Sunday's schedule and venue map for the 2013 National Senior Games.

2013 National Seniors Games (sample daily map).Rich Exner, The Plain Dealer

Some 21 sports are being contested at several locations throughout the area during the course of the Senior Games.

Before you head to a venue, however, check for updates on specific times or any late schedule changes by using the links provided for each event. Schedules could change based on the final count of entrants or the weather.

Event calendar

The 2013 National Senior Games run from July 18 through Aug. 1. Here's a daily event calendar. However, some dates are for practice only.

Browns first-round pick Barkevious Mingo signed his four-year contract today with a club option for a fifth year, the team announced. The deal is worth more than $16 million a league source said, and the Browns were able to obtain offset language in the contract.

CLEVELAND -- Browns first-round pick Barkevious Mingo signed his four-year contract today with a club option for a fifth year, the team announced.

The Browns now have all of their draft picks under contract

The deal is worth more a little more than $16 million a league source said, and the Browns were able to obtain offset language in the contract. His signing bonus is in the $10 million range.

In exchange for the offset language, Mingo will receive his entire signing bonus between now and the end of the year, a league source said. 

The two sides actually agreed to the deal at about 3 a.m.

"Keke said he wanted to be in on time, so we got the deal done,'' said agent Jeff Guerriero in a text message. "He will be ready to go at  7 a.m. He's glad to get the contract behind him and ready to work!''  

Offset language means the team of origin would only have to pay the difference in salary in the event the player is released and signs with a new team before his rookie contract expires.

Mingo received a slight increase over last year's No. 6 overall pick, Morris Claiborne, his former LSU teammate. Claiborne, a cornerback, received a fully-guaranteed four-year deal from the Cowboys worth a total of $16.26 million, including a $10.3 million signing bonus. Claiborne does not have offset language in his contract.

Mingo may have felt pressure to get his deal done after No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan, the defensive end from the Dolphins, and No. 4 overall pick Lane Johnson, the offensive tackle from the Eagles, signed Saturday with offset language in their full-guaranteed contracts, according to multiple reports.

In exchange, Johnson will receive his entire signing bonus within 15 days according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Jordan will receive his bonus on a quicker payout, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Jordan received a four-year deal worth $20.6 million, including $13.3 million guaranteed, according to the Post. Johnson received $19.853 million, including $12.818 million guaranteed.

Mingo only missed the first two days of the rookies-only portion of training camp. The rest of the Browns' rookies reported on Friday, and the first full-squad practice in Thursday at 4 p.m.

The No. 2, No. 5 and No. 8 overall picks -- Jaguars offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah and Rams receiver Tavon Austin -- have no offset language in their contracts.

Mingo's timely arrival means he can get down to the business of cracking the starting lineup, which won't be easy. He left minicamp as a second-stringer behind starters Paul Kruger and Jabaal Sheard, and might be part of a rotation at the position.

"Right now the other two guys are better,'' said outside linebackers coach Brian Baker during minicamp. "So yeah, whether I'm supposed to say it or not. Every place I've been I've always played the best guys and played those guys in the best positions. So if Barkevious beats one of those guys out, he'll be a starter. Until then, they're the starters.''

Mingo, who had 12-1/2 sacks in his last two seasons, has every intention of starting the opener against Miami Sept. 8.

"I'm very determined,'' said Mingo during minicamp. "That's the goal. That should be everybody's goal. You want to play, you want to help the team win, but you've got to put in the work.''

He's already gotten a taste of how tough it will be to crack the top two.

"Exactly,'' he said. "Those are some big-time guys. It's a learning curve. I've been thrown into a different position. Time will tell what the coaches think.''

But Mingo would rather earn it than inherit the job from his first-round pedigree.

"You don't want anything given to you,'' he said. "So you earn the respect and put in the work to get what you want.''

For now, Mingo is just eager to start hitting again.

“I’m very excited to get it out the way, just get it started,'' he said. "I'm just ready to put on the pads and show the coaches what us as a class and me personally, what we’re made of, being able to compete and earn a spot on the team.”

The Official Cleveland Browns33 minutes ago

Look who's inked and ready for camp!!!! Browns have signed Barkevious Mingo, the team's 2013 first-round draft pick! #GoBrowns

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Stats-drive Believe-O-Meter for Cleveland Indians slips during All-Star Break week, but team remains in the hunt.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - While the Cleveland Indians linger in the hunt for a division title, The Plain Dealer's stats-driven Believe-0-Meter took a dip this week as fans turned more of their sports attention to football in a week when the Indians had four off days.

61	52	71
Overall	Heart	Head

The meter, an index taking into account on-field performance and fan interest, reads a 61 on a scale of 1-to-100.

That's down from 66 one week ago.

The key change was the portion of the Believe-O-Meter tied to how many cleveland.com users read stories about the Indians, vs. the Browns, Cavs and Ohio State Buckeyes.

Shares increased for the Browns and Buckeyes. Part of the dip for the Indians in the last week, however, might have been due to the All-Star Break.

The stats-driven Believe-O-Meter shown here is an alternate way to judge the Indians' hopes this season to the subjective fan-driven Believe-O-Meter. You can be part of that separate rating by voicing your opinion at this link.

Here's how we come up with the stats-driven Believe-O-Meter rating, an average of our head and heart indexes.

