Grady Sizemore's ability to get into games before the spring camp ended has given the team a dose of optimism.

View full sizeChris Carlson / Associated PressGrady Sizemore won't start the season with the Indians, but the outfielder's recovery from microfracture knee surgery has encouraged manager Manny Acta.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians' third spring training in the Arizona desert ended Tuesday. When they opened camp in mid-February, they were facing 10 key questions.

Let's see how close they came to answering them.

1. How much can a healthy Grady Sizemore improve an offense that finished 26th in the big leagues with 646 runs?

The answer is simple -- a lot.

The real question is whether Sizemore would recover enough from microfracture surgery on his left knee to do it. As expected, he won't start the season with the Indians, but he could be back sometime in late April.

"I'm still amazed to see how much he's been able to accomplish in camp," said manager Manny Acta. "We knew right off the bat that he wasn't going to break with the club.

"His progression has been great. Right now it's just repetition, at bats, timing and building stamina for him. He's in a pretty good spot."

2. Who is going to play second and third base?

The rules say you can't play a game without a second or third baseman, so you knew the Indians were going to put somebody there. They'll open with veteran Orlando Cabrera at second and Jack Hannahan at third.

Acta said second base was never a big concern because they had a number of options. Once they signed Cabrera, he felt even better about it even though Cabrera has spent most of his career at shortstop.

"The third base situation was the biggest question coming to town," said Acta.

Jason Donald looked like he would be the answer, but Chicago's Gavin Floyd hit him on the left hand with a pitch on March 5, cracking a bone in his left middle finger. Donald will open the year on the disabled list.

Up stepped Hannahan and won the job. Hannahan has always been considered a good defender in the big leagues, but not much of a hitter. He's done both in spring training, hitting .360 (18-for-50).

"Right now, we're happy with Jack," said Acta. "We know he's going to play good defense. That was something that was not very good last year."

3. How do the Indians get the fans back to Progressive Field after finishing last in attendance in the big leagues in 2010?

Spring training lasts forever, but it's not nearly long enough to answer that question. Hey, Friday's season opener is sold out. That's a start.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerCarlos Santana showed virtually no signs of difficulty following knee surgery and will be the Indians' starting catcher for the Friday opener against the White Sox.

4. How many games will catcher Carlos Santana play this year?

Based on spring training, as many as he wants. Santana's surgically repaired left knee has looked sound from the first day of camp. The Indians started him four times at first base to get him ready for an expanded role during the regular season.

He swung the bat well, showed the same strong arm from last year and even stole third base with a headfirst slide.

5. Can Fausto Carmona put together two consecutive good seasons as the No. 1 starter?

If spring training is any indication, the answer is yes. Carmona went 5-2 with a 3.72 ERA in seven starts. But the key indicators are strikeouts and walks. He struck out 24 and walked eight in 29 innings.

"I have no doubt that Fausto will be able to do that," said Acta. "The fact [is] he was able to pound the strike zone during spring training. It's a good indication that he's not going to take a step back.

"All he needs to do is throw strikes. He did that at a better rate last year. He did it this spring consistently. When he does that, everything else takes care of itself."

6. Would the Indians release Travis Hafner this year if he's not productive?

There has been no indication of that this spring. Hafner went into Tuesday's Cactus League finale hitting .283 (15-for-53) with one homer and seven RBI.

"I have no problem with Hafner's hitting," said Acta.

Hafner will probably get more days off against lefties this year. He hit .273 (27-for-99) with one homer and 11 RBI against them last year.

7. Can the starting rotation produce enough double-digit winners to compete in the AL Central?

If the Indians are going to make any kind of noise this year, they they can't go through the season with only two 10-game winners as they did in 2010 with Carmona and Mitch Talbot. Acta has faith in this rotation, which is rounded out by Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin and Carlos Carrasco. The season will reveal if it's well placed.

"I feel much better about our rotation that I did at this time last year," said Acta. "Our No.1 guy [Jake Westbrook] was coming back from Tommy John. Our No. 2 guy [Carmona] was coming back from two horrendous seasons and we didn't know what we were going to get out of our other three guys.

