"There's no reason why guys shouldn't go home and take a look at the playbook or video or something to figure out other things that they need to do," Scott said.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerWatching some of his players make the same mistakes repeatedly this season prompted Byron Scott to fire off some comments before Monday's game in New Jersey.

NEWARK, N.J. -- It's 42 games into the Cavaliers season, and there are still players who don't know all the plays and their assignments, coach Byron Scott said Monday night.

Maybe the lockout has been a factor. Perhaps the limited practice time is a culprit. But Scott doesn't believe there are excuses for four or five players to be so ill-prepared.

Scott cited small forward Omri Casspi only because he was asked a question about his recent play. The coach declined to reveal the other names.

"There's no reason why guys shouldn't go home and take a look at the playbook or video or something to figure out other things that they need to do," Scott said. "We gotta have guys that understand exactly what we're doing at all times. I'm not just pointing out Omri, it's a number of guys and we have to get better at that."

Casspi, who lost his starter's spot several weeks ago, was asked about the coach's assessment.

"If coach said so, I guess," said Casspi, who's averaging 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds. "I personally feel like I know the playbook. But there are obviously little tweaks you can learn.

"I don't think it's not knowing the plays. I feel like I know them well."

Scott, who prefers to use the Princeton offense, has chosen to simplify game plans with so many young and new players. He said there are even times when rookie Kyrie Irving demonstrates "laziness" and doesn't run a play properly.

This isn't the first time Scott has broached the subject. Several weeks ago he said guard Ben Uzoh, who was on the team on a 10-day contract, knew the playbook better than four or five players in the rotation.

"Then they wonder why their minutes go down," Scott said. "It's still very simple."

Hickson bought out: Former Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson was scheduled to become a free agent at season's end. His freedom from Sacramento, a place where he clearly didn't enjoy playing, arrived six weeks earlier than expected.

The Kings bought out the remainder of Hickson's contract on Monday. Multiple outlets are reporting Golden State and Phoenix are front runners to sign the 23-year-old power forward once he clears waivers. Several teams are expressing interest, but the Cavaliers are not believed to be one of them.

Hickson was traded to Sacramento in the deal that brought Casspi and a highly-protected first-round pick to the Cavaliers. A season after averaging 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds, Hickson has managed just 4.7 points and 5.1 rebounds with the Kings in a reduced role.

Scott was asked what Hickson must do to get his career back on track.

"The thing when he was here [was] we always talked about was the defensive end of the floor and not thinking about offense all the time," Scott said. "That was the biggest thing. I haven't had him for a year, I don't know what his thinking is and how he was preparing. All I can really say about J.J. right now is I wish him all the best and hope in his next spot he'll be ready to play."

Anthony Parker wasn't sure what to expect when Hickson got dealt to Sacramento.

"He played well for us and he's so talented," Parker said. "You thought he would produce for them and they would be happy with it. Obviously both [parties] weren't happy with it."

The Kings were in Cleveland on Feb. 18 and Hickson spoke like a player who would rather be almost anywhere except Sacramento.

Homecoming: Irving will get just two chances to play his "hometown" NBA team before it moves across the Hudson and East rivers to Brooklyn next season. Irving grew up in West Orange, N.J., just nine miles from Newark.

"I haven't played in this arena since high school," Irving said. "It will be that much more special, especially with them moving to Brooklyn next year."

Irving said he had an opportunity to go home on Sunday night and he purchased game tickets for six friends and family members. He's not sure how many tickets his father, Drederick, bought.

The rookie was asked how he knew the Cavaliers' second and final trip here was April 8.

"I know when I am coming home and seeing my family," he said. "I mark it down on my calendar."

The last word: Casspi on why he hasn't played as well as he had hoped thus far: "I don't know. That's probably a longer conversation than 10 minutes before a game. I would have to think about it a little more."

The state of Ohio is at the heart of the NCAA Tournament, with a record-breaking four teams in the Sweet 16.