• For the head (currently an 71, up from 70 a week earlier): We've created an index that takes into account the Indians' record over the last 10 games, the overall record for the year, games behind first place, and the team's American League ranking for runs scored and runs allowed.

• For the heart (currently a 52, down from 62 week earlier): The index factors in attendance over the last 10 home games and readership over the last week on cleveland.com for Indians stories vs. stories about the Browns, the Cavs and Ohio State.
  

We'll check back weekly with updates on the the Believe-O-Meter, stats version, as the season goes along.

Visit the fan-driven Believe-O-Meter to register how you're feeling about the Tribe today.

Indians Believe-O-Meter rates a six.Bill Neff, The Plain Dealer

Quarterbacks Taylor Martinez of Nebraska and Devin Gardner of Michigan each got one vote, with Miller picking up the other 24.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Last year, Braxton Miller was ahead of schedule. In a media poll before the 2012 season, the Ohio State quarterback received just one vote out of 24 for the Big Ten's preseason offensive player of the year.

By the end of the year, he was named the Big Ten's best offensive player, finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and led Ohio State to an undefeated record.

Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner picked up one preseason offensive player of the year vote, just one of three players to be listed on a ballot. Carlos Osorio, Associated Press

Miller got a lot more votes this year.

In a preseason poll organized by The Plain Dealer of 26 Big Ten writers spread across the conference, Miller earned 24 of 26 votes as the Big Ten's best offensive player. Two other quarterbacks on conference contenders each earned one vote – Nebraska's Taylor Martinez and Devin Gardner of Michigan.

A year ago, a running back was the big name in the Big Ten, with Wisconsin's Montee Ball named the league's preseason offensive player on 14 ballots. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was second with nine votes and Miller picked up the last one.

Miller averaged 276 yards per game last season in total offense, second in the Big Ten behind Martinez, who averaged 278 yards. Miller threw for 2,039 yards and ran for 1,271, which ranked fourth in the conference behind Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell, Ball and Robinson. All three of them are gone, so Miller is the top returning rusher in the league.

And he's got a solid shot to pick up another conference player of the year award in a few months.

Barnett and Bryant have combined to make 46 career starts entering the 2013 season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – C.J. Barnett should be gone. As a sophomore in 2010, the safety from Dayton earned a starting job. He was on track to be a four-year player, three-year starter and done after 2012. And then he tore his ACL in the second game of the season against Miami.

He was lost for the season. He redshirted, and kept a year of eligibility.

That's why he's back as a fifth-year starter for 2013. Good teams need a few guys like that to take a roster over the top. Think of Barnett as a David Lighty of this year's team.

Lighty played as a freshman in 2006-07 as the basketball Buckeyes went to the national title game, then broke his foot during what should have been his junior season in 2008-09. That led to a redshirt season, which allowed him to stick around for the 2010-11 season, when he helped the Buckeyes to the No. 1 ranking for a chunk of the year.

And Barnett isn't alone. Fourth-year senior Christian Bryant is back with Barnett as a three-starter. He has 22 career starts. Barnett has 24, more than any player on the defense. That's why this day on the countdown of the most important things for the Buckeyes' season focuses on …

No. 13: Ohio State safeties to make you feel safe

13 days until the start of preseason practice

The Buckeyes have been through the ups and downs with Barnett and Bryant, the big plays and the missed tackles. So the coaches have to assume that as seniors, Barnett and Bryant are ready to cut out the mistakes and excel both as solid safety valves eliminating the big play and aggressive tacklers ready to come up and offer some game-changing hits.

When the 48-player Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list was announced, Ohio State was the only team to lead three players on the list, with cornerback Bradley Roby joining the safeties.

Big things are expected.

@STONEYeleven & Me after a Dub, singing Carmen Ohio. More of that song soon to come... #OhioState2013 http://t.co/ILj42qtgTN

— Christian Bryant™ (@2CBryant) July 16, 2013

Bryant and Barnett should be leaders on and off the field. And while they're making tackles and batting down passes, they need to make sure that their fellow defenders can feel safe knowing who the guys at the back end of the defense are.

The remarkably quick Willis was a great middle guard for the Browns in their first eight seasons, the anchor of a defense that allowed the fewest points in six of the years and the second-fewest the two other years.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A countdown of the top 100 players in Cleveland
Browns history. Players must have spent at least four seasons with the
Browns. The ranking is based only on players' careers with the Browns.

No. 4, BILL WILLIS, defensive middle guard-offensive guard, 1946-53

It would be difficult to pack more greatness into an eight-year career than did Bill Willis.

Willis was a mainstay in the Browns' 5-3 and 5-2 defenses at middle guard, a position somewhat the equivalent of today's middle linebacker in a 4-3. He earned various first-team all-league honors in seven of his seasons and second-team in the other campaign. Willis also played guard on offense in his first two seasons, often as a starter.

Willis' career spanned the first eight seasons in Browns history. They won all four All-America Football Conference championships before the league folded, then were champions in their first season in the NFL. The Browns and Willis then won division titles the next three years, though they lost each of the championship games.

Cleveland was known for its dynamic and innovative offense, but the defense led by Willis was just as good. The Browns allowed the fewest points in the league in six of the eight years and the second-fewest the other two years.

