"Bring him back. You're not going to get another back for the money and that checks the box for one position need. If Richardson falls to 4, perhaps another team who wants him will come get him and give the Browns picks. Hillis is a beast and i agree the controversy was manufactured by the PD and it's beyond ridiculous why you'd run a guy like this out of town who has sworn allegiance and fits the Browns style of football. Wake up." - nvafan

Plain Dealer file photoIs Peyton Hillis worth the big money? One cleveland.com reader wants the Browns to bring back Hillis, who fits in well with AFC North football.

"Bring him back. You're not going to get another back for the money and that checks the box for one position need. If Richardson falls to 4, perhaps another team who wants him will come get him and give the Browns picks. Hillis is a beast and i agree the controversy was manufactured by the PD and it's beyond ridiculous why you'd run a guy like this out of town who has sworn allegiance and fits the Browns style of football. Wake up."

The Indians have 10 days to trade, release or get Kelvin De La Cruz through waivers.

View full sizeAP fileCasey Kotchman was moved to the 40-man roster by the Indians, and will be expected to be the starting first baseman in 2012.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians added first baseman Casey Kotchman to the 40-man roster Tuesday. Left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz was designated for assignment to make room. 

The Indians signed Kotchman to a one-year, $3 million contract on Feb. 2. Kotchman hit .306 (153-for-500) with 24 doubles, 10 homers and 48 RBI last year for Tampa Bay. 

De La Cruz was 5-6 with a 4.19 ERA in 23 appearances, including 16 starts, at Class AA Akron last year. The opposition hit .227 against him as he struck out 95 and walked 57 in 89 innings. He also earned two saves in two chances and had a 1.48 WHIP (walks + hits divided by innings pitched). 

This was De La Cruz's seventh year in the Indians' system. They have 10 days to trade, release or try to get the 23-year-old lefty through waivers. He was named the ninth-best prospect in the Indians system by Baseball America before the 2009 season. De La Cruz missed most of that season with a strained left elbow.

Lake Erie Monsters spokeswoman Sarah Jamieson said more than 7,000 students and teachers in nearly 200 school buses and vans will begin arriving downtown around 9 a.m. for Student Education Day at The Q.

AP file

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wednesday morning rush hour could get hairy around downtown Cleveland because of the Lake Erie Monsters Student Education Day at The Q.

Monsters spokeswoman Sarah Jamieson said more than 7,000 students and teachers in nearly 200 school buses and vans will begin arriving downtown around 9 a.m. She said the unusual morning starting time for the hockey game between the Monsters and Texas Stars -- which begins at 10:45 a.m. -- could create heavier rush-hour traffic conditions around the Gateway Complex.

Students at the game will get a "Respect" workbook and will learn how important respect is and how to show respect, Jamieson said. It's the fourth year the Monsters have conducted a Student Education Day.

Commuters are encouraged to allow extra travel time for possible traffic congestion.

"Let's hope Kyrie and Thompson do get better, but I don't see a thing wrong with giving him the ball during games or at practice. He was a career double double machine. Let's see if he can grow into that as he's shown he can produce a floater, a short jumper, a hook and a dunk." - KingGeorge53

The Plain DealerOne cleveland.com states fans should not be too quick to judge Tristan Thompson's offensive skills in his rookie season.

"Thompson is doing fine. I would also suggest other players stop throwing him the ball in the corner when the clock is running out. I would also suggest TT getting more time now that Andy is down so he can get game experience.

Let's hope Kyrie and Thompson do get better, but I don't see a thing wrong with giving him the ball during games or at practice. He was a career double double machine. Let's see if he can grow into that as he's shown he can produce a floater, a short jumper, a hook and a dunk.

But then again, there are some people that would rather a 4th overall pick just stand around on Offense. This team is pitiful when it comes to scoring other than what we've read above. However, with the princeton offense (designed to give lesser talented players a better chance due to it's motion and passing to catch defenders off guard), let's continue to get our young players the ball.

I like the game of basketball and I like what I see in terms of learning an actual offense this season. Last year at this point, we pretty much dumped the Princeton O b/c they couldn't handle it. That part of the team has improved. It shows, especially with Antwan, since he's run that O before he came to Cleveland."

Disciplinary board recommends six-month license suspension for Cicero, who e-mailed Tressel that Ohio State players were selling memorabilia or trading them for tattoos. The scandal eventually led to Tressel's forced resignation.

AP/Columbus Dispatch, Mike MundenChristopher Cicero working as an attorney during a trial at the Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus in 2002.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A disciplinary board has recommended a six-month license suspension for a lawyer whose emails to Ohio State University's former football coach triggered a scandal that toppled the former coach.

The Ohio Supreme Court's Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline also recommended that attorney Christopher Cicero pay $2,800 in court costs.

The board's ruling Tuesday now goes to the Supreme Court, which can accept, reject or change the recommendation.

Cicero sent emails to former coach Jim Tressel in April 2010, warning him that players were selling memorabilia or trading them for tattoos. The correspondences helped launch the scandal and end Tressel's Ohio State career.

An NCAA investigation also led to a bowl ban this year and reductions in scholarships.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city will will designate a section of the West Side's Herman Avenue as "Kilbane Town" in honor of renowned early 20th Century prizefighter Johnny Kilbane. This year marks the centennial of Kilbane capturing the world featherweight title. He remained champ until 1923, making him the longest reigning featherweight in boxing history. Kilbane was born in Cleveland and lived...

Plain Dealer file photoJohnny Kilbane

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city will will designate a section of the West Side's Herman Avenue as "Kilbane Town" in honor of renowned early 20th Century prizefighter Johnny Kilbane.

