with his team in Croatia. The general manager of the team even tried to turn the fans against Mason by saying he disrespected the Croatian flag, a comment Mason disputed with a photo of himself wrapped in the Croatian flag.

"It has been shocking for me, that after one of the best seasons of my life it could come to this," Mason said.

Disputes over pay in Europe are commonplace. There's even a link on the FIBA.com Web site listing the claims of players against their teams.

"It is widespread," said Mason's agent, Mike Naiditch. "A team might not pay on time. It's kind of unheard of in the United States, when an employer just doesn't pay you on time. But in Europe, it's the way it works. ... They might be a day late, a week late, a month late, two months late. It's possible, and it happens all the time.

"Chet's right. It's not quite the layup that a lot of guys think it would be."

Obviously, the European economy in general has suffered, but some teams and some international leagues are better financed than others. Former Cav Jawad Williams and his former St. Edward teammate Sam Clancy and ex-Canton McKinley star Raymar Morgan are playing in Israel, where getting paid hasn't been a problem.

Mark Termini, president of the Cleveland-based agency MTA, currently represents more than a dozen clients overseas and none of them are having trouble getting paid, although he acknowledges that there is often financial uncertainty in the European leagues.

"American players collecting their salaries has been an issue from the inception of European professional basketball," Termini said. "It's part of the landscape and always a concern, but the stature of the player, the skill of the agent and the on-court success of the foreign club all factor into whether a player will receive what he is owed. Many players have done fine in Europe, but many have been short-changed."

Getting paid could be just one issue facing NBA players contemplating the move overseas in the event of a lockout.

While stars like Kobe Bryant (Italy), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) and Pau Gasol (Spain) have at least mused about the possibility, it is unclear whether FIBA would allow players currently under contract to an NBA team to play, even if there are no NBA games. One would think the NBA might frown on that, while agents certainly would argue that their clients have a right to earn a living.

Players scheduled to be free agents next summer wouldn't have that problem, but there could be others. Some leagues and some teams still have limits on how many foreign players can be on any individual team, and while there likely are enough teams and spots to go around to those who would be interested, some teams that are not part of the top tier are the ones that run into problems paying their bills.

Maybe they're not getting money from their sponsors. Or maybe they're not going to make the playoffs, so they decide to cut costs by cutting their expensive American players.

It's not always the teams that are at fault. Sometimes the American players don't care for their accommodations, or there's a clash with a coach over playing time. The FIBA Web site includes examples of teams trying to recoup salaries from players as well.

Certainly not all American players have horror stories of playing overseas. Anthony Parker had a wonderful career in Israel. Danny Ferry and Earl Boykins (who collected all of his $3 million-plus salary) enjoyed their time in Italy.

By and large, Mason's experiences have been positive until these most recent developments. He certainly wouldn't discourage players from looking into playing abroad, but he just wants them to be aware of some of the pitfalls.

In fact, he's looking into going back -- with one stipulation.

"If I go, they're going to have to pay me up front," Mason said.

Rookie watch: If you click on Cole Aldrich's biography on NBA.com, you will be stunned to discover that the Oklahoma City rookie center was the second pick in the 2007 NBA draft.

Ooops. That, of course, would be Oklahoma City All-Star Kevin Durant.

Aldrich actually was the Minnesota high school player of the year in 2007 at Bloomington Jefferson High School before playing three years at Kansas and then becoming the 11th player selected in 2010 by the New Orleans Hornets, who traded his rights to Oklahoma City.

Like many big men, it has taken Aldrich some time to adjust to the NBA game, and he has split his time this season between Oklahoma City and Tulsa of the DLeague. Averaging just 1.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13 games for the Thunder, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 54 percent in 19 games for the 66ers. But his playing time has been increasing lately with Oklahoma City, and he played a season-high 18 minutes in the Thunder's 113-89 rout of Indiana on March 2.

The last word: "I will make one basketball suggestion. I think the ball should be in Dwyane Wade's hands when the game gets on the line. He's a proven closer, it's his city and it's his team. I love LeBron and I respect LeBron, but Dwyane Wade has got to be the closer." -- Charles Barkley

This week's news and notes begins with a conversation about the Browns.

View full sizeDarron Cummings / Associated PressGeorgia's A.J. Green appears to be such an imposing and dynamic receiver that he could be a great choice for the Browns, says Terry Pluto. Then again, there appear to be several collegians who promise immediate impact.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking to myself about what the current Browns roster says about the draft...

Question: What should be the Browns' priority?

Answer: They can take almost anything and fill a need. That's what happens when a team is 4-12, 5-11 and 5-11 in the last three seasons. It's easier to say what they don't need in the first few rounds.

Q: OK, what don't they need?

A: They are set at tight end with Ben Watson and Evan Moore. They can always find a player such as Alex Smith as a veteran backup.

Q: That's it, tight end?

A: A few more spots. Joe Thomas (left tackle) and Alex Mack (center) made the Pro Bowl. Eric Steinbach hopefully can do a solid job at left guard. But if they took a right tackle in the first three rounds, it would wise. They are counting on Shawn Lauvao to take over at right guard. Who knows if he's ready? But they certainly need more than injury-prone Tony Pashos at right tackle.

Q: What about wide receiver?

A: Of course, they need a wide receiver. To come back again with Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie and Chansi Stuckey is a sign the new front office learned nothing. But I also worry about the offensive line as the Browns don't seem to be talking about it. And it's a place where they have two of their best players, but so little depth.

Q: Do they need a running back?

A: Peyton Hillis was the team MVP. Montario Hardesty can be a superb backup, but he must prove he can stay healthy. A running back? Yes. But not in the first three rounds.

Q: What do they need on defense?

A: What don't they need?

Q: What kind of an answer is that?

A: I'm serious. What don't they need? They are switching to the 4-3 defense. They have only Ahytba Rubin as a certain starter. So they need ends and a tackle. At linebacker, they are talking about Scott Fujita, Chris Gocong and D'Qwell Jackson (played only six games in the last two years). If they take a big-time pass rusher on the line ... or even linebacker ... in the first two rounds, can you argue with it?

Q: Didn't you write that you'd take Patrick Peterson, and isn't he a defensive back?

A: Yes! And Yes, again! He's a big time cornerback, and those guys are as important as pass rushers.

Q: But the Browns are bringing back Eric Wright, so why another cornerback?

A: Because their only long-term starter at cornerback is Joe Haden. Sheldon Brown is a veteran who will eventually switch to safety. Wright is a nickel, not a starter on a good team. They don't have to take Peterson, but it's hard to pass on his talent.

Q: What about a quarterback?

A: I know the Browns watched Cam Newton work out, but I believe they are truthful when saying they are sold on Colt McCoy. It doesn't hurt to get a line on Newton in case someone wants to trade up and draft him. Then the Browns can at least pretend they have some interest.

Q: What is your point?

A: That the Browns really can use the "best athlete available" approach and fill a major need. They are paying for bad drafts in 2008 and 2009, along with signing a lot of veterans as fill-ins. As the team aged, it lacked young talent.

Q: So what would you do?

A: It may come down to Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green or a defensive player at No. 6. If that defensive linemen or linebacker (or Peterson) is an impact player, I go defense. Tom Heckert tends to draft defense in the top rounds, based on what he did here in 2010 and in Philadelphia. But most fans (and perhaps Mike Holmgren) may favor offense. But I'm staying with trying to bolster the defense.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerCarlos Carrasco's strong spring so far is welcome news for an Indians team that needs some of its new blood to deliver for the organization.

About the Tribe...

1. Here is the good news from Arizona: Carlos Carrasco and Justin Masterson have been impressive. Masterson fanned five in three innings in his last start. This spring, he has allowed three runs and struck out eight in eight innings. Control will always be an issue with Masterson, who has walked four and hit two batters.

