"To continue to put forth this type of slop on one's home court is nothing short of embarrassment." -randyosu

Cleveland Cavalier Christian Eyenga shoots against the New Orleans Hornets Carl Landry in the second quarter on Mar. 6, 2011.

ESPN.com, citing league sources, reports that top picks would not walk on to Radio City Music Hall stage as they have. Players would not be there to do interviews with ESPN or NFL Network. Draft would still go on.

Associated PressProjected early draft picks like Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert may be getting asked by the NFL Players Association to not attend the draft in New York.

The failure to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement has caused the players union to de-certify and the NFL teams to lock out the players.

That might be just the beginning of a dispute between competing sides that makes rivalries like Packers-Bears, Patriots-Jets and, uhh, Browns-Steelers look like touch football games at a family picnic.

The draft is the NFL's marquee off-season event and, in fact, is the highlight of the football year for many fans of perennially bad teams.

Now, according to a report by ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, the Players Association is looking to dampen draft-day fun, at least as much as it can.

And, should the players' plan work, it would diminish the ESPN network's signature event.

Schefter writes, in part:  

The NFL Players Association is putting into place a plan that would prevent each top college prospect from attending next month's draft in New York, according to multiple league sources. The NFLPA already has contacted 17 top prospects that ordinarily would have received an invitation to attend the draft and informed them not to go.

Thus, when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the name of the first player selected, the player will not walk on to the stage at Radio City Music Hall as has been the custom. And the player will not be there to do interviews with ESPN or NFL Network. The draft will go on, but not in the manner in which it has been conducted before.

"As of right now, this is 100 percent happening," said one source familiar with the Players Association's thinking. "This is going down."

 

Browns plan no layoffs or salary cutbacks for coaches and promise to grant full refunds, plus interest, for any games missed. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns President Mike Holmgren pledged a "business as usual" approach as the NFL's work stoppage kicked off for the first full week on Monday.

But it's not exactly business as usual.

The Browns' off-season conditioning program was supposed to start on Monday, but players are locked out of the team facility. Because of that, food service workers ordinarily on hand to serve meals did not report for work. They're the first victims, financially, of the labor dispute.

Players rehabilitating from surgeries or season-ending injuries -- such as running back Montario Hardesty, offensive tackle Tony Pashos and linebacker D'Qwell Jackson -- now have to undergo treatment at other facilities and under the auspices of an independent supervisor.

All communications between the Browns and players -- and their agents -- have been stopped cold. Holmgren said that quarterback Colt McCoy was given new coach Pat Shurmur's playbook prior to the shutdown.

All transactions involving veteran players have ceased. The Browns won't even disclose which of their potential restricted free agents were tendered qualifying offers. Sources have confirmed only that cornerback Eric Wright and tight end Evan Moore received second-round tenders.

The only business going on as usual is research for the draft on April 28-30 and club requests for season-ticket renewals. Toward the latter, Holmgren delivered a positive message to fans in his first comments since labor negotiations came to a halt on Friday, sending the dispute into the hands of lawyers and judges.

"It is our feeling and hope that we will play football games [this season]," Holmgren said. "We've worked very, very hard to begin to establish a program that will win and we are proceeding along those lines.

"My hope was, as was [owner] Randy Lerner's ... we were excited about the potential of getting it ironed out through mediation. That was the way it was going. But now it's gone into the court system. So we will play football again. The tough part is knowing exactly when.

"I just want to encourage our fans to hang in there. They've been so good so far in the year-plus that I've been here. They're a sense of encouragement to me. I appreciate that. This will have a good ending, as well. We'll get back to playing football like we all want."

Holmgren said that the club plans no employee furloughs or layoffs during the work stoppage and no coaches will be asked to take a paycut. Some teams have instituted those cost-saving measures. In the NFL office, Commissioner Roger Goodell and chief legal counsel Jeff Pash have agreed to cut their salaries to $1 until the labor dispute is resolved.

"If the time comes where financially we get struck down, it probably starts with me. I've got to contribute to the pot," said Holmgren, whose five-year contract has been reported to be worth $40 million to $50 million. He added, in jest, "Although I'm going on record -- I am not working for $1 a year."

Holmgren said the Browns will refund any ticket sold in Cleveland Browns stadium – "plus interest" -- for any games canceled.

Holmgren said season-ticket sales "are better than they were at this time last year" and attributed that to renewed excitement about the direction of the team.

But that was before the labor dispute brought a sobering halt to business as usual.

Buckeyes get 51 of 65 first-place votes in AP poll, 26 of 31 in coaches' rankings.

Associated PressDavid Lighty (23), Dallas Lauderdale (center, facing camera) and Aaron Craft (right) have helped Ohio State to a 32-2 record.

(Associated Press) -- Ohio State, Kansas and Duke were the only teams ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press' college basketball poll this season, and they were among nine teams in the Top 25 from start to finish.

Ohio State (32-2), the overall No. 1 seed for the NCAA tournament, led the poll for the third straight week and eighth overall. The Big Ten regular-season and tournament champions received 51 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel Monday.

Kansas (32-2) was No. 1 for one week this season. The Jayhawks, who won both Big 12 titles, drew the other 14 first-place votes and were second for the third straight week.

Duke (30-4) spent the most time at No. 1 this season. The Blue Devils, who won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, were first in the preseason poll and for 10 weeks during the season. They jumped from fifth, their lowest ranking of the season, to third in the final poll

Pittsburgh, the Big East regular-season champion, dropped from third to fourth in the final poll. Notre Dame, San Diego State, North Carolina, Texas, Connecticut and BYU rounded out the top 10.

Kentucky was No. 11, followed by Syracuse, Purdue, Louisville, Florida, Wisconsin, Arizona, St. John's, Utah State and Xavier. The last five ranked teams were Kansas State, West Virginia, Washington, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.

Washington, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt all returned to the poll this week, replacing Georgetown, Temple and Cincinnati.

Nine teams were ranked in every poll this season — Duke, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, Purdue, BYU and San Diego State — while Georgetown missed by one point of joining the group.

The Hoyas were ranked in every poll except the last and they were 26th in that one, one point behind No. 25 Vanderbilt.

Duke has the longest run of consecutive appearances, having been in every poll since the preseason Top 25 of 2007-08. Purdue has the second-longest streak, starting with the final seven polls of 2007-08.

There were three one-week wonders this season: Georgia (No. 24), Saint Mary's (No. 22) and Florida State (No. 22) were all ranked for just one poll. Virginia Tech, the object of much discussion after being left out of the NCAA tournament's field of 68, was ranked in the preseason poll (No. 21) and for the first voting of the regular season (22).

