The six-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom house is on 1.99 acres.

Lynn Ischay, The Plain DealerUrban Meyer when he was introduced as Ohio State's new football coach last Nov. 28.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Urban Meyer grew up in Ashtabula and is now back in Ohio, preparing for his first season as the Ohio State Buckeyes head football coach.

Most coaches make a few stops along the way, and that includes Meyer, who has coached as far away as Utah (2003-04).

Before being hired by Ohio State, Meyer's previous coaching job was with the Florida Gators from 2005-10. He led Florida to national championships in the 2006 and 2008 seasons. Meyer worked as an ESPN analyst during the 2011 season.

Among the personal matters Meyer must address with his move back north is the sale of his home in Gainesville, Fla. The six-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom house is on 1.99 acres and is on sale for $1.7 million.

Ty Duffy writes for The Big Lead about Meyer's house going on sale (photos included): 

Highlights? Pool/solarium complex to keep out the palmetto bugs. Also, the largest sectional couch we have ever seen. It looks as though it would fit about 12, comfortably. You could potentially get both starting lines on there. The Meyers went the double coffee table route and someone would still need to get out of his or her seat to get chips.

The Big Lead links to toddshealy.com, with more details about the house on sale, and with more photos included.

Robert Griffin III vows to win the interview session this week. Don't laugh. For a quarterback, it's as telling as anything else at the combine.

View full sizeTony Gutierrez, Associated PressRobert Griffin III has the "measurables," but will look to deliver touchdown answers to combine interviews this week -- which is about all that is left for him to do, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NFL Scouting Combine is upon us, offering critical insight and unmitigated minutiae about players who will turn franchises around or make the fan base wish it never heard their names called on draft day.

Faster, higher, stronger is the Olympic motto, but it fairly describes the scouting combine's 40-yard dash, vertical jump and bench press. The drum roll for certain prospects is always loud and unrelenting.

"The kid has it all," said Brian Billick. "He has all the measurables. I'm very impressed with him. There's nothing you will see or hear from this kid that you won't like."

That would make the Browns and other teams considering Robert Griffin III feel good ... except ... Billick was speaking as the Ravens' head coach about California quarterback Kyle Boller back in 2003. Boller had run a 4.59 40 at the combine. His short shuttle time of 3.99 was the best of any quarterback or running back.

During pre-draft workouts Boller threw passes through the goal posts from the 50-yard line. On his knees. Unfortunately, he has spent most of his NFL career on his heels. In 2012, Boller finished the season as a backup in Oakland. His career numbers: 48 TDs and 54 INTs.

Workout warriors are legendary at the combine. Quarterbacks don't often set records, but the position has its share of players whose physical attributes won them high praise and even higher selections on draft day. Joey Harrington, Ryan Leaf and Akili Smith earned Top 3 draft status, then went bust as pros.

What will it be for Robert Griffin III? The Heisman Trophy winner isn't expected to throw at the combine, saving that for his March 21 pro day. That is no big deal. You can be pretty certain his combine numbers won't disappoint, unless he's been artificially "heightening" with shoe lifts to reach his listed 6-2.

Griffin III won the Big 12 400-meter hurdles as a freshman and advanced to the semifinals in that event at the Olympic Trials, where he finished 11th as a 17-year-old. I'm pretty sure his measurables will pass muster.

In starting 11 of 12 games as a freshman, he threw for 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. After 2009 was lost to a torn ACL, his TD to INT ratio in the next two seasons was 22-8 and 36-6.

Griffin's focus at the combine will be to win the interview. He's smart enough to know personality will only take him so far, that he must convince teams -- perhaps the Browns more than others -- his success as a college quarterback isn't tied to what looked like a pitch-and-catch spread offense at Baylor.

"I'm excited to wow them in the interviews with the type of offense that we run, just so they can understand it's not as simple as some people make our spread out to be," Griffin told the Associated Press. "It's a different kind of spread.

"Although I don't agree with it, people say I just burst on the scene this year, so no one knows much about me, whether NFL GMs or analysts, so I get a chance to put my best foot forward."

The combine is must-watch for draftniks. But there are two combines. The one you see and the one you don't. Behind closed doors, where teams administer the Wonderlic test and where they record interviews with players, is where GMs and personnel men hope to find out what ingredients project success. Nowhere is that so important as quarterback.

Ryan Leaf famously missed a scheduled meeting with the Indianapolis Colts, angering then-head coach Jim Mora. Leaf's agent, Leigh Steinberg, said the quarterback was getting a MRI on his shoulder at the request of the Chicago Bears. Bottom line, the Colts had a two-hour meeting with Peyton Manning, walked away impressed, didn't get to talk to Leaf and drafted Manning with the first pick in the 1998 draft.

The San Diego Chargers moved from No. 3 to No. 2 to ensure they'd get their quarterback, trading two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and former Browns running back Eric Metcalf to the Arizona Cardinals. Like other teams, they liked Leaf's size and arm strength.

The price shouldn't be so high for the Browns to move up to get Griffin III, who seems much closer to Manning in maturity and leadership. We know he's much smarter than a fifth grader. Provided he's taller, too, and the meet-and-greet is as impressive as his combine numbers, it could be -- should be -- the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

On Twitter: @budshaw

Quinn had a chance to win the Broncos' backup quarterback job during the preseason and didn't take advantage. Now, he downplays how Tebow led a string of late, game-winning drives for Denver.

The Plain DealerBrady Quinn with the Browns during the 2009 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brady Quinn, the former Cleveland Browns quarterback, worked as a backup for the Denver Broncos each of the last two seasons.

Quinn, who can now become a free agent, was picked by the Browns in the first round of the 2007 draft. He started 12 games for them in the 2008-09 seasons, with the Browns going 3-9. That's no fair commentary on Quinn. The Browns were a lousy team, as they have, unfortunately, remained.

Cleveland traded Quinn to the Broncos on March 15, 2010 for running back Peyton Hillis and two low draft picks.

The former Notre Dame star has not thrown a pass for Denver. Last season, he was a backup for, first, Kyle Orton, and then for Tim Tebow.

The Broncos were 1-4 when Tebow replaced Orton as the starter. Overall, Denver had lost 20 of its previous 25 games. Tebow and a stout defense, though, led the Broncos to seven wins in their last 11 games to win the mediocre AFC West with an 8-8 record.

Tebow played a brilliant game as Denver upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-23, in a wild card playoff game. The New England Patriots then routed the Broncos, 45-10, in a divisional round playoff.

Quinn is apparently frustrated that he didn't get the chance to replace Orton.

Michael Silver writes about Tebow and the Broncos' season for GQ.

The story includes this quote from Quinn:

Early in the season, there was a game when Kyle [Orton] got hurt and the coaches were calling for me to go in, but Kyle got up and finished the game out. So I was the second-string guy. Then, a few weeks later, they decided to put Tim in. I felt like the fans had a lot to do with that. Just ’cause they were chanting his name. There was a big calling for him. No, I didn't have any billboards. That would have been nice.

Quinn, in another quote, doesn't credit Tebow for leding a remarkable string of late, game-winning drives. Says Quinn: 

The entire game, the defensive line is chasing the quarterback around, and that wears down the pass rush. Meanwhile, the defensive backs are chasing receivers, but you only throw eight passes, so they start to feel lazy. It only takes that one play, that one big pass, for a touchdown.

Quinn and Tebow were competing for the backup job to Orton when the Broncos closed their exhibition game schedule in Arizona on Sept. 1.

