"All I know is that this is a huge draft for Heckert and Holmgren this year. Perhaps more than any other draft since returning to Cleveland, the Browns need to hit on this one. It sets the tone for the next 3-5 years and the reputation of both Heckert and Holmgren are at stake. They set this draft opportunity up last year, now they have to deliver. They also have to hit on free agency." - preventd

View full sizeScott Shaw | The Plain DealerMike Holmgren and Tom Heckert have an important offseason in front of them.

"All I know is that this is a huge draft for Heckert and Holmgren this year. Perhaps more than any other draft since returning to Cleveland, the Browns need to hit on this one. It sets the tone for the next 3-5 years and the reputation of both Heckert and Holmgren are at stake. They set this draft opportunity up last year, now they have to deliver. They also have to hit on free agency."

"The NBA is actually more exciting this season with a shortened schedule and more game per week. Yeah, I know, the players hate it, but a short schedule erases the games in October and November that no one cares about. The hectic four or five games per week means that the bench actually becomes important. The teams that best utilize all their talent will prevail, rather than those teams with two or three superstars who play twice per week. For fan interest, this is a much, much better set up." - rookie73

View full sizeRamon Sessions has helped the Cavaliers immensely off the bench this season.

"The NBA is actually more exciting this season with a shortened schedule and more game per week. Yeah, I know, the players hate it, but a short schedule erases the games in October and November that no one cares about. The hectic four or five games per week means that the bench actually becomes important. The teams that best utilize all their talent will prevail, rather than those teams with two or three superstars who play twice per week. For fan interest, this is a much, much better set up."

After two seasons and a 9-23 record, does team president's generally positive message resonate with Browns' fans? More links to Browns stories.

Scott Shaw, The Plain DealerBrowns president Mike Holmgren (left) and general manager Tom Heckert (right) during their press conference last Thursday in Berea.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns finished their 2011 season, Pat Shurmur's first as their coach, with a 4-12 record.

Cleveland went 5-11 in 2010, the first Browns season for team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert.

Scott Petrak, writing for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette, re-visits the press conference held by Holmgren and Heckert last Thursday.

Petrak notes that Holmgren stressed the few positives from the Browns season, and tried to persuade fans that the team is headed in the right direction.

Writes Petrak:

It was the right message at the right time. I’m just not sure it reached the intended target.

The fans might be too angry to listen. They might be too frustrated to hear yet again about the necessity for patience. They’ve definitely reached the point where they won’t be convinced until they see giant strides on the field and in the standings.

All the emotions are real, justifiable and understandable. But they don’t negate the validity of Holmgren’s message.

Changing the course of the rebuild would do no good. Losing confidence in a GM who’s drafted well in two tries or a coach handpicked a year ago would be pointless. Blowing up the operation and starting over would be a giant step backward.

The Browns won’t play another game for eight months. Nothing would be gained by Holmgren focusing on all the things that went wrong and perpetuating the negative vibe that has suffocated the franchise for years. Progress must be visualized before it is realized.

Heckert is the key to the plan. He’s also the biggest reason for any optimism the fans can generate.

If he drafts well and sticks around, the Browns have the chance to make a leap. It’s still too early to make a final judgment on his first two drafts in Cleveland, but he seems to have way more hits than misses.

Two cleveland.com Starting Blocks polls, after the Browns' season-ending 13-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, asked Browns fans about Holmgren, Heckert and Shurmur.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi's blog on the Browns; Terry Pluto's podcast; and much more.

Post patterns

The Browns have something to build on with their defense. By the Sports Exchange on Scout.com's Orange and Brown Report.

Having the fourth and 22nd overall draft picks. By Mike McLain for the Warren Tribune-Chronicle.

Browns Position Review: Quarterback. By Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

The blog "Dawgs By Nature" reports on Mike Holmgren's Monday interview with Seattle radio station KJR.  

Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace should know football is a team game. On the blog "WaitingForNextYear."

Reasons to be skeptical about the Browns' leadership team. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

It's rumored that the Browns quarterback, Colt McCoy or whoever, will have more playmakers around him next season. By Daniel Wolf for the National Football Authority.

Donald Wood, referring to Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi's blog on the Browns, writes for the Bleacher Report that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb would be just right for the Browns.

Browns AFC North opponents Pittsburgh and Baltimore have news about wide receivers who have a combined 1,943 receptions in their careers. The Steelers' Hines Ward will return next season, but going into retirement is the Ravens' Derrick Mason. By Jamison Hensley for ESPN.com.

Move comes four days after hiring of Reggie McKenzie as general manager. Jackson had criticized his team after a season-ending loss.

Associated PressHue Jackson has been fired by the Oakland Raiders after being their head coach for one season, finishing with an 8-8 record.

ALAMEDA, California -- The Oakland Raiders fired coach Hue Jackson on Tuesday after just one season at the helm in the first major move since Reggie McKenzie was hired as general manager.

The decision to get rid of Jackson came four days after the team announced the hiring of McKenzie as the team's first general manager since the death of longtime owner Al Davis in October. McKenzie was to be formally introduced later Tuesday.

The firing was confirmed by a person with knowledge of the situation. It was first reported by ESPN.

The move marks a rapid fall for Jackson, who was in charge of personnel decisions and coaching after Davis died of heart failure on Oct. 8.

Jackson made the trade for quarterback Carson Palmer after starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone, costing the Raiders a 2012 first-round draft pick and a conditional 2013 second-rounder.

While Palmer showed signs of giving the Raiders a big-time quarterback, he was unable to get Oakland to the playoffs for the first time since 2002, raising questions about how effective that trade was.

After starting the season 7-4, the Raiders lost four of their final five games to mark their ninth straight season without a winning record or a playoff berth. A late-game collapse at home to Detroit on Dec. 18 and a 38-26 loss to San Diego at home in the season finale did in the Raiders and ultimately Jackson.

Owner Mark Davis, Al's son, made the decision to bring in McKenzie last week and gave him the authority over the coaching staff. McKenzie will now get to pick a new head coach, providing the Raiders a fresh start in their first full season without Al Davis involved since 1962.

Jackson talked at the end of the season about having more involvement in 2012, but instead he will have none.