This year marks the centennial of Kilbane capturing the world featherweight title. He remained champ until 1923, making him the longest reigning featherweight in boxing history.

Kilbane was born in Cleveland and lived in the city all of his life, according to a website dedicated to the boxer. He died in 1957 at the age of 68.

Kilbane also served as a state senator, state representative and Cleveland clerk of courts.

The ceremonial designation applies to Herman Avenue from West 73rd Street to West 76th Street. Kilbane was living on the stretch when he won the title.

Follow Thomas Ott on Twitter @thomasott1.

Major League Baseball Hall of Famer won 24 games with a 1.92 ERA and totaled 29 complete games. The bad Indians team scored 20 total runs in his 16 losses. Perry got either the win or the loss in ALL 40 of his starts.

Associated PressGaylord Perry averaged 21.3 wins and 28.7 complete games in his three full seasons with the Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gaylord Perry, the right-handed pitcher who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, was recently announced as one of three new members of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.

Perry will be inducted this summer along with, posthumously, Jack Graney and Jimmy Warfield.

Graney was an Indians outfielder for his entire major league career (1908, 1910-22). He was an Indians play-by-play radio announcer from 1933-53 (also working televised games in 1950), becoming the first ex-major leaguer to work as a big league games announcer.

Warfield became a trainer in the Cleveland organization in 1965. He was the Indians' head trainer from 1971-96 and their assistant trainer from 1997 until his death in 2002.

Perry pitched 3 1/2 seasons for the Indians. He was already 33, and had compiled all of his 134 big league wins for San Francisco when Cleveland traded remarkably talented but unpredictable left-handed starter Sam McDowell to the Giants for Perry and shortstop Frank Duffy on Nov. 29, 1971.

Perry then fashioned a season that, arguably, has not been matched by any Tribe starting hurler since -- though some might make a case for the seasons by Bert Blyleven in 1984; CC Sabathia in 2007; or Cliff Lee in 2008.

The 1972 season was delayed by a players strike, and didn't begin until April 15. Teams missed six to nine games that were never made up. The Indians played 156 games instead of the customary 162.

Perry, famed, and yes, controversial, for allegedly throwing a spitball that umpires never caught him doing, was 2-2 with one save and a 2.51 ERA after his first four starts and his lone relief appearance of the 1972 season. Then, he won his next six starts with a 1.17 ERA, six complete games and two shutouts during the stretch. In 53 2/3 innings, he allowed just 29 hits, 11 walks and no home runs.

On Baseball-Reference.com is the game-by-game breakdown of Perry's 1972 season, linking to the play-by-play of every game.

Perry won the Cy Young Award, finishing 24-16 with the one save and a 1.92 ERA. The Indians went 72-84 that season, meaning they were 48-68 in the games not started by Perry.

A further look into Perry's season reveals how remarkable it was. He got the win or the loss in all 40 of his starts. The woeful Indians offense managed to score a total of just 20 runs in his 16 losses. His 341 2/3 innings pitched as a starter (not counting the one inning in relief) meant that he averaged more than 8 1/2 innings per start. It would have been closer to nine, but in several losses on the road, the opponent didn't bat in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Perry led the American League in wins and complete games (29). His ERA was second to former Indian Luis Tiant, whose 1.91 edged Perry by the slimmest of margins, and who pitched 163 fewer innings than the Indians ace.

In his 342 2/3 innings, Perry allowed just 253 hits and 17 homers. He walked just 82, and 16 of those were intentional. Some pitchers give in a little after a teammate's error. Not Perry. He allowed just six unearned runs -- one per every 57 innings.

Plain DealerSam McDowell in 1970. "Sudden Sam" was four years younger than Gaylord Perry and had led the American League in strikeouts five times when Cleveland traded him to San Francisco for Perry and Frank Duffy prior to the 1972 season.

Perry pitched three full seasons for the Indians (1972-74), finishing first, seventh and fourth, respectively, in the Cy Young Award voting. He was 64-48 with 86 complete games in those three campaigns.

Perry and another tough, head-strong Hall of Famer, Frank Robinson, never quite hit it off -- in part because they had been such intense rivals as players in the National League: Perry, the pitcher who considered the inside part of the plate his, and Robby, the hitter who wouldn't be intimidated by the hard stuff thrown in on him.

Robinson was hired by the Indians as their manager, and in fact, the first African-American manager in major league history, prior to the 1975 season. 

The Indians were 23-32 on June 13, and Perry had been so-so, with a 6-9 record and 3.55 ERA. That day, Cleveland traded him to the Texas Rangers for right-handed pitchers Jim Bibby and Jackie Brown and left-hander Rick Waits. The Rangers also gave the perpetually cash-strapped Indians $100,000.

By then, Perry had won 204 games, but at age 36, some thought he might be about finished. Not so. Perry won 110 more games, and at age 39 in 1978 with the San Diego Padres, he won another Cy Young Award, going 21-6 with a 2.73 ERA.

Perry, now 73, is 17th on the all-time wins list with 314. His 5,350 innings pitched are the sixth-most ever, and his 3,534 strikeouts rank eighth all-time.

If the Indians are to compete with Detroit in the Central Division, the starting rotation will be the reason. They certainly can't hope to out-hit the Tigers.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerUbaldo Jimenez struggled in his 11 starts with the Indians in 2011, but he must perform like a legitimate ace in 2012 if the Indians are to build a competitive starting rotation in the AL Central.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On opening day of 2011, the Tribe starting rotation was ... Fausto Carmona, Justin Masterson, Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Mitch Talbot.

By the final month of the season, how many of those guys were still in the rotation? Try two. Try Masterson and Carmona.