Quinn completed 4 of 12 passes for 26 yards and one interception. Tebow was 7 of 11 for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Tebow continues to be criticized for completing just 47 percent of his passes. He did, though, have the fourth-highest QB ranking among all quarterbacks in fourth quarter and overtime action.

Tebow's 13.7 yards per completion was among the league's best, as was his interception rate of just 2.2 percent. In fact, counting the playoffs, the second-year quarterback threw just one interception per every 53 passes.

And, of course, Tebow rushed for 660 yards, and 5.4 yards per carry.

About that 47 percent completion rate in his first season of extended play?

Two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants, a No. 1 overall draft pick, threw 197 passes as a rookie, completing 48 percent, and for just 11 yards per completion.

Strongsville Rotary will stage its annual B'laster Chili Open Golf Classic and celebrity auction for the 21st time on Saturday at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds.

View full sizePD fileThere doesn't figure to be any white stuff this weekend, but the annual Chili Open will unite local golfers for some outdoor fun to raise money for good local causes.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's not always about the good times.

Competitive golf and charity have gone hand-in-hand for years, whether it's the PGA Tour or a four-man scramble at your local course or club. Charity events have their own styles and formats, but the bottom line is that most raise money for local organizations that help the less fortunate.

A spokesperson for the PGA Tour said it donated $118 million to charities last year. The Rotary Club of Strongsville obviously is not on that level, but it has done more than its fair share over the years.

"I think sometimes we lose sight of what we're about," said club member Dennis Darr. "It's not so much about the food, the fun, the golf and having a good time. It's about raising money for those in need."

Darr is a foundation board member of the organization, which will stage its annual B'laster Chili Open Golf Classic and celebrity auction for the 21st time on Saturday at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. The popular and well-attended event has donated nearly $1.4 million to local charities over the years. This year there are 11 beneficiaries.

Entry fee is $40. While it appears the weather will not cooperate -- no snow is in the forecast -- that will not prevent the event from being held. It will still be chilly and chili will be a main staple of the event. Call 216-898-4719.

No messing around: The Kent State men's team, ranked 18th in the country by Golfweek, will waste no time in getting a taste of top competition when it kicks off its spring season in the fourth-annual Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate tournament at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, Calif. this weekend.

The 54-hole event is ranked as the fourth-toughest event in the country by Golf Digest and the field includes third-ranked Auburn, 13th-ranked Texas A&M, 15th-ranked UNLV, as well as Arizona, Baylor, Houston and San Diego State.

KSU coach Herb Page, in his 34th season, will take former St. Ignatius standout Kyle Kmiecik, Sugarcreek's Kevin Miller and Canadians Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Pendrith and Corey Connors.

Chance to learn: Do you think you know the Rules of Golf? The Northern Ohio PGA will give you a chance to learn more when it conducts a rules seminar on March 10 at Firestone Country Club. Mike Raby, a member of the PGA of America's Rules Committee, David Griffith, NOPGA tournament director, and Randy Iceman, a NOPGA rules committee member, will speak. The event is open to the public. Cost is $20. Call 216-765-1214.

Pair of Garys: Northern Ohio PGA members Gary Trivisonno and Gary Robison teamed to win the Tire Kingdom Senior-Junior Championship for the second straight year at the Abacoa Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla. recently. Trivisonno (Strongsville Golf Range) and Robison (Canton Brookside), both former Ohio Open champs, bested 16 other teams in the 27-hole event with a score of 13-under 95.

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

Detroit goes for its fourth straight victory overall and first three-game road winning streak in more than three years Tuesday night when it visits the Cleveland Cavaliers. Get in-game updates on Twitter from @PDCavsInsider

The Cavaliers' homestand continues as their Central Division rival Detroit Pistons come to town. Will the addition of Manny Harris help the Wine and Gold? Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerRookies Kyrie Irving goes up against Brandon Knight tonight at The Q.

(AP) -- The Detroit Pistons' improved defensive effort continues to pay off.

Detroit goes for its fourth straight victory overall and first three-game road winning streak in more than three years Tuesday night when it visits the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Pistons are in last place in the Central Division but have won seven of nine and three straight, including two victories over Boston last week.

Detroit (11-22) is coming off a 96-81 win over the Celtics on Sunday. The Pistons shot 37.8 percent, but scored 40 points off 24 Boston turnovers.

"I was happy with our guys," coach Lawrence Frank said. "Their intensity, the ability through defense (being) able to create offensive opportunities, the deflections to active hands."

Prior to its recent run Detroit had lost seven straight while giving up an average of 102.4 points. In the last nine games, however, it has allowed 91.7 points per game.

A big effort on the glass has been key as the Pistons have held a 5.4-rebound-per-game edge in that span. Jason Maxiell, whose move into the starting lineup coincides with the turnaround, had six points and 10 boards Sunday.

"I think we've found our effort, focus and intensity," said Greg Monroe, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. "Everyone on this team understands their role now, and we're all working."

Detroit also got another solid effort from Rodney Stuckey, who held Ray Allen to two first-half points. Stuckey shot just 2 of 10, but still averaged 25.0 points in four games last week.

While the Pistons are playing at their highest level of the season, Cleveland (12-17) is looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 1 and 3.

The Cavaliers are coming off a 93-92 victory over Sacramento on Sunday. The Kings' DeMarcus Cousins scored with 2.9 seconds remaining, but Kyrie Irving was fouled with 0.4 seconds left and hit two free throws to cap a 23-point game.

"Even if they didn't call a foul, I saw the lane open up a little bit and I was going to go for a layup," Irving said. "(Tyreke Evans) fouled me. It was a unique situation."

Cleveland shot 36.0 percent - its second straight game below 40 - but held Sacramento to 37.6 percent.

The Cavaliers have gotten consecutive good performances from rookie Tristan Thompson, who recorded his first double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds Sunday. He also had three blocks.

Thompson, who had 12 points and six boards against Miami two nights earlier, missed four games earlier this month with an ankle injury.

"I thought he played pretty good (against Miami) and I thought he started to get his confidence back," coach Byron Scott said. "I think the ankle is starting to get to a point where it's not a problem."

Cleveland beat Detroit 105-89 on Dec. 28 at the Palace, shooting a season-high 57.1 percent and putting six players in double figures. The Cavaliers have won three straight and 10 of 12 between the two.

The Pistons, who have won consecutive road games following a 1-12 start, haven't won three straight away from Auburn Hills since Jan. 19-Feb. 7, 2009.

-- By KATE HEDLIN,
STATS Writer

Veteran infielder took a physical on Tuesday and said he could sign a minor-league deal on Wednesday.

View full sizeAP fileAn All-Star selection with both the Twins and Nationals, Cristian Guzman will turn 35 this spring and is likely to sign a minor-league deal with the Indians on Wednesday.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- A locker that was supposed to belong to Jon Garland was cleaned out Monday when the right-hander didn't take a scheduled physical. On Tuesday, it was filled by shortstop Cristian Guzman, who -- like Garland -- is worn around the edges.

Guzman, a former two-time All-Star, took a physical and hit the field for a workout.

"I think I passed the physical because they let me on the field today," said Guzman, 33, who did not play last year because of a sore right shoulder.

Guzman said he could sign a minor-league deal on Wednesday. Manager Manny Acta would have no comment until something became official.

"I have a good relationship with Manny," said Guzman, who played for Acta in Washington. "He called me and asked me if I wanted to keep playing. I told him I wanted to keep playing and he said to come here and try to help the team."

It sounds as if Guzman will compete for the utility infielder's job. His last year in the big leagues was 2010, when he played for the Nationals and Texas. The switch-hitter batted .266 (97-for-365) with two homers and 26 RBI. He played shortstop, second base and right field.

