The 2013 NCAA tournament field has finally been revealed. Now, it's all up to you! Get primed for your office pool with our printable tournament brackets. Simply click to download the complete bracket in PDF format. • Also: Printable 2013 NCAA Women's Tournament Bracket

The 2013 NCAA tournament field has finally been revealed. Now, it's all up to you! Get primed for your office pool with our printable tournament brackets.

Simply click to download the complete bracket in PDF format.

• Also: Printable 2013 NCAA Women's Tournament Bracket

Highlights include Lake Erie Monsters' home game against Toronto, and college basketball tournament games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

AHL  

7 p.m. Toronto at LAKE ERIE MONSTERS, Fox Sports Ohio; AM/850

BASEBALL  

4 a.m. Arizona vs. L.A. Dodgers (tape), MLBN  

8 a.m. N.Y. Mets vs. St. Louis (tape), MLBN  

1 p.m. N.Y. Yankees vs. Philadelphia, ESPN 

8 p.m. WBC final, MLBN  

Midnight San Francisco vs. Seattle (tape), MLBN  

3 a.m. (Wednesday) Miami vs. St. Louis (tape), MLBN 

MENS TOURNAMENT COLLEGE BASKETBALL  

6:30 p.m. NCAA, TRUTV 

7 p.m. NIT, ESPN2 

7:30 p.m. NIT, ESPN  

8:30 p.m. NAIA Division I final, CBSSN  

9 p.m. NIT, ESPN2 

9 p.m. NCAA, TRUTV 

9:30 p.m. NIT, ESPN  

11 p.m. NIT, ESPN2 

NBA  

8 p.m. Denver at Oklahoma City, NBATV 

NHL  

7:30 p.m. Washington at Pittsburgh, NBCSN 

WOMENS TOURNAMENT COLLEGE BASKETBALL  

6:30 p.m. NAIA Division I final, CBSSN 

High NCAA seeds Ohio State and Louisville lead the nation for two-sport success this year.

Coaches Thad Matta, left, and Urban Meyer have delivered two-sport success for Ohio State University. Plain Dealer and AP file  

Ohio State leads a pack of highly seeded tournament teams who enjoyed success in both sports this school year.

Louisville, Oregon, Notre Dame, Kansas State and Florida are among the others.

This year's basketball field includes 39 teams that also play major-college football as part of the top division known as the FBS.

Thanks in large part to an undefeated - though probation-shortened - football season, Ohio State's combined winning percentage for football and basketball  is .894.

This number is arrived at by splitting the winning percentage for the two sports, rather than giving more weight to the longer basketball season. Ohio State was 12-0 in football and takes a 26-7 record into the basketball tournament.

The lead is big enough that no one can catch up, even if the Buckeyes bow out of the tournament in the first round.

Louisville, a favorite to win the basketball title, is second in overall record at .850.

The top football schools, recordwise, in this year's NCAA Basketball Tournament after OSU are Oregon (12-1, 26-8), Notre Dame (12-1, 25-9), Louisville (11-2, 29-5), Kansas Sate (11-2, 27-7), Florida (11-2, 26-7) and Boise State (11-2, 21-10).

Combined, Oregon is third overall (.844), followed by Notre Dame (.829), Kansas State (.820), Florida (.817) and Alabama (.782), the highest ranked school that did not make the basketball tournament.

Some 124 colleges play both major college football and basketball.

While OSU holds the distinction of the best two-sport record, Akron is near the top in another category.

Four tournament schools won just one football game last year, each going 1-11. They are Kansas (29-5 in basketball), Akron (26-6), New Mexico State (24-10) and Colorado (21-11).

Ohio State's success in 2012-13 continues a recent trend.

Over the last five school years, the Buckeyes lead the nation with a two-sport winning percentage of .795, or .764 by removing the 2010-2011 school year. The NCAA vacated that OSU football season because of rules violations.

Next best over the last five years are Alabama (.752), Florida (.744) and Boise State (.742), Brigham Young (.739), Oregon (.701), Michigan State (.700) and Wisconsin (.698).

How will Ohio State's Big Ten title help the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament? CineSport's Brian Clark and the Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises discuss Ohio State's chances to reach Atlanta.

How will Ohio State's Big Ten title help the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament? CineSport's Brian Clark and the Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises discuss Ohio State's chances to reach Atlanta.

 

The live video, including your questions, will feature in-studio interviews with Mentor's Bob Krizancic, St. Vincent-St. Mary's Dru Joyce and Villa Angela-St. Joseph's Babe Kwasniak.

View full size Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball coach Babe Kwasniak is one of three local coaches who will be featured in a live video Tuesday at noon previewing this week's state tournament. Ask the coaches your questions in the comments section below or during the show. Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer  

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Tune in here at noon for a live video show with the three area boys basketball coaches headed to this week's state tournament in Columbus.

The live video, hosted by Plain Dealer boys basketball writer Tim Rogers, will feature in-studio interviews with Mentor's Bob Krizancic, St. Vincent-St. Mary's Dru Joyce and Villa Angela-St. Joseph's Babe Kwasniak.

Do you have a question for the coaches? Post your questions in the comments section at the bottom of this post or in the live chat room during the show. And chat with other fans in the live chat room window during the show.

The state tournament is Thursday through Saturday at Ohio State's Value City Arena.

Talk Browns free agency, Indians spring training and more with Terry Pluto at 1 p.m.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions today at 1 p.m.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 1 p.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

Pluto will talk with cleveland.com's Dan Labbe about Browns free agency, Tribe spring training and more.

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

Brown' new GM will keep a low profile for now and CEO Joe Banner will be the spokesman on personnel matters.

Mike Lombardi will keep a low profile for now and focus on building the roster  

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Joe Banner admitted today that he doesn't want Browns General Manager Mike Lombardi in the media spotlight yet because he's "a little bit of a lightning rod." Instead CEO Banner will address personnel matters for the time being.

Banner's hiring of Lombardi as his top personnel man touched off a firestorm of criticism from fans and some media members disenchanted with Lombardi's first go 'round here with Bill Belichick from 1990-95.