"I feel good knowing Fausto will give us a quality start a high percentage of the time. I liked the way Masterson and Carrasco have thrown the ball. I like the way Tomlin has been able to compete. I feel much better than last year."

8. What does the offense have to do to be a contender?

First of all, it has to stay healthy. Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo and Hafner have to stay off the disabled list. It would definitely help if Sizemore returns, but they need production from Michael Brantley and Matt LaPorta.

9. Can the pitching staff strike out more batters, while issuing fewer walks?

Last year, Indians pitchers had the fewest strikeouts in the big leagues with 967. They also issued the fifth-most walks with 572. Again, it's hard to make a judgment after 31 Cactus League games, but once again Acta and pitching coach Tim Belcher have stressed the importance of throwing first-pitch strikes.

The real test starts Friday.

10. Can Shin-Soo Choo do it again?

In his final Cactus League game on Tuesday, Choo homered twice. Enough said.

"This has nothing to do with the Cleveland Browns or my role with the Browns,'' said Lerner.

John Kuntz/The Plain DealerRandy Lerner, who grew up in Cleveland, will return here so his son can attend St. Ignatius.

CLEVELAND -- Browns owner Randy Lerner will move back to Cleveland in the fall, but not for more hands-on involvement with the team, he told The Plain Dealer on  Tuesday.

Lerner, 49, will make Cleveland his home base instead of Long Island, N.Y. because his son, Max, will enter St. Ignatius High School as a freshman in August.

"This has nothing to do with the Cleveland Browns or my role with the Browns,'' said Lerner. "I couldn't be happier with the professional management team in place. My spending more time here is to support my son, who's made the decision to attend St. Ignatius.''

Lerner, who's divorced, said Max became familiar with St. Ignatius from spending so much time in Cleveland and with the Browns over the years. He also heard great things about the school from Browns Senior Vice President of Security Lew Merletti, whose two sons graduated from there. His son, Matt, played football for St. Ignatius and now plays for former Browns coach Butch Davis at North Carolina.

Lerner, who grew up in Shaker Heights, said he'll live on the West Side to be close to St. Ignatius. He said he's been spending about two days a week in Cleveland since assuming control of the team in 2002 and now that will increase. He'll still spend time in New York, where his three other children live with his ex-wife, Lara. He'll also travel back and forth to England, where he owns the Aston Villa soccer team of the Premier League.

Lerner said his role with the Browns has much more to do with league matters than the day-to-day operation of the team and that he's happy to let club President Mike Holmgren run the show. He said he's been thrilled with the job General Manager Tom Heckert has done and that he's excited about new head coach Pat Shurmur.

Lerner declined to discuss the lockout, but said he has been involved in league meetings.

"LeBron lost the right to be considered for this award, which is for the most valuable player, not the best player, when he decided he needed to be with even more valuable players if he was to win a title. The 'King' abdicated his throne when he abandoned his hometown. He can't have it both ways." - Big

View full sizeAPLeBron James won back-to-back MVP awards during his final two seasons in a Cavaliers uniform.

In response to the story Is LeBron James the NBA's Most Valuable Player? Poll, cleveland.com reader Big doesn't think LeBron James deserves the MVP award. This reader writes,

"LeBron lost the right to be considered for this award, which is for the most valuable player, not the best player, when he decided he needed to be with even more valuable players if he was to win a title. The 'King' abdicated his throne when he abandoned his hometown. He can't have it both ways."

As if former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas hasn't had enough foot problems in his career, a whole new issue cropped up three weeks ago in Miami, where contracted an infection in this right foot.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerZydrunas Ilgauskas returned with LeBron James to Cleveland on Tuesday, in what could be Ilgauskas' final game in Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As if former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas hasn't had enough problems with his feet in his career, a whole new issue cropped up three weeks ago in Miami -- one that was potentially more dangerous than any of his previous issues.

"It's crazy," he said after Miami's shootaround Tuesday morning at The Q.

Ilgauskas, who had seven surgeries on his feet early in his career, contracted a strain of the MRSA staph infection that caused his right foot to swell up to twice its normal size. Although it initially was reported that Ilgauskas stepped on a nail at home, he now admits he doesn't know how he got the infection, although it's possible it was from an insect bite.

