"I have no doubt that Grady Sizemore is a good guy, and I appreciate the effort he gave the Indians. Hopefully, after three injury-plagued seasons, he bounces back with a good 2012 season. However, I can't blame the Indians for declining his contract option. The Indians are already hamstrung by Hafner's contract of $13 million. The team simply cannot afford to pay $22 million next season, not knowing if Sizemore and Hafner will be healthy. The Indians need to improve themselves this offseason. The budget Indians' attempt at improvement requires certainty, something Sizemore cannot assure." - therationalguy

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerGrady Sizemore's option was declined by the Indians on Monday.

In response to the story Sizemore's intensity shortened career in Cleveland, cleveland.com reader therationalguy thinks the Indians couldn't afford the uncertainty of Sizemore. This reader writes,

"I have no doubt that Grady Sizemore is a good guy, and I appreciate the effort he gave the Indians. Hopefully, after three injury-plagued seasons, he bounces back with a good 2012 season. However, I can't blame the Indians for declining his contract option. The Indians are already hamstrung by Hafner's contract of $13 million. The team simply cannot afford to pay $22 million next season, not knowing if Sizemore and Hafner will be healthy. The Indians need to improve themselves this offseason. The budget Indians' attempt at improvement requires certainty, something Sizemore cannot assure."

Less than 24 hours after saying Damarlo Belcher had been kicked off the team, Hoosiers say Duwyce Wilson is out for the season with a knee injury.

Associated PressIndiana wide receiver Duwyce Wilson (right) after catching a touchdown pass during the Hoosiers' 59-38 loss to Northwestern on Saturday. Wilson was injured on the play.

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana -- The Indiana Hoosiers have lost their second starting receiver in two days.

Less than 24 hours after announcing senior Damarlo Belcher had been kicked off the team for violating team rules, coach Kevin Wilson says receiver Duwyce Wilson will miss the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Belcher and Wilson were expected to be Indiana’s top two receivers coming into this season. Neither will be around for the final three games.

The reeling Hoosiers (1-8, 0-5 Big Ten) are trying to recover from a 59-38 loss to Northwestern and will play at Ohio State (5-3, 2-2) on Saturday. Indiana started seven freshmen in Saturday’s game, and the defense has now allowed 204 points in the past four games.

Michael Beasley is just the latest poster child on what's wrong with amateur basketball.

APMinnesota Timberwolves' Michael Beasley scores past former Cleveland Cavaliers' Jamario Moon back in 2010.

Yahoo.com reporter Dan Wetzel writes about the case between Michael Beasley and his former agent Joel Bell.

Wetzel calls it the blueprint for how the agent selection/college recruiting process works.

The details, however, ring as par for the course in basketball.

Beasley alleges he was befriended at age 13 by a local AAU basketball powerbroker, Curtis Malone, who plotted with Bell to have Bell become Beasley’s agent when he eventually made the NBA. Malone is named in a third-party complaint.

Beasley lays out a litany of payouts and favors from Malone and Bell that may violate state and federal agent laws, as well as NCAA statutes. It may turn into a serious legal case, as well as an NCAA one for Kansas State, where Beasley played for one season.

No, this stuff isn’t pretty. No, there isn’t anyone here that’s perfectly innocent. The NCAA rulebook shouldn’t get to define ethics, however, writes Wetzel. Who goes on write how this is a messy system and everyone involved is a product of it.

It isn’t set up with the interest of top prospects. It’s designed to protect the so-called purity of college basketball, because pretending this isn’t happening is great for TV ratings.

 

Edelman's agent says his client will "vigorously" fight a charge that he groped a woman during a Halloween party at a Boston nightclub.

Associated PressNew England Patriots receiver/kick returner Julian Edelman (center) at his arraignment on Tuesday in Boston, on charges he groped a woman during a Halloween party at a Boston nightclub. Edelman was released on personal recognizance.

BOSTON, Massachusetts -- New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman's agent says his client will "vigorously" fight a charge that he groped a woman during a Halloween party at a Boston nightclub.

Edelman, 25, was Kent State's starting quarterback from 2006-08.

At a brief court hearing Tuesday, a not guilty plea was entered for Edelman to a charge of indecent assault and battery.

The Patriots later released a statement from agent Don Yee, who said the charge "will be fought vigorously within the court system, instead of a rush to judgment elsewhere."

Edelman and his lawyer left court without speaking to reporters.

According to an application for the criminal complaint, police were called about 1:30 a.m. to the club, where a woman said the 25-year-old Edelman had reached under her costume and grabbed her crotch. Edelman denied to police that he groped the woman, but was arrested.

A three-year starter at Kent State, Edelman broke the Golden Flashes' single-season record for total offense as a senior in 2008. The record had been held by current Cleveland Brown Josh Cribbs. That season, Edelman completed 153 of 275 passes (56 percent) for 1,820 yards and 13 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,370 yards and 13 touchdowns in 215 carries, gaining 6.4 yards per try. 

Edelman has returned nine punts for 105 yards and nine kickoffs for 214 yards, and caught three passes for 25 yards this season.

During his three seasons with the Patriots, Edelman has caught 47 passes for 470 yards and one touchdown. He has returned 36 punts for a 13.6-yard average and one touchdown, and brought back 20 kickoffs for a 22.8-yard average.

Former Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson attempts to make the adjustment in a new league.

PDJ.J. Hickson

Former Cleveland Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson is adjusting to life in Israel. Hickson, who was traded by the Cavaliers to the Sacramento Kings during the offseason, signed with Bnei Hasharon/Herzliya of the Israeli Basketball Super League for the duration of the NBA lockout, writes A.J. Mitnick on SheridanHoops.com.

Hickson is the fifth current NBA player to sign in Israel during the lockout, Hickson’s acquisition comes with a mountain of expectations, considering that he is the most heralded prospect to make the leap.

But the transition hasn't been so easy. Hickson scored 20 points and had eight rebounds and five assists, but that doesn't mean too much when your team gets blown out by 39 points against a middle-of-the-pack team.