Forty-four teams from 12 conferences were ranked this season.

The Big East had 10 of its 16 members ranked during the season and tied its own record with nine teams in the same poll twice. The Big East had nine teams ranked for one week in January 2009 as well.

The Big Ten and Big 12 both had six teams ranked at some point this season, while the Southeastern Conference had five and the Atlantic Coast Conference four. The Mountain West had three teams in the Top 25, the West Coast Conference, Pac-10, Conference USA and Atlantic 10 had two and the Horizon League and Western Athletic Conference one each.

----------Associated Press

Ohio State is also ranked No. 1 in the final USA Today/ESPN/Coaches regular season poll.

USAToday.com features how each coach voted in each week's poll. Slide the browser across the coaches' names to see how they voted.

The AP and Coaches' polls, and the RPI rankings, are on cleveland.com.

The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com continue their Ohio State coverage, their Mid-American Conference coverage, their Cleveland State coverage and March Madness coverage.

Ohio State of the Big Ten and Akron of the MAC are in the NCAA Tournament; Cleveland State of the Horizon League and Kent State of the MAC are in the NIT.

 

In wake of devastating earthquake and tsunami, International Skating Union calls off figure skating championships which were scheduled for next week. Japan's national soccer league cancels all games in the country for rest of March.

Associated PressAtsuto Uchida of Japan, after a soccer match in Germany on Saturday, wears a shirt with words in Japanese and German for earthquake victims in Japan. The words in English read, "Dear friends in Japan, I hope that many lives are rescued, lets stick together."

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The International Skating Union has called off the world figure skating championships which were scheduled to start in Tokyo next week.

Parts of Japan have been devastated by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit last Friday, triggering emergencies at nuclear power plants.

The official death toll from the disaster is about 2,800 with thousands of people still missing. More than one million households are without power and water.

On Monday, the ISU said it was "not possible" to host the marquee figure skating event as scheduled from March 21-27.

ISU president Ottavio Cinquanta said the governing body took into account "critical developments" in Japan.

"The ISU's primary concern [is] for the safety of all participants, spectators and members of concerned entities as well as the travel advisories from many governments to avoid travel to Japan until the situation is settled," Cinquanta said in a statement.

"The postponement of the event or alternatively the final cancelation is under evaluation," the Italian official said.

The World Team Trophy in figure skating, scheduled to be held in Yokohama on April 14-17, also has been called off.

Cinquanta said the ISU was consulting with the Japan Skating Federation and other national authorities to decide when it was safe for teams to travel to Tokyo.

"As soon as the situation in this respect has been finalized, the ISU will inform all parties concerned of the decision taken," he said.

The ISU initially hoped to proceed with the worlds because the Yoyogi stadium venue was undamaged by Friday's earthquake.

However, on Sunday it was reconsidering because of the "very worrisome" nuclear crisis.

Another report from Associated Press: 

TOKYO, Japan -- With at least one club's stadium destroyed and its players disbanding, Japan's national soccer league Monday canceled all games in the country for the rest of the month because of the devastation from the massive earthquake and tsunami.

More matches could be lost in April depending on the disaster recovery, J-League chairman Kazumi Ohigashi said at a news conference. He cited continuing aftershocks and the "inability to guarantee complete safety at all the stadiums."

Asia's richest nation faces a mounting humanitarian, nuclear and economic crisis. While the official death toll is nearly 1,900, the true number is much higher. In Miyagi, the police chief has said 10,000 people are estimated to have died in his province alone.

Millions spent a third night without water, food or heating in near-freezing temperatures along the northeast coast. There are also growing fears of a meltdown after a third reactor at a nuclear power plant lost its cooling capacity.

At least 41 J-League games have been postponed indefinitely, meaning the J-League probably will have no choice but to play cup and league matches in July when the national team is abroad.

Ohigashi said he has spoken with the club president of Vegalta Sendai and was told the stadium and facilities were in ruins. The team's foreign players have headed home, and Japanese players from other regions are leaving.

"Needless to say, the players aren't training. The foreign players have gone home ... They're struggling to live over there. It's not about training or the game," Ohigashi said.

The Asian Football Confederation has postponed games that were scheduled for Japan this week.

Kashima Antlers, one of the strongest clubs in Japan, is in the quake-affected zone and was to play Australia's Sydney FC.

The national team also might withdraw from upcoming international games, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported. It cited the Japan Football Association as saying it was "keeping all options open."

National coach Alberto Zaccheroni returned to Italy from Tokyo the day after the earthquake, casting doubt on exhibition games against Montenegro and New Zealand this month. The players for those games were to be announced this week.

JFA general secretary Kozo Tashima said a Japan team would be playing as planned in the Copa America in South America in July.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - See a roundtable video featuring the three local girls basketball coaches whose teams have advanced to this week's state tournament: Twinsburg's Julie Solis, Hathaway Brown's Paul Barlow and Elyria Catholic's Eric Rothgery. Plain Dealer girls basketball writer Bob Fortuna talks to each coach about their team, expectations and what their message will be as the squads...

CLEVELAND, Ohio - See a roundtable video featuring the three local girls basketball coaches whose teams have advanced to this week's state tournament: Twinsburg's Julie Solis, Hathaway Brown's Paul Barlow and Elyria Catholic's Eric Rothgery.

Plain Dealer girls basketball writer Bob Fortuna talks to each coach about their team, expectations and what their message will be as the squads depart for Columbus for the final four, which begins Thursday.

As part of the school-imposed penalties announced last week for withholding information to the NCAA and university officials, Tressel was publicly reprimanded and required to make a public apology.

View full sizeAP photo"I sincerely apologize for what we've been through," Jim Tressel told a luncheon audience of Ohio State supporters in Canton on Monday. "I also apologize because I'm going to have some sanctions. But the mission doesn't change."

CANTON, Ohio -- Standing before a room jammed with some of his most loyal admirers, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel apologized several times during his first public speaking engagement since being suspended and fined for violating NCAA rules.

Speaking to a crowd of 400 -- many of them Ohio State fans clad in the school's scarlet and gray -- at a luncheon sponsored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tressel charmed a pro-Buckeyes' audience during a 40-minute speech focused on handling adversity.

Tressel began his remarks by saying he couldn't say much about the recent troubles at Ohio State "because of the nature of the investigation."

"But I can tell you this," he said. "I consider all of you a part of the Buckeye Nation. I sincerely apologize for what we've been through. I apologize for the fact I wasn't able to find the ones to partner with to handle our difficult and complex situation.

