By TIM DAHLBERG AP Sports Columnist On balance, it hasn't been a bad month for Jim Calhoun. Certainly better than the one that two of his former assistants are having. They were dumped from the University of Connecticut basketball program under the cloud of an NCAA investigation and will likely now never have meaningful careers in their chosen field....

JESSICA HILL/ASSOCIATED PRESSUConn's Jim Calhoun listens at a press conference Friday in Storrs, Conn.By TIM DAHLBERG

AP Sports Columnist

On balance, it hasn't been a bad month for Jim Calhoun.

Certainly better than the one that two of his former assistants are having. They were dumped from the University of Connecticut basketball program under the cloud of an NCAA investigation and will likely now never have meaningful careers in their chosen field.

Better, perhaps, than many of his former players, who tend to leave UConn without degrees and with no appreciable job skills other than dribbling a basketball.

Calhoun? Well, his reputation was damaged and he did have to spend part of Friday at a press conference he surely found painful. But he had a long Memorial Day weekend to get over it, and the apologists above him were busy protecting their coach at all costs.

If he needed any more solace, he didn't have to look far. The extra $13 million UConn so generously gave him earlier this month should heal a lot of wounds, both real and imagined.

Calhoun was already the highest paid state employee in Connecticut even before the new contract fell into his lap. But having to pass out basketballs and deal with the hassles of the NCAA investigation apparently prompted his bosses to give him a new pact that pays him $2.6 million a year.

That something is seriously amiss in college basketball should come as no big surprise. The number of millionaire coaches rises every year, while the graduation rates of the athletes who toil for nothing but books and meal money barely budge.

This time it's about a coach in Connecticut whose talents helped win two NCAA championships. Next time it may be about a coach in Kentucky with a knack of getting out of town at just the right time.

The sport, at its upper reaches, is a cesspool, filled with coaches so desperate for talent that they begin recruiting kids barely out of grade school. The coach who proves most successful in the art of teenage persuasion is usually rewarded with the biggest contract, so they're continually on the prowl.

There's so little oversight that someone has to practically hand deliver evidence to the NCAA to get them to look into violations. Even then, NCAA investigators are fixated on the minutiae of phone calls and texts and meals while paying no attention to a bigger picture that grows uglier by the day.

They came down on UConn on Friday, if only because a Yahoo Sports report last year about the recruiting of Nate Miles was too detailed to ignore. The NCAA alleged eight violations, including a slap on the wrist to Calhoun for failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.

That was enough to send two assistants packing, and it may be enough to cost the Huskies a scholarship or two. It wasn't, however, enough to cost the man at the helm of the program anything more than a few awkward moments at a press conference.

If anything, it seems like Calhoun is being rewarded. Why else, with the school fully aware of the coming NCAA charges, would it tear up the coach's existing contract just a few weeks ago and give him an extension that will pay him $13 million?

"The NCAA review never played into these conversations," UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway said when announcing the new contract.

If Calhoun is responsible for two national titles on his watch, though, he's responsible for everything else. While the two assistants are convenient scapegoats, it's hard to imagine that the control freak of a coach had no idea what was going on when he ordered his people to go after one of the nation's top recruits.

But there's a bigger issue here. While the NCAA is pursuing sanctions at UConn, it has done nothing while a coaching oligarchy intent on extracting as many millions as possible for its members has basically taken over the sport.

They move around from school to school, hiring themselves out to the highest bidder. Often, as in the case of Kentucky's John Calipari, they leave behind a mess that their former employer has to clean up.

Only in rare instances are any of them held accountable, whether for recruiting violations or the shameful graduation rate of many of their unpaid workers.

Calhoun has gotten rich while staying put, but he's yet another example of a broken system propped up by billions of dollars in television money. He's celebrated in the state for his program's success on the court, but the graduation rate of his players is so abysmal that UConn was forced to insert a clause in his new contract for a $100,000 penalty if the school loses a scholarship because of poor academics.

Chump change for this millionaire. Hardly enough to stay up nights worrying about it.

Same goes for the NCAA allegations.

It's just his program, not his problem.

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org

Brown was impressive swinging the bat early in spring training with the Indians, but then suffered a knee injury which required arthroscopic surgery.

UPDATED: 12:23 a.m.

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Jordan Brown in spring training with the Indians.FARM REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 7, IronPigs 5: RHP Jeanmar Gomez (3-5, 5.86) pitched six solid innings, and outfielders Jordan Brown and Michael Brantley homered to lead Columbus (31-19) to victory over Lehigh Valley, Pa., (18-30) at home.

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, OF Jordan Brown (.319), who has had two stays on the disabled list (knee, back), had 17 RBI in just 47 at bats this season. Brown led the International League in batting last season when he hit .336 for the Clippers....SS Brian Bixler (.296) was 16-for-43 (.372) in his last nine games....OF Jose Constanza (.351) was on a six-game hitting streak, going 9-for-23 (.391)....The Clippers were batting .339 from the seventh inning on, including Constanza's .381 (16-for-42), Bixler's .371 (13-for-35), OF-1B-C Chris Gimenez's 14-for-40 (.350) and 3B Brian Buscher's .326 (15-for-46)....C Carlos Santana (.314) was leading the team with a .408 batting average (20-for-49) with runners in scoring position....RH reliever Frank Herrmann (2-0, two saves, 0.36) had pitched 24 straight scoreless innings since yielding one run in his first appearance of the season.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 11, Mets 10: DH Lonnie Chisenhall and 3B Jared Goedert homered to power Akron (20-29) to victory over Binghamton, N.Y., (23-25) on the road.

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, 3B Jared Goedert was on a 17-game hitting streak, during which he was batting .362 (21-for-58). Goedert's .338 batting average was second in the Eastern League....OF John Drennen was on an 11-game hitting streak, going 19-for-37 (.514) in that span. His .323 batting average was fifth in the league....Saturday night's start was the first of the season for Steven Wright, who had pitched 11 2/3 innings in relief, including the last eight innings scoreless in a five-game span.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Dash 7, Indians 3: Winston-Salem, N.C., (33-16) scored four runs in the top of the ninth to hand Brian Grening and the Indians (26-23) a loss at home.

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, the Indians had won 16 of their last 20 games....CF Jordan Henry, who missed most of April with a finger injury, has been the ideal leadoff batter. Henry was batting .343 (35-for-102) with 28 walks, 24 runs and 12 stolen bases in 13 tries....3B Kyle Bellows (.286) was batting .395 (17-for-43) with three doubles, two triples, two homers and 11 RBI in his last 10 games....RH reliever Cory Burns was 0-0 with three saves in 4 1/3 scoreless innings, fanning eight and allowing two hits and three walks, since being promoted from Lake County. Counting his time with the Captains, Burns was 0-0 with 15 saves in 15 opportunities and a 1.80 ERA. In 20 innings, he had struck out 33, walked four and given up 15 hits....LH starter Nick Hagadone (1-3, 2.39) is second in the Carolina League with 1.19 strikeouts per inning pitched (45 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings).

A Lake County Captains

Captains 2, Loons 0: Vidal Nuno and Austin Adams combined on a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts as Lake County (33-17) shut down Great Lakes (30-20) on the road.

Notes: The first-place Captains went into Saturday night's game with a two-game lead over the second-place Loons....Captains starters were 10-10 with a 4.01 ERA and relievers were 22-7 with a 3.15 ERA....That was reflected by Lake County having outscored its opponents, 110-64, from the sixth inning on....The Captains were 20-0 when leading after eight innings, due in part to RHP Cory Burns being 12-for-12 in save opportunities before being promoted to Kinston....SS Kyle Smith (.294) was 7-for-14 in his last four games.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Kings 9, Crushers 8: Lake Erie couldn’t hold a 7-1 lead as Kalamazoo recorded its second straight walk-off victory, scoring twice in the ninth to defeat Lake Erie at Kalamazoo.

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, Crushers IF Andrew Davis was 4-for-22 (.182), but had one home run, five RBI and seven walks....OF Dom Duggan was 4-for-25 (.160), but had three walks, was 5-for-5 in stolen base tries and had been hit by pitches twice....RHP Phil Rummel and RHP Jesse Orosco, Jr. had both pitched six scoreless innings: Rummel in one start; Orosco in three relief outings.

More news and statistics on Indians minor-league teams at cleveland.com/tribe

Just the 20th perfect game in major league history, It was the second perfect game in the majors this month alone - Dallas Braden pitching one for Oakland against Tampa Bay on May 9. All-star Hallady struck out 11.

Wilfredo Lee, Associated PressPhillies ace Roy Halladay (center) celebrates with catcher Carlos Ruiz (right) and first baseman Ryan Howard (left) after completing his perfect game in Philadelphia's 1-0 win over the Marlins.Miami – Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in major league history, delivering the marquee performance of his All-Star career in a 1-0 win over the Florida Marlins on Saturday night.

It was the second perfect game in the majors this month alone, unheralded Dallas Braden doing it for Oakland against Tampa Bay on May 9. It's the first time in the modern era that there were a pair of perfectos in the same season — Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez threw a no-hitter, too, in April.

Halladay struck out 11, then got pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino to ground out to end it, and was cheered by a crowd of 25,086 throughout much of the night.

"I don't know what to say," Halladay said. "Early in my bullpen I was hitting spots more than I have been. I felt like I just carried that out there."

While there were a couple of good plays behind him — shortstop Wilson Valdez went deep into the hole for a grounder, backup third baseman Juan Castro went to his knees for another — Halladay didn't need any great defensive work in this gem.

The 33-year-old righty known as Doc was a veritable one-man show.

Always stoic on the mound, Halladay (7-3) broke into a big smile as his teammates rushed in to congratulate him.

Halladay has long been dominant, and the former AL Cy Young winner was the centerpiece of a multiteam trade that brought him from Toronto to the two-time NL champions in the offseason.

He was within one out of a no-hitter on Sept. 27, 1998, in just his second major league start, pitching for the Blue Jays against Detroit. Pinch-hitter Bobby Higginson ended that on the first pitch he saw, hitting a solo home run.

Halladay faced three Marlins pinch-hitters in the ninth. Mike Lamb led off with a long fly ball, but Shane Victorino had plenty of time to backtrack in the super-spacious outfield at Sun Life Stadium and squeeze it for the first out.

Another pinch-hitter, Wes Helms, struck out, and the crowd filled with Phillies fans simply began to roar.

From there, it was all up to Paulino, who fouled the first pitch into the seats along the first-base side, took ball one, swung and missed for strike two, and at 9:23 p.m., hit a groundball. Castro ranged to his left to get it and threw across to first baseman Ryan Howard, who caught the ball and jumped in the air.

It was over, and the Phillies mobbed Halladay, surrounding him in a circle as stadium workers immediately — and inexplicably — ran out to sweep the mound and plate area.

In a week that saw the hard-hitting Phillies get shut out on three straight days by the New York Mets, Halladay delivered the most masterful pitching performance of all.

On the short list of baseball's perfect games, there are the first two: John Richmond and John Ward pitched them five days apart in 1880, two decades before what is considered the modern era.

This was the Phillies' second perfect game, with Jim Bunning having thrown one in 1964. Philadelphia has thrown 10 no-hitters, the last by Kevin Millwood in 2003.

It was the second time the Marlins had been no-hit in their history, the lone other coming by the Dodgers' Ramon Martinez on July 14, 1995.

Halladay credited catcher Carlos Ruiz for a smooth ride.

"We felt like we got in a groove early and about the the fifth or the sixth I was just following Chooch," he said. "I can't say enough about the job he did today. Mixed pitches. For me it was reallly a no-brainer."

The NL East leaders' lone run off Josh Johnson (5-2) came in the third, and fittingly in this battle of aces, it was unearned. Valdez singled, then scored when Chase Utley's fly to center skipped off Cameron Maybin's glove for a three-base error.

Valdez scored easily. And Halladay had all the support he needed.

A Philadelphia story, for certain.

Sorry, Flyers — your return to the Stanley Cup finals on Saturday night just got upstaged, in a big way. In fact, NBC broke into its coverage of the Game 1 of the Flyers-Chicago matchup to show a replay of the final out.

There have now been three perfect games in the last 10 months, with Mark Buehrle doing it last July 23 for the Chicago White Sox against Tampa Bay.

Halladay had a complete-game one-hitter last September against the New York Yankees, though with far less drama, thanks to Ramiro Pena getting a double to right field in the sixth inning.