View full sizeKeith Srakocic, Associated PressWhether wearing the colors of Ohio State, Ohio, Xavier or Cincinnati, the state's college basketball fans have a rare opportunity to stand up and cheer in this week's Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. "This whole region has traditionally had great basketball," says former Buckeyes star Jerry Lucas. "To see Ohio be the first to have four in the Sweet 16 — that's great."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On the way to the Sweet 16, March Madness has been swept up by the Ohio Four. The state is high in the middle, at the peak of the sport, and round on both ends because we're talking basketball, not football.

For the first time, one state has four teams among the last 16 standing in the NCAA Tournament, with Ohio State, Cincinnati, Xavier and Ohio University giving the state 25 percent of the teams still alive for the national championship. Not bad, considering Ohio has 13 of the 345 schools in the nation that play Division I college basketball -- or 3.8 percent.

Everyone knew Ohio would be a battleground state in 2012, but it figured to be in November for the presidential election, not in March on the basketball court. States such as California, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas have sent three teams to the Sweet 16 before, but it took a perfect 8-0 start to the tournament from the Buckeyes and three other teams from the Buckeye State to make history happen.

Since the tournament expanded in 1985, Ohio placed two teams in the Sweet 16 just three times previously, in 1992, 1999 and 2010. On 12 occasions, the state was shut out of the Sweet 16.

Now Ohio will be chasing its first national title since Cincinnati beat Ohio State in consecutive championship games in 1961 and 1962. Since then, 17 states and Washington, D.C., have seen teams claim titles, while Ohio is 0-3 in the national title game. Cincinnati lost in 1963, Dayton in 1967 and Ohio State in 2007.

Oddsmakers have made Ohio State the second favorite to win it all, behind overall No. 1 seed Kentucky, but regardless of what happens next, the stories of the tournament run through Ohio for the next three days.

View full sizeDonn Jones, Associated PressSean Kilpatrick and the Cincinnati Bearcats will face Ohio State for only the second matchup between the schools since the 1961 national championship game.

• No. 2 seed Ohio State and No. 6 Cincinnati meet in Boston in an East Region semifinal on Thursday at 9:45 p.m., the teams' first tournament meeting since those championships and just the second overall in the last 50 years. Ohio State won a neutral site regular-season matchup in Indianapolis in 2006, when the Buckeyes made it pretty clear they weren't interested in playing the Bearcats on a regular basis.

"Nah. The Xavier-Cincinnati game is probably good," OSU coach Thad Matta said then.

• Xavier, the 10th seed in the South Region, plays No. 3 Baylor in Atlanta at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. The Musketeers and Bearcats are bitter rivals that engaged in a bench-clearing brawl in December, yet both regrouped to make it this far.

That Xavier game will be called by Clark Kellogg, the former St. Joseph's High School and Ohio State star and current CBS analyst. His son, Nick, is a sophomore at Ohio, averaging 24 minutes and nine points per game. Clark Kellogg told USA Today he would never ask to call his son's games, but he would do them if assigned.

• Seeded 13th in the Midwest Region, Ohio will face No. 1 North Carolina in St. Louis at 7:47 p.m. on Friday. The Bobcats have advanced deeper into the tournament than any MAC team since Kent State went to a regional final in 2002. Ohio is coached by John Groce, a former assistant under Matta at both Ohio State and Xavier. Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals is a former player and two-year captain for the Bobcats.

Ohio beat Michigan in the first round, after Michigan coaches spent the last season referring to Ohio State as "Ohio," and Matta found irony in the Ohio-Michigan showdown.

One can only imagine how confusing it might be now with four Ohio teams to talk about.

"It's super for Ohio basketball," Ohio State legend Jerry Lucas, who played in three straight national title games, winning in 1960 then losing those two battles to Cincinnati, told the Associated Press. "This whole region has traditionally had great basketball. To see Ohio be the first to have four in the Sweet 16 -- that's great."

The NCAA Tournament started last Tuesday and Wednesday with the first four games in Dayton, an event that drew President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron. It might end with the state chasing a title.

For now, the tournament's middle belongs to Ohio.

Fellow rookie Kyrie Irving added 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds as the Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak.

NEWARK, N.J. – Eight months ago, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson were drafted by the Cavaliers in this very building.

Irving was the No. 1 overall pick, and he's played like it all season. Thompson was taken No. 4, and has been slower in his development, particularly on the offensive end. But Monday night in the Prudential Center both rookies delivered the kind of performances Cavaliers fans have dreamed about since they walked across the stage here on June 23, 2011.