"I also apologize because I'm going to have some sanctions. But the mission doesn't change. That's the pledge I have to you. The mission I've always had is we make sure we help young people change their lives."

Dressed in a charcoal suit and dark red tie, Tressel also apologized for being a distraction to Ohio State's top-ranked basketball team, which enters this week's NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed.

As part of the school-imposed penalties announced last week, Tressel was also publicly reprimanded and required to make a public apology.

Before he was whisked off to the airport, Tressel was asked if his speech served as his public repentance.

"I've tried to apologize all along," he said.

Tressel received a polite standing ovation the moment he entered the room at Tozzi's on 12th restaurant. He was joined at the luncheon by several former players, including Dustin Fox and Tim Anderson, who played on Ohio State's 2002 national championship team under Tressel.

Fox greeted Tressel with a hug when he entered the restaurant. Fox has been troubled by criticism -- some of it harsh-- aimed at Tressel.

"I don't think you can judge one man's character or legacy off one instance," Fox said. "Maybe a lapse in judgment occurred. I don't question his intentions, either. It's hard to put yourself in his shoes."

Last week, Tressel was suspended for the first two games next season and fined $250,000 for failing to notify the school about information he received last April involving two players and questionable activities involving the sale of memorabilia.

Five Ohio State players were suspended five games in 2011 for selling jerseys and other memorabilia to the owner of a local tattoo parlor, who was under investigation in a federal drug trafficking probe.

The NCAA could levy additional penalties on Tressel, who has been at Ohio State since 2001 and is wildly popular among Buckeye fans.

An engaging and charismatic public speaker, Tressel sprinkled in a few jokes during his speech. He cracked that he offered Buckeye freshman basketball star Jared Sullinger a spot on OSU's football team.

"I told Sullinger, tight end," Tressel said. "Don't even have to practice. Just show up."

Tressel spent much of his speech breaking down Ohio State's roster almost position by position, giving fans who paid $12 for a lunch of pork chops, mashed potatoes and corn, a peek inside a program now under more scrutiny than at any other time in his tenure.

After 32 minutes, Tressel opened the floor to questions, but none of the fans in attendance asked about the recent turmoil in Columbus.

One of the final questions was from a man who wondered how Tressel has dealt with widespread media criticism. Tressel answered by recounting that he spoke to his players last week about handling tough times.

"I told them this, one of the neat things about adversity is that you hear from some people how they appreciate what you have been in their lives," he said. "You also hear from some people who don't think that fondly of you. Don't get tempted to be mad at them. That's not healthy."

Tressel took one last question.

"Yes sir," he said, pointing to the back of the room.

"Coach, we all know you've got a lot going on in your life right now," shouted a man. "Take care of yourself. Hang in there."

After leaving the dais, Tressel snaked through the crowd, shaking hands and stopping to sign an autograph for a wheel-chair bound fan on his way to the door. He was followed closely by former Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton.

"Which airport are we going to?" Tressel asked in the driveway entrance as he climbed into a waiting vehicle.

Tressel then waved and thanked several well-wishers before being driven off.

Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren talked with the media at the team's headquarters in Berea about the NFL's lockout of the players and what it means for the Browns and their fans. (Note: The NFL limits the amount of online video we can post each day.) Watch video

Shelley Duncan doubled home two runs in the third to give the Indians a 5-3 lead after three innings.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- First baseman Chris Carter hit a leadoff homer off the scoreboard in left field Monday to pull the A's into a 6-6 tie with the Indians after six innings at Goodyear Ballpark.

Carter hit Jeanmar Gomez's first pitch of the game far and deep.

The Indians led 6-5 lead in the fifth when Orlando Cabrera scored from third base on a ground ball that should have been a double play.

Orlando Cabrera and Asdrubal Cabrera started the fourth inning with singles to put runners on first and third. Shin-Soo Choo sent a grounder to Carter at first. He stepped on first for one out, but in the endusing rundown Asdrubal Cabrera safely reached second and Orlando Cabrera scored to break a 5-5 tie.

Oakland, trailing 5-3, scored twice in the fourth to tie the score. Justin Masterson struck out the first two batters in the inning, but gave up three straight hits.  After Matt Carson's double, Jemile Weeks blooped a single inside the left field line to make it 5-4. Weeks scored on Eric Sogard's double to center.

The Indians scored three runs in the third  to take a 5-3 lead after Oakland scored three runs in the top of the inning to take a 3-2 l,ead. Travis Hafner tied the score with a double and Shelley Duncan hit a two-run double past third for the lead.

Masterson retired six straight to start the game. Masterson's quick start gave him 15 straight outs going back to his last start. The streak ended when Carson beat out an infield single to start the third. Weeks singled and the runners advanced on a wild pitch.  Sogard struck out, but Coco Crisp tripled into the right field corner to tie the score, 2-2.

Kevin Kouzmanoff lined a single past third baseman Jack Hannahan to score Crisp for the lead.

Hannahan doubled home two runs in the second for a 2-0 lead off Dallas Braden. Austin Kearns started the third by getting hit by a pitch. Travis Hafner singled and Shelley Duncan drew a one-out walk to load the bases and bring Hannahan to the plate.

Never forget this about the NFL labor dispute: Neither side cares about the fans.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerMike Holmgren doesn't deserve the blame for the current NFL labor impasse, but his sport has once again proven that it has a greater interest in exploiting its devoted fans, instead of trying to do right by them, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Holmgren seems to be a man with a good heart and decent intentions. If more people such as the Browns president were on the negotiating teams for both sides, the NFL labor dispute would probably have been already settled.

So this is not a direct criticism of Holmgren.

But if anyone involved in the NFL labor talks even hints that they are concerned about what fans think or feel -- they are flat-out lying. That's because genuine concern leads to positive action, and we've seen none of that so far between the management's lockout and the players' lawsuit.

That thought came to me as I read this email from T.J. Wallenhorst: "I am an avid sports fan who is becoming increasingly disgruntled and agitated by the NFL labor dispute. My best friend called me the other day and we decided that we should try and do something to unite football fans nationwide. We are currently working on a Web site in the minimal free time we currently have. ... We graduated from college last May and are not really sure where to begin. I put together a letter in attempt to unite fans and enlighten everyone that the vast majority of fault rests with the owners."

I sent T.J. a longer reply that came down to this: They don't care what the fans think.

They believe that whenever the dispute is settled, fans will be back on football Sundays -- because the NFL is America's High Church when it comes to sports.