Guzman said he had rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder three years ago and it prevented him from playing last year. He spent the first six years of his career as the Twins' shortstop. He then signed with the Nationals as a free agent.

Traded: The Indians traded lefty Kelvin De La Cruz to Texas on Monday afternoon for cash. De La Cruz was designated for assignment on Feb. 13 to make room for first baseman Casey Kotchman. De La Cruz had been with the Indians organization since 2004.

On the move: Kevin Slowey, one of pitchers competing for the fifth spot in the rotation this spring, was traded twice over the winter.

The Twins traded Slowey to the Rockies on Dec. 6 for minor leaguer Daniel Turpen. Just as Slowey was getting used to the idea of challenging Denver's altitude at Coors Field, the Rockies traded him to the Indians for reliever Zach Putnam on Jan. 20.

This spring he's competing with Jeanmar Gomez, David Huff and Zach McAllister for the fifth spot in the rotation. He has the most big-league experience of any of the candidates. Slowey went 39-21 from 2007-10 for the Twins, making 82 starts in 86 appearances.

Last year, Slowey lost his spot in the rotation at the end of spring training and went 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA in 14 games, including eight starts. He started the year in the bullpen and went on the disabled list in April with tendinitis in the right shoulder. He returned to the DL in May with a strained abdominal muscle.

The needle: Indians pitchers and catchers weren't the only ones getting physical Tuesday.

"I gave lots of blood," said Acta, with a laugh. "I don't know why you need that much blood. Maybe the manager has to lead by example, giving away that much. I thought it was a lot."

Finally: Indians pitchers and catches go through their first official workout Wednesday. ... The Indians have their prospects present in preparation for a mini-camp. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, last year's No.1 pick, is among them.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

It's been a bizarre and trying last three months for the shooting guard, who earned a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers on Tuesday.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerByron Scott wants Manny Harris to display a more-rounded offensive game in his current 10-day stint with the Cavaliers. "Last year he either shot a [3-pointer] or he put it on the floor and tried to get all the way to the basket," Scott said Tuesday. "I want to see if he has improved his ball-handling and mid-range game."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The start to Manny Harris' second NBA season potentially was delayed by 1) a freak accident in a machine designed to accelerate healing and 2) the outbreak of Lin-sanity.

It's been a bizarre and trying last three months for the shooting guard, who earned a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was recalled from the NBA Development League's Canton Charge, where he's excelled for more than a month after recovering from a freezer burn on the outside of his right foot.

The injury forced Harris, who did not have a guaranteed contract, to miss the Cavaliers' lockout-shortened training camp and it cost him his roster spot.

Despite averaging 21.4 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Charge, the unrestricted free agent saw 26 players recalled from the D-League before him. Harris admitted he braced himself for a long stint in the minors.

"I was trying to think like maybe it won't happen, so I could continue to play good and not think too much about it," said Harris, who played 54 games for the Cavaliers last season. "It had kind of affected me a little bit."

The lockout was filled with curious tales of how players spent their protracted off-season. Harris supplied one of the more unusual. In late November, he attended a camp at the Nike facility in Beaverton, Ore., for players representing Creative Artists Agency.

He stepped into a cryogenic chamber -- a new-age version of the ice bath -- while wearing wet socks. The machine produces temperatures as low as minus-166 Fahrenheit to oxygenate the blood and reduce muscle soreness. The wet socks and cold temperature led to the burn. A similar mishap occurred with sprinter Justin Gatlin last year.

"It was definitely frustrating because you didn't get hurt actually playing the game, you got hurt trying to recover a little bit," Harris said. "It was definitely frustrating but it could have been a lot worse. I tried to shake it off and prove that I belonged at the next level."

After he recovered, Harris joined the Charge, with whom he played the past 17 games.

He said three or four teams showed interest in him, perhaps none more than the New York Knicks. Harris reportedly was a possible replacement for a seldom-used Knicks guard named Jeremy Lin. But just before Feb. 10, the date all NBA contracts became guaranteed, Lin transformed himself into the story of the NBA season.

Meanwhile, Harris kept his appointed rounds with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Austin Toros and Bakersfield Jam, becoming the D-League's only two-time player of the week.

"I'm not a hater," Harris said of Lin. "It was nice seeing him go out and do that. I actually worked out with him last summer in Vegas. He's a good player."

The Cavaliers are thin at shooting guard with injuries to Anthony Parker (back) and Daniel Gibson (ankle). Coach Byron Scott has started small forward Alonzo Gee in their place but prefers to use him off the bench at his natural position. Gibson returned to the lineup Tuesday and started against Detroit.

Harris, the D-League's third-leading scorer, all but forced his way back into the NBA with his last two games, averaging 41.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.5 steals. He registered a 46-point game against Rio Grande Valley, the second-highest point total in the league this season.

"I want to see if he has matured as a basketball player and worked on some of the things we talked about after the season last year," Scott said. "Last year he either shot a [3-pointer] or he put it on the floor and tried to get all the way to the basket. I want to see if he has improved his ball-handling and mid-range game."

Because of the upcoming NBA All-Star break, Harris will dress for just four games in the 10-day span. The club must then decide whether to sign him to another 10-day deal, give him a contract for the remainder of the season or release him.

Harris likely will get a better look than point guard Ben Uzoh, released Sunday after appearing in two games while on a similar short-term deal.

"I'm back here and hopefully I can stick," Harris said. "It's tough, but they have seen me in D-League and they saw me last year so they know what I can do."

Positionally sound: The versatile Gee returned to his usual spot in the rotation, coming off the bench to spell Omri Casspi. Gee was 9-of-35 in the last three games and played nearly 42 minutes in Sunday's game against Sacramento.

"I think I'm wearing him out a bit," Scott said.

Ready for challenge: Scott had a short, pointed chat with point guard Kyrie Irving about being prepared to face other young guards who are gunning for the No. 1 overall pick. Sacramento point guard Isaiah Thomas, the last pick in the 2011 draft, registered 23 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds on Sunday against Irving and the Cavaliers.

Thomas said playing against Irving supplied extra motivation for him. What did Scott relay to Irving in their conversation?

"I can't say what I said on TV," Scott joked.

Dribbles: Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh attended Tuesday's game as a guest of Nick Gilbert, son of Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert. ... NBA TV has picked up two more Cavs games this season. The network will show the March 31 game at New York and April 23 game in Memphis. The games will still shown locally on Fox Sports Ohio.

A relaxed Shin-Soo Choo is ready for a big season after struggling on and off the field last year. Choo says his only goal is to stay healthy.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain Dealer"If I get 500 to 600 at-bats, my numbers are going to be there," Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo said Tuesday. "I don't feel the pressure. ... I just want to go out and have fun playing."

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Baseball has always been a serious business for Shin-Soo Choo. It might be a game to some, but it's hard to imagine it ever was for the Indians' right fielder.

For him it was always about pushing harder and harder to improve every year. He did it well, but with all that energy directed in one direction came stress and pressure. Still, the consistency of Choo's performance was an eye-catcher after the Indians acquired him from Seattle in July of 2006. He hit .295 in 45 games in 2006, .294 in six games in 2007, .309 in 94 games in 2008, .300 in 156 games in 2009 and .300 in 144 games in 2010.

Then came last year. Choo was arrested in May for a DUI. He suffered a broken left thumb on June 24 that required surgery and kept him on the disabled list until Aug. 11. When he returned, Choo hit .348 (16-for-46) before straining his left oblique muscle on Aug. 27 and going back on the disabled list.

