PD columnist talks about Brown's legacy as a player, and his tendency to be a loose cannon.

Plain Dealer fileJim Brown is the greatest football player of all time, according to PD columnist Bill Livingston.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Branson Wright and Bill Lubinger. Let's go to the highlights:

• Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, today's guest, talks about his column today regarding Jim Brown and his relationship with the Browns. Livingston says that there should definitely be a statue of Brown outside Cleveland Browns Stadium (and one of Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown as well.)

• Livy also talks about what he calls the two sides of Jim Brown, and says while Brown has drawn criticism for some of the statements he has made through the years, he does deserve credit for trying to make an impact socially, unlike other athletes who think only about their endorsment image.

• Today's Starting Blocks poll asks you to vote on which Brown, if you could only pick one, should be in next year's Ring of Honor class.

SBTV will return Friday morning with Plain Dealer Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi answers questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature.

Barnett is the biggest surprise, moving Orhian Johnson, who has battled injuries, to the second team at safety.

Ohio State posted its first depth chart of the season as part of the game notes for the opener with Marshall a week from today, and there's a winner in the battle we've all been following: Joe Bauserman is the No. 1 holder.

Actually, there is one surprise - sophomore C.J. Barnett is listed as the starter at strong safety ahead of expected starter Orhian Johnson, who is listed as the backup. Johnson is one of many defenders who missed time during preseason practice with an injury, and he wasn't on the field for the team scrimmage, so that time away probably played a role in that decision. Barnett was starting whenever Johnson wasn't.

OSU photoJunior Andrew Sweat won the starting strongside linebacker job for the Buckeyes.

Also, Andrew Sweat has won the starting strongside linebacker job ahead of Etienne Sabino, who is not even listed as a SAM linebacker. Sabino is shown to be the backup at middle linebacker, along with Storm Klein, behind starter Brian Rolle. Jonathan Newsome is the No. 2 SAM linebacker behind Sweat.

At left tackle, junior Mike Adams appears to have won that spot ahead of senior Andrew Miller. There is no OR on the chart, which is used to indicate a potential platoon at that spot, with Miller only listed on the second team.

The rest of the starters are expected, including defensive end Nathan Williams, who hurt his left knee during camp but was not to be counted out for the Marshall game, according to Jim Tressel.

Other notes: Bauserman is the backup quarterback ahead of Kenny Guiton; Brandon Saine and Dan Herron are listed as co-starters at tailback; Taurian Washington looks like the No. 3 receiver, with Chris Fields or freshman Corey "Philly" Brown shown as the No. 4 receiver; freshman Andrew Norwell is the backup right tackle; Jermale Hines is shown as the starting free safety and a backup, along with Christian Bryant, to Tyler Moeller at the star position; redshirt freshman Corey Brown is the No. 4 corner, behind No. 3 corner Travis Howard but beating out some other veterans; true freshman Johnathan Hankins is a second-team defensive tackle along with Garrett Goebel, with redshirt freshman Adam Bellamy listed as a No. 2 defensive end. That moves Melvin Fellows out of the two-deep; Devin Barclay is listed as the No. 1 kicker, with Drew Basil listed as the kickoff specialist. 

How can the Indians get out of their current spiral? Who's coming up in September? Find out Paul Hoynes' thoughts on the team's recent play and more as he talked Indians baseball in his weekly chat.

• Would the Indians reconsider not calling up one of their third base prospects?

• What is wrong with Matt LaPorta right now?

• Will Chris Antonetti be any different from Mark Shapiro?

• Are you concerned about Fausto Carmona?

• What's the earliest we could see Drew Pomeranz in Cleveland?

Click on the play button below to listen or download the MP3 podcast to listen on the go.

Everything is big in Texas, especially high school football. Allen High School has an enrollment of 5,049 students in grades nine through 12, which it makes it hard for fans to buy tickets to football games because the students buy them up. So since this is Texas, the district will build an 18,000-seat stadium set to open in 2012...

Everything is big in Texas, especially high school football. Allen High School has an enrollment of 5,049 students in grades nine through 12, which it makes it hard for fans to buy tickets to football games because the students buy them up.

So since this is Texas, the district will build an 18,000-seat stadium set to open in 2012 with a $59.6 million price tag.

That ties it for the fifth-largest high school stadium in the state. The school's current stadium, built in 1976, has 7,000 seats.

In USA Today:

"That's Texas for you," said Chester E. Finn Jr., president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a Washington, D.C., education think tank. "This is, of course, ridiculous in a period of tight money, and the explanation will be that this is dedicated money and can't be spent on other things. … But I'm not a bit surprised. If it were Indiana, it would be a basketball arena.

"I don't think it's the arms race exactly. I think it's more of satisfying the community, almost an amenity like a community center. It's not a bad thing to do, but it's a very, very weird time to do it."

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, writes Columbus Dispatch reporter Tim May, is loyal to his seniors. But Tressel is fair when it comes to the freshmen --- if they're good enough, they will play. Well a few freshmen are getting some attention this summer during practice, especially freshman receiver Corey Brown, nicknamed "Philly" because he's from the Philadelphia suburb of...

APJim Tressel

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, writes Columbus Dispatch reporter Tim May, is loyal to his seniors. But Tressel is fair when it comes to the freshmen --- if they're good enough, they will play.

Well a few freshmen are getting some attention this summer during practice, especially freshman receiver Corey Brown, nicknamed "Philly" because he's from the Philadelphia suburb of Upper Darby, Pa., and to differentiate him from redshirt freshman cornerback Corey Brown of Monroeville, Pa.

"Philly Brown, he ran a kick back the other day in a live kicking drill; he is impressive," senior cornerback Devon Torrence said. "For a freshman, he looks pretty good. I think he's going to play this year. I'm not the coach, but he's a talented kid."

Anyone could see that, said Chimdi Chekwa, the other starting cornerback. It was apparent this summer to Chekwa as he coached the young cornerbacks in seven-on-seven drills against the young receivers.

"From the beginning, my impression was he was fast; very, very fast," Chekwa said. "At first I thought my corners were just doing a bad job of technique, until I went and guarded him myself. Then I realized he is really fast. I know he has the speed, and as long as he gets coached up by (receivers coach Darrell) Hazell and listens to his coaches, he'll be a great player."

Also vying for the coaches' eyes, writes May, have been redshirt freshman Chris Fields and sophomore James Jackson.

Captain S

The Toledo Blade has a story on native Dane Sanzenbacher being elected captain of the 2010 Buckeyes.

He joins a list of former OSU greats like Craig Krenzel, Eddie George, Chris Spielman, Rex Kern, and Archie Griffin.

Sanzenbacher joins Bryant Browning, Cameron Heyward, Ross Homan, Brian Rolle, and Brandon Saine as the captains for this season - just the second time in OSU's 121 years of football that six players have been chosen for the role.

"It's a real honor to be mentioned among these great leaders," Sanzenbacher said yesterday. "I don't think it will change much for me; I just want to continue to contribute to this program any way I can."

 

 

OSU-Michigan

The Ohio State/Michigan game should stay right where it is, writes Columbus Dispatch columnist Rob Oller. Tradition should continue and the Buckeyes and that team up north should always play at the end of the regular season.

With all due respect to Big Ten presidents, athletic directors and others in positions of power who are considering moving Ohio State-Michigan to earlier in the season: Are you people nuts?

Bump one of the best rivalries in sports, the marquee game of the Big Ten football season, and then rationalize it by promising it will remain the best show? That's like saying the Masters would remain the best golf tournament even if it were played in September. Or that Christmas would feel the same in July. Nothing says Jingle Bells like the taste of eggnog in summer.

Oller writes that the game is so special that even jaded sportswriters get goose bumps over a final regular-season game, something is wrong.

Or in this case, something is right. When a colleague of 35 years in the business observes, as was the case several years ago, that "this still is pretty special" - this being Michigan players simply milling about during warm-ups - it says the game already is perfectly placed on the schedule. Don't mess with success.

 

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1980-82, lost his wife to cancer last month. Here's an in depth story on Cowher in The New York Times about his wife's cancer, her death and how returning to the NFL is not on his list of priorities. Kaye Cowher received a diagnosis of melanoma. Late last...

