– The Cavs and Wizards continue their war of words; good thing for the Cavs, the Wizards have shown little bite on the court.

– The Browns received passing grades from most sites around the sporting world for their draft.

– Kyle Busch nearly wrecked like he usually has at Talladega, but he kept his car clean enough to end his day in Victory Lane. If continues his hot runs, folks at Joe Gibbs Racing will be asking, "Tony, who?"

– The Indians seem to be rounding into shape, thanks to slow starts throughout the division. C.C. definitely is rounding into form, too bad he ran into the Yankees ace Sunday.

– We are continuing are move into the Internet waters more each day. We are attempting to add more standings items to the teams pages and video from our reporters. The first one of note is Marla Ridenour's take on the NFL Draft. You can find that here.

– Patrick McManamon's blog is back, offering a lot of insight into the area pro teams. He has been with the Cavs since the playoffs began; take a look here.

Is the NFL Draft still something you all will find interesting this weekend? Or, with the Browns being silent until the fourth round, is this a weekend for mowing lawns and watching the Cavs?

My guess: The draft will still pull in good ratings in NE Ohio.

And here are just some of the reasons:

Folks will want to see how much info ESPN and the NFL Network can squeeze on their HDTV screens.

They will want to see if Mel Kiper Jr.'s hair deflates.

They will want to see if Chris Berman will be able to yell into his microphone for the entire first day of the broadcast.

They will want to think about the fact they might be the only person at that moment watching the NFL Network and Mike Mayock.

They will want to wonder who in the world is Mike Mayock.

They will want to see which team can act more like the Raiders in adding as many bad characters as possible: the Raiders or the Cowboys.

They will want to throw the remote at the TV screen when the Patriots add a top flight player with the seventh pick and then get reminded that the 18-1 Pats face the easiest schedule in the league this year.

They will want to see who goes with the 22nd pick to the Cowboys … you know the choice that the Browns gave up for their backup quarterback.

They will want to get excited about the most popular fourth-round pick in the history of the Browns. And what is wrong with this? Nothing at all.

It is just this area's most popular sport, and this weekend will be just more proof of that fact.

– The TV talk this weekend will center around Tiger Woods and The Masters. This usually signals the beginning of golf season in NE Ohio. With temperatures in the 40s this weekend, maybe the Browns minicamp in May would be a better starting point.

– Is C.C. Sabathia struggling with expectations? Many thought that he turned the corner last season. But the playoffs. The contract talks. The slow start this season. Maybe it is all starting to add up.

– The NHL has to pleased with Alexander Ovechkin being in the playoffs. We get to take a look tonight on Versus and Sunday on NBC.

– I have seen a couple of folks saying Brady Quinn would be the No. 1 pick in this draft. Then how does he not beat out a player who was cut from his first NFL team and another player who becomes the backup with the Seahawks. I think Quinn still needs a lot of work, and obviously the Browns agree.

– Red Sox and Tigers coming to town early next week. We'll get an early indication of what to expect this year in the American League.

– Coming on Ohio.com on Saturday and Sunday, is Patrick McManamon writing about Fausto Carmona, free throw shooting and other random thoughts. Also we'll have coverage of the Masters, the Cavs finish of the season, the Tribe-A's series and a wrapup of the Zips spring football camp.

The NFL doesn't need to do anything about the end of the season because some teams opt to not play their starters.

To me, it is each team's choice. The Indianapolis Colts earned the right to do what they wanted with their team. If folks remember, Browns linebacker Willie McGinest thinks the same way even though the Tennessee Titans beat a backup team of Colts, keeping the Browns out of the playoffs. The New York Giants, on the other hand, opted to play their starters against the New England Patriots even though they couldn't improve their standing in the NFC playoffs. That is fine, too.

On top of that, how do you legislate a team to play its starters, how do you determine who should start and who shouldn't. There is no way to determine that. It is fool's talk.

I also am against reseeding for the playoffs. If a team wins a division it earns one home game in the playoffs. With the schedules not being the same for each team, the divisions aren't equal.

Take the upcoming season, the AFC North, home to the Browns, plays the AFC South and NFC East. That means six 2007 playoff teams right there. My guess is whoever wins the AFC North (By the way, I think it will be the Browns), they will win 10 games at the most and maybe nine. The schedule will be very tough so the division winner deserves to be home, not on the road to play an 11-win wild-card team from a weaker division.

NFL, leave well enough alone.

The following is a list of the maximum amount of money each of the NFL teams has remaining to spend under the salary cap, according to Yahoo! Sports.. Figures are as of last Thursday.

The Browns have about $12 million, which puts them in the middle of the pack.

1. Tampa Bay $42.8 million

2. New Orleans $31.1 million

3. Kansas City $30.0 million

4. Tennessee $27.2 million

5. Buffalo $26.6 million

6. Jacksonville $26.2 million

7. Green Bay $24.4 million

8. Chicago $22.5 million

9. Miami $21.0 million

10. San Diego $18.7 million

11. Minnesota $18.6 million

12. Houston $15.6 million

13. Denver $15.2 million

14. San Francisco $15.0 million

15. St. Louis $14.6 million

16. Philadelphia $13.9 million

17. Cincinnati $13.3 million

18. Atlanta $12.5 million

19. Cleveland $12.0 million

20. New York Giants $11.1 million

21. New England $10.8 million

22. Seattle $9.1 million

23. Carolina $8.3 million

24. Washington $7.7 million

25. Indianapolis $7.6 million

26. Oakland $6.4 million

27. Baltimore $4.7 million

28. New York Jets $4.5 million

29. Detroit $4.4 million

30. Dallas $3.9 million

31. Pittsburgh $1.3 million

32. Arizona $310,078

The Browns, as has been well documented, don't have first-, second- or third-round draft picks in next month's draft pick.