Irving scored 26 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, to rally the Cavaliers to 105-100 victory before 11,254 fans. Thompson, meanwhile, had a spectacular night in just his second start. He scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds..

"We know Kyrie has had games like that, but Tristan in his second start, to come out and play like that was really encouraging," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "Again, we talked about with him his learning curve is pretty quick. To have a career night like he did was big time because the first half he really kept us with that lead because he played so well."

The last pair of rookie NBA teammates to each score at least 26 points in a game was Kevin Durant (47) and Jeff Green (27) on April 16, 2008 for the Seattle SuperSonics. Irving and Thompson played huge roles on a night the Cavaliers won their eighth road game, surpassing their total of seven last season.

Is this the first of many dynamic games for the duo?

"We'll see," Irving said. "Tristan played really well. Hopefully, he can have a lot of nights like this and contribute as well as he did tonight. He played really big for us, especially down the stretch on the defensive end."

Irving and Thompson combined for 20 fourth-quarter points and six rebounds to help the Cavaliers erase an 88-82 deficit with 8:22 remaining. The point guard had the Cavaliers' last six points, adding to his reputation for fourth-quarter heroics.

He entered the contest as the league's leading scorer (8.4) in the fourth quarter since Jan. 27, the night he had 19 of his 32 points in the final period against these same Nets. Irving did it just nine miles from his hometown of West Orange, N.J. He purchased six tickets for friends and family and got a rousing ovation from the crowd during pre-game introductions.

"I think I got as many cheers as some of the Nets starters," Irving said.

It also was a homecoming of sorts for Thompson and fellow center Samardo Samuels, who played high school ball at St. Benedict High School in Newark. But Thompson wasn't worried about catching up with old mates after a tough outing in his first start Sunday in a 103-87 loss to Atlanta. Thompson managed just seven points and six rebounds and was pushed around by Hawks center Zaza Pachulia.

"Last night, Zaza came out and outplayed me and coach let it be known," Thompson said. "I knew for myself and I took responsibility."

Against the Nets, Thompson played against Kris Humphries, a smaller opponent than Pachulia. Thompson had nine points after a quarter and 17 at the half.

The Cavaliers also received big efforts from Samuels (10 points and six rebounds) and Donald Sloan (11 points), who was just signed Friday after playing in the Development League. He was forced to play 19-plus minutes as Daniel Gibson suffered asecond-half ankle sprain.

The team did not have reserve guard Manny Harris available because he was accidentally marked inactive because of what Scott said was a "clerical" error in filling out the lineup.

Deron Williams had 28 points for the Nets.

Assessing the Browns' status at QB after Peyton Manning decides on Denver.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerAfter the latest round of NFL QB musical chairs, Colt McCoy remains the most-likely starter for the Cleveland Browns when the 2012 season begins. Of course, there's always the draft. ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Now that Peyton Manning has settled upon the Denver Broncos, there's a ripple effect in the NFL quarterback pool that extends all the way to Northeast Ohio.

Will it result in a big splash for the Browns? Or just another pebble in the pond? Here are some scenarios and some ramifications from Manning's decision.

1. Tebowmania: The Broncos are reportedly exploring a trade for 2011 sensation Tim Tebow. Will the Browns bite? It seems doubtful.

For now, the Browns appear set to go with Colt McCoy as their starter, or perhaps draft a quarterback such as Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill or Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden. During a conference call with season ticket holders on Thursday, Holmgren said "it's a little unfair to write [McCoy and Seneca Wallace] off right now and I'm not willing to do that."

Holmgren praised Tebow at his Pro Day in 2010, saying "he's going to make some team very happy." But would he take a chance on him? It'd certainly shake things up around here. But would the Browns be willing to overhaul their offense to suit the hybrid running back/quarterback?

The Dolphins and Jaguars are early candidates to land Tebow.