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press Former NFL coaches Bill Cowher (left) and Jon Gruden.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1980-82, lost his wife to cancer last month.

Here's an in depth story on Cowher in The New York Times about his wife's cancer, her death and how returning to the NFL is not on his list of priorities.

Kaye Cowher received a diagnosis of melanoma. Late last month, she died, at 54

“It was a quick and unfortunate downward spiral in five months’ time,” he said Tuesday at CBS’s Midtown headquarters. “They went in to remove what they thought was a muscle mass and after doing a needle biopsy, they found the melanoma and couldn’t really find a treatment to cure it.”

In the interview, Cowher said that the pace of his wife’s illness was “a tough process.” 

So now it seems that the next step in his life is coaching, right?

He enjoys the CBS job and has done well at it. “If the right situation occurred, I’d consider coaching,” he said. “But everyone asks, ‘What’s the right situation?’ I don’t know. I’m not sitting and looking at any one job.”

It sounds like Ohio State and Michigan will be in opposite divisions, but the game has a chance to remain where it is.

Marvin Fong/Plain DealerOhio State president Dr. Gordon Gee added some nuance to the OSU-Michigan discussion, saying he'd like the game at least near the end of the regular season.

Dr. E. Gordon Gee, Ohio State's president, said in a brief phone call with The Plain Dealer today that it is possible that Ohio State and Michigan could remain the final game of the regular season for both teams. Statements in the past week by various decision-makers at both schools and from Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany gave the impression that the schools were headed toward separate divisions in the 12-team Big Ten in 2011 and very likely playing their regular season game earlier in the calendar.

That idea has not gone over well with most fans on both sides of the rivalry.

"The answer is yes, there is a possibility," Gee said. "Nothing has been put finally on paper or voted on among the representatives, so until that takes places, all things are possible."

Gee also said he today spoke with athletic director Gene Smith about the feedback they've been getting from fans, and he's not surprised by what they have heard.

"Any time change is afoot at the university, it causes a substantial reaction among students and faculty and fans," Gee said. "The reaction doesn't surprise me. I want to ensure that we're doing the right thing. One of the reasons this is a great rivalry is the great fans. But we are moving into some unknowns."

Gee spoke after a radio interview with 97.1 The Fan in Columbus in which he said there has been serious discussion in the Big Ten about putting Ohio State and Michigan in separate divisions. But he offered a nuance that hadn't been heard before. Previous mention by Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, and others, about ending the regular season with division games led to the assumption that Ohio State and Michigan would be played much earlier in the regular season.

While Gee did not guarantee that Ohio State and Michigan would remain where it is, he said, "I don't think it has to be the last game. I think it needs to be the last or near the last game."

That certainly doesn't sound like October. Gee also expressed apprehension about the possibility of the teams playing in back-to-back games if they were to end the season and then play again for the Big Ten Championship. But when radio host and Ohio State legend Chris Spielman said that, as a former player, he didn't have a problem with that scenario, Gee seemed more receptive.

And that may be the compromise. It certainly seems like the conference is down the road on separating Ohio State and Michigan. But the schedule can always be tweaked. So risking that back-to-back, but saving that last regular-season game, could be the answer.
 
"One thing I don't want to do, I don't want to in any way, shape or form detract from the magnificence of the rivalry," Gee told The Fan. "That is the one thing we will not do. That is the one thing we're fighting very hard for."

"You know what is amazing about this organization? We have a guy at Columbus who's hit more home runs then anyone on the 25-man roster. We have a guy hitting .320 at Columbus. This current Indians team is well on its way to losing 100 games. Yet the front office doesn't want to call up certain players. Do we really have that many valuable players on a roster that's losing 100 games. How many more shots do we give Marte, Valbuena and others?" - larryscheap

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerIndians fans are getting tired of seeing the likes of Luis Valbuena run out every night for the Indians.

In response to the story Some low fives for the Cleveland Indians: 5-run loss, 5 straight losses, cleveland.com reader larryscheap isn't sure why the Indians aren't looking at more of their prospects. This reader writes,

"You know what is amazing about this organization? We have a guy at Columbus who's hit more home runs then anyone on the 25-man roster. We have a guy hitting .320 at Columbus. This current Indians team is well on its way to losing 100 games. Yet the front office doesn't want to call up certain players. Do we really have that many valuable players on a roster that's losing 100 games. How many more shots do we give Marte, Valbuena and others?"

"Whether he plays against Detroit or not, I couldn't care less. I'm happy he's back practicing with the team and just want to see him healthy for Tampa Bay September 12th. This is a very talented player the Browns have here. They've invested a lot of time and money on him. Don't you think it would be just a little bit self-defeating if they rushed him back into action before he was ready? It's a long season. Give him the time he needs to get healthy." - theksukidd73

View full sizeAssociated PressThe Browns have high hopes for Montario Hardesty, but he's missed most of training camp.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns running back Montario Hardesty will practice for first time today, questionable for Detroit Saturday, cleveland.com reader theksukidd73 sees no reason to rush the rookie. This reader writes,

"Whether he plays against Detroit or not, I couldn't care less. I'm happy he's back practicing with the team and just want to see him healthy for Tampa Bay September 12th. This is a very talented player the Browns have here. They've invested a lot of time and money on him. Don't you think it would be just a little bit self-defeating if they rushed him back into action before he was ready? It's a long season. Give him the time he needs to get healthy."

Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown indicated he feels disrespected by the Browns after being relieved of his executive advisor role earlier this year on a Syracuse radioi show...

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerJim Brown indicated he would like to be respected more by the Browns..

CLEVELAND --  Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, who's original plan was to skip the Brown's Ring of Honor ceremony on Sept. 19, indicated on a Syracuse radioi station today that he feels disrespected by the organization.

Speaking on a The Score 1260 in Syracuse, N.Y., Brown responded to a question about possibly skipping the ceremony for the first time: "I'm a very sensitive person. I do like to be respected. I'm very loyal. I like it to be a two-way street.

"I've been very quiet about the situation in Cleveland. Sometimes when you comment on things all you do is create problems. The last thing I want to do is create problems for anyone or disrupt the team or ownership or the plans of other people. On the other hand, as an individual I have plans of my own. I have a dignity and character of my own that I also protect. I don't really need to comment on where I go, why I go, why I don't go. All the people involved are doing all the commenting. They're the ones with the power. I'm just an individual who played football and worked for the Browns for a while....My main work right now is to help the players pension plan and health care situation....Those of us well enough off financially should chip in and start the ball rolling so that these players can be given the respect that baseball and basketball give their players.''

Browns President Mike Holmgren said during a press conference today to announce the Ring of Honor that he spoke with Brown a couple of days ago and that he trust Brown will attend the ceremony honoring the Browns' 16 Hall of Famers.

He said "rift' is too strong a word to describe the situation between the Browns and Brown and that he's acknowledged from day one how important he is to the organization. He said his responsibilities have changed, but that he still wants Brown to be a part of the Browns' family and come back and speak to the rookies and attend other team functions.

Brown had been an executive advisor to the team, but was relieved of that title after Holmgren took over as  president.

Fellow Hall of Famer Paul Warfield said he'll try to encourage Brown to attend the ceremony if he gets the opportunity. . 

"J.R. Smith is a headcase. Don't want him. Don't need him. Look, this team is in rebuild/restock mode this season and next. As a season ticket holder it pains me to think about what this coming season will look like, but I've accepted it as such since I know Dan Gilbert is committed to winning. The Cavs will be holding back unless legitimate star value comes along in regards to using any of their trade exception money. This season is one that will likely put them in next year's lottery, so it would be foolish to try and get a malcontent player that wouldn't move the needle and won't be part of the longer term revamp." - randyosu

View full sizeAPJ.R. Smith.

In response to the story Lawrence Vickers' impact; J.R. Smith's availability; and top prospects under performing, cleveland.com reader randyosu wants nothing to do with J.R. Smith. This reader writes,

"J.R. Smith is a headcase. Don't want him. Don't need him. Look, this team is in rebuild/restock mode this season and next. As a season ticket holder it pains me to think about what this coming season will look like, but I've accepted it as such since I know Dan Gilbert is committed to winning. The Cavs will be holding back unless legitimate star value comes along in regards to using any of their trade exception money. This season is one that will likely put them in next year's lottery, so it would be foolish to try and get a malcontent player that wouldn't move the needle and won't be part of the longer term revamp."