"I'm going take a stronger hand in this whole team, this whole organization," he said after the season finale. "There's no way that I'm going to feel like I feel today a year from now. I promise you that. There's no question. Defensively, offensively and special teams. I'm not feeling like this no more. This is a joke."

Jackson joined the Raiders as offensive coordinator in 2010 under head coach Tom Cable and engineered a dramatic improvement as Oakland more than doubled its point total and improved to 8-8. That helped him get the job when Davis decided not to retain Cable.

The offense wasn't quite as effective with Jackson as head coach as injuries to star running back Darren McFadden, receiver Jacoby Ford and Campbell played a part.

But the biggest problem this past season was on the defensive side of the ball. The Raiders had franchise worsts in touchdown passes allowed (31), yards per carry (5.1), yards passing (4,262) and total yards (6,201), while giving up the third-most points (433) in team history.

Oakland joined this season's Tampa Bay team as two of the four teams to allow at least 30 TD passes and 5.0 yards per carry in a season, a distinction achieved previously by only the 1950 Baltimore Colts and 1952 Dallas Texans. The Raiders also became the sixth team since the 1970 merger to allow at least 2,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing in a season.

McKenzie will now have the opportunity to bring in a whole new staff, overhaul the roster and change the scheme if he deems necessary. The new coach will be Oakland's seventh in the past 10 seasons, following Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and Jackson.

McKenzie, who had been director of football operations in Green Bay, is a former Raiders linebacker. He was well-respected for his role in helping to build a Super Bowl championship team with the Packers.

Family source tells ESPN that an announcement by the Heisman Trophy winner is "imminent." He might still be available when the Browns make their first pick.

Associated PressQuarterback Robert Griffin III passed for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns and rushed for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns to win the Heisman Trophy and lead Baylor to a 10-3 record.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Robert Griffin III, Baylor's Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, is telling the school today that he will enter this April's NFL draft and forego his senior season, according to a report.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com writes that a source from within Griffin's family says Griffin will turn pro, and that an announcement is "imminent."

Mortensen writes:

The Heisman Trophy winner's next task is to choose an agent and he is in the process of finalizing his choice of representatives, which could come as early as Tuesday night.

The deadline for underclassmen to formally petition for the NFL draft is this Sunday.

Griffin is projected as a top-10 pick and several personnel men believe he could go high as the first or second choice depending upon his pre-draft workouts and evaluations.

Griffin could be considered a candidate -- if he is not yet picked -- to be drafted by the Cleveland Browns, who will have two first-round draft picks, barring a trade.

The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot writes that the Browns -- after the Atlanta Falcons' playoff game loss -- now know they own the fourth and 22nd overall picks in the draft.

Browns president Mike Holmgren said at a press conference last Thursday, as reported by Cabot, that the Browns have not committed to incumbent Colt McCoy as their quarterback of the future.

The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi, in his Browns blog today, states his opinion on whether the Browns might use their first pick, the fourth overall, to draft Griffin III. Last week, The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto wrote his thoughts on whether the Browns would take Griffin III if they get a chance.

When faced with a quarterback question, Holmgren has often turned to quarterbacks already in the NFL.

View full sizeJim Prisching, Associated PressThe sample size of NFL statistics generated by Green Bay's Matt Flynn may be quite small, but it's hard to ignore what he might mean to a QB-hungry team -- like the Browns, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Mike Holmgren was the coach in Green Bay, it was Brett Favre who was the game changer for the Packers. The future Hall of Fame quarterback was not drafted by Green Bay. Instead, General Manager Ron Wolf obtained Favre in a trade from Atlanta, where he was a backup.

Holmgren's next coaching stop was Seattle, where he inherited quarterback Jon Kitna. After 9-7 and 6-10 seasons, he dumped Kitna and added two quarterbacks -- Matt Hasselbeck and Trent Dilfer.

Also serving as Seattle's general manager, Holmgren signed Dilfer as a free agent after the quarterback had won a Super Bowl for Baltimore. He also made a deal with his former team -- Green Bay -- for Hasselbeck, who was a backup to Favre.

It was Hasselbeck who eventually led the Seahawks to the 2005 Super Bowl.

When he became president of the Browns before the 2010 season, Holmgren signed veteran Jake Delhomme as a free agent and traded for Seneca Wallace, who had been his backup quarterback in Seattle.

What's the point of this history lesson? When faced with a quarterback question, Holmgren has often turned to quarterbacks already in the NFL.

Colt McCoy was the exception to that. Holmgren selected him in the third round of 2010. After Delhomme and Wallace were injured, McCoy took over at quarterback in 2010 -- and had the job at the start of 2011.

Now, Holmgren and coach Pat Shurmur are talking about an open competition at the position in 2012. It wouldn't be a shock if Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert look around the league for a quarterback, rather than just use one of their draft picks.

Most of the speculation has been about Matt Flynn, the backup in Green Bay who is probably headed to free agency unless the Packers make him a franchise player for about $14 million -- and then try to trade him and that huge contract.

Either way, Flynn is destined for monster money. He's been with the Packers for four years and has started two games. The first was in 2010, when he was 24-of-37 passing for 251 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The other game was the 480-yard, six-touchdown explosion in the final game of 2011 against Detroit.

Not exactly a large sample of stats for Flynn, who didn't even start at LSU until his senior season. Flynn then led his team to the national title. But he is in a form of the West Coast offense and he should have at least some appeal to the Browns.

View full sizePaul Connors, Associated PressKevin Kolb's first season as a starter in Arizona was cut short by injuries, including a concussion. But his background with the Eagles makes him a QB of potential interest for Browns GM Tom Heckert.

The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi raised the idea of Kevin Kolb, now with Arizona. He is due a $7 million roster bonus in March. He is 27 and was 2-6 as a starter for Arizona. He suffered a turf toe injury and a concussion. John Skelton replaced Kolb, and was 6-2 as a starter.

To be completely accurate, there was a game Kolb started, threw one pass, was injured. Skelton took over to lead Arizona to a victory. That's why some places list Kolb's record is 3-6, but the victory in that game really belonged to Skelton. So far, Arizona has not indicated that Skelton is the 2012 starter, but it's possible the Browns could work a trade. Kolb was originally the 36th pick in the 2007 draft by Philadelphia, where Heckert ran the draft and Shurmur was an assistant coach. In that 2007 draft, Kolb was the third quarterback selected -- behind JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn.