2. Flynn and Kolb set: When the Seahawks knew they had no shot at Manning, they signed former Green Bay backup Matt Flynn to a three-year contract worth a reported $26 million. The Browns had checked out Flynn, Holmgren told Seattle radio station KJR on Monday, but didn't pursue him. When the Cardinals were eliminated from the Manning derby, they paid former Eagle Kevin Kolb his $7 million bonus and kept him out of circulation.

3. The Dolphins Effect: Having lost out on Manning and Flynn, the Dolphins spent six hours Monday with 49ers free agent Alex Smith. But he left without a deal and re-opened talks with the 49ers. The Dolphins, in turn, signed former Jaguars quarterback David Garrard to a one-year deal.

Will the Dolphins -- who have the eighth pick in the draft -- try to land Tannehill, widely regarded as the third-best quarterback behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III? Their offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, coached him at Texas A&M. Do they like him enough to try to trade up to No. 4 to get him?

4. Hasselbeck out: With Manning snubbing the Titans, long-time veteran and Holmgren-protege Matt Hasselbeck will stick around and not be an option for the Browns.

5. Tannehill and Weeden: Will the Browns spend one of their premium picks on the third- and fourth-ranked QBs? It appears the Browns will either start McCoy or try to draft one of these two. They might also try to find a developmental quarterback later, and give McCoy another year to prove he can win with a better supporting cast.

6. Manning vs. the AFC North: Manning will play the AFC North this fall. If he's anything like his former self, he'll wreak havoc. Manning is 22-4 against the division, including playoffs (20-3 regular season). He's 5-0 vs. the Browns, who will play him on the road, with two TDs and six interceptions. He's 7-0 against the Bengals, 8-2 against the Ravens (including 2-0 in the playoffs) and 2-2 vs. the Steelers.

Dawson signs tender: Phil Dawson signed his franchise tender Monday. It's the kicker's second-straight year as the Browns' franchise player, with salaries of $3.175 million in 2010 and $3.81 million this year.

Dawson is the franchise leader in field goals made (276), while his 1,115 career points rank second (Lou Groza, 1,349) in team annals. He has converted on 276 of 332 field goal attempts for an 83.1 percent success rate, 10th all-time in NFL history. Last season, he connected on 24 of 29 attempts and all 20 PATs for a team-high 92 points.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Hickson averaged 4.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game this season. He had been bothered recently by back spasms and played only 6 minutes in the past 10 games.

Associated PressJ.J. Hickson (purple uniform) struggled with the Sacramento Kings this season and has been waived.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings have waived forward J.J. Hickson.

Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie announced the move Monday. Sacramento acquired Hickson last June from the Cleveland Cavaliers for forward Omri Casspi and a conditional future first-round draft pick.

Hickson played 35 games for Sacramento. He averaged 4.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per contest. He had been bothered recently by back spasms and played only 6 minutes in the past 10 games.

Hickson was a first-round pick by Cleveland out of North Carolina State in 2008.

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

Associated PressRick Nash (photo) and the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at 7. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's sports TV and radio listings

BASEBALL

1 p.m. MLB, Atlanta vs. Detroit, ESPN

4 p.m. MLB, Milwaukee vs. L.A. Dodgers, MLB Network

7 p.m. MLB, Toronto vs. Boston, MLB Network

GOLF

Noon Tavistock Cup, Golf Channel

HOCKEY

7 p.m. NHL, Chicago at COLUMBUS, Fox Sports Ohio (preview)

8 p.m. NHL, Phoenix at Dallas, NBC Sports Network

10:30 p.m. NHL, San Jose at Los Angeles, NBC Sports Network

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

7 p.m. NIT, Massachusetts at Drexel, ESPN

9 p.m. NIT, Oregon at Washington, ESPN

NBA

7:30 p.m. Phoenix at Miami, NBATV (preview)

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

7 p.m. NCAA, teams TBA, ESPN2

7 p.m. NCAA, Georgetown vs. Georgia Tech, ESPNU

9:30 p.m. NCAA, teams TBA, ESPN2

9 p.m. NCAA, Florida vs. Baylor, ESPNU

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL

6 p.m. Lorain County All-Star Basketball Games, WOBL/1320-AM

Who will win the Indians' third-base job? Paul Hoynes reports from Goodyear, Arizona. Video includes interviews with Chisenhall and Hannahan.