Lombardi, an outspoken analyst on NFL Network the past five years, hasn't addressed the media since being promoted on March 5. He didn't appear at press conferences for free agent acquisitions Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant. Instead, the two were flanked by Banner and coach Rob Chudzinski.

"I'm just being very honest," Banner said Monday at the NFL annual meetings. "Mike is a little bit of a lightning rod. Distraction won't serve anybody's interests. He's got a tremendous amount of work to do right now, and whether that's good, bad or fair or not it doesn't really matter. It's just the reality of the situation."

Pressed on the suggestion that Lombardi won't be held accountable for key decisions, Banner said, "you can blame me. There won't be a shortage of someone to hold accountable. ... He's not going to be hidden. He's not going to be somebody over time you won't have an opportunity to talk to. But as I say there are certainly no accountability issues. I'm sitting here and you can hold me accountable for whatever we do.

"And ultimately whether it's responsibility because of the people we hired or my own role in decisions that we make, I'm a big boy and I accept that comes with the territory here. You hope that credit comes if you do well too, but the accountability is not going to be anything anybody here is going to shy away from."

Banner stressed that Lombardi is focused on building the roster.

"I can speak to these issues," he said. "We're working hand in hand and there will be a time when he's visible and speaking, but I think at the moment, it's at least in our best interests to have him focused on what he's doing and demonstrate collectively the kinds of things we're going to do and let that gradually take care of itself."

Banner said he and Chudzinski will address the media for now, and acknowledged that the backlash against Lombardi is a factor in his cloak of invisibility.

"It attracts a lot of attention and it gets a lot of strong reaction and I think it's better for us right now and better for him to keep things calm, low key, focus on his work and then kind of more gradually let that situation take care of itself," he said.

Keep that helmet up: Remember Trent Richardson's helmet blast on Eagles safety Kurt Coleman that sent Coleman's helmet flying? It endeared Richardson to fans everywhere and made him a cult hero in the Dawg Pound. But now, it would just get him into the doghouse.

Video of Richardson's hit was used by the competition committee to illustrate just exactly what will be illegal next year if a new rule passes that would make illegal for a runner or tackler to "initiate forcible contact by delivering a blow with the top crown of his helmet against an opponent when both players are clearly outside the tackle box."

Not only would Richardson receive a 15-yard penalty in 2013, he'd also be fined.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher, a member of the committee, stressed that helmets are for protective purposes and not to be used as weapons. He added that runners need to learn to lower their shoulders.

Pursuing Grimes: The Browns liked free agent cornerback Brent Grimes so much that they sent a private jet to pick him up for his visit to Berea on Saturday. They also invited his wife and son to town. Now Grimes, 29, must decide among Cleveland, Atlanta and at least one other team.

"The visit went very well," said Banner. "We enjoyed meeting him. He obviously has other teams interested in him and a place he's played a long time. We'll see how it goes."

Grimes is coming off a torn Achilles injury in the 2012 opener, but the Browns are confident he'll be ready for the season. "He's not 100 percent but we felt good about the time we spent and the physical evaluation as well," said Banner.

Owens inquiry: If Grimes goes elsewhere, the Browns might turn to his teammate, cornerback Chris Owens, 26, a source said Monday.

Watson to Saints: Tight end Ben Watson, a three-year Browns starter, signed a three-year deal with New Orleans. The Browns have checked into Washington's Fred Davis and Chicago's Kellen Davis. Fred Davis is coming off an Achilles injury.

Scoreboard and uniforms: Banner said a new scoreboard is in the plans, but it won't be ready for this season.

"Audio, video, technology changes will be significant. It's just hard to pinpoint exactly when," he said.

Likewise, he said new uniforms are in the works, but they'll take a few years to finalize, including four to six months of market research that started three weeks ago. He said changes would be in 2014 at the earliest and "probably not" then. He also said "there's nothing imminent" on possibly converting to field turf.

No compensatory picks: The Browns received no compensatory picks for net losses in free agency last season, the NFL announced.

Extra points: The Browns will know by early next month the status of guard Jason Pinkston. ... They're also not sure yet if Chris Gocong (Achilles) will be ready for the first minicamp next month. ... Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam will not make private draft visits themselves, but Lombardi will.

Brown for the cause: Hall of Famer Jim Brown was here as part of an NFL Common Good Fund that will contribute $42 million over the next eight years to a group of retired players.

"I think it's a tremendous day for me," Brown said. "I take it very personally because the owners and the players are together on this and you need to be together on things that are going to be great for the game and things that are going to benefit players that have not had that opportunity in the past."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are the 2012-13 Associated Press Division IV All-Ohio boys basketball teams, based on the recommendations of a media panel. FIRST TEAM: Jett Speelman, Newark Cath., 6-7, sr., 18.3; Max Kapron, Malvern, 6-5, sr., 19.4; Ryan Arington, Cin. Christian, 6-6, sr., 24.2; Chad Oliver, Bristolville Bristol, 5-11, sr., 24.7; Duane Gibson Jr., Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 6-3,...

Villa Angela-St. Joseph's Duane Gibson, right, was named first team All-Ohio for Division IV on Tuesday by the Associated Press. - (Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are the 2012-13 Associated Press Division IV All-Ohio boys basketball teams, based on the recommendations of a media panel.

FIRST TEAM: Jett Speelman, Newark Cath., 6-7, sr., 18.3; Max Kapron, Malvern, 6-5, sr., 19.4; Ryan Arington, Cin. Christian, 6-6, sr., 24.2; Chad Oliver, Bristolville Bristol, 5-11, sr., 24.7; Duane Gibson Jr., Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 6-3, sr., 11.9; Chad Lands, Beaver Eastern, 5-10, sr., 21.2; Zach Garber, Vanlue, 6-10, sr., 23.0; Eric Cellier, Tol. Christian, 6-2, sr., 21.7.

Players of the year: Zach Garber, Vanlue; Jett Speelman, Newark Catholic.

Coaches of the year: Michael Bates, Cols. Africentric; Josh Sagester, New Madison Tri-Village; Eric Rosenbeck, St. Henry.

