As Kentucky stormed to the title, there was growing concern about the state of furniture throughout the Bluegrass State.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerKentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist tumbled to the floor after being fouled by Jeff Withey in the first half Monday night in New Orleans. Kidd-Gilchrist shook off the injury and didn't leave the floor.

NEW ORLEANS -- Topics to ponder at the end of the basketball season.

1. Kentucky fans burned couches as part of their celebration of the Wildcats' Final Four win on Saturday. In the Kentucky student section before Monday's game I saw two CBS signs: Cats Blockin Shots and Couches Burning Soon. Let's all give our couches a hug today.

2. Rain poured down in the hours before tipoff, leaving fans soaked or darting for taxis. But there's no doubt that New Orleans is a great host city for a sports event. Like Indianapolis with beads.

3. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas was hammering this all weekend on Twitter, and he's right. The NCAA public relations campaign asking if people still think athletes are dumb jocks is silly. The promo even ran on the courtside video board at the Final Four, and if fans didn't catch the whole message stretched out across midcourt, sometimes you'd just see "Dumb Jocks." It would be like a campaign asking fans "Do you think all our coaches are cheaters?" and then stretching cheaters out alongside the court. There's no reason to remind people of what you are trying not to be.

4. There are 18 days until Ohio State's spring football game.

Controversial John Calipari finally wins the NCAA championship, with a model that defines the transient game of this era.

View full sizeMark Humphrey, Associated PressJohn Calipari has taken a winding and energetic road from coach at little-known outposts to a national champion coach at college basketball's bluest of blue bloods.

NEW ORLEANS -- John Calipari, scoundrel by association, began taking outliers from obscure conferences to places they had seldom, if ever, gone a generation ago.

Now, he has done the ultimate at storied Kentucky, thriving as no one else has amid the upheaval of the NBA rule mandating a gap year between high school and the pros. It's one-derful and done for the oft-accused, never-convicted Coach Cal and his transient student-athletes after a 67-59 victory over Kansas in the NCAA championship game Monday night.

Soon, the lottery ping pong balls will be hopping for as many as six of them, says Coach Cal, who occasionally comes off as a buyer at the Keeneland Yearling Sales.

Love him or watch him leave before the sheriff arrives, Cal -- the showman, the interview room wit, the sideline dancer with the pirouettes, the short guy with the tall skeletons rattling in his closet -- has built the model for modern college basketball success, planned obsolescence and all.

After Purdue, North Carolina State, and Ohio State could not blunt Kansas' comebacks, Coach Cal, his plausible deniability still intact, had the horses in thoroughbred country to do so. His team won 38 games and lost only two, the most victories in the rich history of Kentucky basketball.

He shapes and reshapes his changing teams with unchanging demands. He doesn't play guys who don't play defense. He fosters the altruism of passing and collective concerns in an era of self-aggrandizement and arrogance. He has done so despite having eight players leave for the NBA after their freshman seasons at Memphis, and he has had eight more go at Kentucky.

He is the ultimate coach who doesn't rebuild, he reloads. Or maybe, given the turnover in personnel and his continual success, he rinses and repeats.

He outcoached Thad Matta last year in an upset in the Sweet 16, when Ohio State was the top overall seed. He twisted and writhed, fist pumping in triumph and then kicking a leg out in disappointment in the most pressurized game any Kentucky mentor ever coached, in the semifinal fight to the finish against bitter rival Louisville.

Down the stretch Monday, as Kansas pecked away at what had been an 18-point lead, and a 16-point advantage in the second half, Calipari twisted a towel, the way Houston's Guy V. Lewis did in an upset loss to North Carolina State, the way UNLV's Jerry Tarkanian did in a stunning loss to Duke. In a way, he was reliving his own history, an excruciating overtime loss to Kansas at Memphis in the 2008 championship, while holding on to the good luck token that had forsaken others.

But Calipari's real security was the new team he did not so much unveil this season as unsheath. The most dominant player on the floor was 6-10 Anthony Davis, a freshman of course, who affected everything Kansas did in the paint.