Choo was activated on Sept. 15 and in his last at-bat of the season re-aggravated the oblique muscle on a groundout against Texas. He ended the year hitting .259 (81-for-313) with eight homers and 36 RBI.

There's no denying it was a bad year. Choo said it widened his range of vision. No longer is he boring relentlessly ahead to the exclusion of all else.

"Last year I had the injuries," said Choo. "Something bad happened. I learned from it. My eyes are more wide open. I see more. Before last I just looked straight ahead.

"I'm more relaxed. I don't have the stress. I just want to play. I feel really, really comfortable."

After last season, Choo had to go through four weeks of basic training in the South Korean army. All Korean men 30 and younger must serve two years in the military. Choo received an exemption after South Korea won the gold medal in the Asian Games after the 2010 season, but still had to go through training.

Perhaps Choo's military experience helped shape his new attitude.

"Before I went through the training, I'd be walking in the street and see soldiers. I'd say they're just soldiers," said Choo. "Now I know how tough their training is and how hard it is to stay there. I appreciate them much more."

Choo, 29, was the oldest in a unit of 180 men.

"The training was harder than I thought it would be," he said. "We learned how to use weapons and throw grenades. We had to march 15 miles a day twice a week, carrying 55-pound packs. At times, it was tough, but after that it was a good experience. You realize how much people sacrifice for your country."

Choo has always been goal oriented. This year he has only one on his mind. He wants to be in manager Manny Acta's lineup from Opening Day to the last day of the season.

"If I get 500 to 600 at-bats, my numbers are going to be there," said Choo. "I don't feel the pressure. I talked about this last year ... I just want to go out and have fun playing."

Last spring, Choo said he was worried about his contract. Should he sign a multiyear deal or keep going year-to-year until he's a free agent?

"Now, my contract is a contract," said Choo, who avoided arbitration and signed a one-year deal in January worth $4.9 million. "Now I just want to play. I don't know why, I feel so comfortable.

"If someone is talking bad about me, I don't worry about it. I'm just going to do my job."

Acta would like nothing better to see Choo get close to 600 at-bats as his starting right fielder.

"All Choo has to do is stay healthy," said Acta. "I'm convinced that if he hadn't had that broken thumb, his numbers would have been there in the end. He hit .340 (16-for-47) in the second half. All he has to do is stay on the field."

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Deshaun Thomas scored 19 points and No. 8 Ohio State regained its shooting touch after Saturday's loss to Michigan.

View full sizeJay LaPrete, Associated PressOhio State got another productive night from Deshaun Thomas (right) on Tuesday, as he scored 19 points to lead the Buckeyes past Tyler Griffey and fading Illinois.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Deshaun Thomas scored 19 points and No. 8 Ohio State regained its shooting touch, rolling over Illinois, 83-67, on Tuesday night to remain in the thick of the Big Ten race.

Ohio State shot 65 percent from the field.

William Buford, much maligned for his recent poor shooting, had 17 points, and Aaron Craft added 11 to go with five assists. Jared Sullinger, third in the conference at 17.5 points a game, managed just nine before fouling out.

The Buckeyes (23-5, 11-4) stayed on the heels of Big Ten leader Michigan State with three games remaining. The Spartans are 11-3 in league play.

Meyers Leonard had 21 for Illinois (16-12, 5-10), which has lost six in a row and nine of 10.

Irving and Gee combine for 30 of Cavs' 35 points in the fourth quarter

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerDetroit's Rodney Stuckey battles for space around the Cavaliers' Daniel Gibson during the first half of Tuesday night's game at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving and Alonzo Gee led a furious fourth-quarter comeback as the Cavaliers rallied for a 101-100 win over the Detroit Pistons in The Q on Tuesday night.

Irving added another chapter to his growing fourth-quarter heroics, scoring 17 of his 25 points in the period, including three 3-pointers. He also had a sensational, no-look, over-the-shoulder pass that sprung Gee for a breakaway dunk. That duo combined for 30 of the Cavs' 35 points in the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers (13-17) trailed by as many as 17 points in the third quarter and opened the final quarter trailing 77-66.

Antawn Jamison scored a game-high 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Gee finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Brandon Knight had 24 points for the Pistons (11-23).

Johnson said Irving is among the new crop of playmakers who are creating a buzz for the league.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer"Kyrie is doing it all," Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson says of the Cavaliers' rookie point guard, saying he'll be the NBA's Rookie of the Year. "He's so explosive. The difference is everyone game-plans for Kyrie. They don't game plan for some of the others."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving will win NBA Rookie of the Year honors. So says one of the league's greatest point guards and players.

Former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson said Wednesday that Irving is among the new crop of playmakers, along with Ricky Rubio, who are creating a buzz for the league.

"The rise of the young point guards has turned the game of basketball back to being an exciting game," Johnson said in a teleconference. "Kyrie Irving is the Rookie of the Year.

"Kyrie is doing it all. He's so explosive. The difference is everyone game-plans for Kyrie. They don't game plan for some of the others."

Johnson, an analyst for ESPN, also loves what he sees in Rubio, the Minnesota rookie who ranks fifth in the league in assists (8.4).

"I see a lot of myself in Ricky, the way he's always got his head up and his eyes are always seeing the floor," Johnson said. "But teams don't game-plan for Ricky in Minnesota. They game plan for Kevin Love and the others."

Fourth-quarter magic: Irving is making the fourth quarter his domain. Teammate Alonzo Gee is comfortable in the final 12 minutes, as well.

Irving entered Wednesday's game averaging 6.2 points in fourth quarters -- the fifth-best total among NBA players with a minimum of 20 games. He's also shooting 51.1 percent from the floor and 52.9 percent from behind the 3-point arc.

The 19-year-old is the most significant reason the Cavaliers have become one of the league's most dangerous fourth-quarter clubs. They are tied for third in scoring (24.5 points) with Golden State and New York.

"Everybody says the fourth quarter is a pressure quarter, but I feel like our team is really prepared in the fourth quarter," Irving said. "There's no pressure on us."

Gee, meanwhile, has scored 13 points four times in the final quarter. He ranks 24th in the league at 5.2 points. Although he seldom starts, the versatile swingman often finishes games because he's among coach Byron Scott's most reliable defenders.

"His confidence is at a high level right now," Scott said of Gee, who recorded his second career double double on Tuesday night.

Dribbles: Scott said he's hopeful of having center Anderson Varejao (fractured wrist) back for the final 25 games. That would place his return to the lineup March 18 against Atlanta. ... Anthony Parker (back) missed his 12th straight game. ... The Hornets were 0-21 when allowing at least 90 points this season. ... The Cavaliers return to practice after the All-Star break on Monday night.

Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston contributed to this report.

The Cavs shot 31.8 percent from the floor and were 6-of-27 from behind the 3-point arc.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerWednesday was that kind of night for the Cavaliers and Daniel Gibson (left), who went heels over head in failing to get this loose ball away from New Orleans' Greivis Vasquez in the first half at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NBA schedule-maker offered the Cavaliers low-hanging fruit on Wednesday -- the Western Conference's worst team playing its third game in as many days.

But on a night the Cavaliers had all the aim of a SpaghettiO-smeared toddler in a high chair, they couldn't take a bite out of opportunity. They shot 31.8 percent from the floor and failed to take advantage of the road-weary New Orleans Hornets in falling, 89-84, at The Q.

With a chance to head into the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak, the Cavaliers bricked mid-range jumpers, 3-pointer attempts and foul shots.