Unshakable on the mound, not even three-ball counts fazed Halladay, not on this night.

He went to either 3-1 or 3-2 counts seven times, twice in the game's first three batters alone, and always worked out of the trouble. Chris Coghlan tossed his bat aside on the Marlins' first plate appearance of the night, thinking he'd drawn a walk, only to hear plate umpire Mike DiMuro call strike three.

Coghlan wasn't pleased, and that was a theme for the Marlins throughout.

Hanley Ramirez had the same issue two batters later, stepping toward first after thinking a 3-1 pitch missed the zone. It hadn't, DiMuro said, and Ramirez wound up grounding out.

That was just the start.

Jorge Cantu went to a 3-1 count in the second before striking out on a foul tip. Dan Uggla had a three-ball count before flying to center in the fifth, and Maybin — whose mistake let the Phillies score the game's first run — added plenty of drama in the sixth.

Maybin showed bunt twice, drawing a small chorus of boos, and eventually worked his way ahead 3-1. He ended up hitting a hard shot to deep short, where Valdez fielded it on a hop and threw to Howard in time to beat Maybin by a half-step — umpire Tim Welke taking a big swing to indicate the out.

Halladay got another nice play in the eighth when Castro went to his knees to snare a sharp grounder off Cantu's bat, recovering and throwing to first in plenty of time. When Cody Ross popped to short to end the eighth, Halladay showed no emotion, simply walking to the dugout with his head bowed a bit, tugging once on the left shoulder of his gray jersey.

Within two minutes of the game ending, the lights went out at Sun Life Stadium, in preparation for a postgame concert.

On this night, Halladay was the lone maestro.

For the Marlins, Johnson threw a career-high 121 pitches in seven innings, giving up seven hits, one unearned run, one intentional walk and striking out six.

His night was stellar — and didn't even come close to comparing to his counterpart.

NOTES: Phillies 3B Placido Polanco (bruised left elbow) was sidelined again, Castro getting the call to start for the second straight night. Polanco is expected to undergo an MRI exam on Sunday to see if the problem is more serious than originally thought.

As the ongoing NFL labor dispute looms larger, the Browns' locker room now has a strong union participant in new linebacker Scott Fujita.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerScott Fujita says there's reason to believe the NFL can avoid a work stoppage after this season. “With stuff like this, there’s always a lot of posturing from both sides," said the Browns' union representative. "When it comes down to it, I think everyone wants to play football. I think I’m hopeful a deal will get done."CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns haven't been a strong union team since the 1970s and '80s.

Even in 1987, the year of the last players' strike, they weakened at the end and sent eight veteran players across the picket line to play in the last replacement game. It helped to dissolve the strike effort.

Since the Browns returned as an expansion franchise in 1999, there hasn't been a hot-button labor issue to test the resolve inside their locker room. But now, after 14 years of labor and management harmony, the threat of another work stoppage -- this time by an ownership lockout -- looms closer.

If the players union and ownership can't negotiate a new bargaining agreement by March, the NFL could very well be without a 2011 season.

The Browns are feeling the pinch of oncoming labor unrest. All five of their restricted free agents -- the unfortunate ones caught in the middle of this labor dispute -- remain unsigned. Four continue to be absent from off-season workouts. Running back Jerome Harrison signed an injury waiver this week to protect him while participating without a contract.

As the labor situation intensifies, it seems new linebacker Scott Fujita arrived as a member of the Browns in the nick of time.

Fujita, who holds a bachelor's degree from California-Berkeley in political science and a master's in education, has been actively involved in the players union for two years.

As the union player rep of his former team, New Orleans, Fujita attended the union election meeting on Maui two years ago that produced lawyer DeMaurice Smith as the successor to the late Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players Association. Now Fujita is a member of the union's player executive committee. He will be the point man in Cleveland to educate teammates about the union's strategy.

"It's tough to say," Fujita said of the prospect of a 2011 lockout. "With stuff like this, there's always a lot of posturing from both sides. When it comes down to it, I think everyone wants to play football. I think I'm hopeful a deal will get done.

"Is it looking like it might? It's tough to say right now. But I think we're all hopeful. And why ruin a good thing? Football's good. The fans love it, everybody understands that. And we all know what happened to baseball and hockey. Why mess that up?"

But Fujita is not a Pollyanna about the road ahead. He said the proposed expansion of the regular season to 18 games, which will be introduced into CBA talks during upcoming sessions, "is not going to fly" without increased compensation to players.

"If you're going to add some extra games, it incredibly increases the percentage of us getting hurt. So there's got to be some kind of adjusted compensation in that, whatever that may be," he said.

Fujita does not agree with Commissioner Roger Goodell's statements that two extra games will mean additional gross revenue that automatically will filter down to the players.

"I'm not buying that one," he said. "[Owners are] going to get paid more. That much is clear."

Goodell has said owners want to change the system that has worked so well for both sides because the financial risks on ownership has increased as new stadiums have been built, plunging teams into greater debt.

"Here's the argument out there, from an owner standpoint," Fujita said. "They're talking about how they bear 100 percent of the risk. Well, we're the players out there with a 100 percent injury risk. So, if they're willing to bear the financial risk, then we'll take a pay cut but then whatever percentage of pay cut we take, give us that percentage back in ownership of the franchises. We'll take that deal in a heartbeat."

Owners are not going to give ownership to players, of course. So there is a wide divide to cross to reach a settlement.

The RFA problem: The Browns are tied with San Diego for the most unsigned restricted free agents, at five. GM Tom Heckert is on record as saying the club has discussed exercising its right on June 15 to rescind the tender offers and replace them with 10 percent raises over their 2009 salaries. He admits that hardball move would create ill will.

Fujita said he has not had the opportunity to talk with any of the Browns' disgruntled RFAs except linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who has visited the team facility.

"It's tough to predict those things right now," Fujita said of the situation. "Without having talked to any of them, it's difficult to say. But I definitely can empathize with their situation.

"I know it's frustrating for [them] and for a lot of guys around the league. As far as their contract things they have to work out, I'm not concerned about it. I know they might be feeling a little bit worried about it. I think they'll come back and play football at some point.

"But right now, they have to take their time to figure out what they need to do. They have every right to. All this is voluntary right now and I don't think they're going to fall behind."

Maui wowie: Fujita has attended the union's annual meetings on Maui the past two years. He said he's amazed at how much work is involved as this labor impasse looms.

"I had always heard about union meetings in Maui, and guys go over there and they meet for a few hours and then they golf the rest of the day," he said. "Well, the two years I've been really involved, we're working all day, and once we break meetings and get back, there's a lot of work to be done.

"So right now it's about getting the message out there, getting everybody involved and making sure we can bring it to the locker rooms.

"There's a lot of guys, especially young players right now, who are concerned about the possibility of not earning next season. And you can never make that year up. That's the reality of it, so we have to make sure that guys are being responsible with their money and they understand the issues out there."

Changes: Heckert confirmed that he has let go college area scouts Rich Long and Robert Morris. Both were with the club for eight years. ... Former running back Kevin Mack has moved from the player development department to alumni relations.

There are a multitude of reasons why the Celtics routed the Magic, 96-84, on Friday, ending the Magic's season, but there's little doubt that Boston won the battle of the point guards.

Josh Robbins / Orlando Sentinel

BOSTON -- If you're searching for a specific moment when the tide started to turn against the Orlando Magic and in favor of the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, look no further than Jameer Nelson's offensive foul with 2:22 remaining in the first quarter.

It was Nelson's second personal foul of the game, and coach Stan Van Gundy had no other choice but take his starting point guard and his offensive sparkplug out of the game.

The Magic never recovered.

View full sizeCharles Krupa / APMagic guard Jameer Nelson (14) was no match for Celtics guard Rajon Rondo.

There are a multitude of reasons why the Celtics routed the Magic, 96-84, on Friday, ending the Magic's season, but there's little doubt that Boston won the battle of the point guards.

Rajon Rondo and rarely used backup Nate Robinson combined to score 27 total points and took control of the game in the first half. Meanwhile, Nelson and his backup, Jason Williams, totaled 16 points and never could sustain any momentum.

"Tonight, it seemed like we were a step slow or they were a little better," Nelson said afterward. "Myself, in particular, I turned the ball over too much. Going into the lane, I had too many indecisive plays that led to turnovers and fastbreak points for them. I put a lot of it offensively on myself, but we're in this thing together."

Nelson, who finished with 11 points and five turnovers, started the game strongly.

He recorded assists on the Magic's first two baskets -- both of them dunks by Dwight Howard -- but he didn't record another assist until 4:44 remained in the fourth quarter.

Nelson had been the Magic's catalyst all postseason. He entered Friday night averaging a team-high 19.6 points and 4.8 assists per game in the playoffs, and his stellar play and clutch shooting propelled Orlando to victories in Games 4 and 5 against Boston.

But he lost his rhythm Friday night by the time he accrued his second foul.

"Look, Jameer didn't have a real good night tonight," Van Gundy said, "and I'm not saying that critical of him, because obviously he carried us for a big part of this series and was fabulous, and tonight he just didn't have a very good game."

"The foul trouble was only part of it."

Another part of it was the Celtics point guards themselves. Rondo and Robinson's speed challenged Nelson and Williams defensively all night.

In the first quarter alone, Rondo scored 12 of Boston's 30 points. He also recorded assists on three other baskets.

"The team that got off to the best start throughout the series in the first quarter won the game," Rondo said.

Things didn't get any easier for the Magic after Rondo hurt his back on a hard fall onto the parquet late in the first quarter.

Robinson, who had played only 16 total minutes in the series' first five games, burned Orlando by scoring 13 points in under nine minutes in the second quarter.

Robinson, a 5-foot-9 jumping jack known for his dunking ability, broke the Magic's backs primarily with an assortment of jump shots. His second three-pointer of the game gave the Celtics a 40-25 lead with 8:21 remaining in the first half.

"Every day I'm on the sideline, I'm getting the crowd involved, I'm high-fiving with my guys," Robinson said. "That's the energy that I feed off of, I guess. That makes me stronger, I guess. It's kind of like when The Incredible Hulk gets madder, he gets bigger. I guess with the energy and the positive energy I feel from the fans and from my teammates, that gets me going."

Robinson certainly didn't wilt when he was on the receiving end of a Flagrant 1 foul by Nelson with 6:34 remaining in the second quarter. Robinson made the two free throws.

The foul also was Nelson's third personal of the game, and it forced him to sit out the rest of the first half

"I thought the other guys did a great job of attacking and just getting in the lane and trying to create plays," Nelson said. "I think once we went down, and this happened throughout the series when we went down, we tried to hit a home run, and that caused us to try a little too hard and we got away from our gameplan a little bit. But you can't blame anybody in terms of individuals."

The Gladiators continue to struggle on special teams. It is not just costing them points, it is costing them games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Gladiators continue to struggle on special teams. It is not just costing them points, it is costing them games.

Chris Martin returned a kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown with 14 seconds left to give the Chicago Rush a 52-49 victory at The Q.

Among those in attendance was Browns All-Pro Josh Cribbs, who wore an Indians cap. Cribbs also attended Gladiators games in 2008, the franchise's first season in Cleveland.

Chicago improved to 6-2 and is tied with Milwaukee atop the National Conference Midwest Division. The Gladiators, a division opponent, slipped to 3-5. They went 0-2 in the season series against the Rush, the combined differential being six points.

Four of Cleveland's five losses have been by a combined 13 points. Special-teams fingerprints have been all over the crime scenes, beginning with a season-opening 61-56 loss to Arizona at home.

"It's a three-phase game," quarterback John Dutton said.

After Martin's return, the Gladiators had a first-and-10 from their own 5. They moved to the Chicago 19, but Chris Denny's 34-yard field-goal attempt hooked left as time expired.

Within moments of the final whistle, Gladiators coach Steve Thonn dropped to the turf and required medical attention. He eventually was helped to the locker room.

Phil Tesar, Gladiators director of communications, said Thonn had asked him for water.

"When I came back to him, he was sitting on the ground," Tesar said.

Thonn did not meet with reporters after the game. Tesar later said: "Coach Thonn had not been feeling well but was OK. He was checked out and everything's good."

Martin and the Rush spoiled a productive night by a former Brown. Receiver Steve Sanders, playing in his second career Arena game and making his first AFL start, caught a game-high 14 passes for 173 yards.