Consider the debate about 16 vs. 18 regular season games. Either way, there will be 10 home games. Eight or nine games will count in the standings, but season ticket holders will be charged full price for all 10. There's not a word about cutting the fans a financial break.

Nor is there a suggestion that either side cares about the vendors, the people who work in the offices and locker rooms -- the real working people behind the NFL teams.

There are a lot of fans such as T.J. who love to talk football 12 months each year. They follow the draft, free agency, minicamps and all the coaching changes. It's a tremendous diversion from life's daily grind.

But the suits on both sides of this dispute don't care about that, either.

Holmgren had these well-meaning remarks at Monday's press conference: "It is our feeling and hope that we will play football games. I just want to encourage our fans to hang in there. They've been so good so far in the year-plus I've been here. They're a sense of encouragement to me. This will have a good ending, as well."

Holmgren is absolutely sincere in his praise of the fans and being grateful for their support. He should be, especially since he says ticket sales are ahead of the same pace at this time in 2010. That will soon change as the Super Bowl for who gets how many billions drags on. Anyone pondering the purchase of tickets before this thing is settled ought to think about it again.

Holmgren is right when he says there will eventually be football. The one interest group with a major influence is ESPN and the other television networks. They pay the big bucks. They want football on the air -- not just the games, but games being played so they can have all those shows that talk about the games and players.

If T.J. and all the other loyal fans have a voice, it will come from the media executives who hate this stuff as much as the fans, because it costs them viewers and revenue.

But Holmgren's comment about a "good ending" is hardly a given, at least not for this season.

Holmgren said the Browns will not only pay back those who bought tickets for games lost to this fiasco, but they will add in some interest. But if this dispute wipes out most of training camp and the preseason -- the product on the field will suffer. If regular-season games are missed and players are rushed on to the field, that's a recipe for bad football and major injuries.

Furthermore, they will eventually come to the same basic agreement that could have been reached already had both sides felt a real sense of urgency and loyalty to their customers.

But you won't hear that discussed by the decision makers. Because they don't care about the fans. That has long been the case in these management/labor battles, and nothing has changed this time.

Say one thing for the Horizon League, it has a good formula to prepare for postseason tournament success.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Say what you want about the Horizon League, it has a good formula to prepare for postseason tournament success. The MAC, not so much.

Not only does the Horizon's tournament format benefit the conference champs by being seeded into the semifinals, but its title game on Tuesday of championship week allows the conference's postseason entries, including Cleveland State (26-8) in the NIT, time to prepare.

The hangover of missing the NCAA Tournament is long gone with at least a 10-day separation between games. CSU's last game was March 5 in the Horizon semifinal; they now welcome the challenge of playing America East regular-season champion Vermont.

"The break has really, really helped us," CSU head coach Gary Waters said prior to the Vikings' Tuesday night NIT home game against the Catamounts (23-8). "I think we were getting tired, and the pressure was building on us. But now we've regrouped, we've rested, both physically and mentally. We have had some very, very good practices because our players are ready for a new season."

Against the Catamounts, the Vikings will have to overcome one of their season-long demons. Teams with size inside have been a challenge for the Vikings. One thing Vermont definitely has is bulk, with eight players at 6-8 or taller.

"They have got big guys, and they have a number of them," Waters said. "That has been a challenge for us. If our guards can take their guards out, we can balance that. But what they like to do is pound you. Once again, this is going to be a test for Aaron [Pogue] to stay out of foul trouble."

The 6-9, 265-pound Pogue is CSU's major post presence. But staying on the court has been a constant issue over the past two seasons. When he gets in foul trouble, the Vikings become almost exclusively a perimeter team relying on senior guard Norris Cole (21.6 ppg), and junior guard Tre Harmon (13.5 ppg).

As for Kent State (23-11), and its NIT challenge at St. Mary's (Cal.), it comes three days after a gut-wrenching Saturday night loss to Akron for the MAC Tournament title. Monday brought an all-day cross-country flight with little practice time to prepare for the 25-8 Gaels at 11 p.m on ESPN2.

Buckeyes face Central Florida in the first round, with either Georgia Tech or Bowling Green awaiting the winner.

Michael Conroy / Associated PressOhio State's Jantel Lavender leads the Buckeyes to another NCAA Tournament hoping for six more wins and a national title.

Connecticut, Tennessee, Baylor and Stanford are the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA women's basketball tournament that begins Saturday, while Ohio State earned a fourth seed in the Dayton Regional and will be hosting first- and second-round games in Columbus.

No. 5 Georgia Tech will play No. 12 Bowling Green, and No. 4 Ohio State faces No. 13 Central Florida in Columbus. The Buckeyes have had a roller-coaster season, winning their first seven games before dropping seven of the next nine. They righted themselves and have won their last nine games, capped by a Big Ten tournament title.

Connecticut's path to a third straight national championship could include a renewal of the most heated rivalry in women's college basketball. For Geno Auriemma to match Tennessee coach Pat Summitt with an eighth national championship, he might have to go through her Lady Vols, who earned the top seed in the Dayton region. If both come through their regions, UConn and Tennessee could meet again in the national semifinals at Indianapolis.

Auriemma's Huskies didn't have to face Tennessee during its record 90-game winning streak that was ended by Stanford on Dec. 30. The two pre-eminent teams in the sport broke off their annual matchup in 2007 in a testy split.

First up for UConn is former star Jen Rizzotti and her Hartford Hawks, who won the America East title. The two teams have played each other over the last six years but didn't meet this season. Hartford is winless in 11 meetings against UConn.

Baylor and Stanford were the other two No. 1 seeds. It was the second straight No. 1 seed for the Cardinal, who fell to UConn in the title game last season.

The Huskies will be trying for their third consecutive title, matching their run from 2002-04 and Tennessee's from 1996-98. UConn is one of a record nine Big East teams in the field. The Big East got 11 men's teams in their field announced Sunday.

Unlike the men's bracket that expanded to 68 teams this year, the women decided to stick with 64. Indianapolis will host the Final Four on April 3 and 5.

The last time the Final Four was in Indianapolis, Baylor won the championship as a No. 2 seed.

The Lady Bears, led by sophomore center Brittney Griner, will face No. 16 Prairie View in their opener on Sunday in the Dallas region. No. 8 Houston will play No. 9 West Virginia, No. 5 Wisconsin-Green Bay takes on No. 12 Arkansas-Little Rock, and No. 4 Michigan State plays No. 13 Missouri Valley champion Northern Iowa.