How bad was it? The Cavaliers trailed, 71-70, with 8:34 remaining and preceded to miss their next 12 shots and commit three turnovers in a five-minute span. Even then they only found themselves down by four points against an opponent that shot 40.4 percent.

However, there would be no late-game heroics from rookie Kyrie Irving, who was 2-of-13 from the field and tied his season low of six points. The starting backcourt of Irving and Daniel Gibson was a combined 3-of-22, including 1-of-11 from behind the 3-point arc.

"Bottom line is we couldn't throw it in the ocean," coach Byron Scott said. "We had great shots and we have a bunch of guys in that room that can make shots. Tonight, just wasn't one of those nights."

Scott warned his team not to "get on the plane" for home before playing the game, but he did not fault the effort although the Cavaliers (13-18) continue to fall behind early. The one player singled out was starting center Semih Erden (four points, three rebounds) who earned just eight minutes and never left the bench in the second half. Scott opened the fourth quarter with Ryan Hollins and Luke Harangody on the court.

"I just didn't think he was giving great effort. I really didn't," said Scott of Erden, who did little to stop the Hornets' Chris Kaman, who registered 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Scott often has turned to rookie Tristan Thompson (10 points, 10 rebounds) for the stretch run since losing Anderson Varejao to a fractured wrist on Feb. 10. But Thompson was a free-throw shooting liability, converting two of eight in a game the Cavs were 24-of-37.

The Cavaliers never held a lead against the Hornets (8-25), who are wards of NBA Commissioner David Stern. Cleveland managed just 20 points in the first quarter and 16 in the third. They trailed by as many as 12 late in the third period.

"You either come out on your heels or your toes and we have come out on our heels too often," Scott said. He said Irving told him in the fourth quarter "I just don't have my legs." The 19-year-old, however, said fatigue was not an issue.

"We were getting stops and we couldn't hit shots, including myself," said Irving, who had a career-high 11 assists. "My shots were going in and out. It was one of those nights where you look at the ball and say 'Go in for me once.'"

The Cavs were still within four with 1:04 left until Marco Belinelli hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 81-74.

Antawn Jamison had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs. Alonzo Gee added 13 points and five rebounds.

For more Cinesport video, go here.

Indians sign veteran infielder Cristian Guzman to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp. Meanwhile, the Tribe has parted ways with veteran right-hander Jon Garland.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Dan Wheeler is not the kind of reliever you expect to come to camp on a minor-league deal, but he's here because the opportunity is here.

Wheeler, 34, has been pitching in the big leagues since 1999. He's made 577 appearances, all but nine in relief.

"This is more about the opportunity," said Wheeler. "I don't like talking about the other stuff (big-league contracts vs. minor-league invitations). This was definitely the best opportunity for me.

"What I've done my whole career is get into a spot where the manager and coaches trust me. Hopefully, I can earn a spot here and get back in some situations that help us win some ballgames."

The front five of the Tribe's bullpen is set with closer Chris Perez and frontmen Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano, Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp. That leaves two openings in the pen and Frank Herrmann is the slight favorite for one of them.

Wheeler pitched for Boston last year. He went 2-2 with a 4.38 ERA in 47 appearances. Along the way he got a good look at the Indians bullpen.

"I remember playing them early last year," said Wheeler. "You see the tremendous arms they have down there. They went out in big situations and got the job done. That's really key for a bullpen."

The Indians swept a four-game series from Boston in April. For the season, they went 6-4 against the Red Sox.

"From what I noticed from afar, it's like these guys came out of the pen and were ready to be in those situations," said Wheeler. "They never shied away from that and that's important.

"You have to want the ball in that situation. Watching from the other side, it looks like that's what this bullpen has. Hopefully, I can be a part of that."

Boston's September collapse stung Wheeler in more ways than one. Not only was he born in Rhode Island, a part of Red Sox nation, but he lives in the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg, Fla., area. On the last day of the regular season, Boston lost to Baltimore. A few minutes later, Tampa Bay beat the Yankees in extra innings to win the wild card and eliminate the Red Sox.

"Last year we were in such a funk, we couldn't get out of it," said Wheeler. "I never want to be on that side of it again.

"I live in St. Petersburg-Tampa Bay. So it's even worse. I didn't want to leave my house for a month. Everywhere you see Tampa Bay hats. But it's in the past. As a bullpen guy and a baseball guy you have to have a short memory. I'm over it. I'm excited about this year."

Wheeler is going to have plenty of competition for a spot in the pen.  Veterans Chris Ray, Jeremy Accardo and Robinson Tejeda are in camp on minor league deals.

Done deal: The Indians have signed infielder Cristian Guzman to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league camp. Guzman, who did not play last season because of an injured right shoulder,  will compete for a job as a utility infielder.

He'll wear No.0.

Guzman, 33, took a physical on Tuesday.

Parting ways:  Veteran right-hander Jon Garland is no longer an option for the Indians.  They had agreed on a minor league deal just before the start of camp pending a physical.

Garland, who underwent rotator cuff surgery last year with the Dodgers, was scheduled for the physical Monday. He did not take it and the Indians and Garland have parted ways.

See a series of Chuck Crow photo galleries from the 2012 Cleveland Indians spring training sessions in Goodyear, Arizona.

See a series of Chuck Crow photo galleries from the 2012 Cleveland Indians spring training sessions in Goodyear, Arizona.

It's no wonder top quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III try to control what they can control at the NFL Scouting Combine, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeAP fileSure, levitation would be a great asset for an NFL prospect to display this week in Indianapolis. But perhaps the lack of such a superpower won't be cause for scouts to be too critical.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If NFL prospects were a tree, what kind of tree would they want to be?...

Get ready to hear that Robert Griffin III is hurting himself by choosing not to throw at the scouting combine. Just don't believe it.

Having top quarterbacks throw to unfamiliar wideouts in an unfamiliar space would give NFL scouts another measuring stick, sure. It might make the combine even more watchable for the NFL Network audience. But players and their agents can't be blamed for wanting to draw the line somewhere.

No big deal. The NFL gets to have it every other way this week in Indianapolis, putting prospects through agility tests, psychological screening, MRIs, drug tests, IQ tests and interviews missing only an earnest Barbara Walters. Former Ohio State lineman LeCharles Bentley remembers being asked if he could swim. Quarterback Jake Locker told a Seattle radio station he was asked to answer a hypothetical question he had no reason to ever entertain.

"I was asked if I had a 16-year-old daughter whether I'd let her be on birth control or not," Locker related. "That one kind of threw me for a loop. It caught me off guard. I didn't know what to say at first."

Former NFL safety Matt Bowen said in an article he wrote for the Chicago Tribune that one team asked if he preferred to wear a coat or a sweater in the winter. The Dolphins had him meet with a priest. He says he got multiple questions about a scar he got falling off a bike when he was seven years old.

And my favorite: One team official at the scouting combine asked Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton if he'd rather be a dog or a cat.

"You wonder if it's a house cat or a tiger," Barton said at the time. "If it's a tiger, then you're solid. But a dog can beat a regular cat. I always pick the dog."

Prospects are too afraid to say, "You're kidding, right?" for fear it would reflect badly on them.

As further evidence of the NFL's reach and influence, NFL Network now carries 50 hours of televised sprints, drills, interviews and commentary. The combine has a sponsor -- Under Armour -- which showcased its new E39 workout shirt a year ago. A built-in sensor measured breathing rate, heart rate and horse power of select prospects.

Just as it did at the Super Bowl Media Day in Indianapolis earlier this month, the league is inviting a select number of fans in to watch for the first time. That's supposed to happen the morning receivers and quarterbacks have the stage. Fans had to write an essay and send a picture to a Web site to get the free tickets. It sold out, of course.