He made a trip to the emergency room, spent several days in the hospital and then still required nursing care at home to administer IVs and antibiotics to fight the infection, which is resistant to traditional treatment. Initially there was concern that the infection could get into the screws that were inserted into his foot in previous surgeries, but that turned out not to be a problem.

Still, it took a while for him to respond to treatment. "It wasn't getting better for a while," he said. "It scares you."

Ilgauskas missed eight games before returning to play seven minutes against Houston on Sunday. He admits he's still struggling to get back into shape. But he looked tanned and relaxed while talking and joking with a crowd of reporters.

Unlike the drama of the Heat's first visit to Cleveland, when LeBron James returned to The Q for the first time after The Decision and the Heat was playing on the second night of a back-to-back, this time the team came in a night early, which allowed Ilgauskas to spend some time with some friends grilling and drinking Great Lakes beer.

He said he thought he will spend time here this summer. He still has a house in Avon Lake.

Asked about recent reports that he was considering retirement, the 35-year-old Ilgauskas said, "We'll see how it goes." Mentioning the possibility of a lockout that could delay the start of the 2011-12 season, he said, "I guess I'll deal with it when we get there."

Samuels out: Rookie Samardo Samuels, who has been playing well as of late, missed Tuesday's game with a sprained right wrist suffered against Atlanta on Sunday. Cavs coach Byron Scott said it was possible Samuels could miss the upcoming three-game trip to Charlotte, Washington and New York.

Samuels played a key role in the upset victory over the Knicks on March 4, taking two charges from Carmelo Anthony in the last 1:32 of the game.

Fighting Irish: James said he was thrilled with his alma mater's latest state title under coach Dru Joyce.

"I'm very proud of coach Joyce," he said. "He's making a resume for himself. There's nothing anyone can say about he hasn't won without LeBron or he hasn't won without his son. He's done it twice now. It is great. To have five state championships in 10 years, it's a dynasty. Hopefully he can keep it going at my alma mater."

James was delayed trying to enter The Q for shootaround on Tuesday because he arrived in a private car with a driver instead of on the team bus. He had not requested permission ahead of time to enter in that manner, as is required of visiting players.

Fans go wild at The Q as Hickson, Parker and Hollins lead the way to a much-cherished triumph.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerAnthony Parker celebrates his 3-pointer that boosted the Cavaliers' lead to 12 points late in Tuesday night's victory over the Heat. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra looks to call a timeout.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Final observations from the Cavs 102-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night at The Q:

There are some victories that count more than others. This was one of those.

It's like when Ohio State struggles but still manages to beat Michigan. Same with St. Ignatius and St. Ed's. It's the sort of victory that makes a really bad season not quite so bad.

There are nine games left in one of the worst Cavs seasons in recent memory. But somehow that NBA-record 26-game losing streak, the 36 losses in 37 games, the franchise record 55-point loss at the Los Angeles Lakers are a little easier to stomach this morning. In fact, they're far, far in the back of your mind, aren't they?

I don't know what will happen next season. I know the Cavs will be a vastly different team, in all likelihood a much-improved one. I don't know what will happen with the Miami Heat, and I don't really care. I'm quite sure LeBron James always will be booed when he returns. But after Tuesday, maybe we really can all put the past behind us and move forward.

This time, the cheers far outweighed the boos.

Ryan Hollins didn't play like himself Tuesday, and that made all the difference in the Cavaliers' upending Miami.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerRyan Hollins' physical defense made it a long night for Miami's Chris Bosh, who never got untracked in the Heat's loss to the Cavaliers. "We talked about this all season long -- not allowing teams to go into the paint and get easy layups," said Cavaliers coach Byron Scott after the game. "He started off right away and that pretty much set the tone for us defensively."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- First, Ryan Hollins had to be held back from Dwyane Wade. The two tangled beneath the basket in the first quarter, started jawing, and the next thing everyone knew, the Cavaliers' newly ordained starting center was nose-to-nose with the Miami guard.

Both earned technical fouls, and the tone, unquestionably, was set.