Now known as Roberto Hernandez because of his identity fraud, no one knows if the Indians will have the starter formerly named Carmona in the rotation. You can say that it's not a big loss -- he was 7-15 with a 5.20 ERA last season. But if the Indians are to compete with Detroit in the Central Division, the starting rotation will be the reason. They certainly can't hope to out-hit the Tigers.

Because so much attention has been on how the Indians were unable to find a proven right-handed hitter to bolster the lineup, it's easy to forget about the pitching.

Question: Where did the Tribe's starting rotation rank last season?

Answer: It was 10th in the American League last season with a 4.51 ERA.

Confession: I thought the Indians were better than that, somewhere in the middle of the 14-team league. But it was the Tigers' starters who were at No. 7 with a 4.10 ERA.

As the Indians open spring training, Ubaldo Jimenez, Derek Lowe, Masterson and Tomlin are assured spots in the rotation. Unless his spring training is a catastrophe, Kevin Slowey will be the fifth starter.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJustin Masterson's 12-10 record in 2011 didn't accurately reflect how well he pitched for the Indians, finishing with a 3.21 ERA. Will his sinkerball be as effective in 2012?

Let's line them up again: Jimenez, Masterson, Tomlin, Lowe, Slowey. Now here is something scary: Only Masterson (3.21) and Tomlin (4.25) had ERAs under 5.10 in 2011. Yes, they just signed Jon Garland, but he had shoulder troubles and was only 1-5 with a 4.33 ERA in nine starts last season.

The Indians do have prospects -- some more promising than others -- seemingly ready to start: Jeanmar Gomez, Zach McAllister and David Huff. Coming off knee surgery, Scott Barnes could be ready after opening day, and the Tribe's minor-league people love the lefty.

If you combine the records of Garland, Jimenez, Lowe, Slowey and Hernandez (Carmona) from 2011, you get 27-58 with a 5.38 ERA. Ouch!

But if you turn back the clock to 2010, here's what you find: Jimenez (19-8, 2.88), Masterson (6-13, 4.70), Tomlin (6-4, 4.56), Lowe (16-12, 4.00), Slowey (13-6, 4.45), Garland (14-12, 3.47) and Hernandez (13-14, 3.77).

So what the Indians are doing is counting on bounce-back years from most of these pitchers. At 38, Lowe is the only one considered perhaps too old. Even with Hernandez having to add three years to his age, he's 31. Slowey is 27, Garland is 32, Jimenez is 28.

Of course, injuries were a major issue for Slowey and Garland. Jimenez had groin problems early in the season, and may have developed some bad habits in his pitching motion to compensate for the lack of strength in his legs.

While some fans want the Indians to just dump Hernandez, you can see why the team is hanging on to him. Until he reports, they don't have to pay him. If you were to bet, he probably will not have a good season. But the truth is, we don't know about him -- or many of these other starters.

It wouldn't be a shock if two of this group returned to the form of 2010: Garland, Jimenez, Lowe or Slowey. But who knows which two will do it? Or knows if 12-game winner Tomlin is the 10-4 (3.81 ERA) pitcher before the All-Star break, or the 2-3 (5.26 ERA) pitcher of the second half who had elbow problems?

Who knew a year ago that Mitch Talbot would be opening the 2012 season pitching in Korea? Or that Carrasco would miss all of 2012 because of elbow surgery? This is not meant to write off the Tribe and the starting staff. Most teams have multiple question marks. Odds are that at least someone from the farm system -- my favorite is Gomez -- rises up and grabs a rotation spot by May, if not sooner.

But this much I do know -- how the Indians sort this out and fill in the holes that always develop in a rotation will determine if they can contend in 2012.

Decades ago, the lasting image of being dunked on was confined to posters of Julius Irving, Michael Jordan and their gravity-defying ilk. Now, the perceived indignity is but a mouse click away.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As he back-pedaled furiously to position himself for a hard-charging Dwyane Wade, the Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao didn't need a primer on the laws of physics to know they weren't on his side.

It was Nov. 12, 2009 -- as noted by the 40-plus YouTube postings of the play -- and the Miami Heat guard had built up 90 feet of momentum after teammate Jermaine O'Neal had denied LeBron James on dunk attempt. In full attack mode, Wade drove directly at Varejao.

To avoid contact or embarrassment, some players in Varejao’s predicament might have angled their bodies and half-heartedly played matador defense. But the big Brazilian, respected by teammates and opponents for his indefatigable effort, chose to contest Wade.

The All-Star guard soared above Varejao's outstretched hand for a thunderous dunk, the force of their collision sending the Cavaliers forward tumbling into the padded stanchion.

"It was a huge play, a great play by him," Varejao said recalling the dunk. "But it was also only two points and we won the game."

Such details did not interest ESPN personality Jim Rome, who a day later on his TV show mocked Varejao for getting dunked on and run over. As part of the segment, Rome showed a quote from James, who called Wade's dunk "probably top-10 of all time."

View full sizeJohn Green, Cal Sport Media via AP"A lot of people are afraid of humiliation or don't know how to handle embarrassment," Oklahoma City's Kendrick Perkins said after experiencing the difficult end of this Blake Griffin slam on Jan. 30. "I don't care. ... How will my teammates look at me if next time I just back out the way and just let him dunk when I'm supposed to be defensive-minded, a shot-blocker?"

In the age of the 24-hour news cycle and expanding web of social media, Varejao got off lucky. At least nobody turned his last name into a verb, which happened to Timofey Mozgov a season ago. Varejao also didn't have to relive the dunk 61 times the next day on SportsCenter the way Kendrick Perkins did Jan. 31 after Blake Griffin scaled him like he was The Matterhorn.