Rondon, 22, was the Indians' minor league pitcher of the year in 2009.

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Hector Rondon with the Indians in spring training.

Cleveland -- Cleveland Indians pitcher Hector Rondon has undergone reconstructive Tommy John elbow surgery.

The Indians say the hard-throwing right-hander, 22, had the operation on Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala.

One of the top prospects in Cleveland's organization, Rondon went 1-3 with a 8.53 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Columbus. He struck out 33 and walked 10 in 31 2/3 innings, but labored, as reflected in the 48 hits -- including 12 home runs -- that he gave up.

Rondon last pitched on May 12 before being shut down with soreness. The Indians sent him to their year-round training complex in Arizona, but he experienced more pain, and surgery was recommended.

Rondon was the Indians' minor league pitcher of the year in 2009. Pitching for Cleveland's top two farm teams -- Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus -- Rondon was a combined 11-10 with a 3.38 ERA, striking out 137 and walking just 29 in 146 1/3 innings.

Rondon is from Venezuela. The Indians signed him as an undrafted free agent in Aug., 2004, when he was 16. Rondon earned various minor league all-star honors in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

-- Associated Press contributed to this report

"Do not move the game. Who cares if they are in different divisions so long as they play at the end of the regular season? Any other scenario would diminish the rivalry. Playing back-to-back games a few times a decade is worth it." - lbits47

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerWherever the game is played, Ohio State and Michigan fans just want it at the end of the season.

In response to the story Ohio State president says Buckeyes-Michigan could remain last game, cleveland.com reader lbits47 thinks moving the OSU-Michigan game would diminish the rivalry too much. This reader writes,

"Do not move the game. Who cares if they are in different divisions so long as they play at the end of the regular season? Any other scenario would diminish the rivalry. Playing back-to-back games a few times a decade is worth it."

Smith said Ohio State-Michigan could be played on the last weekend regardless of the division breakdown.

What OSU president Gordon Gee said about the rivalry today

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told The Plain Dealer this afternoon that he has received about 350 e-mails from fans on the issue of the Ohio State-Michigan game, around 90 percent of them expressing the desire for the Buckeyes and Wolverines to continue to play to end the regular season.

Smith said the issue of scheduling has been discussed very little by Big Ten athletic directors, who so far have been trying to nail down the division breakdown and talking about the idea of expanding to nine conference games instead of eight. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez has said publicly that expansion to nine games will happen in 2015.

Smith said there was an all-day meeting in Chicago for the ADs this Monday, with a conference call scheduled for next week. He believes the divisions will be finalized soon, and then the talk will turn to scheduling. And whether the Buckeyes and Wolverines are in separate divisions or the same division, which Smith wouldn't divulge, he thinks they can play to end the regular season.

Tracy Boulian | The Plain DealerOhio State AD Gene Smith

"I think in the division or out of the division, you could play the last game," Smith said. "There are obviously warts with both of those. But there's no doubt you could do it both ways."
 
And Smith said he knew the idea of keeping that game to end the regular season was an important one as soon as expansion was approved and before the e-mails rolled in.

"I always knew it was an issue," Smith said. "I've always had my reasons, but I'm getting additional reasons. ... Honestly, there are people who are emotional and you know, they're not giving me anything different. They're telling me what I already know. I really appreciate the information from the people who are obviously being thoughtful and are giving me good information. ... I've gotten models, I've gotten historical data, I've gotten a lot of stuff that makes sense."
 
Smith said he also sought out the advice of some former players and plans to talk to some current players before the final meetings on the issue are held.

I mentioned two specific and potentially contradictory points to Smith:

* That moving the rivalry to earlier in the season just to accommodate a potential Ohio State-Michigan championship game that probably wouldn't happen more than once every four years doesn't seem to be worth the payoff.

* That splitting the top four teams - Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State - makes sense, and it might be reasonable that Penn State would rather be with Ohio State or Michigan than a potential rival so far west.

"That's what we'll do in the room," Smith said, meaning all topics like these will be broached. "All the possibilities that every fan has mentioned or anyone has talked about are alive. ... No decisions have been made."

Pro bass angler Mike Iaconelli brought his fishing show "City Limits Fishing" to Cleveland on Tuesday and was surprised at the outstanding largemouth bass fishing he found around Cleveland Harbor.

Pro bass angler Mike Iaconelli brought his fishing show "City Limits Fishing" to Cleveland on Tuesday and was surprised at the outstanding largemouth bass fishing he found around Cleveland Harbor.

"We had a blast filming our first show for 2011 in Cleveland," said Iaconelli, 32, of Pittsgrove, N.J., Known for his fishing skills and zany antics on the pro bass tournament trail, Iaconelli has won many national tournaments and the Bass Masters Classic.

"We had surprisingly good bass action all day long," he said. "It was crazy we could catch so many nice fish with such a big, industrial city in the background.

 Iaconelli's guide was pro bass angler Frank Scalish of Cleveland Heights. They caught and released more than a limit of 10 legal-sized bass, and just as many smaller fish. Bob Davis and Lorenzo Jones of the North Coast Black Bass Anglers Association and Ray Halter of The Rodmaker's Shop in Strongsville organized a local crew of fishermen who helped operate camera boats and provide support. 

 "Iaconelli might come across as wild and crazy at the tournaments, but he was friendly and very professional," said Halter. "He's an outstanding bass fisherman, and it showed."

 The Cleveland area bass fishing has been only fair, at best, in recent weeks, but Scalish is a veteran of Cleveland Harbor fishing and knows all of the hot spots. Iaconelli said a Berkley Gripper Jig, a finesse football-style lead-head jig, tipped with a three-inch Crazy Legs Chigger Craw trailer triggered a lot of his strikes.

The Cleveland show will be among the first aired when the 2011 season begins in mid-February on the Versus network.

Koch acquitted: Sandusky commercial fisherman Dean Koch of Whites Landing Fisheries, cited by the Ohio Division of Wildlife for not installing electronic tracking equipment on his boat required by a 2008 law, had the charges tossed out Thursday by Erie County Judge Paul Lux.

Lux ruled the law was vague and unconstitutional, though all of the other Ohio commercial fishermen have installed the tracking gear, said Lake Erie law enforcement supervisor Gino Barna. The law was passed after Cuyahoga County indicted 14 individuals and five businesses in 2005 on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, theft, and receiving stolen property related to Ohio commercial perch fishing between 2001 and 2003. 

 Koch was not charged in the poaching case.

Zarts are MWC winners: Gary Zart of Brunswick and his son, Nicholas, finished ninth in the recent MWC walleye tournament on Saginaw Bay, and brought home the trophy for MWC Father and Son Team of the Year. Michigan anglers David Kolb and Ryan Wall were the winners with a two-day total of 28.87 pounds. 

 Out and about: Noted bamboo fly rod artisan Jeff Wagner is featured Sept. 7 at a 7 p.m. meeting of the Emerald Necklace Chapter of Trout Unlimited at the Cleveland Metroparks' Rocky River Nature Center . . . The deadline for boaters to apply for a lottery for state boat docks is Tuesday (Aug. 31), with docks available in northern Ohio at Cleveland Lakefront State Park and Lake Milton . . . Geauga Bowmen on Sperry Rd. in Chesterland host its annual 3-D deer shoot on Saturday (Aug. 28), with 30 life-like targets . . . The North American In-Water Boat Show drops anchor at Cedar Point Marina, adjacent to the amusement park in Sandusky, on Sept. 15-19. 

 Cerino second in Top Shot: When the shooting was finally over, Chris Cerino, 41, of Wadsworth just missed taking the title of America's Top Shot, a new reality show that wrapped up recently on the History Channel. Cerino beat all but one of the 16 pre-selected marksmen, losing in the final round to $100,000 winner Iain Harrison, a former British Army captain living in Sherwood, Ore. The final challenge was to be the first competitor to complete seven stations that included accuracy with pistols, rifles, long bows, and throwing knives.