It is difficult enough for a 23-year old to change teams in the NBA, let alone move 6,000 miles away and adapt to a different style of play. European teams tend to change their offensive and defensive sets far more often than NBA and NCAA teams. Consequently, players must be willing to learn and adapt on a daily basis if they hope to succeed, or else they will be exposed, as Hickson was last night.

 Former Cavaliers guard/forward Luke Jackson also plays in Israel.

Browns are 3-4 and last in the AFC North. Texans are 5-3 and first in the AFC South.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerCleveland's Braylon Edwards (17), defended by Houston's Jacques Reeves (35), has a would-be touchdown pass from Derek Anderson slip through his hands during the Browns' 16-6 loss to the Texans on Nov. 23, 2008 in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns visit the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Both teams' seasons, from a win-loss standpoint, have gone about as expected. The Browns are 3-4 and the Texans are 5-3. Cleveland is last in the AFC North and Houston is first in the AFC South, just ahead of the Tennessee Titans (4-3).

A key storyline for the Browns as the game approaches is their injury-riddled situation at running back, as reported by The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot on Monday. Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage will continue to update the situation.

The Browns' game results this season, in order: 27-17 loss vs. Cincinnati; 27-19 win at Indianapolis; 17-16 win vs. Miami; 31-13 loss vs. Tennessee; 24-17 loss at Oakland; 6-3 win vs. Seattle; 20-10 loss at San Francisco.

The Texans' results: 34-7 win vs. Indianapolis; 23-13 win at Miami; 40-33 loss at New Orleans; 17-10 win vs. Pittsburgh; 25-20 loss vs. Oakland; 29-14 loss at Baltimore; 41-7 win at Tennessee; 24-14 win vs. Jacksonville.

The teams have a short history, of course, with Houston becoming an NFL franchise in 2002. The teams have split six games against each other. The Browns are 2-1 in games at Browns Stadium and 1-2 at Houston.

The Browns and Texans last met on Nov. 23, 2008 in Cleveland. The Texans won, 16-6, making both teams 4-7. Cleveland.com's Browns History Database includes Plain Dealer game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history, through the 2010 season. Tony Grossi wrote the game story on Houston's win over the Browns.

Going for their third straight regular-season conference title, the Golden Flashes were a solid favorite to win the East Division and the conference tournament.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJustin Greene, the MAC's 2010-11 Most Valuable Player, leads Kent State to a favorite's role in the 2011-12 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Experience matters, and in the Mid-American Conference men's basketball poll, that means Kent State sits at the top of the heap.

The Golden Flashes, who are going for their third straight regular-season conference title, were picked Wednesday in voting by league media members to win the East Division and the conference tournament.

KSU picked up 16 first-place votes from media members, double the eight awarded to second-place Akron. The Flashes went 25-12 last season, including 12-4 in conference. Akron, the defending postseason tournament champion, was 23-13, 9-7.

"I've been around the league long enough to know who is picked at the beginning of the season and what happens at the end aren't always the same thing," first-year Kent coach Rob Senderoff said.

"We have a ton of work ahead of us, just like everybody else. It's complimentary for our players and our program, but it doesn't guarantee anything."

True enough. But with four of five starters back, the Flashes can counter talent-laden rosters like the Zips. Nine players return, including the reigning league MVP in senior center Justin Greene; the Defensive Player of the Year in senior guard Mike Porrini; and the top sixth man in Carlton Guyton.

Akron will be led by returning MAC Tournament MVP Zeke Marshall. The 7-0 center enters his junior year with 6-8 senior Nick Cvetinovic at his side. They will be joined by a pair of newcomers -- 6-7 Nick Harney from Benedictine and 6-7 Demetrius Treadwell from Euclid -- who have head coach Keith Dambrot excited.

"If we win, it's going to be because we have better big people than everybody else has," Dambrot said. "That's how I see it. We have five big kids who can all play."

The Browns' running game is in shambles as they prepare for Sunday's game in Houston against the Texans' surprising defense. Watch video

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain Dealer"This league is crazy," says Browns running back Chris Ogbonnaya (stretching for a first down against Seattle's Earl Thomas), who could be the team's starter Sunday in Houston. "There are opportunities that come out of nowhere, come out of different circumstances. I'm just going to prepare like I do every week and be ready for any situation."

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns' eighth game last year was the highlight of Peyton Hillis' career -- 184 yards and two touchdowns in a rip-roaring upset of the mighty New England Patriots.

The eighth week of this year is setting up a lot different.

Hillis missed another practice on Wednesday with a three-week-old hamstring injury. He pulled himself out of the trainer's room briefly to make a public apology for missing a charity event for the Cleveland Boys and Girls Club on Halloween night.

"I just want to say I'm sorry about the charity event that happened [Monday] with the Boys and Girls Club," Hillis said. "There was a lot of miscommunication between me and the management that I had and if I knew the full depths of it, I wouldn't have missed it. I've always made community events before, but that shouldn't be an excuse now. Like I said, I'm sorry about everything and hopefully in the near future we can be able to make that up."

Hillis took no questions, and said he'd talk more on Thursday. And so it goes, another day in "As the Razorback Turns."

The Browns' running game is in shambles as they prepare for Sunday's game in Houston against the Texans' surprising defense, ranked third overall and sixth against the run. With backup Montario Hardesty out for at least two games with a calf muscle tear, the Browns' top two backs are Chris Ogbonnaya, who was on Houston's practice squad 14 days ago, and Thomas Clayton, who was home in Foxboro, Mass., since being released by the Seattle Seahawks in preseason.

Combined career rushing totals for Ogbannaya and Clayton: 28 carries, 108 yards. This is not the Thunder and Lightning combination coach Pat Shurmur envisioned when he convened his first training camp in August.

"I think you just have to go out and have faith in the guy that's back there," said left tackle Joe Thomas. "That's what we do have. If [the Texans] don't respect who we got back there, that's good for us because we're gonna give them the ball and take advantage of that."