Paul Hoynes reports from Indians spring training.

Who will win the Indians' third-base job? While some think Jack Hannahan has for all intents and purposes won the job over Lonnie Chisenhall, manager Manny Acta is not likely to make a final decision until towards the end of spring training.

The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes reports on the friendly competition from Goodyear, Arizona. Video includes interviews with Chisenhall and Hannahan.

For more Cinesport video, go here.

"I'm just looking forward to getting back to playing under Romeo," Quinn said of why he chose the Chiefs. "I think he's a smart choice. I think he definitely knows how to take care of players and put us in the best possible position to win."

AP PhotoBrady Quinn has gone to Kansas City. Where will Tim Tebow end up?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eric Winston usually gets about 50 mentions on his Twitter feed after a game. When he visited the Kansas City Chiefs during the start of free agency, the veteran right tackle got hundreds of them from random fans trying to court him.

"I loved it. I thought it was really cool," Winston said. "I thought it was great they were so into it. They knew everything was going on; they knew who I was. They knew what I could do. It was just another piece of the puzzle."

All the pieces added up to a $22 million, four-year deal.

On the same day word spread that Winston had agreed to terms, the Chiefs announced that they had signed former first-round draft pick Brady Quinn to back up Matt Cassel at quarterback.

Winston will take over at right tackle for Barry Richardson, who struggled mightily last year and became a free agent. Winston helped Houston become the NFL's second-leading rushing team.

"We are very happy to add a quality right tackle like Eric to our team," Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said. "He is a smart lineman who is going to bring passion, intelligence and toughness to our offense."

Winston was in the fourth year of a $30 million, five-year deal when he was cut by the Texans to save salary cap space. He also visited the Miami Dolphins.

Turned out that Kansas City was the most aggressive.

"They did so much more than any other organization," Winston said. "Most organizations the GM calls and says, 'Hey, we're excited to have you,' or the coach calls and says, 'We're excited.'"

Instead, Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel logged multiple calls, along with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. The Chiefs may have ultimately sealed the deal when they took Winston to an upscale barbecue joint, which left such an impression that Winston tweeted about it.

Winston said he was not very familiar with the Chiefs. He's bumped into Cassel a couple times, and he knows running back Jamaal Charles by reputation.

"To be honest, Kansas City wasn't somewhere that if I had to pick off the top of my head, 'Where would you want to go?' Kansas City wasn't that place," Winston said.

"It was just choosing the right situation for me and my family," he said. "Tell you the truth, I thought it was more of a rust-belt city, but when you get there, it's far from it."

Quinn started 12 games over three seasons with Cleveland, where Crennel once served as the head coach and Daboll was the offensive coordinator.

The former Notre Dame star completed 52 percent of his passes for 1,902 yards and 10 touchdowns with nine interceptions in Cleveland. He spent last season as a backup in Denver.

"I'm just looking forward to getting back to playing under Romeo," Quinn said of why he chose the Chiefs. "I think he's a smart choice. I think he definitely knows how to take care of players and put us in the best possible position to win."

That familiarity is the biggest reason Quinn said he turned down a more lucrative offer from the Broncos to sign with the Chiefs. He also alluded to Denver's courtship of Peyton Manning.

"If you look at the Denver situation, there's a lot of unknowns," he said. "It's a great organization, having been a part of it for two years and all that, but I felt like for me personally, it was a better situation to go to Kansas City."

Quinn said that he'd been told Cassel was the starting quarterback, but Pioli and Crennel have both said they want the incumbent to experience a challenge in training camp.

"Obviously there is going to be competition, like there should be on every team in every room," Quinn said. "Competition makes everyone better. That's just how the league is."

Read the Sporting News' early look at five teams that make the most sense for Tebow's next destination. Yes, the Browns are on this list.

AP PhotoWhere will Tim be Tebowing next season? The jury's still out.

Although the Denver Broncos and their fans should be excited about Peyton Manning becoming their next starting quarterback, it also means the end of the Tim Tebow era. When Manning’s contract is done, various media reports say, the team will try to trade Tebow.