It's no secret that Heckert has long believed Kolb has the right stuff to start in the NFL, especially in the West Coast offense. Arizona didn't run that offense this season, when Kolb had nine touchdown passes, eight interceptions and a 81.1 rating.

It's early January. So much can happen between before the April 26 draft. There is a free agency. There are trades. I have a feeling the Browns will be in the middle of a deal that involves a quarterback.

Carmona has struggled in three of his last four seasons. Lowe, acquired in an offseason trade, has 166 career wins but slumped badly in September and is 38. More links to Indians stories.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerFausto Carmona's pitching for the Indians was very good in 2007 and good in 2010, but not so good in 2008-09 and 2011.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians, as of now, figure to begin the 2012 season with a starting pitching rotation of right-handers Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Tomlin, Fausto Carmona and Derek Lowe.

Masterson emerged as one of the American League's most consistent starters last season. Jimenez was erratic for both the Indians and Colorado Rockies, from whom he was acquired in exchange for pitching prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White on July 30.

Tomlin had a solid 2011 campaign, though he was in somewhat of a slump before going on the disabled list with a sore elbow in late August.

Carmona and Lowe struggled through much of their seasons.

Carmona finished 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA. He has had three disappointing seasons in the last four, after a superb 2007 campaign.

Lowe was acquired from the Atlanta Braves in an offseason trade, after going 9-17 with a 5.05 ERA. Lowe, 38, has a 166-146 career record, but Indians fans hope his final month with Atlanta was just a slump and not an indication that age has caught up with him. Lowe lost all five of his starts, with an 8.75 ERA, in September as the Braves fell apart and missed a playoff berth that had seemed theirs.

Jordan Bastian of MLB.com recently wrote about 10 key questions regarding the Indians as they approach the 2012 season.

Among the questions is, "Can Fausto Carmona and Derek Lowe bounce back?"

Bastian writes:

The answer to this question could ultimately make or break the Indians' season in 2012. Cleveland picked up Carmona's club option and acquired Lowe in a trade with the Braves this winter. Last year, the pair of sinkerballers combined to go 16-32 with a 5.15 ERA. They are experienced, durable and have had success in the past. That is what makes the two veteran arms valuable to the Tribe's staff. That said, Cleveland is banking on rebound seasons for Carmona and Lowe to solidify a rotation that has the potential to be a solid quintet from top to bottom.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes' report that the Indians have signed left-handed pitcher Chris Seddon -- who has limited major league experience -- to a minor league contract with a spring training invitation; Hoynes' "Hey, Hoynesie!;" in which he answers readers' questions; "Terry Pluto's Talkin;' " and more.

Hoynes will again cover the Indians' spring training in Goodyear, Ariz. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on Feb. 20.

Around the horn

Indians Prospect Insider, thanks to the work of Tony Lastoria and Michael Taylor, now features 10 scouting videos of Indians' minor leaguers.

A feature story on the movement of pitchers from one team to another, highlighting the Indians, by Jeff Eliis for Indians Prospect Insider.

Jordan Bastian answers readers' questions about the Indians on MLB.com.

Indians observations, news and links by Stephanie Liscio on the blog "It's pronounced 'Lajaway.' " Of course, "Lajaway" refers to Cleveland's early-20th century Hall of Fame second baseman-manager, Napoleon Lajoie.

On an MLB.com video, Indians radio broadcaster Tom Hamilton says the Tribe may not be done making offseason moves.

The Indians are scheduled to have the 15th pick in the first round of the June draft, according to a BaseballAmerica.com report that includes the current draft order.

Butler (9-8, 3-2) is struggling to find its identity. Statistically, for sure, the Bulldogs aren't themselves.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerGary Waters' Vikings are 2-10 against Butler, but the Bulldogs have started the 2011-12 season sluggishly.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is a big week for the Cleveland State men's basketball team.

For the first time since early December, CSU (14-3, 4-1 Horizon League) goes on the road in league action, a two-game swing Friday at Butler at 7 p.m., and Sunday at Valparaiso at 2:35 p.m.

Add that CSU-Butler will be on ESPNU, the stakes for the Vikings creep a bit higher.

"[Last season], we never played well on TV," CSU coach Gary Waters said Tuesday.

The Vikings haven't played Butler very well, period. They are 2-10 since Waters took control in 2007. But this is a new season, and the Vikings and Bulldogs are not the same teams as in 2010-11. Butler (9-8, 3-2) is struggling to find its identity. Statistically, for sure, the Bulldogs aren't themselves.

"They're not the same shooters," Waters said. "They are ninth in our league in free-throw shooting [60.8 percent]. That's not Butler. They're eighth in field-goal percentage [40 percent]."

The normally sharp-shooting Bulldogs are eighth in 2-point shooting (29.3 percent), so if there was ever a time to go to Butler and win, this week will be it. The Vikings are as healthy as they have been in recent weeks, with guard Trevon Harmon back from a concussion and center Aaron Pogue (thigh bruise) at about 65 percent, according to Waters.

By the numbers: CSU leads the HL in scoring defense (58.0 ppg), is second in free-throw percentage (73.0), second in 3-point shooting (36.1 percent), third in field-goal shooting (43.9 percent) and fourth in scoring (65.0 ppg).

In the bracket: Even though Cleveland State is technically second in the Horizon League standings -- Youngstown State (9-6, 4-1) holds the tiebreaker -- CSU is listed by several of the more recognized NCAA Tournament tracking Web sites as the likely HL entry.

The Vikings are listed as a No. 15 seed, despite wins over Vanderbilt, Robert Morris, Kent State and St. Bonaventure.

The commissioners from the 11 FBS conferences met Tuesday at a hotel in New Orleans to exchange ideas about what the system for crowning a national champion will be starting in the 2014 season.

View full sizeAP file"Four years ago, five of us didn't want to have the conversation," the Big Ten's Jim Delany said Tuesday about a football playoff system. "Now we all want to have the conversation."

NEW ORLEANS -- College football leaders, including Big Ten commissioner and staunch playoff opponent Jim Delany, are open to considering the idea of turning the Bowl Championship Series into a four-team playoff.