2. In his last two months with the Tribe, Masterson was 3-3 with a 2.86 ERA. He was 3-5 with a 3.84 ERA after the All-Star break. He's 26 and was the key player in the Victor Martinez deal. While the focus has been what the Indians received in trades for Cy Young winners Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia, Martinez was an All-Star, a .300 hitter. The Indians must make that deal pay off, too.

3. Carrasco has allowed two runs in five spring innings, fanning five. The Indians are extremely pleased, as he looks even better than when he was promoted in September. With the Tribe, Carrasco pitched at least six innings in all seven of his starts, going 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA. He will be 24 on March 21.

4. Yes, Jason Donald appears to be the starting third baseman, but odds are he will be a utility infielder when phenom Lonnie Chisenhall (.478) takes over some time this summer. Lou Marson is a backup catcher. Jason Knapp is still in the minors. Carrasco is the key guy in the deal.

5. A strange stat on Carrasco: In his 44 2/3 Tribe innings, the right-hander held lefty hitters to a .193 average. But righties hammered him (.356, 1.042 OPS). In his 150 Class AAA innings, it was .233 for lefty hitters, .265 for right-handers. So maybe the difference with the Tribe is due to a small sample.

6. The assumption is Mitch Talbot has a spot in the rotation, despite his miserable spring so far. Talbot has been terrible: 15 hits and three homers in 6 2/3 innings. That covers three starts. Talbot says he's healthy, but that 17.55 ERA and his lack of control and velocity makes some wonder.

7. The Indians believe they have options if Talbot falters. They will pick a fifth starter from the group of Josh Tomlin, Jeanmar Gomez and David Huff. Tomlin has the early lead. The Indians are encouraged because Huff and Gomez have thrown well, and one could easily replace Talbot.

8. The bad news department is Travis Hafner entered the weekend at 8-of-28. The .286 batting average is OK, but only one of his hits has been a double, the rest are singles. He also has walked only once. It's unrealistic to expect Hafner to regain his 1.000 OPS form of 2004-06. But he is off to a very slow start in showing any power. Hafner is a veteran, but the Indians would like to see him pull the ball with some authority.

9. It's a little different for Matt LaPorta, who entered the weekend at 4-of-29 (.138). He has a homer and two doubles among his four hits. But he's walked only once and seemed uncertain at the plate. He will be given plenty of time to prove he can produce, as he is the only right-handed hitter with significant power potential.

10. Here's what a baseball person who has watched Chisenhall this spring has to say about the 2008 Tribe No. 1 pick: "There's a certain sound when the ball goes off his bat, he makes such solid contact. He has a nice, short left-handed swing. He makes it look easy. He is supposed to need work on his defense, but he's been OK at third base so far. It won't be long until he's in Cleveland."

11. Drew Pomeranz -- the 2010 first-rounder -- pitched three hitless innings, fanning five, before being sent to minor-league camp. He has yet to pitch in the minors. The lefty averaged between 93-96 mph with his fastball, and some scouts believe he has more stuff than 2009 first-rounder Alex White.

12. White has allowed 10 hits and six runs in five innings. He was 10-10 with a 2.45 ERA between Class A and Class AA in 2010, his first pro season. The Indians have wanted White to develop his change-up, and being knocked around in a few spring starts reinforces that message for a guy who had been able to pitch well with his low 90s fastball and hard breaking ball.

13. The other key player in the Martinez deal is Nick Hagadone, who was sent to minor-league camp. He was 3-5 with a 3.75 ERA between Class A and Class AA last season. He throws in 92-96 mph range, but control is a factor. He walked 63 in 86 innings. He did strike out 89. He may open the season as a starter, but his future is the bullpen.

View full sizeGerry Broome / Associated PressA 40-point explosion against Clemson on Saturday by North Carolina's Harrison Barnes was exactly the kind of performance that made the freshman a can't-miss prospect with most NBA scouts.

About the Cavaliers...

1. In the early draft boards -- before the season began -- many teams had Harrison Barnes (North Carolina) and Perry Jones (Baylor) as the top two picks. That was based on their performance in summer AAU tournaments, before their first college game. Some even had Barnes as a preseason All-American -- which seemed quite reasonable after his 40-point effort carried the Tar Heels into the ACC final on Saturday. The Cavs and others drafting are now trying to figure out if these guys are worth the hype.

2. Jones is 6-11 and 220 pounds. The game comes very easy for him, and he tends to float -- averaging 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds. He was declared ineligible for taking some cash payments. He will be in the draft, but seems a very risky pick in the top five. I'd rather work with a developing J.J. Hickson as a young big man.

3. Barnes was averaging 14.1 points prior to Saturday, shooting only 41 percent. He is a 6-8 athletic wing player, something the Cavs really need. Barnes started very slow this season, but he's peaking at exactly the right time and was named the ACC Rookie of the Year. He is intriguing, and has shown that he can hit game-winning jumpers.

4. I still wouldn't be shocked if the Cavs take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving, who played only eight college games before being injured. The top of the draft is often like this. There are guys who play little in college and are still teenagers as scouts try to figure out how they will react to being paid millions and fitting into the man's world of the NBA.

5. An intriguing player -- especially in the second round -- is Kenneth Faried at Morehead State. Some scouts rate him as an undersized power forward because he's only 6-8, but he's averaging 14.5 rebounds, after grabbing 13.0 the previous two years. When a guy leads the NCAA in rebounding, it catches my attention. No. 2 is Maryland's Jordan Williams at 11.6 rebounds, so no one is close to Faried when it comes to pure rebounding stats.

6. My favorite player is Brandon Knight, the Kentucky point guard who is being projected in the middle of the first round. He's in my Top 10 and I'd love to see him end up with the Cavs, perhaps with their second lottery pick. The 6-3 freshman is averaging 17.7 points, 4.0 assists and shooting 45 percent (41 percent on 3-pointers). Knight was an outstanding high school student and at Kentucky they rave about his character and work ethic.

The greatest sports league in history is betting NFL fans will forgive and forget, and it's probably correct, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

View full sizeJ. Scott Applewhite / APWhy, there's no need to worry about the NFL and whether there's pro football in 2011 ... after all, Roger Goodell cares about you, says Bud Shaw. Not that that's a good thing.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Be thankful somebody's looking out for you...

Don't worry. It's all good.

Roger Goodell is thinking of you.

"First and foremost, it is your passion for the game that drives us all," the NFL's commissioner said in a statement to fans. "And we will not lose sight of this as we continue to work for a deal that works for everyone."

Yes, yes, they will not lose sight of that, except for right now when they have completely lost sight of that.

Don't worry. Be happy.

You are prominent in the thoughts of DeMaurice Smith, head of the player's union.

"To the fans, we are sorry it came to this today," Smith said Friday. "You deserve better. I am truly sorry. The players are sorry. Our players -- YOUR players -- left everything they had at the table."

("YOUR" players? Mr. Smith hopefully will understand if -- like public workers in Wisconsin -- some of us don't feel much union brotherhood with the NFLPA or any other professional athlete association.)

Don't worry. Drew Brees tweeted his concerns for you, too. "To our fans," the Saints' quarterback wrote, "I give you my word that we as players are doing everything we can to negotiate with the NFL towards a fair deal."

Imagine if they all didn't care so much. What would that world be like?

There'd be a sham of a decertification by players for one. And a lockout by owners. There'd be ugly exchanges and threats. And little movement toward an agreement.

View full sizeJ. Scott Applewhite / APPlayers union (decertified) director DeMaurice Smith was stunned ... stunned ... that the NFL wouldn't open its books. Bud Shaw was something less than surprised.

You know, exactly what we have ... just with less lip service.