Davis was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, despite scoring just one basket in 10 shots. He had only six points, but he had 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals, six blocks and a flying, pterodactyl challenge of Elijah Johnson, who was spotted up for a 3-pointer in the last half-minute. It startled Johnson into a walk, strangling the comeback.

Calipari at this stage of his career has so much, including a contract in excess of $5 million annually. But what he lacks, including a reputation for adhering to high ethical standards and for complete honesty, amounts to a great deal, too.

Before he got to Kentucky, Coach Cal somehow skipped untouched among the stones in the hail of allegations about his star players at both Massachusetts and Memphis. UMass' Marcus Camby was found guilty of consorting with agents and Memphis' Derrick Rose was accused of cheating on his entrance exam. Both teams' Final Four appearances were vacated by the NCAA.

Bobby Knight said he doesn't understand how Cal is still a coach. Some of us don't understand how the tempestuous Knight remained at Indiana despite being a Vesuvius with legs for years, but he has a point. Knight was never in trouble with the NCAA. Without question, he stressed his players' education.

Coach Cal says why single him out? There's a lot of that early exiting going on. Look at North Carolina. Look at Duke. Look at Ohio State a few years ago.

"I mean, you know, Steve Jobs left [college], Bill Gates left. The integrity of their schools were at stake when they left. They should have stayed and not changed the world," said Calipari.

So who gets to be Jobs and who gets to be Gates? Probably not Davis. After a loss three weeks ago in the Southeastern Conference Tournament final to Vanderbilt, Davis said, "Coach said we were getting ignorant."

"Arrogant," corrected Calipari.

What does one expect from players who have spent a whole semester in college and who soon will be leaving for the NBA?

Potayto, potahto. Tomayto, tomahto. Ignorant, arrogant. It's too late, though, to call the whole thing off.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

The party is just beginning in The Big Easy, but these thoughts linger.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerConfetti rained down on the new college basketball champions after Kentucky's triumph Monday night.

NEW ORLEANS -- The party is just beginning in The Big Easy, but these thoughts linger.

1. Kentucky's championship was won on defense and the expediency of players just passing through managing to mesh for a common cause. It is, in its way, a remarkable coaching job. It is also enough to make the purists, the two of them left in the college game, throw away their TV remotes.

2. I read a Tweet the other night, sweeping the dirt out from under the, uh, rug. It was about Kansas coach Bill Self, and it made the same claim -- that Self's immaculately coiffed hair was not what it appeared to be -- as my friend, the retired Toledo Blade columnist John Gugger, suspected. In 2001, I was in Dayton, covering an NCAA sub-regional, when a crush of officials and players near the court brought me to a halt, inches from Self and the Illinois team he coached at the time. Peering intently, I confirmed Gugger's suspicion, due to a small strip of bald skin visible only at close range. I never wrote it, but now I've got to defend my peerless investigative powers and my buddy's uncanny instincts.

By the way, Self's toupee is the best one I ever saw.

3. Great players have a short shelf life. A great coach like Rick Pitino is different. For all the storms about Pitino's flexible sense of loyalty, he has taken three teams to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville) with one title, at Kentucky in 1996. He was the first apostle of the 3-point shot. His Kentucky teams restored pressing defense to a prominence the tactic had not enjoyed since John Wooden's zone press at UCLA. Fashion-challenged with denim uniforms at Kentucky and those retina-searing day-glo orange things at Louisville, he still deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Dick Vitale is in the HOF, admittedly as a broadcaster. So how high can the bar be?

4. The feeble attendance by Ohio State fans was baffling. It wasn't that way in Atlanta in 2007, when the Greg Oden-Mike Conley Jr. team reached the championship game. That team was much more consistent than this year's Buckeyes, and Oden was the lovable, wounded bear of a big man with his broken hand. Jared Sullinger never really filled the role of dominant post player, but the expectations were unrealistic because of his size. Still, there is no doubt this year's Buckeyes overachieved.

I'm not sure what more fans could have asked, other than for good seats at the Scarlet and Gray game.

Patrick Nicely, a Willoughby South graduate, saw playing time in 30 games in 2009 to ’11 and was a starter in 19 of those. He closed out his UA career with 3,358 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

AP PhotoPatrick Nicely, a Willoughby South graduate, saw playing time in 30 games in 2009 to 2011 and was a starter in 19 of those. He closed out his UA career with 3,358 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Akron senior-to-be quarterback Patrick Nicely has voluntarily left the Zips football team, coach Terry Bowden announced Monday.