The commissioners from the 11 FBS conferences met Tuesday at a hotel in New Orleans to exchange ideas about what the system for crowning a national champion will be starting in the 2014 season. BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock said 50 to 60 possibilities for various changes were presented. He said the process will be deliberate, and he expects it will take between five and seven meetings before July 4 to come to a decision.

"They have a lot of cans to kick down the road," Hancock said. "This will not play well on Twitter."

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said ideas were neither ranked nor ruled out.

"I think people realize there are flaws in the current system and people are ready to think creatively about ways to improve it," he said.

One of the ideas is a four-team playoff called a plus-one model that would create two national semifinals and a championship game played a week later. The idea was proposed in 2008 by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive and supported by the Atlantic Coast Conference's John Swofford, but it was emphatically shot down by the leaders of the Big Ten, Pac-10, Big East, Big 12 and Notre Dame.

This time, there will be a serious discussion about the plus-one.

"Four years ago, five of us didn't want to have the conversation," Delany told reporters. "Now we all want to have the conversation."

In the past, playoff discussions have been a non-starter for Delany. The Big Ten, along with the Pac-12, have a long-standing and lucrative relationship with the Rose Bowl and have been cautious about damaging the game's value.

Delany has said that he is against even a four-team playoff because he fears it will inevitably grow. On Tuesday, though, he at least said he'd listen. Scott, who wasn't in the job back in 2008 and was the force behind the recent Pac-12 expansion, said he was encouraged by his first formal meeting about the future of the BCS.

"Today was more a philosophical conversation about the extent to which people are open for change. I was very pleased. People are open-minded," he said. "But we didn't officially rule out ideas or rank ideas."

The current BCS format has four marquee bowl games and a championship game matching the top two teams at the end of the regular season by a combination of polls and computer rankings.

Alabama beat LSU, 21-0, in Monday night's BCS championship game at the Superdome. As with many years, many people thought another team should have had a chance to play for the title. This year that was Oklahoma State (12-1).

A new BCS format must be in place before the fall when television negotiations with ESPN open. The BCS is in the middle of a four-year deal with ESPN that runs through the 2014 season.

Get Twitter updates from Salt Lake City as the Cavaliers look to stop the red-hot Utah Jazz. Tip-off is at 9 p.m.

The Cavaliers look to get back in the win column as their road trip continues in Utah tonight against the Jazz, winners of four straight. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed @PDCavsInsider in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m.

(AP) -- The Utah Jazz just earned their first road win of the season. Winning is all they've done in Salt Lake City in 2011-12.

Looking to extend its overall run to five games, Utah can open 5-0 at home for the first time since 2008-09 when it faces the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

After losing by an average of 19.0 points in its first three road contests, Utah (5-3) defeated Golden State 88-87 on Saturday behind a season-high 18 points from Gordon Hayward, who hit the go-ahead free throw with 11 seconds left.

APRookie Enes Kanter isn't getting much playing time from Utah coach Tyrone Corbin.

The Jazz trailed by seven in the fourth quarter after leading by 12 less than six minutes into the game.

"When we got down, we didn't break at all," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "The guys kept encouraging each other, 'Come on, man, we right in there.'

"It was just great to be a part of."

Utah is enjoying its longest win streak since a 7-0 run Nov. 20-Dec. 1, 2010, and is beginning a stretch of 10 of 12 at home. The team's last 5-0 start in Salt Lake City was in 2008-09 when it opened 6-0.

Utah has won four of five at home over the Cavaliers after a 121-99 victory Jan. 14.

Cleveland (4-4) committed 21 turnovers in that contest - its second-highest total of the season - and gave it away a season-high 24 times in a 98-78 loss at Portland on Sunday.

"I didn't think that we had the focus that we needed mentally, for whatever reason, especially on the offensive end," said coach Byron Scott, whose team went 3 of 24 from 3-point range and shot 36.7 percent overall. "I've never seen us that flip with the ball, kind of throwing it everywhere like a hot potato."

Despite a season-high 21 points along with four assists, rookie Kyrie Irving had four turnovers. The 19-year-old point guard has committed 13 turnovers as the Cavs have dropped two of three to start their seven-game trip.

"We have to limit our mistakes going forward," Irving said.

Devin Harris will match up with Irving as he faces Cleveland for the first time in a Jazz uniform. Acquired from New Jersey on Feb. 23, Harris totaled 45 points and 19 assists in his last two games against Cleveland last season.

The Jazz could use another solid effort from shooting guard Raja Bell, who had nine points Saturday after scoring that many in his previous five games combined.

Bell averaged 17.0 points and went 7 of 8 from 3-point range as the Jazz swept Cleveland last season for the first time since 2001-02.

Antawn Jamison, leading the Cavs with 16.0 points per game, posted his second straight double-double in Salt Lake City with a 26-point, 11-rebound effort Jan. 14.

Jazz forwards Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap combined for 26 and 10 in that contest. They had 35 and 20 as Utah won 101-90 at Cleveland on Dec. 20, 2010.

The women's tour has increased its tournament schedule from 23 events in 2011 to 27 this year, and restores tournaments in Ohio and Virginia.

View full sizeAP filePaula Creamer was the 2008 champion at the Jamie Farr at Highland Meadows in Sylvania, and will likely be in the field when the tournament returns after a one-year absence this summer.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The LPGA Tour has restored the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic to the 2012 schedule among four additional tournaments and a lot more optimism about its future.

The schedule released Tuesday features 27 official tournaments, including 15 in the United States. That's up from 23 events a year ago, with just more than half of them held on home soil.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the return of two popular events -- the Farr tournament to Sylvania, which was not played last year; and the Kingsmill Championship in Virginia, which last was held in 2009.

The Jamie Farr was one of the longest-running women's tournaments before falling off the 2011 schedule. It will be played Aug. 9-12 at Highland Meadows.

The tour previously announced new tournaments in Hawaii and Canada, along with sanctioning the Women’s Australian Open, which will kick off the new season Feb. 9-12 at fabled Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

Right when it looked as though the LPGA Tour would suffer irreparable harm from the economic downturn, Commissioner Mike Whan delivered a schedule of 27 tournaments worth $47 million in prize money that signals a strong recovery. Along with the new tournaments, Whan said the North American events will get live television coverage on the Golf Channel on the weekend, instead of being shown on tape delay. That led to complaints for its fan base that it didn’t know when to watch.