SECOND TEAM: Steven Carpenter, Lancaster Fairfield Christian, 6-3, jr., 19.8; Brandon Bailey, Bowerston Conotton Valley, 6-6, sr., 22.0; Matt Knight, Windham, 6-0, sr., 16.8; Wade Gelhaus, Fort Recovery, 6-5, sr., 19.7; Kyle Stahl, St. Henry, 6-4, sr., 18.5; Curtis Geise, Delphos St. John's, 5-10, sr., 20.4; Kyle Pipenger, New Madison Tri-Village, 6-3, sr., 21.4; Demonte Flannigan, VASJ, 6-8, sr., 15.9; Justin Mahlmeister, Ironton St. Joseph, 6-4, sr., 18.0.

THIRD TEAM: Kenny Robinson, Cols. Africentric, 6-1, sr., 15.1; Brett Price, Hannibal River, 6-2, sr., 20.2; Daylen Williams, Youngs. Christian, 6-0, sr., 17.4; Brandyn Reinhart, New Riegel, 6-4, sr., 21.3; Ben Riehle, Edgerton, 6-4, sr., 18.5; Rico Jones, Richmond Hts., 6-1, sr., 11.9; Tavares Pickett, Beaver Eastern, 6-3, sr., 15.0.

Special Mention

Justin Potochnik, Lancaster Fairfield Christian; Bryce Staats, Danville; Teryn Jarrett, Beallsville; Jonathon Wiechman, Caldwell; Zach Herrington, Steubenville Cath.; Darryl "DJ" Iles, Fayetteville-Perry; Alex Meyer, Jackson Center; Grant Zawadzki, Troy Christian; Carlton Bragg, Cleve. VASJ; Jameel Moore, Richmond Hts.; Devin Gabriel, North Ridgeville Lake Ridge Acad.; Tyson Lautanen, Fairport Harbor Harding; Shane Buckley, New Boston Glenwood; J.P. Kayser, Portsmouth Notre Dame; Justin Crager, Sciotoville Community East; Max Carnahan, Reedsville Eastern; Tristen Wolfe, Racine Southern; Doc Seip, Mowrystown Whiteoak; Quentin Williams, Leesburg Fairfield; Matt Seitz, McDonald; Chase Moyer, Dalton; Josh Woodrich, Kidron Central Christian; Nate Scott, Wellsville; Nick Ballone, Lowellville; Hunter Van Camp, Mogadore.

Honorable Mention

Joe Delisio, Lancaster Fisher Cath.; Nathan Durbin, Cols. Tree of Life; Alton Frizzell, Millersport; David Meurer, Newark Cath.; Trevon Saunders, Cols. Africentric; Austin Dorris, Shadyside; Ryan Fletcher, Steubenville Cath.; Trey Tucci, Malvern; David Cline, Zanesville Rosecrans; Todd Ropp, Berlin Hiland; Marek Walzcak, Strasburg-Franklin; Dane Blumenstock,Union City Mississinawa Valley; Tyler Cook, New Madison Tri-Village; Trey Everett, Sidney Fairlawn; Roland Newsome, Yellow Springs; Caleb Tregre, Cin. Country Day; Frank Barber, Richmond Hts.; Bryan Gee, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian Acad.; Brian Parker, Cleve. VASJ; Isaiah McQueen, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian Acad.; Arthur Christian, Richmond Hts.; Tyler Rowe, Willow Wood Symmes Valley; Kevin Lewis, Portsmouth Notre Dame; Patrick Bias, Sciotoville Community East; Levi Cook, South Webster; Austin Shriver, Waterford; Elijah Rader, Corning Miller; Seth Goddard, South Webster; Brayden Greer, Crown City South Gallia; Cameron Pozsgai, Windham; Clay Bowe, Dalton; Luke Griffith, Salineville Southern; Glen Hoffman, Columbiana Heartland Christian; Brandon Lee, Bristolville Brisol; Stephen Politano, McDonald; Austin Adams, Oregon Stritch; Lucas Janowicz, Tol. Ottawa Hills; Devin Mangas, Leipsic; Will Vorhees, Columbus Grove; Dalton Perry, Old Fort; Elijah Kahlig, Fort Recovery; Carson Manger, New Bremen.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - Strongsville's spring sports practices officially began Tuesday with volunteer and non-union coaches, after two weeks of delays caused by a teacher strike in the district. Superintendent John Krupinski said coaches and volunteers have been appointed who are not part of the Strongsville Education Association or the strike.

Strongsville's school district has appointed volunteer and non-union coaches to hold spring sports practices. Student-athletes had been organizing voluntary off-campus workouts since the teachers went on strike.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - Strongsville's spring sports practices officially began Tuesday with volunteer and non-union coaches, after two weeks of delays caused by a teacher strike in the district.

Superintendent John Krupinski said coaches and volunteers have been appointed who are not part of the Strongsville Education Association or the strike.

Student-athletes had been organizing their own, off-campus workouts because they were not permitted to use school facilities.

"The kids have done a good job stepping up. They're making the best out of a situation that hopefully will end soon," said track coach Chris Koval, who is on strike.

Per Ohio High School Athletic Association rules, athletes must have 10 days of supervised workouts before competing. The season begins March 30 for baseball, softball and track, and boys tennis starts April 1.

Baseball coach Josh Sorge, also part of the strike, said he was happy for the student-athletes.

"This is about the kids. We don't want the kids to be leveraged in any way, and this is something I think the kids deserve," Sorge said.

Senior baseball player Cade Coulter said more than 50 players attended Tuesday's workout in the Strongsville gym.

"We went through pitching tryouts before the strike, and infielders and outfielders are this week, so next week we'll have a full set of practices before our first game," he said. "It felt pretty good."

The track team will have to wait an extra day. A late afternoon workout was canceled Tuesday when the school lost power. Senior runner Dustin Stout, who had helped organize workouts at the Ehrnfelt Recreation Center, said he's glad practice will resume at school.

"It's a relief," he said. "It's a lot easier to organize. There is no better place to be than on the track."

After a week to prepare for the MAC Tournament, Carmelo Betancourt fared well in Akron's semifinal victory over Kent, then again in the championship game against Ohio.