Sanders subbed for Chris Johnson. Johnson, nursing a shoulder injury, entered the weekend ranked second in the league with 76 receptions.

Dutton's first five pass attempts, including one nullified by penalty, were intended for Sanders. Two were completed; the other three bounced off Sanders' hands. Dutton's sixth pass went to Brent Holmes for a 6-yard touchdown.

"Steve practiced all week, and I don't think we missed a beat," Dutton said. "We're pretty loaded at receiver. We were taking what they gave us, and I was throwing to the guy who was open."

Sanders admitted he was anxious during the first series.

"I needed to allow the game to come to me," he said. "Once I did, it started to go well."

Sanders, though, played a role in ruining his own big day. He was part of the coverage unit that Martin burned.

"We needed to make a play, and we didn't," Sanders said. "No excuses. We've got to make a play right there. A game can change in 10 seconds."

Dutton went 28-of-39 for 351 yards and five touchdowns. He was intercepted once -- his first since May 1 at Spokane.

"We're pretty evenly matched with Chicago, but they figure out how to win in the end," Dutton said. "We've got to figure out how to do that."

Dutton connected with Ben Nelson for a 20-yard TD with 22 seconds remaining. Denny's extra point gave the Gladiators a 49-45 advantage.

In the preceding possession, Chicago kicked a field goal with 39 seconds left. But the Gladiators' decision to let about 10 seconds run off the clock before the Rush kicked proved costly.

Nelson entered the weekend leading the AFL with 1,005 receiving yards. He was held to one catch in the first half and finished with seven for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

The Gladiators scored touchdowns on all four of their possessions in the first half and led, 28-21. Dutton was 11-of-15 for 161 yards and four touchdowns in the first half.

Late in the first quarter, the Gladiators thought they had a TD on a deep ball to Sanders, but an official ruled the pass incomplete as Sanders failed to finish his roll with the ball secured. Thonn was steamed.

On the next play, Dutton connected with Holmes for a 32-yard score.

The Rush had touchdowns on three of four possessions in the first half. It was held to a field-goal attempt, which missed, in the second quarter.

Chicago pulled within 28-21 on a 1-yard TD run by DeJuan Alfonzo with 2.2 seconds left.

Who do LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh think they are ... other than Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

Lynne Sladky / Associated PressLeBron James and Dwyane Wade will welcome Chris Bosh into their free-agent power trio and exercise a degree of control over their futures that makes team executives -- and fans -- quite nervous, says Bud Shaw.

The Big Three have nothing on James, Wade and Bosh. And by "Big Three," of course, we mean Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.

With the July 1 free agency period approaching, first Chris Bosh and then Dwyane Wade have hinted at attending a summit of sorts with LeBron James to talk about their respective futures or, possibly, a common future for two of them.

Atlanta's Joe Johnson is another rumored participant, but sources indicate that Wade, James and Bosh would include Johnson only so there is someone to send out for coffee.

"[Free agency] has been three years coming," Wade told the Chicago Tribune. "We've discussed it prematurely, at different times. [But] you don't know what guys are thinking and where they're going. I think we'll all sit down, and before one of us makes a decision, all of us will have spoken to each other and [listened to the] thinking.

"A lot of decisions [will be based on] what other players are willing to do and what other guys want to do. So it's not just a 'me' situation here. We all have to look and see what each other is thinking."

Got that?

Call them selfish if that's your thing. Criticize them for holding their teams and the league hostage. Be a player hater if you must.

But he's right. It isn't a case of me, me, me.

It's us, us, us.

Hate is such a strong word anyway. Let's just say that if James, Wade and Bosh want people to resent them to the last of their dying days, they're moving in that direction.

Depending on the decisions, they could come off like the guys on the playground stacking the teams for their own enjoyment. First, they decide to turn free agent together. Now, they consult each other and two of the three could decide to play together somewhere?

The Evil Empire sentiment about the New York Yankees could easily spill over to the Knicks if they walk off with James and Bosh. That seems the most likely pairing, though Miami has the flexibility to bring in help for Wade. Because the NBA is not expected to change the rule that says only one basketball at a time can be in use, it's difficult to imagine James and Wade together in the last two minutes of a game. But I guess it's not out of the question.

Wade has talked about organizational loyalty meaning the most to him. He calls Miami a loyal organization. And he calls himself a loyal person.

James has been the quietest of the three. He's settled into the "keep 'em guessing" area of the LeBron-O-Meter and put his feet up.

Bosh? I don't want to say he sounds overly anxious to get out of Toronto and play with James. But the makers of "What About Bob" might want to consider a similarly themed sequel called in which the Raptors big man keeps showing up at James' vacation home looking for acceptance.

Bosh, James and Wade became close while playing for Team USA at the Beijing Olympics. All are clients of Creative Artists Agency of Los Angeles. So the expected pow wow might not only include them, but perhaps agents looking to maximize their brands.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerYes, this is Joe West demonstrating a punch out call. Yes, there are many players and managers in the majors who would like to reciprocate.

Would the Real Joe West please sit down and be quiet?

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen lashed out after umpire West ejected him and later pitcher Mark Buehrle Wednesday at Progressive Field. West called a balk on Buehrle. Guillen argued and got evicted. When West called another balk on Buehrle, the lefty threw his glove to the ground in disgust. West kicked him out, too.

"Sometimes he thinks people pay to see him umpire," Guillen said.

Now, wherever might one get that idea? From the PR machine that trumpets West as a Renaissance man? The one whose email press release reads, "Joe West, Major League Umpire over 30 years, is one of the most unique individuals in the professional sports world?"

The one that touts his Web site (cowboyjoewest.com) and his singing ability?

The one that refers to him as a "true Patriot, Humanitarian, a Believer and a person with millions of funny stories to tell but also a man that will give an answer to any question."

Asked how he felt about being fined by Major League Baseball for his actions during the White Sox-Indians game, West said, "I will say that's none of your business."

Which technically, I guess, is an answer.

HE SAID WHAT?

Sounds like he is keeping track, and, even if he weren't, they have these things called "standings"

"We don't keep count here. That's your job. We just show up and play hard every day. We still have over 100 games to play." -- Indians' manager Manny Acta when asked if he felt the season slipping away.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Sunday Edition)

"Dear Bud:

"First you picked the Cavs over the Celtics in five. Then [May 13] you picked Orlando in five. Will you be going for the hat trick?" -- Mark

No. I'm going for the quad. I got the Suns over Boston in five and BP over the oil leak.

"Bud:

"I understand 75 Clippers fans showed up at a 'We want LeBron' rally. Wow, I didn't realize there were that many Clipper fans." -- Angelo, Cleveland

I didn't realize Clippers fans knew how to stage a parade.

"Bud:

"Did Jim Brown have any speaking parts in his movies?" -- S. Major

Yes, as Robert Jefferson in the 1967 movie "The Dirty Dozen," Brown delivers a rousing speech in which he rips Ohio State for future insensitivity toward Maurice Clarett.

"Bud:

"Have the Indians ever considered 'Bud Shaw Bobblehead' day?" -- Tom H

Since only in Philadelphia is fan vomiting purposely induced, no.

"Bud:

"A local sports talk radio station thought it necessary to report that former Cleveland QB Ken Dorsey signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. Are we that desperate for Browns news?" -- Pat

Sorry. I got distracted. I was tweeting a Reuben Droughns update. What were you saying?

"Bud:

"If LeBron James leaves Cleveland, The Plain Dealer will be reduced by half. Will the PD then reduce the subscription rate?" -- Marlene

Sadly for you, no. The 50 percent PD staff expansion that followed the drafting of Colt McCoy will not allow it.

"Bud:

"You and other PD writers had plenty of time, 10 days, to say something good about coach Mike Brown but instead you spent it blabbering LeBron gossip and greasing the skids for a good man and a damn good coach to get canned." -- George

Greasing the skids? Not sure Dan Gilbert got to where he is by taking the advice of a bunch of journalism majors, but your flattery is much appreciated.

"Bud:

"How come the media and fans have been so critical of The Chosen One? I thought he played Game Five against Boston with great determination and the heart of a true champion." -- Sincerely, Roberto Duran (Dave E.)

You just made Jim Brown's list.

"Voice of Reason:

"Dan Gilbert can't seriously be considering Kelvin Sampson, can he? After the Cavs lackluster performance in the end against Boston, shouldn't he be concerned about Kelvin just phoning it in?" -- Dan O

First-time You Said It winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection. Repeat winners always get the girl.

Finding some help for the receiving corps is a prime concern for many Browns fans in this week's mailbag.

Tony Gutierrez / Associated PressMuhsin Muhammad has been in the NFL for 14 seasons, but some fans wonder if he could provide some veteran leadership for a young receiving corps.Hey, Tony: Have the Browns showed any interest in Muhsin Muhammad or Kelley Washington? Both could be a much-needed third-down WR and could mentor the younger players. I know Muhammad is 50 years old, but Jake Delhomme is familiar with him. -- Chris Kingzett, Parma Heights

Hey, Chris: While the Browns have kept the door open to the possibility of adding a veteran receiver, nothing is imminent. Neither player appears to be on their radar screen. The Browns apparently want to see their receiving corps perform in OTAs and minicamp -- and perhaps a couple weeks into training camp -- before concluding they need to add a veteran. Muhammad is actually 37 and has been replaced by Carolina with a rookie.

Hey, Tony: With Jerome Harrison unsigned and the backfield full of rookies, do you think the Browns will pick up someone to add some veteran experience or do you think Harrison will sign and fill that role? -- Rein Pold, Clarion, Pa.

Hey, Rein: I believe Harrison will sign. Peyton Hillis has a few years' experience, too. I don't believe the Browns want to add tired legs to the backfield.

Hey, Tony: Do you agree that the Browns are playing hard ball with their restricted free agents? Why not just try and sign Jerome Harrison and Matt Roth and get them involved in the OTAs? -- Tom Barker, Wadsworth

Hey, Tom: The Browns believe the one-year tenders, amounting to $1.759 million for Harrison and $1.809 million for Roth, represent significant increases over their 2009 salaries. The stance of the new management team is the club does not want to commit long-term contracts to the players until they see them perform in 2010. I don't consider that hard ball.

What would be hard ball is if the Browns exercise their option on June 15 and replace the one-year tenders with salaries just 10 percent greater than 2009. That would be significantly less than the tenders in each player's case. That would create bad will and probably signal the end of their careers in Cleveland.

Hey, Tony: Just for argument's sake, let's say a new CBA isn't completed and there is a lockout or strike after this season. How would that affect players who would have been free agents next year? Would they have the freedom to shop their services to any team once play resumed, or would their last employer still own their contractual rights? I ask because I wonder if all the fuss from RFAs and their agents this year is because of what may or may not happen next year regarding a new CBA or work stoppage. -- Tim, Winter Haven, Fla.

Hey, Tim: These are good questions that many players, agents and executives themselves may be pondering. Theoretically, if the 2011 season is wiped out in a work stoppage -- which is unlikely but possible, I believe -- players whose contracts expired after the 2010 season would be free agents when play resumed. The gray area is whether four- and five-year players would be restricted free agents, as they are right now, or unrestricted free agents -- as they were under the old collective bargaining agreement. Only a new, defined CBA can end the uncertainty.

I believe a work stoppage will be averted at the last minute, sometime soon after the Super Bowl in February, if not before. The RFAs are the immediate victims of the labor uncertainty.

Hey, Tony: I've read where Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong have been playing both inside and outside in OTAs. Coach Mangini seemed to do this with some of the younger guys last year. Is this flexibility as good as the team thinks, or is it better to put someone in position and leave them there? Is this more Mangini's idea or Rob Ryan's? I don't see a lot of other teams doing the same. -- John Kusich, Hermitage, Pa.

Hey, John: Bill Belichick has been doing it for many years with New England. The theory is that the deception created by moving guys inside and outside gives the defense an edge over the offense. The risk is the player may not play one position as well as the other, but Mangini does it only with guys he knows can play equally well inside or outside. David Bowens was a good example of this last year.