Yet Willis made a contribution to sports and indeed the nation that was more important and lasting than his playing excellence. He, Browns fullback-linebacker Marion Motley and Los Angeles Rams back Kenny Washington and receiver Woody Strode broke pro football's color barrier in 1946

Willis and Motley were the lone African-American players in the new All-America Football Conference that year, the Browns' first season as a franchise. Washington and Strode were the first African-Americans to play in the NFL since 1933. The 1946 season was the first for the Rams in Los Angeles after moving from Cleveland following their 1945 NFL championship season that was capped with a 15-14 title win over the Washington Redskins at Cleveland Stadium.

Motley, Willis, Strode and Washington began their professional careers before Jackie Robinson of the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers broke baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947. The Cleveland Indians' Larry Doby became the first African-American to play in the American League that July 5.

Coach Paul Brown had invited Willis to the Browns' training camp in Bowling Green, Ohio several weeks before the team played its first regular season game, a 44-0 rout of the Miami Seahawks on Friday night, Sept. 6, 1946 at Cleveland Stadium. Several days after Brown called on Willis to try out for the Browns, he invited Motley to camp.

Willis and Motley would become integral to the Browns' success and the team's role in the community -- and to the gradual advancement of equality in sports -- not only with their great play, but with their exemplary character and leadership.

Willis, from Columbus (Ohio) East High School, played middle guard on Paul Brown's 1942 national championship team at Ohio State and for the undefeated Buckeyes team coached by Carroll Widdoes in 1944 -- Willis' second season as an All-American selection. Widdoes replaced Brown, who as a commissioned United States Navy lieutenant trained recruits and coached the football team at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station near Chicago. Motley trained at Great Lakes and played there for Brown's team.

Between his 1942 and 1943 seasons at Ohio State, Willis volunteered for the U.S. Army but was classified 4-F because of his varicose veins. The classification meant that Willis would possibly be called to active duty only in the event of a national emergency.

Following his graduation, Willis was hired as the football coach at Kentucky State College though he would turn just age 24 during the 1945 season. Willis guided Kentucky State to a winning campaign, but he told the Browns of his hope of playing for them and was ready for the chance when he got the call.

At middle guard, Willis often lined up in a two-point (standing) stance, a step or so behind his linemen and between his tackles, facing the opponents' center.

Wills was listed at 6-2 and played at about 210 to, maybe, 220 pounds. He was light for a middle guard -- and in fact for when he played as an offensive lineman -- but he more than made up for it with his exceptional quickness and his toughness. Teams customarily double-teamed him, as he flew into backfields to ruin running plays and rush the passer. Willis made plays from sideline to sideline and excelled when he occasionally dropped into pass coverage.

Part of Browns lore is their 1950 championship in their first NFL season, when they were supposed to be schooled by the traditional teams from the established league. If not for big plays by Willis, they may not have reached the title game.

The Browns went 10-2 to tie the New York Giants and force a playoff game for the American Division championship at Cleveland Stadium. It was then that Willis made some of the most memorable defensive plays in team history.

The Browns led, 3-0, with about 10 minutes left when Giants speedster Gene Roberts took off from the Cleveland 36 around right end and seemed headed for a touchdown until Willis caught him from behind at the 4-yard-line. On the next two plays Willis stopped running back Eddie Price for one yard and then no yards. A Cleveland penalty, though, gave the Giants a first down. Willis then tackled halfback Joe Scott for a five-yard loss and New York had to settle for a tying field goal.

Cleveland drove into position for Lou Groza's 28-yard field goal and a 6-3 lead with 58 seconds to go. Following the kickoff, Willis and ends George Young and Jim Martin ganged up on Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly for a safety that assured the 8-3 Browns win.

The Browns then defeated the Rams, 30-28, on Groza's 16-yard field goal with 28 seconds left to win the championship on Christmas Eve in Cleveland.

The popular Willis retired following the 1953 season. He spent most of the rest of his life working with youngsters. He had a long career with the Ohio Youth Commission and served as its director for years.

Willis died at age 86 on Nov. 27, 2007. Just 24 days earlier, on Nov. 3, Ohio State
honored Willis by retiring his No. 99 jersey.

(The Browns' all-time top 100 players so far)

Video: A tribute, with some highlight plays, to the Browns' Bill Willis (30) and Marion Motley (76), among the first African-Americans to break pro football's color barrier:

Video: Bill Willis (30) is at middle guard on the Browns' defensive line during Cleveland's 24-17 loss to the Rams in the 1951 NFL championship game at Los Angeles:

GULLANE, Scotland - Phil Mickelson wondered if he'd ever win this venerable trophy, the one he proudly posed with on Muirfield's 18th hole as photographers snapped away and fans chanted his name. Raised on the lush, manicured courses of America, Lefty crafted a game that required one to look toward the sky. Booming drives. Soaring iron shots. Chips and...

GULLANE, Scotland - Phil Mickelson wondered if he'd ever win this venerable trophy, the one he proudly posed with on Muirfield's 18th hole as photographers snapped away and fans chanted his name.

Raised on the lush, manicured courses of America, Lefty crafted a game that required one to look toward the sky. Booming drives. Soaring iron shots. Chips and wedges that floated, then spun improbably to a stop (see: video).