There are subtle signs that Hillis' histrionics are wearing on the team. More important, of course, than his off-field pursuits -- the contract squabble, the surprise in-season marriage a week ago on the team's off day, the missed Halloween charity event -- is the fact he is missing in action when the team absolutely needs him.

Shurmur was asked Wednesday if Hillis is letting the team down by not being able to practice and play now that Hardesty has a calf muscle tear.

"I think in terms of Hardesty being down, he competed hard. I feel bad for him because he's battled," Shurmur responded. "In terms of guys coming back from injury, when you've got a day-to-day situation, you're just hopeful.

"I'm hopeful every guy we have on the roster can be ready to go and we have a bunch of healthy scratches when we determine that. But the reality is, that's not the case this time of year. As a coach, you try to refresh your mind and get yourself ready to go and coach and play the guys that are healthy and ready to go."

Ogbonnaya has been on a whirlwind since coming aboard after the Hillis injury, which occurred early in the Oakland game three weeks ago. He tied for the team lead with five catches in his first game against Seattle. Then against San Francisco on Sunday, Ogbonnaya was pressed into full-time double duty on special teams and at halfback when Hardesty had his injury early in the game.

"I think it was tough last week because Chris had to play the whole game," said quarterback Colt McCoy. "At halftime, he's gassed. And he's on special teams, he's the personal protector on punts. The guy played almost every play. By the fourth quarter when we started making a run, he's gassed, and that hurt us. I think having Thomas will help us this week."

Ogbonnaya was born in suburban Houston and played in two games for the Texans this year while each of their main three backs experienced injuries. Then he was returned to their practice squad. Now he most likely will make his first career start in his hometown against his hometown team.

"It's crazy. This league is crazy," Ogbonnaya said. "There are opportunities that come out of nowhere, come out of different circumstances. I'm just going to prepare like I do every week and be ready for any situation."

For Clayton, it's his third stint with the Browns after having two last year. He had three different stays with New England in 2010, also. Shurmur said the team's familiarity with Clayton made him the choice to sign. "We discussed many guys," Shurmur said. But Clayton said there were no other backs at his "tryout" on Tuesday.

"I'm ready to rock-n-roll," Clayton said. "I think the learning curve will be pretty easy considering I know the players and [running backs coach Gary Brown] here."

The Browns check into Houston with the 29th-ranked rushing offense, averaging 87.6 yards a game.

"Hopefully we'll get some runs that pop," McCoy said. "If you just pop one run, that opens up a lot of things for you."

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Consecutive wins over Illinois and Wisconsin haven't hurt Fickell's chances of staying on. Plus, links to more Buckeyes' stories.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealeCoach Luke Fickell and Ohio State's Buckeyes are improving as the season moves on.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Could it happen? Could Luke Fickell wind up as more than just Ohio State's interim coach for one transition season?

Fickell, who had been the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator, was named as the man to temporarily replace coach Jim Tressel, who was forced to resign in the wake of the memorabilia for tattoos/cash scandal involving several OSU players.

Though many observers believe an established big-name coach (Urban Meyer?) would be the preference of the university's decision-makers, Fickell might have a fighting chance to stay on as Ohio State's coach if the Buckeyes' recent rally persists.

Ohio State (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten Leaders Division) has wins over then-ranked teams in its last two games, winning at Illinois (17-7) and at home over Wisconsin (33-29).

Brian Bennett writes for ESPN.com that Fickell is building a case to keep his job:

I said before the season that I thought Fickell would have to go at least 8-4 to have any chance at returning, given the high standards at Ohio State. His team is 5-3 now, with highly winnable games against Indiana and Purdue next. And then it gets really interesting.

The Buckeyes get Penn State at home and should match up well against another low-scoring, defensive-minded club. Then they go to Ann Arbor, looking to continue their dominance over Michigan. Should Fickell manage to go undefeated through November, Ohio State would only need a Penn State loss at Wisconsin or somewhere else to make the Big Ten title game.

Heck, Fickell should win Big Ten coach of the year honors if that happens. How could athletic director Gene Smith not bring him back in that scenario? In fact, it might be very beneficial for that to play out and for Fickell to be quickly re-signed, since recruiting isn't being helped right now by having a head coach whose contract ends in January.

The Buckeyes play Indiana's Hooisers (1-8, 0-5) in Columbus on Saturday.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes Lesmerises' report that tailback Jaamal Berry has been suspended from the team; Lesmerises being interviewed about the Buckeyes on Starting Blocks TV; Lesmerises' story on Ohio State finalizing its report to the NCAA about athletes being paid by a booster; his story on the boost the Buckeyes have got from the return of tailback Dan Herron; a Starting Blocks poll on the Ohio State-Indiana game; and, much more.  

About the Buckeyes

With No. 1 LSU set to visit No. 2 Alabama on Saturday night, Richard Rothschild and Sports Illustrated's SI.com rank the top 10 No. 1 vs. No. 2 games of all-time. An Ohio State game against The Team.... places as second-best. 

Ohio State is guarding against a letdown vs. Indiana, Bill Rabinowitz writes for the Columbus Dispatch.

Luke Fickell is focused on his team, not his coaching future, Tony Gerdeman writes for the-Ozone.net.

One Braxton Miller pass has given the Buckeyes hope, Bob Evans writes for the National Football Authority. 

The Buckeyes ran "playground routes" on the Braxton Miller-to Devin Smith touchdown pass that won the Wisconsin game, writes Brandon Castel for the-Ozone.net.

A Bleacher Report slideshow on Ohio State's all-time NFL defensive players.

Former Ohio State great Shawn Springs, before the Wisconsin game, told the Buckeyes to start acting like Ohio State players. By Brandon Castel for the-Ozone.net.

A Bleacher Report slideshow on college football's top 50 all-time rivalry games.

An NCAA ruling could erase Ohio State's chance for a Big Ten title run, comments Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch.

Jaamal Berry is charged with assault and disorderly conduct, and is suspended from the team, Bill Rabinowitz writes for the Columbus Dispatch.