On Friday, the players said they wouldn't consider another negotiating extension unless the owners gave them a detailed 10-year look at their finances. In other words they demanded something they knew they weren't going to get and will never get.

The owners? They began itching to "take back our league" three years ago with the ink barely dried on the CBA signed in 2006.

They weren't going to get in the ring after training for a brawl, stocking their corner with the best cut men in the business and suddenly turn pacifist.

Instead of doing what's best for fans, they will make only the lawyers happy for the time being.

But they appreciate your passion? Passion for what? The Sherman Antitrust Act?

Lockout, Part II: the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth...

Here's what NFL players and owners know, but are too smart to say out loud.

They know you'll be back when they settle their differences.

Theirs is the greatest sports league in history.

They know you're emotionally invested and more. You're invested with PSLs. You anted up your season ticket money. You're already studying for your Fantasy League draft.

They got you.

They're Charlie Sheen.

You're Entertainment Tonight.

They know they're the best thing to ever happen to you.

Part III: Thank goodness the rich might just get richer...

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is not worried about a work stoppage. In fact, he believes his team could use extra time to recover from a long season that ended in a Super Bowl win over Pittsburgh. He believes success and stability on the roster and the coaching staff are also factors.

"I think when it's all said and done it may even help us," McCarthy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of the lockout.

By contrast, you wouldn't want to be a team with a new rookie head coach, new offensive system, new defensive system and lots of new faces on the coaching staff.Or you might be picked to finish behind Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati.

Who can forget the Bible story of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Tattoo?...

Christopher Cicero told ESPN he's received ugly emails since the Ohio State football scandal that landed Jim Tressel a two-game suspension and $250,000 fine.

The former Buckeyes' player was the lawyer who tipped Tressel that two players were selling memorabilia to a man under federal investigation for drug trafficking.

"I'm not the Judas in this situation," Cicero said. "You know I feel like Peter, but I'm not the Judas."

No word on whether Cicero had been specifically called Judas in an email, or whether Judas came to mind watching big-time colleges betray their ideals while running professional-style sports leagues.

HE SAID IT (a long time ago)

View full sizeAP photoDaniel Tosh makes 'em laugh, even in Tennessee.

"The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky, they put Cleveland State on probation." -- Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian on how the NCAA treats the super powers with kid gloves.

Or so Ohio State hopes.

HE SAID IT (And the cliche police took note)

"You've got to make sure you work to not just see around the corner but to see all the way around the corner." -- Seattle manager Eric Wedge, on his improved patience with young players.

Back to the wall, no tomorrow, all things being equal, moving forward, I'd have to say Spin misses this guy.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

View full sizeAP photoLane Kiffin has 'em laughing in Tennessee ... to keep from crying.

Comedian Daniel Tosh and USC football coach Lane Kiffin. -- Matt Borcas, Mentor

Erik Spoelstra and George W. Bush -- Gerry Del Valle, Lorain

YOU SAID IT

(The Slightly Expanded By Lukewarm Demand Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"Have you ever cried after one of your columns?" -- Tom Hoffner

No, for some reason I find cheap, shallow humor uplifting.

"Bud:

"Not including the Favre Effect or the Tiger Factor, exactly how long does 'Breaking News' qualify as breaking news on ESPN?" -- Morris Pettus

I wondered the same thing last week after seeing the news that USC coach Lane Kiffin had offered a scholarship to the Lindbergh baby.

"Bud:

"So how many lawyers did OSU have investigate the Yahoo writers?" -- Russ, Strongsville

If I told you that, I'd have to tattoo you.

"Bud:

"With all the big news about Ohio State, I have a more important question. Did you run into Wally Bryan in Arizona?" -- O. Bill Stone

Wally Bryan, who passed himself off as 17-year-old Jose Ozoria when the Indians signed him? Yes, I saw him on several occasions in Arizona but he's going by the name Jose Cuervo now.

"Bud:

"Now that the Cavs have quality wins over the Lakers and the Knicks (3), do you think they have an outside chance at an at-large berth in the NCAA tourney?" -- Fritz Johnson, Dover

I don't know how that works eligibility-wise. I just know -- like some college teams -- they haven't been to class this semester either.

"Bud:

"Partying, sex with porn stars, and rehab. Instead of just having Tiger blood, if Charlie Sheen golfed, would he actually be Tiger Woods?" -- Nate Johnson

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

"Bud:

"Was Gordon Gee's cheerleading outfit at the dry cleaners?" -- Joe S.

Repeat winners receive a pink slip from Jim Tressel.

There's less than three weeks before Opening Day, so our readers had better get their questions into game shape.

View full sizeJim Mone / Associated PressLooking for a core Indian? There's not many players any more central to the Tribe's Central aspirations than Shin-Soo Choo.

Hey, Hoynsie: Remember when the Tribe brass always talked about "core" players? Do we have any on this roster? It seems like the front office is simply hoping that a bunch of minor leaguers are good enough for the big leagues. -- Malik Randwaj, Brecksville

Hey, Malik: I'd call Shin-Soo Choo, Chris Perez, Fausto Carmona, Asdrubal Cabrera, Tony Sipp and Rafael Perez core players. A healthy Grady Sizemore is a core player. Carlos Santana hasn't done enough yet, but he certainly appears to be a core player in the near future, as do Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, Justin Masterson and Mitch Talbot.

Hey, Hoynsie: Will there come a day when after the Tribe makes a trade that the fans won't have to read the general manager's explanation as to why it happened and will be able to look at it themselves and say, "Hey, that was a good deal"? -- Joe Cepec, Dublin

Hey, Joe: I don't think so. Trades, even ones that turn out to be lopsided, always generate a wide range of opinions.

Hey, Hoynsie: It seems that the Indians have regressed since they moved spring training to Arizona. Would Winter Haven take the Indians back? I remember the Indians left there without paying their bills. -- Henrietta Stile, Canton

Hey, Henrietta: The Indians wouldn't go back to Winter Haven and Winter Haven wouldn't take them back. It was a relationship that needed to end.

By the way, the last time the Indians won a World Series they trained in Tucson, Ariz. The lawsuit filed by Winter Haven against the Indians was settled.

Hey, Hoynsie: I'm tired of reading/hearing stories about the prospects the Indians received for CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez. The Indians traded their stars from a position of weakness. They dealt them at the trade deadline when only a few teams would be interested, agreed? -- Manny Lopez, Lakewood

Hey, Manny: If you're tired of reading about Indians prospects, you better look for new reading material. Prospects and young players are just about all the Indians have to feature to their fans.

As for trading Sabathia, Lee and Martinez when they did, that's the best time of year to maximize your return. You have contenders willing to part with supposedly valuable players because they need one or two veterans to get them to the postseason.

You also have a deadline, creating pressure among contenders to get the players they need no matter what the cost.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you expect the Tribe to dump Cabrera by midseason like Mike Redmond, Russell Branyan, Mark DeRosa and others? -- John Walker, South Euclid

Hey, John: Which Cabrera are you talking about -- Asdrubal or Orlando?

I'm betting it's Orlando, and there's always that possibility. If Chase Utley's knee continues to hurt in Philadelphia, maybe they'd come after Orlando, depending on what kind of year he's having.

Hey, Hoynsie: I sense a lot of negativity from Cleveland fans. Who can blame them? But looking at the Indians this year, I am encouraged. This seems like a young, talented team with a big upside (see Choo, Santana, C. Perez, and Carmona). While it may not happen this year, I expect good things from Cleveland baseball in the next few years. Do you share my optimism? -- Bryan Belknap, Chicago

Hey, Bryan: I think the Indians will do better than expected. Not third place in the AL Central-better, but better. The key is health. Their best players must stay healthy.

Hey, Hoynsie: It has often been reported that the pitchers have a hard time getting their breaking balls to break in Arizona. Since the point of spring training is to get ready for the regular season, isn't this a major impediment in the pitcher's preparation? Is there a way to overcome this? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: Pine tar. lots and lots of pine tar.