Beautiful to watch -- except when Mickelson was trying to win the claret jug. Links golf is played along the ground, a version of the game he fretted about ever mastering.

"It took me a while to figure it out," Mickelson said late Sunday, another step closer to a career Grand Slam. "It's so different than what I grew up playing. I always wondered if I would develop the skills needed to win this championship."

No need to fret about that anymore. He's the British Open champion. He did it with the greatest round of his life.

Mickelson blazed to the finish with a 5-under 66, matching the lowest score of the week in the pressure cooker of a final round. Most impressively, he saved his best shots for the end, making birdies on four of the last six holes.

Mickelson is 43 years old now, closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but he still has a passion for the game and a desire to tie up some of the loose ends. This was one of them, something to add to his three Masters wins and a PGA Championship.

"The guy's done a lot," his caddie John MacKay said. "He's done a lot of really cool things on the big stage."

"This is probably the most fulfilling moment of my career," Mickelson told the fans. "I'm very proud to be your champion."

• • •

Mickelson began the final round with a lot of ground to make up. He trailed Lee Westwood by five shots, the 40-year-old Englishman never in a better position to pick up his first major. Tiger Woods was two shots behind, eager to end the longest major drought of his career. Masters champion Adam Scott was also in the mix.

One by one, each contender faded as Mickelson surged to victory.

» Woods: Tiger Woods kept staring incredulously at the ball -- when it veered off in odd directions, when it stopped rolling far from the cup. It was as though Woods had suddenly forgotten how to read a putt.

Woods' latest chance to end the longest drought of his career slipped away Sunday. For Woods, it was another mystifying showing by a guy who used to produce that sort of magic fairly regularly.

He once was considered a lock to break Jack Nicklaus' record in golf's biggest events, yet the number of titles remains stuck at 14 -- four shy of the Golden Bear and right where it's been since Woods' last major triumph at the 2008 U.S. Open.

He started the day just two strokes behind 54-hole leader Westwood, but it fell apart pretty quickly. Though he remained on the fringe of contention all day, he never got to the top of the board. Woods staggered to the finish with a 74, five shots behind the winner.

It didn't even seem that close, thanks to a dismal performance with the putter. Woods needed 33 swipes with the short stick to get around the course. Only six of the 84 players used it more.

"I had a hard time adjusting to the speeds," Woods said. "They were much slower today, much softer. I don't think I got too many putts to the hole."

» Westwood: While Mickelson was hoisting the claret jug on the 18th green to roars and applause, Westwood was about 40 yards away in the corner of a press tent, explaining how yet another major championship got away from him.

"I wanted to be there on the 18th green right now, that's pretty obvious," Westwood said, briefly turning his eyes to a nearby TV screen to see Mickelson parading the trophy.

Seeking a first major title to erase his "nearly man" tag, Westwood began the final round of the British Open with a two-stroke lead. But he shot a 4-over 75 to finish four strokes behind the fast-finishing Mickelson.

"I'm not too disappointed," Westwood said. "I don't really get disappointed with golf anymore."

Westwood has come to live with near misses at golf's biggest tournaments. This was his eighth top-three finish in 62 majors and, at 40, he may never have a better chance again.

He'll try for a 63rd time at the U.S. PGA Championship at Oak Hill next month.

"I'm a philosophical person," Westwood said. "It just doesn't wind me up or get to me anymore."

» Scott: Adam Scott's collapse in the final round at the British Open wasn't nearly as spectacular as it was a year ago. The end result was still the same.

For the second year in a row Scott held the lead on the back nine; for the second year in a row he left without his name on the claret jug.

"I think the disappointing thing is this one I felt I wasted a little bit," Scott said Sunday. "I would have liked to be in at the end and no one was, actually. It's a shame."

After he lost the British last year, Scott said it he would learn from the experience. Despite missing again, he said he did.

"I'm happy with my week, other than I didn't win," he said. "But I lived up to my expectations of putting myself in contention with a chance. And it will just have to go down in the experience book and something to build on again."

- Compiled from AP reports

Cornerback Bradley Roby also may be facing legal issues, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State starting  running back Carlos Hyde has reportedly been dismissed from the team, and star cornerback Bradley Roby was arrested in Indianapolis over the weekend, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Hyde ran for 970 yards last season, and while the Buckeyes have options, none is quite like him.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State senior running back Carlos Hyde was reportedly dismissed from the team this morning in a move that damages the Buckeyes' offense, removing a workhorse running back who ran for 970 yards last season.

There are five scholarship running backs remaining on the roster, and the Buckeyes could go several ways in patching this hole in the offense. But none of them has the combination of Hyde's size, speed and experience, which could matter not just in running the ball, but in blocking for the pass game and in keeping defenses honest in the zone-read run game with quarterback Braxton Miller.

Junior Rod Smith looks like the most logical candidate to emerge as the No. 1 back, but that's no sure thing. He carried just 32 times for 215 yards last year. Hyde had 185 carries, including four games with 20 or more.

Then there's redshirt senior Jordan Hall, who started two games last year while Hyde was hurt before his own season ended early due to injury. But Hall in the offseason was moved to the slot position and away from the standard running back role, with the Buckeyes hoping to use his speed to get outside and to catch passes.