O'Neal's autobiography focuses on Lakers and Kobe, but he has a few observations about his year with the Cavaliers.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain Dealer"There's no question in Game 5 LeBron was kind of out of it," Shaquille O'Neal writes about the Cavaliers' infamous 2010 playoff game against the Celtics. "I always believed he could turn it on at any moment, but for some reason he didn't."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shaquille O'Neal, a four-time NBA champion, arrived in Cleveland with little time left in his career and a stated mission: Win a ring for the King.

The charismatic center did not help LeBron James and the Cavaliers win an elusive NBA title, but in his upcoming autobiography he sheds light on the 2009-10 season and how the organization coddled its former superstar in hopes he would stay in Cleveland.

James did not listen to coach Mike Brown, writes O'Neal in "Shaq Uncut: My Story", and received special treatment in the season leading up to his free-agent decision. The self-proclaimed Big Diesel also addressed James' failure in last season's NBA Finals, likening it to his infamous Game 5 performance with the Cavs against Boston in 2010.

O'Neal's best behind-the-scenes material involves his relationship with former Los Angeles Lakers teammate and rival Kobe Bryant. But he offers Cavs fans a glimpse of the way the franchise placated James, a two-time league MVP.

"Our coach, Mike Brown, was a nice guy, but he had to live on edge because nobody was supposed to be confrontational with LeBron," O'Neal writes. "Nobody wanted him to leave Cleveland, so he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do."

It's an image of James that has been painted before but mostly through anonymous sources.

O'Neal cites a meeting in which the coach was called out for the double standard applied to James.

"I remember one day in a film session LeBron didn't get back on defense after a missed shot," O'Neal writes. "Mike Brown didn't say anything about it. He went to the next clip and it was Mo Williams not getting back and Mike was saying, 'Yo, Mo, we can't have that. You've got to hustle a little more.'

"So Delonte West is sitting there and he's seen enough and he stands up and says, 'Hold up, now. You can't be pussyfooting around like that. Everyone has to be accountable for what they do, not just some [of] us.' Mike Brown said, 'I know, Delonte. I know.' Mike knew Delonte was right. I'm not sure if Kobe [Bryant] is going to listen to [new Lakers coach] Mike Brown. LeBron never really did."

O'Neal spent an injury-plagued season in Cleveland, but regained his health in time for the playoffs. He was acquired to give the Cavs a stronger low-post presence, especially against a center such as Orlando's Dwight Howard. The Cavs, however, were eliminated in the second round by the Celtics.

James' effort in the pivotal Game 5 -- with the series tied at 2-2 -- remains one of the most controversial by a Cleveland pro athlete. James managed just 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting, often appearing passive and distracted.

"There's no question in Game 5 LeBron was kind of out of it," O'Neal writes. "I always believed he could turn it on at any moment, but for some reason he didn't. Not against the Celtics in 2010 and not against the Mavericks in 2011. It was weird. It's one thing to be a passer, but you are supposed to be the One.

"I'm watching him play against Dallas, and they're swinging the ball and they get him a perfect open look -- and he's kicking it to Mario Chalmers. Makes no sense. I told people, 'It's like Michael Jordan told me. Before you succeed, you must first fail.'"

If the excerpts of "Shaq Uncut: My Story" are the juicy parts, we won't learn much new about Shaquille O'Neal's time with LeBron James and the Cavaliers, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeAP fileSure, there were times when Delonte West and LeBron James were tight, but Shaquille O'Neal suggests that West wasn't all that thrilled with the preferential treatment given to The Chosen One by the Cavaliers and coach Mike Brown.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- And we thought LeBron James hung on Mike Brown's every word, at least ones like "greatest" and "superstar" ...

Some weeks in the sports world don't amount to much news-wise. Others are a double-barreled stun gun.

First, a Kardashian marriage built on quiet, stay-at-home devotion doesn't last.

Then comes word that LeBron James didn't listen to Mike Brown.

And it's only Thursday. Brace yourself. Still time for Rex Ryan to predict a Super Bowl win for the Jets.

The Brown-James revelation came out of Shaquille O'Neal's new book, "Shaq Uncut: My Story," in which he claims -- among other things -- that he once played for the Cavaliers. O'Neal also said James was "kind of out of it" in Game 5 of the Boston series. It's unclear how O'Neal came to that conclusion.

Maybe from watching James get a mani and pedi while Googling "South Beach real estate" during timeouts.

O'Neal took readers even further inside when he addressed the relationship between James and Brown, the backdrop being how the Cavaliers were careful to stay on James' good side as their superstar hurtled toward free agency.

"I remember one day in a film session LeBron didn't get back on defense after a missed shot," O'Neal wrote in the excerpt picked up by HoopsWorld.com. "Mike Brown didn't say anything about it. He went to the next clip and it was Mo Williams not getting back and Mike was saying, 'Yo, Mo, we can't have that. You've got to hustle a little more.'

"So Delonte West is sitting there and he's seen enough and he stands up and says, 'Hold up, now. You can't be pussyfooting around like that. Everyone has to be accountable for what they do, not just some us.' Mike Brown said, 'I know, Delonte. I know.' Mike knew Delonte was right."

Actually, that tells you everything you need to know about the 2010 Cavs. Not that there was a double standard. They wouldn't have been the only team with one.

Not that Brown was afraid to confront James. Brown didn't even attempt to hide how happy he was that James allowed himself to be coached (at least for a while).

Not that Shaq was simply along for the ride either. That was rather obvious from the moment he rhymed "king" and "ring."

No. The one true revelation that spoke volumes? That Delonte West was the team leader.

SPINOFFS

Can't believe Browns' head coach Pat Shurmur has to defend using Colt McCoy under center instead of exclusively in the shotgun. This is the NFL, or at least a facsimile...

What's next? "Coach, why have you refused to bubble-wrap your quarterback?"...

Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush (D) likened the NCAA to the Mafia, calling the organization "one of the most vicious, most ruthless ever created by mankind."

Yep. Every time you think you're out, the NCAA pulls you back in and gives you a free education...