I'm convinced the league could sell fans on the importance of every single drill, even if it included bizarro sports from around the world:

• Chess Boxing.

The world championships include two-minute rounds, followed by four-minutes of chess. The slogan: "Fighting is done in the ring. War is waged on the board."

What better way to test brains and brawn?

No, we're not kidding. Chess boxing

• Wife Carrying

An annual event in Finland. The combine version could include prospects completing an obstacle course while carrying their girlfriends or school cheerleaders.

To add a mental toughness component to it, Gisele Bundchen would insult the less coordinated prospects for being unworthy of her husband.

"What kind of training have you been doing?" "Drinking"

• Mind Ball

A Swedish company called Interactive Productline pits two competitors trying through concentration and mental clarity alone to move a ball to their opponent's end of the table. Always on the cutting edge, I now believe that's what the Browns were attempting at times on offense in 2011.

A simple case of mind over mind

But what do I know? I believe they need Robert Griffin III, whether he throws at the combine or not.

SPINOFFS

The guess is Griffin will measure under his listed 6-2 and 220 pounds and some personnel men will make an issue of it.

Go figure. As if a more mature Cam Newton Lite would be a bad thing?...

The Oakland A's, like every other MLB team, use this time of year to preach to their players to respect the game. So what does it say that they signed Manny Ramirez after he twice quit on teams and twice tested positive for performance enhancing drugs? Third time's the harm?...

Don't get your hopes up yet, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are well over the salary cap. They forced offensive coordinator Bruce Arians out. They replaced him with Todd Haley, who isn't known as a player-friendly coach.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says when he asked around the league about Haley he heard the gamut – "good, bad and indifferent."

All of which means the Steelers will probably go no better than 13-3. ...

Former Browns' quarterback Brady Quinn called comments attributed to him that were critical of Tim Tebow "inaccurate." According to the GQ Magazine article, Quinn questioned among other things Tebow's humility in making a show out of praying and said he would choose to pray with Broncos' teammates.

Maybe he should pray for a miracle, like getting on the field again someday. ...

In a related story, Broncos' fans -- showing no favoritism whatsoever -- pray together when the football leaves the hand of Tebow as well as Quinn...

A ESPN.com story about Lakers players calling a team meeting claimed that "some players are upset about what they perceive to be [Mike Brown's] ever-changing rotation." To that, Brown has every reason to say, "Rotation? What rotation?"...

As a NBA analyst, Shaquille O'Neal is a "before" advertisement for "5-Hour Energy"...

HE SAID IT

"It probably means he could also dominate the Shake Weight." -- ESPN NFL analyst Tim Hasselbeck on what it meant a year ago when Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea set a new bench press record at the combine.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Mid-Week Edition)

"Bud:

"Which will return to Cleveland first: Manny Ramirez, LeBron James or your bangs?" -- Chuck Levin

I'd have to say my comb-down, since it's expected to reach my forehead late in 2013.

"Hey Bud:

"If the Cavs did take LeBron back would there have to be a show called "The Resurrection"? -- Doug, Westlake

I'd prefer "The Insurrection."

"Hey, Bud:

"Before Wednesday's game, Lake Erie Monsters officials talked to more than 7,000 local students about the effects of bullying. During the game, there were two penalties for fighting, two for roughing and one for abuse of a referee. What lessons do you think these kids learned?" -- Tim, Twinsburg

Duck, Duck, Truce?

"Hey Bud:

"Does it count as a Lenten sacrifice if I give up listening to LeBron James' B.S?" -- Lance, Middleburg Heights

As much as not watching footage of The Drive or The Fumble does.

"Bud:

"Don't you think the economy must be really bad when a kid graduates from Harvard with a degree in economics and the best job he can get is working nights as a guard in Madison Square Garden?" -- Ron Cohen

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

"Dear Bud 'Lin' Shaw:

"Will the Indians front office get arbitration rings?" -- Fay R

Repeat winners have to settle for something else.

"Bud:

"What's crazier? Fausto Carmona being the advocate for not changing your name, the Shurmur-Aston Villa summit or the fact Jimmy Dimora's wife is still showing up to his trial?" -- Jim, Shaker Heights

Some repeat winners are held in contempt.

The triumph helped Akron (20-8, 12-1) to maintain first place in the MAC while locking down one of four first-round conference tournament byes.

View full sizeMichael Chritton, Akron Beacon-JournalAkron's Brian Walsh is not in the best position to beat Bowling Green's Scott Thomas to the basketball during the second half of the Zips' victory Wednesday night at Rhodes Arena.

AKRON, Ohio -- Back in the Mid-American Conference play, the Akron Zips rule.

A strong inside performance anchored a strong shooting night as Akron nudged past Bowling Green for a 79-68 victory Wednesday night in Rhodes Arena. It was a bounce-back victory after Saturday's BracketBuster loss at Oral Roberts.

The triumph helped  Akron (20-8, 12-1) to maintain first place in the MAC while locking down one of four first-round conference tournament byes. Combined with Ohio's 88-77 victory over Buffalo, the Zips have a three-game lead over the field with three games to play.

The loss dropped Bowling Green to 14-13, 7-6, making the Falcons' game Saturday against Kent State their last chance at staying in the hunt for one of the tournament byes.

The Falcons put up a gallant effort, as the Zips never led by more than 12. With 1:52 to play the Falcons had the ball, down 67-64. But Akron's Alex Abreu tipped the ball away from freshman guard Jehvon Clarke which led to a fast break and Brian Walsh layup.

"I saw an open lane and Alex threw a great bounce pass," Walsh said.

That gave Akron breathing room. One play later, Quincy Diggs picked off another steal, leading to a Demetrius Treadwell layup for a 71-64 lead.

"We didn't have many turnovers [eight]," BG coach Louis Orr said. "But they got 16 points off of them."

The Zips then closed the game out from the line, hitting eight free throws in the final 40 seconds. The Zips can lock up the first regular-season title in school history with a road victory at Ohio on Sunday (ESPNU, 8 p.m.).

"This is where the fun is," Walsh said. "We want to win out. We don't care what anybody else does."

One player apparently ready to join him is center Zeke Marshall. The 7-0 junior was in postseason form, delivering 16 points with seven rebounds and a blocked shot.

"We were just relentless," Marshall said. "We want to go into the MAC [tournament] with a good swag."

This game snapped Marshall out of a three-game stretch in which he failed to score in double figures.

"For us to win big, he has to play good," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said.

As for his Zips, Dambrot said he has a special group.

"The fact of the matter is we've never had a team 12-1 in the league," he said. "We've never had a team win an overall [conference] title. I know this team is different from any we have had before."

New offensive coordinator Brad Childress, who spent seven seasons working with Shurmur in Philadelphia, stressed that it's a joint effort.

View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated PressPat Shurmur will continue to call in the offensive plays for the Browns in 2012, although he'll have assistance from new offensive coordinator Brad Childress in the coaches' box. "It really is all collaborative," Childress said in agreeing with the decision. "It's not like somebody's going to pull something out from 1965 and everybody goes, 'What the hell is that?'"

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pat Shurmur solved the big mystery Wednesday of who will call the plays with former Vikings head coach Brad Childress hired as offensive coordinator.

Shurmur, who wore the dual hats of head coach and offensive coordinator last season, will still call the plays from the field, while Childress will be upstairs in a box, collaborating.

"Here we go," said Shurmur, who said he doesn't understand the fuss over the duties. "Unless things change, Brad will be upstairs.