In the other part of the bracket, No. 6 Georgia takes on No. 11 Middle Tennessee State, which is still dealing with the death of Tina Stewart. Her Blue Raiders teammates played, and lost, their lone game in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

No. 2 Texas A&M meets No. 15 McNeese State, No. 7 Rutgers plays No. 10 Louisiana Tech and No. 3 Florida State plays No. 14 Samford.

If the seeds hold, the Aggies and Lady Bears will meet for the fourth time this season. Baylor beat Texas A&M by a total of 15 points in their three meetings -- including a three-point win in the Big 12 title game.

Stanford, which opens against UC Davis, could also face UCLA for a fourth time this year. The Cardinal swept the No. 3 seed in Spokane three times, but the Bruins had a late lead in the Pac-10 title game on Saturday.

Tennessee will open at home in the Dayton region against No. 16 Stetson, which needed a 55-footer at the buzzer to advance to the Atlantic Sun tournament championship game. No. 8 Marquette will play No. 9 Texas in the other game in Knoxville.

Along with the OSU games in the Daytona Regional, No. 2 Notre Dame plays No. 15 Utah and No. 7 Arizona State meets No. 10 Temple. Rounding out that part of the bracket, No. 3 Miami plays No. 14 Gardner-Webb and No. 6 Oklahoma plays No. 11 James Madison. The Sooners have made the Final Four the last two seasons.

In the Spokane region, No. 8 Texas Tech takes on No. 9 St. John's. Fifth-seeded North Carolina plays No. 12 Fresno State, and No. 4 Kentucky faces No. 13 Hampton.

No. 2 Xavier plays No. 15 South Dakota State, and No. 7 Louisville faces No. 10 Vanderbilt. Xavier lost to Stanford last season in the regional finals when the Musketeers missed two layups with the clock running down and the Cardinal hit a shot at the buzzer. No. 6 Iowa plays 11th-seeded Gonzaga while No. 3 UCLA takes on No. 14 Montana.

In the Philadelphia region, No. 8 Kansas State plays Purdue; fifth-seeded Georgetown takes on No. 12 Princeton; and No. 4 Maryland faces No. 13 Saint Francis, Pa. No. 2 Duke hosts 15th-ranked Tennessee-Martin, and No. 7 Iowa State plays 10th-seeded Marist. Finally, No. 6 Penn State hosts No. 11 Dayton and third-seeded DePaul faces No. 14 Navy.

Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot discuss the effects of the NFL's lockout. Watch video

A 30-minute team meeting after Friday's 20-point loss didn't seem to help with a 20-point loss on Sunday.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain Dealer"We've got to figure out a way to get back to where we're taking small steps forward instead of taking big steps backward," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said Monday. "It just can't happen."

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- It was not a good weekend for the Cavaliers.

They held a 30-minute team meeting after Friday's 20-point loss at Milwaukee, and their coach questioned their heart after a 20-point loss to visiting Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Since a 4-4 stretch following their league-record 26-game losing streak, the Cavs have lost four straight by an average of about 16 points. They were barely competitive in the last three.

Coach Byron Scott admits his young team has regressed.

"I think the last two games, yeah, think so," he said. "We discussed that this morning as coaches. That's one of the most frustrating things for us is that we've regressed instead of progressed -- especially when you see progression coming and all of a sudden the last two games you take a couple of steps back.

"That's very frustrating for me and for all our coaches -- and, hopefully, for the players as well. We've got to figure out a way to get back to where we're taking small steps forward instead of taking big steps backward. It just can't happen."

This young team has confounded its coaches and fans all season, and Scott admitted almost anything could be behind this latest swoon. With eight players age 24 or younger -- four are 22 or younger -- the Cavs have a roster full of guys who have never played this many games before. This far out of the playoffs, it's possible the players are just counting down the 17 games to the end of the season.

"I'm hoping they're not thinking that way because we're not thinking that way," Scott said of his coaches. "We've got to come in every day and try to figure out a way to keep these guys motivated and keep these guys working. I'm hoping they're not all looking at the schedule and going, 'OK, April 13, the season's over and we can take a deep breath and enjoy our summer.' I don't necessarily put that past a bunch of the guys on the team right now, but I hope that's not the case."

Scott pointed out one very valid reason why his players should not take the rest of the season off.

"You still have things left to prove as a player, not only to yourself, but to me and the coaching staff and our GM and our owner and people around the league," Scott said. "There's a good chance there's going to be a big turnover with this team next year. You want to make a good showing.

"The biggest thing with me is when you're out there playing, it's still competition. I just can't sit pat and watch guys beat me up or beat me every game. It just doesn't sit well with me. You've got to have some fire in your belly. Just being out there going against a guy with a different color jersey on should be the thing that motivates you the most."

Welcome back: Antawn Jamison, most likely out for the rest of the season after surgery on his fractured left little finger, has returned to Cleveland and will travel with the team to the West Coast this week.

"We need him around," Scott said. "I think these young guys need to see him every day. He says things that are on his mind, which is good. Sometimes they need to hear it from a fellow player instead of us harping on it every single day."

Davis OK: Scott said he texted Baron Davis on Sunday. Davis has returned to Los Angeles in the wake of his grandmother's death. Her funeral will be there Tuesday. The Cavs will be traveling to Sacramento that night and unable to attend.

"In his text he sounds like he's doing OK," Scott said. "I'm sure like a lot of guys he'll be glad when it's over and he can move on. That's what we're here for."

Davis told Scott he'd watched the game against the Thunder and wasn't too happy with what he saw. Scott said he thought it was possible Davis might join the team Thursday at Portland. The Cavs play at the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday afternoon.

Mike Holmgren says he's "looking hard" at the Heisman winner, even if it's only for potential draft day trades. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Despite organizational consensus that Colt McCoy is the Browns' quarterback of the future, team president Mike Holmgren said Monday that the club hasn't ruled out a quarterback with the sixth pick in next month's NFL draft.

In fact, he admitted he's "looking hard" at Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and will study other top quarterbacks in the draft.

"It's kind of interesting isn't it?" said Holmgren during his lockout press conference. "We'll see. I would say, don't discount anything. I've been honest with you about my feelings on Colt, but I'm not coaching the team. Pat Shurmur is the coach.

"We will have conversations of course, but I'll leave that up to the coach, just like I left it up with things last year. I've told you my feelings about him, but I think in this year's draft there are a number of really fine quarterbacks."

The Browns are one of eight teams that have already set up a private workout with Newton, and will also most likely conduct a private session with Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, the other top-rated quarterback in the draft. The two could go in the top 10, although NFL Network Mike Mayock doesn't even have Newton in his top 20.