But with this news, Hall could move back as a more typical running back, leaving the slot position to incoming freshmen like Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson. The Buckeyes may have to at least think about, because Hall has done it before.

Other options at running back include sophomore Bri'onte Dunn (25 carries for 133 yards last season), redshirt freshman Warren Ball, and true freshman Ezekiel Elliott.

So Ohio State isn't lacking options. The Buckeyes are just lacking someone like Hyde, who did it all last season, running for more than 100 yards in four of the last seven games of the year. As defenses focused on stopping Miller on the edge, Hyde was able to make them pay up the middle, and that helped keep the offense rolling. A runner who can quickly and physically hit that hole, then accelerate into the secondary, he was the ideal complement for Miller's shiftiness, and now Ohio State must find that runner somewhere else.

At 242 pounds, Hyde was also an ideal running back in short-yardage situations. Smith is 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, but he's 3 inches taller than Hyde and more of an upright runner. He also had some fumbling problems in his past. Giving him the ball inside the 5-yard line may not quite be the same.

For a team that should start the season ranked in the top three in the country, this isn't an end to their hopes. But it's a reminder to all the Buckeyes how one move can change the future, for an individual and the team.

Hyde had proven himself as a 25-carry back in an offense that Urban Meyer has said truly starts with the power run game. Now the Buckeyes will have to find some power in other places.

Roby is facing a charge of misdemeanor battery after an incident at an Indiana bar.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Bradley Roby's weekend arrest in Bloomington magnified a rough time in the Ohio State football program. Dealing with the reported dismissal of running back Carlos Hyde, the Buckeyes now must address Roby's situation in Indiana.

The Bloomington police, after inquiries from several reporters from Ohio, issued a press release on Roby's arrest on early Sunday morning.

On July 21, 2013 the Bloomington Police Department arrested Bradley James Roby (5/1/1992) for A- Misdemeanor Battery.

On July 21, 2013, at approximately 2:40 a.m., Bloomington Police were dispatched to the Dunkirk Bar, located at 430 E. Kirkwood Avenue, regarding a disturbance. When officers arrived they located Bradley James Roby being detained by private security officers hired by the bar. Bar staff, security officers, and an independent witness reported that Mr. Roby had been inside the Dunkirk Bar and had attempted to start a fight with another (patron). He was removed from the bar by bar staff. He then attempted to re-enter the bar to locate his friends. At that point he was stopped by security officers and told he could not re-enter the bar. Mr. Roby then struck one of the security guards in the chest, causing a complaint of pain. He was then wrestled to the ground and detained until police arrived on the scene.

Mr. Roby was arrested for A-Misdemeanor Battery and booked into the Monroe County Jail. For booking photographs please contact the Monroe County Jail.

Roby's arrest is serious, but it appears to be a significantly different type of circumstance than Hyde's situation. This could result in a suspension for Roby, but it doesn't appear to be the kind of violation that would end his career as a Buckeye.

Ohio State is not as deep at cornerback as the Buckeyes are at running back. Doran Grant is slated to take over for the departed Travis Howard. If Roby, a potential All-American and projected first-round draft pick, misses time, the likely candidates to replace him are sophomore Armani Reeves and true freshmen Cam Burrows and Eli Apple.

Before the news today, nine of 26 Big Ten reporters said the Big Ten champ would play for the BCS National Championship.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Who knows what would have happened if the Big Ten preseason media poll had been conducted today and not over the last week? Would the Buckeyes still have been picked to win the Big Ten title game by 25 of 26 writers in the poll?

It's very possible that at least one answer would have changed for several voters.

One question asked by The Plain Dealer as it gathered writers from around the conference was whether the Big Ten champion would play in the BCS National Championship Game for the first time since the Buckeyes lost consecutive national title games following the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Since 25 writers picked Ohio State to win the Big Ten, and one picked Michigan, this was really a question about the Buckeyes.

Starting high in the polls in the preseason, almost certainly in the top three, returning what was then eight offensive starters, with a second year in Meyer's system and an easy schedule, could the Buckeyes get to Pasadena on Jan. 6 for the last national title game of the BCS era?

It's certainly possible. But even before the news on Hyde and Roby, only nine voters said yes, while 17 said no.

Given today, would that change much? And what do you think now? Given the news today, can Ohio State play for the national title?

Freshmen Tim Gardner and Marcus Baugh also faced sanctions from Meyer.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State finally released a statement from head coach Urban Meyer just before 4 p.m., announcing that four Buckeyes have been disciplined, including Carlos Hyde and Bradley Roby.

The team did not characterize Hyde as being dismissed from the team, however.

The release:

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer today suspended senior running back Carlos Hyde, from Naples, Fla., from all football team activities pending the outcome of the student code of conduct and criminal investigations. Hyde was named in a City of Columbus Police Department report that was issued Monday.

Meyer also took disciplinary action Monday against two freshmen who were involved in legal issues in the past week: tight end Marcus Baugh, from Riverside, Calif., and defensive lineman Tim Gardner, from Indianapolis. He also announced that senior cornerback Bradley Roby, from Suwanee, Ga., will not attend Big Ten media days this week. Roby was involved in a legal issue this weekend in Bloomington, Ind., and, as more information becomes available, could face additional discipline.