"During the week, you decide what the plays are going to be. That's what you write on the card, and then you call them. There's constant interaction between the play-caller and the other people on offense. Every place I've been, that's always been the case. So, yeah, I'll be on the field right now and call [plays], but it's constant communication. People talk about halftime adjustments. Well, there's adjustments going on all the time, and that's why we wear the headsets so that we can communicate."

Shurmur has the edge in playcalling experience over Childress, three seasons to one. Childress called plays for one season as head coach of the Vikings, and then turned the chore over to his coordinator.

"In my case, I didn't think I could do justice to all the preparation that I spent as an assistant coach doing what I needed to do," Childress said. "Did I have a fundamental knowledge of everything that was going on? Absolutely, but I felt like I wasn't that pinpoint laser. That's just me, and that's why I gave it to Darrell Bevell, who knew exactly how I wanted it and did a great job."

Childress, who spent seven seasons working with Shurmur in Philadelphia -- including four as coordinator while Shurmur was quarterbacks coach -- stressed that it's a joint effort. It's a model Childress is familiar with from working under Eagles coach Andy Reid.

"It really is all collaborative," Childress said. "It's not like somebody's going to pull something out from 1965 and everybody goes, 'What the hell is that?' But it's all about the game-planning and really it's a huge deal really across the board, offensive-staff wise. Somebody's gonna wag it into the quarterback. Somebody's going to say it in the microphone. You can't do it from upstairs. But I think everybody's going to have a hand in it, and I'm good with it."

Shurmur acknowledged Childress' presence will enable him to get more of the big picture.

"I trust Brad, and I think that's an important piece," he said. "I worked with him for a very long time. We experienced a lot of winning together.

"Shoot, we used to jog every day in training camp together in the mornings. We lived in the same neighborhood. We were hired on the same day, so I have a long history with Brad."

He said he's not worried about being the boss after Childress was once technically his.

"I kind of felt like below the head coach level, we all worked together," Shurmur said. "I don't see that being a problem."

Likewise, Childress isn't concerned about going from head coach to coordinator.

"To be a good leader, you've got to have good followers. I do know that," he said. "I know what I'm charged with here and how I'm going to go about doing it. Pat's been real clear about that, and we're not going to have any trouble at all."

Richardson idle: Alabama running back Trent Richardson, whom the Browns will consider with their No. 4 pick, will not participate in combine drills because of a recent minor knee arthroscope, NFL Network reported.

Richardson suffered the injury in a practice prior to January's BCS title game and had the procedure about three weeks ago. Richardson is also not expected to participate in Alabama's Pro Day March 7.

QBs too: The top three quarterback prospects in the draft -- Stanford's Andrew Luck, Baylor's Robert Griffin III and Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill, will not throw here. Griffin and Luck have opted to wait until their Pro Days – March 21 and 22 respectively, and Tannehill is coming off foot surgery.

Childress on RG3: Childress passed up chances to draft Colt McCoy in Minnesota and hasn't evaluated him enough yet to offer a strong opinion. But he saw enough of RG3 last season to weigh in.

"I saw some great finishes, I know that," he said. "I saw all the comebacks you guys saw. The guy making plays that are there and some that aren't there and some having great skill guys he was able to find a way to wiggle away and get it to."

Hillis update: Shurmur indicated the Browns are trying to re-sign running back Peyton Hillis.

"I really liked what I saw when he was in there playing healthy," he said. "I can't really say at this point what's gonna happen there. We'll all know soon enough."

Franchise tag coming? Shurmur acknowledged the Browns are willing to use the franchise tag on one of their top players if they can't re-sign him to a multi-year deal. A source already said the Browns would franchise D'Qwell Jackson if they can't re-sign him.

"Obviously he's a guy we want back," said Shurmur. "We'll do what we have to do to make that happen."

Other candidates are Hillis and kicker Phil Dawson, who was franchised last year. Deadline for franchising is March 5.

Guard update: Shurmur said Eric Steinbach is doing well in his recovery from back surgery, but was noncommittal about his role for 2012.

"I talked to him quite a bit this off-season," said Shurmur. "He's getting better. We'll see how that goes through the process here. I wish I would've had the opportunity to see him this year. He's working out."

As for any thought of moving left guard Jason Pinkston to right tackle, Shurmur plans to keep him as a guard.

Receiving help: Shurmur hinted the Browns are leaning toward signing a veteran wide receiver.

"I think it's important if you can add leadership and experience to the team, but he's also gotta be a guy that can play," he said.

Plenty to offer: Shurmur disagreed with the notion that the Browns might be a tough sell to free agents.

"There's no place else I'd rather be," he said. "I really believe in the direction. I really believe in our process. ... Behind the scenes, I know we're trying to do the right things."

General Manager Tom Heckert will most likely meet here with the agents of several of the Browns' free agents. Team can start signing free agents on March 13. Shurmur indicated interest in keeping cornerback Dimitri Patterson and safety Mike Adams.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

For the Cavs, fatigue and frustration become a bigger opponent than the guys in the other uniforms on Wednesday.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerTristan Thompson had 10 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday night for the Cavaliers, but few of his teammates were as sprightly in a disappointing loss to the Hornets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This time, no fourth quarter comeback from the Cavaliers.

Instead, it was a game that ended with a thud, a backboard-rocking 32 percent shooting night and an 89-84 home loss to New Orleans Wednesday night.

So here comes the All-Star break with the Cavs having a "decent" 13-18 record, to quote coach Byron Scott. But he was not a happy man.

Yes, this has been a rather surprising and enjoyable first half of the season for a team that was supposed to be among the NBA's worst. Kyrie Irving has far exceeded even the most optimistic rookie forecast and Tristan Thompson (10 points, 10 rebounds) is showing promise on the boards and with his defense.

But Scott hated losing to a 8-25 team playing its third game in three nights in three different cities. Not only that, but his previous coaching stop was New Orleans. While he expressed to no special desire to win -- you can be sure he hated losing to his old team.

Scott is a very competitive man who is determined to teach this young roster how to win -- even on nights when it feels as if they are running down the court with cement trucks strapped to their backs.

For the Cavs, fatigue and frustration become a bigger opponent than the guys in the other uniforms. But New Orleans was experiencing the same problem -- and was the road team. The Cavs settled for too many jump shots. Guards Daniel Gibson and Irving combined to shoot a frightening 3-of-22 (1-of-11 on 3-pointers) from the field.

One lesson from this game for Irving -- when you are leg weary and driving to the basket seems too hard, making long jumpers is even more of a burden. Keep attacking the basket -- at least you may draw a foul.

Irving not only was 2-of-13, but just 2-of-2 at the foul line. In the previous three games, he was 18-of-18. Irving knows how to go to the rim, get knocked down, then get back up and make the free throws.

But once in a while, he looks like a 19-year-old rookie. This was one of those nights.

In four of the last six games, the Cavs have fallen into double-digit deficits. There have been winning fourth-quarter rallies -- with part of the reason being some players at the end of the game are not the ones who start -- especially Alonzo Gee and Thompson. They are two of the Cavs' most athletically gifted players. Their lively legs are a major asset, "especially on the defensive end," said Scott.

With Anderson Varejao (broken wrist) out for the last six games, the Cavs just seem slow with starters Semih Erden, Omri Casspi and Antawn Jamison on the front line. Jamison makes up for it with his scoring and his underrated rebounding.