One more thing, Arizona's weather certainly didn't bother the Giants pitchers last spring as they prepared to win the World Series.

Hey, Hoynsie: "Catcher Carlos Santana could also DH, but most managers don't like to DH their [extra] catcher in case the starter is injured during the same game. If a team is carrying only two catchers, that means a team would have to lose the DH and have the pitcher hit." Can you explain that passage from one of your stories to me? How come you couldn't have, say, Travis Buck DH if he was on the bench. -- Cam Marr, Auburn, Maine.

Hey, Cam: Sure you could use Travis Buck, or any other bench player, at DH. But if Santana is the DH and must replace an injured starter, the Indians must put the pitcher in the batting order in the spot of the removed player.

My point is that Carlos Santana is one of the best hitters on the team. On the days he's not catching, manager Manny Acta has made it clear he'd like to keep him in the lineup. One way to do that is to play him at first base. Another way would be to DH him.

But by using both catchers in the starting lineup, you run the risk of losing the DH because of injury.

-- Hoynsie

One Cavaliers fan still wonders about a former Orlando sharpshooter and a lost 2009 playoff series.

View full sizeAP photoRashard Lewis may or may not have been a legitimate member of the Magic when the Cavaliers' 2009 playoff hopes melted away in Orlando, but it's far too late to matter.

Hey, Mary: In 2009, the Orlando Magic upset the Cavs in the Eastern Finals and it turned out that Rashard Lewis failed a drug test and was suspended for 10 games at the start of the following season. Lewis has been a pretty average player since then. Why haven't the Cavs or Dan Gilbert made a bigger deal of this? -- Jeffrey Jones, Kent

Hey, Jeffrey: What would be the point? The NBA is not going to overturn the result.

Hey, Mary: With the improved play of Ramon Sessions, do you see the Cavaliers drafting a top point guard like Kyrie Irving with one of their first-round picks, or would it be better for them to focus on a small forward and the best available player? -- Rick Borelli, Lakewood

Hey, Rick: If the Cavs have a chance to draft a great point guard, I think they'll take it.

Hey, Mary: Are the Cavs looking at Enes Kanter in this year's draft? I know he didn't play in college, but he looks very polished and can make an impact right away. I prefer him to Jared Sullinger because of my fear that Sullinger will blow up (weight wise) when he becomes a millionaire. I would take him with our first pick. -- Dan, Akron

Hey, Dan: They're looking at both players, although there's a much bigger body of work -- no pun intended -- on Sullinger.

Hey, Mary: With so much focus on what the Cavaliers will do with their two first-round picks this year, it is often forgotten that they also have two second-round picks. Could you see them using one of those for development overseas, such as they did with Christian Eyenga? With the other, what do you think of the idea of using it for a more developed senior who could contribute as a role player right away? I thought Ohio State players Jon Diebler or David Lighty might be options for one of those second-round picks. What is your opinion? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: The Cavs absolutely are looking at players overseas, although with the current state of the team, they might be looking more at players who can contribute now. Lighty does a lot of things well, but isn't great at any of them. Right now, he is projected as a mid-second round pick by Draft Express. Diebler, on the other hand, does one thing -- shoot -- incredibly well, but he is not likely to be drafted and would have to sign with just the right team in order to find a spot. I don't think the fact that they played at Ohio State will be a factor in the Cavs' decision.

Hey, Mary: How long until we get to see Semih Erdin playing significant minutes? I've read he was out of playing shape and will also require off-season surgery. He was the real target in the Boston deal, but Luke Harangody is the one playing right now. Should we expect this to change soon? -- Wes Bowman, Greensburg, Pa.

Hey, Wes: It's probably going to be at least another week before Erdin's groin injury improves enough to play. You are right that he'll need shoulder surgery after the season. But the Cavs are as eager as you are to see him on the court, so as soon as he's able, he will be out there.

-- Mary

Never fear ... we wouldn't consider putting a lockout on our weekly readers mailbag.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerLawrence Vickers may not have much of a future left with the Browns, thanks to the West Coast offense, says Tony Grossi.

Hey, Tony: What's Lawrence Vickers' status? Why haven't the Browns tendered him? Or have they already? -- Terry Carbetta, Ashland

Hey, Terry: The Browns have not confirmed any of their tenders -- just the players they signed to new contracts. There is no sign that Vickers has been tendered. I believe the Browns are parting ways with him and plan to use Peyton Hillis as the fullback in the West Coast offense.

Hey, Tony: Matt Roth has been a pretty decent player for us since we picked him up. Where does he fit, if anywhere, on a 4-3 defense? Is he big enough to play end? -- John Timperio, Cambridge, England

Hey, John: Roth certainly is big enough to play end, but he is unsigned and is looking forward to experiencing unrestricted free agency.

Hey, Tony: What would you think of the Browns picking Robert Quinn in the first round and Marvin Austin in the second? It could be the best draft Butch Davis ever had for the Browns. -- Bruce Fagerstrom, Jamestown, N.Y.

Hey, Bruce: Good one. Throw in QB T.J. Yates in a late round, too.

Hey, Tony: Mike Holmgren said he'll be drafting a QB at some point in the draft. Any chance he'll take Texas A&M's Jerrod Johnson? He looked phenomenal before he had to have surgery on his throwing shoulder last off-season, and wasn't at 100 percent when he played so poorly last season. -- Cameron Christie, Allen, Texas

Hey, Cameron: He'd be an excellent prospect to develop. I know the Houston Texans are very high on Johnson and have a bead on him.

Hey, Tony: You recently opined that by the time Brady Quinn reached his third NFL season he was "ruined." Before the 2007 NFL Draft, didn't Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis tell his good friend Browns coach Romeo Crennel that Quinn was NFL ready? What happened? -- Bob Paulson, Solon

Hey, Bob: Yes, that's what we were all told. I really think the Browns did a poor job of committing to Quinn. They sat him behind Derek Anderson in his first year. When Anderson had that fluke 2007 season, Quinn's development was further stymied. When Quinn entered his third season, the Browns changed coaches and offensive systems and again failed to commit to him. Quinn definitely regressed, rather than progressed. Phil Savage used to say when a team picks a QB in the first round, everyone in the organization has to be committed to him. That wasn't the case with Quinn.

Hey, Tony: As a compromise to the NFL 16/18 game issue -- why not just keep 16 regular-season games and make the last two exhibition games a little meaningful such as counting them as "half-games" or using them as tie breakers to move up in playoff position and or to get a better draft position? That would add a little meaning for the fans/TV but not cause coaches to overuse starters. -- Howard Gordon, Cleveland

Hey, Howard: The driving force behind the expanded 18-game season is to create more revenue by charging the networks more money for two more weekends of the regular season. Your idea would not bring in more revenue to the league.

View full sizeDarron Cummings / Associated PressIs Patrick Peterson such a can't-miss prospect that the Browns couldn't afford to pass him by in the draft? Tony Grossi isn't so sure.

Hey, Tony: I get your reasoning for taking a DL in the first round this year, but it always seemed to me that DL was the biggest boom/bust crapshoot. Examples are everywhere. Patrick Peterson, on the other hand, seems like the closest thing to a "can't miss" we've ever seen. If, by some fluke, he was there, don't you have to take him, and take a DL in round 2 in this DL-rich draft? -- Jonathan Kirk, St. Louis, Mo.

Hey, Jonathan: Given the Browns' dearth of defensive linemen, I would say no. If Peterson, in fact, is the best player in the draft, then the defensive lineman available at No. 6 is not going to be that far behind. There's no guarantee the Browns can still find an instant contributor on their defensive front in the second round. If so, he may be the 15th-best at the position. On the other hand, they might be able to take the fourth- or fifth-best cornerback in the second round.