Another big improvement is the flow of the schedule. A year ago, the LPGA was coming off its first major championship — Stacy Lewis winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship — when it took three weeks off before its next tournament. Even with a global schedule in which tournaments will be played in a dozen countries, the LPGA will not go more than two weeks without playing.

It also might get more attention for its biggest event — the U.S. Women’s Open, which in the last three years was held a week before the men’s British Open. This year, the Women’s Open will be played July 5-8, two weeks before the British Open. Meanwhile, the Women’s British Open will be held at Royal Liverpool on Sept. 13-16, moved back a month in part because of the 2012 Olympics in London.

LPGA Tour Schedule

Feb. 9-12 -- ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, Royal Melbourne GC, Melbourne, Australia.

Feb. 16-19 -- Honda LPGA Thailand, Siam CC (Pattaya Old Course), Chonburi, Thailand.

Feb. 23-26 -- HSBC Women's Champions, Tanah Merah CC (Garden Course), Singapore.

March 15-18 -- RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, Wildfire GC, Tempe, Ariz.

March 22-25 -- Kia Classic, La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, Calif.

March 29-April 1 -- Kraft Nabisco Championship, Mission Hills CC, Rancho Mirage, Calif.

April 18-21 -- LPGA LOTTE Championship, TBD, Honolulu.

April 26-29 -- Mobile Bay LPA Classic, RTJ Golf Trail (Crossings Course), Mobile, Ala.

x-May 5-6, HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup, TBC, Rio de Janeiro.

May 17-20 -- Sybase Match Play Championship, Hamilton Garm GC, Gladstone, N.J.

June 1-3 -- ShopRite LPGA Classic, Seaview GC, Galloway, N.J.

June 7-10 -- Wegmans LPGA Championship, Locust Hill CC, Pittsford, N.Y.

June 21-24 -- Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, Grey Silo GC, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

June 29-July 1 -- Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, Pinnacle CC, Rogers, Ark.

July 5-8 -- U.S. Women's Open, Blackwolf Run (Championship Course), Sheboygan, Wis.

July 26-29 -- Evian Masters, Evian Masters GC, Evian-les-Bains, France.

Aug. 9-12 -- Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, Highland Meadows GC, Sylvania, Ohio.

Aug. 17-19 -- Safeway Classic, Pumpkin Ridge GC (Ghost Creek), North Plains, Ore.

Aug. 23-26 -- CN Canadian Women's Open, Vancouver GC, Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Sept. 6-9 -- Kingsmill Championship, Kingsmill Resort (River Course), Williamsburg, Va.

Sept. 13-16 -- Ricoh Women's British Open, Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, England.

Sept. 20-23 -- Navistar LPGA Classic, RTJ Trail (Senator Course), Prattville, Ala.

Oct. 12-14 -- Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Golf & CC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Oct. 19-21 -- LPGA HanaBank Championship, Sky72 GC (Ocean Course), Incheon, South Korea.

Oct. 25-28 -- Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship, Sunrise Golf & CC, Taipei, Taiwan.

Nov. 2-4 -- Mizuno Classic, Kintetsu Kashkikojima CC, Shima-Shi, Japan.

Nov. 8-11 -- Lorena Ochoa Invitational, Guadalajara CC, Guadalajara, Mexico.

Nov. 15-18 -- CME Group Titleholders, TwinEagles GC (Eagles Course), Naples, Fla.

x-unofficial event.

"It would have to be an unbelievable person to get back," Byron Scott said of trade offers for Varejao. "I look at him as one of the guys you look at and say, 'He's not going anywhere.'"

View full sizeMichael Conroy, Associated PressAnderson Varejao (defending Indiana's Danny Granger) has returned to his typically energetic ways -- which figures to make him the subject of trade talks around the league.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Anderson Varejao is enjoying one of the most productive starts to a season in his career.

You can bet the Cavaliers aren't the only team taking notice.

Healthy again and attacking the boards and defensive end with his familiar gusto, Varejao could attract significant interest as the March 15 trade deadline approaches. The Cavaliers aren't believed to be shopping the fan favorite, but contenders looking for an energetic big man will no doubt call the rebuilding franchise with offers.

Varejao and backup point guard Ramon Sessions figure to generate the most attention. Coach Byron Scott asked specifically about the center Tuesday said he wouldn't be in favor of trading him.

"It would have to be an unbelievable person to get back," Scott said. "I look at him as one of the guys you look at and say, 'He's not going anywhere.' I just feel he's that valuable and feel that strongly about him and what he means to this team."

Varejao, 29, has three more seasons on a priced-to-move deal worth $27 million. The Cavaliers likely could get a first-round pick and perhaps a young center in return from some club looking for a valuable reserve post man.

The Brazilian would have been in demand last season as well if he had not torn a tendon in his ankle in a Jan. 6 practice. With injuries piling up, Scott recalls talking of how they could ill afford to lose Varejao on Jan. 5.

"I guess I should have kept my mouth shut," he said. "Words can't express how good it is to have Andy on the team because of what he means to the team and what he brings."

Varejao's consistency of effort and production make him an excellent role model to players such as Tristan Thompson. He's averaging 9.1 points and ranks ninth in the NBA with 10.1 rebounds.

After years of contending for a title, Varejao said he's content going through a rebuilding phase with the only franchise he knows.

"I'm focusing on staying healthy and helping this team," Varejao said. "Leadership is the way you act not only on the court but the way you do things during the games, after the games and before the games."

Keeping turnovers down: Scott wants his young team to push the pace, but not at the risk of making ill-advised decisions in transition. As the coach said, "it's a balancing act."

The Cavaliers entered the Jazz game committing the league's fifth-most turnovers (16.1). Scott attributes the high sum to a combination of youth and learning how to become a fast-break team. The Cavs committed a season-high 24 turnovers in the 98-78 loss to Portland.

Another draft-day match-up: Thompson worked out in Cleveland prior to the draft against Derrick Williams and Enes Kanter. Minnesota took Williams second, Utah chose Kanter with the third pick before the Cavs selected Thompson.

Scott said the condensed training camp and schedule are factoring into why the draft's second, third and fourth picks are coming off the bench.