View full size "I felt like I was ready for it," says Akron freshman guard Carmelo Betancourt, pressed into starting duty in the NCAA Tournament with the suspension of senior Alex Abreu. "Once we started winning (in the MAC Tournament) and doing good things, the confidence grew and grew." Ed Suba Jr., Akron Beacon-Journal  

AKRON, Ohio -- Sitting on the sidelines, Akron Zips freshman Carmelo Betancourt looks like a deer in the headlights. On the court, he is a cat on the prowl.

That has calmed some nerves of Akron fans as the Zips head into Thursday's NCAA Tournament game against Virginia Commonwealth -- and the bevy of guards the Rams will throw against him.

"Everything is kind of slowing down for me. That's a good thing," said the 5-11 native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico.

Betancourt was thrust into the starting role with the loss of Alex Abreu, Akron's three-year starting point guard who was arrested the day before the final game of the season on drug charges. While Betancourt had played in every game prior to that, he had never played more than 16 minutes.

Suddenly the only viable option, he was thrown into battle against rival Kent State, on senior night. The Zips lost, but it was not due to Betancourt, who had five points and four assists with just one turnover while playing a career-high 27 minutes.

"I would say, after we lost to Kent State, I felt like we could have won that game," said Betancourt, who is averaging a modest 2.0 points and 1.5 assists per game. "But we weren't emotionally ready. I felt like that was the turning point for me. I felt like I was ready for it. I didn't play great. But I did what I had to do. Once we started winning and doing good things, the confidence grew and grew."

After a week to prepare before the MAC Tournament, Betancourt fared well in a semifinal victory over Kent, then again in the championship game against Ohio. Along the way, Akron head coach Keith Dambrot made a discovery.

"What he's good at, he's a little bit pesky defensively," Dambrot said. "Kind of a gritty, bothersome guy defensively. So in that area we've improved because Alex was no good defensively. He could steal it, but he was resting his behind [on defense]."

That it took the No. 12 seed Zips (26-6) to be on the edge of desperation now going against No. 5 seed VCU (26-8) to find this out, points to the success they were having.

"I think we held him back, really," Dambrot said of Betancourt. "The problem when you have a good team is you don't take as many experiments. We gave him minutes, but we didn't give him a lot of minutes. He got no minutes in crunch time. He got no minutes when it mattered. He was like a middle relief pitcher."

Now Betancourt is being asked to be a closer, making sure the Zips come home with another triumph or two on the biggest of all college basketball stages. Unproven? Yes. Untested? No doubt. Ready? He's got to be.

"We don't have a choice," Dambrot said. "He's got to handle the pressure and [backup Nick] Harney's got to handle the pressure. We have nobody else. Who else am I going to play?

Yet Dambrot said all that with a smile. Since the second half of the first Kent game with Betancourt through the final half of the MAC title game, the Zips have played some of their best basketball.

"The only thing I know is, that was one of the best halves we played all year, the second half [against OU]," Dambrot said of his defense. "Now, were we any good on offense? I don't know. Probably not. But we were so good on defense it didn't matter. That's what we've got to do against VCU. If it gets up in the 70s, they're going to win."

Instead of the laid-back Abreu at the point of attack, it is now a pestering Betancourt. With fly-swatting 7-0 Zeke Marshall defending the rim, that defensive pressure makes it tougher on the opposition.

"The scores [to win the MAC Tournament] were perfect for what we want," Dambrot said. "We're going to win a lot of games. All you've got to do is look at the history of me. When we are [holding teams] under 70, we win most of the time. ... Under 65, almost all the time."

Akron held Kent to 68 in the season-ending loss, then posted 62-59 and 65-46 scores in the MAC tourney. That shows the Zips have no problem winning with Betancourt in the lineup.

Still in touch: Betancourt said he has received good advice from Abreu. "He talks to me," the freshman guard said. "He just said, 'We're going to win this. All you've got to do is be simple and lead the team. The team is good enough, and you are good enough. We'll be fine.'"

On the road: After Tuesday's practice, the Zips took a bus to Auburn Hills, Mich., for the tournament. They will practice at The Palace Wednesday to prep for their game at 9:45 p.m. on Thursday.

Several veteran NFL kickers are free agents, and a few college kickers are considered late-round draft candidates.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns in 2013 will have someone else kicking field goals and extra points and booting kickoffs into the end zone.

For the first time since returning to the NFL as a franchise in 1999, the Browns will not have Phil Dawson handling those duties. Dawson, who was an unrestricted free agent, has signed with the San Francisco 49ers, as The Plain Dealer's Tom Reed writes.

Dawson missed a combined eight games with injuries in 2003 (three) and 2009 (five) but it was never believed that the kickers who temporarily filled in -- Brett Conway in 2003 and Billy Cundiff in 2009 -- would take his job.

Cundiff is among the kickers now available in free agency.

Whoever the Browns get to replace Dawson will have a tough act to follow.

As Tom Reed writes:

The 38-year-old Dawson made his first Pro Bowl last season, converting 29 of 31 attempts. His conversion percentage (93.5) ranked second among NFL kickers in 2012. As if defying age, he’s made 14 of 15 attempts from at least 50 yards in the past two seasons, including all seven in 2012.

Several experienced NFL kickers are now looking for jobs. The college ranks include a few kickers who could be late-round selections in April's NFL draft.

What kicker should the Browns pursue to try to replace Phil Dawson?

(Note: The first nine kickers are listed with the last NFL team they place-kicked for. The last three are college kickers who could be drafted in April)

Fans didn't just love Dawson because he has stayed around. The man can still kick.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When I heard that Phil Dawson had signed with San Francisco, I thought back to a long conversation that I had with him at the start of the 2012 training camp.

Dawson sensed it would be his last year with the Browns. Of course, he also thought that would be the case in 2011. In the last two years, the team made him a "franchise" player. That wasn't going to happen a third time as it would have cost the Browns about $14 million to do so.

On that hot August afternoon, Dawson told me about his first season in 1999. Not only were the expansion Browns looking for a kicker, they were looking for about everything.

He arrived in camp with a tee and a prayer. He wasn't drafted when he graduated from Texas in 1998. He was cut by Oakland and spent the season on the New England practice squad.