Hey, Tony: We hear plenty of talk about a player "moving up/down the draft boards" with his performance in the combine. In your experience, draft position aside, does a good/bad combine ever translate to the field? That is, are players who tend to up their status in the combine not necessarily become better players, and players who lower their status turn out to be likely busts? Bottom line, how much does the combine really tell scouts about their potential on the field? -- Terry Allen, Washington, D.C.

Hey, Terry: There are probably more examples of players who upped their status with good combines who turned out to be unproductive players. Vernon Gholston comes to mind. I think the best personnel evaluators put far greater credence in a player's history of production on the field than on combine performance.

Hey, Tony: Do you know if the Browns have any interest in former Oakland CB Nnamdi Asomugha? He might have three good years left as a solid corner. Either Eric Wright or Sheldon Brown could then cover the slot, or Brown could move to safety. -- Brent DePue, Hilliard

Hey, Brent: The Browns are committed to building through the draft. Emptying the vault for Asomugha ($10 million to $12 million per year) doesn't make a lot of sense for a team that may need two more years of solid drafting to compete for the playoffs. I don't think adding Asomugha expedites the process for the Browns.

Hey, Tony: What do you think the Browns will be in the free-agent market for (besides a lot of defensive help). Do you think they will be as active as they have been in the past, or are they committed to build through the draft and sign free agents to supplement the roster? -- Ralph Reis, Ft. Mitchell, Ky.

Hey, Ralph: GM Tom Heckert has said he does not expect the Browns to be very active in free agency. Given the need at defensive line, I could see them spending for a player there. But I honestly don't see them adding more than one starting-caliber player otherwise. Possibly a couple of backups.

View full sizePD file photoMontario Hardesty may be a revelation in his second season with the Browns, but the team can't assume he will be a reliable backup to Peyton Hillis.

Hey, Tony: I am a little surprised no one is concerned about our running back situation. It seems we are in desperate need of a solid backup and might not be able to get one through free agency. Obviously we need to fill a couple holes in the draft before we start considering picking one, but you do see it as a need, right? We can't bank everything on Montario Hardesty, can we? -- Eliot Clasen, Cape Coral, Fla.

Hey, Eliot: You're right. I can see a veteran backup being added even if Hardesty returns to full health. The running back situation behind Hillis last year was a joke.

Hey, Tony: Is Marcus Benard going to be a pure DE or is he going to play a hybrid role ala Jamir Miller? -- Chris Zanon, Canton

Hey, Chris: Looks like Benard will continue to play as a situational pass rusher only.

Hey, Tony: Commissioner Roger Goodell insists the preseason matches don't feature the quality fans deserve, so he believes switching two of them for games that count is preferable. He refuses to consider lower ticket prices for preseason games. What I have not seen discussed is that isn't it logical to presume that with fewer preseason games, the initial regular games will be of an inferior quality, because of less preparation? Is there any consideration -- if the regular season goes to 18 games -- of starting the season earlier, when those two preseason games would have been played? Football in late August and early September is preferable to football in February. It makes more sense to me. -- Erol Altug, Stony Brook, N.Y.

Hey, Erol: If Goodell is successful in orchestrating a change to a 2-18 format, the season would continue to start the weekend after Labor Day. That's what the networks want. Another bye week also would be added, which would drag the regular season well into January and the Super Bowl into late February. While Goodell has used the "poor product" argument to shorten the exhibition season, the true driving force of his plan is to create more revenue by selling two additional weekends of regular season football to the network.

Hey, Tony: What dollar amount, if any, is guaranteed to quarterback Jake Delhomme for the 2011 season? -- William McCormick, La Canada, Calif.

Hey, William: Nothing is guaranteed at this point. But, like any vested veteran of four or more years, as soon as Delhomme appears on the roster in the first week of the regular season, his entire base salary -- $5.4 million, in his case -- is guaranteed.

Hey, Tony: In the past, teams have either moved up or down in the draft based on trading picks, and also occasionally you have players thrown into the deal. With the current state of the CBA up in the air, how does this affect teams trading players in the draft? -- Brandon Hoehn, Delphos

Hey, Brandon: If a CBA is not arrived at, there can be no trades involving players.

Hey, Tony: If there is a lockout and the 2011 season is lost, how do they determine the draft order for 2012? -- Steve DeLong, Jacksonville, N.C.

Hey, Steve: The league has not addressed this possibility.

Hey, Tony: Assuming the two pre-season home game format stays, why could they not drop the price of the preseason ticket to a point where the stadium would fill up and increase the price of the regular season games to cover the difference? Everyone wins ... they would increase revenue and I'm not ripped off $250 for two seats to a preseason game as a season ticket holder.-- John Moore, Waukegan (home town of Otto Graham), Ill.

Hey, John: The NFL has scammed ticket-holders for years by charging, and receiving, full price for exhibition games. Owners see no reason to change that scam without additional revenue coming from additional regular-season games.

Hey, Tony: College football is on almost every day of the week. Any chance NCAA could move a big game or two a week in the void if there's no pro football? -- HoBo, Peyton, Colo.

Hey, HoBo: The NCAA will not mess with NFL Sunday, if that's what you're getting at. Besides, TV contracts are in place and couldn't be changed at this point.

Hey, Tony: Listening to the news about the NFL owners wanting more money for cost of stadiums. I didn't know that they put up any money. If they get more money, then no tax money should be spent on any new stadium. -- Donald Pasqualetti, Reading

Hey, Donald: I think team owners and the players union should contribute more money to the construction of new stadiums.

Hey, Tony: NFL free agency remains in a sort of purgatory until a new CBA gets completed. I would imagine every team would be able to focus almost exclusively on the draft. I see it playing out in one of two ways: either teams use the extra focus to land studs and find late gems or they overanalyze, fall in love with shuttle times and completely whiff. Do you feel this year is different in terms of focus on the draft? If so, does this bode well for Holmgren, Heckert, and the Browns braintrust? -- Tom Stiles, Plymouth, Minn.

Hey, Tom: I think the Browns are well positioned for the draft, irregardless of the CBA machinations. I wouldn't overanalyze it any more than that.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerA weight limit in pro football? Seems like Ahtyba Rubin and his friends might have a pretty good reason for a lawsuit against the NFL.

Hey, Tony: I have a question related to player safety. Why not institute a maximum weight limit? Say 225 pounds, maximum, for linemen. If players are really concerned for their safety, this would be a simple solution. -- Bruce, Mentor

Hey, Bruce: Then you would have 300-pounders suing the NFL for discrimination.

Hey, Tony: Tell me we are not going to bypass a top notch receiver in the first round for a D-lineman. Haven't we seen this before? If A.J. Green is there, just draft him! You can get D-linemen in the second, third and later rounds and free agency! -- Matt Jones, Middleburg

Hey, Matt: I can turn it around and say the good teams find receivers in any round. If Green is rated clearly ahead of any defensive lineman on the Browns' draft board at the time of the No. 6 pick, I think the Browns will take him.

Hey, Tony: You've said that if there's a lockout, the Berea facilities won't be available to players. How far does this go? Will the janitorial night shift be able to use the facilities? Where would players be expected to go? -- Mr. P, Worthington

Hey, Mr. P: Players will be locked out. Other employees will continue to do their jobs.

Hey, Tony: I just watched the Auburn Pro Day on espn.com and I saw Tom Heckert, Pat Shurmur, Gil Haskell, Mark Whipple and a couple others paying really close attention to the Cam Newton workout. Do the Browns really have any interest in him? -- Dan Desai, Westlake

Hey, Dan: Yes, they have enough interest to schedule a private workout with him.