“Patrick and I met earlier today and he informed me that he’s going to leave our program to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, and we will honor that request,” Bowden said. “We wish him the best of luck and are thankful for all that he has done for this program.”

Nicely, a Willoughby South graduate, saw playing time in 30 games in 2009 to ’11 and was a starter in 19 of those. He closed out his UA career with 3,358 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

CMU hires Davis: Central Michigan is hiring Keno Davis as its new basketball coach.

An athletic department spokesman said CMU will hold a news conference this afternoon to introduce Davis, who replaces Ernie Zeigler. Zeigler was fired last month after back-to-back 21-loss seasons.

Davis was the Associated Press national Coach of the Year in 2008 when he was at Drake. He then went to Providence, where he coached three seasons before being fired last March.

Marshall wins Cousy award: North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall has won the Bob Cousy Award, which goes to the nation’s top point guard.

Marshall was still wearing a brace on his right wrist, which he fractured during a drive to the basket in the third round against Creighton. He declared for the NBA Draft earlier this week.

Brown leaves Texas: Texas guard J’Covan Brown says he will skip his senior season and enter the NBA Draft. Brown was the Big 12 scoring leader this season. He averaged 20.1 points and shot 37 percent from 3-point range.

Petrino hurt in crash: Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino, 51, veered off a two-lane highway and crashed his motorcycle southeast of Fayetteville Sunday night, sending him to a hospital and leaving him in what his family described only as “stable condition.” He is expected to make a full recovery.

Nike is taking over the pros from Reebok with a gala uniform unveiling set for Tuesday in New York City. The design details are a closely guarded secret at the Oregon-based shoe and apparel maker, but some images — there's no way to know if they're real or fake — have circulated on the internet.

View full sizeAllan Brettman / The OregonianThe 32 football jerseys that Nike designed for the NFL were under wraps on Monday at the NFL Shop at Draft that opened in Manhattan. The jerseys will be unveiled this morning, but won't be available for purchase until the day of the draft, April 26.

PORTLAND, Ore.  — Back in 1998, Oregon and Nike teamed together to tinker with the Ducks' traditional but tired uniforms. Out went emerald green and lemon yellow, in came spruce, mallard and a little something called "lightning."

That was just the start. The gaudy uniform craze that began with Nike co-founder Phil Knight's alma mater has gripped every school from Maryland to Boise State, hitting Notre Dame and Michigan along the way.

Is the NFL next?

Nike is taking over the pros from Reebok with a gala uniform unveiling set for Tuesday in New York City. The design details are a closely guarded secret at the Beaverton-based shoe and apparel maker, but some images — there's no way to know if they're real or fake — have circulated on the internet.

The biggest changes will likely be in the performance aspect of the uniforms, like newer lightweight fabrics and a sleek silhouette, but a few teams could get the Cinderella treatment.

Nike isn't commenting until the big reveal.

"I think that what we'll see is a subtle homage to the collegiate revolution in uniform design, but in the framework of arguably the most successful sports franchise there is, the NFL, which is more steeped in tradition that the college landscape was when Nike really got into it with Oregon," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the university's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center.

The Ducks signed their contract with Nike in 1996. After the first major makeover in 1998, the school introduced the Nike-designed "O'' logo in 2002.

The Oregon Ducks uniforms that started Nike's gaudy uniforms trend. (University of Oregon photo)

In 2003's opener against Mississippi State, the Ducks wore neon yellow from helmet to shoe, which some dubbed the "Human Highlighter." In 2006, Oregon introduced black uniforms, while "wings" were incorporated to jerseys in more recent years in a nod to the school's mascot.

"We aren't like USC or Notre Dame or Penn State or Alabama, which are really traditional," said Jim Bartko, who holds the title of executive senior associate athletics Director at Oregon and has close ties to Knight. "Our philosophy was that every four years we were going to change, so that every player that comes into Oregon in the football program will have a chance to be a part of a design."