Now the merits of the trades involving those picks can be argued, but the reality is, they don't have them today.

My question is: should GM Phil Savage work to trade back into the draft, or should he stand pat.

I vote for standing pat. Why put more pressure on the salary cap, when it isn't necessary for this year's team?

– Brett Favre got preferential treatment from the national media during his career but there is no doubt that the NFL is losing a unique athlete with his retirement. His gunslinger mentality was fun to watch, and his joy in playing was infectious. He will be taking his place in Canton in five years.

– Akron and Kent State are locked into the MAC Tournament slots but the game Sunday at Rhodes Arena should give a good feel for how the tournament will turn out next week. Don't count out the Zips, yet.

– The Browns have spent a lot of money and enjoyed a mostly positive view on the national stage for their moves in the free-agent market. The odd thing is with the schedule the teams in the AFC North face. The Browns could go 9-7 and win the division.

– LeBron James' pregame dunk was off the charts Wednesday night in New York. Take a look here at Yahoo! Sports.

– I don't know what is happening more often, snowy weather in Akron or another Penn State football player getting arrested in State College. I just don't know.

– Terrell Pryor, do you have an opinion on JoePa's control of his Nittany Lions program? I guess we will find out that answer is the next few weeks.

– It has been quite a change for LeBron James.

Last season, at this time, his play late in games was questioned. This season, he only seems to play in the fourth quarter, scoring at will at that, leading the league in scoring.

He won't win MVP this season, but I do think he has taken his place as the best player in the league.

– The rest of the Cavs still leave a lot to be desired. But with LeBron, anything will be possible in the playoffs.

– I can't argue with the contract extension for Mike Brown.

– The quiet offseason seems to have spooked Indians fans. I get any number of e-mails worried that last season will be a one-shot wonder. I don't think that will be the case. The foundation is in place for the Indians to be like the Twins have been recently. Always in contention.

– Any worries about the new defensive coordinator having little experience should be put to rest with Romeo Crennel in charge of the Browns. That is where he made his career, coaching defenses. Now does that mean the defense will suddenly be better? NO. Just ask Marvin Lewis of the Bengals. Another supposed defensive wiz whose defense can't play. It takes players to win on defense.

– Terelle Pryor seems to add more schools to his wish list each week. Now the No. 1 prep star in the country is said to be considering LSU. He added Oregon about a month ago, Michigan three weeks ago and Duke after that. At this rate, he will end up a Akron. Actually, I think he ends up at Michigan (he has had a long relationship with RichRod) with OSU a close second.

– Selena Roberts wrote her first back page column for Sports Illustarted this week. She is the best female sportswriter in the business and it shows. She recently left the New York Times to go to SI.

The Tennessee Titans control the playoffs in the AFC. So during this holiday week, Phil Savage, Romeo Crennel and the Browns must decide the direction of the team going forward.

Obviously this season is not done, and the playoffs are still better than a 50-50 chance because the Indianapolis Colts aren't going to roll over for the Titans.

To me the bigger questions are what to do about quarterback, running back and linebackers.

Starter Derek Anderson played his worst game at the worst time but probably still will make a trip to the Pro Bowl if one of the QBs in front of him bow out due to injury. This happens every season. He also is a free agent. Brady Quinn is making a lot of money looking pretty on the sidelines. What to do? Sign Anderson. No one knows anything about Quinn other than he will struggle when he finally gets his chance. It probably will be costly but after making the playoffs or just barely missing, the franchise can't go with an inexperienced leader on offense.

Running back Jamal Lewis is also a free agent. He will go somewhere else. Don't overpay for a running back who in the past has been injury prone and who has a lot of mileage on his wheels. Some team will pay him big bucks, but he won't be worth it. Take a pass and draft a running back in the second round.

Linebacker is an area to address through free agency. Willie McGinest is old and might have one season left in him. Antwan Peek was good but injury prone. Kamerion Wimbley had no sacks against good teams but I wouldn't give up on him. D'Qwell Jackson and Andra Davis are serviceable. If this team is ever going to stop the run, the linebackers have to get better.

Like I said, still prepare for the postseason and a likely date with the San Diego Chargers. But thoughts already should be focused on the offseason.

That is the only way to make this season a building block and not a mirage.

Folks, one game back in September did not turn the Browns into a playoff team and the Bengals into a blundering franchise.

It has taken work for both teams to end up where they are.

The Browns have developed and followed a plan since GM Phil Savage arrived. He has made his mistakes and has had his share of good fortune, but in the end, the blueprint and the follow-through have the Browns thinking about the playoffs.

The Bengals have drafted players with great talent and no character, and other than the Oakland Raiders of the 70s, it just doesn't work. Coach Marvin Lewis seems to be a great guy, but with the lack of control of that franchise, no one would have been able to keep it from slamming into the wall. All you have to know about the bungling Bengals is that Chris Henry after his 3,974th suspension is back in uniform and playing … a lot. Most teams would have cut him instantly. If the foundation isn't solid, and it ain't, Mr. Mike Brown, the house will crumble.