Decades ago, the lasting image of being dunked on was confined to posters of Julius Irving, Michael Jordan and their gravity-defying ilk. Now, the perceived indignity is but a mouse click away. Coaches have witnessed players stepping aside to skirt such lowlights and have listened to respected players such as Perkins defend themselves for doing their job.

"It has happened to everyone including me -- several times, numerous times, actually," said Griffin, the Los Angeles Clippers power forward and reigning slam dunk champion. "It's one play and you move on. I don't get why people try to treat players who are dunked on as though their lives are over.

"It's unfortunate but I guess that's how it is in this time of . . . social media."

The confluence of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter allow videos to go viral in minutes. Such was the case on the night Perkins got "Mozgov'd" by Griffin. Athletes across the sports spectrum took to their Twitter accounts reacting to the dunk.

Even Shaquille O'Neal's ex-wife, Shaunie, tweeted: "OMG!!! Did y'all just see Blake Griffin dunk!!!!! Daaayyyummm!"

In addressing the issue, Cavaliers rookie and shot blocker Tristan Thompson spoke very much like a 20-year-old, social-media savant.

"It was tough because Kendrick was a trending topic for a couple days, but it happens," Thompson said.

Griffin told The Plain Dealer he respects players such as Perkins and Varejao who contest shots and don't sweat the consequences. Great shot blockers such as Dikembe Mutumbo are often the ones who get dunked on the most.

A week later, Perkins sounded off to Yahoo Sports: "A lot of people are afraid of humiliation or don't know how to handle embarrassment . . . I don't care," Perkins said. "The people that move out the way and stuff are the people who have insecurity problems.

"That's my job. How will my teammates look at me if next time I just back out the way and just let him dunk when I'm supposed to be defensive-minded, a shot-blocker? That would be a coward move on me."

Dunks rarely cause injury like a hockey player absorbing a vicious hit or a wide receiver getting laid out by a defensive back. So why are some basketball players made to feel awful for allowing a dunk? Philadelphia-based blogger Michael Tillery offered a theory.

"I think it's a manhood kind of thing," said Tillery, who runs the Web site The Starting Five, and contributes to Slam and The Nation magazines. "You don't want someone to have a pejorative memory of you.

"When I think of Shawn Bradley I think of Chris Weber dunking on him. ... You don't want someone's manhood in your face and so you sometimes see guys walking out of the camera frame because they don't want to part of somebody else's history."

NBA TV's 'Dunks of the 20th Century'

James has been on both ends of memorable dunks. The two-time league Most Valuable Player has had epic slams against Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett. He also made news for a two-hander that never found its way to YouTube.

In July 2009, Jordan Crawford, then of Xavier, dunked on James at his Nike summer camp in Akron. The act was caught on video, but Nike representative Lynn Merritt confiscated it. The story became a public relations fiasco for James as it gave the appearance he or the company didn't want the world to see a college kid throwing down on him.

"It's more about street cred," Tillery said. "I don't think it's on the corporate level, it's about the casual fan. If he sees you getting dunked on, he has a lower definition of who you are as a man and as a player."

Cavaliers radio analyst Jim Chones, an eight-year NBA veteran, said the pro game is based on help defense, players rotating to the ball. Teams cannot afford defenders, he said, who fear being on the wrong end of a SportsCenter Top-10 play.

"It's a distraction and it distorts our game," Chones said.

Through rule changes and modifications, dunkers have an easier time getting to the rim than they did in days when Chones played. He recalls seeing the scrapes and cuts on the arms and upper body of Michael Jordan, the price paid for driving the lane and engaging in aerial dog fights with a Charles Oakley or Rick Mahorn.

Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said Jordan dunked on him and he dunked on Jordan. The Cavs coach sounds happy to have played in an era before guys needed 140 characters to express themselves.

"This tweeting back and forth, you know I'm old school, I think it's a bunch of crap," Scott said. "I read it when it's on ESPN and most of the time I shake my head."

Scott has watched defenders, he said, fail to challenge a reputed dunker like Griffin because they either don't want to get embarrassed or they "are soft."

Few will accuse Perkins or Varejao of not trying to protect the basket. Even Mozgov is improving his reputation. A season after getting dunked on by Griffin, the Denver Nuggets forward sent the All-Star to the deck with a tough foul on Feb. 2. Griffin missed both free throws and the Nuggets cruised to a road victory.

After the game, the Clippers forward said Mozgov's foul was clean and hard. It was a play from a bygone age, one before street cred was linked to YouTube and last names became verbs.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Retired players who were part of labor talks during 2011 lockout filed lawsuit against Players Association last fall, alleging the union illegally sacrificed some league revenue supposed to go toward retirement benefits so current players could keep more money.

APHall of Famer Carl Eller, here shown during a 2007 celebrity golf outing, is among the numerous former players seeking improved retirement benefits.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota -- The group of retired NFL players that was part of the labor talks during the lockout last year has not given up a push for better post-career care.

The dozens of players, including several members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, filed a lawsuit against the NFL Players Association last fall. The complaint alleges the union illegally sacrificed some of the league revenue that was supposed to go toward additional retirement benefits so that current players could keep more money.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson will hear oral arguments from both sides in court on Wednesday in Minnesota.

NFLPA spokesman Carl Francis says the union won't comment on the lawsuit. The NFLPA has filed a motion to have the case dismissed.