Today Oregon has five different helmets, seven jerseys and six pants for 210 possible uniform combinations, enough to carry them through 17-plus seasons, minus bowl games, which usually get new garb. And that's not counting different shoes, socks and undershirts.

Old-schoolers claim that Oregon's countless uniforms are an annoying distraction, while kids see them as cool. There's no doubt that they benefit the Ducks in lots of ways, from merchandise revenue to the immeasurable buzz among potential students and recruits.

"It's taken off," Barko said. "I don't think we would have ever thought back in 1998 that the uniform craze would be where it is now. Our goal and philosophy has always been to be a step ahead of everybody. If they want to copy us or follow us, that's great. We want to be the leader."

Copycats abound. Arguably the most shameless was Maryland's so-called Pride uniform, a hodgepodge of so many elements that one critic suggested it looked as if someone had thrown up the state flag and put it on a jersey.

The uniforms were the work of Under Armour, whose CEO, Kevin Plank, played football at Maryland. Say what you will about the design, they got noticed.

"If this university had to go pay for that publicity, we'd be broke," Terrapins coach Randy Edsall said at the time.

Many college programs, even the most traditional ones, are bandwaggoning with throwback uniforms or even "alternate" jerseys, so as not to stray too much from convention. Notre Dame and Michigan wore retro adidas attire to mark last season's first night game at Michigan Stadium.

The Fighting Irish's showy shamrock-emblazoned helmet still raises the ire of some of the team's more stodgy followers.

"I think in some ways we're seeing now what we always see with marketing, which is that a good idea is originally seen as innovative, but now that everyone is going it is becoming sort of commoditized," Swangard said. "I think some teams have almost tried too hard, whether it's the highlighter uniforms of Baylor in the tournament, or what Maryland did with their uniforms this past season.

"Now people are doing it just to do it, rather than doing it to convey something about the school's brand or its athletic brand."

A handful of teams, like USC and Penn State, are still shunning the trend for now. But Nebraska — Egads! — will wear an alternate adidas jersey at a home game this season, athletic director and former coach Tom Osborne told The Associated Press on Monday.

"It does seem to appeal to the student-athletes. Most older fans don't get overly excited about it," he said. "We're walking a fine line because we are traditional, but we also recognize the fact that we don't have to stay the same all the time."

That said, Osborne suggested the iconic "N'' on Huskers' helmets isn't going away.

"We will protect our tradition," he said.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports. Where will the Indians finish in 2012? Could the Browns really take Ryan Tannehill at No. 4? We'll answer those questions and more.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions today at 2:15 P.M.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports.

Where will the Indians finish in 2012? Could the Browns really take Ryan Tannehill at No. 4?

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.

Could the Kentucky Wildcats defeat an NBA team?

APJohn Calipari

The Kentucky Wildcats smashed Kansas in the National Championship game and finished the season at 38-2.

All five Kentucky starters will play in the NBA and center Anthony Davis, the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft, is a shot-blocking machine.

Are the Wildcats good enough to defeat an NBA team? Are they good enough to defeat the worst team in the NBA, like the Charlotte Bobcats (7-43)? The Bobcats are so bad that they shoot free throws like this.

So who would win in one game?

Tom Brady's sixth-round selection has become the stuff of not only football lore but the counterpoint to taking quarterbacks the NFL Draft's first round. Still, teams with a dire need at signal caller often deflate their fan bases when they address other holes with their initial selections.

Dave McDermand, Bryan-College Station Eagle Ryan Tannehill is regarded as the third-best quarterback in the draft, but is he a reach at No. 4?

Tom Brady's sixth-round selection has become the stuff of not only football lore but the counterpoint to taking quarterbacks the NFL Draft's first round. Still, teams with a dire need at signal caller often deflate their fan bases when they address other holes with their initial selections.

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III have cemented themselves as the No. 1 and 2 picks available in 2012's Draft—in some order—shining an optimistic light for Indianapolis colts and Washington Redskins fans.

But how critical has going all in on first-round quarterbacks been recently compared to those in later rounds?