Thompson believes he fared well head-to-head against Kanter in the workout. "I did OK. [Cavs General Manager] Chris Grant knows how I did."

Kanter on Erden: Kanter, 19, and Cavs backup center Semih Erden are former teammates for a Turkish club team. The Jazz forward said once Erden gets healthy the Cavs will have a skilled center with a soft shooting touch. Of course, Erden has rarely been healthy the past few seasons.

Talented junior guard scores 43 points to spark second-half comeback at Champaign, Ill.

View full sizeHeather Coit, Associated PressDespite the hawking defense of Ohio State's Aaron Craft, Illinois' Brandon Paul was sizzling Tuesday night, making eight of 10 3-point attempts and finishing with 43 points in a 79-74 victory over the Buckeyes.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The showdowns were everywhere. The Ohio State defense vs. Illinois' inability to take care of the ball. Buckeye big man Jared Sullinger vs. the Illini's 7-foot-1 Meyers Leonard. Ohio State's William Buford vs. his recent shooting slump. And Illinois guard Brandon Paul vs. anyone who, mostly unsuccessfully, tried to stop him.

On the road, amid the orange, attempting to still prove themselves away from home, No. 5 Ohio State lost to Illinois, 79-74, Tuesday night. OSU coach Thad Matta, after winning at Iowa by 29 on Saturday, had said he'd wait until after this game to really assess where the Buckeyes (15-3, 3-2 Big Ten) were as a road team.

Well, now they're 2-3 on the road. That's what can happen when a player like Paul drops 43 points on you.

Illinois (15-3, 4-1) moved to 11-0 at home this season and broke a five-game losing streak against the Buckeyes. Ohio State, coming home for a rematch with Indiana on Sunday after losing at Bloomington on Dec. 31, has to reassert itself in a tough conference that isn't going to make anything very easy.

In a tight first half, the Buckeyes created the opportunity to extend the lead before the break, forcing shot-clock and five-second violations on consecutive possessions. They were two of the 10 turnovers Illinois committed in the first half, and helped Ohio State take a 39-34 halftime lead.

But when the Illini didn't give the ball away, they gave it to Paul, who scored 15 of Illinois' 34 first-half points on 6-of-8 shooting. He was just getting started. Yet the Buckeyes, after winning the end of the first half, won the start of the second half as well. Ohio State took its five-point advantage at the break and extended it to 11 points twice, the second time at 48-37. But Paul didn't stop. Many times he couldn't be stopped.

His 3-pointer cut the Ohio State lead to 54-50. Another 3-pointer cut it to 54-53. After Leonard put the Illini ahead with a jumper, two of the greatest forces in the game met each other in the air with 10:49 to play, the Ohio State defense and Paul's shooting stroke. Aaron Craft fouled Paul as he attempted his 3-pointer, which maybe wasn't such a bad strategy. He made just two of the his three foul shots, which practically counted as a stop in this game.

The showdowns continued.

Leonard missed a post move over Sullinger, but Paul grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and made both free throws. Craft tried to find Sullinger in the post, was stymied, and instead drove the lane and created an easy layup for Deshaun Thomas with a nice bounce pass. Another Craft drive and a finger roll tied it at 59.

Leonard hit a jumper for the Illini. Buford found his groove with a jumper to tie it and a 3-pointer in the corner to give the Buckeyes a 64-61 lead. Illinois' D.J. Richardson tied the game at 64 with a 3-pointer. It was tied again at 66. And not quite tied when Sullinger banked in a shot, was fouled, but missed the free throw that would have tied it at 69.

At every turn, the game provided matchups that were 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 and 5-on-5, testing each player and both teams. But nobody, really, ever stopped Paul. Not even Craft.

With 40 seconds to play, and the Illinois lead at 71-70, Craft was on Paul. This time, the Buckeyes' best defender didn't foul Paul, but he got right up on him, forcing Paul into an off-balance leaner from behind the 3-point line. Down it went, extending the Illinois lead to four points.

Paul made four more free throws down the stretch, winning the day, and winning the game for his team. His 43 points included 13-of-15 shooting and 8-of-10 3-point shooting.

Thomas led Ohio State with 23 points and Sullinger added 21. They won some battles.

But Paul won the showdown.

OSU associate AD dies: Ohio State said associate athletics director Bill Jones died of an apparent heart attack. He was 48. The university said the alum who was in his 14th year working for the athletics department died Tuesday at the University Medical Center.

Athletics Director Gene Smith called the loss profound, saying Jones' "genuine enthusiasm, calm demeanor and lifelong love for the Buckeyes made him a valuable part of every project he touched."

Jones was named associate athletics director for external affairs in 2009. He had previously held other department positions, including assistant athletics director for ticketing.

The Columbus native held a 1986 bachelor's degree from Ohio State and a 1991 master's degree from Ohio University.

His father -- Jim Jones -- was Ohio State athletics director from 1987 to 1994.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jefferson finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds while Millsap scored 12 first-quarter points on the way to a 19-point night.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Byron Scott told his players and anyone else who would listen how the Utah Jazz planned to attack the Cavaliers Tuesday night in Energy Solutions Arena.

The Jazz intended to pound the ball inside to Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap and his club would have to deal with that substantial low-post presence. Of course, every Utah opponent in the 1990s understood they had to defend the Karl Malone-John Stockton pick-n-roll, too.

Knowing it's coming is one thing, stopping it quite another.

The Jazz scored 56 points in the paint and shot 59 percent from the floor on the way to a 113-105 win. It marked the Cavaliers' first back-to-back losses this season.

The broad-shouldered Jefferson finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds and had his way with almost anyone trying to defend him. He was a clinical 13-of-17 from the field with just four baskets outside of 12 feet. Millsap scored 12 first-quarter points on the way to a 19-point night. The duo combined for 22-of-27 shooting from the field.

The Jazz isn’t necessarily tall, but their posts are sequoia thick.

“We did not do a good job against their post-up guys,” Scott said. “We allowed them to shoot the ball too freely. Their post players are too good. So we have to do a better job of understanding and we have to be a little more aggressive and physical.”