----- Associated Press

(The NFL Retired Players Association website includes information about the retired players legal actions)

Video: Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gibson and other Cavs may not reach the top of the charts like the Temptations did with the 1965 classic, but they hope to be No. 1 in their fans' hearts with a singing Valentine. Two Cavs bring gifts to wives of men serving in the military.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerCavaliers rookies Kyrie Irving (left) and Tristan Thompson (right), possibly discussing not the pick-and-roll, but maybe some rock-and-roll to record for Cavs fans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers used their Valentine's Day off day to show appreciation for our military and to show love for all of the team's fans with a singing valentine.

Forwards Samardo Samuels and Alonzo Gee played Cupid for three military families, paying surprise visits to three wives whose husbands are currently serving our country. Each woman received a dozen roses, a gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse and four tickets to the Cavs' home game against the Chicago Bulls on March 2.

Samuels and Gee's visits follow, on video, the Temptations singing and dancing to their 1965 No. 1 classic, "My Girl."

Well, maybe not quite the Temptations, but several Cavs making up for what their voices lack with some heartfelt gratitude for their fans.

To the tune of "My Girl," and with appropriate tweaks to the lyrics, the Cavs croon "Our Fans."

Most impressive -- really -- is Christian Eyenga, who obviously watched the Temps' dance routines (and facial expressions) on film. Tristan Thompson might have went to school on a little Motown, too.

Samuels, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gibson, Ramon Sessions and the ever-present Thompson won't make anyone forget David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, but they try. And, sometimes in love, it's the effort that counts most.

Antawn Jamison and Semih Erden make cameo appearances.

Conspicuous in his presence is coach Byron Scott. He was the only entertaining Cav born before "My Girl" was recorded.

Video: On YouTube, Cavaliers players singing the valentine "Our Fans" to their fans, and to the tune of the Temptations' "My Girl." Followed by Samardo Samuels and Alonzo Gee bringing gifts to military wives:

Irving has missed the past three games with the club going 1-2 in that stretch

View full sizeJoshua Gunter/The Plain DealerCavaliers guard Kyrie Irving participated in a full practice on Tuesday and could be in the lineup on Wednesday against Indiana.

Marlin Mason's foul on Tony Meier's 3-point attempt just before the buzzer extends Vikings' slump.

Joe Totoraitis

Special to The Plain Dealer

MILWAUKEE, Wis. --- Any hopes the Vikings had of snapping their two-game losing streak with a victory on Tuesday night disappeared despite a frantic rally down the stretch that came up just short.

Trevon Harmon scored a career-best 27 points, but had little help from the rest of the starters until late in the game as Cleveland State bowed, 86-84, to Wisconsin-Milwaukee (16-12, 9-7 Horizon) on Tuesday night at the U. S. Cellular Center.

The Vikings had clawed back from a 16-point deficit in the second half, but lost it when Milwaukee's Tony Meier sank two of three free throw attempts with one tenth of a second left to play. Meier took an inbound pass and launched a desperation 3-point heave. He missed, but Marlin Mason didn't. Meier went sprawling as a foul was called.

Charlie Lee added 14 points and Jeremy Montgomery 15 for the Vikings (20-7, 10-5). The only consolation was that CSU's offense finally woke up after consecutive defeats. The Vikings scored 41 points in a loss to Valparaiso and then 49 against Butler.

The Golden Flashes wouldn't have mounted a second-half comeback without 6-4 sophomore guard Eric Gaines coming off the bench.

View full sizeMike Cardew, Akron Beacon JournalKent State's Michael Porrini drives against Buffalo's Cameron Downing for two of his 16 points in Tuesday night victory over the Bulls at the M.A.C. Center.

KENT, Ohio -- No Gaines, no glory for Kent State basketball.

The Golden Flashes got the production they needed Tuesday night from senior center Justin Greene and senior guard Mike Porrini. It got yet another strong outing from junior guard Randal Holt in what has come down to a string of elimination games trying to get one of four byes for the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament.

But without 6-4 sophomore guard Eric Gaines coming off the bench in the second half, showing his first defensive signs of life since knee surgery in early January, the Golden Flashes likely do not top Buffalo, 76-71, before a smattering of 2,622 in the M.A.C. Center.

The suburban Chicago native was in the midst of Kent's 23-7 run to start the second half, getting a key steal, then a rare four-point play with a 3-pointer and a free throw that gave the Flashes a 51-46 lead after trailing, 39-31, at halftime. Poor foul shooting and inexcusably bad clock management by Kent's veteran backcourt to end the first half allowed the Bulls to take their lead, after the Flashes had taken a 29-27 lead.

Starting the second half on a mission was critical for Kent.

"When we came out the second half, we knew if we didn't make a run they could blow the game out," said Greene, who finished with 18 points and six rebounds.

Those were Gaines' only points, and his only steal, but he got his hands on several loose balls, and made the Buffalo guards uncomfortable.

"Eric did not play a ton of minutes [nine]," Kent coach Rob Senderoff said. "But when he was in there, he changed the game on the defensive end. Changed the energy for our team. A great job.

"We didn't close out the half very well," he continued. "To the [players'] credit, they came out the second half and changed their mentality. All the credit for the turnaround in the second half goes to the guys on the team."

Kent (19-6, 9-3) shot 59.3 percent in the second half and 45.5 percent overall, and kept even on the boards with the No. 4 rebounding team in the country. Despite Kent's run, the Bulls (16-7, 9-3), riding an eight-game winning streak, did not fold. After Kent took a 57-48 lead with 10:40 to play on a Porrini fast-break layup, the Bulls answered with a 13-0 run.

Porrini (16 points, nine assists) knocked down a pair of 3-pointers around a Mitchell Watt jumper to tie the game, Greene scored inside and Holt (15 points, six assists) hit a step-back 3-pointer to put Kent back up, 68-63. The Flashes closed the game out from there.