Here's an early look at five teams that make the most sense for Tebow's next destination:

New England Patriots

In addition to bringing back Tebow's former coach in Denver, Josh McDaniels, as their offensive coordinator, they also brought in two former Broncos receivers, wideout Brandon Lloyd and tight end Daniel Fells. Although McDaniels' passing game is in excellent hands as he reunites with Tom Brady, Tebow's versatility would be appealing for special rushing packages.

There's a good chance the Patriots will need to replace their best red zone runner from a year ago, free agent BenJarvus Green-Ellis. New England is one of the league's most innovative offensive teams, and Tebow would serve it nicely as a physical fullback type or Wildcat QB near the goal line.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars signed former Dolphins starter Chad Henne to pair with 2011 first-round pick Blaine Gabbert — but the team, under new owner Shad Khan, must at least consider what Tebow’s impact would do to re-energize a hungry fan base.

Tebow, a high school star at nearby Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and a two-time college national champion at the University of Florida, remains extremely popular in his home state.

Bringing him to Jacksonville — even if it's in the part-time role of a runner/Wildcat-style quarterback behind Henne or Gabbert — would ignite a good second wave of Tebowmania. With Tebow and Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jaguars would have a pretty physical, tough running combination.

Miami Dolphins

So much for the Dolphins making a big offensive splash in free agency to please owner Stephen Ross. Not only did they lose out on their desire to land either Manning or former Green Bay Packers backup Matt Flynn to be their next starting quarterback, they also traded away their game-changing wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, to the Chicago Bears.

With Manning choosing Denver, it also means free agent Alex Smith will likely return to the San Francisco 49ers instead of sign with Miami.

So why not Tebow? Like Jacksonville, the Dolphins offer the Florida connection, and after bad offseason PR it wouldn’t hurt to bring in the NFL’s feel-good story of last season.

With their lack of moves and AFC East rivals the Patriots, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills looking like better teams in 2012, the Dolphins need the spark that Tebow's energy could provide.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns are intent on sticking by Colt McCoy as their starter, but why not consider Tebow as a Plan B and have them compete in training camp? Tebow brings similar skills that could help him within the team’s rhythmic, short-passing game and also offers a stronger, more athletic body.

The Browns also could use some sort of offensive excitement in the AFC North, where the three other teams made the playoffs last season.

With Peyton Hillis leaving for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Browns need a new face of the franchise and someone to take over as their best power runner. After just getting replaced by another Peyton, Tebow can fill both bills to replace Hillis.

Related: How Peyton Manning's decision trickles down to the Browns' QB Situation

Minnesota Vikings

They go into 2012 with second-year player Christian Ponder as their projected starting quarterback, but they might need more rushing alternatives to workhorse feature back Adrian Peterson. While Peterson is working his way back to health from the major knee injury — he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee on Dec. 24 against the Washington Redskins — the Vikings could use Tebow to help their power running game.

Tebow would also get a chance to work with his favorite target from college, Percy Harvin. With Harvin, who is something of wideout-running back hybrid, and athletic tight ends Kyle Rudolph and John Carlson, the Vikings have the pieces to operate a creative, versatile offense.

Tebow could help them even if he's taking just a handful of snaps under center, and a Tebow-Ponder combination should make Florida and Florida State fans equally happy.

-- Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

Will the Browns make anymore free agency news? Who will they take at No. 4? Should the Cavs look at bringing back J.J. Hickson? Should we be concerned about the Tribe's starting pitching so far this spring?

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 12:15 p.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

Will the Browns make any more free agency news? Who will they take at No. 4? Should the Cavs look at bringing back J.J. Hickson? Should we be concerned about the Tribe's starting pitching so far this spring?

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

If the Denver Broncos release or trade Tim Tebow, should the Browns pursue him?

Joe Mahoney, Associated PressTim Tebow

The Denver Broncos got their man in quarterback Peyton Manning. That means Tim Tebow's time in Denver is probably over.

It's likely that the Broncos will either trade Tebow or release him. If that happens, should the Cleveland Browns pursue Tebow? Would the Browns be better off with Tebow instead of Colt McCoy?

Which player will Manny Acta choose to start at third base?

Aaron Harris, CorrespondentWhich player will Manny Acta chose to start at third this year?