Vermilion High is moving to the Northern Ohio League. That wouldn't normally qualify as big news in Spin except that Vermilion makes more sense for the Big East than many of the teams they're begging to join up...

What says Big East more than Houston? SMU? Or Boise State?...

Guan Weijia, a writer for China's Titan Sports, calls NBA commissioner David Stern "the demon of all demons and he is Satan who is the King of demons in this labor dispute." Did he think if he qualified it by adding "in this labor dispute" it wouldn't seem over-the-top?...

He also said of players association head Billy Hunter that "the purpose of his existence is to be played and 'slaughtered' by Stern." If not eaten first by a players association reported to be increasingly unhappy with him...

A new definition of a bad day: cut loose by your team because they need to sign a running back with 17 career rushing yards. As transactions go, Brian Robiskie's departure to make room for Thomas Clayton is not exactly like Ed Taubensee for Kenny Lofton...

The Browns rank 24th in ESPN's latest power rankings with wins over Seattle (27), Miami (31) and Indianapolis (32). ... Why they could still go 6-10 or maybe even 7-9? Remaining games against Jacksonville (26), St. Louis (29) and Arizona (30)...

View full sizeAP fileThis politician would like to create a rather spartan tax code.

Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury won Gold Gloves for the Red Sox. I'm not sure why but I see an O'Doul's endorsement in the making...

Race car driver Tony Stewart wants a boxing ring trackside for drivers to settle their disputes. He thinks it will lead to safer driving if guys know there's going to be retribution for reckless behavior.

I just think it would lead me to finally want to attend a NASCAR race...

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

(The Mascot Edition)

GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry and Michigan State mascot Sparty -- Fred Kuhar

View full sizeAP fileSparty often has to attend games that are disappointments, like last Saturday in Lincoln.

Colt McCoy and the Brownie Elf -- Schultz

HE SAID IT

"I got a few texts already saying in the HD it didn't look [like holding]. But for a 70-year-old man gimping down the field, I guess that's what he saw." -- Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith after a holding call against him negated a big run by QB Cam Newton late in Sunday's game with Minnesota.

Clarifying, Smith meant the ref and not Donovan McNabb.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Mid-Week Edition)

"Bud:

"Look at the bright side. Consider how bad the Browns would be if there were no Camp Colts last summer." -- Gary

True. But I believe they'd have still beaten Seattle in a two-safety 4-3 statement game.

"Bud:

"Some sure-fire signs things aren't going well in your career: 1) The Indians just offered you an incentive-laden contract; 2) The Browns traded up to draft you; 3) You just used the words 'marriage' and 'Kardashian' in the same sentence." -- Mark

And: 4) Your job is reading and answering "You Said It" emails.

"Bud:

"I see where the Cleveland Crush Lingerie Football team lost, 60-18. Are they running the West Coast offense too?" -- Bob H, Medina

A stripped-down version.

"Bud:

"Colt McCoy turned to Brett Favre to learn the West Coast offense. Shouldn't he consult with Tim Couch to get the real story of what happens when a QB gets massacred every Sunday?" -- Tim

He could also always turn to Seneca Wallace on the sidelines for help but McCoy has a better chance of spotting a Yeti. Or an open receiver.

"Hey Bud:

"Replays showed us eight different angles of the Cardinals ripping David Freese's jersey off his back at the conclusion of Game 6. Is there any video available showing the Phillies doing the same to Jim Thome in his Indians uniform?" -- Matt Dennis, Cleveland

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

"Bud:

"Do you know if we can cast write-in votes for LeBron James for next year's Madden cover?" -- RB, Westlake

Repeat winners get cursed.

"Bud:

"Was sorry to see Brian Robiskie was cut by the Browns. For some strange reason, though, it was always difficult for me to view him as anything more than an 'interim' receiver." -- Jeff, Westlake

Repeat winners also get DNA tested.

Cabrera led AL shortstops in RBI and was tied for first in hits, while ranking second in runs, doubles and homers.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerAsdrubal Cabrera used this swing to have a career season in 2011 and win the Silver Slugger away.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Asdrubal Cabrera was denied gold, but won silver.

Cabrera became the first Indians shortstop to win a Silver Slugger award Wednesday night when the awards were announced on MLB Network. Tuesday night he was a finalist for the AL Gold Glove for shortstops, but lost to the Angels' Erick Aybar.

The Silver Slugger honors the top offensive player at each position in the American and National leagues. Cabrera is the first Indians infielder to win the award since Hall of Famer Robby Alomar in 2000.

Managers and coaches vote for the award. 

Cabrera, 25, had the best offensive season of his career. He led the team with 165 hits, 87 runs, 32 doubles, 25 homers, 92 RBI, 151 games players and a .792 OPS.

He led AL shortstops in RBI and was tied for first in hits, while ranking second in runs, doubles and homers. Cabrera's 25 homers set a single-season franchise record for shortstops. Cabrera hit 18 homers in his career before 2011.

The 25 homers gave him the record for Venezuelan-born shortstops for one season, while his 92 RBI were the most by an Indians shortstop since Lou Boudreau had 106 in 1948 when he won the AL MVP award.

Cabrera was a finalist for the Silver Slugger with former double-play partner Jhonny Peralta of Detroit and Baltimore's J.J. Hardy. Cabrera broke Peralta's franchise home run record for shortstops.

Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki won the award in the NL.

Cabrera is eligible for arbitration this off-season. He salary could jump from $2.025 million to an estimated $5 million. He earned a $50,000 bonus for winning the Silver Slugger award.

Roster moves: Outfielder Trevor Crowe, who missed much of last season recovering from right shoulder surgery, was outrighted to Class AAA Columbus on Wednesday. The Indians activated Michael Brantley, Carlos Carrasco, Shin-Soo Choo and Josh Tomlin from the 60-day disabled list. The 40-man roster is at 38.