We'll take a quick look at quarterbacks drafted in the first round compared to those taken in Rounds 2-7 since that fateful Brady draft in 2000. Obviously, the correlation to success will be higher for first-round picks because of scouting and opportunity, but it's interesting to see to what degree.

Of the 32 quarterbacks chosen in the first round since 2000, 12 have won a postseason game (37.5 percent) as starter: Ben Roethlisberger (10), Eli Manning (8), Joe Flacco (5), Aaron Rodgers (4), Mark Sanchez (4), Philip Rivers (3), Michael Vick (2), Chad Pennington (2), Rex Grossman (2), Jay Cutler (1), Alex Smith (1) and Tim Tebow (1).

Of the 122 quarterbacks drafted in Rounds 2-7 during this period, five have won a playoff game (0.04 percent). Six have even started in one, when you add Andy Dalton. Four of them — Drew Brees, David Garrard, Marc Bulger and Tom Brady —were drafted between 2000 and 2002. The only quarterback drafted in Rounds 2-7 to win in the postseason since then is T.J. Yates, and the only one with a definitively successful career but no playoffs wins is Matt Schaub. Yates and Schaub play for the Houston Texans, who made their initial playoff appearance last season. Schaub was injured during the season, and Yates was his replacement come playoff time.

From 1998-2003, five of the six Super Bowl winners did not feature a starting quarterback that was selected in the first round, with Trent Dilfer breaking the streak. Yet it has been a different case in the eight seasons since then, with the only champion not boasting a first-rounder being Brees — who was selected just on the cusp with the 32nd overall pick in 2001.

In other words, hitting on a hidden gem at quarterback has been growing increasingly rare since Brady was drafted. The only other quarterback arguably considered a star right now that wasn't taken at least by early second round is Tony Romo.

Nine out of the 12 teams in the 2012 postseason (75 percent) were quarterbacked by first-round picks. If one were to pencil in Luck and Griffin as starters for the Colts and Redskins in 2012, then 19 of the 32 likely starting quarterbacks (59 percent) would be first-round selections.

-- Thomas Emerick, Sporting News

Virginia Tech running back David Wilson is one of the big-name draft prospects visiting the Brown today. Most of the top players on their radar will be in town this week.

Dave Martin, Associated PressVirginia Tech's David Wilson is visiting the Browns and is on their radar at No. 22 or No. 37.

CLEVELAND --Virginia Tech running back David Wilson is one of the big-name draft prospects visiting the Browns today, a league source said.

 Wilson (5-10, 205) is a back the Browns are considering with their No. 22 or No. 37 overall pick. Another is Boise State's Doug Martin, who's also in town this week.

 The Browns will look to either Wilson or Martin if they don't draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson with their No. 4 overall pick.

 A junior, Wilson started only his final season at Virginia Tech, rushing 290 times for a school-record 1,709 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. He has added value as a kick returner, notching 59 returns for 1,285 yards and two TDs.

 Wilson said scouts clocked him in 4.35 to 4.4 during his Pro Day last month.

 NFldraftscout.com's Dane Brugler writes "Wilson is an explosive player with impressive quickness, agility and body strength. He runs fast and strong with the rare ability to either make guys miss or run through them. He accelerates in a flash with plus speed, but only uses it in the open field and clear daylight. Way too patient between the hashmarks and much more comfortable bouncing outside and working in space.''

Browns coach Pat Shurmur said at the NFL Owners Meetings "it's fair to say'' the Browns can find a starting running back beyond the No. 4 pick.
 

CLEVELAND -- Five  thoughts -- none deep -- for Tuesday:    1. ProFootballTalk reports LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a four out of 50 on the Wonderlic test.  If true, that's still not nearly as worrisome as a historically low score for a quarterback such as Vince Young, who reportedly registered a six before boosting his score to the mid-teens....

Michael Conroy, APLSU defensive back Morris Claiborne is the first in his 2012 class to get slimed by a report on a low Wonderlic score.

CLEVELAND -- Five  thoughts -- none deep -- for Tuesday:
 
 1. ProFootballTalk reports LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a four out of 50 on the Wonderlic test.

 If true, that's still not nearly as worrisome as a historically low score for a quarterback such as Vince Young, who reportedly registered a six before boosting his score to the mid-teens.