"When you come in here, you have got to be more than a couple of points better," Buffalo head coach Reggie Witherspoon said.

The victory tied Kent with Buffalo for second in the MAC East with four games to play, two games back of Akron. The Bulls hold the MAC Tournament tiebreaker, meaning Kent holds the No. 3 seed for the MAC Tournament, one game better than Bowling Green and Ohio.

Ohio State's victory set up the Buckeyes for another first-place showdown at Michigan on Saturday.

View full sizeJerry Holt, Minneapolis Star-TribuneJared Sullinger found a passing lane despite the defensive efforts of Minnesota's Andre Ingram (30) and Joe Coleman during the Buckeyes' win Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS -- A 3-pointer on the first possession, a drive finished with a runner and another jumper less than two minutes into the first half, and already William Buford was better than he was Saturday.

"I think we've got to show the world that was kind of a fluke for us," the senior had said of Saturday's loss to Michigan State, and the Buckeyes erupted at Minnesota on Tuesday night with that in mind, and then held on for a needed win.

Ohio State's 78-68 victory on the quick turnaround set them up for another first-place showdown at No. 17 Michigan (19-7, 9-4 Big Ten) on Saturday, the fourth straight weekend the No. 6 Buckeyes (22-4, 10-3 Big Ten) will play with the conference lead on the line.

After a 2-for-12 performance against the Spartans in which he scored four points, Buford ended the first half with 12 points Tuesday and finished with 24 on 10-of-17 shooting. He looked like a different player from Saturday, and the Buckeyes looked like a different team.

That's because for stretches, they were. Thad Matta, asked ad nauseum about why he doesn't use his bench more, subbed early against the Golden Gophers (17-9, 5-8), getting Shannon Scott, Evan Ravenel, Sam Thompson, Amir Williams and Jordan Sibert into the game in the first half.

Against the Spartans, Scott, Williams and Sibert did play at all, and Williams and Sibert had actually combined for one minute of action in the previous four games. At one point Tuesday, the OSU lineup was Deshaun Thomas, Lenzelle Smith, Thompson, Scott and Williams, a rarely seen grouping, but the backups extended the lead to as much as 20 points.

When a timeout came with just over seven minutes left in the first half, with the score 32-12, starters Buford, Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft left off the bench to congratulate teammates who often don't take off their warmup tops.

When the starters came back, the Gophers made a run and made it a game the rest of the night, cutting the 20-point lead in half until Buford made a baseline jumper from an angle that was behind the backboard, with the shot clock expiring, to push the halftime lead to 40-28.

In the second half, the Buckeyes got the lead to as many as 16 while the Gophers cut it to nine on five occasions, including with under four minutes to play, as Austin Hollins fired and missed an open 3-pointer that would have cut it to six.

Minnesota finally got it to eight with 1:21 to play, but the Buckeyes made their free throws down the stretch to seal the win and improve their Big Ten road record to 4-2 and their overall road record to 5-3.

After going 5 for 15 against Michigan State with 10 turnovers, Sullinger had 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with one turnover and seven rebounds.

"The key to victory is to not do what we did against Michigan State and just do what we do," Sullinger had said Monday. "As long as we stay with the system and play basketball and stop being robots, I think we can come out with the win."

With that, Sullinger looked loose in pregame warmups and stayed in control during the game, even after he took an inbounds pass directly off his stomach as he was leaping to defend the pass and Minnesota was looking to avoid a five-second call.

It was a gut punch, like Saturday's loss. This one was easier to take. Not everything was solved, and maybe Saturday wasn't quite a fluke, but it also wasn't an indication of who the Buckeyes are. Tuesday night was closer.

The fight for first continues.

Four-year-old Malachy won his 115th overall best in show title. He beat out a Dalmatian, German shepherd, Doberman pinscher, Irish setter, Kerry blue terrier and wire-haired dachshund at Madison Square Garden.

View full sizeSeth Wenig, Associated Press Malachy, a Pekingese, sits in the trophy after being named best in show at the 136th annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday.

NEW YORK, New York -- This Peke was at his peak.

Malachy the Pekingese wobbled off with best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club, becoming America's dog to the delight of an adoring crowd that called his name.

The 4-year-old bobbing pompom won his 115th overall best in show title. He beat out a Dalmatian, German shepherd, Doberman pinscher, Irish setter, Kerry blue terrier and wire-haired dachshund at Madison Square Garden.

Handler David Fitzpatrick gave Malachy a little help -- he carried him a short way onto the green carpet for the final lineup, shortening the long walk in the ring. Malachy's pink tongue popped up from his silver-and-white fur, his eyes sparkling like black diamonds as he soaked in the cheers.

Judge Cindy Vogels picked the winner as fans hollered for their favorites. The No. 2 show dog in the nation this year was clearly the most popular, and Malachy won after taking the toy group here last February.

The champion at Westminster wins a coveted silver bowl, but not a cent of prize money. Instead, the prestige of this title lasts a lifetime for any owner and brings a wealth of opportunity in breeding potential.

This was the fourth time a Peke has won at Westminster, and the first since 1990.

Right before the champion was picked, a woman was stopped by security as she appeared to try to reach the ring. A few years ago, a protest by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals took place in the center area.

Several top choices lost out early as underdogs ruled the breed judging.

A black cocker spaniel called Beckham who was the nation's No. 1 show dog and a wire fox terrier named Eira, picked by many to win, proved once again it takes more than a great reputation to own the green carpet.

Because no matter how many blue ribbons or silver bowls or shiny trophies any dog brings to Westminster, there's a phrase that ultimately decides who wins the top prize.

"Dog on the day," fanciers say.