Hillis is dealing with health issues and a public-relations problem. Certainly, the latter should have been addressed more quickly.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerIt wasn't that long ago that Peyton Hillis was the clear fan favorite among Browns fans. Has there been someone (well, excluding one former Cavalier) who has seen his public image tumble quite so quickly?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Has anyone in this city lost so much goodwill so quickly and in such uncertain circumstances as Peyton Hillis?

Wednesday, the Browns' running back apologized for missing a Boys and Girls Club appearance on Halloween, assigning blame to miscommunication with his "management," which in Hillis' case is his brother, Kyle. Even with that overdue gesture, Hillis is not the same player who won Browns fans' hearts last year, either on or off the field.

At least he did not say he had the miscommunication with LeCharles Bentley, the former Brown who set up the Boys and Girls Club appearance. Bentley has tried to give back to his hometown, even after his Browns career lasted one snap in training camp due to a freak injury. A career-ending staph infection followed.

Hillis is dealing with health issues and a public-relations problem. Certainly, the latter should have been addressed more quickly. LeBron James' merry band of maladroit handlers bungled their PR moment more memorably by far, but Hillis had never before had the same baggage as a player who had not given his all. For his part, Hillis says he will try to make up the missed appearance.

Hillis has played in four of the Browns' seven games so far this season, after emerging as a punishing running, catching and hurdling feature back on last year's team. More than a cult figure, Hillis embodied a give-no-quarter style of play that could have flickered across the nation's Philco and Admiral television sets in black and white in the 1950s, as the ground grew hard and harsh winds off the lake discouraged anything fancy.

He seemed to have pressed the fast-forward button on his career. A seventh-round draft choice by Denver in 2008, he was the fullback for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in the backfield at Arkansas. Hillis came to the Browns in the Brady Quinn trade. Overnight, he became the fulfillment of former coach Eric Mangini's offensive primitivism. He was such a fan favorite nationwide that he is on the "Madden 2012" video game's cover this season.

Just as quickly, the blossoming talent has withered.

Hillis has been sidelined by medical problems that, while troublesome, are not as readily quantifiable as torn ligaments or broken bones. Strep throat and a hamstring pull have been the culprits. The hamstring injury is not that hard to figure, given his heavy musculature.

But Browns center Alex Mack played so soon after his appendix was removed this season that you wondered if a baseball catcher's chest protector wouldn't have been prudent. Many fans know that the Rams' Jack Youngblood played on a broken leg in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season. Bernie Kosar, the last Browns quarterback who was a consistent winner, has a hockey player's dentition today because he refused to wear a mouthpiece, fearing it would hamper the audibles he called at the line of scrimmage.

Even Terrell Owens, a world-class prima donna, participated -- and played well -- in the only Super Bowl he ever reached with the Eagles, only seven weeks after breaking his leg and snapping an ankle ligament.

In what amounts to a combat sport, Hillis has sat on his stool in the corner. It has not won him the admiration of former players, and it would be no surprise if it did not have something of the same effect in the locker room now.

It is really not fair for any players to question the physical courage and desire to play of another, though. The example of Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler comes to mind. Criticized by -- of all soft-nosed ex-players -- Deion Sanders after leaving last season's NFC Championship Game, Cutler was found to have suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee. He could not possibly have played.

The biggest problem with Hillis is that the missed games, as well as the missed charity event, coincide with a contractual impasse. Missing a charity event for disadvantaged children is not advisable anyway, but it is far less so in such a situation. Hillis simply presses a lot of hot buttons for ordinary people, who are up against far worse than his unextended $600,000 contract.

That's even though Browns president Mike Holmgren said early in the season that he was "trying like crazy" to sign Hillis for the long term. It was the first thread in a web of controversy that is now supported by suspicion and innuendo.

This is a trap both the Browns' front office and Hillis could have avoided. If there is estrangement, neither has profited from it. If there is escape, both should avail themselves of it quickly.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot preview the Browns' game against the Houston Texans in Houston on Sunday. Watch video

Wide receiver, a second-round draft pick in 2009, had been waived by Browns to make roster room for running back Thomas Clayton.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerBrian Robiskie caught just 39 passes in nearly 2 1/2 seasons with the Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wide receiver Brian Robiskie, waived by the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, is back in the NFL.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been awarded Robiskie off the waiver wire. The Jaguars placed wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker on injured reserve with a knee injury.

The Browns had let Robiskie go to make room on the roster for backup running back Thomas Clayton.

Jaguars.com reports on Robiskie going to Jacksonville:

Robiskie, 6-3, 209, played in 31 games with 14 starts for the Browns after being selected in the second round of the 2009 draft, the 36th player chosen overall.  He has 39 career receptions for 441 yards and three touchdowns.  He appeared in six games in 2011 with two starts and made three catches for 25 yards.  He was waived by the Browns on Tuesday.

Robiskie posted career-high numbers in 2010 with 29 receptions for 310 yards and three touchdowns while starting 11 of 14 games.  He had a touchdown reception in three straight games to conclude the season.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Robiskie started 32 of 51 games at Ohio State and finished his career with 127 receptions for 1,866 yards.

Playing outside Ohio will be a new experience for Robiskie, who attended Chagrin Falls High School in Geauga County.

Browns quarterback knows it's vital for him to keep honing his under-center skills for the team's offense to develop. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Although Colt McCoy shines in the shotgun and no-huddle, Browns coach Pat Shurmur is determined that his quarterback learns to play well under center this season so he can run the West Coast offense most effectively.

"In our offense we have plays under center and then we have plays in the shotgun," said Shurmur on Wednesday. "He does both. I think it's important that you'd be able to execute under center as well as you do in the shotgun. ... He's obviously more comfortable in the shotgun because that's what he's done has done his whole life."

McCoy, who became the NCAA's all-time winningest quarterback at Texas, knows it's vital for him to keep honing his under-center skills.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said. "I feel like I've gotten a lot better playing underneath the center, a lot more comfortable from week one to now. It's night and day. I can imagine what it's going to be from now until the end of the season.

"I agree with [Shurmur]. I think you've got to play underneath the center. I think it helps the West Coast, I think it helps in the run game, I think it helps the timing of things we're trying to do. But I think playing in the gun at times, too, is OK."