 Even at that, Dan Marino (reportedly) scored a 16. How'd he work out?

 There are reasons for the Browns to pass on Claiborne at No. 4 -- like the fact he isn't a wide receiver, quarterback or running back -- but the Wonderlic test score isn't anywhere near the top of the list.

2. Writer Steve Rushin's Monday night Tweet on Kentucky's one-and-done national championship team: "Kentucky is playing with joyful abandon. College is the best eight months of your life."

3. Kansas head coach Bill Self on Kentucky: "They did a great job. They're playing with pros. That didn't hurt."

Not that he has a problem with Kentucky recruiting a bunch of players who are using college basketball as a layover on the way to the NBA. He's just sayin.'

4. There's precedent for a pitcher being suspended in spring training for throwing at somebody as the Indians' Ubaldo Jimenez was Monday.

Colorado's Jeff Francis got a five-game suspension for throwing behind San Diego's Kevin Kouzmanoff. Clint Hurdle, the Rockies' manager at the time, got suspended one game.

The difference? Both teams already had been warned. Francis and Hurdle were ejected.
 
5. Advice for major league hitters: If you're going to talk bad about a pitcher in public, scan the MLB rosters for a knuckleballer or Jamie Moyer. They don't throw in the '90s.

(Jimenez still throws in the '90s, right?)

Three pieces of advice for  pitchers: don't hit a guy who's been ripping you in the paper, at least not on the first pitch; don't come off the mound like you've just heard Michael Buffer say, "Let's get ready to ruuuuummmmmble."

And don't do either of those with the commissioner in attendance.
  

"I think in the Browns case give Colt some weapons and if that doesn't work you have a pretty nice team set and next year go hard for the top quarterback. To draft an iffy quarterback this year with all our needs just doesn't make sense." -- Moosie

Sarah Glenn/Getty ImagesIs Ryan Tannehill an 'iffy' QB prospect in your mind?

Many draft experts are saying the Browns should take Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill at No. 4. While the Browns will certainly consider that, they'll also bring in Michigan State's Kirk Cousins and Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden for workouts as possible picks later on in the draft.

However, a Sporting News article posted on cleveland.com earlier today, finding a quarterback that can take you to and win in the playoffs is becoming tougher to do beyond the first round. So, is Tannehill worth it at No. 4 or is he a bit of a reach.

Moosie chimes in with today's Comment of the Day.

"Quarterbacks are the most important player on the team we all get that but when you have little talent should you build the team first that is the question. Jim Plunkett is a prime example of a great player drafted by New England with no help was injured and altered his career. I think in the Browns case give Colt some weapons and if that doesn't work you have a pretty nice team set and next year go hard for the top quarterback. To draft an iffy quarterback this year with all our needs just doesn't make sense."

What do you think? Get in on the discussion and respond to Moosie's comment below.

"It's nice to see the Reds commit to their talent, but at what point in the 10 year length of this contract does the contract go from being an asset to being a liability?" -- WSorBust

AP PhotoIs Joey Votto worth $225 million over ten years?

When news of Joey Votto's 10-year, $225 million extension with the Reds hit Indians Nation, many Tribe fans reacted with surprise and asked, 'How can the Reds can spend that kind of money, when the Indians can't?'

Even Indians closer Chris Perez chimed in, by Tweeting, "So much for Ohio being small market..."

However, some fans on cleveland.com are wondering if the Reds' opening of their pocket books will bite them in the long run.

WSorBust has this take in today's Comment of the Day.

"It's nice to see the Reds commit to their talent, but at what point in the 10 year length of this contract does the contract go from being an asset to being a liability. He is 28 now and will be 38 when the contract expires. My guess is that after 4 or 5 years (at most) they will try and dump his contract on one of the big market teams. Don't forget, he's not getting $22.5 million each year. No doubt the numbers are smaller up front and bigger on the back end.

There's not a single player on the Tribe that is worth that kind of money. And for that matter, neither is Votto."

Another fan, mdjake, writes,

The Reds must be crazy. I assume that they have him insured with Lloyd's of London in the event he gets hurt. Unless you are the Yankees that's the kind of contract that cripples your organization for years unless most of it is deferred. Most likely he will be on the payroll until he's 80 years old.