Power forward Antawn Jamison led the Cavaliers with 22 points, but needed 18 field-goal attempts to convert seven shots. Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving contributed 20 points and five assists. The Cavs (4-5) got to the line 43 times where they compiled 31 points.

For this game anyway, offense wasn't the issue. They were shredded by one of the league's lowest-scoring teams, which entered the contest averaging 90.4 points. The Jazz didn't require Cavaliers' turnovers to ignite its offense the way Portland did on Sunday night in a 98-78 win. Cleveland had 13 turnovers after committing 24 against the Blazers.

No, the Jazz ran its half-court sets to perfection and Jefferson and Millsap happily finished at the rim. The Cavs allowed them to establish position too easily and took poor angles on the way to offering weak-side help.

Jefferson, listed at 6-10, 289 pounds, wore down Anderson Varejao, who too often was left alone to deal with the Jazz center. Semih Erden, playing his first significant minutes in the rotation, fared no better. Erden had two points and one rebound in 16-plus minutes and struggling Samardo Samuels never left the bench.

Jamison, meanwhile, had his troubles with Millsap, who converted his first six shots. He finished 9-of-10 from the field before fouling out in fourth quarter.

“They had a two-headed monster down there in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap,” Irving said. “We were trying to make adjustments as much as possible, but they were really effective. The guards and the spacing makes Utah’s post game a lot easier. Give credit to them, they did a great job executing in the post.”

Unlike Sunday night, the Cavaliers weren't out of the game in the final 12 minutes. Their problems, however, started late in the second quarter with a rash of offensive fouls. Before long, Irving, Alonzo Gee and Varejao all were sitting with three fouls.

The Cavs led, 42-41, with 5:11 left in the half, but they made just one basket before intermission, trailing 52-43.

Cleveland’s frustrations boiled over in the final minutes. Anthony Parker was whistled for traveling and Scott went onto the floor to argue the call. (He thought Parker was fouled.) The coach was hit with his first technical of the season.

Cavaliers drop two straight for the first time this season as they head to Phoenix

View full sizeUtah Jazz center Al Jefferson put up 30 points Tuesday night in a 113-105 win over the Cavaliers

SALT LAKE CITY -- There are nights in deadline newspaper writing when you live in fear that a last-minute rally or miraculous shot will render the story on your computer screen irrelevant. Tuesday in Energy Solutions Arena wasn't one of those occasions.

While the Cavs never trailed by more than 11 points in the fourth quarter did you ever sense they would win? They were capable of scoring, but they were never going to get enough stops to avoid their first two-game losing streak of the young season.

Final score: Jazz 113, Cavaliers 105.

The Cavs (4-5) simply couldn't defend the paint or the low blocks. Al Jefferson spent the night sinking basketball's equivalent to 3-foot putts. He set up anywhere he wanted and grew roots. Andy Varejao couldn't handle him. The assignment also was too rich for Semih Erden, playing his first meaningful minutes since returning from a broken thumb. Neither center got much help. Teammates either arrived late or at the wrong angles. It's how Jefferson managed 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting. His low-post partner Paul Millsap went for 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Any wonder how the Jazz shot 59 percent from the floor?

"It's difficult to have one of those guys feeling it during the game," said Cavs power forward Antawn Jamison, who drew the Millsap assignment. "But to have both of those guys start the game out the way they did, it really put pressure on our front court . . . They had us in scramble mode all night."

There were no surprises here. Coach Byron Scott discussed the dangers of the Jazz low-post game at the morning shoot-around. The Cavs just couldn't deal with them physically. Even Enes Kanter contributed 17 points. It was similar to what happened against Indiana with Roy Hibbert, David West and Tyler Hansbrough adding the muscle to support Danny Granger's skill.

The Cavs never led in the second half against the Jazz, now 5-0 at home. Momentum swung in the final five minutes of the second quarter as Alonzo Gee -- good yet again -- Kyrie Irving and Varejao all got into foul trouble. The Cavs didn't convert a field goal in the final five minutes and watched a two-point lead become a nine-point deficit. Ball game. I don't recall seeing the Cavs get tagged with such a spate of offensive fouls. Then again, Cleveland got to the foul line 42 times -- five more than the Jazz.

Antawn Jamison led the Cavs with 22 points, but needed 18 shots to make seven. Irving finished with 20 points including 14 in the second half. Gee was on his way to a big night until the foul trouble. He ended up with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.

Maybe the most curious line belonged to Tristan Thompson: nine points, five rebounds, two rebounds in less than 16 minutes. Not exactly sure why he didn't get more time. But Jamison was 4-of-6 from the field and 7-of-9 at line in the second half as the Cavs were trying to rally.  I blew it and forgot to ask. I will try to get an explanation Wednesday in Phoenix.

Early bird to catch. Will post after practice    

    

  

Brandon Paul lights up the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Associated PressOhio State's Thad Matta.

Now that we know the Buckeyes were upset by Illinois on Tuesday night, Dana O’Neil of ESPN tells us how it happened, who was the star, and what it all means.

How it happened:

Illinois, a team that scored just 59 and 57 points in its past two victories, torched Ohio State on the offensive end, shooting 60 percent from the field.

The Fighting Illini blistered the Buckeyes from beyond the arc, hitting 61 percent (11-of-18), and frankly outplayed the more talented Buckeyes, writes O'Neil.

Star of the game:

That's easy. Brandon Paul led Illinois with 43 points.

According to Jason McCallum of ESPN Stats & Info, only two other college basketball players in the past 10 years have posted 40 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots in a single game: Al Thornton (Florida State) and Chris Kaman (Central Michigan). And no player in the past 15 seasons has scored at least 43 points on 15 or fewer FG attempts.  

What it means:

Ohio State, in the meantime, has lost its third game, all on the road. The Buckeyes, an overwhelming preseason favorite in the conference, clearly are not going to have smooth sledding in the tough Big Ten.

 More OSU Buckeyes

Ohio State seeking answers (Cleveland.com).

Ohio State athletic official dies (Columbus Dispatch).

Buckeyes beaten again on the road (Columbus Dispatch).

A special night for a special player (illiniHQ.com).

Paul scores 43 on OSU (Chicago Tribune).

The one-time Parma Heights policeman retired two weeks ago after serving 16 years as the executive director of the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. With his union duties finished, he has agreed to become president of the Cleveland Golden Gloves.