The most competitive battle in spring training is between Jack Hannahan and Lonnie Chisenhall when it comes to which player will start at third base this year.

Paul Hoynes, who covers the Tribe for The Plain Dealer, says the competition has been good but also a friendly competition between the two players.

Hannahan is veteran. He made his MLB debut in 2006. He's a career .231 hitter. Chisenhall made his MLB debut this past season. He hit .255 his rookie year.

Bass has been indicted in Ohio on a felonious assault charge on allegations he intentionally ran into the Toledo marching band, knocking down a member, as he took the field when the teams played in November.

View full sizeCourtesy Elite ScoutingJamaal Bass

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Northern Illinois linebacker Jamaal Bass has been indicted in Ohio on a felonious assault charge on allegations he intentionally ran into the Toledo marching band, knocking down a member, as he took the field when the teams played in November.

The Lucas County grand jury also indicted the redshirt freshman from Miramar, Fla., on a misdemeanor assault charge.

Bass had been suspended following the 63-60 victory at Toledo. Coach Dave Deren had apologized to the band and the university, saying the program was embarrassed.

The Blade newspaper in Toledo reports that a recording allegedly shows Bass jumping shoulder-first into the face of a band member and knocking over another.

Messages to the Northern Illinois athletic department were not immediately returned today. No defense attorney was listed in online court records.

The Tribe can increase it's base steals behind Michael Brantley.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerMichael Brantley

The Cleveland Indians finished 11th in the American League last season in steals. They were successful only 68 percent of the time, writes Ohio.com reporter Sheldon Ocker.

So should manager Manny Acta do more to emphasize the steal? Not necessarily. It’s difficult to imagine Travis Hafner and Shelley Duncan racing from base to base ahead of the throw.

On the other hand, Michael Brantley probably could run more than he has. In 2011 he stole 13 bases and was caught five times for a 72 percent success rate.

Brantley is one of the few Tribe players capable of stealing bases.

Brantley thinks he can be one of those guys, writes Ocker, and Brantley says he's looking forward to putting some pressure on the defense with his abilty to steal bases.

More Tribe

Jeanmar Gomez is making a strong case to join the Tribe's rotation, writes Joey Nowark on MLB.com.

Paul Hoynes writes on Cleveland.com how Jeanmar Gomez pitched well in his first start.

Watching Kyrie Irving lead the Cavs to yet another late victory on Monday against New Jersey gives Cavs fans a reason to dream.

Joshua Gunter/The Plain DealerWith rookie point guard Kyrie Irving leading the way, the Cavaliers are giving fans hope and a reason to smile.

There are times when sports works just right for me ... like watching Monday's Cavs' game.

I didn't have a bad day, just a stupid one with annoyances, delays and the frustrations of helping someone with a tax return. I needed some diversion, and the Cavs supplied it.

In the final moments of their 105-100 victory at New Jersey, I was suddenly cheering in front of the television set as Kyrie Irving did it again.

Fourteen points ... in the fourth quarter.

Yes, Tristan Thompson had a career high of 27 points, but let's not pretend he's turning into another Larry Nance or Karl Malone.

But notice those 12 rebounds?

If recently cut J.J. Hickson can average nearly 10 rebounds a game in four months under Byron Scott, Thompson can turn into a 10-rebound a night man for the Cavs coach.

All Thompson has to do is think rebounds. Then the dunks and easy baskets will come, especially with a point guard such as Irving slicing up defenses and setting up teammates for layups.

TIMEOUT: I have no interest in Hickson (bought out by Sacramento) returning to the Cavs. Here's a guy heading to free agency and he couldn't play hard. One of the goals for the rest of this season should developing Thompson and Samardo Samuels, two young big men. Not need for Hickson to take away playing time.

Antawn Jamison is valuable as a role model in terms of practice habits and other lessons that the Cavs want taught to the young players. Did you notice how emotionally involved the 35-year-old Jamison became in that game? He was cheering on his teammates, debating calls with officials and wondering what happened to his jumper (an ugly 5-of-20). But he grabbed 13 rebounds and made some strong defensive plays at the end of the game.