“I have a clear set of core values in place that members of this football program are constantly reminded of and are expected to honor,” Meyer said. “There are also expectations with regard to behavior. I expect our players to conduct themselves responsibly and appropriately and they will be held accountable for their actions.”

Baugh has been removed from all team activities and will sit out the first game of the season, Aug. 31 vs. Buffalo, for his arrest last weekend for underage possession of alcohol and possessing a fake identification. His actions will also result in the loss of his summer aid.

Gardner is being sent home and will not be a part of the 2013 team after he was charged Saturday night by Columbus police with obstruction of official business.

“Swift, effective and fair discipline is the standard for our entire athletics program,” Director of Athletics Gene Smith said. “I applaud Coach Meyer for his immediate actions.”

The outside linebacker continues to field questions about his weight

BEREA, Ohio – Getting his contract situation resolved felt like a “weight has been lifted” to Browns first-round draft pick Barkevious Mingo.

That’s the only weight the lithe pass rusher wanted to discuss Monday a day after he agreed to a four-year, $16 million deal that included about a $10.7 million signing bonus.

What hasn’t changed since Mingo put pen to paper is the media’s fascination with his weight. The team lists the athletic outside linebacker at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. The frame of the No. 6 overall draft pick has been a continual talking point with some fearing he’s too lean to rush the quarterback at the NFL level.

“I’m pleased with where I’m at,” he said. “The coaches aren’t concerned, I’m bigger than what I was when I got here (Mingo said he weighed 237 pounds in April) and I’m not trying to stop right there . . . Our strength coaches have been doing a great job, so I’m getting stronger, getting bigger, but I’m keeping my quickness, and I think that’s the best way to go about that.”

When asked for his weight Monday, Mingo offered a “we’re not going there” smile.

“Like I said earlier, I’m pleased with my weight, the coaches are pleased, the strength coach is pleased and right now we’re just looking to play football,” Mingo said.

He was relieved to have his contract finished after missing only one day of rookie activities.

“It was an eye-opener,” Mingo said. “When you’re growing up and you’re watching football, you think they just come ready to play, they just play football. But there’s also a different side of that -- it’s a business. And the club, they want to do what’s best for them and your agent is looking out for you. But at the end of the day you’ve just got to be ready to play football.”

Nelson rehabbed his knee injury in Dallas rather than at the Browns training facility

BEREA, Ohio – As spring practices concluded last month, Browns receiver David Nelson expected his surgically-repaired right knee would be ready for the start of training camp.

That won’t be the case, however.

The free-agent acquisition will begin camp Thursday on the active physically unable to perform list, coach Rob Chudzinski said Monday. He will be joined by rookie offensive lineman Chris Faulk, who like Nelson is recovering from a serious knee injury suffered early last fall.

Chudzinksi said the two players can work with the trainers and participate in drills until they are ready to return to the active roster.

Injured veterans reported to camp early, and Nelson was among those running routes and catching passes Monday in the fieldhouse. Chudzinski said safety Jamoris Slaughter (Achilles) and halfback Trent Richardson (lower leg) have been taking part in practices, and will be full go for camp. Nelson’s status is mildly surprising given how confident he sounded on June 3 about his rehab, which he conducted away from the team facility in metro Dallas with a physical therapist he’s known for years.

Nelson, who spent his first three seasons with the Buffalo Bills, tore the knee ligament in the season opener last year. When healthy, the 6-foot-5, 215-pounder is considered a reliable slot receiver, one who’s dropped just six career passes while being targeted 141 times, according to ProFootballFocus.com.

He made news in the offseason for helping found an orphanage in Haiti. In June, Nelson defended his decision to rehab the injury in Texas and spend time in Central America working on charitable endeavors.

“I knew that a lot of people thought my mind was different places and wandering different places,” Nelson told reporters in June. “I wanted to let (Chudzinski) know that I’m 100 percent focused on football, and I’m 100 percent committed to this football team.”

Highlights include Indians game at Seattle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL

6:30 p.m. U.S. Baseball Championships All-Star Game, CBSSN

7 p.m. Southern Illinois at LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS, AM/930

7 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Texas, ESPN

7:05 p.m.AKRON AEROSat Bowie, AM/1350

10:10 p.m.CLEVELAND INDIANS at Seattle, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100, FM/100.7

Carlos Hyde came up 30 yards short in 2012 of joining Ohio State's list of 1,000-yard rushers.

Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde, who has been suspended from the team, fell just 30 yards short last year of becoming Ohio State's 22nd 1,000-yard rusher.

The list begins with Jim Otis, who ran for 1,027 yards in 1969, and ends with Buckeye quarterback Braxton Miller, who rushed for 1,271 yards in 2012.

An OSU running back has not rushed for 1,000 yards since Dan Herron in 2010, a season in which Ohio State later vacated its wins because of NCAA rules violations.

Hyde was suspended but could return, while Bradley Roby will miss Big Ten media days and could face further punishment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - By late Monday afternoon, when Ohio State finally officially responded to a weekend of chatter and a day of informed speculation, four Buckeyes were punished by head coach Urban Meyer, including starters Carlos Hyde and Bradley Roby.

“Swift, effective and fair discipline is the standard for our entire athletics program,” OSU athletic director Gene Smith said in a statement released by the team. “I applaud Coach Meyer for his immediate actions.”