Cerino is a firearms instructor at the Richfield campus of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.

Bass bonanza in Detroit: Chris King of South Amherst was on top of the bass world last weekend, but only for a while. King nailed a limit of five smallmouth bass weighing an impressive 25 pounds, 14 ounces to take the lead going into Saturday's final day of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open in Detroit. On Saturday, King failed to bring a single bass to the scales, as Todd Schmitz of Goshen, Ind., took the win and $46,000 with a three-day total of 61 pounds, including 23-13 on the last day.

Ohio anglers in the top 10 were David Hasty of Toledo (2d, 59-03) and Jared Rhode (7th, 53-12) of Port Clinton. King slipped to 20th.

Take your pick: The early hunting seasons begin Wednesday, with hunters heading out after squirrel, mourning doves and Canada geese. The early teal hunting season kicks off on Saturday. Doves and geese are plentiful around the state. The nut crops determine the abundance of squirrels, and last fall's crop was lower than average. 

 Mutes to be managed: Ohio wildlife officials now have approval to manage mute swans. The impressive swans can be found on lakes and ponds around the area. An invasive species, the big, white birds can interfere with nesting trumpeter swans and other native waterfowl, and have been known to attack people.

Plain Dealer’s Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot preview the Cleveland Browns game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit on Saturday.

Plain Dealer’s Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot preview the Cleveland Browns game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit on Saturday.

Transcript of Thursday's news conference with Browns coach Eric Mangini.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerCoach Eric Mangini is looking forward to seeing what a healthy Montario Hardesty (above) can do in game conditions.

Transcript of Browns coach Eric Mangini's news conference

(Opening statement)- "Good morning everybody. A couple updates here this morning. Montario (Hardesty) will practice today. Coye Fancies, he's off PUP, he will practice today. In terms of their availability for the game, I'd say questionable, but we will just see how it goes today. I'd say questionable with the arrow pointing down. John (St. Clair) is not back. I've been in contact with him and will remain in contact with him, but he will not be out there this afternoon. In terms of what we are doing here, it's our typical Friday practice, our third day in a week practice. That entails reviewing first, second and third down, installing the red zone, goal line reviewing, a little more emphasis on short yardage and blitzes and some other emphasis things that we have put in and re-cover on Friday. It's review with new install going in red zone, goal line and some new blitzes and new short yardage."

(On if they have started to prepare for Tampa Bay)- "Yes, we did work in the offseason, so we do that for any new opponent and we go back and look at our divisional opponents as well. As the preseason tape comes in, you start looking at that to focus in a little bit more on the starters, but you watch the whole game to see scheme consistency with the understanding that you can get anything in the first game, you don't know necessarily what's been worked on that hasn't been put in. Familiarize yourself with the new players, what their roles are. It's ongoing. It starts in the offseason, it revs up in the preseason and the first game of the season, there's always that element of who knows what you are going to get."

(On if they have shown the players film of Tampa Bay yet)- "Different guys will kind of do the same thing that the coaches do and watch a little bit each week, put a half hour to 45 minutes in the bank on something like that. It doesn't take away from the rest of their preparation, it just gives you a foundation going in to that first, second and third week."

(On if Hardesty will be limited in practice today)- "He will be at practice, but it will be a limited participation practice. That's typical, that's like the next step of coming back."

(On how concerned he is with Hardesty's durability)- "This wasn't something that was a pre-existing condition. It was just one of those things that happened. I really believe that Montario is a tough kid, a durable kid and sometimes you get setbacks. I'm excited to have him back out there."

(On if there is a scenario where both James Davis and Chris Jennings could make the roster and if special teams will come into play)- "Really that will be the key factor is special teams. If you're not the starter or if you're not a starter in a package, in order to make the team you have to add value on special teams. In order to get to the 45, you definitely have to have value on special teams. That's a big part of how guys are being evaluated. Guys can't forget too, it's not just Jennings and J.D., they're competing against everybody, everybody who is kind of in that same area."

John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer Although he has not broken any long runs this preseason, James Davis has looked about the same as he did last year, coach Eric Mangini says. Davis will get some playing time this week, but is expected to play a lot in the exhibition finale against Chicago.

(On how Davis is looking on special teams)- "I think he's looked better than last season at this time, so that's encouraging. I think he's still got some things that have to improve, but I like some of the progress that I've seen. Same thing with Chris. Often times these guys haven't played special teams at all in college or if they did, it was when they were freshman, so it's getting back in to that feel. We have had different guys over time who when they first started on special teams, you think, "Oh my God, they have no chance." Then the light goes on and they get it and end up becoming core guys and really prolonging their career. Jerricho Cotchery to me is a great story because he made the team in New York on special teams and then he got a chance to play in 2006 and had, I think, 89 catches. He never would have gotten that shot had he not done all of the good things that he did on special teams."

(On if he has seen enough of Tony Pashos to know what kind of player he is)- "No, I think you have got to see him play. He hasn't been out there very much at all, so he has got to play. He will play this weekend and that will provide a lot more information."

(On if Hardesty is bigger than Jerome Harrison, faster than Peyton Hillis and what else he brings to the table)- "Well, A is true, he is bigger than Harrison. B, we haven't raced those two guys with him and Hillis. I think it's just different approaches. He has a different style than Peyton, he has a different style than Jerome and with those three guys, it's figuring out where can they contribute the most? Once you define that, then it's also that they have to go in and function effectively in the other packages. What you don't want to do is every time you have Jerome out there, you run just these plays. You want to be able to work him into the other packages and have him run those plays well, same thing with Peyton and the same thing with Montario. Sometimes you can get into when you have a big back and a small back, you put the big back in to run and the small back in to pass, everybody in the stadium knows what you're doing. You have got to balance those things off."

(On if Hardesty is doubtful for Saturday)- "I'd say it's questionable with the arrow pointing down. We have got to see what he looks like today."

(On if Hardesty could show him something in practice today to change his mind for Saturday)- "It's just how well he operates, how good he feels tomorrow, this afternoon and you have got to talk to the trainer and the doctor. There are a lot of things that you have to go through and gather information on before you make that decision, but it's a really positive step."

(On if there is a gap between Hardesty as a willing blocker and Hardesty as an effective blocker)- "I think a lot of times with blocking and special teams, the willing part is the most important part because you can teach the effective part. I didn't feel that in the exposure that we had without pads with Montario, I thought his technique was good. That would lead you to think that he should be an effective blocker. Now we haven't done it very much with pads, so we have got to see what happens there."

(On if he thinks Hillis is a very effective blocker)- "I think he's been pretty effective with the chances that he has. On that fourth down play to Josh (Cribbs), he made a really nice adjustment. The nose kind of slipped off Alex (Mack) and was starting to penetrate in the pocket and he came over and saved the play. It's that type of stuff that you really like. It's not just the, "Okay, I have the WILL. I block the WILL." It's also understanding, "This is broken down, I need to save this." It's kind of a deeper level of understanding of the blocking scheme. That was one really encouraging play."

(On how Coye Francies fits into the secondary)- "I don't know that answer right now. What can you do on special teams and then what's your role? Can you be effective as the money player, the inside player that covers the tight end types or the star which covers the slot receiver or are you more of an outside guy? We had a decent look at him last year. We have a lot more information obviously than before we drafted him. Typically those guys make a jump in the second year and we haven't been able to evaluate that as much. I thought he did some nice things in OTAs, some positive things from where he was. The tough thing with Coye's situation is the time to evaluate has been compressed dramatically. You're fighting time."

(On if Kaluka Maiava and David Veikune are ready to make a jump in their second year)- "In a lot of ways, I thought that David was very similar to Brian (Robiskie) in terms of offensive and defensive development. He had really shown a much better mastery of the scheme, of what he had to do and had made a lot of progress. He missed some time here throughout camp, which you never want that to happen with a guy that's developing. There have been a lot of positive signs. He made a tackle or two last week on special teams, which was a good thing to see. With Kaluka, he got a lot of playing time last year. He did a nice job on special teams and my expectation is that he takes another jump. He was very effective at USC as a special teams player. He was special teams player of the year, I think twice. He was an underrated guy in that group of linebackers that came out and they had so many of them that came out that year, he was almost an afterthought, but I thought he was a big part of why that defense was effective. My expectation for him is a significant jump. He is a smart kid and he is an inherently tough kid. He's not your typical size, but if he can carve out a third and fourth down role, it could be a really good role for us."

