For the past year, about the only jerseys a Cleveland sports fan was safe picking up were Shin-Soo Choo's No. 17 and Asdrubal Cabrera's No. 13.

It appears safe that a wine-and-gold Kyrie Irving model will be in style for at least three years.

Before last July, Grady Sizemore or LeBron James editions could be found by the closet-full. But Sizemore was injured and James bolted, leaving Northeast Ohioans in a sports fashion quandary.

- Browns players: Forget it. The roster turns over every 18 months. Joe Haden would be your best bet now. I wouldn't include Colt McCoy or Peyton Hillis. Either could be a perennial Pro Bowler for the next five years. They could also be the next Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson and Jamal Lewis/Reuben Droughns. Perhaps Joe Thomas, but I don't see a lot of people sporting offensive linemen jerseys.

- Indians: Choo and Cabrera appear as if they'll be around for a while. Probably Chris Perez and Carlos Santana, too. Other than that, you're gambling or buying a jersey of someone who doesn't reach the top of the star totem pole.

- Cavaliers: Name a player besides Irving and Tristan Thompson who will definitely be on the team past next year.

Factor in that the Cavs introduced new jerseys last year, and you should be safe with an Irving No. 15 for a few years to come.

- Howard Primer

The Cavaliers' game against the Bobcats on Tuesday was my first Cavs game in-person since a 2003-04 exhibition game. So this timeout contest might have been running for a while. But I just saw it for the first time.

During a first-half break, the contestant had 30 seconds to make a layup, a free throw, a 3-pointer and a half-court shot. The prize was $25,000. The contestant made the layup and the free throw, but never had a chance on two 3-point attempts.

I don't think the sponsor would even need to buy insurance on the prize money. Even if someone had NBA-level shooting skills, imagine how fast he or she would have to be just to get  in two half-court attempts.

I think the prize money is safe for a long time.

- Howard Primer

A stunning aspect of the Cavaliers' steep fall is how their merchandise has vanished in public.

The reason for No. 23 jerseys disappearing is a given. Where did the rest of it go? It's as if all those otherwise perfectly good shirts became tainted and no one wants to touch them. Or take the new colors for this year. How often do you see someone in a new Cavs sweatshirt?

With a team playing as poorly as the Cavs are this year, there isn't much reason to pick up the new gear. But not that long ago, Cavs merchandise couldn't have been hotter. They've fallen that hard that fast.

The die-hard fans must know what losing presidential candidates feel like. They've gone from being this close to being on top of the NBA world to afterthought. Instead of one day, it happened over the summer and into winter. But it feels just as bad. The only city that could be feeling worse is Seattle, after the Super Sonics were Mayflowered to Oklahoma City.

In the NBA, the A-list teams - no matter how they're assembled - are promoted and squeezed for every dime and TV ratings point the league can get out of them. The other franchises are just filler to provide opposition. It's still stunning how quickly the Cavs have switched sides of the scoreboard.

- Howard Primer