This was one of those nights in the NBA where a young 17-26 team (the Cavs) and a very bad 15-32 team (the Nets) put on a fun show. The Nets are the worst home team in the NBA (5-17), so it's not as if the Cavs went into Miami and cooled off the Heat.

But watching Irving lead the team to yet another victory gives Cavs fans reason to dream. He scored 12 points in the final 4:13, including 4-of-4 at the foul line in the last 27 seconds.

In the standings, this wasn't a big game. But it was an important one to Irving, who is from New Jersey. Family and friends were in the stands. Talented New Jersey point guard Deron Williams fiercely attacked Irving, driving to the hoop, shoving Irving around when the Cavs rookie made his moves on the dribble.

Williams ended up with 28 points, but shot a dismal 8-of-23. Irving had 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting.

Irving will turn 20 on Friday. He's numbers are eye-popping for a young man who played only 11 games at Duke: 18.7 points, 5.6 assists, .47 percent from the field, 40 percent on 3-pointers and 87 percent from the foul line.

This is at least the fifth game that Irving has won with big plays in the final minute of the game.

I also enjoyed Donald Sloan making the Erie Bayhawks proud by scoring 11 points in his second game with the Cavs. The bullish 6-foot-3 point guard shot 4-of-6 from the field and showed a knack of driving into traffic and delivering passes to teammates.

Can Sloan be the next Alonzo Gee, a player the Cavs found in the D-League who became a significant part of the team? The Cavs need to find out, because they need a backup to Irving. Please, Daniel Gibson (now with a sprained ankle) and Anthony Parker are not the answer.

Sloan played four years at Texas A&M, averaging 17.8 points and shooting 44 percent as a senior. Gee averaged 15 points and 7.2 rebounds as a senior. Like Sloan, he wasn't drafted and battled through D-League, along with being cut by a couple of NBA teams.

You can find guards in the D-League. The Knicks did it with Jeremy Lin, the Bulls with John Lucas.

I confess to some extreme exuberance about the Cavs, but why not? We all could use a nice night of entertainment.

Plain Dealer Tribe beat reporter says defense gives him the edge over Lonnie Chisenhall. Watch video

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

Indians spring training is beginning to wind down in Goodyear, Ariz., and the starting job at third base has yet to be decided. Which player do you think will end up as the starter: Lonnie Chisenhall or Jack Hannahan? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes, who says he anticipates that Hannahan will emerge as the starter, especially when you consider his outstanding defense.

Hoynsie also talks about Michael Brantley's hamstring injury; and whether Casey Kotchman will give the Tribe what it needs at first base.

SBTV will return Wednesday.

Ward finished 2011 with just 46 receptions, the fewest since his rookie year in 1998.

AP fileHines Ward

PITTSBURGH -- Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward retired today rather than try extending his career with another team.

The decision comes three weeks after Ward was released by the Steelers in a salary cap maneuver. The 36-year-old Ward is the franchise's all-time leader in every major receiving category, including receptions, yards and touchdowns. Ward said following his release he believed he "still had some football in him," but changed his mind.

Ward was the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 Super Bowl after catching five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 21-10 victory over Seattle.

The four-time Pro Bowler saw his playing time decrease last season behind Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown. Ward finished with just 46 receptions, the fewest since his rookie year in 1998.

Hollins was averaging 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 24 games this season.

View full sizeCleveland Cavaliers center Ryan Hollins was waived today by the club.

Will the Browns make any more free agency news? Who will they take at No. 4? Should the Cavs look at bringing back J.J. Hickson? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerShould Browns fans be upset that Mike Holmgren talks about the team to a radio station in Seattle? Terry Pluto talks about this and more in his weekly podcast.

Will the Browns make any more free agency news? Who will they take at No. 4? Should the Cavs look at bringing back J.J. Hickson?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Can Tristan Thompson be a regular contributor to the Cavs' offense?

• Should we be concerned about the Tribe's starting pitching so far this spring?

• Who will win the third-base job for the Indians?

• Will the Browns go after any lineman in free agency?

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

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

The Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises talked with CineSport's Noah Coslov about the Ohio State Buckeyes' matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Thursday.

PD fileOhio State's Deshaun Thomas, left, is a big key to a Buckeyes win over Cincinnati this week.

For more Cinesport video, go here.