(On if he could potentially see Sheldon Brown playing safety due to the development of Joe Haden)- "No, not really because I think Sheldon has done a nice job at corner. I like the things that T.J. (Ward) has done at safety and Abe (Elam). Mike Adams, I thought he did a really good job as well last year when he played safety. We've worked Mike a lot at corner, not necessarily because he is going to play solely at corner, but because we wanted to give him reps at that skill set. We felt like he had a better base at safety, so let's go work on this other area for versatility purposes. I really like what Sheldon is doing at corner and Joe is going to have to, for that to even be a thought, really make a dramatic push."

(On if James Davis has been making explosive runs in camp like he did last year)- "He's looked, I'd say similar. I know he hasn't had the long runs, but I think he's looked similar to how he looked last year. Now he will get a lot more chances I'd say in the Chicago game than he will necessarily this week. He will get some chances this week, but I think in Chicago he will really get a chance to make a strong argument. I think his blocking has improved, which is an area that we targeted in the offseason."

(On if there is a number of running backs he has in mind that he would like to have on the final roster)- "I've had two, I've had more. That's why we have that miscellaneous category on the chart because maybe it's the fourth tight end, maybe it's the fourth running back, maybe it's the sixth safety, you keep those open. You have certain things slotted by position, then you keep another area open because that's the next best guy."

(On who might be the backup center)- "(Billy) Yates has played there quite a bit and Shawn (Lauvao) had played there quite a bit. Again with Shawn not being here for a week, it was harder to follow the rep progression that we had hoped to follow, but he has done a nice job throughout camp and so has Billy. Pat Murray has worked there as well."

(On if he would like to see Lauvao play center in these upcoming preseason games)- "Again, it's something that we have talked about. Just the way it's gone with the offensive linemen with different guys having to leave, that's made it a little bit harder including with Shawn having to take some time. We had had sort of one plan going in to camp as to the rep progression and that's had to adjust. It has been something that we have talked about, it's just when we will be able to get to it."

(On how the defense would be affected if Shaun Rogers started the season on the PUP list)- "We want him back obviously, but he was gone for quite a few weeks last year and he has been gone for quite a few weeks this year so far. The positive, not that you're necessarily looking for the positive in an injury, but it has allowed (Ahtyba) Rubin to get more reps and develop there. We are looking forward to getting him back in the mix."

(On if they have contacted the league about whether or not Rogers or Robaire Smith will be disciplined)- "You get to talk to Mike (Holmgren) this afternoon. You can ask him. That's not my area anymore."

(On his impressions of Travis Ivey)- "Big. He's big. We liked some things about him in college. We have really only had actually a little over 24 hours with him. He seems to be proactive in terms of trying to get the information and outside the typical slated times. We will see this weekend. I don't know a ton of about him, just more my college exposure and my limited exposure here."

(On if Ivey if the only potential backup nose tackle if Rogers is on the PUP list)- "No, different guys have played it. Believe it or not, Kenyon (Coleman) has played nose before. Robaire has played nose before, he has worked in there at different points. We would build all of those things in, kind of like the o-line. It's not necessarily what you would like to do, but they have done it and they understand the technique and how to operate. We have got Swanson (Miller), who has worked in there. We will just have to see how it goes."

(On how much Hardesty will be expected to contribute during the season having limited preseason exposure)- "If we are taking him and he's on the 45, then he is expected to contribute and play and be effective. Otherwise, he won't be on the 45. If he's going, he will have a role and we will feel comfortable that he can fill that role and he will feel comfortable that he can fill that role. We won't take him just to get his letter early (joking)."

(On if Rubin can be a good long-term starting nose tackle)- "Rubin can be a good, long-term starting nose. He is stout, he plays with good technique, he has got a high motor. Sometimes you lose track of a motor with a guy that big, he's running all of the time. He may not pop off of the screen, but he's running. I like him. I like his growth, I like his professionalism. He's got a chance to be a good long-term nose."

(On if Rubin was on his draft board when he was with the Jets)- "I'm going to say yes. We had him really high, we just couldn't get to him (joking). I don't remember where he was on the board to tell you the truth. I know we had him on the board, as far as you know and as far as I know, but I don't know where we had him on the board."

(On if Rubin is one of those guys that slipped down in the draft, but became a good player)- "Yes, that happens. It's like Cribbs. How does Cribbs become Cribbs? It's an inexact science and everybody tries to make it a science, but it's human beings and you don't know. Time, money, more responsibility, how is it all going to affect a 22-23 year old kid?"

 Transcript courtesy of Cleveland Browns

Brown addressed Cavs owner Gilbert's comments on James, besides Brown's possible Ring of Honor ceremony absence and various NFL issues.

Scott Shaw, The Plain Dealer Former Cleveland Browns running back great Jim Brown.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns running back legend Jim Brown indicated during an interview today with a Syracuse, N.Y., radio station that he doesn't feel respected by the Browns, as Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot reported earlier today.

Brown has not said that he will attend the Browns Ring of Honor cermony on Sept. 19 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. During the Danny Parkins Show interview on The Score 1260, Brown was asked about possibly skipping the ceremony. Part of his response, as included in Cabot's report:

"I'm a very sensitive person. I do like to be respected. I'm very loyal. I like it to be a two-way street. "I've been very quiet about the situation in Cleveland. Sometimes when you comment on things, all you do is create problems. The last thing I want to do is create problems for anyone or disrupt the team or ownership or the plans of other people.   "On the other hand, as an individual I have plans of my own. I have a dignity and character of my own that I also protect. I don't really need to comment on where I go, why I go, why I don't go."

Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi reported on Sunday that Brown did not plan to attend the Ring of Honor ceremony. Grossi had reported on June 5 that Brown, according to sources, had been fired as a Browns executive advisor earlier this year by new team president Mike Holmgren. Brown was asked about other issues on the Danny Parkins Show. For instance:

* On the possibility of the NFL going to an 18-game regular season schedule:

I don't know if it's too many or it isn't too many.

There are so many issues dealing with health now that have to be worked out.

The concussion situation is one Congress is even looking at. Bryant Gumbel did a show that was very revealing about certain medical situations that occur. I don't know if two more games would make that much of a difference. But I think it's going to be a labor issue. it's going to be drawn out and it's going to be hard to solve. That is the one thing I do know.

The commissioner made a comment about fans not liking pre-season football and that's pretty true. preseason football is not very exciting. They will have to come to some agreement but it will be a labor problem.

* Brown was asked if he could have played 18 games.

We do what we do....If you play hard in a preseason game you can get hurt. if you don't play hard you can get hurt. Football is a physical sport....I would never have imagined 18 games. We started at 12 and went to 14....It would have been very difficult for me, probably.

* With the contract between the owners and players expiring after the 2010 season, Brown was asked if he thought there will be a strike.

I don't think there's going to be a strike. I think there's going to be a lockout. I think the issue is one that's very complicated. The owners want the players to take a cut in their share of the pie.I don't know how a union leader can talk to his players about taking a cut in revenues.

* Brown was asked if he thinks a lockout would affect the popularity of the NFL.

I think the NFL is going to be very popular. It has been very well handled in the past. They've done some great things. They've gotten away with some things that are very bad. The pension plan is one of the worst in the world and the health care situation is not good. But they have been able market the product tremenously and the players have been very exciting. So it's a great American sport. But I think right now with all the money being made and the fans realizing how much money is being made and with so many ancillary situations making money, it would leave a very bad taste in the mouth of the fans if there is a lockout and it's based upon money.

* Brown was asked if the NFL has done enough to address issues such as players' health care and pensions.

Oh, no. The pension plan has to be redone and heal the care has to be redone....They are making progress. The commissioner is an individual who truly wants to make major changes and is doing everything he can do. But the configuration of the players and the union and player development and all these organizations are not sitting down and getting together as human beings. I don't know if labor negotiations can solve these problems. It's going to have to be human negotiations...Rules are going to have to be broken.