Absolutely nothing was guaranteed. Dawson was one of three kickers trying out. "They cut the other two, and I thought I had made it," he said.

With about a week left in camp, five-year NFL veteran Chris Boniol arrived. It was the coaching staff trying to create more pressure on Dawson, to see if he'd melt. But Dawson stood strong, his kicks stayed straight.

Coach Chris Palmer informed him that he made the team with this sentence: "We'll start with you." The implication was clear -- no promises.

"Those words have always stayed with me," said Dawson. "I'm one kick away from losing a job. Down deep, every kicker knows that."

Fourteen years later, he was still here. I've always considered him Dick Goddard in an orange helmet, given how he knew the winds and weather patterns at the stadium.

Fans didn't just love Dawson because he has stayed around. The man can still kick. He's coming off his first Pro Bowl season. He was 29-of-31 in field goals last season. He's 14-of-15 from 50 yards or more in the last two years.

Out with the old

Not long after Joe Banner was named the Browns CEO, I knew Dawson was in trouble. To the new front office, Dawson is a 38-year-old kicker who would carry a high price tag, too expensive for a team that they are trying to build.

The fact that the 49ers are bringing in Dawson to replace David Akers is significant, at least to Banner. At the end of the 2010 season, the then-Eagles president had to make a decision about Akers, who had made the Pro Bowl and was named to the league's all-decade team for 2000-10.

Banner elected not to pay the 36-year-old Akers. Instead, the Eagles picked Alex Henery in the fourth round from Nebraska, and paid the rookie kicker $2.5 million over four seasons. Akers signed a 3-year, $9 million deal with the 49ers and was a Pro Bowler again in 2011. While the 49ers made the Super Bowl this season, Akers had a rocky season -- connecting on 29 of 42 attempts. He was cut in favor of Dawson.

Banner believed Akers had very little left. My guess is that he feels the same way about Dawson, who signed a one-year deal with the 49ers.

In with the new

Meanwhile, Henery made 51 of 58 field goal attempts in his first two seasons, on a very modest contract. So don't be surprised if the Browns look for a young kicker, be it low in the draft or perhaps someone who has been cut once or twice -- as Dawson was back in the late 1990s.

But it's hard to imagine the Browns finding another Dawson, who was so reliable, so true to the team in orange and brown.

I had no problem with the Browns not re-signing Joshua Cribbs. I didn't know his knee was so bad that it would require off-season surgery, leading Arizona to put the decision to sign him on hold. I knew Cribbs would be 30 on June 9. I knew that he often played in a lot of pain. I knew that his body taken a beating since making the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Kent State in 2005.

I wondered how much Cribbs could contribute. It's a cruel comment, but it's also business. But I still believe Dawson will be an elite kicker for the next two years, because he has been getting better with age. And I've always believed he will not be fully appreciated until he's gone.

When Dawson was told that the Browns will "start with you," after a few years, I wanted to see him finish his career with the Browns. Now, he's kicking for a Super Bowl team and former Browns special teams coach Brad Seely.

The Browns ... well ... they'll start 2013 with someone new. Let's hope he's worthy of stepping into Dawson's cleats.

Every player in the Big Ten wants to see one of their peers cutting down the nets, most admitting they'll be rooting for their rivals the next few weeks.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With seven teams in the 68-team NCAA Tournament field, the Big Ten, just by simple math, has a better than 10 percent chance to win its first national title since 2000. No conference has more teams seeded in the top five than the five in the Big Ten, and the league has all season been generally hailed as the best in the country.

But only one team can win it, so who's going to truly carry the flag for the 12-team league? In a Plain Dealer unscientific survey of 20 league players at the Big Ten Tournament last week, with every team but Iowa and Northwestern asked, two clear favorites emerged. Michigan State and Indiana.

The questions were asked Thursday through Saturday, before Ohio State and Wisconsin beat those two teams to reach the title game, before the Buckeyes won it on Sunday and the bracket was announced soon after. But it's easy for everyone to get too excited about conference tournaments anyway. It's the long slog of the regular season that's the true test of the best teams.

No one was thinking of the Buckeyes.

Ohio State's Sam Thompson and Lenzelle Smith Jr. were part of the survey, in which no one could vote for their own team, but among the other 18 players, Wisconsin's Jared Berggren was the only player to mention the Buckeyes, and he threw them into a list of every other team in the conference going to the tournament: Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota.

He mentioned Indiana first.

"To be ranked as the number one team in the league all season, they have all the weapons, and they're obviously a team that's dangerous," Berggren said of the Hoosiers.

That was one of the two things that got players' attention -- Indiana's depth of talent and variety of guys who can score. The other was the NCAA Tournament toughness and experience of Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and his Spartans, who won the league's last national title in 2000.

Since then, the Big Ten has reached eight Final Fours, tied with the Big East and second only to the nine of the ACC. They've been in the mix, but haven't gotten over the top, running into some super teams in the national title game like Florida in 2007 and North Carolina in 2005 and 2009.

Indiana got there once, in 2002; Illinois once, in 2005; Ohio State twice, in 2007 and last year; and Michigan State four times, in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2010.

That still carries a lot of weight.

"I like Michigan State," Michigan swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. said. "Tom Izzo does a great job no matter what. He gets their mindset ready to go in the tournament and they at least get to the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. It's hard to get there and keep that killer mentality going. But whatever he does, it's working."

View full size Victor Oladipo and the Hoosiers have plenty of fans among conference rivals. "They have five solid guys and weapons at every position that can make shots, and when they come to play, they’re a hard team to beat," said Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith Jr. Adam Cairns, Columbus Dispatch  

"They know how to win and they always find a way to go deep in the tournament," said Indiana guard Yogi Ferrell.

"They're an experienced team and a tough team that's kind of built for March," Ohio State's Sam Thompson said.

"Michigan State has a great coach and some great players that play really well together," Purdue senior D.J. Byrd said, "and they have a great chance every year because they play so hard and play their game."

In the Big Ten, that type of game can wear people down. The league's defense slows the pace and lowers the scores by the end of the year and in the conference tournament, when teams know each other so well and often are sick of each other, sometimes playing for a third time.