A few moments later, Hollins ran into LeBron James so hard that the headband of the former Cavalier flew off his noggin and onto the baseline.

Hollins stuffed Heat big man Chris Bosh twice, Wade once, played physical defense and slammed home a thunderous dunk on a fast break at the game's end that brought the fans at The Q to their raucous loudest.

In essence, Ryan Hollins did not play like Ryan Hollins on Tuesday. That made all the difference in not only helping to slow down Miami's Bosh, but setting a physical presence that the Cavaliers have lacked for most of this 15-58 season.

"He started us off right away," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. "We talked about this all season long -- not allowing teams to go into the paint and get easy layups. He started off right away and that pretty much set the tone for us defensively."

After Hollins stood up to Wade with 5:45 left in the first, the Cavaliers began playing with a hard-nosed nature that was missing the last time James was in Cleveland on Dec. 2. J.J. Hickson fouled James so hard that he fell onto his backside in the paint. Daniel Gibson grabbed at James' jersey and set him flying.

It all began from the tone Hollins set on his way to 13 points and three blocked shots. He also helped Hickson limit Bosh to 10 points and four rebounds while creating a presence in the paint.

"That's what I wanted to do -- inspire my teammates," Hollins said. "I don't see myself backing down from anyone in any game."

But it was a side of Hollins the Cavaliers haven't seen from the 7-footer. He was inserted into the starting lineup three games ago primarily for the added length in the lineup, but only teammates and coaches said they saw the potential that was unveiled against the Heat.

"He's a Bruin," said Cavaliers guard Baron Davis, a fellow UCLA product. "We know the talent is there, it's just a matter of him having that mentality. Since I've been here, I've been challenging him a lot. You can see us on the court, we go at it a lot. But I know I can challenge him to do the things necessary for us to win."

Playing with Davis has inspired Hollins too, he said. His two-handed, fast-break dunk with 5:22 remaining pushed the Cavaliers lead to 87-83 and ignited the crowd again.

"When you've got a guy like Baron Davis playing with you, you run a little harder and a little faster," Hollins said, smiling.

In the end, Hollins' harder play is what made all the difference.

"I felt like they came after me a little bit," he said of the Heat's attention. "If the other team is focused on me, it helps our team out."

Even before the game began, change was in the air as the Cavs sent the message, years too late, that they don't do posses anymore.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the last two minutes Tuesday night, the fans weren't in their seats at The Q. They were standing in front of them, yelling until they were hoarse, red-lining the scream machine. The din rattled memories of when it was like this every night.

The last time the Cavaliers played the Miami Heat here, the fans weren't even in the building in the last two minutes. The dispiriting 28-point loss on Dec. 2 razed every expectation for competitiveness that had been raised.

The Cavs' 102-90 victory in the rematch was change Cleveland could believe in.

"You guys deserved this," Anthony Parker, who scored 20 points on nine shots, shouted into the wall of sound engulfing him after the game. The "guys" were the fans, the MVPs (Most Valuable Patrons).

But it was also karma. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said his team lost its defensive identity two games ago and could not change the bad habits. So this was also for Miami, payback to the thief team that is built on Cleveland's false savior, LeBron James.

Even before the game began, change was in the air as the Cavs sent the message, years too late, that they don't do posses anymore. Apparently, James believes that The Q is still the Court of St. James. He showed up for Miami's shootaround Tuesday morning in a two-car procession. He had a driver for his car. Assorted fawners and scrapers, perhaps even an Equestrian or two from his Four Horsemen sports management group, were motoring along subserviently in the second car. The Cavs told him to try the players' parking lot again with one car and no chauffeur.

There is some chance it was the first discouraging word James had heard from the Cavaliers.

On the basketball floor, James would amass a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists, all for naught. He was as reviled on every play as he was cheered in the seven years he was here. The contempt in which he is held by most fans has not changed an iota.

This is a city that has learned loyalty is fleeting in sports, but it expects honest effort to be a constant. James surrendered in the last playoff season, then took his superb talents and stunted character to South Beach.