Hey, Tony: Talk to me about why Mickey McBride has never been considered for the Hall of Fame? He founded the Browns, hired Paul Brown, and bankrolled (visionary move) players while they were serving in the war in exchange for their services in the post war era. On top of that, in his seven years as owner, the Browns appeared in seven consecutive world championships (winning five), compiled an 83-11-4 (including playoffs) record, and made the successful transition from the AAFC to the NFL. -- Lange, Washington, D.C.

Hey, Lange: In my 14 years on the selection committee, McBride's name has never come up for consideration. It seems to me owners have to do more than "own" to be considered as "contributors" for the Hall. Some owners merely pay the bills. Others immerse themselves in league activities and actually contribute to the growth of the game. I'm sure McBride was an outstanding founding owner. Rightly or wrongly, that doesn't automatically qualify him for the Hall of Fame.

Hey, Tony: I know people always talk about this, but do you think it is a good move for the Browns to trade down during the draft? The 12th pick is the farthest I would trade. If Newton and Blaine Gabbert are both off the board, it won't matter. If either of them are left, I can see San Francisco, Tennessee, Washington or Minnesota all trying to move up to secure a quarterback. With this idea, we could still get a great DL or at worst Julio Jones as well as pick up a second or third round pick. -- Greg S, Chicago, Ill.

Hey, Greg: Trading down always is enticing to a team that has multiple needs to fill. I'm not averse to it. I agree that the Browns should not drop lower than 12th in a trade down. And the price has to be appropriate -- not a sixth-round pick, like the Browns received (twice) in 2009.

Hey, Tony: The Browns have had a couple of good linebackers over the years (Galen Fiss and Clay Matthews come to mind) but never in their history have they had someone who incites fear into opposing offenses. I'm referring to a Sam Huff, Ray Nitschke, Willie Lanier, Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert, Ray Lewis or even a James Harrison-type player who can reap absolute havoc on an offense. Joe Greene once said the only guy he was afraid of in the NFL was Lambert. Is there anyone in this year's draft who fits this mold? Also, who essentially did we take two years ago instead of drafting Clay Matthews III? -- Bill Carothers, Chagrin Falls

Hey, Bill: In the 2009 draft, Matthews was taken 26th by Green Bay. The Browns initially owned the fifth pick, traded down to No. 17, traded down again to No. 19, and then traded down again to No. 21. They ultimately chose center Alex Mack after passing on Matthews four times. Four times! The top defensive prospects who potentially strike fear in opponents are Clemson defensive end DaQuan Bowers, Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn, California defensive end Cameron Jordan, Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt and Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller.

Hey, Tony: Should the Browns be looking at every top receiver early in the draft, or should they specifically be targeting speed? -- Paul Thiel, Crescent Springs, Ky.

Hey, Paul: To put it in simplest terms, they need a guy who can catch a pass and run away from defenders while maintaining possession of the ball.

Hey, Tony: Since Holmgren and Shurmur have repeatedly stated that Colt McCoy is the starter, is the report that the Browns will be working out Cam Newton a ploy to get a team to trade picks to the Browns to move up? The Browns could conceivably add at least one, if not two more picks in the top 100 if they trade down two or three spots. Is that a realistic scenario? -- Kevin, Chicago, Ill.

Hey, Kevin: I think the Browns are open to anything with the No. 6 pick. They intend to work out all the top quarterbacks to make sure they are not passing on the next great NFL passer.

-- Tony

Viera, Fla. -- The Washington Nationals have optioned top prospect Bryce Harper to Class A Hagerstown, saying the top overall pick in last year's draft needs to get more playing time to prepare for the season.  The 18-year-old Harper, who hit .389 in 13 spring games, was disappointed but determined to make it back to the big leagues as...

Viera, Fla. -- The Washington Nationals have optioned top prospect Bryce Harper to Class A Hagerstown, saying the top overall pick in last year's draft needs to get more playing time to prepare for the season. 

The 18-year-old Harper, who hit .389 in 13 spring games, was disappointed but determined to make it back to the big leagues as soon as possible. 

"He needs to go down to the minor leagues and get four or five at-bats per game to prepare himself for the season," Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said. "And that was the reason we got him out. He was getting one or two at-bats a game here, playing in spurts, and he needs to get prepared for the season and get plenty of at-bats and plenty of reps in the outfield." 

Harper was a catcher for most of his high school and college career, but the Nationals drafted him as an outfielder, and used him exclusively as a right fielder in spring training. 

Harper hit .389 in 13 games this spring. He was 7 for 18 with five RBI. 

"Nobody likes to leave the big league club," Harper said. "This is the life that you want to live every day, and it's just the process. I'm still going to go down there, to the minor-league club, and I'm going to go bust my butt." 

Veteran Rick Ankiel said Harper blended in with the team, despite some pretty big expectations. 

"He's 18, and you have to remember what you were like at 18," Ankiel said. "Not only that, but put yourself in your shoes of what he was going through and what he dealt with every day. I'm sure it's not easy. But it's fun having him here, and it'll be fun to get him back."  
 

This is a look at life in the Indians rotation from No.1 starter Fausto Carmona to Josh Tomlin, who is competing to win the fifth and final spot.

View full sizeChris Carlson / Associated PressFausto Carmona fired a dominating three innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, continuing a solid spring in preparation for Opening Day on April 1.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- In baseball's food chain, those at the top and middle eat well. At the bottom, it is perform or pack your lunch and head to the minors.

In the last two days, the Indians' class system has been on display for the players who pitch for a living.

No.1 starter Fausto Carmona, in his best performance of the spring, pitched four scoreless innings Saturday against the Angels in a 2-1 Cactus League victory. He struck out five, allowed one hit and walked one. When he was done on the mound, Carmona went to the bullpen and threw 25 more pitches.

"Overpowering," is how manager Manny Acta described Carmona.

It's been a given that Carmona would be the Opening Day starter since camp opened on Feb. 15. It has to be a secure feeling to know your job is guaranteed the first day you stretch with your teammates.

Carmona has not pitched like a fat cat. He's 3-1 with a 5.25 ERA. The ERA is high because he was banged around in his last start, allowing six runs on seven hits against Arizona.

"I felt great that day, but the ball was up," said Carmona.

Saturday, everything Carmona threw was sinking and moving. He was throwing inside and outside to lefties and righties.

"I feel good, I feel ready," said Carmona, dripping sweat after running his sprints on the right field warning track. "Today I was just thinking about throwing strikes and getting out of each inning quick."

While Carmona is at the top of the rotation, Mitch Talbot is in the middle. Carmona and Talbot were the only Indians to win 10 games last year. Like Carmona, Talbot is guaranteed a spot in the rotation. Unlike Carmona, he's been hit hard this spring.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerJosh Tomlin (right) has been effective in making his case to be the Indians' fifth starter, while Mitch Talbot (center) has struggled, but is assured of the No. 3 spot in the rotation when camp breaks later this month.

In Friday's 5-5, 10-inning tie with Seattle, Talbot allowed two earned runs and five hits in three innings. He was supposed to pitch four innings, but threw too many pitches. In three starts, Talbot is 0-0 with a 17.55 ERA (13 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings). He's allowed 15 hits and the opposition is batting .429.

Spring training stats can cause concern, but shouldn't cause alarm. Talbot has been throwing his two-seam fastball a lot and it hasn't been sinking like it should. It might be because of Arizona's dry air or it might be because it's still March and Talbot knows he has at least three more starts to get ready.

"The two-seamer is how I got here," said Talbot. "It lets me get ground balls and I'm not getting ground balls right now. It's Arizona and the ball seems to stay up a little more than in Florida.

"If I do get it down, it seems like they hit one of those high choppers. I'm having trouble getting outs."

Acta wants Talbot to throw more strikes, especially first-pitch strikes, but he's willing to wait and see what the last 20 exhibition games hold.