More than 2,000 purebred dogs were entered overall and Marlene Ness came from Canada to show her black cocker, Ace, at Westminster for the first time. Her main opposition? Beckham, a popular pick to win the whole thing.

Yet on this day, Ace was aces.

"I should have bought a Lotto ticket," Ness said.

The fans crowded around Ring 3 seemed to sense an upset, cheering for Beckham but then yelling for the smoother-looking Ace. Judge Donald Sturz Jr. studied them intently, checking their body type and making them run around several times before making his final choice.

On this afternoon, Ace was in the right place. Best dog of his breed.

"Today was our day," Ness said. "Eye of the tiger, baby!"

Ace, however, was topped by the Irish setter in the sporting round.

Eira made an early exit. She won the prestigious National dog show that was televised on Thanksgiving Day and was the top terrier last year. That meant a lot -- terriers often rule Westminster, with wire foxes winning the silver bowl more than any other kind.

It was, however, a really big day for a Tibetan mastiff, and even more so for his owners.

Major won his breed, a nice start for Debbie Parsons and Brad Slayton. A few hours later, the co-owners from the Seattle area made it a special Valentine's Day -- they got married in the backstage benching area where hundreds of dogs are housed.

With dogs brushing by, people climbing on crates to get a better view and the total crush of the crowd, it made for a somewhat chaotic scene. Cherilyn Frei, a chaplain and director of family support for Ronald McDonald House in New York and the wife of Westminster television host David Frei, performed the five-minute ceremony.

The 54-year-old Parsons wore a pale pink Vera Wang gown and the 58-year-old Slayton donned a silver tux, with each sporting accents of Westminster purple. The 120-pound Major stood right between them, giving away the bride, and they kissed him to celebrate.

"This dog brought us together," Slayton said. "Today," he added, choking up, "I bought a Valentine's Day card for my wife, not my girlfriend."

Akron East made 13 its lucky number. The Dragons, ranked No. 13 in The Plain Dealer Top 25, rallied for their 13th straight win as they knocked off visiting Archbishop Hoban, 55-47, in a nonleague boys basketball game on Tuesday night.

Akron East made 13 its lucky number.

The Dragons, ranked No. 13 in The Plain Dealer Top 25, rallied for their 13th straight win as they knocked off visiting Archbishop Hoban, 55-47, in a nonleague boys basketball game on Tuesday night.

With his club down, 39-38, entering the fourth quarter, senior guard Davonte Brunson scored 11 of his game-high 27 points down the stretch as the host Dragons improved to 16-1. Guard Mycle Shadie had 12 points for the winners.

Junior forward Saadiq Muhammad had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Knights (11-6).

No. 1 Mentor 93, No. 21 Elyria 72: The top-ranked Cardinals got 27 points from Justin Fritts and 20 from Jeff Foreman to improve to 17-1 and 7-0 in the Northeast Ohio Conference.

Junior guard Kody Bender had 18 points for the visiting Pioneers (10-7, 1-5).

No. 2 Cleveland Heights 74, Euclid 44: The visiting Tigers (14-2) opened up a 22-6 lead after the first quarter to cruise in the Lake Erie League game. Marcus Bagley led the winners with 16 points.

No. 7 Brush 80, Solon 70: Senior forward Pharaoh Brown and Curtis Oakley paced the Arcs with 22 and 21 points, respectively. The Arcs improved to 15-3 and 7-1 in the Northeast Ohio Conference River Division.

Ny Redding had 21 points for the Comets (8-11, 3-6).

No. 8 JFK 59, No. 10 St. Peter Chanel 56: Anthony Howard had 18 points and Saivon Jefferson scored 15 as the host Eagles (16-1) held off the Firebirds in a nonleague game. Damon Jones had 14 points for Chanel (15-2).

No. 12 Stow 48, Hudson 24: David Walker scored 24 points for the host Bulldogs (14-3, 7-1) to maintain a piece of first place in the Northeast Ohio Conference River Division. The Explorers drop to 9-7, 2-5.

No. 17 VASJ 68, No. 22 John Hay 65: Junior Demonte Flannigan had 17 points and senior Karl Garner 14 for host Villa Angela-St. Joseph (10-7) in the nonleague affair. Devon Carter led all scorers with 29 points for the Hornets (12-7).

Midpark 39, Holy Name 37, OT: Junior Christian Calton sent the game into overtime with three foul shots with 3.4 seconds remaining, then scored the only points in the extra session on two more freebies.

Senior Simon Kucharewicz led the host Meteors (11-7) with 18 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in the nonleague game. The Green Wave stand 10-8.

Fairview 43, Lincoln-West 42: John Miles connected on six 3-pointers as he led the Warriors (9-9) with 22 points in the nonleague game. The visiting Wolverines are 3-10.

Hockey

Holy Name 8, Brooklyn 0: Sophomore Alex Kurowski scored four goals for the Green Wave (16-14-1) in the Brooklyn District contest.

North Canton Hoover 12, West Geauga 0: The Vikings (11-15) got two goals each from Brad Harcourt, Shane Saba, Spencer Mackert and Preston Mackert at the Kent District. The Wolverines bow out at 5-10.

So Burnett to the Tribe for Hafner and salary considerations? I hear that it won't happen, and I hope that's true.

AP PhotoA.J. Burnett posted a 5.15 ERA for the Yankees in 2011. 

From what I'm hearing, there's little chance that A.J. Burnett comes to the Tribe unless something dramatic happens. The reported deal was Travis Hafner for Burnett, the 35-year-old pitcher who is being offered all over baseball by the Yankees.

The fact that he's 35, is 21-26 with a 5.20 ERA in the last two years, has $33 million left on contract and the Yankees don't want him. ... How many red flags are needed, regardless of how much of the salary New York is willing to pay?