The NCAA Tournament gives those teams a chance to stretch their legs a bit -- and to slap that defense on opponents perhaps unused to working so hard every possession.

After losing to Ohio State in the semifinals, Izzo said, "I'm looking forward to playing anybody. I'd play the Lakers tomorrow instead of some of the teams I've played recently."

Indiana would echo that. The Hoosiers lost their No. 1 ranking, the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and the chance to play in the regional up in the road in Indianapolis because they wore down in the Big Ten stretch run, losing to Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin. But that doesn't change their talent.

"They have five solid guys and weapons at every position that can make shots, and when they come to play, they're a hard team to beat," said Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith Jr. while choosing the Hoosiers.

"They can shoot the ball and they're an inside-outside team," Minnesota big man Trevor Mbakwe said. "To get through the Big Ten season with only four losses, they give us the best shot to win a national championship, I say."

That's what every player in the league wants, most admitting they'll be rooting for their rivals the next few weeks. Whether it's the Hoosiers or Spartans, or the more forgotten Buckeyes, Badgers or Michigan Wolverines, the players think it's time to win a national title again.

"I would say Michigan State or Indiana, but I definitely think that somebody from this conference is going to win the whole thing," Minnesota senior Rodney Williams said. "This is the toughest conference in basketball. But that's the fun part about it."

Big Ten Prospectus

One Big Ten writer's forecast on how the league's teams will do.

Indiana (East 1) vs. No. 16 LIU Brooklyn/James Madison (East 16), Friday in Dayton, 4:10 p.m.: Hoosiers lost three of last six, but they still have as much talent as anyone. Prediction: Win 3 games, lose to No. 2 Miami in Elite 8.

Ohio State (West 2) vs. Iona (West 15), Friday in Dayton, 7:15 p.m.: On eight-game winning streak, Buckeyes one of nation's hottest teams. Prediction: Win 4 games, lose to No. 2 Duke in Final Four.

Michigan State (Midwest 3) vs. Valparaiso (Midwest 14), Thursday in Auburn Hills, 12:15 p.m.: Tom Izzo's March rep goes a long way, and Spartans are the only Big Ten team in the Indy bracket. Prediction: Win 2 games, lose to No. 2 Duke in Sweet 16

Michigan (South 4) vs. South Dakota State (South 13), Thursday in Auburn Hills, 7:15 p.m.: Once the nation's top team, the young Wolverines went 6-6 down the stretch, could go either way. Prediction: Win 1 game, lose to No. 5 VCU in round of 32.

Wisconsin (West 5) vs. Ole Miss (West 12), Friday in Kansas City, 12:40 p.m.: Badgers beat Indiana and Michigan at Big Ten Tournament, but struggled at end of regular season. Prediction: Upset by the Rebels in the first round.

Illinois (East 7) vs. Colorado (East 10), Friday in Austin, 4:40 p.m.: Illini have great wins over two one seeds in Gonzaga and Indiana, and Brandon Paul is big-time scorer. Prediction: Win 1 game, lose to Miami in round of 32.

Minnesota (South 11) vs. UCLA (South 6), Friday in Austin, 10 p.m.: Gophers are as inconsistent as any team in the bracket, but favored in first round because of UCLA injury. Prediction: Still lose to the Bruins in the first round

-- Doug Lesmerises

For the third straight game on their schedule Tuesday, the Monsters faced the Marlies. For the third straight time, they lost.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Monsters have seen enough of the Toronto Marlies.

For the third straight game on their schedule Tuesday, the Monsters faced the Marlies. For the third straight time, they lost, their offensive woes continuing in a 4-2 decision at The Q.

Lake Erie (27-28-2-7) has dropped five in a row overall and is 3-12-0-5 since Feb. 1. It has scored three or fewer goals in 11 consecutive games and 19 of 20. Toronto (35-20-2-4) has won five in a row. It squeezed in a victory over Rochester while disposing of Lake Erie three times in seven days.

"There were parts of the game I liked, but not enough on a consistent basis," Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said. "Toronto's got a veteran club with a lot of leadership. We're still learning."

No matter the outcome, Tuesday was going to be productive for the Monsters and their parent, the Colorado Avalanche, in this respect: High-end prospect Joey Hishon returned to the ice for a game that mattered. Hishon, 21, the 17th overall pick in 2010, made his pro debut after missing almost two years because of concussion-related symptoms.

"Obviously, it's an unbelievable feeling," he said. "But it's bittersweet because we lost. I think the excitement of being back in the game wore off pretty quickly. I wanted to contribute any way I could to help us win."

In Hishon's most recent action, he scored 87 points in 50 games for Owen Sound of the OHL in 2010-2011.

"[Being sidelined] was probably the toughest thing I've been through in my life," he said.

Hishon said he sought contact several times during his first shift to prove to himself he was OK.

"It was exciting to see Joey in the lineup," Chynoweth said.

The Marlies took a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the first. In a 4-on-4 situation, defenseman Kevin Marshall fired from inside the blue line and through traffic for his second of the season. The Marlies made it 2-0 at 1:47 of the second. Center Mike Zigomanis received a pass in the right circle and beat goalie Sami Aittokallio.

The Monsters pulled within 2-1 when defenseman John Negrin zipped the puck from the left circle into a relatively open cage. It came on the power play. Negrin benefited from a fortuitous bounce off the boards behind the net.

Late in the second, the Monsters nearly tied it. David van der Gulik had a good look from the right doorstep, only to be denied by the outstretched leg of goalie Drew MacIntyre. Toronto, which entered 26-0-1-1 when leading after two periods, made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 3:11 of the third. Center Joe Colborne notched his 12th.

Each club scored in the final minute.

Lake Erie could have used defensemen Tyson Barrie and Stefan Elliott, each of whom scored a goal in the previous game. Elliott was promoted to Colorado on Tuesday afternoon; Barrie has a lower-body injury and is out indefinitely.