"It's spring training and he's got a spot on the club," said Acta. "He's just getting himself ready."

Josh Tomlin followed Carmona to the mound Saturday. He did not allow a run over three innings, but didn't do it like Carmona. He allowed four hits and one walk. He struck out one and needed good defensive plays by first baseman Matt LaPorta and third baseman Luis Valbuena to keep the Angels off the scorecard.

Tomlin is competing with David Huff and Jeanmar Gomez for the fifth and last spot in the rotation. It's not the ideal spot to be in, but it's a big improvement from last spring when he was in minor-league camp and pitched only two innings in Cactus League games.

It has always been that way for Tomlin, a long shot as a 19th round pick by the Indians in 2006. He is used to coming from behind.

"I'm not 6-5 and 220 pounds," said Tomlin. "I don't throw 98 mph. I barely touch 90 sometimes. For me it's about battling and competing. I love doing both. I think it helps me a little bit."

Tomlin, who won six games for the Tribe last year, is having a great spring. He's allowed one earned run in eight innings. He's struck out four, walked one and allowed six hits.

"Josh battled, but he made pitches," said Acta. "That's what he does. He has four good pitches (fastball, curve, change, cutter). Perhaps none of them are eye opening, but they're all quality pitches."

Tomlin figures he has three more starts left this spring.

"Whoever wins this competition will deserve it," he said.

Senior Trey Lewis scored a game-high 30 points, which included making 11 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter, to lead Garfield Heights.

SOLON, Ohio -- Everyone associated with the Garfield Heights boys basketball team, from coach Sonny Johnson to superstar Trey Lewis to the school's bulldog mascot, knew that it would take a total team effort to escape the Division I district finals.

That's exactly what the top-seeded Bulldogs got Saturday in front of a boisterous crowd of about 1,400 as they won the school's first district championship in 61 years with a decisive 75-61 victory over second-seeded Warren Harding.

"You can't beat a team like Harding unless everyone helps," said Johnson, in his sixth season. "You can go up and down our lineup. It seemed like we got something from everyone."

No one contributed more than guard Lewis. The 6-2 senior, who will attend Penn State, scored a game-high 30 points, which included making 11 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter as the Raiders (18-5) tried to play catch-up.

Lewis, whose scoring included morale-boosting, buzzer-beating 3-pointers to close out the first two quarters, also had five assists, three rebounds and two steals.

"My teammates do a great job of getting me the ball," Lewis said. "Today, the rim looked really big. But our bigs deserve a lot of credit. They did a great job against Harding's bigs. It was rough in there."

Senior Mike McQueen (6-7), junior Jermaine Davis (6-9) and sophomore Tony Farmer (6-6) gave the Bulldogs a 29-23 edge in rebounds while going against 6-8 junior Shaheed Davis, 6-7 senior Craig McFerrin, 6-5 senior Tre' Brown and 6-6 junior Rashid Gaston.

Farmer finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds. While McQueen and Jermaine Davis only combined for eight points, they had 10 rebounds and three blocked shots while plugging the middle.

Junior guard Mike Davis, arguably one of the more underrated players in the area, finished with 17 points and four rebounds.

Brown, a Cleveland State recruit, led Harding with 17 points and four rebounds, while McFerrin finished with 14 points and seven boards.

Point guard Terrill Byrd did not score until making two free throws in the fourth quarter, but he had eight assists and helped take the heat off Lewis. Junior Kenny Simpson came off the bench to score six points.

Garfield Heights (22-1) will make its first regional appearance since 1950 at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Wolstein Center against St. Edward.

The Bulldogs, ranked first in the state and in The Plain Dealer Top 25, took control when they closed out the first quarter with an 11-0 run that turned a 13-9 deficit into a 20-13 lead at the end of the period.

The surge continued in the second quarter, with Lewis scoring eight of his 14 first-half points and the Raiders turned chilly from the floor, making 4-of-10 field-goal attempts. The Garfield Heights lead grew to 15 points following a Mike Davis 3-pointer with 2:20 to go in the third quarter. While the Raiders eventually cut the deficit to nine points with 5:40 to play, the Bulldogs maintained their composure and answered every surge.

Seven-foot sophomore Akron center Zeke Marshall makes a big difference in the Zips' thrilling MAC Tournament title game victory over Kent State.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A shot-blocker doesn't just block shots. He sends rejection slips to self-confidence. He makes sure frustration, haste and timidity have many happy returns.

He changes many of the shots that he does not block. He alters perceptions. He makes the world around the rim a dangerous place.

"We're going to need eight blocks from you," Akron coach Keith Dambrot told Zeke Marshall, his seven-foot sophomore center, before the Mid-American Conference Tournament's championship game against arch-rival Kent State began Saturday night at The Q.

Marshall got nine blocks. "He changed about 400," said Dambrot.

Marshall had nine points and 13 rebounds, too, coming close to a minimalist triple-double.

Akron won, 66-65, in overtime. In the extra five minutes, Marshall was a wall in the paint, blocking four shots and anchoring a defense that frazzled Kent State into 11 misses in 13 shots.

Akron defenders blocked Kent's final frantic pair of shots. With six seconds left, Marshall slammed away a floater from three feet out in the lane by KSU guard Rodriquez Sherman. After a wild scramble for the ball, the Zips' Steve McNees knocked away Carlton Guyton's three-point jump shot.

"I looked up and saw 1.3 seconds on the clock and the ball was way up there in the air," said Marshall.

When it came down, it brought all the March madness/sadness feelings with it.

"I felt like the whole world came down on me," said Kent State guard Michael Porrini. "I felt what anybody who ever played the game felt. Everybody grows up wanting to play in the NCAA Tournament."

Zip players capered in victory dances and Kent State players slumped to the floor under the weight of their crumbled dreams.

Akron and Kent State are separated by only 14 miles -- and by a world of difference in national perceptions. Kent State's national name is as glittering as its prospector's strike uniforms and its Golden Flashes nickname. They are the MAC's name brand.

Akron is the often-denied challenger next door, the one that is making the world of perceptions smaller because it had the bigger weapon in winning its second MAC Tournament in three years.

Marshall, with the wingspan of a man 7-3, is an Alp in a league of foothills. The conference's recent decline began with the inability of league coaches to lure even "project" big men to campus. But for one night anyway, Marshall measured up to such recent erasers as Ball State's Lonnie Jones and Central Michigan's Chris Kaman, both of whom were tournament MVPs since the event moved to The Q.

Eight days ago, Kent State attacked the rim at will at home against Akron in clinching the MAC regular-season championship for the second straight season. This time, Marshall was there to swoop from side to side, cleaning up the mistakes. Kent State lives on its penetrators.

"They got to the rim again, but Zeke was standing there," Dambrot said.

In denying the Flashes, Marshall outplayed conference Player of the Year Justin Greene. The latter finished with 13 points on 16 shots and three blocks. Greene, 6-8, was in Marshall's shadow, statistically and literally, all game until fouling out with 31/2 minutes left in overtime.

Greene took the blame for the defeat, saying he did not play up to the honors that had been accorded him. "We wanted more than anything to win it for Rod (Sherman)," said Greene of KSU's only senior.

Sherman shot only 2-for-16 from the field, but he is one of the stories that make March memories. He has brutalized knees, having undergone microfracture surgery and an anterior cruciate ligament graft. He can't practice the day after games, yet he gave what he had in a third game in three days until he had emptied himself out.

"Rod can take more pain than most," said KSU coach Geno Ford.

That's March in college basketball. Nothing else like it. It can come in with snow up to a lion's mane or go out with a thaw as gentle as a lamb. But as long as there are games like this, basketball fans will take a calendar full of Marches.

Follow Bill Livingston on Facebook and on Twitter @LivyPD

Browns' 2009 draft produced three starters, as did the 2010 draft. Will the 2011 be as good?