* Brown was asked about Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's criticism of LeBron James after free agent James left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.

I thought it was the ugliest diatribe that I've heard. Terrible. It was very insensitive. It was ugly. I wouldn't say it was racist because I would not go that far. But it hinged on everything an African-American male would not want to be called.

Tribe has scored four runs in last five games (all losses), with Choo 8-for-19; everyone else, 19-for-142.

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer Shin-Soo Choo has been trying to carry the Indians' offense.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Maybe it's just a brief, team hitting slump, or maybe American League pitchers have a better book on how to pitch some of the Cleveland Indians' young hitters and career journeymen.

Not that the Indians' lineup was reminding anyone of the 1927 Yankees, but at least it made pitchers work a little -- especially during a month-long stretch when the Indians played .500 baseball against some of the American League's best teams.

Five games generally mean very little during a 162-game season, and we certainly consider that. Yet, the Indians' five-game losing streak/offensive collapse is somewhat notable.

In that stretch, during which the Indians have scored four runs, Tribe right fielder Shin Soo-Choo has eight hits in 19 at bats (.421), while the Indians' other hitters are 19-of-142 (.134).

The Indians conclude their three-game series against the Oakland Athletics tonight at Progressive Field. MLB.com previews the game.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com/tribe coverage of the Indians includes video of assistant general manager/soon to be GM Chris Antonetti discussing the Indians; Dennis Manoloff's Indians briefing; a report on pitching prospect Hector Rondon having reconstructive elbow surgery; Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes' podcast.

Holes in bats

The Indians' hitting woes are detailed by Jim Ingraham for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal:

The Indians this season have been shut out 11 times, tying them with Seattle for the most in the American League. The Indians are on pace to get shut out 14 times, which would be the most times they've been held scoreless since they were shut out 18 times in their 105-loss 1991 season.

They are on pace to hit 125 home runs, which would be their fewest in a season since they hit 75 in 1991.

They are on pace for 1,336 hits, which would be their lowest season total since 1972.

They are on pace to score 641 runs, which would be their fewest in a season since they scored 576 in 1991.

Dugout talk

Tribe notes by Chris Assenheimer for the Elyria Chroniclle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

Joe Stiglich writes about Wednesday night's Athletics-Indians game for the Oakland Tribune.

An Indians notebook and a Wednesday game story, both by Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Joe Sheehan, on Sports Illustrated's SI.com, mentions the Indians in his column critical of baseball's revenue-sharing structure.

Where the Indians place in SI.com's new power rankings.

Transcript of news conference with Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren announcing team's plan to establish a Ring of Honor at Browns Stadium.

Thursday news conference with Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren, Joe DeLamielleure and Paul Warfield

Mike Holmgren

(Opening statement)- "First of all, for me, this is a special, special day. I'm quite honored to be sitting in between two great, great football players, Joe DeLamielleure and Paul Warfield. We are here to announce, it's no secret, but to announce the celebration of our new Ring of Honor in the stadium, the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor. It's going to include the men who played for this organization who are now in the Hall of Fame. That's how we started it and we thought it would be appropriate. Of course great tradition and great history, when I came here, as you know, I talked a lot about that and it's one of the reasons that I'm here quite honestly. If you are a history buff dealing with football, the Browns are one of the great organizations and have a tremendous legacy. I remember having a conversation with a couple of my guys not long after I was here and asking the question, "With as many great players in the Hall of Fame, why don't we have a Ring of Honor or something like that?" No one really could tell me. We said, "Shoot, one of the first things we should do is start this." In my experience in Green Bay, we had a marvelous one with great names up there. In Seattle, we had one. Now, we are going to have one in Cleveland Browns Stadium. We were talking earlier before we came down, the three of us, and Joe mentioned the fact that as young players come in to a stadium, I know this was the case in Green Bay and it's going to be the case here, that as the coach of the football team I could tell them, "Look up at those names. Know who they are, study it." For young players coming into the league, there's not a better example than the men who are going to be in our Ring of Honor, the Packers" Ring of Honor, whatever. This is really going to be quite a celebration. I can't tell you how excited I am about it and it's long overdue."

Mike Holmgren

(On the criteria for inductees going forward)- "I think, Tom (Withers) going forward, we are going to work on that. We haven't decided yet quite honestly. I know with our Legends program we have a group. My feeling is that if you go into the Ring of Honor for a particular team, there are a lot of great players that have played here first of all. Not every great player gets to be in the Ring of Honor, that should be something very, very, very special. When we do decide criteria or put a group together to decide who should be considered for that, we are not going to rush in to it. We are going to kind of nail that down and as soon as we figure it out, we will let you know. Right now, the first call is an easy call. Hall of Fame, I mean that's a pretty easy call."

Paul Warfield

(On his reaction to the Ring of Honorhhhh)- "I'm overwhelmed. This is a great and significant honor for me personally. I've been a part of this organization for many years now, but even before becoming a part of this organization as a youngster growing up in nearby Warren, Ohio. As Mike, we really know him as Coach Holmgren, explained, this organization has the richest and proudest history. As I look at all of those Hall of Famers, I identified with many of them ranging from Marion Motley to certainly to Paul Brown, considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of pro football. It was often said before I came to this organization that the Cleveland Browns were synonymous to the New York Yankees in baseball. I was fortunate enough to become a part of this organization as a youngster and then ultimately had the ultimate honor of going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, certainly as a member of the Cleveland Browns, but also playing in another organization, the Miami Dolphins. There's something special about the Cleveland Browns. I'm a native Ohioan, I'm from nearby Warren and I had that dream and I experienced that dream. I've been a part of it and now I'm going to receive the ultimate honor from this organization. I'm overwhelmed by it."

Paul Warfield

(On if he ever asked anyone why the Browns didn't have a Ring of Honor before)- "You know, as the coach said, that question has perhaps eluded me as well as it's eluded him. Fortunately, it's going to happen now. Sometimes, and I don't want to say things are taken for granted, but the success here was for such a long period of time starting in 1946. The moment that this ballclub came to Cleveland in 1946, it represented excellence. I don't really want to say it was taken for granted, but maybe it was kind of lost. People came accustomed to the Browns were supposed to win, and they did win. Over the years, this just didn't happen, but it's happening now and it couldn't happen at a better time."

Joe DeLamielleure

(On if he is a part of the Ring of Honor in Buffalo)- "Yes I am."

Joe DeLamielleure

(On there not being too many people that are a part of two teams" Rings of Honor)- "Other than me and Paul. Paul is in Miami I'm sure. I just had a big mouth and they traded me here (joking). It's kind of amazing because I look at those pictures of Marion Motley. I consider myself a football historian. I love it. I grew up in Detroit and they were rivals of the Lions and if we could stop Jimmy Brown when I was a kid, Alex Karras and Roger Brown and all of those guys. The Browns were a big part of my life too as a child growing up. Then when I got traded here from Buffalo, the first thing I did at Baldwin-Wallace, you guys remember that stadium, is I walked in and I saw Marion Motley and Bill Willis and I said, "Who in the heck are those guys?" When I understood who they were and that they played in 1946, the year before Jackie Robinson. I always knew the Browns were great, but to honor people like that walking by and thinking to yourself, "They set the bar very high and I want to be a player like that." They had a rich history. Paul was in the front office and to me, when I see Paul Warfield walking around I'd say, "Damn he was good. I hope I can be that good." That's what it's all about. I hope someday that young kids walk through here, and I'm sure they're not going to look at a right guard, but they're going to look at these guys and they're going to say, "Man, someday I'd like to do that.""

Joe DeLamielleure

(On his reaction to the Ring of Honor)- "My reaction is that first of all, I'm a football junkie. I'm addicted to football. I coached high school, I coached college with Coach Rutigliano at Duke and I have not been able to get back into pro football. I've never really tried to get into pro football, but I miss it. It's like a drug, it's like I'm addicted. I don't drink, but it's like an addiction to a drink that you just miss it so much. I really, really miss football and not being part of an organization. I feel very good this year because I've got two guys that I'm really going to watch. I recruited and coached Ben Watson at Duke and I live in Charlotte and I know the class they brought in with those two guys, Watson and Jake Delhomme. Now we will be linked for our lives, besides coaching them, we both played in this great city."