LM Otero / Associated PressPatrick Crayton is most likely expendable with the new faces on the Cowboys' roster, and well worth considering, says Tony Grossi.Hey, Tony: With the Browns being so thin at receiver, why haven't they brought back Mike Furrey? He could be a decent third receiver. They won't need him on defense this year, so he could just concentrate on catching the ball. -- Eric Blosser, Toledo

Hey, Eric: Since Furrey has not signed with another team, it's possible he could be a fallback plan for the Browns if they decide to add a veteran receiver. However, keep in mind that GM Tom Heckert is now the final authority on roster additions and his evaluation of Furrey may be different from that of Mangini.

Hey, Tony: I don't know if anyone asked this question yet, but what do you think about the Browns trading for Patrick Crayton of Dallas? He gives them the leadership they need, speed, can catch and is ready to be a No. 1 or 2 WR. He also can return kicks if needed. -- Brian Aikens, Richmond Heights

Hey, Brian: I have singled out Crayton as a possibility. He has experience and hasn't yet reached his peak as a player. Plus, Heckert is very familiar with him, having competed against the Cowboys twice a year with the Eagles. We will see what happens.

Hey, Tony: During ESPN draft coverage, Steve Young indicated he firmly believed Jake Delhomme's issues were injury related. I have read he went 12-4 after his shoulder surgery and before his Arizona meltdown. Sounds healthy to me but I would assume as much money as he was paid, the Cleveland Clinic worked overtime checking out that shoulder.

Is there any belief the system Daboll/Gil Haskell use will match up with Jake's skill set better than John Fox's system? -- Austin Lindsay, Logan

Hey, Austin: The key person in the signing was Mike Holmgren. He believes Delhomme is healthy and that his bad year in Carolina was the result of a loss of confidence. He thinks the change of scenery will revive him. I'm sure Holmgren envisions Delhomme as a good fit in his system and especially in the locker room. But there remains uncertainty about the direction of the offense and whether a shift to the West Coast system is actually occurring in the second year under Mangini.

-- Tony

Is there an All-Star backup for Shin-Soo Choo with the Indians?

Mark Duncan / Associated PressAll-Star Mitch Talbot? He doesn't yet qualify as a likely choice from the Indians, but he's headed in the right direction, says Paul Hoynes.Hey, Hoynsie: I know it's early, but at this rate are we a Shin-Soo Choo injury away from seeing Jhonnny Peralta in the All-Star Game? Please tell us there is another alternative as this may be right up there with watching Jose Mesa close out the World Series or Fausto Carmona/CC Sabathia close out the Red Sox in the 2007 ALCS. -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake

Hey, Steve: I can sense you have a lot of anger. My suggestion is deep breathing exercises whenever the Indians are mentioned in conversation.

If Choo doesn't make the All-Star Game, how about Mitch Talbot?

Hey, Hoynsie: What's worse, listening to Wedgespeak or Actaspeak? -- Robert Driscoll, Parma

Hey, Robert: All managers speak the same language, they just say it in different ways.

Acta is probably a better quote – "Life is tough. Get a helmet with double ear flaps" -- but Wedge always got his point across. You just had to listen.

Hey, Hoynsie: I heard during a game last week one of the announcers say "Bart Swain (director of media relations) has just popped in and given us a note." Then they reported Jhonny Peralta's home run was the first by a Tribe right-handed batter at Progressive Field this year! Is that really something the Indians want to promote, considering it was May 20? -- Jim Bratton, Kirtland

Hey, Jim: Like sailors say, "any port in a storm."

Hey, Hoynsie: What do you expect the front office to do to make the team more exciting so that we might be induced to pay to watch? -- Kenny Thomas, Cleveland

Hey, Kenny: Exciting? You mean Luis Valbuena hitting .144 near the end of May doesn't make you want to become a season-ticket holder?

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Dolans gave Mark Shapiro $20 million to spend, do you think he would sign Keith Hernandez for two years? -- Larry Willey, South Euclid

Hey, Larry: First somebody would have to wake up Hernandez in the Mets' broadcast booth to see if his career-ending calf injury was healed from the last time he held up the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: I noticed that Alex White is starting in the minor leagues. I thought he was drafted to be a back-end bullpen man? Is Trevor Crowe young enough to revisit second base to plug that leak? -- Raymond Wright, Cleveland

Hey, Raymond: White, just promoted to Class AA Akron, is starting and pitching well. There's still a chance the Indians could move White to the pen, but they wanted to give him a chance to refine his pitches by starting.

If White continues to pitch well as a starter, I imagine the Indians would keep him in that role since one of their needs is quality starting pitching.

Whatever hole you're talking about at second base will not be filled by Crowe. That idea did not work so well.

Scott Shaw / The Plain DealerA fan wonders if military service looks better to Shin-Soo Choo than a 60-win Indians team ... clearly demonstrating the fan's lack of a real sense of humor.Hey, Hoynsie: You think Shin-Soo Choo might realize where this team is headed and at the All-Star break he joins the Korean Army to meet his military obligation? After all, what else is left to go wrong with this team? -- Joe Eversole, Pelham, Ala.

Hey, Joe: Now that would be a heckuva story. Still, I think playing big-league baseball, no matter how bad your team, is a day at the beach compared to staring across the 38th Parallel into North Korea.

Hey, Hoynsie: In recent rebuilding efforts by the Tribe, while the losses often piled up, there was visceral evidence of enough young talent that was maturing into major league players. Certainly you never want to rush to judgment on young players, but what is concerning about the current rebuilding effort is the dearth of successful evidence these current prospects have exhibited over the past several months.

The real concern is that the underlying cause of this is twofold; (1) poor drafting and (2) in this economic climate teams have coveted their young talent like never before and the Indians' basket of prospects for recent deals did not carry the same pedigree as years prior.

Are we headed for a renaissance of bad baseball in this city, the likes of which we haven't seen since the 70s and 80s? -- Leslie Marchak, Sagamore Hills

Hey, Leslie: I've answered a lot of questions over the years, but I think you're the first person to use the word visceral.

As to the Indians' plunge into darkness, all I can say is that I think it's going to get worse before it gets better. Still to think the franchise is going to revisit the ashes of the 1970s and 1980s is probably an overreaction.

Hey, Hoynsie: I read the following quote from Blue Jays President Paul Beeston on why his club has trouble drawing fans. "It's not the fans, it's us. We came off a bad season. We reduced our payroll. We traded our No. 1 star and we said, 'Come on out and watch us.'"

How come we never hear any refreshing and honest statements like this one from the Indians' front office? Do you think if we did, the fans might not be so angry at the owner and management? -- Bob Thompson, Canton

Hey, Bob: It's nice to hear candid remarks from team ownership. Still, bad baseball is bad baseball.

The Blue Jays hit home runs, lots of them, and have been better than expected this year following the trade of ace Roy Halladay. What exactly do the Indians do well except lose?

It's going to take more than a few clever quotes to close the gulf between the Indians and their disgruntled fan base. It's going to take legitimate big-league talent and consistent winning baseball on a season-by-season basis.

If the Indians do that, the front office doesn't have to say a word.

Hey, Hoynsie: What's Andy Marte's status and is there any schedule for his return? I gather that going on the disabled list for "non-baseball" reasons means confidential personal problems. Seems like when he played, the Tribe won, more often than not. -- Mark Weber, Eflano, N.C.

Hey, Mark: Marte went on the disabled list with an infected ingrown hair on his abdomen. It required a surgical procedure. The Indians said it was not serious and that he should return after his 15-day stay on the disabled list.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why is Trevor Crowe up here instead of Michael Brantley? The last time I checked we didn't trade a Cy Young award winner for Crowe. -- Angelo Costanzo, Cleveland

Hey, Angelo: Crowe was the Indians' No.1 pick in 2005. Brantley was taken in the seventh round of the 2005 draft by Milwaukee.

The Indians said because of the uncertainty of Grady Sizemore's injury they didn't want to move Brantley from Class AAA Columbus, where he's playing every day. Whether you buy that or not, they want him to start driving the ball more and use his speed to push the game once he gets on base.

Crowe had a good spring training and impressed manager Manny Acta. He believes Crowe, in some form, will be a part of the future and wants to give him a chance to play every day. It's about time they find out just what kind of player Crowe is.

Hey, Hoynsie: Has Mild Manny Acta ever been run from a major-league ballgame? -- Wayne Smith, Wattsburg, Pa.

Hey, Wayne: As far as I can find, Acta was ejected twice as manager of the Nationals. He does not believe that kicking dirt and screaming at umpires helps his team win games. For the most part, I have to agree.

-- Hoynsie

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but just what does incoming general manager Chris Antonetti have to look forward to when he replaces GM Mark Shapiro at the end of the season?

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerHe's not yet in charge, but as incoming Indians GM Chris Antonetti (with manager Manny Acta) looks to the future of his team, there's no shortage of questions to answer.

HOT CORNER
Mama, don’t let your babies grow up to be umpires: Chicago lefty Mark Buehrle was ejected Wednesday against the Indians when umpire Joe West called the second of two balks against him. Buehrle was not happy with West, an aspiring country western singer.
“Once I got tossed I wanted to go say a few words and try to get my money’s worth and just kind of find out what did I do wrong to balk?” Buehrle told the Associated Press. “I think he’s too worried about promoting his CD [West is a country music singer and song writer]) and I think he likes seeing his name in the papers a little bit too much instead of worrying about the rules.”

Shake, shake, shake: Former Tribe catcher Victor Martinez and right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka aren’t getting along in Boston.
On May 17, Matsuzaka gave up five runs in the first inning against the Yankees and hinted he wasn’t happy with Martinez’s pitch selection. In Matsuzaka’s next two starts veteran Jason Varitek was behind the plate.
Matsuzaka, turning into an expensive disappointment for Boston, threw 7 2/3 no-hit innings to beat the Phillies on May 22, but lasted just 4 2/3 innings Thursday in a loss to Kansas City.
Martinez told Boston reporters that if Matsuzaka didn’t like what he was calling, all he had to do was shake him off. “At the end,” said Martinez, “he’s the one who has the ball in his hand.”

New trend: After knocking Detroit’s Justin Verlander out of the game with a tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning Tuesday at Safeco Field, mercurial Milton Bradley took the time between the pitching change to run into the Mariners dugout, slap high fives with his teammates before returning to first base in a 5-3 victory.
Bradley, who recently came off the restricted list after two weeks of counseling for personal problems, told the Associated Press, “I’m feeling a lot of joy right now.”

THE RANT
Victory is easy. Smiles and blaring music always fill the locker room when a baseball team is winning.
Losing is harder. It carries a dullness that rarely leaves. It comes from equal parts resignation and desperation.
The Indians feel like that kind of team right now. Nothing was expected coming into the season and they’re playing like it. June doesn’t arrive until Tuesday and they’re already one of the three worst teams in baseball. The chilling thing is there are 115 games left.
It’s one thing to write off a season in the name of future glory, but where is all this leading? The franchise record for losses was set in 1991 with 105. It ushered in a golden age of Cleveland baseball, but the good times didn’t start rolling for another three years in 1994.
Is that what awaits Cleveland baseball fans in the immediate future? It’s easy to say no, but where is the electric talent that fueled the surge from 1994 through 2001? If you bump into it, let me know.
In the meantime maybe somebody could ask comedian Drew Carey for advice. Now that he’s solved the city of Cleveland’s problems, he could go to work on the Indians. At least he could tell a few jokes. Laughter is a must in a season like this.
— Paul Hoynes

STAT-O-MATIC
• No long balls, please: The Twins have only 13 homers in 26 games at new Target Field entering Sunday.
• When did all this happen? Former Indian second baseman Brandon Phillips hit his 100th homer Tuesday, six with the Indians and 94 with the Reds.
• Dog nights: About 650 dogs and their owners sat near the right-field foul pole at PNC Park Wednesday and watched the Pirates lose to the Reds, 4-0.NEW YORK -- When the Indians finally put down the balls and bats following their final out on Oct. 3, this baseball canvas will be in the hands of a new painter. An argument could be made that it's too early to be looking so far ahead, but in just two months time the paint has dried, cracked and peeled on this current season.

We all know where this thing is going and how it will end. Memo to the Progressive Field cleanup crew: stock up on sandpaper, scrapers, paint and putty.

So just what will new GM Chris Antonetti look at after 2010 is dragged from the arena?

He'll probably have a payroll of about $40 million, a 50 percent cut from 2009. Two of the three highest-paid players, Jake Westbrook at $11 million and Kerry Wood at $10.5 million, are coming off the books. The Indians' highest paid player, Travis Hafner at $11.5 million, isn't going anywhere because his contract, negotiated by Antonetti's mentor and predecessor, Mark Shapiro, has turned into an immovable object.