View full sizeAssociated PressAlex Mack, shown scoring in this year's Pro Bowl, was the first-round pick for the Browns in the 2009 draft. He's one of three Browns drafted that year to crack the starting lineup.

As the whole NFL labor situation wends its way through the courts (let's hope the lawyers for both sides run tighter/better routes than ex-Brown Braylon Edwards) we're left with not much more than the draft to discuss.

And since we have discussed -- and WILL discuss ad nauseum -- the 2011 draft in the days ahead, let's talk a little about a past draft. The inquisitr.com took a look at the 2009 draft.

Author Joshua Lobdell gave the draft a pretty fair grade, as it produced three starters. Not quite sure we concur, as the 2010 draft also produced three -- Colt McCoy, Joe Haden and T.J. Ward -- and it seems a much stronger draft comparatively speaking. But here's what he had to say about 2009:

They used their first round pick on center Alex Mack, and he is their starting center. The ultimate success of this draft class will come down to how well he works with QB Colt McCoy and so far they seem to be doing just fine.  In my mind the first of the two WR taken (both in the second round) Brian Robiskie will get the somewhat unfair label of a possession receiver. He is not a deep threat, but he can be counted on to make those catches to keep the chains moving. (Mohamed) Massaquoi is about the same but works a little deeper, but has a much higher upside. If these two receivers were paired with a legit deep threat the Browns WR corps would be great.

In order to take Quinn, a team is going to need to be comfortable with the brain tumor he's played with since high school. As the Browns shift to the 4-3 under Dick Jauron, however, Quinn is the type of building block that the Browns lack.

At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, (Quinn) has the size to develop into a fantastic pass rusher, and would fit in right away for the Browns as the strong-side defensive end. Quinn has great quickness, but the biggest concern with him right now is the fact that he missed all of the 2010 season after being dismissed from the team for accepting improper benefits from an agent.

Quinn, as Galliford mentioned, also has some health concerns with a brain tumor he battled in high school. If he checked out at the Combine, (a medical evaluation is part of the shtick there) you should see him off the board in the top 10-12 picks. He is extremely skilled.

Jimmer Fredette will receive plenty of attention during March Madness.

AP Photo Jimmer Fredette

Jimmer Fredette is one of the biggest basketball stars in the country and Jason King of Yahoo.com describes Fredette's popularity recently at Utah Jazz game.

Fredette was absolutely mobbed during what was supposed to be a relaxing night away from BYU’s campus. When he headed for the exit at EnergySolutions Arena shortly before the final horn, the Cougars guard was flanked by two security guards.

Fredette will probably win college basketball's top player award and understandably  so. King writes how Fredette is the most visible face. No athlete has generated as much national buzz lately as Fredette.  He averages 27.9 points

Jimmer is similar to Stephen Curry, who captured the imagination of the country while starring for Davidson in the 2008 tournament.

 “I definitely feel like there’s a target on my back,” Fredette said. “Every team is game-planning to do something to try to slow me down and make some of my other teammates makes plays. We’ve been able to do a good job with that, though. We’re making plays as a team.”

WFNY discussed the potential redemption between the Cavs and Miami Heat later this month

Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWill the new cast of Cavs help redeem December 2?

There are 17 games left in the Cleveland Cavaliers' season. After another loss in which coach Scott questioned the heart of his players, many fans would rather the season be finished already. Maybe some of the players as well.

They will, of course, play them all. Coach Scott will continue to demand the best effort his players can give, and the players will likely respond every couple of games and have a shot at winning. It is not out of the question to say that the Cavs could even see another extended losing streak - they have lost four in a row, and seven of their last ten.

They will get Baron Davis back this week, which should help. Ramon Sessions has not been good as of late, and may have had his worst performance of the year as a starter Sunday afternoon against the Thunder. Even with Davis, who by his own admission is playing at about 70 percent, the Cavs are struggling and might not have any sense of urgency to turn things around.

For the fans, and for the team however, there is one significant game remaining.

On Tuesday, March 29th, the Miami Heat come to town. Again.

We all remember what happened the last time Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh came to Cleveland. It wasn't pretty, and I'm not even talking about the reception LeBron got from the fans. The effort put forth by the Cavaliers that night was an embarrassment to the city.

Things will be different this time around. It will not be the media spectacle that the December 2nd game was. TNT will not be covering this one. It's safe to say that fewer national media members will be in town for Take Two. The crowd is unlikely to stand and scream at LeBron the entire game. Oh there will be boos, but you would think the level of pure hatred and spite would be toned down a small notch. Maybe.

The Cavaliers on the court will be different as well. The starting five last time around was Mo Williams (traded), Anthony Parker, Anderson Varejao (injured), JJ Hickson, and Joey Graham. Graham isn't likely to see more than a handful of minutes. Antawn Jamison didn't start that game, but played more minutes than four of the five starters. He won't be playing in the next contest because of a fractured finger.

The Q can be a tough place for a visiting team to get a win when the Cavaliers are giving maximum effort, and the crowd is alive and into the game. Just ask the Lakers, Knicks and Celtics about that. I'm certain that the fans will be there and ready. The only question is on the team.

A win does not eliminate the memory of that December 2nd loss. That was a unique moment in Cleveland sports history, one that can never be duplicated. But a win on March 29 would go a long way towards keeping the fans interested in what happens with this team beyond 2011.

"Another Dolan move motivated by the dollar rather than baseball product." -sanitypolice

Sports books in Las Vegas casinos made Ohio State the favorite to win the NCAA tournament despite a tough draw that includes North Carolina, Syracuse and Kentucky in the same bracket.

Ohio State guard Jon Diebler celebrates hitting a 3-point shot at the buzzer to end the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Penn State in the championship of the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 13, 2011. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

The race and sports book at the Las Vegas Hilton made Ohio State a 7-2 favorite to win the tournament, Executive Director Jay Kornegay said Sunday shortly after the selections for the tournament were announced.

But Kornegay said the Buckeyes got a more difficult bracket than fellow No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, which has Florida, BYU and Wisconsin as the next-highest seeds in its region.

"Actually, Pittsburgh and Ohio State should be switching spots," Kornegay said. "It's unusual for a No. 1 seed to have to deal with that kind of competition or those kind of teams that have the potential of playing very well and being competitive."

Kornegay and others still think Ohio State is the best team in the country.

The Buckeyes finished the season 33-2, winning the Big Ten tournament and regular-season titles to reach the NCAA tournament for the fifth time in seven years. They will play the winner of the Texas-San Antonio-Alabama State game in Cleveland on Friday.

Oddsmaker Tony Sinisi of Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which provides betting lines to more than 90 percent of casinos in Nevada, said the firm planned to set its lines Sunday night but sees Ohio State as a 5-2 favorite.

Mike Colbert, race and sports director for Cantor Gaming, which runs four sports books in Las Vegas, said Ohio State's tough draw was enough to put it on par with Kansas as 6-1 favorites to win the title.

"There's four legit — legit — national champion contenders in the same bracket," said Colbert, who runs books at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, M Resort, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Tropicana. "It's a loaded bracket."

If the high seeds all win, the Buckeyes would have to beat Kentucky in the round of 16 and North Carolina in the round of eight to win its bracket. Conversely, Pittsburgh would have to beat Wisconsin and Florida.

The Hilton gave Pittsburgh 12-1 to win the title, Kornegay said. The other No. 1 seeds, Kansas and Duke, were each 5-1 to win the tournament.

Cantor gave Duke 9-1 odds and Pittsburgh 10-1 odds, Colbert said.

Among No. 2 seeds, Colbert said San Diego State got the easiest draw in the western region, with Duke at the top and Connecticut the No. 3 seed.

"I wouldn't be surprised at all to see them get into the Final Four," he said.