James did not retreat into a world in which he could dance to his own tune in warmups as he did in December. He wore no iPod before the game. Fans with each letter of their T-shirts spelling "BETRAYED" stood in the first balcony again.

James was booed so loudly the noise drowned out his name in the introductions, and he was booed whenever he touched the ball, and he would have been booed down the interstate to the airport if the fans had been able to.

This time the Cavaliers caught the vibe. They were tone deaf to every nuance of the Dec. 2 game. J.J. Hickson put James on his butt on a layup in the early going. He completed the old-fashioned 3-point play anyway on his way to a 13-point, 3-assist first quarter. He would not score again until the third quarter.

Tied at the end of the first quarter, the Cavs forged ahead in the second. Baron Davis, who gives the Cavs energy, points and a certain chippiness, attitudinally, implored the crowd to keep the cascade of cheers going as the Cavs took a double-digit lead.

Then he swished a 26-foot 3-pointer, with the ball in the air at the horn, to make the halftime margin 53-42. James, one of two defenders to contest the shot, walked off without a backward glance, just as he had done here when season-ending playoff losses left him displeased.

In the third quarter, the Cavs stole a page from the old days when James turned the whole city into witnesses, with Alonzo Gee taking a Davis lob on the wing and flushing a dunk, and the crowd flying over the cuckoo's nest as the ball ripped through the net, the lead billowing to 71-48.

James stole the script back with a fling at the end from beyond halfcourt and over the rainbow, the kind of trick shot he always loved. It was ruled too late, then overruled and called good on replay review. The Cavs were ahead by five, and Kansas had Virginia Commonwealth in its sights.

Late in the third quarter, during a 20-second timeout by the Cavs, James turned to the crowd, caught the eye, probably of a heckler, and gave a throat slash gesture with his finger. It was premature. The raggedy, dead-end Cavs, 15 and 58, stared at the 51 and 23 team stacked with talent and pulled away again.

It was March Madness run amok.

"We got exactly what we deserved," Spoelstra said. "They played harder than we did."

Change. Karma. Celebration.

Follow Bill Livingston on Facebook and on Twitter @LivyPD

A stunning third-quarter run sets the stage as Cavaliers fight off Miami's comeback bid for best win of the season.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerBaron Davis enjoys the final seconds in a raucous Quicken Loans Arena as the Cavaliers posted their first double-digit victory over the season in an emotional 102-90 victory over the Miami Heat.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This time, the cheers far outweighed the boos.

The raucous Cavaliers fans still booed LeBron James every time he touched the ball, but that noise was nothing compared to the deafening screams that accompanied the home team's 102-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night at The Q.

"Cavs fans love their team," James said afterward. "Cavs fans are unbelievable. I've always said that."

Wave after wave of sound poured over the Cavs as they left the court covered in confetti and streamers. Anthony Parker had to wait for the fans to quiet down just a bit so he could yell during his postgame on-court interview, "You guys deserve this."

Of course, that just set off another round of roars.

"I'm in awe of the fans of Cleveland," owner Dan Gilbert said on his way out of the building. "They stood behind this team all year."

Gilbert, who has not met with the press since opening night and has done little but tweet his feelings during all the struggles of the past year, couldn't help but gush a little on Tuesday."I'm just happy for Cleveland and the fans," he said. "It's so great to see the way the team came out, the way the fans came out.

"I'm kind of speechless."

There's going to be a lot of that going around on Wednesday, due to some hoarse throats. Though this was the first time in four tries the Cavs were able to best James and his new buddies, it went a long, long way toward avenging the 118-90 debacle here on Dec. 2 that seemed to rip the soul out of this team for months.

Body, mind and soul were all back in equal portions on Tuesday, thanks to the leadership of Baron Davis, Parker's shooting and the spunk of Ryan Hollins, who set a tone of toughness and physicality that was decidedly missing in the first game. These guys may never have to buy a beer in this town again.

J.J. Hickson had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Cavs, 15-58. Davis, making his first start at point guard in spite of a bad back and bum knee, had 10 points and seven assists in 24 minutes. Parker had 20 points, including 4 of 4 3-pointers, helping to force the Heat out of the zone that gave the Cavs problems and let Miami back into the game.