Antonetti is going to have a lot of players making between $400,000 and $500,000. This year over half the roster fell into that category. The major-league minimum is $400,000.

At least he'll begin his tenure as the 15th general manager in franchise history far from the eye of public scrutiny. This year's projected attendance of 1.5 million to 1.6 million is going to look like Times Square on New Year's Eve compared to what the Indians draw next year. The last year the Indians drew fewer than one million fans was 1985.

When a team rebuilds, it does so with young players and a few veterans. The Indians have a lot of young players. The question is how good are they? The sooner Antonetti can answer that question, the better general manager he'll be.

He'll inherit a still-unformed rotation. Fausto Carmona is making strides. Mitch Talbot has been a good addition, but hasn't pitched a full big-league season. David Huff still has much to prove, while the Justin Masterson experiment, to be kind, has not proceeded according to plan.

In the minors, top prospect Carlos Carrasco has been inconsistent and Hector Rondon has been injured. Alex White, their No.1 pick in 2009, was promoted to Class AA Akron recently and may have a chance to compete for a big league job next year. Left-hander Nick Hagadone, a key player in the Victor Martinez trade last year, is expected to join White at Akron in the near future. Young right-hander Jason Knapp, supposedly the key to the Cliff Lee deal, is still recovering from shoulder surgery.

Position wise, without the benefit of seeing Carlos Santana in the big leagues, the young Indians haven't shown a lot of wow factor. OK, there is reliever Chris Perez's 95 to 97 mph fastball, but who else has really opened fans' eyes?

Michael Brantley had a good September. Manager Manny Acta is bringing Matt LaPorta along slowly, but no one seems to know if he's going to be the right-handed run producer they need. The Indians think Lou Marson will be an everyday catcher someday, but not if he keeps hitting .200.

Second baseman Luis Valbuena needs to be in Class AAA Columbus to regain his confidence, but the Indians don't have anyone to replace him at the moment. Jason Donald is playing shortstop in place of injured Asdrubal Cabrera, but spent most of the first two months in Columbus being groomed to replace Valbuena at second. Trevor Crowe has filled in well for injured Grady Sizemore in center field, but is he really an everyday player?

When Antonetti starts the 2011 season, he should have a healthy Cabrera and Sizemore. That will make his job easier, but not by a whole lot.

There's one more thing Antonetti can look forward to when he replaces Shapiro -- arbitration. The Indians haven't gone since 1991, but that could change. Shin-Soo Choo, his top player, is eligible to argue money at the end of this season. Heavyweight agent Scott Boras represents him.

Talk about a dream job.

Whether the wins and losses show it this fall, there's no question the Browns are more cohesive than any edition in recent memory.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerThe new faces at quarterback is just one of the many clear examples of a revamped franchise that is trying to build something at the Browns' Berea complex, says Terry Pluto. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On a lazy holiday weekend, there's plenty about the local pro teams that prompt Terry Pluto to be talkin' ...

About the Browns...

1. It's hard to even compare the team during off-season drills to what was happening a year ago. Everything from knowing who will be the quarterback (Jake Delhomme) to the "Big Boss" (as Mike Holmgren has called himself) to who feels more relaxed as coach (Eric Mangini), to a general manager/super scout (Tom Heckert) has to add up to the Browns being a better team.

2. The Browns now have a business model in place that is much like the Baltimore Ravens, where President Ozzie Newsome is the Big Boss. The general manager role (once held by Phil Savage) is Tom Heckert's. Then the coach knows he is there to coach, and not have to worry about the draft, trades, contracts and other front office activities.

3. While some fans were hoping for a coaching change, you can see the wisdom of keeping Mangini and his key staff members. The players and coaches know what to expect from each other. There is a sense of order, discipline and focus. Far fewer players are running laps for missed assignment or penalties than a year ago.

4. That said, it's obvious offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has spent a lot of time with Gil Haskell, a former coordinator who is Holmgren's special assistant. The Browns will not -- repeat, will not -- be a team with a West Coast offense. But they are adding some elements.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerGil Haskell (left) is not the Browns offensive coordinator, and Mike Holmgren is not the coach. But it's hard not to sense how both men have changed the atmosphere in Berea, along with GM Tom Heckert.5. More importantly, they seem to be running wild with ideas for Seneca Wallace and Joshua Cribbs in the double Wildcat formation. They are being bold, showing the media plays where Wallace throws to Cribbs, and Cribbs throws to Wallace. Long snaps can go to either player. They both can run and throw. Cribbs claims it will be nearly impossible for any team to prepare in one week for all the variety the Browns have planned.

6. Never forget that Cribbs averaged 6.9 yards per carry last season, 381 yards in 55 attempts. For his career, Wallace has gained 214 yards (4.0 average) in 54 carries. Wallace may be 5-11 in very tall cleats, but he has a strong, accurate arm and throws well off the run.

7. The Browns have been pleased with Delhomme, who has made few poor throws. One of those was Thursday, firing into double coverage for an easy interception. They are working with him to avoid the risky passes. At 35, he can't fire the ball into those small spaces as he did a few years ago. He has been very receptive. He does a good job keeping the offensive organized.

8. Yes, Brian Robiskie has been the receiving star of the camp, but Chansi Stuckey has quietly impressed, showing excellent hands and precise pass patterns to get open. He had a rocky season with the Browns, joining the team for the final 11 games (19 catches, six drops) after the Braylon Edwards deal. The coaches believe he is returning to the form of 2008 when he gave hints of being a promising possession slot receiver.

9. Talk about a broken play on my part. Mike Knapp emailed: "[Last Sunday] you wrote that Brian Robiskie set career records at Ohio State for catches (118) and touchdown receptions (34). Not even close to being accurate. Robiskie had 127 catches (eighth all time) and 24 touchdown catches (fourth all time). David Boston has the OSU career receptions record with 191 and touchdowns with 34." By the way, Robiskie caught only one pass and played special teams as a freshman for the Buckeyes, then his career took off. Could the same thing happen with the Browns?

10. No idea if we'll be even mentioning this guy in the fall, but the coaches have been impressed with undrafted free agent receiver Jonathan Haggerty (6-1, 195 pounds). It wasn't easy to find information on the all-time leading receiver in Southwestern Oklahoma State (Division II) school history, but Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News wrote this: "Haggerty was a four-year starter and two-time All-Lone Star Conference selection. He caught 54 passes with a 13.9-yard average and six touchdowns in 2009. That didn't get the NFL's attention -- he wasn't invited to the annual scouting combine -- but his workout on campus did. He ran a 4.44 40-yard dash in front of 18 scouts on his pro day."

11. In a recent meeting, the coaches asked themselves, "Has anyone noticed Montario?" What they meant was whether anyone saw Tennessee's Montario Hardesty line up in the wrong spot, run the wrong play, seem unprepared or overwhelmed. They said he doesn't seem like a rookie, because he's been very solid.

12. Because the players aren't in pads and there is no tackling, these camps favor players with speed and underrate those who hit hard and break tackles. That all changes in the summer when training camp starts. Nonetheless, Nebraska safety Larry Asante has been impressive in coverage and with his overall play. That's encouraging, because the best part of the rookie's game is supposed to be his tackling.

About the Cavaliers...

Bill Haber / Associated PressByron Scott coached New Orleans into the playoffs and led New Jersey to a pair of Finals berths. That experience should appeal to the Cavaliers.1. As they look for a new coach, there's a preference for a former NBA head coach, or at least someone with experience at a major college program. But if they find "a Mike Brown type" assistant who is impressive, Dan Gilbert is will make a bold hire. He doesn't consider experience a necessity, but it certainly is a plus.

2. Which brings me to two names -- Byron Scott and Mo Cheeks. Now an assistant with the Oklahoma Thunder, Cheeks had only one losing season in 3 1/2 seasons with Portland, ending in 2005. His next stop was Philadelphia, where he led the surprising Sixers to a 40-42 start in 2008 and made the playoffs. He was fired after a 9-14 start the next season.

3. Scott led the Nets to the NBA Finals in 2003 and 2004. After a 22-20 start in 2004-05 (a year after the second consecutive Finals appearance), he was fired. His next stop was New Orleans. In 2008, he was 56-26 and went to the second round. In 2008-09, he was 49-33, losing in the first round. This season, he started 3-6 and was fired. Some say Scott was too tough on players, Cheeks too soft. When a coach fails to reach expectations, he's always "too something."

4. Consider these names: Avery Johnson, Sam Mitchell, Scott and Brown. All were voted NBA Coaches of the Year from 2006-2009. All have been fired within two years of winning the award.

5. Yes, Milwaukee assistant Kelvin Sampson is a candidate, but probably one of several. Before hiring Brown, Gilbert talked to at least a dozen legitimate candidates. He talked to twice as many before hiring Danny Ferry as general manager.

6. While Sampson has close connections to the Spurs, where he worked after being fired for NCAA violations at Indiana in 2008, there are concerns about the former Oklahoma coach. Twice, he was nailed by the NCAA. The Cavs talk about their "culture" which puts the accent on character. Does Sampson fit? It seems Scott or Cheeks makes more sense.

7. While waiting for LeBron and looking for a coach, the Cavs also are talking about their big men. They didn't say much about Leon Powe, but they are extremely pleased with his progress from major knee surgery. When they signed the former Celtic, they weren't sure he'd even be able to play this season. By the end of the year, he was close to 100 percent -- but the Cavs were loaded with big men, so he didn't play much.

8. Next season is a different story. It's doubtful Shaquille O'Neal will be back. Zydrunas Ilgauskas also is a free agent, and a decision on him may depend upon who is the next coach. Right now, Anderson Varejao is the only one on the roster who can play big minutes at center. They have J.J. Hickson, Antawn Jamison and Powe as power forwards, although Hickson did play some backup center. They will probably sign a veteran center to come off the bench.

About the Indians...

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerA franchise hungry to develop starting pitchers isn't about to give up too quickly on Justin Masterson, says Terry Pluto.1. If it is determined that Justin Masterson needs to remain a starter, but is struggling too much in the majors, they may send him to Class AAA Columbus. Masterson was rushed to the majors in 2008 by Boston. He threw only 96 innings in Class AA, and 9 1/3 in Class AAA. The Indians think Masterson can make some adjustments to help with left-handed batters (.386, 1.020 OPS). Also, he's on a 10-game losing streak dating back to last season, and needs to regain some confidence.

2. Another reason they want the 25-year-old right-hander to succeed as a starter is they need them. They believe he can help now in the bullpen, but they have plenty of relievers at Columbus close to being ready: Jensen Lewis (1.69 ERA), Joe Smith (2.84) and Frank Herrmann (0.36, 25 1/3 IP, 1 ER).

3. The Indians are hoping Masterson can pull it together Sunday in New York. It's still unclear when David Huff can pitch again, but it seems that he did not suffer a major injury despite being hit in the head with an Alex Rodriguez line drive Saturday. Some have suggested inserting Aaron Laffey (1-1, 5.61 ERA) in the rotation. But Laffey has been hit hard -- and not just the six runs he allowed in 1 1/3 innings Saturday. He gave up runs in each of his previous five appearances: 5 ER in 5 1/3 innings.

4. While Masterson has been savaged by left-handed hitters, a key to success of Mitch Talbot (6-3, 3.73) is his change-up, which darts away from lefties. The right-hander is holding lefties to a .157 batting average. In his last three minor-league seasons, it was .234.

5. When Fausto Carmona allowed four earned runs Friday in New York, it was only the second time in 10 starts that he has given up more than three runs. He had a 4.05 ERA in April, and it dropped to 3.30 in May as his confidence continues to grow. Another good sign: lefties are hitting .277, compared to .321 the previous two seasons. Who would have guessed in spring training that Carmona and Talbot would be the most reliable starters?

6. Carlos Santana (10 HR, 42 RBI, .314, 1.017 OPS) continues to destroy Class AAA pitching. But the catcher has thrown out only six of 32 base stealers. He has a good arm. The previous two seasons, he threw out 38 percent. But he has developed some bad throwing habits. If the Indians can be patient with Luis Valbuena batting .138 at second base, they can promote Santana and let coach Sandy Alomar work on his catching skills in Cleveland.