Still, the Browns will be ready in case one or both are available at No. 6 -- even if just for trade possibilities.

"I think with our due diligence as an organization and a personnel department, it's our obligation to evaluate the best players coming out of college football," Holmgren said. "Cam Newton is one of those and so, yes, we are looking hard. It's fun for me anyway; I've told you this before.

View full sizeTodd J. Van Emst / Associated Press"It's our obligation to evaluate the best players coming out of college football," Browns president Mike Holmgren said of his interest in the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner. "Cam Newton is one of those and so, yes, we are looking hard."

"Even though I don't have anything to do around here, it's fun for me to grade the quarterbacks and watch the quarterbacks and try to get an idea of how they play."

Holmgren wouldn't confirm if the Browns have set up a 1-on-1 with Gabbert, but said the team will bring in the maximum of 30 players for pre-draft visits.

McCoy's passing camp? Holmgren indicated that McCoy, who was given a playbook by the team, will assemble some of his teammates during the lockout to work on the new West Coast scheme.

"Colt has shown great leadership; he did last year. Without too much prompting by anybody, I knew that he would do this. He would get guys together; he would do what he had to do to try and make the team better. That's who he is," said Holmgren. "He was the only one that I even talked to prior, and this was three or four weeks ago. I fully expect him to talk to his teammates."

Hardesty and Co.: Holmgren said running back Montario Hardesty and other players recovering from injuries can talk to the team surgeons, but must rehabilitate outside the facility.

"It has to be off campus and the treatment has to be conducted by a third party, but that third party can be in communication with us," said Holmgren. "All our injured players are being taken care of and we will know their progress."

He said he's excited about Hardesty and Peyton Hillis on the field together.

"That's a good combination for this reason, I think they both have excellent ball skills, catching the ball and running skills," said Holmgren. "So you don't have to have one guy as the runner, one guy as the catcher, one guy as the blocker. They both have to be willing to do all those things for each other.

"If those are the two in the game at the same time, they have to block for each other and they have to do everything. I think they are capable of doing that. I hope I get a chance to see that."

Vickers not tendered? Holmgren declined to say whether or not fullback Lawrence Vickers and others eligible for restricted free agency, such as safety Abe Elam, were tendered. Only two players were known to be extended the second-round tender, cornerback Eric Wright and tight end Evan Moore.

Extra points: Holmgren said he doesn't know when free agency will begin and that he doesn't think the Browns will be as active this year. ... He said he "wouldn't say no" to the possibility of having Jake Delhomme back in addition to Seneca Wallace, who was recently re-signed. ... Holmgren said the club doesn't know how Phil Dawson feels about being franchised but "we want him here. He is a fine football player. I trust that all works out the way I want it to."

There are plenty of reasons to see Ohio State winning the national title, but a few reasons not to.

View full sizeMichael Conroy / Associated PressJon Diebler and the Buckeyes have remained calm and collected throughout their season -- even during conversations with referees such as Ted Valentine. It's that nerveless demeanor that is one of Ohio State's top strengths as the NCAA Tournament begins.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Getting a No. 1 seed isn't as good as a coin flip.

Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to its modern form in 1985, there have been 104 No. 1 regional seeds, and 46 have reached the Final Four -- that's 44 percent. With this year's seeding, the No. 1s are up to 108, but if two of them -- Ohio State, Kansas, Pitt and Duke -- get to Houston, they'll be ahead of the game.

Here are four reasons the Buckeyes should not only make it through the East Regional, but win their first national title in 51 years. And another four reasons why they won't.

Yes, they will

1. Veteran leadership: Good teams lose two ways in the tournament -- they play a bad game or they play a good team that plays great. The Buckeyes may be less prone to a bad game than any team in the tournament -- they're one of two teams in the country (San Diego State) without a loss to an unranked opponent. And, critically, Ohio State has proven this season it can win when not playing its best. That's in large part because seniors David Lighty, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale don't let them get rattled.

"There's something about experience that keeps you calm under pressure, and I think you saw it in this tournament," said former OSU football star James Laurinaitis, who attended the Big Ten Tournament title game. "When I was a sophomore and we had Troy Smith at quarterback, no matter what situation you got in, you sensed somehow those guys were going to know how to pull it out and get a W."

2. Different styles: Historically, the NCAA Tournament allows the Buckeyes to get out and run free after months of grind-it-out Big Ten play. That's what Ohio State wants to do. While some wondered about Ohio State not being able to speed up Northwestern and Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament, the truth is this: Ohio State can win playing fast or slow.

"We're able to do a lot of different things," point guard Aaron Craft said.

3. The numbers: It's lovely that Dick Vitale picked Ohio State to win it. It's more relevant that some of the top numeric basketball analysts -- Nate Silver writing in the New York Times, Ken Pomeroy writing for Basketball Prospectus and Luke Winn at SI.com -- arrived at Ohio State as the probable champ, the inside numbers on the Buckeyes' offensive and defensive efficiency, free-throw numbers and numerous other factors putting them on top.

They don't just pass the eye test, but the numbers test. Pomeroy's numbers, for instance, gave Ohio State a 21.6 percent chance to win it all, better than Duke at 15.3 percent.

4. No Florida: The debate over which version of the Buckeyes is better -- the 2007 Greg Oden team or the 2011 Jared Sullinger team -- is intriguing. But there's no doubt that this Ohio State team doesn't have to deal with a veteran, defending champ stocked with NBA talent like those Buckeyes did in their title game loss to Florida. Kansas is good, but there's no Florida in this field.

No, they won't

1. Improving competition: Almost every analyst in the nation agrees with what Steve Kerr said on CBS, that "there's no question they have the toughest region" with No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Syracuse and No. 4 Kentucky in the East. North Carolina was 12-5 at one point and finished the season on a 14-2 stretch, losing only twice to Duke. Kentucky was 19-8 and finished on a six-game winning streak, including two wins over Florida, a No. 2 seed.

Both teams feature freshman stars -- UNC's Harrison Barnes and Kentucky's Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb -- and if they're getting it together now, both teams can play better than their seed.

2. David Lighty's foul trouble: The senior can guard every position on the court and score inside and out, which is great when he's in the game. But it means he's almost irreplaceable when he's not. His foul trouble against Tennessee last season is still the first or second thing the Buckeyes bring up as to why they lost that Sweet Sixteen game, and the same holds true this season. Lighty had three fouls one minute into the second half against Michigan last week, and that can't happen now.