I'd rather the Indians just finish the last season at $13 million with Hafner, and then have him off the payroll for next year. I'd rather look at virtually all the starters the Indians have in camp, as opposed to Burnett. The only one older is 38-year-old Derek Lowe.

So Burnett to the Tribe for Hafner and salary considerations? I hear that it won't happen, and I hope that's true.

Here's today's and tonight's sports listings for TV and radio for the Cleveland area.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerAntawn Jamison (4) and the Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers tonight at 7:30 in a game televised by Fox Sports Ohio and broadcast on WTAM/1100-AM.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today on the air

(Click on to links for more team or event information)

HOCKEY

10:45 a.m. AHL, Texas at MONSTERS, WHKW/1220 AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Monsters coverage)

7:30 p.m. NHL, Boston at Montreal, NBC Sports Network

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

6:30 p.m. Northwestern at Indiana, Big Ten Network (preview)

7 p.m. Miami (Ohio) at AKRON, WARF/1350 AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Akron, Kent State and MAC coverage)

7 p.m. Rutgers at Notre Dame, ESPNU (preview)

7 p.m. Villanova at South Florida, ESPN2

8 p.m. North Carolina at Miami (Florida), ESPN (preview)

8 p.m. Temple at St. Bonaventure, CBS Sports Network

8:30 p.m. Purdue at Illinois, Big Ten Network

9 p.m. Oklahoma State at Missouri, ESPN2 (preview)

9 p.m. Providence at Cincinnati, ESPNU

10 p.m. New Mexico at San Diego State, CBS Sports Network

11 p.m. (tape delay) Muskingum at JOHN CARROLL, SportsTime Ohio

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com local Divisions II and III and NAIA coverage)

NBA

7:30 p.m. Indiana at CAVALIERS, Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM/1100 AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage)

7:30 p.m. Memphis at New Jersey, NBATV

10 p.m. Portland at Golden State, ESPN

Jeremy Lin's game-winning shot over Raptors lifts New York to sixth straight victory with rising star leading the way. Story includes video highlights complete with Lin puns.

View full sizeNew York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) celebrates with teammates Tyson Chandler and Landry Fields (2) after his game-winning 3-pointer against the Toronto Raptors in an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)

TORONTO — Already writing the NBA's best story, Jeremy Lin has now scripted a thrilling finish.

Nothing about the kid from Harvard should be a surprise anymore. When he launched a 3-pointer in a tie game with a half-second left in Toronto on Tuesday night, the result seemed obvious.

"I knew it was going in," Knicks guard Iman Shumpert said.

Who would doubt it at this point?

Lin's 3-pointer capped his finishing flurry of six straight points to close the game as the Knicks rallied for a 90-87 victory over the Raptors, extending their winning streak to six.

Their season sputtering just two weeks ago, before Lin escaped the bench, the Knicks (14-15) can get back to .500 with a victory over Sacramento on Wednesday.

And with Lin running their show, that's exactly what they expect.

"He continues to impress every night," New York's Jared Jeffries said. "Every game he plays better, he does more and more to help us win basketball games. You can't ask any more of a kid coming into this situation."

Huge in New York, Linsanity was even bigger in Toronto, whose international community couldn't wait for a look at the NBA's first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.

A season-high crowd of 20,092 was only the Raptors' second sellout of the season, and some 75 reporters and 16 cameras packed a Tuesday morning press conference to hear Lin speak.

"Are we in the playoffs now?" coach Mike D'Antoni joked as he made his way to the front of the room.

Not yet, but they sure have a shot now with Lin.

The reigning Eastern Conference player of the week scored 27 points and added a career-high 11 assists, shaking off a sloppy first half to carry the Knicks down the stretch.

For more Cinesport video, go here.

Toronto led 87-82 with less than two minutes to go when Shumpert stole the ball from Jose Calderon and drove in for an uncontested dunk. After a missed shot, Lin completed a three-point play, tying it at 87 with 1:05 left.

Leandro Barbosa missed a 3 for Toronto and, at the other end, Shumpert missed a jumper but Tyson Chandler grabbed the rebound. Lin took the ball near midcourt and let the clock run down to 5 seconds before driving and pulling up against Calderon to bury the decisive shot.

"You just watch and you're in awe," D'Antoni said. "He held it until five-tenths of a second left. He was pretty confident that was going in, no rebounds, no nothing. That ball was being buried."

New York Daily News / New York PostThe New York tabloids continue to have a field day with the phenomenon known as "Linsanity."

Lin, cut by both Golden State and Houston in December, struggled early. He didn't score for the first eight minutes of the game, then turned the ball over on three straight possessions early in the second quarter and Toronto took advantage with a 6-0 run, widening its lead to 13 points.

That was long forgotten by the end.

"When he hit that shot it was simply amazing, we were hugging at midcourt like we'd won a championship," said Amare Stoudemire, who scored 21 points after missing four games following the death of an older brother in a Florida car crash.

Scouts and general managers may have missed Lin when he went undrafted two years ago, but people all over the NBA are watching him now. The reaction to his winner on Twitter was similar to one of LeBron James' or Blake Griffin's huge dunks.

"It's crazy!" Phoenix guard Steve Nash wrote. "I'm watching Linsanity hoping every shot goes in. Hope I never grow up."

But Lin deflects the praise to his teammates, even though they were going nowhere until he started getting real minutes on Feb. 4.

"It's not because of me, it's because we're coming together as a team," Lin said. "We started making these steps earlier but we were still losing close games and so obviously it wasn't fun. But when you win, that solves a lot of problems. We've been winning and we've been playing together."