McCoy said playing under center -- even though his bright spots this season have come in the two-minute drill -- is part of the growth process in the new scheme.

"I think that's just how they've done it from the very beginning," he said. "You go back and watch tape from [Joe] Montana, [Jerry] Rice and those guys, go back and watch them when they first started. That's just how we learn it, that's how we go."

The Browns used the no-huddle sporadically in San Francisco, and drove downfield in the two-minute drill at the end of the first half to set up a field goal. It was the offense's first sign of a pulse that day. So why not try it earlier in the first quarter -- during which the Browns have been outscored, 44-3, this season?

"We're doing what we're coached to do, and we believe in what we do," said McCoy. "In the two-minute drive, that's the situation where you've got to throw it downfield and we've made plays. So we just have to continue to work and it's an everyday thing."

McCoy, who's 24th in the NFL with a 76.4 rating, has blocked out the naysayers.

"You start listening to it and thinking about it, it's just going to bring you down," he said. "My focus is doing my best for the guys in here. These guys work so hard, I work so hard, these coaches work so hard, it's going to be real sweet when we turn this thing around.

"Right now we're going through the growing pains. We're going to continue to improve and get better."

Robiskie signs with Jags: Former Browns receiver Brian Robiskie was awarded on waivers Wednesday to the Jaguars, who placed receiver Mike Sims-Walker on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Shurmur was asked why Robiskie never panned out here.

"I don't know," he said. "He competed with the other receivers and I felt like he was given his opportunities to play and again, you just make decisions. I like Brian. I have a great deal of respect for him. He's an NFL receiver so we're hopeful he has a place to go."

Injury roundup: Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who missed last week's game with his concussion, sat out Wednesday's practice and his status remains uncertain. If he can't play, Josh Cribbs will most likely start in Houston.

Dimitri Patterson, the starting nickelback, sat out with his knee injury. Rookie Buster Skrine would replace him. Defensive tackle Auston English (knee) is not expected to play Sunday. Defensive back Ray Ventrone (hamstring) was idle. Four Browns were limited in practice: linebacker Chris Gocong (shoulder), linebacker Kaluka Maiava (knee), right tackle Tony Pashos (ankle) and safety T.J. Ward (knee).

Texans' Johnson still ailing: Houston's five-time Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson sat out Wednesday with his surgically-repaired hamstring and is in jeopardy of missing his fifth straight game, which would be a huge break for the Browns.

"A guy like that, every year when he's healthy, he's one of the top two receivers in the league," said linebacker Scott Fujita. "A guy like that can stretch the field. He can go up and catch the big ball. He's also great after the catch. He's big, he's strong, he's hard to tackle. ... I put him and [Detroit's] Calvin Johnson at the top of the list."

But Fujita expressed full confidence in cornerback Joe Haden.

"Joe right now is playing about as good as any corner in the league," said Fujita. "He's approaching that shutdown corner status and he's obviously got a bright future -- just his ball skills, his explosiveness, his leaping ability, the whole deal. He's got it all."

Subbing for Pashos: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, who's recovered from his back spasms, spent time with the first team at right tackle because Pashos was limited.

"That's something I do every week," he said. "It's a position I played before and it's always a work in progress. Being that I'm a guy that might be called upon to play any of the four [positions], I have to work my craft at all four."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Texans are fifth in the NFL in pass defense after placing last a year ago. Links to numerous Browns stories.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerQuarterback Colt McCoy and the Browns' receivers will face a vastly improved Texans' pass defense in Sunday's game at Houston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Just what the Cleveland Browns' struggling passing game needs.

Second-year quarterback Colt McCoy, operating behind a leaky offensive line and working with a rather undistinguished group of receivers, will face a surprisingly stingy pass defense on Sunday, when the Browns (3-4) visit the Houston Texans (5-3).

Jeffrey Martin of the Houston Chronicle writes about the Texans' pass defenders: 

A beleaguered unit that was last a year ago in pass defense is now ranked fifth, allowing 189.4 yards per game. Opponents are completing only 50.8 percent of their passes, and quarterbacks are registering a 65.9 passer rating against the Texans, the third lowest in the NFL.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi's story on the Browns' running back situation; Bill Livingston's column on running back Peyton Hillis; Mary Kay Cabot's report that Peyton Hillis has apologized for missing a Boys and Girls Club appearance; Cabot's Cleveland Browns Insider; video by David I. Andersen of Grossi and Cabot previewing the Browns-Texans game; and, much more.

Fourth downs

Browns-Texans injury report, from the Akron Beacon Journal.

Wide receiver Brian Robiskie, a 2009 Browns second-round draft pick who was waived by them on Tuesday, is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. On jaguars.com.

The Browns need Peyton Hillis against the Texans, Fred Greetham writes for FoxSportsOhio.com.

Colt McCoy might wind up with the most single-season rushing attempts by a quarterback in Browns history. By Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

Running back Chris  Ogbonnaya inches closer to making a start. By Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson -- assuming he can play -- poses quite a challenge for the Browns defense. By Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

A Bleacher Report slideshow -- predictions for the remainder of the Browns season.

Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, with the Houston Chronicle's John McClain, takes a look at the Texans.

Chris Ogbonnaya might be the Browns' starting running back by default, Jeff Schudel writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Updating the Browns' injuries. By Scott Petrak for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

Browns player quotes from Wednesday, on clevelandbrowns.com.

Indiana, with 16, and Ohio State, with 15, have played more true freshmen than any teams in the Big Ten, partly by choice and partly out of necessity.

View full sizeJay LaPrete, Associated PressThe risk-reward of playing freshmen was revealed to Ohio State fans in the final moments of last Saturday's game against Wisconsin from Devin Smith (left) and Braxton Miller. "You gotta play them," says OSU coach Luke Fickell. "The more you can get them on the field the better chance you have them of not being freshmen by the end of the year."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's Luke Fickell is playing his freshmen more by choice, Indiana's Kevin Wilson more by necessity. Between them, the two first-year coaches for the Buckeyes and Hoosiers will have 22 true freshmen among their first- and second-teams when they meet in Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

So there could be yelling -- the mistakes of youth.