3. Athletic balance: Ohio State will be eager to play up-tempo, but there's also a point at which the Buckeyes can be forced to run too much. Find a team with a bunch of 6-7 guys who can dribble, shoot and defend multiple positions -- basically out-Buckeye the Buckeyes -- and Ohio State might struggle, especially if an opponent has guys on the bench who can do that, too. Tennessee was like that last year. Kansas, among other teams, could be like that in a potential title game this year.

4. The odds: Remember those 46 No. 1 seeds that made the Final Four since 1985? That means 58 No. 1 seeds didn't make it.

The Indians had a chance to cause a stir by opening the season with Lonnie Chisenhall, 21, as their third baseman. But he was sent to the minors on Monday.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerLonnie Chisenhall has been reassigned to the minors.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It would have been easy for the Indians to open the season with Lonnie Chisenhall as their third baseman.

Not only did he hit and field well this spring, but the Indians are up to their neck in dull. They need a hook, something, anything, to create a buzz to divert attention from those 190 losses over the last two seasons and that last-place finish in attendance in 2010.

Chisenhall isn't Elvis. He can't hold a candle to Lady Gaga, but he couldn't have hurt. What other reasons are there to brave the Lake Erie snow machine in April for those 14 home games at Progressive Field?

If he couldn't cut it in the first month of the season, no big deal. Send him to Class AAA Columbus and hold open auditions at the hot corner.

The Indians decided not to do it that way. Chisenhall, and his .478 (11-for-23) batting average, was sent to the minors Monday along with Jason Kipnis, Nick Weglarz, Zach Putnam, Alex White, Juan Apodaca and Zach McAllister. Weglarz and McAllister were optioned to Columbus. Chisenhall, who is not on the 40-man roster, and the others were re-assigned to minor-league camp.

GM Chris Antonetti said there was no future in putting Chisenhall on the team to sell a few tickets.

"I think that would be short-sighted," he said. "We can't just focus on generating excitement. Our focus has to be on winning championships. That's what we want to get back to. ... The landscape is filled with guys who have had good years. They get progressed too quickly to the big-league level. Then they're back at Triple-A, back in the big leagues, back in Triple-A.

"We want to do everything possible to avoid that. There are no certainties, but when Lonnie comes up, or any player comes up, we want to make sure he's as well positioned as possible to succeed."

Antonetti said Chisenhall, 21, needs to hit better against left-handers and continue to learn the nuances of third base. Most of all, he needs experience. He spent all last season at Class AA Akron. Now the Indians want to see if he can handle Class AAA pitching.

Antonetti said the move had nothing to do with the organization's refusal to start Chisenhall's service-time clock, making him eligible for salary arbitration as a Super Two player instead of waiting until he had three full seasons in the big leagues.

"I can say that's certainly not the case," said Antonetti. "What we try to do is rely upon our evaluators and our player development people. We meet at the end of the season every year and talk about every player. Everyone, to a person, felt Lonnie still had development left to do.

Last year, if he was really that far ahead, he would have been at Triple-A. He still had development left to do and we felt he was best served developing at Double-A. He needs some amount of Triple-A time."

A Super Two player can qualify for arbitration with fewer than three years in the big leagues if he ranks in the upper 17 percent in service time of players with more than two years. Chris Perez was a Super Two player this winter with two years and 136 days in the big leagues. One big-league season equals 172 days.

"From the get-go, we told Lonnie that he was not here to compete for a job," said manager Manny Acta.

But when Chisenhall started to hit and Jason Donald, the favorite to open the season at third base, went down with a bruised left hand, there appeared to be a chance. Not so.

Antonetti said Chisenhall was sent down to create playing time for the players "still in the mix" at third. Donald has a "substantial" bone bruise on his left hand, but Antonetti said he's expected to be playing in games by the end of this week.

"I'll start swinging a bat on Thursday," Donald said.

Other players in the mix at third are Jack Hannahan, Adam Everett, Luis Valbuena, Orlando Cabrera and Cord Phelps. Hannahan is probably the best third baseman in camp. He's hitting .370 this spring, but he's a .224 (192-for-856) lifetime hitter in the big leagues.

Everybody else in the running is a middle infielder.

As for when Indians fans may get their first look at Chisenhall, Acta said, "We're very happy with the type of spring he had. Now more than ever we're sure he's going to contribute to this club in the near future."

Try to capitalize commercially on a familiar tournament catch phrase and the NCAA's lawyers may be on you like a full-court press.

View full sizeAdam Wisneski / Tulsa WorldWhen it comes to establishing "The Road To ... " anywhere, you had better get your signed contracts from the NCAA, or have something directly to do with the playing of its basketball championship -- such as Tulsa's BOK Center, a second-round host site.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the "68 Teams, One Dream" slotted on "Selection Sunday" are whittled to "Sweet 16," "Elite Eight" and "The Final Four," then the madness of March really begins.

Not just on the basketball court, but possibly in court.

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, which will hold second- and third-round games at The Q on Friday and Sunday, is hugely popular. But try to capitalize commercially on a familiar tournament catch phrase and their lawyers may be on you like a full-court press.

The local sports bar promoting "March Madness" drink specials and "Final Four" watch parties? That's a flagrant foul. And any commercial venture reproducing the tournament brackets -- newspapers and Web sites included -- had better not have paid advertising within them.

Astute business types, those NCAA folks.

They own the rights to 79 trademarks and logos. So you need the association's approval to use any of the above, plus such once-generic phrases as "The Big Dance" or "And Then There Were Four."

In fact, "The Road to Cleveland" is also off limits commercially without the NCAA's blessing.

"How would they ever know?" you say. The NCAA's trademark police are on the case, especially this time of year.

"This is sort of the peak season," said Jay Rossello, the NCAA's director of legal affairs and assistant general counsel.

The NCAA used to award prizes to employees who found the most trademark infringements, although spokeswoman Gail Dent said the practice was dropped. The association also relies on tips from sponsors who pay big bucks for rights to use the terms and logos, especially in host cities like Cleveland this year.

Rossello said his office sends out "well into the hundreds" of cease-and-desist letters.

"Just today," he said recently, "we've had 12 to 15 instances that we looked into and addressed."

And that was by mid-afternoon. Most are to small "mom and pop" outfits who had no idea "March Madness" and "Final Four" were protected. But violators have been as large as Fortune 500 companies trying to get as close to the legal line as possible.

Lawsuits are rare, although in 2002 the NCAA sued Coors over an unapproved ticket giveaway with the phrase "Final Four." Which brings us to an ironic tale about where the three most familiar expressions came from.