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerThe Cleveland Golden Gloves finals are moving from North Hall at Cleveland Browns Stadium to Brook Park Recreation Center, where the entire tournament will be held.

Terry Gallagher has been around amateur boxing for 50 years. Now that he has a little more time on his hands, he plans to start working at it.

The one-time Parma Heights policeman retired two weeks ago after serving 16 years as the executive director of the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. With his union duties finished, he has agreed to become president of the Cleveland Golden Gloves.

He takes over for Marc Haire, who led the association the past two years.

Gallagher, 65 next week, has been active over the years in the Ohio State Former Boxers and Associates and the Amateur Boxing Trainers Association.

At boxing events for the past 35 years, he could be found with his trusty cameras taking ringside photos as a hobby.

“People still come up to me and tell me about taking their photos in the 1980s,” Gallagher said. “I would give them shots. Sometimes it was the only thing a kid got out of it.”

Gallagher comes on board with high hopes. The organization has decided to hold this year's entire tournament at the Brook Park Recreation Center. Preliminary rounds were held there a year ago, with the finals moving to the North Hall at Cleveland Browns Stadium, where it had been staged in recent years.

It's a cost-cutting measure said Gallagher, also pointing to the cooperation received from the suburb.

“There is free parking, it's close to I-71 and the mayor [Mark Elliott] has been good to us,” Gallagher said. “We hope to promote more and get publicity. We want to get more sponsors.”

Gallagher goes back to the days when the tournament was held at Navy Park Gym and Estabrook Recreation Center. He wants to rekindle some of the good vibes.

“A lot of people have never been to the Golden Gloves,” he said. “People who go for the first time, I've heard them say they never realized it was so neat. It's a matter of getting people out.”

This year's tournament will run April 6, 7 and 14, with the finals April 21.

Amateur show: The West Side Boxing Club has another “Battle in the Ballroom” card set for the Slovenian National Home, 6417 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. Contact Bill Godhard at 440-785-4900 or Todd Kincaid at 440-223-7409.

Pac Man news: Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc. is trying to line up Manny Pacquiao's next opponent. The fight will take place in Las Vegas on June 9 or June 16, and potential opponents include Tim Bradley, Lamont Peterson, Miguel Cotto or a fourth meeting against Juan Manuel Marquez. The last one looks too dangerous to happen.

Mayweather news: Floyd Mayweather Jr. was supposed to start serving his 90-day jail sentence for domestic violence last Friday. However, a Nevada judge delayed the beginning of his sentence to June 1.

Richard Wright, Mayweather's attorney, told the judge his client had a contractual agreement to fight May 5 in Las Vegas.

So Mayweather, who pleaded guilty to lesser charges involving an attack against an ex-girlfriend, will stew in the slammer all summer. While behind bars, he can contemplate his expected November showdown against Pacquiao.

Happy birthday: George Foreman celebrated his 63rd birthday Tuesday.

Friday: The ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” will be in Las Vegas as Teon Kennedy (17-1-1, 7 KOs) takes on junior featherweight Chris Martin (23-1-2, 6 KOs) at 9 p.m.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

Penn State trustees were aware of allegations months before Jerry Sandusky's arrest.

AP Photo/Matt RourkeJerry Sandusky

Reporter Bill Schackner of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes how Penn State University trustees were briefed by then-President Graham Spanier about a grand jury investigation of child sex abuse allegations against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky months before his arrest.

This was told to Schackner by Penn State President Rodney Erickson.

Mr. Erickson said Tuesday he did not attend the briefing, which he said took place in May or July while he was still provost, nor was he told it had occurred until after Mr. Sandusky's November arrest blew up into a national media firestorm and Mr. Spanier resigned. The briefing is likely to fuel further questions about what university leaders, including the trustees board, knew and did in the critical months after the investigation came to light last spring.

"I have no idea, because I wasn't there," Mr. Erickson said when asked how serious the allegations were characterized in the briefing. "Nor did I know it was taking place."

Schackner also writes that despite anger from alumni and others directed at the board of trustees, including calls for their ouster, Mr. Erickson said he believes the board is still in a position to provide meaningful leadership to the university.

Many teams will have their eyes on Anderson Varejao during the trade deadline.

Associated PressCavaliers forward Antawn Jamison (left) and center-forward Anderson Varejao.

Trade talks will heat up close to the All-Star Game and teams and Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com writes how the Cleveland Cavaliers will inevitably get calls about center Anderson Varejao.

Not so fast, says coach Byron Scott.

“It would have to be an unbelievable person to get back,” Scott said when asked if the Cavs could part with Varejao. “I look at him as one of the guys you look at and say ‘He’s not going anywhere.’ I just feel that strongly about him and what he means to this team.”

Varejao, 29, entered Tuesday’s game at the Utah Jazz averaging 9.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He had 13 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks in the win last week at the Minnesota Timberwolves, the first NBA player to produce a line like that in nearly two years.

Varejao is under contract with the Cavs for three more seasons after this year for a  total of $27 million, writes Lloyd. He’s making less than $8 million this season, so it would be an attractive contract to a contender tight on cap space.

More Cavaliers

The Utah Jazz overpower the Cavaliers (Cleveland.com).

Cavaliers beaten up by the Jazz (Ohio.com).

The Jazz win their fifth straight (Salt Lake Tribune).

Who made the grade in Cavs vs. Jazz (Deseret News)?

Cavaliers face mirror image in Jazz (WFNY).

Newspaper reports Browns DB coach Jerome Henderson will rejoin former Browns coordinator Rob Ryan in Dallas.

APJerome Henderson

CLEVELAND -- The Browns may soon be in the market for more than an offensive coordinator.

 The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Browns defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson will rejoin former Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and take a similar position with the Cowboys.

 Henderson joined the Browns in 2009 when Eric Mangini was named head coach. He was one of five Mangini assistants retained when Pat Shurmur succeeded Mangini in 2011.

 In three years with Henderson as defensive backs coach, the Browns improved from 29th to 18th to second in pass defense.

 At his season-ending press conference, Shurmur said he planned no staff changes other than hiring an offensive coordinator, but added, "Even though I don't plan any, there is nothing that says that somebody might make a change in their life and then I'll fill that position."