Wednesday, Scott benched Erden for the second half because he didn't like the center's effort. That led to 29 minutes of Ryan Hollins, which is probably too much. But he did have six rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Cavs desperately missed the ever-energetic Varejao on this night. It also may have been worth using Samardo Samuels and Manny Harris for a change of tempo, but Scott kept the young players on the bench all night.

Scott said he planned to "dissect" the lineup and the source of the slow starts during the All-Star break. One thought may be to start either Thompson or Gee. Certainly it couldn't make their stutter starts any worse.

Boys divers from Northeast Ohio claimed four of the top eight spots Wednesday during the first day of the state championships in Canton. Division II diving finals for boys and girls opened the event. Division II swimming begins Thursday, as does Division I boys diving.

Boys divers from Northeast Ohio claimed four of the top eight spots Wednesday during the first day of the state championships in Canton.

Division II diving finals for boys and girls opened the event. Division II swimming begins Thursday, as does Division I boys diving.

The area's best finisher Wednesday was West Geauga's Noah Stone with a score of 408.95. Botkins' Logan Bauer bested the 24-person field with a 474.05 total.

Other locals in the top eight were University School's Noah Sterling (fifth, 404.30), Cuyahoga Heights' Brandon Rosolowski (seventh, 393.45) and Padua's Ryan Capp (eighth, 377.75).

The top area Division II girls finisher was Shanon Ramono of Perry, who placed 14th (317.05). Wauseon's Kendall Weber won with 432.50 points. Rocky River's Amanda Oster was 16th and Fairview's Alice Clark placed 17th.

Girls basketball

Brecksville 48, Normandy 44: The Bees held on in the Division I sectional semifinal at Valley Forge, outscoring the Invaders by three points in the second half.

The Bees, 13-8 and seeded fifth, had three players reach double figures in scoring -- Sarah Coronel had 15 points, McKensey Ryan had 14 and Jessica Lesesky scored 12.

No. 7 Normandy ends its season at 12-9.

Lakewood 55, Bedford 33: Jessica Garcia led the way with 23 points in the other Division I sectional semifinal at Valley Forge. Teammate Amanda Sacha added 10 points.

Lakewood, the sixth seed, moves to 8-13.

Rena Brooks paced the eighth-seeded Bearcats (4-17) with 12 points.

Lorain 64, Olmsted Falls 49: Alexandria Harris and Breanna Fortney combined for 33 points in the Division I sectional final at Elyria Catholic.

Lorain, the third seed and 17-3, also got 14 points from Madison Stoyka.

Twinsburg 78, Boardman 26: Maryland recruit Malina Howard and Ashley Morrissette combined for 47 points in the Division I sectional semifinal rout at Ellet.

The top-seeded Tigers, The Plain Dealer's poll champion, are 18-3. No Boardman player scored more than seven points.

Firelands 41, Fairview 38: Casey Morrissette gave Firelands the lead for good with 19 seconds left in overtime, stealing the ball and converting a layup for a 39-38 lead.

Morrissette and Destiny Samples each netted 12 points in the Division II sectional semifinal at Elyria as sixth-seeded Firelands moved to 15-6.

Fairview, 12-9 and the seventh seed, rallied from an eight-point deficit with 36 seconds left in regulation. It was held scoreless in the second quarter and managed just two points in overtime.

Fairview got a game-high 17 points from Kaitlyn Smith, including 11 in the fourth quarter.

Hockey

Strongsville 4, Westlake 0: Jake Maier scored in the second and third periods, and also assisted on a goal by Stephen Supanich in the sectional game at Brooklyn's John M. Coyne Recreation Center.

Brian Genco logged 27 saves as the Mustangs advance and move to 15-12-1.

NORDONIA, Ohio -- There's a reason the postseason is called the second season and Wednesday night, inside Nordonia's Hugh Griffith Memorial Gymnasium, was living proof. Seventh-seeded Beaumont proved its 5-15 record is deceiving by pulling a 53-46 upset victory over No. 5-seeded Tallmadge during a Division II girls basketball sectional semifinal tournament game. The Blue Devils bow at 15-6....

Revere’s Kristen Sawka and Woodridge’s She’kiera Brooks battle for a loose ball during their Division II girls basketball semifinal at Nordonia High Wednesday. Revere’s Abby Klein watches. Woodridge won, 48-43. - (Lonnie Timmons III, The Plain Dealer)

NORDONIA, Ohio -- There's a reason the postseason is called the second season and Wednesday night, inside Nordonia's Hugh Griffith Memorial Gymnasium, was living proof.

Seventh-seeded Beaumont proved its 5-15 record is deceiving by pulling a 53-46 upset victory over No. 5-seeded Tallmadge during a Division II girls basketball sectional semifinal tournament game. The Blue Devils bow at 15-6.

Third-seeded Woodridge escaped with its 21st victory in as many outings but struggled before topping eighth-seeded Revere, 48-43, in the nightcap.

"We just trapped and pressured the ball more in the fourth quarter," said Beaumont senior Annie Bova, who finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. It worked for the Blue Streaks, who will play Woodridge for a sectional title at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Beaumont, which committed 13 of its 19 turnovers in the first half, played a flawless fourth quarter while forcing Tallmadge into eight of its 18 turnovers.

"We actually stepped it up on defense and got aggressive in the fourth quarter," said Blue Streaks coach Sarah Kazanas. "We played like we wanted to win and that's the kind of desire we need to have for the entire game."

Maribeth Teresczuk, one of Beaumont's four senior starters, scored a game-high 18 points, followed by sophomore Kayla Coney with 10 points.

Tallmadge held a 32-20 advantage in rebounds and had sophomore Hallie Allen net 12 points while classmate Mary Ryan added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

• Check out The Plain Dealer's photo gallery on these semifinal games.

"We made some silly mistakes and turned the ball over more than we usually do," said Tallmadge coach Bill Johnson, who watched both teams combine for nine first-half 3-pointers.

"We got a little erratic and lost our wits, and our defense let us down a little bit in the second half."

Woodridge 48, Revere 43: The unbeaten Bulldogs got off to their usual slow start to trail Revere at intermission, 25-18.

"We were nervous and doing too much, because there's talk that we're not that good and that we're going to lose early in the tournament," said Woodridge senior She'kiera Brooks. "We just had to relax and run our offense, and we did that in the second half.

"You have to have a really soft touch around these rims, too, because they're kind of bouncy and we had to adjust to that."

The Bulldogs took the lead for good at 28-27 when 6-0 junior Lizzie Wilkinson struck for a put-back basket.

"We've been fighting the turnovers all year," said Revere coach Kevin Verde. "We've got a young team and we're learning how to deal with that with every game.

"Those are the kind of things you want to learn during the off-season and preseason and not on the fly. Hopefully, we'll learn from this but it's a tough one for the seniors to have your last game be so close."

Wilkinson scored 14 points and grabbed 10 of her team's 28 rebounds while freshman Morgan Thompson tallied a game-high 20 points, including a 3-pointer and 4-for-6 effort from the foul line down the stretch.

"We've been regrouping at halftime all season," said Woodridge coach Chris Esterak. "We were trying to force a lot of things in the first half but I told the girls at halftime to just do our thing: Move the ball around, and get it to everyone and we did that."

Senior Maria Pantich paced Revere (6-15) with 16 points but it was Gabrielle Vitez who turned in the best overall game of the evening. The junior accounted for 10 points, six assists, five steals, a blocked shot and 14 of the Minutemen's 25 rebounds.

"Gabby's a post player but in a guard's body," said Brooks. "When you post up on her, she can pump-fake and dribble around you because she has guard's speed.

"She's just an amazing player."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

On Twitter: @BobFortuna