7. The Indians are expected to receive some calls from teams interested in Austin Kearns (.309, .842 OPS). If there is an attractive package of prospects, the Tribe may trade Kearns. But they like him for being a right-handed hitter who is above average in right and left field. He just turned 30 on May 20. At Columbus, the top outfield prospects are left-handed hitters -- Michael Brantley, a now healthy Jordan Brown (.319) and speedy Jose Constanza.

8. Hard to believe, but Mark Grudzielanek has 26 hits, all singles. But at least the veteran second baseman is hitting .274 and is solid in the field.

Game five of the 1920 World Series was a big day in Cleveland baseball history, with the Indians beating the Brooklyn Dodgers and recording the only World Series unassisted triple play, the first World Series grand slam and the first World Series home run by a pitcher. All at League Park. Read our game-day coverage.

View full sizeLibrary of CongressThe 1920 world champion Indians pose for a photograph inside League Park. The Indians beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-2 in the best of seven series.

(Second in a series of three stories)

CLEVELAND, Ohio--Game five was the turning point in the 1920 World Series. The win at Cleveland's League Park put the Indians up 3-2 in the best of seven series. But it was the way Cleveland won - overwhelming the Brooklyn Dodgers and setting three important major league records - that gave the Tribe the confidence to go on and take all of the remaining games, winning the world championship.

Below is the game five story by The Plain Dealer:

Indians Win 8-1; Lead In Series

Rout Rivals in Fifth Game, Driving Dodgers' Star Pitcher From Box

Unassisted Triple Play by Wambsganss and Home Runs by Bagby and Smith Feature Triumph of Cleveland Clan; World Championship Hopes of Indians Now at Fever Heat as Result of Third Victory

by Richard T. F. Harding

When Elmer Smith hit the ball over the right field fence with the bases full in the first inning of yesterday's game with Brooklyn at League Park, he not only cinched the game for Cleveland but started a series of sensational hitting and fielding plays probably unparalleled at any previous world series game.

The Indians won 8 to 1, thereby making the series stand three games to two in their favor.

Burleigh Grimes, Brooklyn's top hole pitchers, was driven from the field by the onslaught of the Indians, and today baseball experts say Cleveland's chances of winning the world's championship are just about twice as good as they were before yesterday's game.

Of all the events of an eventful afternoon the most momentous was a triple play by Wambsganss unassisted. With runners on first and second Wambsganss leaped high and grabbed, with his gloved hand, a line drive from Mitchel's bat, one that looked as if it might fairly wind up be being a two-base hit. The runners, who had started as Bagby began to deliver the ball, were far on their way, so far that it was the work of but an instant for Wambsganss to step on second base, thus putting out Kilduff, then turn and touch Miller, who had come so fast and so far that he had no chance to turn back toward first.

Fans Momentarily Stunned

For a few seconds the crowd scarcely could realize what had happened. Everybody got to his feet, drew a long breath and then figured the play for himself before letting out a great yell.

Read the rest of the story by clicking the link below:

Fresh from a postseason vacation, LeBron James was back among Cleveland fans for the first time since the Cavaliers' playoff flop. The reunion was somewhat awkward.

LeBron James shares a laugh with former NBA player Darryl Dawkins at the Cleveland Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater Saturday, May 29, 2010 at Tower City in Cleveland. Dawkins was a judge at the event. James kept the crowd waiting for about 45 minutes before showing up. (Joshua Gunter/The Plain Dealer)
• The LeBron rumor mill: 'Don't believe none of that' says Derrick Rose of speculation
• Daily LeBron-O-Meter CLEVELAND — Fresh from a postseason vacation, LeBron James was back among Cleveland fans for the first time since the Cavaliers' playoff flop.

The reunion was somewhat awkward.

James, whose impending free agency could change the course of several NBA franchises, was a guest judge at an amateur dunk contest that drew a large crowd because of the two-time MVP's appearance, his first public outing since the Cavs lost in the second round to the Boston Celtics.

Wearing a blue "Witness" T-shirt and designer sunglasses, James had little interaction with fans after arriving in a four-car motorcade and being escorted by police and security personnel through the crowd to a basketball court set up on the banks of the Cuyahoga River.

Some in the crowd seemed uncertain how to act around James, perhaps fearing the wrong comment could drive him away for good.

James ducked under a tent and slid into a folding chair next to former NBA player Darryl Dawkins to judge the final round of dunks as fans and several star-stuck competitors snapped photos with their cell phones of one of the world's best players and Cleveland's most revered pro athlete in generations.

As he sat at a table and held up scores, some Cleveland fans pleaded with him to re-sign with the Cavs.

"Don't leave, LeBron!" one yelled.

"Please, please don't go!" offered another.

James, who is eligible for free agency on July 1, smiled nervously as one of the dunkers missed several attempts and he politely applauded when the runner-up finally got a two-handed reverse down. After the event sponsored by Sprite, one of James' corporate business partners, he posed for a group photo with all the dunkers and signed a giant check for the winner.

James did not speak with reporters as he excited and offered no hints about his future, adding more suspense to a story already spinning off rumors and guesses about his plans.

Maverick Carter, James' manager and business partner, said "there's nothing to say right now" when asked for details about James' next move.

Before James arrived — about 45 minutes after promised — fans waited patiently on a grassy hill overlooking the hoop court. One of them, Audrey Staton, was convinced it would be one of her last chances to see James, who will be courted by the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and other teams.

"He's going," Staton said, keeping one eye on her 7-year-old son, Aaron, playing nearby. "We can't keep him in Cleveland because we're a dying city. There isn't enough hoopla for him here right now. He's young and he wants the excitement."

Dawkins, who jumped from high school to the NBA decades before James did it, believes Cleveland's All-Star should follow his heart.

"He should go where he thinks he'll be happy," said one of the most powerful dunkers in league history. "Make the right decision for your family and get as much money as you can. If he leaves Cleveland, basketball as we know it here is going to go down. They have to do what they can to keep here. I would like to see him stay in Cleveland, but he has to do what is right for him."

As James and his entourage made their way back to their vehicles, he offered one handshake and yelled "Hey, homey!" at a young fan screaming his name. James and his girlfriend, Savannah Brinson, then climbed into a Range Rover.

But before they left, one fan got the superstar's attention.

Walking up the hill alongside James' SUV, Greg Poulin of Sagamore Hills delivered a message on the minds of Cavaliers fans everywhere.

"Stay in Cleveland, my man," Poulin told James, who nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Later as he and his wife, Katie, tried to soothe their crying son, Max, before their trip home, Poulin said it was important for him to reach out to James.

"I just wanted to say what I had to say to him, which was, 'Stay in Cleveland, don't leave'," said Poulin, wearing a wine-colored Cavs shirt. "I don't think he knows what he's going to do yet, but I think he's going to stay. The King can't leave his people."

Aaron Laffey will start at Class AAA Columbus with an eye on returning to Cleveland's rotation.

 NEW YORK, New York -- The Indians recalled right-hander Jensen Lewis today to help their weary bullpen and optioned left-hander Aaron Laffey to Class AAA Columbus to create a roster spot for him.

 Manager Manny Acta said Laffey will start at Columbus in anticipation of earning a spot in the Indians rotation at some point this season.

 Lewis, who opened the season with the Indians, had a 1.89 ERA (two earned runs in 10 2/3 innings) at Columubs. He struck out 10, walked one and allowed 10 hits. With the Tribe, Lewis went 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA (three earned runs in 10 1/3 innings) with nine strikeouts, nine walks and eight hits.

 Laffey, who gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings in the Indians 13-11 victory over the Yankees on Saturday, was 0-1 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Tribe. He came to spring training competing for a starter's job, but opened the season in the pen when the Indians chose to go with David Huff and Mitch Talbot for the last two spots in the rotation.

 With Justin Masterson, who starts today against the Yankees, struggling, Laffey could be the next starter in the pipeline if he pitches well at Columbus.

Indians Gold Glove center fielder scheduled to undergo surgery this week in Vail, Col.

 NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Indians announced before today's game that center fielder Grady Sizemore will undergo surgery on his left knee this week. Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, said Sizemore will miss at least six to eight week.

 Dr. Richard Steadman will do the surgery in Vail, Colo. A date has not been announced.

 "It's a big blow," said manager Manny Acta. "I did not anticipate this coming out of spring training. Even though Grady was struggling, his speed never goes into a slump, he plays great defense and he has a presence on our clubs.

 "Our kids are just going to have to step up."

 Trevor Crowe has played well in place of Sizemore in center field. Acta said Michael Brantley, currently at Class AAA Columbus, will also get a chance later in the season.

 Soloff did not go into detail on Sizemore's surgery. He said the nature of the surgery could change during the operation depending on the "stability of the cartilage" in the knee. Microfracture surgery, used to stimulate growth of cartilage, could be an option. If that is the case, Sizemore would be out for longer than six or eight weeks.

 "They have to determine the status of his joint cartilage," said Soloff. "The question isn't how much cartilage is there, it's the stability of the cartilage."

 When asked if microfracture surgery was a possibility, Soloff said, "We'll have a specific update after the surgery. We're not ruling out anything. It will be an intra-operative decision."

 Sizemore visited doctors in New York and Vail, Col., last week to get opinions on the knee. Soloff said the Indians consulted with doctors "nationally and internationally' to determine the best course of action for Sizemore's knee.

 In April, Sizemore initially bruised his left knee sliding into a base. He re-injured it May 16 in Baltimore diving back into first base and was placed on the disabled list.

The Indians are anticipating David Huff making his next start after taking a liner in the head Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

UPDATED: 4:00 p.m.

NEW YORK, New York -- The Yankees used a five-run seventh inning to rally past the Indians today for a 7-3 victory at Yankee Stadium. Justin Masterson had a 3-0 lead entering the seventh, but he couldn't hold it.

A.J. Burnett (6-2) went eight innings for the victory. Tony Sipp (0-1) took the loss. In two appearances in this series, Sipp has allowed six runs in one-third of an inning. He entered the series with 15 1/3 scoreless innings.l

Masterson had one of his better starts of the season. At least he didn't take the loss. It would have been his 12th straight losing decision.

Jensen Lewis, just up from Class AAA Columbus, allowed two runs on three hits in the eighth.  

Yankee comeback: Masterson, who entered the seventh with a 3-0 lead, gave up a two-run single to Derek Jeter with two out to make it 3-2. Sipp relieved and gave up a double to Curtis Granderson and a three-run Homer to Mark Teixeira to give the Yankees a 5-3 lead.

In Friday's 8-2 loss to the Yankees, Sipp allowed a slam to Robinson Cano in the seventh.

The line: Masterson allowed three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one.  

Go with two: The Indians stretched their lead to 3-0 with a pair of two-out runs in the seventh. A.J. Burnett hit Luis Valbuena in the left foot with two out. Valbuena stole second and scored when  Jeter made an off-line throw to first on Lou Marson's grounder to the hole at short. Jason Donald followed with a triple off the right field wall to score Marson. 

Crow of the Crowe: Trevor Crowe gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with an RBI single off Burnett in the third. Marson opened the inning with a single and went to second on Donald's sac-bunt.  Crowe followed with a long single to left center, but was then caught attempting to steal second.

Rolling: Masterson, trying to keep his spot in the rotation, carried the 1-0 lead through six innings. He struck out seven and allowed just one walk, while showing great movement on his fastball.

Masterson pitched out of trouble in the fourth. Teixeira reached on an infield single to short -- manned by Jhonny Peralta because of an infield shift -- to start the inning. Masterson struck out Alex Rodriguez, but Cano doubled to left center as Teixeira stopped at third. Masterson ended the threat by striking out Nick Swisher and Juan Miranda.

 Pregame notes:

 Game 48: David Huff tried to make Alex Rodriguez laugh. He may have gotten a giggle out of A-Rod, but that was about it.

 Rodriguez called Huff several hours after the Indians left-hander was struck above his left ear by a line drive off Rodriguez's bat Saturday in the third inning. Huff lay motionless for several minutes before being strapped to a backboard and driving off the field.

 After the Indians rallied to beat the Yankees, 13-11, Rodriguez drove to the nearby hospital where Huff was taken, but Huff had already left to rejoin his team at Yankee Stadium.

 Rodriguez got Huff's cellphone from Bart Swain, Indians director of media relations, and called him. Huff was on the team bus with parents and brother when he took the call.

