Only days after reports surfaced suggesting that both Google and Facebook were interested in partnering with, or even possibly buying the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) company Skype, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced on Tuesday that it was buying it for $8.56 billion in cash.

This is the second time that Skype has been bought out. Launched in 2003, it was purchased by eBay in 2005 for $3.1 billion. Then in 2009, eBay sold a majority of its stake in the company to a private investment group for $1.2 billion less than it paid. The Skype purchase is also Microsoft's biggest yet, surpassing the $6 billion it paid for advertising firm aQuantitative in 2007.

In 2010, Skype posted revenue of $860 million, with an operating profit of $264 million. Overall, however, it made a small loss of $7 million and had long-term debt of $686 million.

Microsoft has had mixed success with large scale acquisitions in recent years, and has shied away from such purchases in the past few years. Some suggest that the Skype purchase shows that Microsoft may believe that it shows it has resolved the issues that it had in the past with taking on large purchases.

Dearest Zydrunas,

For the last 14 years, you have been a true representative of what the words "Cleveland" and "Cavalier" stand for. By that, I mean that you have been among the most chivalrous, hard-working, and tough sons of bitches this city has ever gotten the opportunity to root for. And we will continue to love you for it.

Sure, we've been hard on you at times. But as you have always shown with your respect to the city and fans, that sort of stuff just comes with being a professional athlete. However, your relationship with Cleveland goes beyond that of "just" an athlete -- as history has shown us, you are, in fact, one of us.

You got a taste of the latter '90s in the trail end of an era that saw the likes of guys like Mark Price, Craig Ehlo and Brad Daugherty. Then came those dark, dismal lottery years - a time that even included a potential end to your career due to injury. And, of course, there were the magical moments of the "Lebron-Era", in which you played a pivotal role in consistent winning seasons (Somewhere, I think Joe Tait is still loudly repeating "HE HIT IT! HE HIT IT!" over and over again).

In recent years, the Cleveland area has blossomed into a significant centrum of culinary culture, spanning all cardinal directions and everwhere in between. But Matt Mytro, formerly of Beachwood's Paladar and Cleveland's Boulevard Blue Restaurants, has decided to take things one step further - trending more towards a representation of comestible counterculture.

Mytro has taken his experience as a chef to new heights, going beyond the call of eats and venturing into the worlds of fashion and entertainment. After serving as a chef consultant at Waldorf Astoria, Red the Steakhouse, and working as a personal chef preparing meals all over the country, he and colleague Anthony Lynch created the clothing line called Stove Monkeys in 2007. The intriguing thing about Stove Monkeys, however, is the niche they have discovered: providing apparel designed to celebrate the passion of the culinary industry.

Restricted free agent Matt Roth has asked the Cleveland Browns to trade him, accoriding to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Per the report, Roth is looking for a higher salaried long-term deal than Mike Holmgren and company are willing to give.

Signed off the waiver wire from Miami just last season, Roth had a solid showing in his six games as a Brown playing in the 3-4 defense, compiling 6 sacks, 10 assists, and 18 tackles.

The linebacker position is one of great need for the Browns who, besides Roth, lack any players with strong pass rushing ability. In the draft just over 2 weeks ago, the Browns opted addressing the needs at secondary and did not draft any linebackers. Roth was Miami's second-round pick (46th overall) in 2005 out of Iowa.

When I first sat down to write this, I had a million ideas running through my mind -- most of it your typical agony of defeat that Cleveland has had to endure becoming accustomed to. I was going to ironically jest how the last time this city has seen a championship, "I Feel Fine" by the Beatles was the #1 song in the country and how the painfully overplayed "We Are the Champions" staple wasn't even written until 13 years later. Even more numbing is the (alleged) fact that Neil Armstrong pressed a firm boot-print into the surface of the moon more recently than a Cleveland athlete has hoisted a trophy.

And then I thought of Jose Mesa's barn-burning meltdown of the 1997 World Series. The game in-hand, all Mesa had to do was come out and secure the 2-1 margin over the Florida Marlins in the final game of the series. Instead, he allowed the game to tie and subsequently go into extra innings. And with one bounce off of the glove of Charlie Nagy, the Indians had put another feather into the cap of Cleveland misery.

The Cleveland Gladiators of the AF-1 Arena Football League have signed former Cleveland Browns receiver Steve Sanders to a deal that will allow him to earn a roster spot for the upcoming season.

Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Browns in 2006, Sanders was an East High and Bowling Green standout. In his tenure with the BG Falcons, Sanders registered 156 receptions, 2,324 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns.

As we move through this tumultuous time of the offseason, it is often hard to keep up with the goings-on of a Browns organization that is sure to stay active throughout. As such, I will try to record a weekly breakdown detailing any acquisitions or rumors regarding this free agency/draft perio so you're not made a fool of at the water cooler. You can thank me later.

UPDATED 3/10/10, 4:45 PM

Seneca Wallace Thinks He Will Be the Starter

On Tuesday evening, the Browns made a deal with the Seattle Seahawks, sending a late-round conditional draft pick in 2011 in exchange for the rights to QB Seneca Wallace. In Wallace's 7 year career, he has never began a season as a starter and is better known for his mobility outside of the pocket than for his throwing ability.

In 48 career starts, he has accumulated a 59.9% completion percentage with 25 TD and 14 INT. Given the number of attempts (556), his turnover ratio is respectable -- but in my opinion, Wallace has done very little to earn the starting position for the 2010 season. According to him, he has been given the impression by the Browns staff that the starting job is all but his. Holmgren has stated in recent months that he will not have a quarterback competition in training camp and that a clear-cut starter will be named.

The most glaring upside to the acquisition is the opportunity to have both Cribbs and Wallace line up alongside each other in the flash package, which would be sure to throw many defenses off. Though with Brian Daboll staying on at offensive coordinator, there is a lot of work to do in regard to retooling the 2010 playbook. Either way, the Browns might be in for quite an arduous journey next season unless someone with legitimate starting experience comes along.

Evidently, Seneca Wallace's arrival marked the inevitible departure of Derek Anderson. Anderson -- who was due a $2 million roster bonus on March 19 -- was released on Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns announced. His contract was terminated less than 24 hours after the Browns traded a late-round pick in 2011 for Seattle Seahawks backup QB Seneca Wallace.

Anderson was originally signed from the Baltimore Ravens practice squad and had an up-and-down tenure playing for the Browns. He took over as the starter in the second game of the 2007 season when Charlie Frye was incidentally traded to Seattle following game one. Anderson went on to lead the team to 10 wins that season, but his inconsistency behind center was always an issue. The Browns went on to trade with Dallas for a first-round pick, ultimately acquiring Brady Quinn who challenged Anderson for the starting position.

In his five seasons with the Browns, Anderson compiled a 52.9 completion percentage with 46 touchdowns and 45 interceptions.

As we move through this tumultuous time of the offseason, it is often hard to keep up with the goings-on of a Browns organization that is sure to stay active throughout. As such, I will try to record a weekly breakdown detailing any acquisitions or rumors regarding this free agency/draft perio so you're not made a fool of at the water cooler. You can thank me later.