"As far as my shot, I think it was just the law of percentages," Parker said with a smile. "I don't know what I was shooting before this game [39 percent overall, 37 percent on 3-pointers], but it wasn't good.

"If I had to do it over again and save it all for this game, I would."

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerA slam in the final minutes set off the fans as J.J. Hickson relished a 21-point, 12-rebound effort against Miami on Tuesday night.

James finished with 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, while Dwyane Wade added 24 points and Mike Bibby had 23 for the Heat, 51-23. But Miami shot just 42.3 percent and got outrebounded, 44-30.

"We got exactly what we deserved," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They played harder than we did."

The Cavs went on an 18-0 run in the third quarter, holding the Heat scoreless for 5:34, to forge ahead, 71-48. But the Heat responded with a 19-1 run to close to 72-67 with 49.7 seconds left.

"I thought we started playing the game not to lose instead of playing to win," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "We got tentative on both ends of the floor."

It looked as if the lead would be 75-67 to start the fourth after a 3-pointer by Christian Eyenga, but the referees overruled their original call and counted James' half-court shot at the buzzer to make it 75-70. The NBA later issued a statement that the shot should not have counted.

After Bibby tied the score at 83 with his seventh 3-pointer with about seven minutes left in the game, the Cavs scored 12 straight. Two came on a pass from Davis to Hollins for a slam after Hollins blocked Chris Bosh on the other end.

Neither Davis, nor Hollins, actually played with James. Of the 10 Cavaliers who saw time on the court, only Hickson, Parker and Gibson did so. So the victory clearly meant more to some than others.

"Beating LeBron and beating the Heat doesn't really mean anything to me," Davis said with a smile. "I'll take the free beer, though."

Plain Dealer reporters Jodie Valade and Dennis Manoloff contributed to this report.

LeBron James returned to Cleveland for the second time as a member the Miami Heat to play the Cavaliers at the Q. LeBron spoke to the media before and after the Cavaliers 102-90 victory before a packed arena. Watch video

Cleveland Cavaliers upset Miami Heat, poll.

APThe Cavaliers wiped the smile off LeBron James' face Tuesday night.

Do you believe in miracles? Well it wasn't that big of an upset (or was it?) but after the beating the Cavaliers suffered at the hands of the Miami Heat at The Q back in December, Tuesday's victory was surprising and refreshing none the less.

So how would you rank the Cavaliers victory over the Heat?

What's the worst beer you ever, uh, BORROWED, from your folks' beer fridge?

View full sizeFox/Matt Groening

To parphrase Bum Phillips, there's two kinds of kids in this world: Them that's stolen Dad's beer and them that's GONNA steal Dad's beer.

Now sometimes, that works to the kid's disadvantage (a gold crushed velvet couch at used to occupy an embarrassingly prominent position in the home of Starting Blocks' parents became permanently disabled because of such an adventure way back when).

But the beauty is that those pilfering episodes usually lend themselves to stories later in life, when the ex-kids discover A) that Dad knew all along that they'd swiped the brewskis; and B) that those horror stories, funny as they are, are revealed in futile efforts to keep their own kids from doing the same.

Which all lends to one thing: the inevitable success of a new beer stand that'll be in Section 119 at Progressive Field: Your Dad's Beer. Our colleague, Marc Bona, writes a weekly Suds column for the Taste section and covered it in today's Plain Dealer.
Among its more than a dozen offerings, you'll find all the beers we used to swipe from the old man: Genny (in all its incarnations), Iron City, Strohs, PBR, Schaefer and even -- gack! -- Blatz.

But you know, that raises a question: What's the skankiest beer you ever snitched -- er, LIBERATED -- from Pop's beer fridge?

Who will the Cleveland Browns select with their first pick in the NFL Draft?

Michael Conroy / Associated PressAlabama's Julio Jones.

So who will the Cleveland Browns select with the sixth pick in the NFL Draft? A.J. Green of Georgia? Auburn quarterback Cam Newton? Or how about Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus?

Here's a look at a few mock drafts and predictions on who the Browns will select.