 "It was a good conversation," Huff told reporters, while sitting in the Indians dugout before today's game. "I was trying to get him to laugh because I knew if was an emotional situation for him. We had a couple of laughs over it."

 When asked if Rodriguez was going to buy him dinner, Huff laughed and said, "I don't know. . .we'll see."

 Huff said he never saw the ball.

 "If I did, I would have caught it," he said.

 He said he felt "nothing' after getting hit.

 "I knew the side of my head hurt, but I had so much adrenaline going through me from pitching at Yankee Stadium, I honestly didn't feel anything," said Huff.

 The Indians are anticipating that Huff will make his next start Thursday against Detroit, but want to monitor him for the next several days.

 "It was a scary thing," said Huff. "It could have been an inch this way or that way and I wouldn't be here talking to you guys."

 Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, said Huff went through neuropsychological tests at Yankee Stadium before today's game. It's a MLB mandate that all players go through the same tests in spring training so comparisons can be made during the season in case of injury.

 "We haven't gotten the results of those tests back yet," said Soloff.

 Soloff said that there has been no indication that Huff suffered a concussion. He said he will be checked "every six to eight hours for the next four to six days."

 After hitting Huff, the ball went into right field on a line for an RBI double. Soloff said, in a way, that was a good thing.

 "A lot of it has to do with physics and the angle of impact," said Soloff. "If the ball had dropped a few feet from David, it would have meant the ball was deadened from the blow."

 Huff parents, Tom and Pat, and his brother, Tim, met Huff at the hospital. They were at the game to see him make his first-ever start at Yankee Stadium.

 When Tribe trainer Rick Jameyson reached Huff on the mound, the first thing Huff told him was to call his brother.

 "One of my first concerns when I went down was reaching my brother," said Huff. "I told the trainer, 'Hey, this is my brother's cellphone number. Call him. I know he's freaking out right now. I didn't say the area code and I said, 'Oh, yeah, here's the area code.'"

 Tim Huff, a former college pitcher, taught David how to pitch. On Friday, they played catch down the left field line at Yankee Stadium and collected some dirt from the infield. When they were growing up, they talked about pitching at Yankee Stadium.

 Huff said he slept fine Saturday night.

 "But my brother didn't sleep too well," said Huff. "He was up all night."

 Lineups:  Indians (18-29): CF Trevor Crowe (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), DH Travis Hafner (L), LF Austin Kearns (R), 1B Russell Branyan (L), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), 2B Luis Valbuena (R), C Lou Marson (R), SS Jason Donald (R) RHP Justin Masterson (0-5, 6.13).

 Yankees (29-20): SS Derek Jeter (R), CF Curtis Granderson (L), 1B Mark Teixeira (S), 3B Alex Rodriguez (R), 2B Robinson Cano (L), RF Nick Swisher (S), DH Juan Miranda (L), LF Brett Gardner (L), C Chad Moeller (R) and RHP A.J. Burnett (5-2, 3.55).

 Umpires: HP Doug Eddings, 1B Dana DeMuth, 2B Kerwin Danley, 3B C.B. Bucknor. DeMuth, crew chief.

 Quote of the day: "I'd like to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee," Joe DiMaggio in Baseball's Greatest Quotations by Paul Dickson.

 Next: RHP Mitch Talbot (6-3, 3.73) vs. LHP Andy Pettitte (6-1, 2.62) Monday at 1:05 p.m.

Shaker Heights native Roger Penske's race team has had a rough day as pole-sitter Helio Castroneves has failed to lead one lap, along with other concerns for both he and his teammates.

Associated PressDario Franchitti, of Scotland, makes a pit stop Sunday during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. He later won for the second time at Indianapolis. Race Running at the Indianapolis 500

 
Dario Franchitti won his second Indianapolis 500. Racing with a drizzle of gas at the end, and avoiding 10 cautions, including a shrapnel splintering mishap by Mike Conway on lap 199.

 Lap 188 -- Unknown Mike Conway, who qualified 15th, played the fuel strategy game along with several others late in the race to take the lead at the Indianapolis 500. Avoiding a pit stop after the eighth caution of the day Conway, Justin Wilson, Helio Castroneves and Graham Rahal all decided not to pit, and inherited the top four spots on the grid.

 The question was could more cautions help keep him top the front. It didn't as he pit on lap 177 giving the lead to Wilson making it the first time for both as leaders at the Indianapolis 500. With 12 laps to go Wilson, Castroneves and Rahal were holding their positions with Dario Franchitti, the dominant racer all day, sitting behind them with a full tank and a heavy foot.

Lap 150 -- Not looking good for Shaker Heights native Roger Penske's race team. Lots of action as race favorite Helio Castroneves stalled in the pits on lap 145 giving the three-car Roger Penske team two major faux pas on race day that first cost Will Power with a hose nozzle stuck on exit from the pits. Power then hit the wall on lap 147 to bring out the seventh yellow flag of the race.

 Castroneves is back in 15th slot when Power's caution comes out, just behind Graham Rahal. Power is just a few spots ahead in ninth. At the front of the pack Andretti Autosports looks to having a bit of redemption after struggling all month. Behind race leader Dario Franchitti sits a pair of Andretti cars; Marco Andretti in second place and hard-charging Tony Kanaan in third.

 Lap 130 --  The story is Tony Kanaan, the hard-luck Brazilian who started the race last, has charged to the front just after the midway point and is now sitting second, on the rear wheels of race-leader Dario Franchitti. Surprising Tomas Scheckter, who drew the wrath of Davey Hamilton for causing Hamilton's first-lap crash, is third followed by pole-sitter Helio Castroneves.

 Graham Rahal has had a rugged race, including a black flag penalty that knocked him to the back of the field, but still on the lead lap at 18th. Danica Patrick, after a very cautious first half of the race, improved to as high as 12th at one point. Track conditions are starting to come into play as the track surface is a sizzling 130-degrees with the temperature resting a 94-degrees. Despite the six cautions, only eight cars are out of the race.

----

Lap 100 -- Halfway home, and the race is official, but not before Graham Rahal is given a black flag for blocking and his drive-through penalty on lap 81. That drops the suburban Columbus, O. driver from 11th back to 24th, the last driver on the lead lap.

 At the front it is still a three-horse race as Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe are 1-2-3. Franchitti, the 2007 winner, led the first 85 laps of the race.  ... Sixth yellow on lap 105, but it's a break for Rahal who was entering the pits just as Vitor Meira hits the wall and brings out the caution. When the pits re-open he should pick up several spots closer to the leaders.

------

Race running at the Indianapolis 500

 Lap 60 -- Dario Franchitti has better than 3.9-second lead over Helio Castroneves in second place .... Will Power drops all the way back to the pack, resting 24th on lap 62 following his black flag ... Tony Kanaan has settled in, holding 12th place on lap lap 63, Graham Rahal, after pitting, is back in 16th ... fourth caution on lap 64 as John Andretti hits the wall .... up front it's Franchitti, Castroneves, Rapahel Matos, Ryan Briscoe and Ed Carpenter ... Danica Patrick, who has struggled all month is back in the pack at 17th. 

 Yellow pit stops on lap 67 ... Matos spins in the pits as left rear tire comes off and stalls ... Scott Dixon also stalls exiting his pit stall as his left front tire comes off ...  leaders after pit stop are Franchitti, Castroneves, Briscoe, Tony Kanaan and Carpenter. Kanaan picks up eight spots in the pits and is now a serious threat to win from last place.

 Green again on lap 72 -- Moments after the green Matos is into the wall bringing out a fifth caution on lap 73.
 

----

Dario Franchitti takes the lead on the first lap over Helio Castroneves ...

First caution on the first lap with Davey Hamilton going into the wall in turn two. He had no kind words for driver Tomas Scheckter who he felt caused the mishap, dropping words like "idiot" and "knucklehead" after being released from the infield medical center.

At the back, Tony Kanaan who started 33rd on the grid, had already picked up eight spots in half a lap.

Restart on Lap 5 ... Bruno Junqueira brings out second yellow on lap 8. Kanaan now up to 19th.

Restart on lap 14 and Kanaan remains on the move by lap 24 he is halfway through the field at 16th. Up front it is a three-car chase with Franchitti holding the lead, Will Power second and Helio Castroneves third.

First round of hot-lap pitstops on lap 29, leaders stay out and Wil Power slips past Franchitti to take the lead on lap 31.

Kanaan up to 11th on Lap 35 ...

Leaders in the pits on lap 37 all out clean.

Third caution on lap 39, black flag for Will Power, Franchitti back in the lead, Graham Rahal, who is yet to pit, is currently second.

1:15-Yes folks, Jim Nabors once again was the voice of 'Back home again in Indiana" as blue, purple and white balloons rose from behind the grandstands. Jack Nicholson was in the flag stand, wearing a Los Angeles Lakers hat, to wave the flag to start the race. All 33 cars made the start, behind ABC's Robin Roberts in the pace car.

 Roberts is familiar with speed, since her father was a Tuskegee Airman in World War II.

 The start of the race was clean, but the oldest driver in the field, Davey Hamilton, 46, ended his day going into the wall in turn two, bringing out the first yellow flag of the day. 

11:55 a.m.

They're rolling the cars out to the start/finish line for the 1 p.m. start for the Indianapolis 500. The grandstands are filling up and those who can get on the grid with the cars for their final photos are crowding around just about anyone in either a drivers suit or wearing long hair and spandex.

   Absolutely no threat of rain this morning, although a 'pop-up' shower can't be ruled out this afternoon. Consensus in the media center actually favors Dario Franchitti to win todays race over favorite Helio Castroneves.

 Speaking of favorites, Danica Patrick is certainly the favorite for the cameramen, and the favorite for those looking for pit-side drama and unscripted post-race quotes. But contrary to the 'most popular driver in the IRL' that the electronic media casually proclaims, that title belongs to someone else, and has for several seasons.

 In a vote by IRL fans, not even Helio Castroneves sits on top. For race fans, 'the most popular driver in the IRL' is actually Sarah Fisher who has race at Indy eight previous times prior to this season, but has never finished higher than 17th, last season.

--

Helio Castroneves

 The 1 p.m. race doesn't start for hours, but the traditional pagentry has already started including the parades, the bagpipes and the bikinis. Traffic, seven hours before the race, was already thick and backed up at every entrance. Pedestrians pulling coolers, pushing strollers and carrying everything from a six-pack to each other also lined the streets.

 NFL Hall of Famer and former Cleveland Brown Ozzie Newsome is in town to see his first Indy 500 and said, "I've never seen anything like this.''

  On the track Helio Castroneves remains the favorite to win his fourth Indianapolis 500.

 More to come ....

Shaker Heights native Roger Penske's race team has had a rough day as pole-sitter Helio Castroneves has failed to lead one lap, along with other concerns for both he and his teammates.

Associated PressDario Franchitti, of Scotland, makes a pit stop Sunday during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. He later won for the second time at Indianapolis.

Race Running at the Indianapolis 500

 
Dario Franchitti won his second Indianapolis 500. Racing with a drizzle of gas at the end, and avoiding 10 cautions, including a shrapnel splintering mishap by Mike Conway on lap 199.

 Lap 188 -- Unknown Mike Conway, who qualified 15th, played the fuel strategy game along with several others late in the race to take the lead at the Indianapolis 500. Avoiding a pit stop after the eighth caution of the day Conway, Justin Wilson, Helio Castroneves and Graham Rahal all decided not to pit, and inherited the top four spots on the grid.

 The question was could more cautions help keep him top the front. It didn't as he pit on lap 177 giving the lead to Wilson making it the first time for both as leaders at the Indianapolis 500. With 12 laps to go Wilson, Castroneves and Rahal were holding their positions with Dario Franchitti, the dominant racer all day, sitting behind them with a full tank and a heavy foot.

Lap 150 -- Not looking good for Shaker Heights native Roger Penske's race team. Lots of action as race favorite Helio Castroneves stalled in the pits on lap 145 giving the three-car Roger Penske team two major faux pas on race day that first cost Will Power with a hose nozzle stuck on exit from the pits. Power then hit the wall on lap 147 to bring out the seventh yellow flag of the race.

 Castroneves is back in 15th slot when Power's caution comes out, just behind Graham Rahal. Power is just a few spots ahead in ninth. At the front of the pack Andretti Autosports looks to having a bit of redemption after struggling all month. Behind race leader Dario Franchitti sits a pair of Andretti cars; Marco Andretti in second place and hard-charging Tony Kanaan in third.