Now, the Buckeyes move on, wounded by a summer that hasn't gone as planned, especially last weekend. With the start of preseason practice less than two weeks away, and with some explaining to do at Big Ten media days in Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Buckeyes are in flux.

But neither of their two stars are completely out of the picture.

A report earlier Monday said that Hyde had been dismissed from the team after he was named as a person of interest in a police report about an assault of a woman at a Columbus bar over the weekend. But Ohio State said that Hyde, a senior, was suspended from football activities pending the outcome of the student code of conduct and criminal investigations. It sounds similar to the status faced by former linebacker Storm Klein a year ago, who after charges of domestic violence were filed against him was suspended from the team while the police and courts went to work.

Klein eventually pleaded to a much-reduced charge and missed the first two games of the season.

So Hyde, the No. 1 running back who gained 970 yards last season as a junior, seemingly could be back if he doesn't face serious charges. He has not been arrested at this point, only named as that person of interest.

Meanwhile, Roby, an All-American candidate as a junior cornerback, will not attend the meetings in Chicago, where he was to have joined quarterback Braxton Miller and left tackle Jack Mewhort as the representatives speaking on behalf of the Buckeyes to the media. He'll stay home, replaced by senior safety Christian Bryant of Glenville.

Roby was arrested in Bloomington, Ind., over the weekend and faces a misdemeanor battery charge after allegedly trying to start a fight in a bar, and then, after being taken away, returning and hitting a bouncer in the chest. That information was provided in a press release by Bloomington police.

Beyond missing Chicago, he could face further punishment after Ohio State gathers more information. A relatively short suspension at the start of the season, perhaps a game or two, seems like a possibility.

The other two Buckeyes punished were not as vital to the high hopes for the 2013 team, but they added to the list of legal problems and served as further fodder for questions about Meyer's program.

The incoming freshmen reported in June, and tight end Marcus Baugh from California was recently cited for underage drinking and using a fake ID. Ohio State suspended him for the opener against Buffalo, and he'll lose his scholarship for the rest of the summer.

Lineman Tim Gardner of Indianapolis was “sent home” according to Ohio State and won't play for the Buckeyes this season after being charged by Columbus police with obstruction of official business on Saturday.

So that's four incidents involving Buckeyes, three this past weekend and one the weekend before.

Maybe the situation for the Buckeyes isn't as bad as it seemed at one point. But Meyer and his players could probably agree that it needs to get better.

“I have a clear set of core values in place that members of this football program are constantly reminded of and are expected to honor,” Meyer said. “There are also expectations with regard to behavior. I expect our players to conduct themselves responsibly and appropriately and they will be held accountable for their actions.”

Browns Josh Gordon spoke publicly for the time since his suspension today and re-iterated what he said in a statement released in June: that he did not use codeine recreationally.

CLEVELAND, Ohio  -- Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, speaking publicly today for the first time since his two-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, stood behind his statement that his positive codeine test was inadvertent and that he did not use the drug recreationally.

There's been some concern that perhaps Gordon got involved with the "Purple Drank'' craze that may be responsible for some positive codeine tests in the NFL in recent years. Purple Drank is a mixture of codeine-laced cough syrup mixed with candy and soda.

But Gordon insisted that's not the case.

Asked in a pre-camp interview in Berea if the codeine test signals a substance abuse problem, Gordon said, "the details (of the positive test) were given in my statement in June. It wasn't nothing the sort of recreational use.''

Gordon doesn't feel that he's back to square one in terms of having to prove to the Browns that he can stay clean. The failed codeine test came on the heels of three positive marijuana tests in college and at least one other violation of the substance abuse policy while in the NFL.

"I really don't feel that way,'' he said. "I'm still working towards it, but that's something that's in the past. It's still going to loom over me for a long time. But I still have a long way to go, a lot to prove to the fans here, to the people here. But regarding this, it's just another obstacle in my way of getting there.''

Gordon, who's tested randomly, re-iterated that he was surprised by the positive results. He said in his statement in June that the codeine was contained in a cough syrup prescribed for a bout with strep throat in February.

"The fact that it happened, it was beyond me,'' he said. "It's one of those things you just really can't control. The statement's already come out. There's not too much I can comment on.''

Nevertheless, he didn't appeal and will be accountable for the mistake.

"It was just part of the consequences that came with it and I'm willing to deal with it and I have to deal with it,'' he said. "I plan to move forward from this point on and I look forward to this upcoming season.''

He said he talked to coach Rob Chudzinski about the suspension.

"Accountability is a big issue,'' he said. "We're definitely planning for the future. We're looking forward to the things we can do beyond this point. Can't really sit back and just think about the past and things that's happened. We're really looking forward to what we can do from here on out.''

Gordon recently took plenty of criticism from Browns fans -- primarily on twitter -- for supporting Lebron James and the Miami Heat during the NBA finals and vowing to be in their victory parade. Former Browns offensive tackle LeCharles Bentley, for one, criticized him for not having his priorities straight, especially on the heels of the suspension.

"I'm not really sure what he said,'' said Gordon. "I didn't see the tweet or anything like that. But you're entitled to your opinion. I can't tell you what to think. Are my priorities straight? Yeah, my priorities are definitely in order. I've still got a job to come out here and do every day. I've got to be accountable. I have to provide for me and my family, so I definitely have my priorities straight.''