Yahoo.com: Marcell Dareus DT (Alabama).

Privately, the Browns are not as confident in Colt McCoy as they have been posturing — he still has a long way to go and might never be a bona fide solution to the QB quandary that has buried the Browns since Bernie Kosar was released during the 1993 season. Since then, the Browns have cycled through 20 different starters, and a quarterback such as Cam Newton should not be ruled out.   

Sporting News: A.J. Green WR (Georgia).

SFGate.com: Julio Jones WR (Alabama).

Get your Indians questions ready and join Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes today at noon as he talks Indians baseball. We'll look ahead to the 2011 season, get you ready for opening day and get Paul's predictions.

Paul Hoynes answers your Indians questions on Wednesdays at noon.

Get your Indians questions ready and join Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes today at noon as he talks Indians baseball.

We'll look ahead to the 2011 season, get you ready for opening day and get Paul's predictions.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Hoynsie's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

When LeBron James was introduced before the Cavaliers-Heat game Tuesday night at The Q, he was nowhere to be found. Watch video of the introductions and read what people are saying about what happened.

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerIt wasn't LeBron James' night in Cleveland.

Cavaliers defeat Miami Heat.

(Scott Shaw / The Plain Dealer)Cleveland Cavalier Baron Davis looks to pass by the Miami Heat's LeBron James.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not as down as they were under former owner Ted Stepien, but the last-place Cavaliers have seen better days in recent years.

So it's not exactly the same situation but just as World B Free helped save the Cavaliers franchise with his flamboyant style back in the 1980's, World B. D. Baron Davis has the chance to at least keep the fans interested with his play since he arrived in Cleveland via trade last month.

We've seen flashes of what Davis can do when he came off the bench and guided the Cavaliers to victory over the New York Knicks on March 4. And in his first start, Davis was the spark with his leadership.

Davis, who finished with 10 points and seven assists, said before the game that there wouldn't be any pregame hugs or joking around with LeBron James during the game, like back in December.

The Cavs responded in resounding fashion with the biggest win of the season.

Here's a list of the game coverage from The Plain Dealer, Ohio.com, ESPN.com, and The News-Herald.

Deserve the victory

Marla Ridenour of Ohio.com writes how not only did the Cavaliers deserve the victory for defeating the Miami Heat, but so did the fans.

''The first time we played these guys, we didn't give the fans what they deserved,'' Cavs guard Daniel Gibson said. ''Tonight was our way of saying thank you for hanging in there with us.'' 

Miami not nice

Miami Herald on LeBron's homecoming loss, and Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel writes how LeBron's triple double wasn't enough.

ESPN Miami Heat writer says the Cavaliers earned that win; and that he doesn't think the Heat will win the NBA title this season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

Everyone is talking about the Cavaliers' win over the Heat last night at The Q. Our Starting Blocks poll today asks: When was the last time the Cavs had a win that big? Cast your vote now.

Today's guest on SBTV is former Plain Dealer reporter Brian Windhorst, who covers the Miami Heat for ESPN. Brian talks about what a big win it was for the franchise; the parking garage incident and why James missed the pregame introductions; Dan Gilbert's reaction to the win; and whether the Cavs won back some fans after the debacle against Miami on Dec. 2.

SBTV will return Thursday.

Fausto Carmona's set for the season ... as long as he doesn't have to go to the office for anything.

View full sizeChuck Crow,
The Plain DealerSo it's been an educational week regarding Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona, who will take the ball when the Tribe opens the season Friday at home against the White Sox. He sometimes changes his spikes when he's had a bad inning, and he doesn't like offices.

If (manager Manny) Acta needs to chat with the horse of Cleveland's starting rotation, he will seek him out at different locations. Carmona's locker. On the field. In the dugout. Maybe while sitting in the team dining room. Anywhere but inside Acta's office.

"I feel good. I'm ready for the season," Carmona said. "I'm very, very happy about this spring. I've worked on everything and everything is going great. I'll take it into the season. I'm more confident now."

That confidence stems from a solid comeback campaign in 2010.