"I think they get on us just as much as everyone else," said Indiana freshman safety Mark Murphy, an Akron native and graduate of St. Vincent-St. Mary, where he played with OSU freshman cornerback Doran Grant. "They don't see us a freshmen. Once you've been playing. there's no titles. We're just a safety or a linebacker and it's our job to do this, and if we don't do it right there's no excuses."

But there's also hope and faith.

"We're just excited because we know the coaches are trusting us and we want to keep everything going," Ohio State freshman linebacker Ryan Shazier said.

Ohio State (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten) beat Wisconsin last week because true freshman quarterback Braxton Miller hit true freshman receiver Devin Smith with a last-minute 40-yard touchdown pass and Shazier blocked a punt and true freshman linebacker Curtis Grant recovered it near the goal line.

Indiana (1-8, 0-5), like the Buckeyes, will start a true freshman quarterback Saturday in Tre Roberson, and they count Murphy as their second-leading tackler and have true freshman return man and receiver Shane Wynn as their leader in all-purpose yards. No Big Ten teams have played more first-year players this season than the 16 put out by the Hoosiers and the 15 for the Buckeyes. Those numbers are tied for fourth and tied for fifth nationally.

View full sizeAP file"When you're out there you feel like high school was forever ago, and then you realize it was just last year," says Indiana safety Mark Murphy (37), a former standout at St. Vincent-St. Mary. "It's definitely weird to think about, but after that first game this is the new standard."

So Saturday could seem a bit like a replay of the Ohio North-South All-Star Classic, the high school contest played in Ohio Stadium in April. Or it could be more like a sneak peek of the 2014 Ohio State-Indiana matchup.

"We're all young and getting good experience and we'll be playing with each other for a long time," said Wynn, a Glenville High grad who is friends with OSU's Miller. "All we can do is be together and work hard every day."

Fickell, who certainly has been forced into some of his freshmen moves by suspensions, injuries and other departures, seems comfortable with the reality. While former coach Jim Tressel typically had a 50-50 split between redshirting and playing his freshmen, this season 71 percent of the healthy OSU freshmen have seen some action.

"You gotta play them. The more you can get them on the field the better chance you have them of not being freshmen by the end of the year," Fickell said. "Hopefully by November 1 they're not freshmen any more. They walk out on the field [now], I'm not going to accept them making freshmen mistakes, they've been here long enough. I think those guys, hey, if you can play, we've got to find a way to get guys on the field."

Fickell then cited the example of former teammate Shawn Springs, who redshirted with the Buckeyes, then started three years at cornerback, ending as the Big Ten's defensive player of the year before becoming the third pick in the 1997 NFL Draft rather than returning as a fifth-year senior.

"Too often guys are sitting there on the sideline and halfway through the season you'd say 'wow, I think he could have been better if we would have just played him early,'" Fickell said.

Wilson has made some of his lineup changes more emphatically. The Hoosiers started seven freshmen on defense, three redshirts and four true freshmen, in last week's loss to Northwestern. While rebuilding the program in his vision, Wilson is relying on fresh faces while explaining there have been only a few of the older players who have played and practiced and led the way he wanted them to.

"Truly, they are the best guys, practicing the best," Wilson said of the freshmen who are playing.

If a position battle is equal, Wilson said he's going with youth right now. He believes the talent in the freshmen class is greater overall.

"I don't think we're lowering our standards or expecting them not to do things," Wilson said. "You try to realize strengths and weaknesses and play to them and hide what you can."

Ohio State is trying to win a Big Ten title. There's no such thing as playing for the future. At Indiana, the Hoosiers know this may pay off more later. At least there a lot of young guys, on both sides, in the same boat.

"It's someone to lean on, that they're going through the same thing, and it kind of feels like we have a good base for down the road," Murphy said. "When you're out there you feel like high school was forever ago, and then you realize it was just last year. It's definitely weird to think about, but after that first game this is the new standard."

But getting out there is what helped Murphy, who has started five games, understand he was ready for it.

"I don't think I would have done anything different. It was almost better for me to get thrown into it and maybe realize this isn't that much different," Murphy said. "It's football. It's a different team and a different level, but at it's basis it's football. If the coaches trust you and think you can play, and you've got the right mindset, you can do it."

The only goal of the night came in the final minutes, as MSU's Adam Montague passed to Rubin Bega and Bega beat goalie David Meves at the 86:33 mark.

AKRON, Ohio – A 48-match unbeaten streak for the Akron men's soccer team ended Wednesday night with a 1-0 loss to Michigan State.

The Zips hadn't lost at home since 2007.

Akron had a 17-5 advantage in shots, 14-4 in the second half. The Zips' final chance at a tying goal came a minute after Bega's tally, when on a corner kick Matt Dagilis headed one toward MSU goalie Jeremy Clark, who made the save.

Akron freshman Wil Trapp drove a shot off the Spartans' cross bar midway through the first half.

The Monsters, winners of four of their past five, have been shut out in four of their 12 games this season.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Lake Erie Monsters' modest two-game winning streak came to an end Wednesday with a 3-0 blanking at the hands of the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Monsters (4-7-1-0), winners of four of their past five, have been shut out in four of their 12 games this season.

Grand Rapids (4-6-0-0) got a goal in the first period and two in the third.

Lake Erie, which entered Wednesday's game as the American Hockey League's most-penalized team (256 minutes), got whistled for 12 penalties (33 minutes).

Grand Rapids, which is the league's worst team on the power play (9.8 percent), converted on one of eight opportunities. Lake Erie was 0-for-4 on the power play.

Monsters goalie Cedrick Desjardins stopped 35 of 38 shots while Grand Rapids goalie Joey MacDonald had 27 saves.

Lake Erie's Justin Mercier was awarded a penalty shot at 18:11 of the third period after being tripped but could not convert.

The Monsters host the Houston Aeros (6-1-0-3) Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Q.