Mike Holmgren

(On if Heritage Hall is going to be up just for the season or permanent)- "It's going to be permanent."

Mike Holmgren

(On his relationship with Jim Brown and if he is coming to the ceremony)- "I talked to Jim the day before yesterday. Obviously, some things have been said of whether he is coming or not and I hadn't talked to Jim. We had a great conversation. He understands and he even expressed some of the things that Paul and Joe just said about how wonderful the day will be. I just said, "Listen, we hope to get everybody there." There are 16 Hall of Fame members that we wanted to come, or their families, and Jim is one of those. He said he would get back to me. He said, "Coach, thanks for phoning, I'll get back to you." It was a very good conversation. I'm hopeful he can be there. As I said in my opening press conference when I got this job, Jim Brown is synonymous with the Cleveland Browns. He's one of the great players ever in the National Football League. It's going to be a great celebration for all of us and the 16 families on that day and I trust he will be part of that. He's going to holler back at me, so as soon as I know, you will know."

Mike Holmgren

(On if he is upset that there is a notion in the public that there is a rift between Jim Brown and the organization)- "I just think it's not quite what it appears to be. I think that's kind of strong language for what it is. I trust Jim will be there and I hope he's there because he is part of this. He's part of the history of this place, a big part of it. Any way it comes down, it's going to be a wonderful day. It's going to be a celebration. There are 16 people that were part of this. I have heard personally from all of the people, how excited they are. I got a real nice letter from Mike Brown about his dad. It's good. It should be done, it will be done and it's going to be a great week. It will be a week celebration because we are planning a lot of stuff."

Mike Holmgren

(On if he thinks the most tangible benefit of this will be to motivate current players on the team)- "I think there are probably a lot of benefits, but I think from a coach's point of view, I used it. I think it helped me. It's just like Paul and Joe, I would hope as these guys come back into town and we get it rolling and the players see that, "Oh that's Joe DeLamielleure, his name is up there. Oh that's Paul Warfield." That's how it worked for me in Green Bay because those guys would come back and we would have them come back for a game and I'd introduce them to the younger guys, "This is our history. You're a young player, now you're a part of this. We are all part of this." It worked for me, it worked for us. I think if you love this game, then you want to know those people. I was like a little kid in a candy store when I went in there and I'm coaching the team. I'm a little like Joe, I'm a football junkie and I just happen to be a big shot executive now."

(On if the inscription will be their name and a date)- "You know what, I know the name is there, I'm not sure of the date. I'm sure there will be a date, but I'm not sure how it will show. The name will be in big block letters around. There will be some suspense because we are going to have this unveiling, so maybe we better just better leave it at that."

Paul Warfield

(On what he wishes young players would ask him about and what he would say)- "I'm not quite sure what I would wish of the young players. I would share the sentiments of the coach and also Joe. I would hope that young players today would be like most other people who are involved in this sport. I'm a bit of a historian too and all of these names that are up on the wall, Bill Willis, Marion Motley, Jim Brown, Otto Graham. Otto Graham was one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of this game. One of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of this game, he was called "Automatic Otto". He won titles for the Cleveland Browns. I hope that that's not lost on today's young players. When I came into football years ago, people like Hugh McElhenny of the San Francisco 49ers and their famed million dollar backfield, just to name someone. A marvelous runner, I tried to emulate and do things like Hugh McElhenny. He was an elusive runner before Gale Sayers. History is very important. The coach here was talking about what he brought to Green Bay and hoped to achieve, which he did achieve there. The late Ray Nitschke, he was the prime ambassador for football and certainly for Green Bay. If anyone was in Ray Nitschke's presence, and all of those young Packers who came into that organization and Ray was there and around Lambeau Field all of the time because he believed in that organization. He certainly helped the coach get what he needed to get done up there in Green Bay at the time. I'm hoping that these young men, because it's their profession that's chosen at that point, are more like guys of the past. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but certainly they want to be as good as they can be in this game. I wanted to be as good as I could be in this game. I looked to the past for answers for my development as a player. I was very fortunate to have Ray Renfro teach me the art of pass receiving, which made me as a player in one year and for all the years that I played in the game. If I had a chance to talk to Marion Motley, which I did fortunately because he was present and he was around during that time that I came to the Cleveland Browns. I was overwhelmed, practically speechless and afraid to talk to him, but I know who he was, I knew what he was about, I knew what the players of the Detroit Lions were about. Yale Lary, I knew Bobby Layne, I knew all of those players of the "50s and they played the Browns and they were the one team that was able to beat the Browns in a championship game and that was unusual. I don't know if I'm answering your question, but what I'm saying is I would hope that young people would be excited to talk to players who were accomplished because they have some of the answers to helping them be successful at this level."

Paul Warfield

(On if he will talk to Jim Brown about coming to the ceremony)- "I haven't talked to Jim much in recent months, but if I had an opportunity to talk to him, I would just certainly tell him that, "Jim, I hope you would be here. I think it's going to be a wonderful occasion and you certainly would love to be a part of it because you're so much a part of the history of this organization." I hope that he would be here."

Paul Warfield

(On what sense he has that the current team is on the verge of turning things around)- "I spoke to Mike McLain, who interviewed me for our hometown newspaper and he asked me a similar question and he asked me if I was optimistic. I said, "Yes, I'm always an optimist." Taking it beyond that, I see certainly an air of positivity here. I think it's reflected in terms of the initial preseason games so far this year. I see things that I haven't seen in a while. I think that things are headed in the right direction. I would compare it very similar to going down to Miami in 1970. I left an established, winning organization here to go to an organization who was four years into an expansion team in the old American Football League and the consolidation of the two leagues that occurred. That was tough. A lot of hard work, weeding out of some players, getting the right players in. There was a nucleus there for a winner and good young players who became Hall of Fames. Then there was an infusion of veteran players coming from winning organizations like myself from Cleveland or Marv Fleming from Green Bay who had been with two Super Bowl-winning title teams at that time and three overall NFL Championship teams. The mixture of veteran presence from winning traditions to go with that young, developing nucleus that had not won at that point, but quickly learned how to win. I see the convergence of the same things through the efforts of the present administration with what they are putting together here. That's going to mean great things, I think, in the near future and certainly in the future years to come."

Joe DeLamielleure

(On how he felt when he first came to the Browns)- "Very fortunate because I'll tell you why. My dad owned a bar in Detroit and he could pick it up on TV for free (joking). I'm the ninth of 10 and my dad was a little bit older than most dads. I said, "Dad, you don't have to drive anymore. You can just flip on the TV and watch me with the Browns." This is a unique place. I'd like to answer that question about why I'm optimistic about the Browns. Because the guy sitting right here is a football man. You can only go by the experiences that you know. He brought in two class individuals who are good football players in Delhomme and Ben Watson. That's how you build your team, bringing in class guys who are character guys and it rubs off. I think his record speaks for itself. You have to go with guys that know how to win."

(On if fans will pull the curtain on the unveiling of the Ring of Honor and if there will be statues outside of the stadium of past greats)- "I don't know how they are going to set that up to be honest with you. I really don't yet. We are still kind of talking through it. I just received all of the acceptances of the invitations. We have got the signs going, I want you to know that. As far as the statues and things, the stadium is a tremendous asset for this city and for this area. We have a lot of ideas moving forward as far as the Legends program, the Ring of Honor. We are just starting. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, there will be a number of things kind of dressing up the stadium a little bit that will entice people to come down there, not the least of which is a potential Hall of Fame-type situation there again like we had in Green Bay. There are enough people, there are enough football historians that I've met already in this area that would enjoy walking through the history of the Cleveland Browns in a nice place down there. There are a lot of things going on. We are starting with this, we are re-implementing the Legends program and then there are a couple of other things on the back burner that we are going to do down the road."