Let's just say they didn't spring from the creative minds of the NCAA marketing department. But the association was smart enough to identify a business opportunity and seize it.

"Sweet 16"

Actually coined by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. When the KHSAA registered the trademark in 1988, it had been using the slogan for more than 70 years for its state tournament. (Each of the 16 regions sends a team.)

In the mid-'90s, the NCAA forked over $50,000 to use it, too. Through the years, others have paid a $500 licensing fee for a one-time use, said Commissioner Julian Tackett of the Kentucky association.

"Final Four"

Was a mere passing reference by Ed Chay, the late Plain Dealer sportswriter, in a story he wrote on page 5 of the 1975 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide.

"Outspoken Al McGuire of Marquette, whose team was one of the final four in Greensboro, was among several coaches who said it was good for college basketball that UCLA was finally beaten," Chay wrote.

"Final Four" was first capitalized in the NCAA's 1978 basketball guide.

Pretty sure Chay didn't see a dime.

"March Madness"

Also born as a literary term. The Illinois state high school boys basketball tournament began in 1908 as a tiny invitational. By the 1930s, it had ballooned into a major statewide event, moving Henry V. Porter, then assistant executive secretary of the Illinois High School Association, to write an essay about it.

It was published in the association's magazine in 1939. "A little March madness," Porter wrote, "may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel."

By the early '90s, the IHSA and NCAA both claimed rights to the phrase. Lawyers got involved.

They compromised, forming something called the March Madness Athletic Association LLC. It allows for joint use of "March Madness," one exclusively for high school and the other for college.

Talk about madness.

The Indians are going to spend the next few weeks trying to determine who plays where. Unsnarling the traffic jam at second base is going to take some doing.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians have a traffic jam at second base. It will be intriguing to see how they solve it.

In big-league camp, they have Orlando Cabrera, Asdrubal Cabrera, Luis Valbuena, Jayson Nix, Cord Phelps, Adam Everett, Jack Hannahan and Jason Donald who can play second. It just so happens that Donald and Hannahan are the leading contenders to make the team at third, Orlando Cabrera should be the opening day second baseman and Asdrubal Cabrera is the starting shortstop.

Jason Kipnis, another second baseman, was sent to the minors Monday. Whether he plays at Class AAA Columbus or Class AA Akron has not been decided. If he opens at Columbus, he could be bumping heads with Phelps, Valbuena and, possibly, Nix if they don't make the big-league club. Nix is out of options and Valbuena would probably start at short in Columbus if he doesn't make the Indians.

Add third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall and Jared Goedert to the mix and that's a lot of infielders to place.

"As an organization we look at it like it's a good problem to have too many quality players at too few positions," said GM Chris Antonetti. "To the extent we can do that consistently, we'll be in a really good place organizationally.

"As to how our Triple-A team plays out, we'll have to take some time over the next few weeks to determine the best alignment of players."

Long ball: Jeanmar Gomez gave up two long homers to Oakland first baseman Chris Carter in Monday's 9-8 victory. Gomez's first pitch to Carter in the sixth inning hit the scoreboard deep behind the left-field wall.

The second homer was a two-run shot to right field in the eighth.

"They were both fastballs," said Gomez. "One was up and one was down."

And both were long gone. Unfortunately, Gomez's parents, visiting from Venezuela, were in the stands to see the homers.

Extreme pitching: Justin Masterson started Monday's game and retired the first six A's he faced. It meant he'd retired the last 15 batters he faced going back to his start against the Cubs.

Then it ended. In the next two innings, Masterson allowed five runs on seven hits.

"He threw a lot of strikes," said manager Manny Acta. "That's what we want to see."

No worries: Travis Hafner, after getting three his and driving in two runs against Oakland, is hitting .344 this spring. Hafner hasn't had a productive full season since 2007.

"I'm not worried about Hafner," said Acta. "He's been in the league for a lot of years and he's always hit. It's spring training, and I'm not coming into spring training to judge Travis Hafner."

Sidelined: Reliever Joe Smith, nursing an abdominal strain, was scheduled to play catch Monday. He hasn't pitched since Wednesday and would like to start throwing off the mound again by Friday.

Topics for discussion: Antonetti said it's still possible that catcher Lou Marson could open the year at Columbus so he could start instead of sitting behind Carlos Santana.

"It's being discussed," said Antonetti, who added that he's been impressed with the work of catchers Paul Phillips and Luke Carlin.

Plea entered: Outfielder Austin Kearns pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without insurance following his arrest on Feb. 12 in Jessamine County outside of Lexington, Ky.

Kearns' attorneys entered the pleas on Thursday at Jessamine District Court. The next court date involving the case will be an April 19 pretrial conference. Kearns has a residence in Nicholasville, Ky.

Eric Rothgery is pretty certain the first girls basketball game he watched from start to finish also was the first girls basketball game he coached.

View full sizeLisa DeJong / PD"Boys think they know it all and girls think I know it all, and that's a good place to start," says Elyria Catholic girls coach Eric Rothgery.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Eric Rothgery is pretty certain the first girls basketball game he watched from start to finish also was the first girls basketball game he coached.

Like many men who coach girls, this career choice was the furthest thing from his mind for much of his life. Today he would have it no other way as he prepares Elyria Catholic, his alma mater, for its first girls basketball state tournament. The Panthers (23-2) face No. 1-ranked Oak Hill (24-0) in a Division III semifinal Friday.

It's not that Rothgery had a low opinion of girls basketball earlier in his life. He was just on a much different path. He briefly chased a college football career. He joined the Army for four years. He drove a beverage truck and repaired vending machines.

Then he decided on law school, and earned his degree at age 37. He became an Elyria city councilman, then a Municipal Court clerk.

At one time, Rothgery thought he might become a football coach. Like many former football players with similar aspirations, those plans went awry with the birth of his three daughters, Megan, Mimi and Tory, all of whom have played high school basketball.

That's why one day seven years ago he found himself coaching and watching his first girls basketball game. It was Tory's CYO fifth-grade team, which turned out to be the nucleus of this year's senior-dominated Elyria Catholic squad.

Rothgery learned fast, rose through the ranks and, at 49, is in just his third year as EC's head coach with a 58-14 record.

"A lot of girls basketball coaches fall into it," he said. "I like the way the girls listen. They're very attentive.

"They want to learn. Boys think they know it all and girls think I know it all, and that's a good place to start."

Even if it is a late start.

"It keeps you young," he said. "You're out there with the kids playing the game and trying to help them learn how to win and how to enjoy the moment. These are days you can look back on."