He did, however, apologize to anyone he offended with his pro-James stance.

"The time that it took place, I wasn't really thinking about it at all,'' he said. "I wasn't sure of the severity of it. But I definitely, definitely want to apologize for that. It's such a huge deal out here. The fans of Cleveland definitely take their sports seriously. That was a blank mind moment at that point.''

More to come later on the Josh Gordon story.

Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner says Trent Richardson "has a lot of great days ahead of him."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner has coached some of the best running backs in the history of the game, including the NFL's all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith and former MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, and Turner thinks Trent Richardson stacks up.

"Just watching him and seeing him against us when I came here in October and then watching the tape, yeah, he’s that type of runner,'' said Turner. "Obviously he’s the third pick in the draft. I think he has a lot of great days ahead of him. I always have a problem comparing players because each guy has his own unique style, but I think he’s capable of doing great things.”

Turner, who's produced the NFL's rushing champion on five occasions, thinks Richardson will carry the ball 300 times -- even in this pass-happy league. Last season, he rushed 267 times for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns.

"Obviously, the trend in the league is to not do that, but I think it depends on your team and everyone around it,'' Turner said today. "If that player is your best player, then I think it’s probably a good thing to have him in the game and give him the ball. So I would hope Trent would have that many carries. That means he’s playing healthy and playing at a pretty high level.''

Turner said Richardson, who reported last week along with rookies, quarterbacks and players coming off injuries, has already looked good in pre-camp practices and that the club will be smart with him in camp, coming off a muscle strain in his right shin.

"I don’t think he’ll take a beating at all in our training camp practices,'' Turner said. "I think Coach (Rob Chudzinski) and our trainers and our doctors have put together a really good plan for Trent. I think he’s going to get as much work as he needs to get ready and then we’ll make sure he’s fresh and healthy, but he’s going to get his share of the work in this camp like every player. When I started this thing off, you have to put a lot of time in. It takes a lot of work to be ready to play in this league. He needs to go through the same process everyone else does.”

At the same time, he thinks Richardson will be able to overcome the time he missed in the final week of organized team activities and minicamp.

"I think the running back position is a little bit unique,'' Turner said. "Those guys rely so much on their physical skills, their natural ability. He’s sharp. The mental part was no problem. He’ll get his share of reps. The best runners I’ve been around, they start off and stay within the system and they let their natural ability do a lot of the damage. Their natural ability is a lot of reason for their success.”

But the other backs on the roster will also get a good look in camp, and some will get their share of carries during the season. The backfield in spring practices featured plenty of mixing and matching with Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya, Dion Lewis and Brandon Jackson.

"I think Rob has done as good a job of that as anybody, being versatile and doing a lot of different things,'' said Turner. "That’s what our system is based on, trying to get as many people involved. I tell our guys in the meeting room, I’d like to have 16 starters on offense. You’d like to have a lot of guys feel when the ball is kicked off on Sunday they’re going to have a chance to help your team win. We want to find out what our guys can do and then give them the chance to do it.”

Will Turner use a traditional fullback in this offense? And will third-year fullback Owen Marecic make the team after being benched much of last season by the guys who drafted him in the fourth round?

"The beauty of this offense is that it's versatile enough that you have success with the players you have,'' he said. "We've used a variety of different styles of fullback and have been very productive and I can go all the way back into the mid-90s where we had a converted tailback playing fullback with the Redskins and Terry Allen rushed for 1,500 yards. We're going to make due. We're going to take the guys that we have and find out what they do best and give them a chance to do that. We will end up, I believe, with a traditional fullback in our offense and how much we'll use him will depend on the style of offense we end up running."

He said Ogbonnaya can play fullback if need be.

"He can do some of it,'' said Turner. "He's similar to the guys I talked about back in Washington."

Today we ask, what kind of food do you make sure to eat -- or avoid -- when training for the National Senior Games?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -  Each day we are asking National Senior Games participants a question related to their training or athletic life.

Today we ask: What kind of food do you make sure to eat -- or avoid -- when training for the National Senior Games?

Here is a sampling of responses:

"I love blueberries. I eat them every morning on my oatmeal."

-- Richard Shugert, 80, Jensen Beach, Fla., tennis

"No fat foods, no fried foods. A lot of greens is what I've been eating. A lot of chicken since I don't eat beef."

-- Paula Johnson, 66, Galveston, Texas, badminton

"Steak. I eat steak a lot. What do I avoid? Seafood."

-- Dana Welshman, 68, Rhode Island, golf

"I love French fries."

-- Charlie Kahill, 70, Portland, Maine, 5K road race, 800 meters and 1,500 meters

"I don't eat very well so I'm not avoiding anything but I do have a lot of fruit."

-- Ray Mack, 62, Rochester, N.Y., golf and table tennis

"A good diet of vegetables, fruit, and a minimum of the heavy stuff like meats. You feel a hell of a lot better when you're eating the right kind of food."

-- Dawson Hunter, 84, Black Mountain, N.C., 5K road race

"A peanut butter and jelly sandwich right before you play is one of the best foods you can eat. You digest fast, it gives you all the energy you need."

-- Robert Swindle, 70, Birmingham, Ala., basketball

"I eat everything; I avoid nothing."

-- Linda Lavelle, 59, Athens, tennis