Notable: Avalanche assistant coach and former Monsters coach David Quinn is expected to be on the short list of candidates to replace legendary Jack Parker at Boston University. Parker, who coached 40 years at BU, is retiring at the end of the season. Quinn played and coach at BU.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Jordan Hall's shift from running back to the H-back slot position is one of the major moves of the spring. Watch video

View full size "Jordan Hall looks small, but he's a 400-pound bencher, he's 200 pounds, he's as quick as a hiccup and he can make you miss in space," says OSU running backs coach Stan Drayton. Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer  

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State running backs coach Stan Drayton has seen the Urban Meyer offense when the pieces are in place and it's humming along. An assistant for Meyer at Florida before coming to Ohio State, with Meyer landing with the Buckeyes a year later, Drayton knows exactly what last year's offense was and wasn't.

"We operated probably at about 60 percent last year," Drayton said.

Senior Jordan Hall can help get the Buckeyes closer to 100 percent.

Though he sat out contact in practice on Tuesday while nursing a minor hamstring injury, Hall's shift from running back to the H-back slot position is one of the major moves of the spring. Hall is splitting time between the backs and receivers in meetings while getting accustomed to a position he played some in high school.

The plan is for Hall to motion into the backfield and run the ball, and also to catch passes as a receiver, not just as a checkdown option as a running back catching it out of the backfield.

  "Usually when you catch the ball as a receiver, there are two people to make miss," Hall said. "When you catch the ball as a running back, you have to run through the D-line, the linebackers and the safety. So I figure I can make two people miss."

Meyer said he and strength coach Mickey Marotti should have done a better job monitoring Hall to avoid the hamstring problem, since the switch from running back to receiver means a lot more running. But Meyer said he already knows about Hall's toughness and smarts, so missing some reps isn't a major problem.

But there could be a major payoff in the fall, with Meyer saying the move is a cause for "a lot of excitement."

"Jordan Hall looks small, but he's a 400-pound bencher, he's 200 pounds, he's as quick as a hiccup and he can make you miss in space," Drayton said. "If you have a poor angle on him, he'll break a tackle, so he can be a valuable threat in this system."

So the spring does matter, with Hall, coming off an injury redshirt, getting the most snaps at his new position before freshmen Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall arrive for preseason practice to give him competition. But Drayton thinks he knows what's going to happen.

He said on film from 2012 games, you can see safeties sitting eight yards from the line, up to play the run and unafraid of the pass. Hall should help back them off, get more defensive backs into the game instead of linebackers for those slot matchups and then create more room for tailback Carlos Hyde and quarterback Braxton Miller to run.

"It's going to be significantly different," Drayton said. "It should make life easier for the whole offense."

That should get them closer to 100 percent.

Also: Tuesday was the third spring practice of 15 and the first in pads. But it was also the first one after the week-long spring break, and Meyer said everyone was rusty. He said the practice Thursday before break was one of the best since he's been in Columbus, but Tuesday was below average. ...

Meyer is a big fan of basketball point guard Aaron Craft, a former high school quarterback, and he joked that he's going to recruit Craft for the football team, though basketball coach Thad Matta doesn't know of Meyer's plan. "He'll be out here after their tournament run," Meyer said. "I haven't told Thad yet. I haven't even told Aaron Craft yet." Meyer raved about Craft's ball skills and said he could play safety, linebacker, quarterback or H-back. ...

The Buckeyes worked a lot on a 3-2-6 defense during third-and-long drills, with three pass-rushing linemen, no nose guard, and six defensive backs. That included two players at the star position over the slot receiver on both sides, with either as a potential blitzer. The package included Tyvis Powell and Corey Brown in those two spots. ...

Linebacker Ryan Shazier remains out while recovering from sports hernia surgery. ...

There were no obvious depth chart changes from the first practice, though Tommy Schutt did seem to work more at the nose with the first-team defense more than Joel Hale. Curtis Grant and David Perkins continued as the top two linebackers with Shazier out. ...

Safety Christian Bryant grabbed two interceptions, while corner Doran Grant dropped one, which meant all the defensive backs had to do 10 push-ups. ...

There are officials at practice, and after cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs praised corner Armani Reeves for his coverage in a drill, and an official then threw a flag, Coombs dropped his roster sheet, yelled, and then kicked it in disgust.

Obama also chose Louisville, Indiana and Florida to join the Buckeyes in Atlanta.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - For the third straight year, President Barack Obama has picked Ohio State to make the Final Four.

He was right last season, but wrong in 2011, when the No. 1 seed Buckeyes were upset in the Sweet 16.

Obama is possibly a huge fan of OSU coach Thad Matta and a system that emphasizes defense but on the offensive end lets players operate freely with confidence in their shots. Or he is aware that the state of Ohio basically gets to decide who the president will be every four years.

Or both.

Obama's other picks for the Final Four are Indiana, Florida and Louisville.

Last year, Obama picked North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio State and Kentucky for the Final Four, and got the Buckeyes and Wildcats right, though he picked North Carolina to beat Kentucky in the title game.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam will announce a new, official role for Jim Brown with the team within the next two or three weeks.

Former Cleveland Brown Hall of Famer Jim Brown will have a new role with the team, owner Jimmy Haslam announced Monday. Associated Press

 Phoenix -- Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown will be back with the Browns in an official capacity soon.

Brown, who was a consultant with the team before being demoted by team President Mike Holmgren in 2010 and then resigning, met with owner Jimmy Haslam here Monday night and the two finalized plans for his new role with the team. Brown had mostly been estranged from the Browns for two years before Haslam purchased the team and extended a hand.

"Jim Brown and I have spent a lot of time together," he said. "We spent about an hour together last night, and I think we've established a really good relationship and I think sometime over the next two or three weeks we'll formalize that relationship and Jim will play the appropriate role with the Cleveland Browns.

"I think he feels good about it and I think we feel good about it, and rightfully so. I've really enjoyed getting to know him, not just as a great football player, but as a man."

Haslam wouldn't reveal the new position because "it's a big deal and that's why I want to do it right. In the next couple of weeks we'll announce something."

In addition to serving as a consultant, Browns has worked as a liaison between the club and players.

Scope delays Cribbs, Cards: Former Browns receiver Josh Cribbs' signing with the Cardinals is on hold until he fully recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery after the season, agent JR Rickert said Tuesday.