What do you think of Votto's mega-deal and what, if anything, does it say about the Indians? Get in on the discussion in the comments section below.

Cavaliers are trying to break a season-long, seven-game losing streak

View full sizeCleveland Cavalier Kyrie Irving is expected to play Tuesday night versus the San Antonio Spurs

Nike unveiled "new" uniforms for all 32 NFL teams at a press conference in New York today. In most cases, the look of the uniforms is similar to last year's uniforms made by Reebok.

View full sizeCourtesy of NikeNdamukong Suh stands from and center in Nike's photo of its new uniforms for all 32 NFL teams, though the Detroit Lions saw no changes to their logo or colors.

Nike unveiled new uniforms for all 32 NFL teams at a press conference in New York today. In most cases, the look of the uniforms is similar to last year's uniforms made by Reebok. One exception is the Seattle Seahawks.

The uniform the Browns showed off is almost identical to previous seasons with one notable difference: it's brown. The team wore white uniforms for every game last season.

Kansas kept coming despite falling behind time and time again during the tournament.

David J. Phillip, Associated PressKentucky coach John Calipari (left) and Kansas coach Bill Self.

The Kansas Jayhawks fell to Kentucky in the NCAA Finals but the Jayhawks proved they had guts. The take-away from the 2011-2012 Kansas University basketball team is the memory of team bonding, relentless effort, and embracing adversity, writes Tim Keegan of LJWorld.com.

The best team in college basketball, one that looked and played more like an NBA roster than a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, won the national title. The runner-up won a lot of hearts.

“From start to finish, there’s been no team I’ve ever been around that improved this much,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “There has been no team I’ve been around compete this hard. There’s been no team I’ve been around that was able to take whatever situation dealt them and respond to it favorably, and there’s been no team I’ve been around that represented our university or themselves or their families any better than this one has.”

The Wildcats (38-2) demoralized so many teams on their path to a national title. But Kansas had a confident bunch of basketball players who never let anyone do that to them, as proven by the late comeback Monday night, writes Keegan.

“The fight never stops with us guys, man,” Taylor said. “From Thomas to Kevin (Young) coming off the bench. We just were fighting the whole game.”

As usual, Self summarized the night from his team’s perspective better than anyone.

“We came up short,” he said. “But you know, I don’t think we lost. I think they just beat us. I’m real proud of our team.”

More national championship news

Kentucky sophomore set the pace for the Wildcats against the Jayhawks (Kentuckysports.com).

Young Kentucky team shows how old they can play (Courier-Journal.com).

Here's what Bill Livingston thinks after Monday's game (Cleveland.com).

Four things Doug Lesmerises thinks after Monday's game (Cleveland.com).

John Calipari is not done doing it his way (CBSSports.com).

Kentucky would have probably beaten Ohio State worse than it did Kansas, says Bill Livingston. Watch video

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

The Ohio State Buckeyes had a good season by advancing to the Final Four. Many said the Buckeyes should have advanced to the championship game, and even won the title. But columnist Bill Livingston says the Buckeyes overachieved by getting as far as they did.

Livingston also discusses national champion Kentucky, and how Anthony Davis reminds many of Bill Russell. Just how good is Kentucky? Today's poll wants to know if the Wildcats are good enough to defeat the Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA?

SBTV will return Wednesday.

How will the Indians do in 2012? Are the Browns really considering Ryan Tannehill at No. 4? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerThe Indians need a big bounceback year from Ubaldo Jimenez if they want to win in 2012.

How will the Indians do in 2012? Are the Browns really considering Ryan Tannehill at No. 4?

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

Among other topics discussed:

• Can the Indians count on Ubaldo Jimenez?

• Do they have any other options in left aside from Shelley Duncan?

• What would you think of Trent Richardson at No. 4 for the Browns?

• Did any players stand out to you during the NCAA Tournament that could help the Cavaliers?

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.

Euclid resident tops four sports celebrities to win sixth annual NCAA Tournament bracket contest.