 Lap 130 --  The story is Tony Kanaan, the hard-luck Brazilian who started the race last, has charged to the front just after the midway point and is now sitting second, on the rear wheels of race-leader Dario Franchitti. Surprising Tomas Scheckter, who drew the wrath of Davey Hamilton for causing Hamilton's first-lap crash, is third followed by pole-sitter Helio Castroneves.

 Graham Rahal has had a rugged race, including a black flag penalty that knocked him to the back of the field, but still on the lead lap at 18th. Danica Patrick, after a very cautious first half of the race, improved to as high as 12th at one point. Track conditions are starting to come into play as the track surface is a sizzling 130-degrees with the temperature resting a 94-degrees. Despite the six cautions, only eight cars are out of the race.

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Lap 100 -- Halfway home, and the race is official, but not before Graham Rahal is given a black flag for blocking and his drive-through penalty on lap 81. That drops the suburban Columbus, O. driver from 11th back to 24th, the last driver on the lead lap.

 At the front it is still a three-horse race as Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe are 1-2-3. Franchitti, the 2007 winner, led the first 85 laps of the race.  ... Sixth yellow on lap 105, but it's a break for Rahal who was entering the pits just as Vitor Meira hits the wall and brings out the caution. When the pits re-open he should pick up several spots closer to the leaders.

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Race running at the Indianapolis 500

 Lap 60 -- Dario Franchitti has better than 3.9-second lead over Helio Castroneves in second place .... Will Power drops all the way back to the pack, resting 24th on lap 62 following his black flag ... Tony Kanaan has settled in, holding 12th place on lap lap 63, Graham Rahal, after pitting, is back in 16th ... fourth caution on lap 64 as John Andretti hits the wall .... up front it's Franchitti, Castroneves, Rapahel Matos, Ryan Briscoe and Ed Carpenter ... Danica Patrick, who has struggled all month is back in the pack at 17th. 

 Yellow pit stops on lap 67 ... Matos spins in the pits as left rear tire comes off and stalls ... Scott Dixon also stalls exiting his pit stall as his left front tire comes off ...  leaders after pit stop are Franchitti, Castroneves, Briscoe, Tony Kanaan and Carpenter. Kanaan picks up eight spots in the pits and is now a serious threat to win from last place.

 Green again on lap 72 -- Moments after the green Matos is into the wall bringing out a fifth caution on lap 73.
 

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Dario Franchitti takes the lead on the first lap over Helio Castroneves ...

First caution on the first lap with Davey Hamilton going into the wall in turn two. He had no kind words for driver Tomas Scheckter who he felt caused the mishap, dropping words like "idiot" and "knucklehead" after being released from the infield medical center.

At the back, Tony Kanaan who started 33rd on the grid, had already picked up eight spots in half a lap.

Restart on Lap 5 ... Bruno Junqueira brings out second yellow on lap 8. Kanaan now up to 19th.

Restart on lap 14 and Kanaan remains on the move by lap 24 he is halfway through the field at 16th. Up front it is a three-car chase with Franchitti holding the lead, Will Power second and Helio Castroneves third.

First round of hot-lap pitstops on lap 29, leaders stay out and Wil Power slips past Franchitti to take the lead on lap 31.

Kanaan up to 11th on Lap 35 ...

Leaders in the pits on lap 37 all out clean.

Third caution on lap 39, black flag for Will Power, Franchitti back in the lead, Graham Rahal, who is yet to pit, is currently second.

1:15-Yes folks, Jim Nabors once again was the voice of 'Back home again in Indiana" as blue, purple and white balloons rose from behind the grandstands. Jack Nicholson was in the flag stand, wearing a Los Angeles Lakers hat, to wave the flag to start the race. All 33 cars made the start, behind ABC's Robin Roberts in the pace car.

 Roberts is familiar with speed, since her father was a Tuskegee Airman in World War II.

 The start of the race was clean, but the oldest driver in the field, Davey Hamilton, 46, ended his day going into the wall in turn two, bringing out the first yellow flag of the day. 

11:55 a.m.

They're rolling the cars out to the start/finish line for the 1 p.m. start for the Indianapolis 500. The grandstands are filling up and those who can get on the grid with the cars for their final photos are crowding around just about anyone in either a drivers suit or wearing long hair and spandex.

   Absolutely no threat of rain this morning, although a 'pop-up' shower can't be ruled out this afternoon. Consensus in the media center actually favors Dario Franchitti to win todays race over favorite Helio Castroneves.

 Speaking of favorites, Danica Patrick is certainly the favorite for the cameramen, and the favorite for those looking for pit-side drama and unscripted post-race quotes. But contrary to the 'most popular driver in the IRL' that the electronic media casually proclaims, that title belongs to someone else, and has for several seasons.

 In a vote by IRL fans, not even Helio Castroneves sits on top. For race fans, 'the most popular driver in the IRL' is actually Sarah Fisher who has race at Indy eight previous times prior to this season, but has never finished higher than 17th, last season.

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Helio Castroneves

 The 1 p.m. race doesn't start for hours, but the traditional pagentry has already started including the parades, the bagpipes and the bikinis. Traffic, seven hours before the race, was already thick and backed up at every entrance. Pedestrians pulling coolers, pushing strollers and carrying everything from a six-pack to each other also lined the streets.

 NFL Hall of Famer and former Cleveland Brown Ozzie Newsome is in town to see his first Indy 500 and said, "I've never seen anything like this.''

  On the track Helio Castroneves remains the favorite to win his fourth Indianapolis 500.

 More to come ....

Instead of taking a bite out of the Big Apple on their first trip to New York City, Tony Sipp and David Huff have been bitten by the Yankees.

Kathy Willens / Associated PressFor the second time in three days, Tribe reliever Tony Sipp gave up a big homer to the New York Yankees. Sipp was vicitimized Sunday by Mark Teixeira, rounding third in the background after blasting a three-run homer in the seventh. Friday night, Sipp gave up a grand slam to Robinson Cano.

Alex Rodriguez hit Huff in the head Saturday with a line drive and sent him to the hospital. Huff returned to Yankee Stadium on Sunday morning with a smile on his face and a lump on the left side of his head.

Sipp hasn't suffered physically, but he has gone from unhittable to easy pickings. Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer off the left-hander in the seventh inning to rally the Yankees to a 7-3 victory over the Indians and ruin a good performance by Justin Masterson. Teixeira's three-run drive into the left field seats came on the heels of Robinson Cano's grand slam off Sipp in Friday's 8-2 New York victory.

Before arriving in New York for the first time, Sipp allowed three earned runs in 191/3 innings. He was rolling, pitching 151/3 consecutive scoreless innings. In his first two games in the Bronx, he's allowed six earned runs in one-third of an inning.

"Things are still good," said Sipp. "I still like New York. I still wake up and get to come in and play baseball for a living. I'm not complaining. . . . You're going to have days like this. It does happen."

It didn't matter if it was a lefty or righty, nobody was hitting Sipp until he walked into the new Yankee Stadium. Cano, a lefty, beat him on the slam. Teixeira, a switch-hitter batting right-handed, beat him Sunday.

Sipp relieved Masterson after Derek Jeter hit a two-out, two-run single to cut the Indians' lead to 3-2. Curtis Granderson greeted Sipp with a double as Jeter moved to third. Sipp hung a 2-2 slider to Teixeira that appeared to be frozen in space over the plate. The Yankees' first baseman, hitting just .221, hit it 434 feet.

Asked about the movement on the pitch, Sipp said, "It didn't move a whole lot."

Kathy Willens / Associated PressLuis Valbuena gets sawed off by the Yankees' Mariano Rivera while hitting into the final out of the game Sunday in New York. Valbuena joins a long line of hitters who have shattered their bats on Rivera's cut fastball.

"I can't really concern myself with those things," said Masterson.

Still, Masterson pitched one clean inning after another until the seventh. He was pitching with a purpose.

It might have had something to do with the Yankees, his old blood rivals from his days with Boston. An adjustment he made in his delivery may have played a part as well. Or it may have simply been desire to stay in the rotation.

"We made a little mechanical adjustment," he said. "It just keeps me on top of the ball. I felt before we were dropped down a little more than what we had been. It was a much better day with control than what we've had so far.

"It was fun. I had a good time out there."

Trevor Crowe's RBI single off A.J. Burnett (6-2, 3.28) in the third gave the Indians a 1-0 lead. They made it 3-0 in the seventh as Luis Valbuena, after getting hit by a pitch and stealing second, scored on Jeter's throwing error on Lou Marson's grounder to short. Jason Donald followed with a triple.

Masterson has not won since Aug. 20, 2009.

"That's hard to believe," said Jeter. "We know him from facing him in Boston. He throws hard. He never throws anything straight. He's not a fun at-bat. I'm sure if he keeps throwing like that, he'll break through."

Masterson had Jeter down in the count 0-2 in the seventh. One more strike and the Tribe's 3-0 lead would have been safe.

"I was trying to get another sinker in," said Masterson, who struck out eight and walked one. "It was down over the middle of the plate. I'm going, "Jeter just bounce out to the second baseman, please." But of course, he does what he's supposed to do with it. That's why he's a great player."

The Yankees made it 7-3 with two runs in the eighth off Jensen Lewis, who arrived from Columbus to take Laffey's spot in the bullpen.

The best basketball player leave Cleveland? It's impossible.

Scott Shaw / The Plain DealerWho's the best player in the NBA, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? Discuss in the comments section below.

CLEVELAND - The world's best basketball player cannot possibly leave Cleveland.

Forget it. Not gonna happen.

This guaranteed, stone-cold lock doesn't come from Las Vegas bookmakers or runaway parochialism. It's simply geography.

Kobe Bryant plays in Los Angeles.

Exhibit A in why the regular season is a glorified intramural scrum might well be the team Bryant's Lakers meet in the NBA Finals starting Thursday, but Bryant's play is a close second.

(Did I say the Boston Celtics were old? Get me rewrite. I meant cold . . . cold-hearted winners.)

Bryant delivered a similar reminder that the game's greatest players are more than the sum of their skills. He did it for an entire series against the Suns, averaging 33.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots. In the final minutes of Game 6 on Saturday in Phoenix, he scored 11 of L.A.'s final 14 points and assisted on the only other basket.

Teammate Derek Fisher was moved to tell reporters that Bryant "literally can will the ball in the basket."

All I know is that figuratively speaking, torch passings -- in the case of the Celtics, obits, too -- should wait until the NBA goes dark after the league finals.

LeBron James is deservedly the league MVP. Bryant is even more deserving of his cemented reputation as a winner, a status James can only hope to reach when he grows up.

World's best player? That's a fluid title.

I'd take James for the next 82 games.

Give me Bryant for the next seven.

I'd trust Bryant to stop a momentum shift on the road from turning into an avalanche.

I'd take him with the shot clock so drained there's only time for a contested jump shot. In that situation, I'd take him over Michael Jordan, too.

None of this is a shot at James' game. He has the superior skill-set. He's younger, stronger, more explosive, a more generous teammate. But that last part is also a negative.

In maturity and leadership, James shows his age or personality or both. He's still only 25, and with one surprising appearance in the NBA Finals, he simply hasn't had every tangible and intangible ingredient tested as Bryant has. But it also could be true that he simply isn't nasty enough.

I don't mean he lacks the mettle to win games. I mean he likes being liked. He straps teammates on his back. But sometimes what they need is a kick in the pants.

After Sasha Vujacic's ridiculous flagrant foul made a much tougher night out of a Lakers rout, Bryant was asked how he felt about the trouble Vujacic caused the Lakers.

"He's still breathing," Bryant said, insinuating that if the Lakers had lost, that might not be the case.

Contrast that with James' "What, me worry?" attitude about the Cavaliers' lack of focus against Boston even with coach Mike Brown giving him the opening to rally his teammates after a lopsided loss.

Suns coach Alvin Gentry was speaking of Bryant -- and not James on Saturday -- when he said, "He's the best player in basketball, and I don't think it's even close."

C'mon, now. Let's not get carried away.

I'd take James first in a draft of every NBA player.

But let's just say there's a city that hasn't won anything since 1964. And it strikes a desperate deal with the devil to end the drought.

Even the devil would put Kobe Bryant in wine and gold to make sure he delivers on his end of the bargain.