Rickert said Cribbs, 29, passed his physical Monday with Arizona, but the club wanted the knee to be fully healed before they actually sign him, a period of about five weeks from now. Cribbs underwent the scope to repair a torn meniscus.

Does Rickert fully expect the Cardinals to sign Cribbs after the five weeks?

"Yes, I'm assuming that," he said. "I talked to the trainer. He passed the physical. Reports that he failed it are inaccurate."

Rickert said Cribbs is not talking to other teams at this time, and that a report Monday night that he was deciding among the Cardinals, Giants and 49ers was false.

For now, it's just a matter of him strengthening the knee "and then we'll revisit it," Rickert said. 

Belichick on Mallett: At the AFC coaches breakfast, Patriots coach Bill Belichick talked up backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, whom the Browns have reportedly inquired about trading for.

"Ryan improved a lot last year," said Belichick. "He really had a good season. I think he was like every player that came out in the '11 draft, they had a lack of preparation heading into the season but last year I think he really performed well."

Regarding whether he would part with him, Belichick said, "I can't comment on that. I'm glad he plays for our team." 

Chud nuggets: Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said he hasn't had a chance to study former West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith much yet, but that he will attend Smith's private workout with the Browns. . . . He reiterated what he said at the NFL Scouting Combine, that quarterback competition for Brandon Weeden might come from the guys that are already there in Colt McCoy and Thad Lewis. . . . Chudzinski said he didn't sign quarterback Derek Anderson -- who remained in Carolina -- because it just wasn't the right thing to do at this time. . . . He said Norv Turner would be open to running the read-option that Chudzinski introduced to the NFL in 2011 with Cam Newton. "Norv's open to anything. He loves the innovative aspect of the game. He's been that guy that's done that for years." 

Extra points: Haslam said it's doubtful the Browns would trade up in the draft. . . . He said he is on board with General Manager Mike Lombardi being behind the scenes right now. . . . Haslam said he won't go to private workouts or watch tape, because that doesn't fit his skill set. . . . On defensive lineman Desmond Bryant's recent arrest: "I think he's not only going to be a really good player, but a really good person off the field."

The Buckeyes went at each other Tuesday in a practice that Urban Meyer said was below average as the players got back from spring break. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - So the deal is that I'm not supposed to make a post that's basically just a bunch of words to fill space next to videos. The videos are supposed to complement my prose.

But sometimes I think you guys just want to see football players run into each other, right?

I already wrote a story about Big Ten players picking the best conference team in the NCAA Tournament, a thing about my belief that this is Thad Matta's fifth-best Ohio State team, a story on Jordan Hall plus other notes from football practice, and a little thing about Barack Obama putting Ohio State in his Final Four.

I have nothing else to say today.

So here is some hitting.

See Browns running back Trent Richardson's handwritten bracket for The Plain Dealer's seventh annual Celebrity Bracketology Challenge.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Heart or logic?

Browns running back Trent Richardson opted for the latter when choosing his NCAA men's basketball bracket picks.

View full size Browns running back Trent Richardson likes Louisville to win the NCAA men's basketball championship this season. John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer  

A longtime Duke fan, perhaps the matchup that gave Richardson the most pause was his projected Elite Eight showdown between the second-seeded Blue Devils and No. 1 Louisville.

Richardson decided to side with Louisville, and went on to pick the Cardinals to win it all in his bracket for The Plain Dealer's seventh annual Celebrity Bracketology Challenge.

"Been a fan of Duke since I was a kid," Richardson wrote on his bracket. "I want Duke to go all the way but Louisville cannot be denied!"

See Richardson's handwritten bracket at the top of this post. The brackets of the final two celebrities competing in the contest will be posted on Wednesday.

Richardson, the Browns' top draft pick last April (No. 3 overall), also picked No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 2 Georgetown and No. 2 Miami to make the Final Four. His title-game matchup is Louisville vs. Miami.

Among surprise picks are predicting No. 7 Notre Dame and Nos. 4 Michigan and Syracuse to reach the Elite Eight.

"All the teams have a great amount of talent so any given day anything is possible," he wrote.

Richardson included a line from the heart, noting his surprise that his alma mater did not make the field. Alabama (21-12) was regarded as one of the top teams not to earn an at-large bid.

"I'm really surprised Bama didn't make the tournament," he wrote.

About the Celebrity Bracketology Challenge: Some of Cleveland’s biggest sports stars are competing in The Plain Dealer’s seventh annual Celebrity Bracketology Challenge. Meet the four celebrity contestants Tuesday and Wednesday, with two handwritten brackets published each day. Euclid resident Jeff Verdone, the “Average Joe” contestant representing all Cleveland sports fans, returns to defend his 2012 win. Verdone, 23, was randomly selected to participate last year from an online contest of 98 entries. Standings will be updated weekly.

Highlights include the Indians' exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels (on the MLB Network) and the Cavaliers' home game against the Miami Heat, who are on a 23-game winning streak.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL

6 a.m. Tampa Bay vs. Detroit (tape), MLB Network

9 a.m. L.A. Angels vs. Milwaukee (tape), MLB Network

1 p.m. Boston vs. N.Y. Yankees, ESPN2

4:05 p.m. CLEVELAND INDIANS vs. L.A. Angels, MLB Network

8 p.m. Boston vs. N.Y. Yankees (tape), MLB Network

11 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta (tape), MLB Network

EXTREME SPORTS

1 p.m. X Games, ESPN

10:30 p.m. X Games (tape), ESPN

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

6:30 p.m. NCAA, LIU-Brooklyn vs. James Madison, TRUTV; FM/92.3

7 p.m. NIT, Indiana St. vs. Iowa, ESPN2

9 p.m. NIT, Long Beach St. vs. Baylor, ESPN2

9 p.m. NCAA, Boise St. vs. LaSalle, TRUTV; FM/92.3

NBA

7 p.m. Miami at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, Fox Sports Ohio; AM/1100

8 p.m. Brooklyn at Dallas, ESPN

NHL

7:30 p.m. Minnesota at Detroit, NBCSN

10 p.m. Chicago at Anaheim, NHL Network