View full sizeSpecial to The Plain DealerEuclid resident Jeff Verdone, the "Average Joe" contestant in The Plain Dealer's Celebrity Bracketology Challenge, won with 535 points. It's the second highest total in the contest's six years behind former Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, who tallied 585 points in 2007.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Jeff Verdone's "One Shining Moment" was a phone call confirming he had won The Plain Dealer's sixth annual Celebrity Bracketology Challenge.

"That's unless I win the lottery," the Euclid resident said. "But I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Maybe not, but as the first "Average Joe" Cleveland sports fan to participate in the NCAA Tournament bracket contest, he takes home the hardware that continues to dodge his city's sports teams.

Actually, there is no hardware and no lottery-type winnings. The prize is an invitation to defend his title next year.

"There's never been a repeat winner," said Verdone, who works as a tire technician at the Sam's Club in Mentor. "I think it would be pretty cool to be the first."

Verdone, who turns 23 on April 13, was randomly chosen from 98 online contest entries to represent Cleveland sports fans.

And represent he did.

Verdone's 535 points are the second highest total in the contest's six years. Former Browns quarterback Charlie Frye holds the record with 585 points in 2007.

Former Ohio State basketball player David Lighty finished second with 420. Defending Challenge champion J.J. Hickson, a former Cavs forward, was third with 400, followed by Indians pitcher Justin Masterson (305) and Browns wide receiver Greg Little (295). See all of the brackets at cleveland.com/marchmadness.

Verdone clinched the win Saturday night when Kentucky, his correct choice to win it all, beat Louisville, and Kansas topped Ohio State in the semifinals. He had the Wildcats, Michigan State, Syracuse and Kansas in the Final Four, with Kentucky beating Syracuse for the title.

"To be honest," he said, "my confidence started to build probably after the second week."

That was because second-seeded Missouri, whom Lighty and Hickson had picked to reach the Final Four, got knocked out in the first round. Verdone had the Tigers losing to Florida in round two.

As his confidence grew, Verdone, who had signed his NCAA bracket, "Representing the best fans in the world," reached out to his celebrity competitors on Twitter to talk a little smack.

"Out of all the guys," he said, "Lighty was the only one I was able to get a hold of."

Like Average Joe's teams, there's always next year.

Antawn Jamison has not shot well in recent games, but he remains focused.

Scott Shaw / The Plain DealerAntawn Jamison

Antawn Jamison has not shot well in recent games.  Jamison claims he's injury-free, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.

"I know I haven't been shooting it like I was 100 percent," Jamison said. "My body feels like it's supposed to feel (this late in the season). I'm going through a rough patch where the ball isn't going through the hoop."

Is he ever.

In his last five games, Jamison is averaging 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. He's shooting 30.6 percent from the field (19 of 62) and 17.6 percent from the 3-point arc (3 of 17) in that stretch.

Jamison will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Does it mean he's a lock to move on?

"That's too far ahead," he said. "I haven't thought about it. I appreciate what this organization has done for me. Dealing with you guys (the media) has been a blessing. I've been through a lot of coaches. By far, this is my favorite coaching staff to play for and learn things from.

"To sit here and say I see myself coming back ... there's a chance of me coming back right now."

On the season, Jamison is averaging 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 50 games.

More Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers are ready to welcome back Kyrie Irving against the Spurs tonight (Cleveland.com).

San Antonio Spurs' coach taking advantage of depth (MySanAntonio.com).

Kyrie Irving named rookie of the month (Ohio.com).

Preview of tonight's game between the Spurs and the Cavaliers (MySanAntonio.com).

The Canton Charge added shooting guard Josh Akognon (CantonRep.com)

Five-time PGA Tour winner has become a regular contender in the top tourneys, though not in his three Masters appearances.

Associated PressDustin Johnson, 12th in the Official World Golf Rankings, has withdrawn from the Masters with an undisclosed injury.

Augusta, Georgia -- Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from the Masters with an injury.

Johnson, who lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is a five-time PGA Tour winner who is No. 12 in the world. It would seem his length is a good fit for the Masters, though he has not finished better than a tie for 30th in three previous trips to Augusta National.

Details of his injury were not disclosed. His agent did not immediately return a phone call.

Johnson's withdrawal means the field at the Masters is down to 96 players. The Masters does not have an alternate list.