Pitching for a 93-loss Cleveland ballclub in the midst of a rebuilding period, Carmona went 13-14 with a 3.77 ERA last year, piling up 210 1/3 innings in the process. It was a drastic improvement over his showings in 2008-09, when he combined to go 13-19 with a 5.89 ERA while shuttling between the Majors and Minors.

"We’re not the type of club that just kicks some butt in spring training,” Guillen said. “I’d rather see the guys healthy, play the game right, pitch well. To me, it’s a great spring training. It’s only one reason … it’s still fun for us to find out who is going to be the 23rd, 24th, 25th guy. A lot of people come up to me and say, ‘Well, the team is already set.’ This is the hardest one, since I have been managing this ballclub .… to make the last decision. Because I think everyone has played good enough to be up here."

... "I think everybody is ready. I am satisfied with what we have. I think everybody went about their business very well. Obviously, you look at the win column and it is not a pretty one. I care less about that."

How many games will the Indians win in 2011? Who will win the World Series? Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeScott Shaw | The Plain DealerFausto Carmona will start on Opening Day at Progressive Field on Friday.

How many games will the Indians win in 2011? Who will win the World Series? 

Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Any surprises on the Indians' final roster?
• Which players are on the hot seat when other players come off the disabled list?
• When will we see Lonnie Chisenhall in Cleveland this season?
• What's the key for this team to score runs this year?
• Could Alex White end up in the rotation at some point this season?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Fickell will serve as team's interim head coach while Jim Tressel serves five-game suspension.

Luke Fickell will serve as interim head coach while Jim Tressel serves his five-game suspension.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Luke Fickell has been promoted to assistant head football coach at Ohio State, athletic director Gene Smith announced today.

In that role, Fickell will serve as interim head coach for the first five games of the Buckeyes' 2011 season. He will also retain his role as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Fickell is in his 10th year on the Ohio State coaching staff. He coaches the Buckeyes linebackers and is co-defensive coordinator, a role he assumed in April, 2005. In 2010, he was selected as the AFCA's Assistant Coach of the Year for Bowl Subdivision schools, and was also named Linebacker Coach of the Year by Football Scoop.

A Columbus native and graduate of DeSales High School, where he was a state wrestling champion, Fickell is a 1997 graduate of Ohio State, where he was a four-year starter at nose guard. Post-graduation, Fickell spent a year on the injured reserve list with the New Orleans Saints before beginning his coaching career.

During his first two years at Ohio State, Fickell was in charge of the special teams and assisted with the defensive front. In his role as special teams coordinator, Fickell had specific responsibility for the punting team. Under his tutelage, that unit excelled, leading the Big Ten in net punting in three of the past six years.

Fickell played for the Buckeyes from 1992-96, redshirting the first year and then starting the next four seasons at nose guard. He started a school-record 50 consecutive games between 1993 and 1996.

Fickell concluded his Ohio State career with 212 total tackles, including 26 tackles-for-loss and six sacks. During his four years in the starting lineup, the Buckeyes posted a combined record of 41-8-1 overall and were 26-5-1 in Big Ten play with a pair of Big Ten co-championships to their credit. With the win over Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes finished the 1996 season with a sparkling 11-1 record and were second in both major polls in the final rankings.

Luke and his wife, Amy (an Ohio State graduate), have four children: Landon, Luca, and twins Aydon and Ashton.

A final version of Fickell's updated contract has not been completed.

Information from an OSU news release was used in this report.

Snow and bad field conditions halt exhibition game between the Indians and Class AAA Columbus.

COLUMBUS -- The exhibition game between the Indians and Class AAA Columbus was stopped after 2 1/2 innings Wednesday afternoon because of unsafe field conditions at Huntington Park. It snowed from the first pitch to the last.

The game was tied, 1-1, when play was halted.

The warning track was covered with snow. It was 36 degrees, with a wind chill factor of 28, when the game was halted. The crowd booed slightly when the annoucement was made, but not much. They were probably too cold to boo.

The Indians scored their run on a RBI grounder by Michael Brantley in the second inning. Luke Carlin singled home Jason Kipnis in the second to make it 1-1. Jason Kipnis hit a leadoff single, stole second and scored on Carlin's hit.