Mike Holmgren

(On if any fan input went into this idea)- "I'm sure. We listen to our fans, I want all of the fans to know we listen to them. To me, this was kind of a slam dunk. I didn't have to have any e-mail or any letter come to my desk saying, "You know what? You should have a Ring of Honor." I didn't need any input, any help on that. I'm always appreciative of help in other areas if they want to keep writing me letters. The biggest thing with fans I would say this in all seriousness is how we treat those people at the stadium and how we treat our season ticket holders. We're making a big push right now to make sure the service side of this organization, we are doing things right. Those are the people that make everything work for you. They care deeply about this team and this area, so at the very least as an organization we have to do the right thing in getting back to them in a timely manner on things and answering their questions and all of those types of things."

Paul Warfield

(On his memories of Leroy Kelly and him being lost in the shuffle because he played right after Jim Brown)- "Tremendous. Leroy Kelly played in a period in which Gale Sayers was in the league and they were considered the two best backs, certainly in that short term period. Gale had a short career. Leroy was drafted the same year I was, he came in the same class as a matter of fact. For me personally as a player, I always respected what he did in terms of keeping that great running tradition. As a pass receiver, he helped me out tremendously because in that portion of the field, when he would come out of the backfield, he would preoccupy defenders. He was such an outstanding receiver and could apply a lot of pressure on the defense, he would occupy linebackers in the short area of the field, which gave me more room to operate. He was a tremendous help to me, but he was a great runner in addition and also a very versatile athlete. We had a run/pass option which he would throw the ball to me too. When he would start my direction on what we called a flip or tossing the ball to him, defenses had to be cautious because of his great running ability, but yet because he could throw the ball too and throw it very well. He would throw it in my direction, so it helped me out immensely as a receiver."

Paul Warfield

(On if the Browns have been slow to embrace their history since they returned in 1999)- "I think the fans have always been great here. They certainly know the history of its players. As far as the organization is concerned, if you look at the previous administration that has been here, Joe DeLamielleure referenced it in our conversation before we came out here. He really felt like it was a first-class organization and that's what the Cleveland Browns has always been, a very first-class organization. It started initially in 1946 with Paul Brown in which he said, "We are going to be a first-class organization in everything that we do." I think to this very day it has carried on through different administrations and when the team reorganized. It's been a first-class organization and will continue to be a first-class organization. The emphasis is certainly to get this organization back to the top, as Joe referred to it as the "flagship of the fleet", team in the National Football League. It's certainly headed in that direction and there's no question that it should get there."

Mike Holmgren

(On if he is surprised how enthusiastic fans still are about the Browns)- "Am I surprised? No, I'm not surprised. Having coached in Green Bay, which is pretty close, you're in the Midwest. Football is different here, I think. The people look at it differently. It's very much a vested interest in their football team. I knew before I even came about how sincere the fans were. Frustrated? Perhaps. A little angry? Maybe. Fans are fans. Are they there for you all the time? Yes. I knew that, so I wasn't surprised by that. When I got a chance during training camp in my little golf cart to drive around and talk to the folks prior to the start of practice, it doesn't take long before you sense how much they care. Our training camp this year as an example, after a few years of frustration perhaps, we had more people by far come to this training camp. In fact, way more than the season after the 10-6 season. Which tells me that these folks are there for you. They're going to be there for you. It's a wonderful thing really and for a player to play here, for a coach to coach here, for me to work here, it's an opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of this. That's why this day with these men and the other people that are going to be there is going to be so special. For the fans, for me, for their families, for them, for a lot of folks. It's something that is probably long overdue, it's something now we are going to do it and it's something that is going to be very special for years and years and years to come."

Mike Holmgren

(On where he and Jim Brown stand and if there is anything more he wants to say about it)- "Not really other than the fact that we had a good conversation the other day and I think Jim and I, when we re-aligned the front office, there was change that took place with a lot of people. That happens when you have someone come in and they are changing things. New people come in, people go, people's jobs change, their responsibilities change and that was what happened with Jim. I think it's important to understand with Jim, his role, what I would like him to do, the importance of Jim Brown to the Cleveland Browns and to this community, none of that stuff changed. None of that stuff is different and he knows that. I've told him that. His responsibilities, what he was asked to do prior to my coming on board, that changed a little bit. Would I like Jim Brown to come in and talk to our rookies? Absolutely. Would I like Jim Brown to come in and do this? Absolutely. Would I him as a part of this day? Absolutely. Listen, the glass is half full. I think everyone is going to be there."

Mike Holmgren

(On when the next "Golden Era" of the Browns is going to begin)- "I think you've asked me that before Steve (Doerschuk). Look, I know this, the young fellas we have playing right now and the coach and the coaching staff, they're working really hard to flip this and get it going in the right direction. That much I know. My responsibility is to get as many good players in here as I can get so they can do their job. I expect us to improve. I think we have gotten a little taste in the preseason where I hope some of you can see some of the improvement in some of the areas. I trust you can see that. Now, was Rome built in a day? No. Could we plug all the holes? No. But did we fix some things? I believe we did. Now they need a little luck, they need to not get a key guy injured and all of those things. There is a good feeling on this football team right now. When is it going to happen? Let's see, I'm 62 years old. I hope it happens before I have to retire."

Paul Warfield

(On how his role with the team has changed)- "I'm retired. Retirement was something that came when I believe I called Tom Heckert right after the draft, the week after the draft. For the last two years, it's something that I had been considering. Consequently, my desire was to work under one-year contracts for last two years. At the end of those one year contracts, to take a look and see if I wanted to go forward. At the end of my last contract, which ended at the latter part of May, I had come to the conclusion just as a former player back in 1977 I believe it was. In 1976, I signed a three-year contract coming back to the Browns and fully intended to honor that contract until 1978. Towards the close of the 1977 season, which a couple of games were remaining, I found that the competitive juices were starting to wane. I talked to other people and they said, "When the competitive juices start to wane, it's time for you to get out." I called Art Modell and informed him that although it was my intention to honor that contract, I was going to retire at the end of the "77 season. In this situation here years later, I purposely was looking at the last two years and then after the recent draft, I decided for a variety of reasons I was two years beyond the retirement age. In addition to that, some other reasons that are more personal and family-wise that it was an appropriate time for me to retire. I had a very good conversation with Tom Heckert and asked Tom, as I asked Art Modell 30 years before, I made this decision, I don't want any fanfare about it. I used the same terms 30-some odd years later, I don't not want any fanfare about my leaving. Tom graciously honored that. There has been some suspicion of a change of roles or whatever, but now I am officially retired. Tom left the door open. He said, "We can talk in the future." I said, "Tom, I greatly appreciate what you're saying, but as of this time I'm retired, at least for at this time." I'm officially retired, enjoying it at this point. It's a little bit new experience, but I'm spending more time at home and I'm content at this point."

Joe DeLamielleure

(On what he remembers most about his days with the Browns)- "The Cardiac Kids because I came when Brian (Sipe) was MVP of the league. I'm lucky. They always say that success is when luck and timing come together and then a little hard work. That's what coach was talking about here, you need a little luck. What I remember is that when I came here, they were very good. They just needed a few pieces and they thought they needed a right guard and I think I helped them. I was just part of a big puzzle. If you play football, you know that you're only as good as the guys next to you and behind you when you're an offensive linemen. I played next to a great center, Tom DeLeone, and a great right tackle. Then we had the Pruitts and Ozzie (Newsome) and we had a great team. Unfortunately, we were in that division with the Steelers. Just couldn't win them all."

Joe DeLamielleure

(On what he is most looking forward to for this event)- "To meet all of these guys here. I really regret not being able to meet and know Gene Hickerson because when I was growing up, Gene Hickerson was the guard of guards. I wish I could have met him when we could talk because he was a great player. I got in the Hall of Fame before him and I could never figure that out because I always thought Gene Hickerson was one of the great guards of all time. For whatever reason, I got in a couple years before him."

Joe DeLamielleure

(On his relationship with the players union)- "Take care of the former players, that's all I say. This is the greatest game on earth, making the most money and we have the worst pensions. That's all I'll say about it. This is about the Ring of Honor, honoring Paul and thanking Mike for considering to do this because not a lot of organizations do this. It means a lot to me because linemen don't get much recognition. My grandchildren will get to see me do something special that they didn't get to see me do as a player and they really didn't see me when I was in the Hall of Fame. I got in eight years ago, now I have got eight grandchildren and they will get to see this. It's going to mean a lot to them."

Transcript courtesy Cleveland Browns